INHA Chapter 130

Since Xu Dongyou’s fame had been rising, both the human and demon fortunes surrounding him had increased, leading to more animals naturally gaining sentience.

Although the official handling bureau had previously stated that many intelligent animals resembling humans might emerge in the future, people were urged to report any sightings immediately.

Some animals might be wary of humans and any misunderstandings could lead to mutual harm. So it was hoped that anyone who encountered such animals would refrain from taking action and call for help right away.

However, there were always a few individuals who preferred to view everything with malice. Old Zhang and a few colleagues were driving to a rural village to record material for editing later.

Unexpectedly, their vehicle broke down and flipped over on the way, leaving everyone dizzy and, when they managed to recover, trapped inside the car.

A few of them were already bloodied and unconscious.

The only one who could still move, Old Zhang, struggled to pull out his phone to call for help. After providing the location of the incident, he waited anxiously.

Time passed. Old Zhang heard some noises outside the vehicle. He became tense; the car’s windows had shattered, but everyone was stuck inside and couldn’t crawl out.

Moreover, they were in the wilderness, and encountering ghosts or wild animals would be troublesome.

The more Old Zhang thought, the more frightened he became, praying that neither of those two things would find them. But the more he feared, the closer they came. In the distance, a wolf emerged, radiating a faint glow, its pure white body massive, about the size of a cow.

How could such a wolf exist in this world?

Unless this wolf was a demon. The thought made Old Zhang even more anxious. This was a demon! Although Xu Dongyou was also a demon, these were different beings.

The demon before him might be highly defensive toward humans, which meant it posed a significantly greater danger.

Old Zhang dared not speak further, hoping for the rescue team to arrive soon, secretly praying that the wolf had no interest in humans, or perhaps regarded them with fear and would leave quickly.

But the wolf only approached closer, finally curiously peering through the window. Old Zhang felt his soul leave his body. He instinctively gasped and quickly closed his mouth, staring at the wolf in terror and shock.

To Old Zhang’s surprise, the wolf not only refrained from attacking but also circled the vehicle, effortlessly prying it apart with its massive claws. Its large head leaned closer, eyes calm yet curious.

There was no aggression.

Old Zhang paused, an incredible thought suddenly emerging in his mind. Tentatively, he said to the white wolf, “Thank you…?”

The giant wolf then pulled its head back and continued to manipulate the vehicle. Finally, Old Zhang was able to crawl out. He dared not move the others, fearing further harm. This time, he truly believed the giant wolf was there to save them, not to eat them.

His heart was filled with a mix of emotions.

Before long, the sound of a rescue vehicle approached, and Old Zhang became excited. He turned to say something to the giant wolf, only to find it had vanished into the distance.

A sense of loss washed over him and then a thought struck him.

The giant wolf could have left after moving the vehicle but chose to stay nearby. Perhaps it had been protecting them.

It only departed after the rescue vehicle arrived.

Old Zhang felt a bittersweet pang in his heart, grateful that his camera equipment had been recording the entire scene.

Back at the hospital, he edited the footage into a documentary. Soon, the documentary went viral, and countless people developed a fondness for the white wolf. Some who had previously rejected the idea of sentient beings found themselves speechless this time.

Perhaps they could genuinely try to coexist with these intelligent creatures in this world.

After all, without the demon race, humanity would have perished in the recent calamity.

How could they now boldly criticize everything online when they would have been long dead?

On another note, Xu Dongyou finally finished a phase of his work and could take a proper break. After much consideration, he decided to take his family on a road trip.

But first, he needed to buy a car that could accommodate the whole family. Xu Yangchen, as Xu Dongyou’s brother, should have been the most relatable peer for him.

However, ever since their family gained additional siblings around the same age, Xu Yangchen felt a peculiar discomfort. It wasn’t that he disliked his biological brother and sister.

He just couldn’t shake off the feeling of jealousy, as if his brother was being taken away, even though his brother treated everyone equally well.

But Xu Yangchen still felt a bit sad, thinking he was being selfish for holding onto these feelings. As time passed, he became increasingly unhappy.

This was also a significant reason Xu Dongyou wanted the whole family to go on a trip. He planned for Zhu Yuan to join them. Zhu Yuan could use his abilities to make the family effectively invisible—not completely, but enough for others to subconsciously overlook them.

After all, with three public figures in the family, it was easy to attract attention, which could lead to some small hiccups during their travels.

Soon, on the Sunday morning of the following week, Xu Dongyou drove his family, with Zhu Yuan sitting in the passenger seat, while both sets of parents and his siblings occupied the back.

