TL: Moonlit
Together with William, they left Ai Su Ranch and drove directly to the Contract Beast Hall.
Located on the outskirts of the city, the Contract Beast Hall was backed by the Starview Forest. The Contract Beasts that had migrated from North Star along with Lin Su had completely adapted to the Starview Forest and coexisted harmoniously with the contract beasts there.
To cover the future maintenance and management expenses, the Contract Beast Hall implemented a fee system.
It operated normally from Monday to Friday, and on Saturdays and Sundays, there were two hours of Contract Union activities from 3 to 5 p.m.
During the union activities, if someone successfully formed a contract, there would be no additional charges.
These regulations were printed in the entrance guidelines and displayed on a large sign in front of the gate for visitors to see.
Lin Su and William stepped out of the car and saw a grand entrance with three large characters on it: Contract Beast Hall.
On both sides were carved majestic lion, tiger, and beast-like figures, giving the Contract Beast Hall a powerful and imposing appearance.
The guards stationed here quickly opened the gates upon seeing them approaching.
The exhibition hall was still cool inside as it had just been completed and not yet opened. The entire hall had large glass windows, with the other side of the glass facing the Starview Forest.
The design of the exhibition hall resembled the wildlife parks from Lin Su’s previous world, but it was much more upscale. For areas that couldn’t be accessed directly, aerial viewing modes were employed.
The contract beasts still resided in their natural forest habitat. The Contract Beast Hall had only constructed observation platforms in specific locations, all done with the premise of not disturbing the contract beasts’ lives or harming the natural environment.
Lin Su and William strolled through the hall. At first, they only occasionally spotted a few lower-level contract beasts. However, as they went deeper, more and more higher-level contract beasts seemed to be summoned from the depths of the forest.
A black flame panther landed on a rock, carrying its cub. It performed a gesture of respect towards Lin Su, who nodded in return before continuing further inside.
Familiar figures gradually emerged, but there were also many unfamiliar contract beasts that Lin Su had never seen before. Evidently, these were contract beasts native to the Starview Forest.
When they saw Lin Su, the legendary king, they all prostrated themselves and performed a ritual of homage.
Seeing that these contract beasts were living well, Lin Su felt relieved.
After leaving the Contract Beast Hall, William asked, “Are there any areas that need improvement?”
Lin Su shook his head and replied, “No, it’s very good. Marshal Lin has put a lot of effort into it.”
“I’m sure he’s delighted to have your approval.”
News of the Contract Beast Hall’s establishment quickly spread throughout the capital. Initially, many people treated it as a rumor, but once they heard it had been built, they expressed curiosity and a desire to visit, even if it meant paying.
The eager public didn’t have to wait long as the entrance guidelines and precautions for the Contract Beast Hall were published online.
On the first day of pre-sale ticket availability, several tens of millions of people made reservations. By the second day, the number of reservations had exceeded 500 million. As a result, the pre-sale period had to be limited to only three days.
Facing the overwhelming enthusiasm of the public, the Contract Beast Hall would be burdened beyond its capacity even if it could accommodate tens of millions of visitors daily.
Without increasing ticket prices, they had to limit the quantity.
As soon as the new regulations were announced, those who missed out on the opportunity lamented their misfortune.
They limited the daily sale to 30 million tickets, which was still a drop in the bucket considering the enormous consumer demand.
Currently, it was still manageable since the Contract Beast Hall had just opened, targeting only the local residents of the capital star. However, once people from other star systems caught wind of it, it would be difficult to get tickets.
Observing the contract beasts was secondary; the main attraction was the two-hour contract union activities held on weekends, and tickets for those slots were in high demand.
To maintain order, the Empire specifically dispatched a team of robots to maintain order and security within the Contract Beast Hall.
Since its opening, the Contract Beast Hall was about to hold its first contract union activity.
The lucky individuals who managed to secure tickets were ecstatic, especially those who had reached adulthood but hadn’t found a suitable contract beast to form a bond with. They eagerly awaited this day.
