Chapter 173
Zheng Xing felt an unprecedented sense of peace. He slightly turned his body, resting his head against Lang Ze, and soon his consciousness blurred as he drifted off.
The two children nestled together, quiet and serene.
In the nursery, almost every room had fallen silent. Thanks to Su Ci’s rules, the young ones had developed the habit of going to bed early.
Apart from the caretakers’ dormitories on the third floor, the only room still emanating sound was Room 701, where the Li Sinian couple resided.
Room 701 was a nursery room, smaller in size than the caretakers’ dormitories and furnished with small beds meant for young ones. Naturally, the couple couldn’t fit on them.
Yan Ya, being unpretentious, had Li Sinian prop up one of the small beds vertically to make space. The two of them then laid a sheet and bedding on the floor, managing to sleep there.
The couple lay together but couldn’t fall asleep.
Li Sinian replayed the day’s events in his mind, his thoughts and emotions refusing to settle. Yan Ya, on the other hand, stared blankly at the small room.
As a bedroom for young ones, the room was not particularly tiny but certainly not spacious either.
Thinking about how the children had grown up in such a cold, rigid environment, confined to these small spaces for long periods, Yan Ya felt a pang in her chest.
During the journey to the prison planet, she had spent a lot of time conversing with Wen Yan due to the long trip.
Since Wen Yan had decided to work on the prison planet, she had conducted thorough research. Her father had also worked on the prison planet, so she had detailed knowledge about it.
At that time, Yan Ya had been preoccupied with thoughts of the two children and hadn’t given it much thought. Now, with a clearer mind, she couldn’t help but reflect.
“The children in the nursery…” she murmured softly, her voice tinged with a sigh.
Not only her, Rong Heng and Little Li Hua were pitiful.
Moreover, just moments ago in Room 303, she had witnessed how Caretaker Su helped Rong Heng.
She didn’t know exactly what had happened, but when the young man’s fair and slender hand rested on the child’s head, she could sense the turbulent aura around Rong Heng miraculously calming down.
Without that action, it was unlikely Rong Heng would have been able to sit down and speak with them so calmly.
In fact, the personalities displayed by the young ones in the nursery—so kind, cheerful, peaceful, and full of vitality—were qualities Yan Ya had never observed in other Beast Blood cubs before.
Even Qiqi, who always had Wen Yan by her side, often exhibited restlessness and unease.
This wasn’t something the cubs could control themselves.
Thus, the demeanor of the cubs here seemed all the more astonishing.
All of this was clearly the work of Caretaker Su. Without his presence, it was hard to imagine what would have become of these cubs in such a harsh environment.
Yet, even now, the resources available to these cubs were still pitifully scarce.
Thinking of this, Yan Ya instinctively gripped the spatial pendant in her hand and spoke softly, “Since Rong Heng and Little Li Hua won’t accept these things, how about we donate them all to the nursery?”
The items in the pendant weren’t just the supplies purchased on Mondar Star this time.
During the ten years she spent searching for her children, every time she visited a new place, if time allowed, she carefully selected an item to give to her children once she found them.
Over ten years, she had gradually accumulated enough to fill the entire space within the pendant.
Inside were not just gifts but also a mother’s profound love for her children.
Now that the children refused to accept them, Yan Ya didn’t want to keep them herself. It would be better to use them for the nursery as a token of gratitude for raising her children.
And that country, the one that had abolished illegal human experimentation—they also needed to find a way to repay it. If not for their timely rescue, who knew if her two children would even be alive now.
Yan Ya spoke quietly to Li Sinian about her thoughts. The sorrow and gloom on her face gradually lifted, and her entire being exuded a sense of calm, brimming with hope for the future.
Her eyes slowly closed. Having recently recovered from a severe illness, she completely relaxed at this moment and was soon overwhelmed by exhaustion.
“We must thank Caretaker Su properly…”
Her voice grew softer and softer until it disappeared entirely.
Li Sinian tucked the blanket around her and lay down himself. Reflecting on his wife’s suggestion, he thought it was an excellent idea.
As he had comforted Yan Ya before, emotions needed to be cultivated over time. Since they planned to stay on the prison planet to help their son with a “deal” that might take a lifetime to complete, improving the nursery’s living conditions would benefit both them and the cubs.
Having determined their next course of action, Li Sinian also drifted into peaceful sleep alongside his wife.
