Summoner System in the World of Monster Tamers and Hunters

After a while, they descended the stairwell to the reception hall, back from the tavern. And just like before, the familiar sight of the white cat sleeping lazily atop the desk greeted them.

Only this time, the receptionist wasn't half-asleep.

Li Xue straightened the moment she saw them. Her posture shifted in an instant, her shoulders back, chin raised slightly, a small smile forming as her eyes swept toward Lin Fang.

"Well," she asked casually, "did you find what you were looking for?"

Lin Fang offered a quiet, polite smile. "Not quite. But I can say it's a fruitful trip."

"Mm," she nodded.

"Okay, Umm… goodbye." Lin Fang waved his hand. Li Xue also bowed. "Thanks for visiting, Zero Guild."

As he turned to leave, as if she remembered something, she hesitated, then stepped out from behind the desk. "Wait."

He paused mid-step.

She walked forward, then held out a pale cream-colored business card. The texture looked almost like pressed silk, and the logo, a winged serpent curled around a grain stalk, was embossed in gold foil.

"You said you run a pet store, right?" she asked, her voice a little more reserved than before.

Lin Fang blinked, "Yes. Though… It's still small. I only sell monster eggs and pet food online."

She looked at Lin Fang again, more deliberately this time. "My parents run this company. It's only a B2B, though. Quality pet feed, accessories, and rare eggs, all of them could be bought wholesale. Our hatchery supplies guilds and institutions all over the region. On the back, my number is there. Just drop a message if you're ever willing to purchase. I'll send you a discount code. You can use that to get a discount for your first time purchase," Li Xue finished, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear as she handed over the business card with both hands.

Lin Fang gave a peek at the card, and he couldn't help but blink, staring at the card. "Velcra Nestworks?" The words slipped from Lin Fang's mouth before he could stop himself. His brows furrowed, staring at the polished, gold-edged business card in his hand.

Zhi Yan leaned slightly over his shoulder, her eyes narrowing in recognition. "Wait, Velcra? I thought it was a pharma chain. Since when do you sell pet-related items?"

To that, Lin Fang answered in her place, his tone sounded a bit serious. "It's been like a decade, Classmate Zhi. You heard of Golden Trail Co?"

"Eh? Golden Trail? Yes…" Zhi Yan nodded in recognition. "It's one of the top domestic brands for pet feed. After a beat of silence, she looked at the girl. "You mean Golden Trail belonged to you?"

Li Xue gave an apologetic smile and gently waved a hand. "Yes… But please don't judge me by that. I…" she paused, eyes flickering to Lin Fang with a peculiar sincerity, "I don't have anything to do with their board or operations. That's my parents' company. Our family keeps personal and professional lives separate. They want me to join the company, but I left my home to choose my own path. That brought me to Huaxi City. I bought this rundown guild residence with my savings and… well, trying to make something of it."

Lin Fang couldn't help but stare blankly at the girl. Those who are rich but not arrogant somehow often say the same typical lines every time someone says to them, You are rich.

"I'm not rich." "My parents own it. Not me." "Blah, blah, blah…"

But then again, such people are easy to get along with. Lin Fang appreciated her in his head and tucked the card carefully into his wallet. "I'll give it a… hmm… wait a second… You own the place? I thought you were a receptionist."

Almost as soon as those words escaped his mouth, Lin Fang wanted to smack his own mouth as he realized it without needing any explanation. "Of course, you own it." Someone born into a billoinaire family, their pocket savings would be enough to buy even a top-tier apartment in a central location, much less a run-down guild like this.

Li Xue sighed, a wry smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Yeah, everyone does. Honestly, we don't get many visitors, and I couldn't afford more staff. So I do the reception, handle the finances, mop the floors, while that damn uncle of mine just spends all my savings, drinking liquor."

Lin Fang chuckled quietly. But beneath the humor, he understood that Li Xue… wasn't just some heiress playing pretend. She seems to be really working hard.

He held up the business card again, studying it.

"I'll visit the store and check the stock," he said eventually.

