The days passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, Vegeta and Launch's daughter, Adina, was almost a month old. Even her one-month celebration was about to be held.
To be honest, Vegeta had initially scoffed at this Earthling custom.
In his view, with all that effort, it would be better to have his daughter start training with him, or even just quietly watch her sleep.
But he couldn't stand against Launch's insistence on holding it!
This matter had to be traced back to a call she had with Bulma.
Launch had inadvertently heard from Bulma that holding a one-month celebration for a child on Earth was a big deal!
Friends and relatives would all come to congratulate their daughter, and... they would also bring gifts and money!
"We can get money?"
This key point instantly lit up Launch's eyes.
This was a great opportunity to justifiably increase their family income!
So she immediately made the decision: the one-month celebration must be held! And it had to be grand!
Now, the Saiyan camp in the north became lively.
Launch fully utilized her commanding talents, dragging Vegeta along to order Raditz and Nappa around, trying to decorate the originally rough-styled camp with a little festive atmosphere.
Red decorations were also hung on the eaves. Although it was a bit strange with the Saiyan architectural style, at least it had a sense of ceremony now.
"Raditz!"
Launch glanced at Raditz, who was about to call an outside restaurant to order food, and immediately roared, "Are you stupid?! How much more would it cost to order takeout?! Make it yourself! Don't you usually love to mess around in the kitchen and study those foods? You're the head chef for this banquet! It's a perfect chance to show off your skills!"
The fierce-looking face of Raditz instantly fell. After hearing Launch's command, he muttered under his breath, "I like to study it to cook for myself... not to be a chef and serve people..."
The thought of the guests he might have to entertain later—Whitley, Kakarot, plus the three of them from their camp, a total of five Saiyan stomachs!
He instantly felt his vision go dark. The workload was simply more than a week's worth of delivering packages for the company!
"Sigh," he let out a heavy sigh. "Work is still easier. At least I know where the finish line is..."
With a dejected look on his face, he very reluctantly walked towards the kitchen, which he usually loved but which now looked like hell in his eyes.
After settling the food matter, Launch's sharp gaze turned to Nappa, who was trying his best to reduce his presence at the side.
Nappa's heart pounded at her stare, and cold sweat was about to break out on his bald head.
"Nappa! Come here!"
Launch took out a stack of rather exquisite invitations from her pocket and stuffed them into his hand. "Your task is simple. It's your old job, running errands. You personally deliver these invitations to each family according to the names on them! Don't even think about slacking off. I have the list! If I find out that any guest didn't come because you missed a delivery and our family missed out on a gift... hmph, you know the consequences!"
When Nappa heard that it was just running errands and delivering things, the stone that had been hanging in his heart was instantly lifted.
This was so much easier than facing the black-hole-like appetites of five Saiyans in the kitchen!
He had just been imagining how long Raditz would be busy in front of the stove, and he had felt tired just thinking about it.
He took the invitations, subconsciously touched his smooth head, and after a moment's hesitation, he couldn't help but ask, "That... can't you just call Whitley and the others to inform them? It's fast and easy. Why do you have to make a special trip to deliver this?"
Launch sneered and glanced at him with a "you idiot, what do you know about social etiquette" look. "You don't get it, do you? Delivering the invitation personally shows that it's formal and sincere! This is my precious daughter's one-month banquet. Do you understand presentation?!"
She paused, a shrewd look on her face. "And, when you deliver the invitations, remember to 'casually' and 'tactfully' mention that the gifts... are about the thought, but they also have to match my precious baby's status. Don't be too casual, understand?"
Nappa nodded weakly.
As they were speaking, the clear and loud cry of Adina suddenly came from the room.
Launch immediately threw Nappa and all other matters to the back of her mind, waved her hand to signal him to hurry up and go.
She herself turned and rushed into the room, her voice instantly switching to a gentle mode similar to the blue-haired Launch. "Oh my, baby, don't cry, don't cry, Mommy is here. Are you hungry? Or is your diaper uncomfortable? Mommy is coming..."
