Chapter 11. Why is he here??!! (reselling bubble tea)

“More, more!”

“Big brother, chase us!”

Long Quang didn’t think it was appropriate for him to chase baby dragons. So instead, he made a little water dragon to chase them.

“Wow!!!!”

“Ahhh—hahah!!” The little dragons giggled as they swam around the water dragon, alternating between chasing it and being chased by it.

Long Quang controlled it to spit out ice spheres too, adding to the fun for his siblings and little cousins. As he played with them, his control over the water dragon improved to the point that he felt comfortable in creating a second one.

As the little dragons became tired, their swimming slowed and they flopped into various positions on the sea floor.

“Big brother, you’re so amazing!” His little cousin Long Ngọc threw herself into his arms. “Other adult dragons are never this fun. Big brother, don’t ever become a boring adult dragon!”

“I’ve never seen a water dragon before,” one of the visiting cousins said. “Why don’t they teach us how to do that?”

“I developed the technique myself,” Long Quang said.

“Wow~!”

“Big brother, do you know if phoenixes fun?” another little cousin asked.

“They smell like bird,” Long Quang said.

“Ewww!!!”

After a brief rest, the little dragons were re-energised.

Long Quang made several more water dragons and exploding ice spheres. The little dragons fled, laughing, swimming round and round the water.

“Hey, that looks fun!”

“Stop playing and greet the visitors,” came a second voice.

The first voice had Long Quang turning his head. He froze in shock. Huh, isn’t that that annoying bird??! How could he be here?

Several young phoenixes were being escorted by Long Quyền and other dragons to see the dragon kingdom.

Standing among the phoenixes, Phượng Hoàng Vũ was also stunned. “AH! It’s you!” He was in human form, waving his long sleeves in agitation. There was the faint glow around him from an artefact that let him, and the other phoenixes, breathe underwater.

Long Quyền narrowed his eyes. “You two know each other?”

Long Quang and Phượng Hoàng Vũ stared at each other.

Although Phượng Hoàng Vũ wasn’t the phoenix prince, he was dressed most luxuriously, sparing no amount of gold, gems, and jade. He looked much more refined than his appearance back at Phương’s house.

Meanwhile, Phượng Hoàng Vũ thought that Long Quang looked exactly the same. Why didn’t he dress up for the phoenixes’ visit?

“Well?” Long Quyền asked.

“We met while training,” Long Quang said.

“What he said!” Phượng Hoàng Vũ said.

“Training?” The other phoenixes, who knew that Phượng Hoàng Vũ hated training, were extremely unconvinced.

“Yes,” Long Quang said firmly.

“Yeah, yeah,” Phượng Hoàng Vũ said, nodding like a bird pecking seeds.

“Right…shall we continue the tour?” Long Quyền said.

“I want to talk with him instead, the rest of you continue,” Phượng Hoàng Vũ said, waving the other phoenixes away.

Everyone: “…”

When Long Quang noticed Phượng Hoàng Vũ glancing towards the empty bubble tea cups in some of the little dragons’ grasp, he suddenly had a bad feeling.

“We’ll continue then,” the phoenix prince said. “Don’t play here too long.”

“Yes, yes,” Phượng Hoàng Vũ said. “Now go, go.”

The phoenix prince gestured to Long Quyền; and Long Quyền could only continue the tour, leaving Phượng Hoàng Vũ behind with Long Quang.

Long Quang narrowed his eyes at Phượng Hoàng Vũ. “What do you want? Did you drop a sack of gold again?”

Phượng Hoàng Vũ waved his arm. “No, no, haven’t dropped any sacks since I last dropped them on you!”

Long Quang snorted.

The little dragons gasped. “You dropped a sack of gold on big brother Quang?!!”

Long Quang snorted. “Tch, it was two sacks.”

“Two sacks?” the little dragons gasped again.

“It wasn’t technically me!” Phượng Hoàng Vũ waved his arms to protest his innocence.

Long Quang rolled his eyes. “Let’s talk in my cave.”

Phượng Hoàng Vũ followed him to his cave and looked around blatantly. “Pretty gems! Hey, isn’t that the sphere from that human’s tearoom?”

“It’s a light orb.” Long Quang demonstrated it.