Even the noble females in the Ai Su Ranch were discussing this matter.
“My second brother managed to get a ticket. He said he’s going on Saturday to see if he can successfully form a bond. He’s already 25 this year and still hasn’t found a suitable contract beast.”
“It’s great that your second brother got a ticket. I have a distant cousin who’s in his 50s and still hasn’t formed a bond. He couldn’t get a ticket either.”
“Although I don’t need to form a bond, I also want to go and see. It must be magnificent, don’t you think?”
“Definitely. I heard that the Contract Beast Hall was proposed by His Excellency Lin Su himself, so it must be impressive. Unfortunately, we’re not allowed to go online here, let alone try to get tickets.”
Listening to the discussions of these young females, Lin Su smiled and instructed Su Ge to prepare 20 Contract Beast Hall tickets as rewards for the week.
Indeed, compared to the previous week with only seven outstanding females, this week had seen 20 females reaching the level of excellence.
On Friday evening, the noble females stood together on the square, just like the previous time, eagerly awaiting the summary of the week.
When they saw Lin Su and Su Ge, the formerly playful noble females immediately quieted down and cast expectant gazes toward Lin Su.
Everyone hoped to have their own share in today’s rewards.
Su Ge unfolded the list and said, “Those whose names I call, please step forward.”
Upon hearing this, the two words unconsciously emerged in everyone’s minds: It’s happening!
As one person after another stepped forward, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense.
When the final name was called, someone exclaimed, “Is that all?”
Su Ge glanced at the person and replied, “Yes, that’s all. For those whose names were not called, you need to continue working hard.”
Lin Su smiled and patted Su Ge’s shoulder, indicating that he wanted to say a few words. “Everyone saw it, right? This week, we have many more outstanding individuals compared to the previous week. That’s great, but it’s still not enough. I hope that one day, all of you will achieve excellence. So for those who have not yet achieved excellence, you need to keep striving. And for those who were outstanding last week but did not continue to excel this week, I hope you will reflect on yourselves. As for those who have achieved excellence for two consecutive weeks, today’s rewards will be slightly better than the others. I hope you will continue to maintain your performance.”
Lin Su paused here, looking at the crowd below. The noble females displayed various expressions—some were aggrieved, some regretful, and some unwilling. This was good; it seemed they had been motivated.
“For those who achieved excellence this time, I have prepared a Contract Beast Hall ticket for each of you. I know you all want to go and see it. I hope you have a pleasant weekend. Additionally, for those who have been outstanding for two consecutive weeks, you can also go to the fruit orchard and pick a basket of your favorite fruits to take home.”
Upon hearing that the outstanding individuals would receive a Contract Beast Hall ticket, the crowd erupted in cheers. How wonderful it would be to have a ticket to the Contract Beast Hall! If only they had worked harder!
For those who had never achieved excellence, the news that the sole person maintaining excellence for two weeks would also enjoy the privilege of picking fruits freely made them even more sour. Those who had initially had the opportunity all lowered their heads in shame.
The outstanding individuals who received a Contract Beast Hall ticket this week were filled with determination. They knew they had to continue working hard in the coming week.
Among the crowd, Bai Xing, who had never achieved excellence, looked at the departing figure of Yan Qi, clenching his fists in frustration.
Yan Qi held the Contract Beast Hall ticket in his hand, feeling the warmth in his heart. It was an amazing feeling.
So this was how it felt to be envied by others.
“Great, now we can disperse. I wish you all a pleasant weekend.”
With Lin Su’s words, the noble females bid farewell to him and turned to run toward their families waiting outside the courtyard.
The individuals who achieved excellence immediately threw themselves into the arms of their female or male parents, presenting the Contract Beast Hall ticket they had received. “Look, female father/male father, I achieved excellence! It’s a Contract Beast Hall ticket!”
