Can't Do It

"Chuan Chuan, you're so big."

"Tehehe."

Luo Xi stretched out her little arms and hugged him. Ye Chuan held the tiny girl with a strange expression, then cupped her chubby little face—adorably round like a steamed bun.

"Hehe." Luo Xi giggled, looking even more endearing.

Ye Chuan pinched the bridge of his nose.

His wife had shrunk.

But surprisingly, she was still cute?

Well, Luo Xi had always been adorable. This miniature version just made her even more precious.

Right now, Ye Chuan was being swarmed by several little ones. Not only had they shrunk in size, but their personalities seemed to have regressed to childhood too.

"Ye Chuan, I need to pee-pee."

"Yeah, yeah, I got it."

"Ye Chuan, carry me back to the room. I still need to research—"

"You’re about as tall as the table now..."

"Big brother, hug~"

Squeezed by the little ones, Ye Chuan had no choice but to expand his spiritual sense, scanning a radius of several miles to locate Lilith—yet, for some reason, he couldn’t find her.

Had she disappeared? Or was she hiding her presence?

"I'm hungry, Ye Chuan." The most well-behaved was Bai Qianshuang, sitting quietly with her hands on her knees—her serious demeanor clashing hilariously with her tiny appearance.

Like a stiff little adult.

And yet, she was the one asking for food.

"Me too! I'm hungry!" Lan Xiaoke raised her hand energetically.

"Hungry..." Ke Ning adjusted her oversized glasses, which kept slipping down.

Hearing this, Luo Xi stood up. "I'll cook for you!"

But when she reached the kitchen, she stared blankly at the counter—now towering over her—and scratched her head. "Huh... it got taller."

"No problem." Luo Xi grabbed a small stool, patting her chest confidently with her other hand. "I can still make food for you."

"Alright, let’s just eat out." Ye Chuan scooped Luo Xi up with one arm while little Ye Yue clung to his leg.

"Lunchtime’s about right anyway."

But with this many little ones in tow, Ye Chuan eventually decided to call Wang Yanran.

"You need a car? I’ll be right there... and clothes for little girls? Of course, no problem." After receiving Ye Chuan’s message, Wang Yanran quickly made preparations.

At first, she assumed Ye Chuan had relatives visiting with kids. But when she saw the familiar faces—now all in miniature—she froze for a moment.

"This..."

"Are these... the same people I know?" Though she had an inkling, Wang Yanran still asked tentatively.

"More or less." Ye Chuan glanced down—

Lan Xiaoke clung to his left leg, Ye Yue to his right, Luo Xi in his left arm, Bai Qianshuang in his right, and Ke Ning hanging onto his back.

A full-body attachment, really.

Wang Yanran knew Ye Chuan had many mystical abilities, but witnessing this reverse-aging phenomenon still left her astonished.

After dressing the little ones, they headed to a high-end restaurant nearby.

Once out of the car, Ye Yue and the others remained glued to Ye Chuan like accessories—though his superhuman physique made carrying them effortless, the sight inevitably drew stares.

"Can you guys get down for a bit?"

"Don’t wanna move..." Ke Ning yawned, resting her head on his shoulder. "Just carry me like this."

"Wheee, the Ye Chuan Express is go~!" Lan Xiaoke giggled, hugging his leg.

"No! Don’t hog brother’s leg!" Ye Yue tugged at Lan Xiaoke, pushing her like a kid in a playground squabble.

"Everyone, behave, or no food later!" Luo Xi chimed in cheerfully. "Line up behind me~"

Bai Qianshuang was the first to comply, standing dutifully behind Luo Xi with a blank face. The others were magically plucked off Ye Chuan and planted in a neat row like little sprouts.

"Let’s go."

Ye Chuan and Wang Yanran walked ahead, trailed by a procession of tiny girls—a spectacle no matter where they went, especially since each was undeniably adorable.

Babysitting is exhausting, huh.

Just as Ye Chuan thought this, a familiar voice reached his ears.

"Money? I have no need for such things~"

"Ma’am, you can’t just not pay!"

"Oh? Do you wish to dance with death?"

"Y-you’re a... super martial artist?!"

Ye Chuan turned sharply and spotted a tall, curvaceous girl arguing with a shopkeeper, a glowing orb hovering ominously in her palm.

That was...

"Lilith?!"

The girl at the shop entrance glanced over. Recognizing Ye Chuan, her violet eyes gleamed with amusement.

"Oh? What brings you here?"

"What’s going on?" Ye Chuan asked the clerk.

"This lady broke our display and refuses to compensate." The clerk pointed at the shattered fragments on the ground.

"I didn’t break it on purpose. How was I to know it couldn’t withstand my gaze?" Lilith crossed her arms.

"..." Ye Chuan sighed and paid the damages.

Afterward, he pulled Lilith aside. "Lilith!"

"Why the shouting?"

"You know why!"

Behind them, Lan Xiaoke burst into tears—Ye Yue had sneakily bitten her, leaving Wang Yanran scrambling to console her.

"..."

Under Ye Chuan’s intense stare, Lilith tilted her head slightly. "Hmph, I did nothing wrong. That busty airhead was the one who wanted to slim down."

"And my powers aren’t fully restored yet. I may have... overdone it a little."

"When can you change them back?"

"Hmm~" Lilith smirked. "Didn’t you say they’re cute like this?"

"Were you lying?"

"They are cute, but they can’t stay like this forever."

"Are you worried about their health... or your other needs?"

"Lilith, just undo it."

"Can’t."

"What?"

"Can’t means can’t~" Lilith flashed a fanged grin. "My magic’s unstable right now. If I try, they might all turn into grannies instead."

Ye Chuan: "?"

"When will your magic stabilize?"

"Hmm~ A month, maybe?"

"That’s too long!"

"My soul is still incomplete. Absorbing so much spiritual energy takes time to digest."

"Until then, you’ll just have to take care of them."