This dopey-looking thing... is a Fire Dragon?
You've got to be kidding.
In Lao Meng's mind, a fire dragon should be long, serpentine, and capable of flight.
Or at the very least, it should have wings.
But what appeared before him was a goofy, bipedal lizard.
Smooth head, simple face, sturdy limbs... it looked nothing like a dragon.
It was cute, sure. But "Fire Dragon"? No way.
Even a pyro whopperflower looked more like a dragon than this thing.
Staring at the little orange creature in front of Hu Tao, Lao Meng fell into deep thought.
How can this goofy little thing be a dragon?
While Lao Meng pondered, the ferrylady was equally confused.
This creature had zero dragon vibes.
But it was undeniably cute.
"Fire Dragon?"
Hu Tao, also confused, instinctively poked the creature's smooth head with her finger.
This wasn't the dragon she imagined.
She had pictured something like Dvalin from Mondstadt. Or at least a baby version with wings.
But this little guy didn't even have wings. Just a tail with a flame on the tip.
Its round head looked kind of silly.
But honestly... it was really cute.
"Charmander!" (Note: Sound effect 'Awo' translated to Pokémon cry contextually)
The little creature nuzzled against Hu Tao affectionately.
It liked the scent of this human. It felt a natural closeness to her.
Even when she poked its head, it didn't mind, rubbing its cheek against her hand obediently.
"It really is... cute."
Seeing how docile it was, Hu Tao's heart melted. What an adorable little guy.
She picked it up and held it high, examining it closely.
There was indeed a flame burning on the tip of its tail.
Seeing the flame, she recalled Felix's words.
The flame on its tail reflects its mood. When happy, it flickers gently. When angry, it burns fiercely. If it goes out... its life ends.
And according to the Shopkeeper, it has three evolutionary stages.
As Hu Tao thought about this, the Charmander in her arms closed its eyes and smiled, clearly enjoying being held.
"Director, is this really a Fire Dragon?"
Lao Meng leaned in, eyeing the creature skeptically. "It looks like a harmless pet. A new species, sure, and cute... but a dragon?"
He wouldn't believe it even if you beat him to death.
No dragon looked like this.
It was worlds apart from his imagination.
To him, it was just a lizard pet.
"I believe it is," Hu Tao grinned. "The Shopkeeper said it has three stages. This is just the baby form. There are two more."
"When it grows to the second and third stage, it will definitely surprise us. I believe in the end, it will be a majestic Fire Dragon that can carry me into the sky!"
Her eyes sparkled with anticipation.
Who could say a baby pet wouldn't change drastically when it grew up?
And the Shopkeeper said it was a Fire Dragon.
He wouldn't lie to her.
"But... even if it grows, it'll just be a bigger version of this, right?" Lao Meng muttered, the corner of his mouth twitching.
It would just be a bigger dopey lizard. Not a dragon.
"Char!"
Suddenly, the Charmander twisted in Hu Tao's arms and cried out at her.
"Eh?"
Hu Tao was startled and set it down. "Is it hungry? By the way, what does it eat? Shouldn't it eat its eggshell?"
She looked at the broken shell fragments on the floor.
She knew many reptiles ate their shells for nutrients after hatching.
But this little guy hadn't even looked at the shell.
"Since it's a Fire Dragon, maybe it eats fire?" Lao Meng suggested hesitantly. "Director, should we try feeding it some flames?"
"Even a Fire Dragon baby wouldn't eat fire to grow," Hu Tao said, rolling her eyes. "Where's the nutrition in fire? Use your brain, Lao Meng. Babies need food to fill their bellies. How can fire make you full?"
"Uh."
Lao Meng paused. True.
The Director made a valid point.
"Char! Char!"
The Charmander cried at Hu Tao again, clutching its stomach. Its big watery eyes looked like they were about to cry.
"Definitely hungry," Lao Meng declared confidently. "Wait here."
He ran to the side, grabbed a pair of iron tongs, and plucked a glowing red-hot coal from the brazier.
He dropped the burning coal in front of the Charmander. "Here, eat up. We have plenty."
"Char!"
Seeing the burning rock thrown at its feet, the hungry Charmander's eyes suddenly flashed with anger.
It spun around.
Whap!
Its tail whipped out with surprising speed and smacked the red-hot coal straight back at Lao Meng.
"Ahhh!"
The burning coal hit Lao Meng squarely on the chest. He screamed in pain, fell backward, and scrambled out of the parlor in a panic.
Hu Tao: "..."
Ferrylady: "..."
"Holy crap, Lao Meng! Why are you crawling out of the parlor?"
"What are you screaming for? Did you see a ghost?"
"You work at Wangsheng! Shouldn't you be excited to see a ghost?"
"But look at him... he looks miserable."
...
Outside, passersby stopped in their tracks.
Nearby shopkeepers looked over, amused.
Seeing Lao Meng scramble out of the funeral parlor screaming in pain was quite the spectacle.
"Hiss!"
Lao Meng struggled to his feet, rubbing his burnt chest and sucking in cold air.
It hurts like hell!
If the dragon didn't want to eat it, fine! Why did it have to smack the coal back at him?!
Seeing the curious and mocking gazes of the crowd, Lao Meng's face turned dark.
But the burning pain kept him wincing.
Inside the parlor, Hu Tao rested her chin on her hand, looking at the Charmander with fascination.
Based on that reaction... this thing was smart.
"Can you understand me?"
Hu Tao raised an eyebrow. "Are you hungry?"
"Char! Char!"
The Charmander nodded vigorously.
It patted its belly to emphasize the point.
"Such high intelligence..."
The ferrylady watched in amazement.
This goofy-looking little guy was incredibly smart. It understood human speech perfectly.
Most pets needed training. Even magical beasts usually acted on instinct first.
But this newborn understood immediately.
"I don't know what it eats... maybe I should go ask the Shopkeeper."
Hu Tao rummaged in her sleeve. "Here, I only have this right now."
She pulled out a box of Plum Blossom Pastry.
The Charmander's eyes lit up. It grabbed the box, tore open the packaging with practiced ease, and popped a pastry into its mouth.
"Char~ Char~"
It chewed happily, closing its eyes in delight.
"It really is smart," the ferrylady gasped. "It knew how to unwrap the food. And it seems to love it."
It hadn't just eaten the box; it opened it.
That was smarter than a human baby.
Now she believed it might truly be a dragon. Only powerful creatures showed such intelligence at birth.
Hu Tao was equally amazed.
"Char! Char!"
Having finished the first pastry, the Charmander cried out again.
Its big eyes stared fixatedly at Hu Tao's sleeve, drooling slightly.
It wanted more.
"Hehe, this little guy is fun."
Hu Tao grinned. "If you eat pastries, that's easy. I have plenty."
She reached into her sleeve again—her "magical" storage space—and pulled out several more boxes of Plum Blossom Pastries.
The Charmander's eyes sparkled. It grabbed the boxes, tore them open, and devoured the snacks one by one.
Hu Tao watched, clicking her tongue in wonder.
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