[Item Acquired: +1 Random Stat Point][Rarity: White][Note: With enough luck, each draw could grant god-tier stats!]
Xu Zheng felt a subtle boost to his strength, stamina, and spirit. A tiny, satisfying tickle of growth.
Guess that's the stat point at work.
Baiwen had brought him back to Yuehai Pavilion—Ganyu's office.
Naturally, Ganyu wasn't there yet. Still grinding away at work somewhere.
Xu Zheng gazed at the towering stacks of paperwork on the desk and couldn't help but grimace.
Should I admire her or stage an intervention?This much work? She's either superhuman… or doomed to overtime until the next Archon War.
Bored out of his baby mind, Xu Zheng lay in a crib, staring at the ceiling, thinking about his past life… and his goals in this one.
Despite being a transmigrator, his baby body was still a baby. Sleep took him without mercy.
When Xu Zheng woke again, the sky was dark. Moonlight filtered through the windows.
He heard soft footsteps—Ganyu had returned.
She looked over, startled. "Oh no… I didn't realize it was so late."
Gurgle…
His stomach spoke up for him.
"Oh!" Ganyu gasped. "You're not like me… You can't just drink dew and chew on Qingxin…"
Think, think—what do human babies eat?Milk? Yes! Milk!
Her cheeks reddened. "Goat milk… should work, right?"
She scooped Xu Zheng into her arms and left the pavilion.
There's no milk here, she realized. But maybe Wanmin Hall has something.
"Welcome! What would you like to eat—eh? Ganyu? And… what are you carrying?"
Xiangling peeked at the bundle in Ganyu's arms, squinting suspiciously.
"Is that… a new ingredient? Do you want me to cook it?" she asked with alarming excitement.
"???"
Ganyu froze. Wait—can human babies be eaten? Her mind blanked.
From the kitchen, Master Mao strolled out, laughing. "Xiangling, don't go eating babies now."
"That's a baby?! Aren't you holding him too tightly?"
Ganyu gasped and loosened her grip instantly. "S-sorry! I didn't mean to!"
Xu Zheng tried to smile, but his tiny face had already turned a bit blue. He sucked in air like he'd been freed from a black slime's grasp.
That's the kind of pressure only the Slime King of Teyvat could exert.
My little baby hands… can't take this yet!
Master Mao gave a pitying look. "Here, let me show you how to hold a baby."
He gently lifted Xu Zheng into a proper cradle hold.
Respect, Xu Zheng thought. The man who raised Xiangling clearly knows what he's doing. Way better than Ganyu's suffocate-first, ask-later technique.
"Now you try."
Ganyu received Xu Zheng again and this time got it right. Much better.
Gurgle… Gurgle…
His stomach wasn't done. Loud and shameless.
"You didn't feed him yet?" Master Mao asked, one brow raised.
"…No." Ganyu lowered her head, ashamed. "I forgot. I got so busy…"
Back then, Cloud Retainer fed me all the time, she remembered. Even made me chubby. I even choked out a demon that tried to eat me once…
"I'm really unfit to be a master…" she muttered.
"...Master."
Xu Zheng forced the word out to comfort her.
Ganyu's eyes welled up. So kind. So forgiving. And I forgot to feed him?!
Wait. Is my disciple a boy or girl? And what's his name?
Just as Xu Zheng was relaxing in her arms—he froze.
"I'll just take a quick peek…"
She gently peeled back the blanket. Her eyes widened.
"Ah… it's a boy!"
"?!!?"
I want to die. I want to crawl into the abyss. Ganyu, how could you?! Xu Zheng's soul nearly left his body.
"What boy?" Xiangling asked curiously.
"Luluuuu?" Guoba chimed in helpfully.
"Cough! N-nothing! Master Mao, what do babies eat again?" Ganyu asked, trying to change the subject fast.
Master Mao glanced at the fussy baby. "Goat milk or cow milk should be fine. I have some goat milk here. I'll warm it up."
As he stepped into the kitchen, Xiangling shuffled closer, eyes gleaming.
Ganyu caught the look. "You want to hold him?"
Xiangling nodded eagerly.
No one could resist a chubby, round-cheeked baby.
She gently cradled Xu Zheng, one hand hugging, the other poking his soft cheeks over and over.
Xu Zheng obediently played the role of innocent infant.
Warm… So warm. Probably fire-element related. Much cozier than Ganyu, who's cool and milky. Literally.
Ganyu's smile stiffened. A hint of jealousy crept in.
I'm the master. I should've poked his cheeks first.
Something inside her shifted. This wasn't just about duty anymore.
After downing a warm bottle of goat milk, Xu Zheng felt full and happy.
Finally, Ganyu brought him home.
She placed him on her bed, which smelled faintly of Qingxin flowers.
"Alright… it's time."
With a thought, Xu Zheng summoned the green vial—Growth Hormone, the purple item from his newbie draw.
Time to speedrun puberty.
He grasped the bottle. Thank the Archons it's oral and not injectable. I'm too young for needles.
He tilted his head back and drank the entire vial.
Okay… let's see what happens.