Hearing Launch's voice disappear behind the door, Nappa looked at the stack of invitations in his hand and turned to look at Vegeta, who had been leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed and an expressionless face, and asked for the prince's opinion with his eyes.
Vegeta just let out a barely audible snort from his nose, as a tacit approval of all of Launch's arrangements.
Nappa resignedly put the invitations carefully into the inner pocket of his clothes and then, without any more hesitation, his aura suddenly erupted. With a "boom," he turned into a streak of white light and shot into the sky, beginning his first stop of collecting gift money.
Vegeta silently watched Nappa disappear over the horizon. He heard the sound of Launch in the room, humming an out-of-tune but exceptionally gentle lullaby to the child, and an extremely complex and indescribable expression flashed across his face.
There was indulgence... and a subtle warmth of a family that even he himself had not noticed? But more than that, there was a sense of helplessness.
Once upon a time, as a member of the warrior race, the Saiyans, he would have never thought he would fall so low.
He silently shook his head, temporarily pushing this thought aside. When he heard Launch call from the room, "Vegeta! Don't just stand there outside! Come in and change the baby's diaper!"
The corner of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly. In the end, he resignedly turned and walked into the room that, for him, was more chaotic than facing any enemy.
...
On the other side, in West City, at the Briefs' estate.
Whitley had been feeling that something was not right lately.
He always had a vague feeling that something was quietly happening somewhere he didn't know.
Especially with that Future Bulma from the future timeline. Her behavior these past few days had been a little secretive.
For example, a few days ago, he had accidentally seen Future Bulma and Vados sitting in the courtyard, drinking tea and talking in low voices, looking very engrossed.
But when he got a little closer to try and hear what they were talking about, the two of them, as if they had planned it, immediately stopped their conversation.
They sat up straight as if nothing had happened and started to chat about which flower in the garden was blooming nicely today and other such irrelevant topics.
Their tone was so natural that it made him think he was being paranoid.
But later, he had heard from the company that Future Bulma had also gone to the Prince Logistics headquarters and had had a long conversation with No. 18 in a closed conference room.
Out of a strange sense of unease, he had curiously pulled up the company's surveillance footage from that day to take a look.
The footage showed that when No. 18 came out of the conference room, she was indeed holding a rather heavy-looking backpack.
And what surprised him even more was...
No. 18 was actually laughing and talking with Future Bulma, and they had left the company together with a very friendly relationship.
This made Whitley a little unsure.
He stroked his chin, his brow slightly furrowed. "Something's not right... are they plotting something behind my back?"
A feeling of being excluded made him feel a little down, but also a little wary.
"Whitley! Your latest medical report is out! Come and look at it with me!"
Bulma's voice sounded at the right moment, interrupting his thoughts.
She was holding a freshly printed report that still had a faint smell of ink and was rushing into the living room from the direction of the lab.
The moment Whitley heard the words "medical report," his head throbbed!
This was already the third comprehensive medical check-up that Bulma had dragged him to! They had gone to three of the top medical institutions on Earth, all using the most advanced equipment.
However, all the test results, in black and white, clearly stated the same conclusion:
Mr. Whitley's physical functions were at a superhuman level, his health was excellent, and there were no medical problems affecting his fertility.
But!
Bulma just wouldn't believe it!
She always felt that the tests were not comprehensive enough, or that there were some hidden problems that the current technology couldn't detect. She stubbornly believed that the problem must be with Whitley.
She had even, from some forum or a friend, seriously suggested to him a few days ago that they should go and visit that mysterious fortune teller, Baba, to see if she had any unique insights.
Of course, Whitley had refused without hesitation!
Who knows what kind of shocking things that fortune teller, Baba, would say.
He was now almost having a conditioned reflex of resistance to the word "check-up."
Just as Bulma was pulling his arm, trying to analyze the complex data and indicators on the report that he couldn't even be bothered to look at...
A savior! Had finally arrived!
A streak of light shot across the sky at an astonishing speed and instantly appeared above the Briefs' estate.
The next second, two figures landed gently in the center of the living room like feathers.
"Oh my~ it's so lively here today. I hope we're not disturbing anyone."
