Ever since Whitley's strategic retreat—commonly known as running away—from the Sacred World of the Kais, he had enjoyed a few quiet days.
He didn't know how things with the Old Kai were resolved, nor did he plan to ask for the time being. With the Dragon Balls as a safety net, it wasn't a big problem for him anyway.
He was happy to take a few leisurely days off at home and lay low.
This afternoon, the weather was perfect, with a gentle, dry breeze. Whitley had just finished his daily training, taken a comfortable hot shower, and changed into loose, casual loungewear. He was now lying lazily on a beach chair in the front yard.
A robot butler glided over silently and served him a freshly brewed, aromatic cup of black tea.
Whitley picked up the teacup, squinted his eyes, blew on it, and took a small sip. He felt that his life was incredibly pleasant.
However, this tranquility did not last long.
A familiar ki approached from the distance, speeding towards him, and finally came to a steady hover above the estate.
"Tsk!"
Whitley clicked his tongue with some annoyance. He didn't even need to look to know who it was.
Ever since Goku had successfully transformed into a Super Saiyan 4, he had probably become overconfident due to his massive power increase, or maybe he was just bored. He would come looking for him every few days, either for a spar or a chat. Who knew what he was here for today.
"Over here!"
Whitley was too lazy to get up. He remained in his slumped position, just lazily raising one hand to wave, while his other hand continued to hold the teacup.
Sure enough, Goku landed with a "swoosh," a trademark sunny and slightly silly smile on his face as he grinned at Whitley.
He walked over to the small round table next to Whitley, naturally picked an apple from the fruit bowl, and took a big bite with a "crunch." After chewing and swallowing, he said excitedly, "Whitley! I'm here to invite you to my wedding!"
"PFFFT—!!!!!"
The mouthful of black tea Whitley had just sipped went flying out, accurately coating Goku's smiling face!
"Whoa! What are you doing, Whitley!"
Goku was caught completely off guard by the spray and quickly wiped his face, the black tea making him look a little pathetic.
"Cough, cough, cough! Sorry, sorry!"
Whitley coughed repeatedly from the shock, and as he caught his breath, he looked at Goku in disbelief. "I think... my ears must have had a problem just now, I'm hearing things. You... say that again? What are you here for?"
Goku wiped his face haphazardly with his sleeve, the carefree smile returning to his face, his tone still excited. "I'm here to invite you to my wedding! Chi-Chi said a wedding is about inviting your good friends to celebrate together, that's what makes it lively! You're my best friend besides Krillin, so of course I had to come and invite you!"
Whitley nodded as if in a sudden realization and subconsciously replied, "Oh~ so it's to attend your wedding..."
The next second, he shot up from the beach chair, his voice rising several octaves. "...my ass!!!!!! How are you suddenly getting married?! With who?! Chi-Chi?! When did this happen?! How come I haven't heard a single thing..."
But halfway through his roar, he stopped abruptly.
A scene from his trip to Kame House to get the medicine for Goku flashed through his mind—Ox-King and Chi-Chi were at Kame House then, and they seemed to be discussing something with Master Roshi... Could it be... they were talking about this marriage then?!
He narrowed his eyes, looking at the innocent Goku with some scrutiny. After a moment's hesitation, he asked tentatively, "You... what's the deal with you and Chi-Chi? How are you suddenly getting married? Do you even know what marriage means?"
Goku nodded very naturally at his words, his face even filled with a beautiful vision of the future. "I know! Grandpa Roshi told me, marriage is living with a girl named Chi-Chi! And Chi-Chi said she'll cook for me in the future, lots and lots of delicious food! I won't have to roast meat myself every day anymore!"
As he spoke, his eyes sparkled with longing for a future of unlimited delicacies.
"Hiss..."
Whitley sucked in a sharp breath, instantly realizing what the problem was.
You old Master Roshi! This guy Goku is a complete love idiot, he doesn't know a damn thing about marriage! Does your conscience not hurt?!
He looked at Goku, who was still immersed in the happiness of "someone will cook for me," coughed, and his expression became serious. He decided to fulfill his duty as a friend. "Goku, put aside your fantasies for a moment and listen to me. Marriage is not as simple as a man and a woman living together and her cooking for you."
