Chapter 883: Evening Chat

After the meeting ended, Lin Shiyi returned to his room, opened his laptop, and logged into the video chat software they had developed.

After launching the software, he video-called his friend whose nickname was House Guarding Divine Beast.

Soon, the other party accepted the video call.

Qi Yao's beautiful face appeared on the screen.

"Mom, good evening! Haven't you rested yet?"

Lin Shiyi greeted his mom.

It was already almost midnight.

The place where Qi Yao was was clearly a biological laboratory.

The instruments behind her were running, with many indicator lights flashing continuously.

"Not yet."

Qi Yao said lightly.

Although Qi Yao's attitude seemed cold, Lin Shiyi still saw care in his mother's eyes.

"How are things on your end?"

Qi Yao asked again.

Lin Shiyi replied: "Everything is proceeding according to plan; there are difficulties, but we have the latest technology and the best resources at our disposal,

"I believe we will finish the plan soon."

Qi Yao nodded and said, "You've done quite well; if you have any difficulties, tell your father."

"Mm!"

Lin Shiyi nodded.

Qi Yao then said, "It's getting late; rest early, otherwise you won't grow tall."

Qi Yao made a joke.

Lin Shiyi's face showed distress: "Mom! I've discovered we aren't growing up."

"Oh?"

Qi Yao looked at Lin Shiyi with a feigned expression of doubt.

Lin Shiyi scratched his head and said, "I measured my height; over the past six months I've hardly grown at all—well, not zero, just... 0.2 centimeters."

"Mm!"

Qi Yao nodded, "0.2 centimeters is already quite good!"

"Mom!" Lin Shiyi exclaimed, then asked curiously, "Is our growth really slow, at one-fifth the speed of other children?"

Qi Yao shook her head: "No, it's one-tenth."

"Ah~"

Lin Shiyi froze.

No wonder Mom said growing 0.2 centimeters was already quite good.

Qi Yao explained, "The Heavenly Dao is fair; compared to ordinary children, you have gained great power and a clever mind—this is the price you must pay.

"Besides the body, your mental age will also grow very slowly.

"The body is controlled by genes, but the mentality is shaped by the environment after birth...

"Oh!"

After Qi Yao finished explaining, Lin Shiyi nodded somewhat dejectedly.

"What are you thinking about?"

Qi Yao saw that Lin Shiyi had something on his mind.

Lin Shiyi honestly replied, "I'm thinking about Ji Youwei. Mom, my current appearance is equivalent to that of a five- or six-year-old child.

"Under normal circumstances, in another ten or so years I could marry her.

"If our growth speed is only one-tenth, wouldn't that take a hundred years?"

Lin Shiyi had calculated that they grow about 0.5 centimeters per year, so ten years yields about five centimeters, which looks like gaining one year of age.

"At least ten years are needed before the younger brother shows any real size."

Qi Yao shook her head: "That's not how you calculate it; you won't need a hundred years, more like around fifty years."

If it were Lin Donghu instead, he'd probably be crying "wah!" right now.

Lin Donghu is worse off than Lin Shiyi.

Because Lin Donghu's wife, Shantian Liangzi, is already an adult.

Qi Yao gave a rare smile: "Don't worry! Youwei will be just like you."

"Ah? Mom, she's been enhanced!?"

Lin Shiyi exclaimed in delight.

Qi Yao nodded, "Because she's your wife!"

"Thanks, Mom!"

Lin Shiyi burst out laughing.

The computer screen flickered, and Qi Yao ended the video call.

Lin Shiyi felt no surprise at all.

Thinking that it would still be fifty years before he became a true man, he felt both helpless and happy.

Children all have this contradictory mindset,

wanting to grow up yet not wanting to grow up.

because they feel that once grown up, they can do what adults want to do.

However, after growing up, one is no longer as carefree as in childhood.

At the same moment.

Lin Jingru was also looking at the laptop screen.

On it, a tiger's head icon was flashing.

The one requesting a video chat was a friend nicknamed "Mother Tiger".

Seeing this friend's request, Lin Jingru pursed her lips and furrowed her brow.

She placed the mouse cursor over the accept button, waited until almost a minute had passed, then clicked.

The computer screen flashed, and a beautiful woman with long, wavy hair appeared.

"Mom, good evening! You're not asleep yet?!"

Lin Jingru greeted.

Liang Shishi furrowed her brow and said: "Lin Jingru, if I don't chat with you, do you not intend to pay attention to Mom?"

Liang Shishi was somewhat angry.

Since Lin Jingru ran away, she has gone to look for her several times, each time being avoided by Lin Jingru.

Later they added each other as friends and got in touch; each time it was she who actively contacted Lin Jingru,

And Lin Jingru never once took the initiative to chat with her.

Each time she thought of this, Liang Shishi felt both angry and pained.

She felt she had failed as a mother.

In the Moms' Chat Group, she saw Guo Yanru, Guo Yanqiu, Wu Qian… they often posted screenshots of their daughters' video chats during this period.

They looked very happy chatting.

Each time Liang Shishi saw this, she felt as if the whole world had abandoned her.

"Your Majesty, I wouldn't dare! You are my mother; in the world, only a mother is good!"

"Yo~ your little mouth is getting sharper and sharper, you've even learned self‑mockery! Lin Jingru, you're becoming more and more like a little sprite."

"How could you, Mom, be making trouble! Daughter feels inadequate; compared to you, even if I studied for another three hundred thousand years I still couldn't learn it!"

Liang Shishi's breath caught!

Then she sneered: "Lin Jingru, don't get cocky! Sooner or later you'll fall into my hands, and then I'll show you how I'll deal with you!"

"Your Majesty, I know I was wrong! I shouldn't have spoken to you like that; please forgive me—I'm still just a child!"

Lin Jingru, seeing she had made her point, hastily put her palms together, gave an embarrassed smile, and apologized.

Only then did Liang Shishi snort in satisfaction.

Then she began to nag, telling Lin Jingru to be careful, pay attention to safety, in everything listen to Lin Shiyi's opinion, not to be reckless, etc.

"I know!"

Lin Jingru said helplessly.

Liang Shishi had no intention of letting Lin Jingru off the hook.

After finally getting through the conversation, they had to chat happily before saying more.

Then she asked about Lin Jingru's current situation over there.