Chapter 117: Extra Story #10
Compared to “fill this place with laughter,” “build a warm small house” was a clear and simple task.
Chu Jiu thought for a moment, and a ready-made answer came to his mind.
He said to Glup-Glup, “Glup-Glup, do you remember the small houses that the snow beastmen built in Frost Shadow Hills? Small houses made of reefs and frozen soil with round arched roofs?”
Glup-Glup: “Gulu-gulu! Remember, remember! In spring, small flowers would bloom on those small houses, so cute!”
Chu Jiu: “Right. On Earth, the natives of extremely cold regions build similar round arched ‘ice houses’ out of snow bricks in the ice and snow. The principle is the same.”
Glup-Glup first blinked its small bean eyes, then raised its tentacles high:
“Gulu-gulu! I understand!”
“We can also build a round ice house out of snow bricks!”
Chu Jiu nodded: “Yes, a round ice house—make it a little bigger though.”
Glup-Glup spun its leaves excitedly: “Gulu-gulu! Okay, okay!”
“Building a house with snow, that’s so interesting!”
“I’ll think about how to build it right away!”
The little sapling closed its bean eyes and activated [Architect’s Insight], beginning to recall all the details of the snow beastmen’s frozen soil houses.
Chu Jiu had read related introductions before. He knew that on Earth, these ventilated and warm “ice houses” were not actually built from ice bricks, nor could they be built by simply piling up snow and ice blocks.
The polar natives of Earth would choose snow blocks of suitable hardness and uniform texture, first using ice blades to cut them into appropriate shapes, and then building upwards in a spiral pattern. The process was actually very intricate.
If it were an inexperienced novice, they might struggle in the snow for a whole day and night without even laying the first layer of the “foundation.”
But Chu Jiu believed that Glup-Glup could definitely build a beautiful and practical ice house very quickly!
As for himself, he led the other spirit beast babies to pile up as many nearby snow blocks as possible, making it convenient for Glup-Glup to use local materials later.
A quarter of an hour later, the little sapling opened its eyes: “Gulu-gulu! I know how to build the ice house! Let’s start!”
The system promptly gave a notification—
[Building an Icefield Cabin X1, estimated completion time 3 hours]
Red Puni watched the actions of Chu Jiu and the spirit beasts, its round, translucent red face full of incomprehension:
“Ice house? Didn’t you just say you needed to build a ‘warm small house’? Aren’t you an ordinary human who fears the cold?”
“In this kind of icefield, building a frozen house, won’t you be even colder?”
Chu Jiu: “No—you’ll understand when the house is built.”
Red Puni still looked unconvinced.
It watched Glup-Glup, who was working enthusiastically, and Rawr Rawr Rabbit, who was helping beside it, its small brow furrowed with an expression of “you’re wasting your energy.”
But it didn’t try to stop Chu Jiu, only saying:
“If this house doesn’t work out, on this island, not far from the reef where we live, there is a ‘moss coast’ where we can find fuel and food.”
“You humans might be more suited to live there.”
Chu Jiu asked curiously, “Moss coast”? Can you take me to see it?”
Red Puni nodded without hesitation: “Okay, I’ll take you there.”
*
The “moss coast” was actually a narrow piece of black soil with slight signs of thawing.
On the black soil was a layer of lichens and mosses of varying shades, interspersed with one or two low-growing edelweiss and scattered clumps of pale purple saxifrage.
This color, which would have appeared slightly dull in other places, was surprisingly bright on this boundless icefield.
Red Puni led the four small Gray Puni beside it, named Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, as well as the other Puni, big and small, who insisted on following, “peng peng peng” hopping into this mossy area and began to pick lichens.
Chu Jiu noticed that when Red Puni picked lichens here, the few “fierce beasts” swam back and forth in the nearby sea, occasionally poking their heads out to look at the shore.
Before long, one of the fierce beasts pushed a fish as long as an arm onto the shore with its head, placing it there obediently.