Whis's slightly lazy and elegant voice sounded.
Whitley had never felt that the two before him were as dear as they were today!
"Whis? And Lord Beerus? Why do you two suddenly have the time to come to Earth?"
Bulma temporarily let go of Whitley, looking at the two uninvited gods with some surprise.
Beerus first shot an annoyed glare at Whitley and snorted from his nose.
It was clear that he was still holding a grudge about what Whitley had done to him last time.
Then he turned to Bulma and said in his usual, slightly arrogant and impatient tone, "Is that even a question? Of course, I'm here for you. The spaceship you modified has successfully arrived at the God of Destruction's Realm. When are you and this guy Whitley planning to go and take over?"
A look of pleasant surprise appeared on Bulma's face. "Huh? It's already arrived? That's much faster than expected. Actually, you didn't have to make a special trip. As long as you guide the spaceship to land in an open space in the divine realm, I can remotely control the subsequent construction from here."
But just then, Whis chuckled lightly. He covered his mouth with his finger and mercilessly exposed Beerus's lie. "Actually~ it's because the food in our God of Destruction's Realm has run out~ to be precise, all the delicious food from Earth has been consumed. We've come this time mainly to get a refill from you, Bulma-san and Whitley-san."
"It's all gone?"
This time, even Whitley was a little surprised. He raised an eyebrow. "If I remember correctly... the amount of food I paid you as a reward before... was quite considerable, right? It should have been enough for you to eat for a good while."
Beerus opened his mouth, as if he wanted to argue.
But a hint of apprehension flashed across his face, and in the end, he swallowed his words, just crossed his arms, and turned his head to the side.
And Whis had no such scruples. He saw that his sister, Vados, had already brewed some black tea at the side, so he very naturally walked over, sat down, picked up a freshly brewed cup of tea, and took a light sip. Only then did he explain in a slightly complaining tone, "It's all because of Lord Zeno and the Grand Priest. Ever since they tasted Earth's delicacies last time, Lord Zeno would often think of them and occasionally have the Grand Priest come and ask me if I have any stock left. The rewards that Whitley-san and Bulma-san paid before have long been shared by those two."
At this point, he took another comfortable sip of tea and continued to complain, "Sometimes I really want to suggest to my father, why not just arrange for someone to purchase from Earth regularly? They're always eyeing my little private stash, the pressure on me is also very great~"
"Probably because you have good taste and they trust your judgment," Whitley said casually, then his tone shifted, and his expression became a little more formal. "Speaking of which... Whis, I actually have a favor to ask of you. I plan to go to Trunks's parallel future timeline in a few days to take care of some business. As we've said before, traveling through time without permission is a serious crime. So, could I trouble you to report this to the Grand Priest for me and give him a heads-up? That way, it shouldn't be a violation, right?"
He paused and threw out his bargaining chip. "After this is done, three capsules of Earth's delicacies as payment, how about it?"
Whis's blue eyes immediately lit up, and he nodded with a smile almost without any hesitation. "Oh my~ of course, that's just a small matter. For Whitley-san to be so eager to pay me, could it be... that there are other matters you need my help with as well?"
He looked at Whitley with a teasing expression.
Whitley was stunned by his question and shook his head. "Just this one for now."
Seeing this, Whis chuckled and explained, "Father will definitely agree to such a small matter. Hasn't Whitley-san noticed yet? Father holds you in very high regard and admires you greatly."
Vados, who was sitting at the side, also elegantly put down her teacup and added softly, "That's right, Whitley-san. In fact, with Father's attitude towards you, if you wish to go to other timelines, you can just go. Father will definitely not blame you for it."
Whitley thought about it seriously but still insisted on his idea. "Although the Grand Priest is... to me..."
He glanced at Vados and thought to himself, 'Right, he's even given his daughter to me, so he definitely holds me in high regard.'
"I'll still have to trouble you to say something, Whis. That way, I can be at ease."
Whis shrugged indifferently, his tone relaxed. "Alright, since Whitley-san insists. Then as you wish."
As they were talking, Whitley keenly sensed a not-so-strong but rather familiar ki approaching the Briefs' estate at an extremely high speed.