He held up his fingers and began to educate Goku. "Marriage means you have to take on the responsibility of a husband! You have to love her, protect her, and not let her worry or be sad because of you! In the future, if you have children, you also have to take on the responsibility of a father! You have to earn money to support the family, educate the children, and be their role model! This isn't something you can do just by being good at fighting! It's hard! Very hard! Are you sure you're ready for this? Ready to shoulder these heavy responsibilities?"
After speaking, Whitley stared intently into Goku's eyes, trying to confirm if he was truly ready.
Goku did indeed frown, seeming to seriously consider the weight of Whitley's words.
He was silent for a while, and the simplicity in his eyes was gradually replaced by a determined light.
Finally, he looked up with a laugh, pounded his chest, and said in a loud and firm voice, "Although... a lot of what you said, I don't really understand! But!"
He paused, his eyes clear and firm. "In short, it's about protecting Chi-Chi and our future children, right? I'll have absolutely no problem with that! I'll protect them with all my strength!"
Looking at Goku's pure and determined eyes, and feeling the genuine resolve in his words, the further admonishments Whitley had planned got stuck in his throat.
He was stunned for a moment, then a helpless yet gratified smile appeared on his lips.
Right, why overthink it?
This is Goku.
He might not understand complex emotions and worldly rules, but he definitely possessed the purest heart of a protector.
For him, protecting those he cared about and making his family happy was the most important responsibility.
And this intention was more precious than any flowery promise.
He reached out and patted Goku's shoulder firmly. "Alright! Since you've thought it through and made your decision... then as your friend, of course I support you! Bulma and I will definitely be at your wedding! When is it? And where?"
Seeing Whitley agree, Goku was happy again. He seriously counted on his fingers and then said with certainty, "In seven days! The location is Mount Paozu! I'll go hunt a lot of game to treat everyone! I guarantee everyone will eat their fill!"
"Alright! It's a deal!" Whitley said with a smile.
"Then it's settled! I'm leaving now, see you!"
Goku, having achieved his goal, waved his hand contentedly and prepared to leave.
"Wait, you're leaving already? Aren't you going to find Bulma and tell her you're getting married?" Whitley asked.
"No, no!" Goku waved his hand. "I still have to go find Vegeta! If he finds out I'm getting married and didn't invite him, that guy Vegeta will definitely get angry, and he might not want to spar with me anymore! I'm off!"
After speaking, Goku shot into the sky with a "swoosh" and flew quickly towards North City.
Whitley watched Goku's figure disappear over the horizon and shook his head with a smile.
He turned and walked into the house. He had to tell Bulma this "earth-shattering news" right away.
"Huh?! Wait! Who did you say?! Goku is getting married?! To Chi-Chi?! Who's Chi-Chi?"
In the bedroom, Bulma, who was processing company matters on her phone, whipped her head around upon hearing Whitley's words. Her beautiful large eyes were wide as saucers, her face filled with a "You've got to be kidding me" expression of shock.
She even subconsciously reached out to touch Whitley's forehead. "You don't have a fever, do you? Or did your training fry your brain? That idiot Goku, who knows nothing but eating and fighting... is getting married?"
Whitley irritably slapped her hand away and nodded affirmatively. "It's a hundred percent true! He came in person just now to deliver the invitation. It's at Mount Paozu in seven days. Chi-Chi is Ox-King's daughter. As for her personality... she's probably quite feisty..."
"Oh my god..." Bulma covered her mouth, her shock slowly turning into immense curiosity and excitement. "This is one of the biggest news of the century! Even Goku is getting married? It's unbelievable! Tell me, what happened? How did he come to his senses?"
Whitley briefly explained Master Roshi's "matchmaking" and Goku's understanding of "marriage = someone cooks for him + he has to protect her."
After hearing it, Bulma's expression became a mixture of amusement and exasperation. "As expected... you can't have any romantic expectations for that single-celled organism. But it's good. From what you've said, this Chi-Chi, although a bit strong-willed, is just right for managing that simpleton Goku."