The difficulty of obtaining a Contract Beast Hall ticket was well known to these noble adults, and they didn’t expect their princess to be so generous as to use it as a reward.
I don’t know why, but I feel like the Ai Su Ranch might not be suitable for people of our age.
Yan Shan looked at the soldier helping Yan Qi move the fruits to the car, feeling greatly shocked.
If the basket of cherries delivered to their home last time had shocked the whole family, then this time, Yan Qi being individually rewarded with a basket of fruits made Yan Shan feel a sense of pride deep in his heart.
Look, how outstanding my little brother is!
Yan Qi walked over with a smile. “Brother!”
Yan Shan reached out and ruffled Yan Qi’s head. “Well done, little guy! You’ve done us proud!”
Yan Qi smiled and allowed Yan Shan to ruffle his head, happily presenting the Contract Beast Hall ticket he received to Yan Shan. “Brother, why don’t you go to the Contract Beast Hall tomorrow? Participating in the gathering might lead to a successful bonding.”
Yan Shan’s heart softened. After his little brother became sensible, his actions started to touch his heart. “Alright, this time, I won’t hold back with you, little brother. You don’t know how difficult it is to get this ticket now. I’ve been trying for a week without success, but my little brother has done well!”
“Yan Qi, you little brat, I heard you achieved excellence for two consecutive weeks. Good job! If we say that our princess is amazing, then my little brat has also grown quite sensible!”
Noticing that Yan Qi’s situation was different from the others, several noble adults came over to greet them.
They weren’t fools. Although they had initially regulated their own children to some extent due to Yan Qi’s incident, now they couldn’t help but anticipate changes in their own children, especially when they saw how much Yan Qi had transformed.
The proposal to the Emperor to have the princess educate their children had been correct.
Look at them now, how well their children had turned out.
Even though most of the noble females hadn’t received any rewards so far, the transformation in their own children was already a reward in itself.
Compared to the previous week when they worried about their children being tired and overworked, now these noble adults had completely accepted it and held Lin Su in even higher regard.
Princess, you’re incredible, truly incredible! It’s not simple, really not simple!
Among the 1,000 participants in the first Contract Beast Hall gathering, more than ten successfully bonded. Although the ratio might not seem high, just imagine if the Contract Beast Hall didn’t exist, there wouldn’t even be these few successful cases.
And if there could be more than ten cases every week, it would give hope to those who hadn’t bonded successfully yet.
Yan Shan was one of the lucky ones among these ten cases. He never expected to successfully bond after waiting for so many years.
They found a suitable contract beast.
Because of this, the Yan family especially had someone write a plaque to be presented to the esteemed Princess.
To express their gratitude.
So, at the beginning of the new week, as the gates of the Ai Su Ranch just opened and none of the noble females had entered yet, the Yan family patriarch, accompanied by Yan Shan and Yan Qi, carried a large plaque and walked in grandly.
Lin Su noticed what they were holding and paused. By the time he reacted, they were already in front of him. “Esteemed Princess, this is our Yan family’s token of gratitude. We hope you can accept it.”
They turned the plaque around, and on it were four large characters: “Relieve the worries of the people, cultivate talent and virtue.”
Lin Su: “…”
Actually, it wasn’t necessary to go to such lengths.
“Princess, please accept it. If it weren’t for you, our Yan Shan wouldn’t have been able to bond successfully, and if it weren’t for you, our Yan Qi wouldn’t have been able to start anew. It’s all thanks to you. We thought about it and realized that only by presenting this plaque can we express our heartfelt gratitude.”
The actions of the Yan family patriarch, witnessed by the noble adults outside the courtyard who hadn’t left yet, and seen by the noble females eagerly watching the commotion from outside the gate, all struck a chord with them. These people, what a smart move! So, they could do this too!
If they had known, they would have also prepared one. How did the Yan family steal the spotlight like this!
Careless, they were careless!
As for Lin Su, even if the Yan family patriarch wanted to give him something else, he would have declined.