Judging by the approaching ki, the visitor... was Nappa? Why would he suddenly come over?
The others in the living room also sensed this rapidly approaching ki.
Not long after, Nappa's sturdy figure appeared in the sky above the estate.
His expression was a little reserved, and his sturdy figure slowly descended into the courtyard.
The moment Nappa walked into the living room and saw not only Whitley and Bulma, but also the God of Destruction, Beerus, whom Vegeta had told them about, he instantly became even more nervous, not knowing where to put his hands and feet.
He didn't dare to look much and quickly took out the prepared invitation from his pocket, almost stuffing it into the hands of the nearest Bulma, and then, as if reciting a text, he said stiffly, "Th-this... Launch asked me to deliver it. It's an invitation to the one-month celebration of our Saiyan princess, Adina. It will be held in three days at our Saiyan camp. Y-you are all welcome to attend."
Whitley found Nappa's nervous appearance rather amusing. He patted Nappa's shoulder and nodded. "Don't worry, we'll definitely be there on time."
Nappa let out a sigh of relief, but then a conflicted look appeared on his face.
He remembered Launch's repeated admonitions, pulling his ear before he left, and his own prince's almost-obedient attitude towards Launch. He steeled his heart, gritted his teeth, his face flushing a little, and added in a rush, "And... please don't forget to prepare... prepare gifts!"
After rushing out the last sentence, as if he had exhausted all his courage and face, Nappa almost fled. He instantly powered up and shot into the sky with a "swoosh," disappearing over the horizon in the blink of an eye, his speed even faster than when he had arrived.
The living room fell into a brief silence.
Everyone looked at each other, their faces filled with a mixture of astonishment and amusement.
Bulma was the first to react. She held the invitation and said with great certainty, "That must have been Launch's idea. To ask for gifts so directly... only Launch could do something like that!"
Whitley nodded in deep agreement, completely agreeing with Bulma's judgment.
And after this little interlude, everyone sat in the great hall and chatted, listening to Bulma talk about what she wanted to build in the God of Destruction's Realm.
"A large-scale breeding farm is a must. With your appetites... five should be barely enough. And farmland, three hundred hectares... should be enough, right?"
Bulma said with some uncertainty.
And everyone said they would listen to Bulma. Because everyone present, without exception, was completely clueless about such matters.
And after that, under the direct and indirect hints of Whis and Beerus...
Whis was constantly reminiscing about the taste of Earth's delicacies, asking in a roundabout way what was for dinner.
Beerus was even more direct, occasionally touching his stomach and staring at Whitley with a "hungry, when's dinner" look, which caused today's dinner to be almost an hour earlier than usual.
Bulma saw the two food gods' urgent need for food and had no choice but to instruct the kitchen to prepare dinner early.
And another noteworthy detail was that Future Bulma, from the future timeline, did not show her face in front of Whitley all afternoon.
At dinner time, Future Bulma and No. 18 appeared together, and the two of them were actually walking arm in arm into the dining room.
This scene was happened to be seen by Trunks, who had just finished training and was drenched in sweat.
Trunks was so surprised he almost dropped his towel. He stared with wide eyes at the "reconciliation of the century" before him, his brain unable to process it.
His mother... and No. 18? When did their relationship get so good?
Future Bulma saw her son's shocked appearance, calmly let go of No. 18's arm, walked up to Trunks, and whispered mysteriously, "Trunks, the matter I asked you to do before, how is it going? The Dragon Balls... have you gathered them all?"
Trunks looked at his somewhat unfamiliar mother, nodded with a complicated expression. "Yes, as you said, all seven Dragon Balls have been gathered. Mom, are you going to use them now?"
Future Bulma shook her head, her voice even lower. "No, I don't need to use them now. I will tell you the wish I want to make. You find a quiet, deserted place and help me make the wish to Shenron."
She stared at Trunks's eyes, her tone serious. "Remember, this matter is very important and must be kept secret! You can't tell anyone, including the me of this world, understand?"
When Trunks heard the specific content of the wish from his mother's mouth, he was a little stunned.