The two sets of parents had been getting along better over time, especially Mother Xu and the Long-tailed Tit Mother, who interacted like sisters, chatting intimately about various topics. Long-tailed Tit Father and Father Xu also enjoyed their conversation. Meanwhile, Xu Dongyou’s sister was engrossed in a book, his brother was listening to music and watching videos, and Xu Yangchen quietly gazed out the window.

Xu Dongyou pretended not to notice the state of his siblings, driving calmly while occasionally chatting with his family and Zhu Yuan.

When they arrived at their first destination, the family began to hike up the mountain. Although Zhu Yuan had powers, he wouldn’t misuse them; he enjoyed this ordinary life and the feeling of being actively involved in the moment.

Walking side by side, Xu Dongyou and Zhu Yuan exchanged quiet words. Finally, Xu Yangchen and the Long-tailed Tit siblings began to engage in conversation.

Their previously mutual silence caught the attention of both sets of parents.

The three siblings didn’t want to disturb their parents, especially as both families had been getting along increasingly well. They felt they couldn’t let their own issues disrupt the harmony.

As the eldest brother, Long-tailed Tit Brother took the initiative to start a conversation. He was naturally good at chatting and engaging others.

Long-tailed tit sister, having developed her communication skills from running a private kitchen, eagerly joined in, ready to support her brother and Xu Yangchen in their dialogue.

As for Xu Yangchen, he naturally cooperated. Gradually, they began to chat. Then, the brother seized the opportunity to say, “Although I don’t know why you don’t like us, I want you to understand that our families can’t be torn apart because of us. I’m willing to reconcile with you.”

His sister added, “We’ve been searching for Xu Dongyou for decades. He grew up in your family, so naturally, he’s closer to you. I understand that you care more about him, but we’re not enemies; we’re family.”

What she said came from the heart. During this time, she sensed that Xu Yangchen’s inner feelings weren’t as calm as they appeared on the surface. Perhaps both sets of parents had noticed this too, which is why they hadn’t rejected Xu Dongyou’s travel proposal.

So, she wanted to take the initiative to reconcile with Xu Yangchen.

Listening to his brother and sister, Xu Yangchen gradually felt a bit shy and guilty. After some internal struggle, he finally said, “Actually, I understand. It’s just that I haven’t adapted to all of this yet.”

“We understand and we can wait for you to adjust. We just hope you can accept us,” his sister said gently.

Xu Yangchen’s guilt deepened; in the face of his brother and sister’s tolerance and understanding, he felt particularly selfish.

He realized he had been too selfish.

Taking a deep breath, Xu Yangchen forced a smile and said, “Okay.”

Just as his brother and sister had said, even though they were from different families, because of Xu Dongyou, the two families should get along well.

Otherwise, his brother would be sad, and so would their parents.

Finally understanding this, Xu Yangchen felt the weight of guilt and other emotions lift from his heart. Looking out toward the distant mountains, he felt a sense of openness.

He didn’t need to worry about losing his brother; instead, he had not only retained his brother but gained a brother and sister who were so gentle and kind, making him feel truly happy.

At the mountaintop, everyone gazed at the sunset in the distance, enchanted by the beautiful scenery. The family was safe and everything felt so quiet and blissful.

Xu Dongyou and Zhu Yuan held each other’s hands tightly, with everything left unspoken.

In the evening, the family set up camp halfway up the mountain. They weren’t worried about danger; after all, it should be others who were afraid.

They took out the skewers of meat and vegetables they had prepared earlier and started grilling. The delicious aroma wafted through the air, accompanied by a few bottles of beer, which made the barbecue even more enjoyable.

Xu Yangchen shared the skewers he had grilled with his brother and sister, while they also offered him their grilled skewers. The atmosphere was harmonious, far removed from the mutual indifference they had shown in the morning.

Both sets of parents watched the scene without saying anything, their smiles growing even brighter.

How wonderful.

The children had finally accepted each other. Isn’t that what parents have always hoped for?

After finishing their meal and drinks, everyone sat in front of the campfire, chatting, mainly listening to Xu’s parents recount stories from Xu Dongyou’s childhood.

This was what the long-tailed tit parents and Zhu Yuan were most curious about. They had never experienced Xu Dongyou’s childhood but wanted to know all the details.

Xu Dongyou quietly listened, occasionally showing a somewhat embarrassed smile, as he had indeed caused many amusing incidents in his youth due to his good looks.

Looking back now, he found those memories quite entertaining.

As the long-tailed tit mother listened to the funny stories from Xu Dongyou’s childhood, she laughed joyfully, though her eyes unknowingly became misty.

Although they had reunited with Xu Dongyou, they had still missed out on his early years.

This was one of the greatest regrets of being a parent.

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