She stroked her chin and immediately began to think about the important matter. "So what should we give as a wedding gift? We have to think about this carefully!"
She began to count on her fingers. "A house? Goku has an old house on Mount Paozu, right? Although it's a bit old... A plane? A car? That guy flies faster than a plane himself, seems completely useless... Then how about some gold and silver jewelry for Chi-Chi? Girls should like that, right?"
The more she thought, the harder it was to choose. She looked up at Whitley. "Hubby, what do you think we should give?"
Whitley was very straightforward and shrugged nonchalantly. "If you ask me, just giving money is the most practical. Let the little couple buy what they need themselves. They can buy whatever they want to eat, or build a house if they want to build a house. It's so much easier."
"Money? That's so tacky!" Bulma immediately objected. "And it makes us seem so insincere!"
Suddenly, Bulma's eyes lit up. She slapped her hand and jumped up excitedly. "Right! How could I forget this! The Dragon Balls! Hubby, go and collect the Dragon Balls! On the wedding day, we'll give them the Dragon Balls as a wedding gift! Let Goku and Chi-Chi make a wish to Shenron directly! They can have whatever they want! How about it? Is this gift shocking enough, unique enough, and meaningful enough? I really am a genius, Bulma! To think of such a great idea!"
As she spoke, she turned and was about to go and get the Dragon Radar to stuff into Whitley's hand and send him off immediately to collect them.
"Huh?! Give them the Dragon Balls?!"
Whitley was at a loss for whether to laugh or cry. He quickly pulled back his overly excited wife. "This gift is more than just shocking and unique, it's over the top! Not to mention whether collecting the Dragon Balls is troublesome or not, just think about it. Krillin and Master Roshi and the others will be there. They'll see us presenting the Dragon Balls as a gift... how will that make them feel about their ordinary gifts? It's not appropriate, really not appropriate!"
Bulma paused. She imagined the scene, and it did seem... a bit too exaggerated.
Her excitement faded a little, and she became worried again. "Then what do you think we should give? We can't really just give them a big red envelope, right? That's so boring!"
"Just give them money!"
Whitley was firm this time. He thought for a moment, recalling a scene from the original story where Android 18, in order to make a living, deliberately lost a match at the World Martial Arts Tournament for the ten million Zeni prize money promised by Hercule.
Money, for pure martial artists like them, was sometimes the most practical and most needed thing.
He made the decision. "Just give them fifty million! So that Goku and Chi-Chi don't have to worry about daily necessities in the future and can live a stable life. That's better than any flashy but impractical gift! As for me... I'll figure it out later!"
Seeing her husband's firm attitude, although Bulma felt that giving money was a bit tacky, she finally sighed in compromise. "Alright, alright, I'll listen to you. We'll give them money. Honestly, not a romantic bone in your body..."
Meanwhile, at the Saiyan camp near North City.
The blonde Launch had once again ridden her cool motorcycle to this desolate camp with a "vroom vroom."
She seemed to be in a particularly good mood today. The moment she entered, she shouted, "Hey! Vegeta! Pack up and come with me to 'stroll' around the bank in the city! I'm a little short on cash lately, let's go find some funds!"
The moment her voice fell, she saw Goku, who had also just arrived to deliver an invitation.
Instantly, the entire camp became even more "lively."
After Goku announced that he was getting married in seven days, Vegeta just let out a customary cold snort and commented with his arms crossed, "Hmph! How boring! A waste of time!"
But on account of their usual sparring relationship, he still stiffly accepted the simple invitation.
However, when the blonde Launch at his side heard the word "marriage," her eyes instantly lit up!
She immediately threw the matter of "strolling the bank" to the back of her mind and clung to Vegeta like taffy, starting to chatter endlessly. "Marriage?! Hey! Vegeta! Did you hear that! Even Goku is getting married! What about you, what about you?! When are you going to marry me?! Look, I cook for you every day (instant noodles), buy you new clothes, and even found a 'good job' for that bald giant friend of yours! I'm so good to you! Aren't you going to show some appreciation? Propose to me... or something?"