He opened his mouth, and for a moment, he didn't know how to react, his face filled with disbelief and conflict.
But looking at the unquestionable determination in his mother's eyes, and that rare, almost-all-or-nothing resolve, Trunks ultimately swallowed all his questions.
He nodded with a complex expression, his voice a little dry as he replied, "O... okay, Mom. I... I'll go and find a place to make the wish right away."
Trunks returned to his room with a heavy heart, carefully took out the seven glowing Dragon Balls, and put them away carefully.
He even forgot that he had just finished a high-intensity training session and hadn't even had a chance to take a shower!
He immediately flew from the Briefs' estate with a heavy heart, trying to find that quiet place.
By the time dinner was over, No. 18 had naturally stayed.
She seemed to be in a particularly good mood today and had even proactively served Whitley a few times.
After it was over, she very naturally stood up, took Whitley's hand, and under Bulma's slightly surprised and probing gaze, she said softly, "We have something to talk about," and then led Whitley straight to her room in the Briefs' estate.
Bulma looked at the two departing figures, her heart filled with some doubt. "What's going on? Why is No. 18 acting... so proactive today? It seems a little strange..."
But she didn't think much of it, just assuming they had some private matter to discuss.
She turned and went back to her own lab to continue her work on improving the time machine.
The time machine design that Future Bulma had brought was exquisite, but its internal space was too narrow, able to accommodate at most two people.
This was far from enough for them, who might need to travel to the future as a group. Expanding the space was the main technical problem she was currently facing.
However, for some reason, tonight, Bulma felt a little uneasy, an indescribable anxiety lingering in her heart.
It was as if something she didn't know but was closely related to her was happening.
This feeling was so strong that she couldn't even concentrate on analyzing the complex design blueprints and data.
She irritably put down the electric pen in her hand and rubbed her brow.
Suddenly, as if she had thought of something, she shot her head up, her gaze instantly turning towards the direction of No. 18's room, and her mind quickly flashed back to Future Bulma's abnormal behavior at dinner!
Their sudden intimacy, and Trunks's preoccupied and hasty departure...
A thought she had previously ignored flashed through her mind like lightning!
'She said before... she would help me? Help me with what? Could it be that her so-called help is...'
Bulma's heart instantly sank, and a strange feeling welled up.
She couldn't sit still any longer. With a "smack," she threw down the tool in her hand and rushed out of the lab, heading straight for No. 18's room.
Just as Bulma had reached the door of the room and was about to knock, she faintly heard Whitley's surprised and slightly panicked voice from inside. "W-wait... where's No. 18? You... how did you get younger?! Th-this isn't appropriate, is it? We..."
Then, a familiar voice that made her heart burn!
Her voice carried an indescribable mixture of nervousness and determination. "No. 18, don't hide! Help me... help me hold him down! Yes... just like that... I'm coming... hiss... you're... gentle..."
Hearing the intermittent but information-packed conversation from the room, Bulma felt her head "buzz," as if something had exploded inside!
Why?!
Why would the future version of herself use this method to... join in?!
What kind of help was this?! This was basically taking advantage of the situation, a blatant sneak attack!
A nameless fire mixed with a strong sense of competition instantly overwhelmed her.
At this point, questioning and arguing seemed completely meaningless.
Bulma stood at the door and took a deep breath, a series of complex emotions flashing across her face.
In the end, all the emotions turned into a "I have nothing to lose" determination!
She no longer hesitated, reached for the doorknob, and resolutely pushed open the door, striding in with firm steps.
Whitley was instantly horrified to see the door open and Bulma enter, he hadn't expected her to suddenly appear.
Bulma's gaze swept over the three people in the room, who clearly hadn't expected her to suddenly appear. Her tone was calm but carried a hint of unquestionable authority. "Alright! Since you've... all chosen to deepen your relationship in this way,"
A meaningful curve appeared on her lips. "Then in the future, if there are any group activities, don't even think about leaving me out! If we're going to play, then let's all play together!!!"
...
Get 10 chapters ahead on - P.a.t.r.e.o.n "RoseWhisky"