“Oh! I should have bought them! Ahh, I’ll just have to buy them all next time I go,” Phượng Hoàng Vũ said.

Long Quang snorted, disgruntled at the wealth gap between them. “What do you want from me? Why are you here?”

Phượng Hoàng Vũ puffed up. “Don’t you know? The phoenix king is my uncle! You won’t happen to have any extra starfruit drinks, do you?”

“…No.”

Phượng Hoàng Vũ immediately stepped closer. “You’re lying! You have some!”

Long Quang snorted. “And what happened to your bubble tea? You took away more than me!”

“I don’t have any left!! My friends found out and then we had to drink them all before my dad or my uncle could find out too,” Phượng Hoàng Vũ complained. “Come on, you still have starfruit bubble tea, don’t you? I like starfruit more than you!”

“Pay me two spiritual stones and I’ll give you one.”

Phượng Hoàng Vũ’s gaze towards him changed. “Wow, you’re like that.”

“Do you want a cup or not? Or are you too poor?”

Phượng Hoàng Vũ took out ten spiritual stones. “Give me.”

Long Quang took only four stones and gave him two starfruit bubble teas.

Phượng Hoàng Vũ put both away. “You definitely have more.”

Long Quang scowled. “Is there anything else? Can you go now? If you like starfruit so much, why don’t you ask the Imperial kitchens to serve you some? You’re a guest, aren’t you?”

Phượng Hoàng Vũ’s eyes brightened. “You’re right! Take me to the kitchens!”

Long Quang pushed the phoenix to the cave entrance. “Ask Long Quyền.”

“Who’s that?”

“…The dragon who was showing you around earlier.”

“Really? He doesn’t look like a ‘Long Quyền.’ Hey, what’s your name? My name is Phượng Hoàng Vũ.”

“Long Quang.”

“That other dragon is probably busy, but you’re not! I’m a guest~”

Long Quang held out a hand, palm up.

“Huh?”

“Pay me one spiritual stone and I’ll accompany you to the Imperial Kitchen.”

Phượng Hoàng Vũ took out one spiritual stone. “Wow, you dragons sure are big profiteers.”

Long Quang pushed the spiritual stone back. “Go away then.”

“No, no, you’re taking me, have a spiritual stone,” Phượng Hoàng Vũ said, pushing the stone back into Long Quang’s hand.

“Tch. Let’s go.”

Phượng Hoàng Vũ obediently followed Long Quang for a minute. Then he asked, “Hey, why do you live all the way out here?”

“Why can’t I?”

“It’s so far away from the dragon palace!”

“Are all phoenixes annoying as you?”

“Hey! Are all dragons as annoying as you?”

“If you want a less annoying dragon, ask Long Quyền.”

“No, he’s not as fun as you! He’s even more annoying! Don’t you think he’s annoying too?”

“…You’re a guest, shouldn’t you be more polite?”

“I’m the nephew of the phoenix king!”

“Even the phoenix prince is more polite than you.”

“He’s so boring though…”

They ended up bickering all the way to the Imperial Dragon Palace. The crab guards at the front door glanced at them and let them inside.

Long Quang led Phượng Hoàng Vũ to the kitchens and knocked on the door, getting one of the palace fish servants to come.

“Can I help you?” the servant asked.

Long Quang nudged Phượng Hoàng Vũ.

“Starfruit!” Phượng Hoàng Vũ blurted out.

“Does the esteemed guest want some starfruit?”

Phượng Hoàng Vũ nodded. “I love starfruit. Do you have any? Can you serve it for dinner, breakfast and lunch?”

“Phoenixes like starfruit and other sweet foods,” Long Quang said.

Phượng Hoàng Vũ grinned foolishly. “Yeah, my uncle has a sweet tooth too! He’s the phoenix king! Even my cousin—that’s the phoenix prince—likes starfruit, even if his face says he doesn’t care!”

The fish servant became pensive. “Very well, I will pass this message onto the head chef. Esteemed guest, please wait here and I will provide you with some starfruit.”

“Great!”

Job done, Long Quang turned to leave but was blocked by Phượng Hoàng Vũ.

“You can’t go!”

“And why can’t I?”

“You’re the only dragon I know! Show me around!”

