Parental Care

For a while, the dignified general of the empire pushed off all his work and was seen visiting different kinds of flower shops on the Imperial Capital. He was looking at the prized spiritual flowers of well-known shops and inspecting them with keen attention as if preparing for a grand gift.

People then speculated that the young and promising general was now preparing for a second marriage. 

This man was not only an earl but also a striking beauty that has a mythical class of a bird type mimic. With a single glance, everyone can see his superior genes, and many aristocrats from the same generation were interested in forming a union with him and the Hua family.

Although he gave birth to a failed child with his first wife, it must be because of their incompatibility and the taint brought by her inferior genes.

Hua Xian has no time for the gossip circulating in the upper class. As his daughter's condition continued to stabilize, deep worries washed over his good mood, and he felt weak from his knees. Somehow, it dawned on him that his days of worrying didn't end but instead, mountains after mountains of worries piled over his shoulders and weights on his mind.

Now that she can walk on her own, he's afraid that she may fall. When she learned of the outside world, he just wanted to keep hiding her. His frail and beautiful daughter might be deceived by random strangers or taken away to places he cannot see.

There were times when he blinked, and he was greeted with her choking on her own saliva while trying to eat and talk.

He felt a strong hunch that he might end up balding! This is dangerous.

Hua Xian wrinkles his brows, trying not to imagine what a skinless chick— bird looks like, and then hears the muffled voice of his daughter. "Dad, this is not it."

Inside a large ceramic vat, Hua Lian squatted inside, hugging her legs. Her emerald eyes were sparkling with life, and a few leaves were sticking out of her wavy hair.

Helpless, Hua Xian picked her up under the arms. "I can already seal you inside with this one."

Hua Lian was not used to the feeling of her feet dangling in the air, but her father was especially beautiful and especially warm. She hugged his neck and cuddled in his arm, letting her father carry her inside the house.

"Dad," she called out in a sweet voice, trying to appear as an obedient child.

All these years, Hua Xian learned how to take care of his sick daughter by himself, but he didn't know how to protect this daughter, who stared at him with clear, trusting eyes full of vitality.

"It's not the material, not the design, and not the size," Hua Xian brushed off her hair and pinned it behind her pointed ears. "Your dad will start losing his hair if he keeps guessing."

Hua Lian stared at the shade of silver with brilliant strikes of blue and felt it would be bad if her charming dad became bald.

She also wondered if his feathers would also fall along with the hair loss.

Very reluctantly, she kicked the annoying voice in her soul and compromised. "Actually, Dad can just dig a hole in the yard and bury me there."

Although Hua Lian had a premonition that the foundation of their house might collapse, there was nothing wrong with being planted at home.

Hua Xian stared at the large artificial garden of the mansion and sneered. "No. This is not a good place. Daddy will take you somewhere, ok?"

His daughter was too special, and it's no longer a filter that a father has. She has become an existence that many coveted, and sometimes he can't breathe when he thinks about it. 

From childhood to adulthood, Hua Xian has always been a selfish person. He cherished every piece of his feathers, and as his daughter, he would only cherish Hua Lian more.

Before his deployment order came, General Hua gritted his teeth and, with heartache, took his daughter in a spacecraft and away from the family and from anyone.

The journey was a nightmare that would hunt him for countless nights, and when they landed on Planet 0707, Hua Lian sprawled out on the ground right then and there.

Her eyes stare blankly at the gray and foggy sky, not moving nor flinching. 

"Sweetheart?! Sweetheart?!"

The tense Hua Xian snapped.

"Look at me! Look!" Hua Xian threw himself on the ground. "Talk to Dad, ok?"

Although Hua Lian's chest continuously rose and fell, indicating she was alive, Hua Xian's brain flooded with controllable flashes of memories, trying to search for a solution, but he only saw his poor daughter living pathetically like a stringless puppet, unable to take care of herself, unable to respond to her surroundings, and perhaps having only known of pain.

