"Really?!"
"Why would I lie to you about something like this?"
"Great!"
Shen Ping was overjoyed and hugged his wife, kissing her.
Li Yuewei pushed Shen Ping away, jokingly saying, "Easy now, easy now, don't hurt the baby."
"Right, right."
Shen Ping immediately became cautious. He reached out and placed his hand on his wife's belly, pressing his ear against it. He seemed to feel the connection of blood and flesh within, and a look of excitement couldn't help but spread across his face. Having a child not only meant that he now had a bond in the world of Swallowed Star, but also that the family's lineage would begin to flourish.
Looking at Shen Ping like this…
Li Yuewei couldn't help but laugh, "You just got tested today, and you can already hear the sound? Alright, go to the training hall. I'm going back to my room to rest. I have to go to work at the mall tonight."
Hearing this, Shen Ping immediately said, "Wife, you're pregnant, so don't go to work. What if you bump into something and hurt the baby in your belly? You should quit your job."
Li Yuewei rolled her eyes, "I'm not that delicate. Besides, I just got pregnant. As long as I don't do any strenuous exercise, it's fine. I'll apply for maternity leave in a few months."
Seeing that his wife didn't mention quitting her job, Shen Ping dropped the topic. He changed into his training clothes and went to the training hall on the second floor.
He calmed his excitement and began to practice his sword techniques.
During this time, he had already mastered the burst of the Ninefold Thunderblade's third level. Holding the knife in his left hand had also become a habit. Coordinating with his body technique, he could perfectly exert his body's coordination. After finishing his knife practice, he then cultivated Guiding Technique: Ninefold Primordial Essence.
Soon, the energy-consuming cells hungrily absorbed cosmic energy, nourishing every part of his body.
It was evening.
He drove his wife to the HR Alliance Mall. His wife had been working the night shift these past few days, and he followed her schedule to work at Pingwei Materials Company.
Arriving at the company.
The front desk attendant on the night shift hurriedly saluted.
Shen Ping nodded and went straight to his office. The company currently didn't have many employees, but it was still divided into day and night shifts because the time warriors left the Wilderness Zone and returned to the base city was not fixed. The company had to remain open twenty-four hours a day.
Sitting at the desk.
Opening his laptop and checking the day's sales, there were no transactions.
He wasn't too concerned about it. Setting up the company was mainly to receive the family reward; as long as it wasn't a significant loss, it was fine.
"Once my wife gives birth, I need to go to the Wilderness Zone to hone my skills. It'll speed up my physical improvement, and I'll also have a plausible explanation for my sudden surge in strength."
Turning to look at the night view outside the window, Shen Ping fell into thought.
In the Swallowed Star world, to develop a family, individual strength was essential, even the top priority. Without sufficient martial power to deter others, no matter how many industries and resources the family expanded, it would only benefit others.
As a Commander-level Warrior with a missing right arm, if his strength suddenly skyrocketed, it would inevitably raise suspicions and attract unwanted attention. Therefore, going to the Wilderness Zone was necessary.
Fighting monsters daily in the Wilderness Zone, suddenly gaining enlightenment in his sword techniques, and experiencing a surge in physical fitness – these were all precedents.
Early August.
The hot pot restaurant finished its renovations and was set to officially open on a good day.
On the day of the grand opening, there were many customers due to the discounts and promotions. Business was booming, keeping Shen Ping, Li Qi, his wife, and parents extremely busy. Even Li Qi's girlfriend didn't have time to chat with Shen Ping.
It wasn't until closing time at night that they finally had time to rest.
"Cousin-in-law, it looks like the shop will need to recruit more staff," Li Qi suggested.
Shen Ping pondered for a moment and said, "It's normal for there to be a lot of foot traffic when you first open. It'll go back to normal after the discounts are over. However, having only two or three waitresses is indeed a bit few. You should hire a couple more."
Li Qi quickly said, "My girlfriend, Su Tong, has two or three good friends who haven't found jobs yet. Should I ask them to come?"
"Sure, you make the decision."
Shen Ping wouldn't bother with such small matters. Returning to the residential area, he opened his virtual interface, and a line of text appeared.
[Your family has added a new industry, taking a step towards prosperity] [Reward: Ninefold Thunderblade, Second Level]
Seeing this, Shen Ping frowned. His blade technique was already at the third level, yet he was being rewarded with the second level; it was completely useless.
Could it be that the rewards for developing family businesses are random? Or do the rewards depend on the overall profit and growth potential of the industry?
After careful consideration.
He felt that the second possibility was the most likely.
Companies like a materials company have a much better development outlook than a hot pot restaurant, so the rewards increase. If this was the case, then his idea of developing his business by renting shops would undoubtedly fail.
"I still have too little money. If it were a large hot pot chain or other industries related to people's livelihood, the rewards should be higher... But once the number of industries increases, it will inevitably compete with the base city's financial groups."
Individual warriors are just small-time players, and the financial groups in Huazhong Base City, led by the Zheng Family, wouldn't care. But if he touched their interests, they would definitely intervene.
Shen Ping knew this well, so his original idea was to open a few small shops first and continuously receive rewards to improve himself, but now it seemed that this path wouldn't work.
"I can't be impatient. My strength is low; it's still safest to accumulate step by step."
He took several deep breaths in a row, calming his heart.
Having a family cheat enabled him to take it easy.
He didn't need to be anxious.
Over the next few months, Shen Ping didn't consider opening a shop again. Instead, he diligently managed the materials company, spending time with his wife. The days were ordinary and monotonous.
Late at night.
A few stars shone through the window and onto the bed.
Li Yuewei tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
"Honey, what's wrong?"
Shen Ping asked with concern.
Li Yuewei hesitated, "Honey, it must have been hard for you lately, right? The doctor said it's okay in the second trimester. Maybe you could be a little gentler?"
Shen Ping thought it was something else. So that was it. He chuckled, "Wife, I'm fine. You have to be extra careful now that your belly is getting bigger."
Li Yuewei continued, "Then, if it's really not working, go find someone outside to take care of it. Just don't bring them home."
Shen Ping's heart immediately became alert. His wife wasn't usually this generous. She sometimes got jealous. How could she proactively suggest he find another girl to solve his physical needs? It was definitely a test.
"Wife, what are you talking about? I only have you in my heart. I wouldn't touch another girl."
Li Yuewei was touched, "Honey, you're so good to me."
Shen Ping secretly thought he reacted quickly, or he would have fallen into a trap. "Go to sleep, don't overthink things."
After this little episode that night.
He took even better care of his wife, and by mid-April of the following year, his wife finally gave birth to their child in the hospital.
"Congratulations, Mr. Shen, it's a boy."
Looking at the child the doctor brought over, Shen Ping was filled with excitement. He walked to the side of the bed and let his wife look at their son.
"He's so white and chubby, he'll definitely be able to eat a lot later."
"Let's call him Shen Yu."
They had prepared several names, and Li Yuewei finally chose the name Shen Yu.
While his wife's parents were holding the child and looking at him, Shen Ping opened the virtual panel. There was indeed an extra line of text on it.
[Your family has produced its first bloodline, taking a small step towards prosperity.]
[Rewards: One portion of Dragon Blood, the fourth level of Ninefold Thunderblade, and a Conceptual Body Technique.]