Long Quang: “…”

Restraining himself from whacking the phoenix with his tail, Long Quang asked, “What about Long Quyền? What about your friends?”

“Yeah, where are my friends?” Phượng Hoàng Vũ blinked. “Hey, help me find them again.”

Long Quang held out a hand.

Phượng Hoàng Vũ gave him three spiritual stones. “Give me another cup of starfruit bubble tea.”

Long Quang reluctantly gave him another cup. Next time he returned to that human’s tearoom, he was going to ask for 100 cups to take away! No, make that 1000!!

Unfortunately, Long Quang’s troubles didn’t end once he helped Phượng Hoàng Vũ find his fellow phoenix friends. Phượng Hoàng Vũ shared his new bounty of starfruit, courtesy of the kitchens, and introduced Long Quang. One thing led to another, and somehow Long Quang was forced along to the banquet that was happening at the palace.

Long Quang was the most poorly dressed dragon in attendance. He keenly felt the gap—in strength and wealth—between him and the other dragons who were meant to be at the banquet. Not to mention that the Dragon Emperor and the Phoenix King were seated up right at the front.

Long Quang fled back to his cave afterwards, planning to go back to Phương’s house the next day.

However, Phượng Hoàng Vũ once again interrupted his plans.

As part of the scheduled visit, the top young dragons and young phoenixes showcased their abilities.

Phượng Hoàng Vũ, certainly not one of the top young phoenixes, dragged Long Quang first to the kitchens gather some fruits and snacks, and then dragged Long Quang along to watch the spectacle.

Sleek dragons swam loops in the water and masterfully controlled wind and water.

After the air-shield was in place and the water drained out of the demonstration field, colourful phoenixes flew loops and masterfully controlled fire and water.

Long Quang watched, but there was nothing particularly inspiring. No one would show off their special and secret moves at such an event.

“Why aren’t you going up?” Long Quang said.

Phượng Hoàng Vũ laughed. “Haha! Who, me? I’m just a good-for-nothing among the phoenixes.”

Long Quang snorted. “So you know your place.”

“Why aren’t you going up?”

Long Quang clamped his mouth shut.

“Ohhhh,” Phượng Hoàng Vũ leaned in, making Long Quang lean back. “Are you a good-for-nothing too?”

“Speak for yourself!” Long Quang shoved him.

Phượng Hoàng Vũ whispered, “That’s why you were there, avoid training, hehe.”

“I wasn’t avoiding training! Ugh, look there!” Long Quang pointed to the various palace servants coming up bearing snacks.

Phượng Hoàng Vũ brightened. “Ah!” He grabbed the arm of his friend sitting on the other side. “Starfruit!”

In a special box, the Dragon Emperor sat with the Phoenix King, each lightly praising the others’ juniors. When the servants came bearing light snacks, the Dragon Emperor was surprised. This wasn’t on the original menu—fruit.

It should have been fish and seeds and nuts, chosen specifically for their phoenix allies.

“Ah, starfruit,” the Phoenix King said. “I shouldn’t have some…”

“I’ll have them bring something else immediately—” the Dragon Emperor said.

“—But since it’s already here, I’ll be polite and have a taste,” the Phoenix King said. He picked up several slices of starfruit and ate them in one go. The expression of enjoyment was clear.

The Dragon Emperor: “…” Was starfruit that delicious? Elsewhere in the seated watching area, many other phoenixes were also happily tucking into the starfruit and assorted fruits.

“I hadn’t known that your kingdom had such delicious fruits,” the Phoenix King said. “You even sprinkled sugar on top! Our kingdoms have many similarities. Look at our young ones competing together, so lively. It is true that humans have been sighted more frequently in our territories recently…”

Hearing the Phoenix King broach the key topic underlying the visit, the Dragon Emperor focused in on the matter at hand.

Long Quang: (  -᷅ ⤙ -᷄ )=3 *reluctantly resells his bubble tea at a marked up price*

Phương: *wipes away tears of joy* the little dragon is growing up! I’m so happy! (˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥)づ♡

Phượng Hoàng Vũ: *blurting out secrets about the phoenix king and phoenix prince*

Long Quang: … Am I meant to be hearing this???