Chapter 2: A Beating

Qingcheng Jiayuan.

Building C, Unit 606.

When Qiao Sang returned home with her mother, she was still a bit dazed.

After all, she had endured nearly two hours of relentless scolding at school, and had it not been for the class teacher's stomach growling, he might have continued berating her.

Qiao Sang washed her face twice in the bathroom.

Looking at her reflection in the mirror, her delicate features were exactly like her previous life's.

Only much younger, with a baby-faced plumpness still present.

"Come out and eat," her mother's voice called from the living room.

"Coming."

Qiao Sang responded, then silently washed her face again.

As she entered the living room, her mother Ye Xiangting's piercing gaze met her, "The food's gone cold, I just warmed it up, hurry and eat."

The family situation of Qiao Sang's original self had many similarities with hers, not just the looks of the parents, but also being a single-parent family.

The original's father had not gone missing nor passed away young; he simply divorced her mother.

They divorced when the original was three years old. That same year, her father Qiao Wangyang started a new family and had another daughter, who was now fourteen.

This was quite thought-provoking...

Perhaps feeling guilty towards the mother, he left her both the child and the house during the divorce.

Ye Xiangting never remarried, raising Qiao Sang and earning a living on her own.

Fortunately, she was an E-rank Beast Tamer with a Faith Warden and a chubby Jiubi at her side.

She made a comfortable living by renting them out for people to enjoy flying, leading a relatively easy and prosperous life.

Life hadn't worn her down into a downtrodden housewife, but instead forged her into a strong woman with a soft exterior and a steadfast interior.

Qiao Sang had a deep understanding of this.

Her mother had endured two hours of scolding from the teacher without losing her temper upon returning home.

So strong!

However, it really wasn't her fault. She couldn't extract the Beast Taming Codex from her brain domain, nor had she contracted any Extraordinary Creature. Going to the Beast Taming Center for a checkup was the only way to prove that she had indeed awakened on her own.

Qiao Sang ate in silence, not daring to speak.

Although her mother was a strong woman, that didn't guarantee she would always remain so.

"I'll take a day off tomorrow and take you to the Beast Taming Center," her mother said, looking at Qiao Sang.

Qiao Sang was stunned for a moment, "What for?"

"Didn't you say you've awakened on your own? We need to get a checkup, and then a certification, so we can go to the Pet Beast Base to choose a Pet Beast," her mother explained.

Since she had already awakened, the sooner she chose her Pet Beast, the better.

Qiao Sang was shocked, "You believe me?"

A hint of amusement flashed in her mother's eyes, "You're my child; how could I not know you? Although you're a bit silly, you wouldn't lie about something like this at such a critical moment."

Qiao Sang felt a complex mixture of emotions within her heart—after all, the mothers in this world not only looked alike but also shared similar personalities.

"Mom, since you believe me, why did you watch me get scolded for two hours and not say a word?"

Her mother laughed, a chillingly meaningful laugh, "Awakening on your own is one thing, scoring zero on a test is another. I haven't asked you yet, why did you score zero?"

Qiao Sang: "..."

...

...

The next morning.

At the entrance of Hangkang Beast Taming Center.

An Extraordinary Creature, a plump figure about three meters in length, with brown body feathers and red tail feathers, descended from the sky.

Qiao Sang excitedly descended from the chubby Jiubi. It was her first time experiencing such close contact with the sky, and the thrill was beyond words.

She made a decision—she would definitely contract a Flight Type Pet Beast in the future!

"Jiubi, thank you for your hard work," her mother said, petting it.

"Jiubi~"

The chubby Jiubi shook its wings and nuzzled her mother affectionately with its large head.

With a wave of her mother's hand, a soft glow enveloped Jiubi, and in the next moment, it disappeared from the spot.

No matter how many times she saw it, Qiao Sang found it magical.

Such things couldn't be explained by the science of her previous life.

Entering Hangkang Beast Taming Center, her mother led her directly to Service Counter No. 37.

Before the staff could speak, her mother took the initiative, "Hello, we're here for a brain domain check," she indicated, motioning for Qiao Sang to take out her information card.

Qiao Sang obediently took out her information card.

After the staff scanned it, "Hello, that will be 500 Alliance Currency."

Nowadays, humanity had expanded beyond Blue Star with the help of Beast Taming abilities, colonizing three additional habitable planets.

Alliance Currency was the unified currency accepted across the four planets.

After her mother paid, the staff completed the registration and returned the information card, "Please follow Diao Liguo inside."