That night, it was likely the most restful sleep the couple had had in ten years.
—
In the morning, at 5:30 a.m., as sunlight streamed through the window, A-Yan awoke from his deep sleep.
He opened his platinum eyes, which glowed with a translucent beauty in the morning light. After a brief moment of daze, he quickly lowered his head, looking at the young man nestled in his embrace.
Every night before bed, Su Ci would fall asleep while stroking his ears or tail, sometimes coiling around his waist or directly using him as a pillow, just like when he had transformed into a cub.
However, Su Ci always adjusted his position secretly in his sleep.
Just like now, the young man was lying in his arms, resting his head on A-Yan’s chest. His hands, which had been holding A-Yan’s ears, had loosened and were now wrapped around his waist.
A-Yan’s lips curved into a gentle smile. His gaze softened as he watched Su Ci’s sleeping face. Unable to resist, he reached out and lightly brushed aside the strands of hair that had fallen onto Su Ci’s face with his fingertips.
Whether it was black hair or golden hair, Su Ci possessed a unique beauty in A-Yan’s eyes.
The fingers that had pushed aside the hair moved lightly, tracing the delicate skin of the young man’s face. From the side of his face, they traveled upward to his brow, then traced down his nose bridge, and finally…
His touch lingered on those vibrant, colorful lips.
A-Yan’s gaze gradually deepened, transitioning from clear to dark and intense, until… Su Ci, sensing the weight of his stare, awoke from his slumber.
The spirit of rules had an aura so powerful it startled Su Ci’s senses into action.
Su Ci opened his eyes with displeasure, golden light flickering coldly within them, full of irritation and frustration at being awakened. However, before he could lose his temper, A-Yan had already lowered his head, following his heart’s desire, and captured the lips that had long captivated him.
Perhaps it was a moment of madness, but the spirit of rules thought to himself: if he could finally kiss Su Ci this time, even getting beaten up might be worth it.
He had always been curious—what did a human kiss feel like?
Unfortunately, their first kiss had been far too rushed. He hadn’t had the chance to savor it before being forced into slumber. Afterward, his sleep had been so long, during which he lost his memory and reverted to a smaller form, that he had long forgotten what that feeling was like.
This time, he was determined to make the most of it.
As a near-omniscient being, the spirit of rules had no trouble mastering something as simple as the art of kissing.
Taking advantage of Su Ci’s momentary shock and lack of retaliation, A-Yan cupped his face, using the strength of his waist and abdomen to lift himself. His lips and tongue slipped past Su Ci’s slightly parted lips, enticing the other’s tongue to dance with his.
The kiss was intense in its initiation but tender and lingering in its execution.
A-Yan instinctively knew exactly the right amount of force and rhythm to bring Su Ci the most comfortable experience—just as he instinctively knew what conditions were best for seeds to sprout and grow.
Though the kiss was driven by his own selfish desires, his desire was for Su Ci’s happiness.
The coldness in Su Ci’s eyes gradually gave way to confusion, ultimately replaced by a dazed and dreamy expression.
Su Ci, who hadn’t had enough sleep and had been rudely awakened, was far from rational. At this moment, his actions were driven entirely by instinct.
And his body, meticulously designed to emulate that of humans, responded with unfamiliar sensations—biological reactions rooted in pure instinct.
When a deity possesses a human body, it is hard not to succumb, even briefly, to the temptations of desire.
Especially when the other party is an all-knowing being.
The entirely new sensory experience brought an unfamiliar yet delightful pleasure, miraculously soothing the earth spirit’s irritation at being woken.
Following his instincts, he left himself open, allowing the other to take what they wanted, surrendering to the joy brought to him—and then, contentedly…
He fell back asleep.
When A-Yan noticed Su Ci’s breathing become calm and steady once again, he hesitated before releasing him. Lying back down, he gazed at the young man who had once again fallen into a deep slumber on his chest. A helpless smile spread across his face.
His fingertips traced Su Ci’s slightly swollen lips, still flushed from the kiss. In a husky, low voice, he murmured softly, “So… do you like it… or not?”
If Su Ci didn’t like it, then how could his notoriously fearsome irritation at being woken have been pacified so easily? But if he did like it…
Who falls asleep in the middle of a kiss?
