Chapter 5 - Your Still Young

Back in the independent building, Xu Mo settled onto the sofa, facing Jia Li with a thoughtful expression.

"Well, since Jia Li is going to live here now, we need to get all the relevant paperwork sorted. Your guardian is now officially Xu Mo, a mix of Chinese and American heritage. Don't forget to handle that."

Xu Mo knew that Jia Li was a minor, and everything had to be in order to avoid any suspicion that he had abducted her. After all, they had only just met.

Jia Li nodded awkwardly, her cute face swiveling around as she explored her new surroundings.

Xu Mo looked at the little girl's head bobbing up and down and couldn't help but question the sudden turn of events. "I need some information about your previous residence."

Jia Li, with a silly grin, handed over a pile of documents she had been holding. "Here."

They were about to live together now. Could it be that he was coming across as a pervert or a lolicon? Was there some ulterior motive?

"Well, since I'm now your guardian, I guess I should be the one to make decisions about our living arrangements."

Jia Li responded seriously, as if making a firm declaration.

Xu Mo turned on the TV, which was reporting on the recent truck crash. He scanned the details and wondered what he had gotten himself into.

He carried the documents with him, feeling something was off but not quite able to pinpoint it.

He left Jia Li to watch TV alone and retreated to his study, trying to focus on his work.

In Xu Mo's study, Jia Li was curious about what Xu Mo was doing. She wandered in quietly, her curiosity piqued. She saw him working on drawings and was intrigued by his concentration.

Xu Mo was currently illustrating a dramatic scene involving the Deep Poseidon chapter. The tension between the Undocumented Knight and Deep Poseidon was vividly captured in his sketches.

If Xu Mo hadn't been moved by the anime earlier, he might have missed the contrast between the characters. The Deep Poseidon's imposing size compared to the Undocumented Knight's lean frame was a stark contrast, emphasizing the difference in their heroic struggles.

Jia Li watched intently, her eyes wide. She wondered why someone as weak as the Undocumented Knight would struggle so much, in contrast to the more heroic figures she knew.

Xu Mo glanced over and said, "It's about shaping a character's personal charm."

"Humanity?" Jia Li asked, puzzled.

Jia Li was used to seeing humans as mere food in her previous world, and she couldn't grasp the complexity of human emotions and struggles.

Xu Mo smiled. "Yes, humanity. It's more complex than you might think."

Jia Li, still not fully understanding, looked at Xu Mo with curiosity. She had been on Earth for more than half a month now, and the creatures here were a mix of cruelty and kindness, contradictions she was still trying to make sense of.

"You're still young," Xu Mo said gently, patting Jia Li's head. He didn't want to burden her with too much adult knowledge just yet.

Jia Li's face froze for a moment. She was aware of her youth but didn't appreciate being reminded of it by someone she considered a stranger.

Seeing Jia Li's dissatisfaction, Xu Mo decided it was time to change the subject. "Alright, let's go out. Are you hungry again?"

Jia Li, with a slight huff, calmed down but still showed her annoyance. She wasn't happy about being called out for her hunger but had to accept it.

They spent the afternoon together, with the TV continuing its relentless coverage.

"Let's go out," Xu Mo said, glancing at Jia Li's stomach, which had begun to growl again.

Jia Li gave a soft, resigned "humph" but followed Xu Mo with a mix of irritation and acceptance. The two of them set out, ready to face whatever the day had in store.