The most profound memory he has of this child was the countless times she almost died.

"Dad," Hua Lian mumbled, breathing laboriously, her eyes gaining back their light. "Here. You can dig a hole and bury me here."

Hua Xian choked back the forming tears. "You scared your dad to death."

Hua Lian sat up in one swift motion, like a corpse rising from its coffin. "It's bare and smoky. A bit dirty. But Dad! This is big enough! I can do anything here. Maybe we can even blow up a crater and plant me there. Dad, I have decided, I will take root here. This is now my flower pot."

"...."

Forget helpless; Hua Xian was simply speechless.

Who knew she was referring to a whole planet as a flower pot.

This is not a pot at all!

His delicate, sweet, and tiny daughter, please don't be a humongous tree mimic!

General Hua stares at the twinkle in her eyes and her rounded cute cheeks and simply cannot imagine the mimic form of his daughter. 

But sad news: He particularly eats her sugar-coated cannonballs.

Hua Xian straigthen up, returning to his reliable, good natured, fatherly look. "It doesn't matter. This planet was originally my adulthood gift to you. You can decide whatever you want."

Perhaps plant mimics were simply obsessed with claiming the land, he convinced himself.

He felt it was not easy for his daughter to live to this day, so he always gave in to whatever she wanted, even if it may sound unreasonable.

"This is ours?! Wait, you paid for it, Dad?!"

Despite already knowing that this was a barren planet, Hua Lin looked around. It's just that, since no one lives here, and no one probably wants to; even if you pay them a fortune, why can't she just occupy it?!

Unbelievable!

Humans used to find secret bases in secluded places, and it's theirs as long as no one else discovers. 

No, don't people nowadays have squatters' rights?

Can't she claim this land as her territory until someone finds out? Maybe they can talk then?

Anyway, by that time, she'll make sure her roots are deep and her trunks are thick, and she will see which one dares to cut her down! This rare protective species!

"Of course, I'll make sure you are well provided and secure."

If it could, his wallet would cry a river of tears. No, perhaps the one managing his finances and assets was indeed bawling their eyes in envy while processing the contracts and transfers.

Anyway, none of that matters as long as Hua Xian can be proud of the results.

The galaxies are full of wastelands, and lands are treated as cheap commodities; however, a privately owned planet still costs a fortune. 

Not only can he afford it, but it happened to be a well liked gift that's exactly what his daughter needed.

This must be the telepathic understanding between them.

He was simply an awesome father who spoils his precious daughter.

Hua Lian's two brain cells fought a win, and she had an epiphany; there are two prodigals in this family.

Oh no.

On the other hand, Eggy, as an AI, was insistent on his role as an educator. This entails the ability to reason with the child rather than give in. What he knew best was how to pinch Hua Lian's weakness and make her learn the needed lessons that will protect herself.

A parent can be a child's best friend, but they're also the first villain in their lives.

In this way, the biological father and the proclaimed father have been playing bad cop—good cop, flexibly confronting the little ancestor with mixed doubles.

Hua Lian learned to be afraid of this duo. Although the left army was currently injured, Eggy wasn't afraid that he couldn't discipline the child alone.

His troops have always been victorious, and the army's morale was high. With a frying pan made from the shell of alien beasts, Eggy pursues Hua Lian until she surrenders.

"Plants don't need education!" Hua Lian said in her final struggle.

"... Be a proper person." 

"What I'm doing is physical work! Labour!" Hua Lian refused to be buried in a mountain of homework. "The labor of farmers is honorable."

"Since you know that they are honorable, the more you need to study. Farmers are highly educated and respected."

This child has many reasons that don't make sense.

Hua Lian twitched her lips. They are talking about different eras. "I have enough knowledge and ability to be a qualified farmer."

So she does not need to study.

"Mandatory education hasn't been canceled yet."

Eggy simply stated the most truthful fact.

Raising a child was an art of war. If he doesn't show her some colors, she will think she can ascend to the sky.