Seeing Su Ci fall back into a deep sleep, A-Yan still didn’t have his answer. He sighed softly, gently pinched the tip of Su Ci’s nose with his fingers, and, feeling that wasn’t enough, leaned down and gave him a light peck on the lips.
Only then was he satisfied. Carefully, he scooped Su Ci up and turned him over, letting him lie comfortably on the bed.
After tucking Su Ci in snugly, A-Yan left the bedroom and began his day. He started by tidying up the room, indulging in his favorite chore. Once he had neatly folded the clothes and placed them on the shelf, he was about to head to the green fields when he suddenly stopped.
He almost forgot—he was now officially an employee of the nursery. And…
A-Yan turned his head toward the door, his platinum eyes narrowing slightly with amusement, a sly smile forming on his lips.
He adjusted his uniform, ensuring it was perfectly in place, and then made his ears and tail invisible—though it was just concealment. Only Su Ci could still see the fluffy ears and tail.
With that, A-Yan headed toward the door. As the metallic door slid open, he stepped into the hallway.
At that exact moment, Wen Yan, who lived in Room 301, was leaving her room. She noticed A-Yan emerging from Room 303 and was momentarily taken aback.
She distinctly remembered that Room 303 was Caretaker Su’s room. So why was Zhou Yan stepping out of there so early in the morning?
“Good morning,” A-Yan greeted her warmly.
His voice, transmitted through his communicator, was clear and gentle, filled with youthful energy that naturally put people at ease.
“Oh, good morning,” Wen Yan replied, her usual discomfort in social situations melting away in the face of A-Yan’s friendliness.
After reuniting with her husband yesterday and finding hope for resolving her daughter’s issues, Wen Yan seemed noticeably more relaxed and refreshed compared to the day before.
“Where is Caretaker Su?” Wen Yan asked.
As it was her first day on the job and her motivation for applying was her daughter, she was determined to work diligently and pass the probationary period smoothly. Naturally, she saw Caretaker Su, the only official employee, as her guide.
Moreover, she wanted to thank Su Ci personally.
But when she asked, the young man who had just emerged from Room 303 smiled at her and replied cheerfully, “He’s still sleeping. Don’t wake him.”
“Oh… oh,” Wen Yan nodded, though she couldn’t shake the odd feeling. Was she overthinking it? Why did his tone sound slightly… ambiguous?
“So, what should we do now?” she asked.
“You should find the two caretaker robots. They should be in the kitchen preparing breakfast for the young ones.”
“Oh, okay,” Wen Yan agreed, nodding earnestly. She entrusted her daughter to Lai Ze and headed to the kitchen to help prepare breakfast. However, when she reached the first floor, she noticed that A-Yan wasn’t heading in the same direction, which puzzled her.
“I have other things to take care of,” A-Yan said.
“Alright.”
Watching A-Yan’s retreating figure, Wen Yan couldn’t help but reflect. Had she been away from the workforce for too long? Was that why her work capability now seemed inferior to that of this young man who looked like he’d just graduated from school?
Thinking about her reunited husband and her daughter’s improving health, Wen Yan quickly shook off her doubts and motivated herself.
She needed to work hard and make it through the probation period!
On her way to the kitchen, however, she ran into Yan Ya. Wen Yan hadn’t expected this elegant and seemingly pampered woman to also be heading to help prepare food for the young ones.
“Breakfast is very important. It’s essential to eat and drink well,” Yan Ya said. “I’ve seen videos of the children’s breakfasts before, and they seemed a bit too simple.”
Wen Yan nodded. As a childcare specialist, nutrition for children was a fundamental part of her training.
“Yes, you’re absolutely right. We need to put more care into the kids’ breakfasts!” She rolled up her sleeves and, walking into the kitchen, began discussing recipes with Yan Ya.
By the time the two of them arrived in the kitchen—before 6 a.m.—the two caretaker robots were stunned to see actual Caretakers present, especially 4586, whose electronic eyes even morphed into teary shapes out of sheer emotion.
This reaction left the two women marveling at just how advanced the nursery’s caretaker robots were!
They quickly got to work preparing breakfast for the young ones, taking advantage of the supplies they had purchased earlier, which included plenty of long-lasting ingredients.
Later, when the young ones, used to waiting for the sometimes tardy caretaker robots, rushed into the dining hall hungry, they were greeted with a feast unlike anything they’d ever had before—a truly sumptuous breakfast!