But a plaque representing honor, it wasn’t good to refuse it. He nodded, “I’ll accept your goodwill. Thank you, but I haven’t done much. There’s really no need for such gestures.”
He truly didn’t have the same level of understanding as they thought.
Su Ge stood by, suppressing his laughter, and took the plaque. After the Yan family patriarch left reluctantly, he asked, “Where should we hang it?”
Lin Su raised his hand to cover his lips and lightly coughed, “Hang it at the back.”
When someone gives you something as a token of their goodwill, it’s not right to put it aside and let it gather dust.
Su Ge couldn’t help but think that Lin Su truly embodied those four characters. Everything their Princess did was for the welfare of the people, and the work the Ai Su Ranch was currently doing also exemplified cultivating talent and virtue.
A prominent spot was chosen to hang the plaque so that everyone entering the main gate could see it.
Lin Su stared at the plaque hanging at the entrance and felt a mix of emotions.
How did their once-ordinary ranch become so flashy?
He initially thought that the plaque was just an accident, but he never expected it to be just the beginning.
As he received the second and third plaques, Lin Su looked at the existing buildings in the ranch, all adorned with plaques. He finally realized that this couldn’t continue.
It was officially forbidden. No more plaques should be sent to the ranch.
Some noble families who had prepared plaques but hadn’t presented them instantly felt that they were too slow, too late!
They missed the opportunity to stand out and gain favor in front of the Princess.
Lin Su didn’t know what the noble adults thought, but he finally calmed down.
Meanwhile, Kane and Su Jin finally arrived on the capital star.
Lin Su and William went to pick them up, and unexpectedly, General Lin Te was accompanying Kane and Su Jin.
Lin Su had seen him before and greeted him with a smile. Without asking too much, he simply assumed that Lin Te was traveling in the same direction.
The station wasn’t the place for conversation. After Kane and Su Jin boarded the vehicle with Lin Su, they carefully examined the young female. Seeing that during this time, Lin Su hadn’t lost weight, and his spirit had even improved, they finally let go of their worries. “Xiao Su, you’re doing well here, right? I heard that the Ai Su Ranch has already been built?”
“Male Father, it was completed a long time ago. The fruits, vegetables, and livestock are all in the ranch, waiting for you to come and manage.”
Kane chuckled upon hearing this. “I knew it would be like this. Xiao Su, you can’t stay idle. Leave the rest to your male father. Don’t overwork yourself.”
“Alright, I’ll listen to you, Male Father. The restaurant to be managed by Female Father is also ready. We’re just waiting for you to pick a date for the grand opening. The dessert shop upstairs, Xie Bai is the manager, and the business is booming.”
“Xiao Bai has become more capable.” Su Jin nodded with satisfaction, then turned to Lin Su. “Xiao Su, there’s something we want to talk to you about on this visit.”
Lin Su had already received some information from William, so he was somewhat prepared when Su Jin mentioned it. He smiled and said, “Female Father, what do you want to talk to me about? Is there anything we can’t discuss between us?”
Su Jin grabbed Lin Su’s hand. “Xiao Su, do you want to find your biological parents? They are good people, and they have been searching for you all these years. This time, they reached out to us first, with sincerity. They said they wanted to inform us first before approaching you. We also respect your wishes. Regardless, you are our child, and that will never change.”
Lin Su could feel Su Jin’s love for him.
“How did they confirm that I am the person they were looking for?”
Su Jin and Kane exchanged a glance. “Lin Su, in fact, they are from the Lin family in the capital star, the same Lin family as Lin Feng. Lin Te, who came back with us today, is your eldest brother, Lin Feng is your second brother, and you also have a third brother named Lin Yue. He is currently undergoing treatment at the rehabilitation center. Lin Te said that when he first saw you, he felt a strong sense of familiarity, the kind that can only be sensed by close blood relatives. Lin Feng had a similar feeling at the beginning, but as he spent more time with you, he couldn’t be sure if it was due to a close blood relationship. When Lin Te’s younger brother went missing, he was wearing a floral white shirt, and coincidentally, you also have a similar one. I specifically kept it and showed it to him. He said it was exactly the same as what his younger brother wore. Although no official test has been conducted yet, the probability is high.”
