Chapter 191 Familial Love

"Did you hear about the new competition?"

"The one where one has to connect the dots?"

"Yes. They have posted the puzzles on every street. The Prize for the winners is also very generous!"

"I never thought someone would offer 1000 gold coins for solving this silly puzzle."

"That's not all of it. You can also get a single use of any manual from the Ikasa's Manuals Store! I heard that even the High Grade Cultivation Manuals are included in it."

"Oh? I should definitely get my son to try the puzzle then. Instead of scribbling and playing out all day, he may as well secure his future."

"Hehe! I already copied the puzzle for my daughter. Let's see whose child wins."

Ikasa shook his head helplessly as he saw the two middle aged mothers turn from friends to rivals in an instant.

On his way to the Herb Garden, Ikasa heard these types of conversations numerous times.

This was all because of the implementation of the idea he had this morning. The idea of turning his problem with Chakra Chart into a City wide competition!

Soon, the news of the Connect the dots puzzle competition had spread throughout the City like a wildfire. A few hours was all it took for the competition to become the talk of the town.

Now, the 15 thousand citizens of Birch City were working to solve the problem he faced. Ikasa hoped that someone would be able to find a solution before his departure.

The carriage he was traveling in arrived at the Herb Garden without Ikasa's notice. Chu Kuang greeted him at the gates of the residences.

"Zhong Xi lives on the second floor with his grandmother and his father."

Chu Kuang explained as he led Ikasa inside.

The atmosphere of these dormitories had completely changed from the last time Ikasa had visited. The empty rooms were now filled with people.

The entire dormitory was lively and chaotic. Sounds of laughter and quarrels were mixed together, making them indistinguishable from one another.

Wet colorful clothes were hung on the guard rails for drying, making it seem like the dormitory was decorated for a festival.

Ikasa took in the atmosphere of the dormitory and he was reminded of his childhood on Earth.

His orphanage was also located in one of such crowded apartment buildings. The people there also quarreled over the smallest of things but they also did not hesitate to help one another when one needed it the most.

"We are here, Master."

Chu Kuang's voice sounded in Ikasa's ears, waking him up from his reverie. Ikasa gazed at the open door of the one room dormitory before him.

An old woman blocked the path of the one armed young man. Judging from his getup, Ikasa thought he was going out to the forest.

Their conversation fell in his ears as he neared their room.  The grandmother sobbed as she shouted loudly,

".... It is my fault I introduced you to that man…."

Ikasa paused in his footsteps when he heard the grandmother say this.

Usually, he was not the type to jump to conclusions. Maybe the lack of sleep had impaired his better sense because the words of the grandmother hurt him.

He did not care about anything she said later as her loudly spoken words reverberated in his mind.

"It is my fault I introduced you to that man…"

Ikasa mumbled as he clenched his fists. He pursed his lips as the smile on his face faded. Everything he had done for his people flashed through his mind.

The young business owner always strived to do right by his employees. He provided them a generous salary, an opportunity to advance in status and the best resources to aid their growth.

So, when he heard these words, he felt a surge of anger.

He questioned whether these people were worthy of his care; whether Zhong Xi was the right candidate to be the new shop owner.

Just as Ikasa was about to turn around, he heard Zhong Xi speak.

"Grandmother, don't blame Boss Ikasa. He is the reason we have a safe place to live and good food to eat. He also treated my father when he didn't have to. We should be grateful to him. I am grateful to him."

The cold look in Ikasa's eyes softened. Ikasa realized just how foolishly he was about to act just now.

The grandmother had seen her grandson lose his arm while under his employ. She had sent her grandson to him so that he wouldn't have to do any dangerous work anymore.

Obviously, she would resent him a little. Also, she blamed not only him but also herself.

Instead of sympathizing and understanding her pain, Ikasa was about to act like the other pompous fools he despised. Though he could not alleviate her pain, he could easily resolve her resentment with a few simple words.

Ikasa walked to the dorm with a smile and said, "I am glad to hear you are grateful to me, Zhong Xi. Because I have a job offer for you."

"Boss Ikasa!"

Zhong Xi looked at Ikasa with a bright smile and a touch of awe. His grandmother also slowly turned to look at Ikasa, her eyes full of complicated emotions.

His loud voice had attracted the attention of their neighbors. The new employees and their families were curious to know what their Supreme Boss looked like.

People began to come outside and stare at the only person they could not recognize.

"He is so handsome and good looking!"

"I heard he is a Sense Trainer also…"

"Handsome, powerful and wealthy… Whoever marries him will be the luckiest woman in this world…"

"Don't forget your husband is standing right here."

Ikasa's lips twitched slightly as he heard the flattering praises of his employees and their wives. When things started to get out of hand, he coughed and asked Zhong Xi, "Can I come in?"

Zhong Xi and his grandmother immediately recovered from their stupor and made way for Ikasa to enter their small room.

Ikasa entered and took a seat on the small bed lying in the corner. Chu Kuang remained standing. Ikasa looked at the interior of the room and found it a tight squeeze.

The bed occupied most of the space in the room. In the other corner, some luggage was neatly stacked. A small wardrobe occupied the space between the two corners.

When Ikasa looked down, he noticed two futons rolled neatly under the bed. Then he looked at the remaining floor space. He could not imagine how a guy the size of Zhong Xi could probably fit in the remaining space.

This was despite this room being one of the largest rooms available in the dormitory!

When these rooms were empty, they looked much more spacious. However, Ikasa now realized that they were nowhere big enough to accommodate a family of three adults.

He decided to do something about it later and focused on the task he came here for.

Zhong Xi and his grandmother stood before him with anticipation while the neighbors crowded outside the door to see what was happening.

"Zhong Xi, soon we will open a branch of Gold Heart Business Group in the tier-2 Elm City. Will you manage the shop there?"

Hearing Ikasa's proposal, Zhong Xi was pleasantly surprised. The burly teen almost instantly said 'yes' when he saw his grandmother look at him with anxious eyes.

After his mother passed away during childbirth, his grandmother had raised Zhong Xi. His father was often away so the bond between the grandson and the grandmother was very tight.

For the older woman, Zhong Xi was a piece of her heart. The thought of sending him to a faraway City alone scared her.

She knew how far any tier-2 City was from the City of Birch. She knew that once her grandson left this City, there was no way she would ever see him again before her death.

The grandmother didn't want him to go, but she also did not want to be the one to halt his progress.

Zhong Xi looked at his grandmother and then at the calm face of Boss Ikasa. He scratched his head as he fell into a dilemma. He gathered courage and asked, "Can my father and grandmother accompany me?"

Ikasa didn't even have to think about his request. He nodded immediately.

A giant grin bloomed upon the teen's face but he still seeked his grandmother's permission. She did not immediately answer. Seeing the look on her face, Zhong Xi guessed his grandmother was lost in thought.

And he was right.

Hundreds of thousands memories about this City passed through the old woman's head.

Birch City was her birthplace. She had lived here all her life. She found a man, got married and had children in this City. She had raised her son to adulthood and seen her grandson be born in this City.

One day, she would also be buried in this City with her husband, her parents and her siblings. Yet, her grandson had changed her destiny.

She would be going to a tier-2 City, something she had only heard rumors about in her youth. Her teenage dream would come true at the ripe age of 80, because of her grandson and the young man sitting before them.

The old lady wiped her slightly misty eyes and a beaming smile appeared on her face.

Zhong Xi took it as her consent and cheerfully answered, "Boss, Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I will not let you down."

Ikasa got up from his seat and patted Zhong Xi on his shoulder.

"Make the necessary arrangements. We will depart tomorrow."