The four small Puni, Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, all “pu pu pu” laughed when they saw the big fish, ran over cheering, and began to cut the fish meat with their small stone knives.
While helping to cut the meat, they said, “Yay yay, we’ll have fat fish meat to eat again tonight!”
A little later, another fierce beast bit a [Thick-skinned Deep-sea Beast] and also piled it on the shore.
Seeing the dark, although lifeless but still ferocious-looking sea beast, Blue Puni shivered: “What is this?”
Red Puni explained:
“This is also given to us by the ‘fierce beast.’ This ‘thick-skinned deep-sea beast,’ although its meat isn’t very tasty, its oil is very important.”
“After all, there aren’t any plants on this island that can be used as fuel. If we want to make a fire and cook, we have to rely entirely on the oil of this sea beast.”
Hearing this, Blue Puni patted its small chest with a “dong dong” sound: “I, I’ll help you cut the oil!”
“I’ve seen Chu Jiu and them process sharks before!”
“I even have the machete Chu Jiu gave me! It’s so fast to use!”
With that, Blue Puni, holding a machete, ran towards the sea beast with “heiyo heiyo,” humming an out-of-tune song as it began to work.
The seven small Gray Puni, seeing this, couldn’t stay put any longer and also followed with stone shards, wanting to collect oil with Blue Puni.
Watching the busy Blue Puni and the small Gray Puni, Red Puni whispered to Green Puni, “This small island hasn’t been this lively for a long time.”
Green Puni also said, “Yeah… after all, we rarely see each other normally, let alone gather together to work like this…”
The two big Puni, saying this, felt a little sentimental but couldn’t help but smile.
Chu Jiu, who had been silently observing from the side, looked at the small Puni who were bustling about and diligently collecting, and at the two big Puni who were full of emotion, and suddenly had an idea.
He walked over and said to Red Puni and Green Puni, “Thank you for bringing me to the island. Tonight, I’ll stew a lotus root soup, let’s all eat together.”
Red Puni frowned, about to refuse, but noticed that Green Puni, who was always cautious and prudent, actually twitched its mouth, as if it was very interested in that lotus root soup?
And the seven small Gray Puni and Blue Puni over there all raised their heads at once, their eyes shining: “Lotus root soup! Lotus root soup!”
Chu Jiu smiled and added to Red Puni:
“The lotus roots were collected from ‘Green Puni Island,’ and they are very fragrant when stewed. The ones I made before were all fed to the fierce beasts—they like this food very much.”
“I still have some left in my backpack. Tonight, I’ll just stew another pot and we can all try it.”
Hearing that this “lotus root” was actually a food that the fierce beasts liked, Red Puni, who had maintained its composure and didn’t want to get too close to this outsider, couldn’t help but respond, “Then, I’ll try some too.”
*
When Chu Jiu returned to the center of the small island, Glup-Glup’s “icefield cabin” was already completed.
It was a spherical house, about 8 meters in diameter and 3 meters high. The bottom layer was deeply pressed into the snow, and the top was tightly sealed with a thick round lid, looking very sturdy.
The ice house itself had no door. Instead, a tunnel was dug under the ice house, and a separate arched small door was made at the tunnel exit. This way, there was no need to worry about the cold wind blowing straight in through the doorway.
And the interior of the ice house had already been arranged according to Chu Jiu’s habits, with a stove and table built from stones.
Chu Jiu was very satisfied with this house.
He immediately took out the firewood he had collected earlier, set up the pot, and began to stew the lotus root soup.
Red Puni was taken aback: “You’re going to cook here? No, no, this house will melt!”
Chu Jiu smiled and pointed to the top: “There’s a vent up there that can let out some of the heat, the house won’t melt.”
In fact, under the high temperature of the bonfire, the inner layer of the ice house would indeed melt, and water would flow down the “walls” of the ice house. However, because the snow bricks at the bottom of the ice house were deeply buried in the snow and the temperature had always been below 0 degrees Celsius, this melted water would re-freeze into ice.