Li Xue's smile grew a little brighter. "That's good to hear. And as I have said before, my number is on the back. You can call at any time…"

"Eh?"

"I mean, when you want to visit the warehouse." "Or, when you want to know about new products."

"Ah, yes, of course…" Lin Fang, scratching his cheek. There was a subtle tension that grew between them, although it was just for a moment as Zhi Yan cut in. "We should get moving. The Monster Tamer registrations close by one."

Lin Fang blinked, checking his watch. "It's only eleven. The Association building is just five minutes away."

"Exactly," Zhi Yan said, already turning toward the exit. "We don't know how many people will be in line. Let's not risk it."

"Fair," Lin Fang muttered.

He turned back to Li Xue. "We'll talk again soon."

As Lin Fang exited the building, Li Xue returned to her business normally, sitting on her chair and opening a journal.

Lin Fang had one foot inside the car when the thought struck him like a lightning bolt.

"Ah… wait," he said, patting his pocket as if remembering something urgent.

Zhi Yan turned, her brows lifting in suspicion. "What now?"

"I just need to… uh… use the restroom," he mumbled, avoiding her gaze. "I'll be back in a minute."

As Lin Fang turned and jogged back toward the crumbling old building of Zero Guild, Zhi Yan leaned against the car with crossed arms and narrowed eyes.

"Association building also has toilets," she muttered under her breath. "You don't need to go back to that place."

She didn't follow, though. Just sat there, watching his retreating back, her lips forming a quiet pout that she didn't quite realize she was doing.

Inside the cool, slightly musty air of the Zero Guild's reception hall, Li Xue was still seated at the front desk, her legs crossed, flipping through a journal. The white cat was curled beside her on the countertop, breathing shallowly but peacefully.

She looked up, startled as Lin Fang stepped back in. "Lin Fang? You forgot something?"

Lin Fang gave her a sheepish smile, walking up slowly. "Kind of."

He looked around, confirming that no one else was in sight. He stepped closer and extended a small glass vial, bluish-green, glowing faintly even under the dim light.

"Hmm?" Li Xue couldn't help but stare at the vial.

"This is called a Jade Spirit Tonic," he said simply. "Give it to your companion."

Li Xue straightened. "What is this?"

"A curative for beasts. It can heal most internal injuries and even lingering ailments as long as the beast isn't a King Tier. It can cure even the inborn illness of your cat."

Li Xue's brows furrowed as her gaze flicked from the vial to his face. "Such a thing exists?"

Lin Fang nodded, eyes steady. "I'll bet my life on it."

For a second, she just stared at him. Then slowly, almost reluctantly, she reached out and accepted the vial with both hands, careful and reverent.

"This must be expensive," she said quietly. "I can't accept something like this."

"Then, consider it that you owe me," he said with a smile.

Li Xue hesitated, fingers curled tightly around the glass. "I… uhh…" She bowed in the end, standing up. "Thank you."

Lin Fang waved his hand. "No need to mention it."

As he turned and walked away, he felt a familiar ache in his chest, not just emotional, but very much physical.

100,000 credits. That was the production price of the tonic. If he could sell it in the store, it would be sold even at double the price.

He wanted to cry just thinking about such a loss. But after getting to know that Li Xue was the owner of this guild, a place which gave him the mythical egg, he felt like it was the least thing he could do for her. As for the favor she owes, he doesn't care.

As Lin Fang stepped out onto the worn front steps of the Zero Guild, a quiet sigh escaped him. "Damn expensive medicine…"

Back inside the guild hall, Li Xue stood frozen for a second, the cool glass vial of bluish-green liquid glowing faintly in her palm.

Back in the guild hall, the moment the door closed behind Lin Fang, a low meow echoed from the desk.

Betty, the snow-furred cat, had opened her eyes. She reached out with one paw, tapping gently on the desk toward the vial in Li Xue's hand.

"Betty…" she whispered, half to herself, half to the cat. "You're awake?"

The feline meowed softly. Then it extended one paw slowly toward the vial, once again, and looked at her eyes.

Li Xue blinked, startled. "You… want this?"

"Meow."

A soft, deliberate cry escaped the cat.