When Lin Su heard the words “Lin family,” even though he was mentally prepared, he was still surprised. He never expected this answer.
He was aware of the incident involving a lost child in the Lin family. Lin Feng had even returned to celebrate his birthday.
Lin Su’s emotions became complex for a moment.
“Let’s schedule a time for a test.”
Without accurate scientific evidence to prove that he was the missing child from the Lin family, all the talk would be unreliable.
Seeing that Lin Su didn’t strongly object, Kane and Su Jin breathed a sigh of relief, but they also felt conflicted.
On one hand, they felt that Lin Su deserved more love from others, but on the other hand, they raised this child for so long only to have his biological parents come and take him away. Even if the other party was good people, it still left an unpleasant feeling.
However, this didn’t change their intentions to treat Lin Su well.
Back at the Prince’s residence, Lin Su first arranged for Kane and Su Jin to rest, and then he would find time to contact the Lin family.
William looked at the young female who returned to the room and reached out to pull him into his embrace. “Feeling unhappy?”
Lin Su found a comfortable position in William’s embrace, resting his chin on his shoulder, and gently shook his head. “I’m not unhappy.”
It’s just that his emotions were complicated.
For Lin Su personally, it didn’t matter who his biological relatives were, as there were no biological parents for this body in this world.
But for the original owner of this body, being found by his biological parents should be a happy thing.
Since he accepted this body and replaced the original owner, he should feel grateful.
William understood that Lin Su said this to prevent him from worrying, so he decided not to ask further. Regardless of who Lin Su’s biological parents were, he would always be the one who would accompany him.
William gently touched the young female’s head. “Why don’t you take a nap? You’ve been busy for so long without proper rest. Take this opportunity to get some rest.”
Lin Su reached out and hugged William’s waist, curling up in his warm embrace and nuzzling against him. “Okay.”
Seeing that the young female intended to sleep in his embrace, William smiled, picked him up, and placed him on the bed. He then lay down again and pulled him close, gently patting his back. “Sleep, I’ll be here with you.”
—
Lin Te was thrilled when he received Kane’s reply that Lin Su wanted to undergo testing. As long as Lin Su didn’t resist, it was good news for them.
He quickly informed Lin En about this to confirm the testing schedule.
Lin En hurried back to discuss with Lin Te after receiving the news. Apart from confirming the timing, they also discussed whether they should inform Qin Yi about the situation.
Qin Yi had gradually recovered from the previous setback.
Lin En hesitated for a moment before nodding. “This matter should be brought up with your female father in advance. On the day of the test, regardless of the outcome, he should be present. It’s the least we can do out of respect for Lin Su and his adoptive parents.”
Lin Te naturally understood the reasoning, but the thought of how Qin Yi had endured countless moments of despair over the years made him hesitant. If they failed again this time, he didn’t dare to think if Qin Yi could withstand it.
Seeing his hesitation, Lin En stood up and patted his eldest son’s shoulder. “Lin Te, you have to believe in a female father’s strength when faced with issues concerning his offspring. Your female father is not as fragile as you think.”
Before he could finish speaking, Qin Yi pushed open the study door and entered. “I heard that the two of you have locked yourselves in the study as soon as you returned. What are you plotting? Lin Te, you took such a long vacation, what were you doing on the North Star?”
Clearly, keeping it a secret from Qin Yi wasn’t an easy task.
Lin Te glanced at Lin En and saw him nodding. He let out a sigh of relief. “Female Father, there’s something we want to tell you.”
Qin Yi looked at them suspiciously and pulled Lin Te to the sofa, pressing him down. “What is it? What mysterious things are you two up to?”
“Female Father, we have some news about our younger brother. He might be Lin Su.”