And the vent at the top ensured the flow of air inside and outside, so that the indoor temperature would never get too high, so there was no need to worry that the house would suddenly melt into water while they were living in it.
Red Puni looked up at the vent at the top and then down at the raging flames under the pot, still half-believing.
At this moment, Green Puni quietly poked the equally soft Red Puni: “Don’t worry, Chu Jiu and the others are really amazing.”
“I’ve been observing them for over a month. They are all people of their word and don’t talk nonsense.”
Only then did Red Puni sit down on the mat woven from dry grass by Chu Jiu and begin to help stir the strawberry puree.
*
Red Puni had never had such a lively and abundant dinner.
Chu Jiu prepared a large pot of fragrant lotus root soup for Green Puni and the others, who could only eat vegetarian food. The lotus roots were stewed until soft and powdery.
For Blue Puni and Red Puni and the others, he prepared lotus root stewed with auk meat. The lotus roots were sweet, the auk was tender, and coated in a seasoning sauce that Chu Jiu had somehow made, it was so savory and flavorful that Red Puni almost cried while eating.
For the few Gray Puni like Ah Liu and Ah Qi who were too small and could only drink puree, Chu Jiu had specially prepared sweet strawberry puree and blueberry puree, and he even added coconut water to the puree.
The small Gray Puni ate until their eyes couldn’t open, their small faces showing unprecedented satisfaction.
When the group of Puni were all full and began to sprawl on the mats with their round bellies, Red Puni had intended to take its leave, but Chu Jiu told it, “The bed is ready, stay here tonight.”
Stay here?
This, this, even if Chu Jiu and the others were indeed not bad people, this was too intimate and inappropriate.
Red Puni was about to refuse immediately.
However, Blue Puni had already jumped onto the high-padded bed, nestled into a snow-white scallop shell, pulled over a small quilt made of seabird feathers and rabbit fur, and yawned, “Puni Puni, I really like lying down with everyone.”
And so, the four small Gray Puni of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, and the seven small Gray Puni of Ah Yi and Ah Er, all jumped onto the big bed without saying a word, scrambling to choose their favorite scallop shells.
While choosing, the small Puni began to play fight again. For a moment, shells flew, feathers fluttered, and the entire ice house was filled with “pu pu pu” laughter.
In this situation, how could Red Puni bear to drag the small Puni away?
It opened its mouth, changing the “we won’t disturb you” that was on the tip of its tongue to “why is this bed padded so high?”
Chu Jiu said, “Because it’s warmer this way.”
Red Puni: “?”
Chu Jiu: “Hot air rises. The closer we are to the top of the ice house, the higher the temperature will be.”
“As long as we keep a bonfire burning in the house, this position of the bed will definitely not be cold, and it will be very comfortable to sleep in.”
“We’ve prepared large shells for you, want to try?”
Red Puni looked at the eager Green Puni, sighed, and thought that it might as well just sleep here tonight.
Tomorrow… it must go back early.
*
The next day.
Red Puni, using the excuse of “collecting fuel,” led the Puni out of the warm icefield cabin and came to the moss coast.
After busying themselves on the coast for a while, Red Puni had intended to return directly to the reef, but Blue Puni had already led the small Gray Puni, hopping in the opposite direction!
While hopping, Blue Puni said, “Come on, come on! Let’s race to see who gets back to the icefield cabin first!”
The small Gray Puni followed behind it, jumping very high with laughter.
Looking at this group of bouncing balls “pu pu”ing in the snow, Red Puni had no temper at all and could only follow them, sighing as it walked towards the icefield.
It had wanted to discuss with Green Puni how to completely leave the icefield cabin, but it heard Green Puni muttering, “Ah, I wonder what kind of soup Chu Jiu will cook tonight…”
Red Puni: ……
It’s over, it’s over.
You’ve all fallen!
I must maintain the last bit of sobriety!