As she spoke, she shook Vegeta's arm vigorously.
Vegeta was so annoyed by her shouting and shaking that veins popped on his forehead, and his face was as black as the bottom of a pot.
He had been training peacefully, and it was bad enough to be disturbed by Kakarot, and now he was being pestered by this crazy woman!
He violently shook off Launch's hand and was about to power up and fly to find Whitley for a fight, and to escape this annoyance!
"Trying to run again?!"
The moment the blonde Launch saw Vegeta about to flee, her drama queen instincts kicked in!
Her eyes reddened in an instant, and crystal tears began to well up as she said in a choked voice, "You heartless bastard! You scum! You're trying to run away after having your fill, aren't you?! I'm throwing myself at you, being your workhorse, and you're not even willing to marry me!!! Vegeta, you have no heart?! Sob sob sob sob..."
As she cried, she opened her eyes a crack to peek at Vegeta's expression.
Vegeta clenched his fists tightly, his temples throbbing.
Nappa, at the side, upon hearing Launch mention "found a 'good job' for that bald giant friend of yours," almost couldn't breathe!
That incident was practically his dark history!
Previously, Launch had seen him working hard laying bricks on a construction site every day and thought the efficiency was too low. So one day, she had puffed out her chest and said to Nappa, "Hey! Big guy! Stick with me! I'll take you to make big money! Much faster than laying bricks!"
When Nappa heard that, "the prince's woman" was going to find him a job?
Although he felt it was a bit unreliable, he was still a little excited and expectant.
After all, Whitley had strictly forbidden them from doing anything illegal, and he didn't dare to disobey.
Since Launch said she had a "good job," maybe it was true?
So, the moment he heard he could make big money, Nappa had happily followed Launch.
The result... was that he was taken by Launch to the entrance of a bank in the city center.
Before he could even react to what the "good job" was... he heard a series of explosions and screams from inside.
Then the blonde Launch rushed out like a whirlwind, dragging several bulging canvas bags with "$" signs on them, and shouted at the still-dazed Nappa, "Hey! Idiot! What are you staring at?! Take off!! I got the goods!!!"
The bank's alarm was blaring, and the faint sounds of people's shouts and screams could be heard.
In the distance, the sharp sound of police sirens was approaching, and countless vehicles with flashing lights were surrounding them!
Nappa was completely dumbfounded! He looked at the big bags behind Launch, then remembered Whitley's icy warning, and a cold sweat instantly broke out!
Th-this isn't a "good job"?! This is trying to get me, Nappa, killed!
I'm doomed! If Whitley finds out about this... I'll definitely be dead!!!
His first reaction was to ditch Launch and run for it.
But Launch had already nimbly thrown the several heavy bags onto his back, then jumped on herself, and was constantly urging him, "Go, go, idiot! What are you waiting for?! Waiting for the cops to catch you?! Take off! Back to the camp!"
Nappa felt the heavy bags on his back and heard the approaching sirens. He glanced at the woman behind him, who was not at all aware of the situation and was actually excited...
He struggled internally for a second. In the end, he let out a heavy sigh and resignedly activated his ki.
With a "swoosh," he carried Launch on his back and shot into the sky at a speed far exceeding the vehicles, disappearing over the horizon.
Left behind on the ground was a group of dumbfounded cops and citizens, standing there at a loss.
Nappa let out a heavy sigh and no longer paid attention to Prince Vegeta's private affairs. He simply turned and went back into the room to listen to Raditz's ramblings as he cooked.
He looked at the "salary" that Launch had given him, which was piled up in a corner, and felt a little unsure.
Hopefully... Whitley will let him off the hook after he finds out about this.
The more Nappa thought about it, the angrier and more scared he became!
Suddenly, he shot up from the sofa.
Under Raditz's surprised gaze, he strode to the door, threw it open, and roared at Launch, who was still pestering Vegeta to marry her, "Prince! Don't lose to this wicked woman!!!"
Launch instantly whipped her head around, her eyes glaring fiercely at Nappa, whose face screamed "I'm not afraid of you."
The impatient Vegeta at the side: "?"
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