How good could a little kid's cooking be?
Granny Shuiyuehua soon found herself eating her own words—literally.
"Mmph! Granny Shui, you're eating too fast!"
"That grilled fish was mine!"
It wasn't until she heard Shui Bing'er's aggrieved voice that Granny Shui snapped out of her trance, her hand frozen mid-air with a fishbone between her fingers.
She looked around in disbelief.
Wait... did I really eat that much?
She glanced down—nothing but a pile of fish bones at her side.
Meanwhile, Shui Bing'er clutched her own grilled fish, nibbling at it as best she could. Her tiny mouth made eating slow, and she stared at Granny Shui with watery eyes full of grievance and silent protest.
Granny Shui flushed with embarrassment, chuckled awkwardly, and said,
"Ahem, I didn't notice… My bad."
"Take your time, Bing'er, there's no rush."
Lin Xiao watched the scene helplessly.
"Don't mind her, Granny Shui. You used up a lot of soul power today—you need to replenish your strength. You were always meant to have three fish. Bing'er only gets one."
"She's so small—how could she possibly eat that much?"
But Shui Bing'er pouted defiantly.
"I can eat it all!"
Lin Xiao smiled gently.
"Be good, Bing'er. Finish your fish, then drink some carp soup."
"And then, I'll tell you a story."
Story?
Those three words had an almost magical effect on a little girl like her.
Shui Bing'er's eyes lit up. She picked up her grilled fish and offered it to Granny Shui with both hands.
"Granny, you can have it. You worked hard today!"
Granny Shui took the fish, her expression softening into something warm and maternal.
She was technically just Bing'er's protector.
But over time, she'd come to treat the girl like her own granddaughter.
Seeing her so considerate made her heart swell with pride.
As she took the fish and glanced toward Lin Xiao, her gaze no longer held scrutiny, but the affection of an elder toward a promising junior.
This boy… was surprisingly likable.
If only that infernal fire spirit weren't a problem...
Recalling what Shui Bing'er had said earlier that day, Granny Shui decided to bring up the subject herself.
"Lin boy, have you thought about what to do with the evil fire inside you?"
Lin Xiao didn't reveal anything.
"What else can I do? Just take it one day at a time."
Granny Shui sighed.
"You're only six. Your life is just beginning."
"Live a little longer, and you'll meet more people, see more of the world. Why are you so stubborn about this?"
Truth be told, if she were in Lin Xiao's shoes…
She'd probably have found a way to vent that evil fire already.
Better to be… morally tainted than dead, after all.
But Lin Xiao didn't reply. He looked at Shui Bing'er.
"Bing'er, do you really want to see me become some kind of pervert? Someone who throws himself at women, regardless of who they are—just a beast ruled by his own evil fire?"
"No! I don't want Brother Lin Xiao to turn into that!"
Her face went pale.
She dropped her grilled fish, clutching tightly at his sleeve, eyes brimming with tears.
"Brother Lin Xiao, I can help you with your evil fire."
"My Martial Soul is the opposite of yours."
"I can help you suppress it!"
"If you don't have a family, then... then come live with me! My family is rich. We can take care of you!"
Lin Xiao: "…"
He didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
In his past life, he and his friends would joke about finding a rich woman to take care of them—no more worries, a carefree life.
But in the end, he stayed a lone wolf, a pure-hearted bachelor.
Now, in this new world, a little girl was actually offering to sponsor him.
Fate really had a twisted sense of humor.
He laughed heartily, ruffling Shui Bing'er's hair with affection.
"Didn't expect you to be a little rich girl."
If he didn't have the Immortal Herb, he might've actually considered joining the Shui family.
But he had plans—to go to Heaven Dou City and find Dugu Bo.
Shui Bing'er panicked, thinking he didn't believe her.
"I mean it, Brother Lin Xiao! I'm telling the truth!"
"You have to believe me!"
"I do," Lin Xiao said with a sigh. "I do believe you."
He took a deep breath and added, "Actually, I've already found a solution. The key to suppressing the evil fire lies in Heaven Dou City. I'm confident I can make it work, so there's no need to worry."
His real dilemma wasn't how to solve the problem.
But rather—should he?
He'd discovered that the evil fire continued to evolve. So long as he didn't release it, it grew stronger with time.
What if—just what if—he waited until the evil fire evolved to its peak, and then consumed the Immortal Herb?
Wouldn't that allow him to keep its powerful attributes while eliminating the side effects?
And what if this evolution brought even more powerful abilities?
There's always a tradeoff in life, after all.
That was the question still weighing on his mind.
Shui Bing'er beamed with hope.
"Then that's even better! Brother Lin Xiao, Granny Shui and I can come with you to Heaven Dou City. After you've dealt with the evil fire, you can come home with me, okay?"
Lin Xiao massaged his forehead.
He was starting to realize this girl had a serious obsession with taking him home.
Girl, we've only known each other two days.
How starved for companionship are you?
He hesitated.
"Bing'er, this isn't something that will be solved overnight. Are you really going to wait in Heaven Dou City for years?"
"What about school? Would your family even allow it?"
"And to be honest, I prefer the freedom of traveling alone over joining any family."
Freedom was worth more than gold!
Shui Bing'er's joy faded. Her lips trembled, eyes shimmering with tears.
"You just don't want to come home with me…"
Tears were imminent.
Lin Xiao quickly spoke up:
"All right, how about this—we make a pact."
"You give me your home address. I'll write to you often. We can meet up during holidays, and hang out together."
"I promise, Shui Bing'er will always be my best friend—forever."
Shui Bing'er stopped crying, though her eyes still sparkled with moisture.
"Really? Pinky promise!"
Lin Xiao sighed inwardly.
So even in Douluo Continent, pinky promises are a thing?
"Alright. Pinky swear, cross my heart—never break it."
"Anyone who breaks it is a stinky puppy!" Shui Bing'er declared loudly.
"Then I'll be a stinky puppy," Lin Xiao nodded solemnly.
Her mood instantly brightened.
Looking up at him with sparkles in her eyes, she said:
"Brother Lin Xiao, you promised to tell me a story~"
Seeing her so happy again, Lin Xiao grinned.
"I promise—it's a story you've never heard before."
"It has a beautiful name… The Immortal's Match."
He retold the classic tale of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl—but adapted it into the world of Douluo.
Shui Bing'er was completely entranced.
Even Granny Shui, who had initially shown zero interest, found herself inching closer and closer without realizing it.
Huh? This kid's actually really good at storytelling…
Granny Shui had to admit—she was hooked too.