Tomorrow, I must find an opportunity to take everyone away from the icefield cabin and not eat and live with the outsiders anymore!
Unfortunately, the second day, the third day, the fourth day…
Red Puni never found an opportunity.
On the contrary, every time evening came, if it was still outside, it would grumble with Green Puni, “What delicious food will there be tonight…
The roasted potatoes last night were really delicious…”
*
Half a month passed just like that.
Late one night.
Just as Red Puni was about to fall asleep, it heard the rustling sound of snow outside.
It was snowing again…
On this island, such heavy snowfall was not uncommon; it would happen once or twice every ten days or half a month.
Red Puni pulled the small quilt over itself, just about to settle down and continue sleeping, when it caught sight of Chu Jiu jumping down from his bed, putting on his coat, clearly about to go out.
Red Puni sat up abruptly: “Puni Puni? Puni, Puni!” – “Is something wrong? It’s snowing outside, you humans will feel very cold. If you need to go out for anything, I can help.”
Chu Jiu smiled and shook his head, signaling it to continue sleeping.
Having said that, Chu Jiu led the spirit beast babies into the tunnel.
What exactly were Chu Jiu and the others going to do?
Red Puni lay down with doubts in its heart.
The next morning.
Red Puni woke up to unprecedented laughter.
This laughter came from outside the small house.
The house had no windows, so it didn’t know what was happening outside.
Red Puni looked around: the Puni weren’t there! Chu Jiu and the spirit beasts weren’t there either!
Red Puni was shocked and quickly jumped out of bed and out of the small house.
As soon as it came out of the arched small door, Red Puni was even more stunned:
This…
What is this huge expanse of…?
On the plain were three super-large slides as high as small mountains!
Beside the slides were several lifelike ice sculptures and snow sculptures!
In the snow, there were “ice sleds” made of bamboo—and pulling the sleds were actually those few fierce beasts!
Now, Puni of all sizes were either “whooshing” down the slides from the top, screaming and laughing, or building snowmen with Kakaba and Glup-Glup, or having snowball fights with Rawr Rawr Rabbit, or racing to see whose sled was faster…
This scene was one of boisterous fun and warmth that Red Puni had never even imagined.
The laughter of the Puni was scattered by the swirling cold wind, spreading to every corner of this ice-bound island, spreading to the sea dotted with ice floes.
Red Puni stood in the snow in shock, dumbfounded for a long while.
At this time, Green Puni and Blue Puni both noticed it and bounced over to its side: “Red Puni, let’s have a snowball fight together!”
Red Puni shook its head and looked at the other two Puni: “This is…?”
Blue Puni: “Puni! Chu Jiu and Little Can made this together last night!”
“Chu Jiu said that he wanted everyone to laugh out loud, but he couldn’t destroy too much ice, so an ice and snow amusement park was the most suitable!”
“Red Puni, Red Puni, let’s play together!”
Red Puni opened its mouth, unable to speak for a moment.
Blue Puni then pointed to the three big slides: “Each of us Puni will take one slide, everyone together…”
“Huh? What’s that?”
“Why does it look like… there’s one more Puni?”
One more Puni?
Red Puni and Green Puni quickly followed Blue Puni’s arm to look over—
It was true! There was one more Puni!
On the steepest slide in the middle, there was a smiling White Puni…?…
No, no, that wasn’t a Puni!
Red Puni covered its mouth.
Green Puni rubbed its eyes.
Blue Puni, however, shouted out loud.
Scalding tears welled up in their eyes and instantly froze into ice.
That wasn’t a Puni.
That was “Tara.”
That was “Tara” who had finally awakened.
Tara slid down onto the snow, its white body rolled a few times in the snow, turning into a genuine snowball.
The snowball saw the few Puni.
The snowball got up from the ground, smiling as it hopped towards the Puni.
The snowball reached out its arms and touched the Puni’s soft, big heads: “Thank you for your hard work, my guardians.”
“I… I’ve been in a half-awake, half-asleep state all along.”
“I knew you were working hard to protect this star, but I couldn’t see you, couldn’t sense you.”
“I really wanted to wake up, really wanted to be with you, but no matter what, I couldn’t open my eyes or make a sound.”
“Until that ‘pioneer’ named Chu Jiu found me.”
“I had so, so many words I wanted to convey through him, but in the end, I could only send one message—”
“‘I want to hear your laughter…'”
“During this time, I heard it. I heard so much, so much laughter.”
“Just now, I finally woke up.”
“I know everything you’ve done…”
“From now on, you will no longer have to guard this little star alone.”
Red Puni and Green Puni looked up at Tara, biting their lips and silently shedding tears.
Blue Puni sniffled and then burst into a loud “pu” cry.
“Pioneer Chu Jiu, thank you.” The snowball Tara politely thanked Chu Jiu again.
Chu Jiu also said again, “You’re welcome.” This was the second day after the snowball Tara woke up.
In these two days, he had completely familiarized himself with the new appearance of this star and had also called out to his people through the star race’s unique spiritual power.
Soon, other star races would come to this star to discuss with him what they wanted this star to become in the future.
Although Chu Jiu didn’t ask, the snowball Tara took the initiative to say, “I want to keep this ice and snow amusement park.” “In the future, I want other star race children and the Puni to play snowball fights and slide down the slides happily here together.”
Chu Jiu’s eyes crinkled into a smile: “Okay. That’s wonderful!”
Whether it was children or Puni, they would definitely be very happy!
Who could resist the charm of big slides and snowball fights?
Even Little Can, who usually always acted like “I’m not playing that,” wasn’t it over there now concentrating on rolling snowballs with its paws?
The snowball Tara looked at the icefield cabin behind Chu Jiu and hesitated before saying, “Chu Jiu… are you going back?”
Chu Jiu: “Yeah.”
“My ‘pioneering’ has come to an end, so naturally I should go back.”
The remaining matters, the star race would handle properly according to their own traditions.
The snowball Tara’s round face showed genuine regret: “Can you stay a little longer?”
“We all like you very much, and we all hope you can stay a little longer…”
Before the snowball Tara could finish speaking, it was interrupted by Rawr Rawr Rabbit rushing over:
“Roar roar roar, no, no!”
“Chu Jiu has to go back immediately!”
The snowball Tara could communicate directly with Chu Jiu but couldn’t understand the spirit beast babies’ words. Therefore, it could only look at Chu Jiu and ask curiously, “What is the bunny baby saying?”
Chu Jiu laughed: “It says, ‘Chu Jiu has to go back’.”
Rawr Rawr Rabbit had originally been having a snowball fight with Kakaba. Hearing this, it stopped making snowballs and simply jumped to Tara’s side, which was about its size, waving its paws:
“Roar roar roar, Chu Jiu has stayed for a very long time!”
“His future wife is still waiting for him!”
“Lu Qingyan told Kang Ruoding—”
“He wants to spend his vacation alone with Chu Jiu and even prepared that kind of ring to wear on the finger according to Earth tradition, Roar roar roar!”
“Kang Ruoding asked him if he was planning to become Chu Jiu’s wife, and Lu Qingyan didn’t deny it, Roar roar roar!”
“Roar roar roar, so—”
“Roar roar roar, that hurts! Kakaba, you hit my head!”
Kakaba rushed over and covered Rawr Rawr Rabbit’s mouth.
Little Can also pounced on Rawr Rawr Rabbit.
However, it was too late.
The scene was quiet for a moment.
Only the snowball Tara asked curiously:
“Chu Jiu, Chu Jiu? What did the bunny baby just say? Why did the little capybara and the little kitten both pounce over looking so flustered?”
“Ah, the little sapling has flown over too!”
What exactly did the bunny baby say?
Why isn’t anyone talking?
Omgggg thank you so much for translating this novel, it’s been wonderful to read all this time, hope you have a nice and relaxing week ??