Chapter 181
Lang Ze chuckled mischievously. Before Xing Xing could react, he bent down, lifted him, and hoisted the smaller boy onto his shoulders, adjusting his position until Xing Xing was securely seated on his neck.
Then, wobbling slightly, Lang Ze straightened up.
Although they were only two years apart, Xing Xing’s smaller frame made Lang Ze seem significantly more robust. With his wolfish balance, Lang Ze managed to steady himself easily.
As Xing Xing’s perspective shifted upward, accompanied by a sense of dizziness from the sudden movement, he instinctively clutched Lang Ze’s head and closed his eyes tightly.
Lang Ze grinned widely, clearly amused.
Nearby, Lu Jiao frowned and admonished, “Lang Ze, don’t bully Xing Xing!”
Hearing this, Xing Xing cautiously opened his eyes.
From his elevated position, perched on Lang Ze’s shoulders, he found himself taller than everyone else. His small legs dangled on either side of Lang Ze’s shoulders, and for the first time, he could see the tops of his friends’ heads.
Lu Jiao stood beside them, gazing up at him. When their eyes met, Lu Jiao’s black-blue eyes curved into a cheerful arc, radiating warmth.
“Xing Xing, can you see me now?”
Xing Xing blinked.
So, this is what Youyou looks like, he thought, recognizing Lu Jiao’s voice.
A bit shy, Xing Xing tightened his grip on Lang Ze’s head, only to be distracted by the sensation beneath his palms. Looking down, he noticed Lang Ze’s large, fluffy ears twitching under his touch.
Unable to resist, Xing Xing gently stroked them again.
So this is what soft, fluffy ears feel like…
When Xing Xing didn’t answer, Lu Jiao didn’t mind. He watched as his friend’s usually unfocused, lifeless blue eyes sparkled with newfound light. Seeing the change, Lu Jiao felt genuine happiness for his friend.
Su Su is truly amazing—he’s made Xing Xing see again!
The magical flute melody…
Lu Jiao had once been obsessed with the flute. However, after trying to learn it himself, he realized his talents lay elsewhere. After finally managing to play one simple tune, his obsession faded away.
In the end, Lu Jiao realized it wasn’t necessary to master the art of playing the flute. Sometimes, simply being able to listen was more than enough joy.
The little white deer smiled softly, his expression pure and innocent, radiating an almost ethereal charm. Under the starlight, his figure seemed draped in a gauzy glow, his fair complexion appearing even brighter, like a luminous full moon.
Xing Xing gazed at him, noticing that Youyou’s aura seemed a little different from usual.
At that moment, Lang Ze, finally steady on his feet, muttered grumpily in response to Lu Jiao’s earlier remark, “I wasn’t bullying Xing Xing!”
Xing Xing was someone Lang Ze had recognized as his younger brother, his family. Of course, he would treat him well, just as Xiang Yang treated Little Li Hua. How could he ever bully him?
As for why Youyou, despite being a good friend, wasn’t considered family like Xing Xing—Lang Ze thought that would be too many family members!
Xiang Yang only had one younger sister, so Lang Ze figured he only needed one younger brother too. A younger brother was someone to whom he could dedicate all his care and attention. Friends, on the other hand, came without such limitations!
Despite his carefree demeanor, Lang Ze had his priorities and relationships clearly sorted in his heart.
After retorting to Lu Jiao, Lang Ze turned his attention back to Xing Xing. “Xing Xing, look up! Doesn’t it feel like you’re closer to the sky now?”
The vibrant, vividly detailed world around him was so overwhelming, with countless new sights vying for his attention, that Xing Xing had yet to properly look at the sky above—a sky that had always been a void of nothingness for him.
Hearing Lang Ze’s words, Xing Xing slowly tilted his head upward.
The countless stars glowing brightly across the night sky filled his vision, leaving him completely awestruck. Under the night’s embrace, the sparkling lights converged into a silver river, breathtakingly beautiful.
So this… this was what stars looked like.
Unable to resist, he stretched out his hand, wanting to pluck one from the heavens. But no matter how much he tried, they were too far away, beyond his reach.
Xing Xing drew his hand back, a hint of regret flickering across his face. Yet his gaze remained fixed on the night sky, as if he were determined to engrave the sight into his memory.
He understood that this was Lang Ze’s gift to him.
The little wolf cub had never been good at keeping secrets. From the day he started learning sound illusion techniques, Lang Ze had been constantly chattering about it. Xing Xing was aware of the promise Lang Ze had made to Su Su.
He also knew what Lang Ze had originally wanted for himself.
But now, Lang Ze had chosen this instead: to watch the stars together.
As Xing Xing watched, Lang Ze’s cheerful voice broke the silence again. “Once I learn this song from Su Su, I’ll play it for you whenever you want to see the stars!”
Lang Ze’s sound illusion techniques weren’t as powerful as Su Su’s yet, but he was confident that one day, he could create equally vivid illusions—perhaps even better!
And in those illusions, Xing Xing could regain his sight.
Under the starlit sky, Xing Xing listened to Lang Ze’s spirited voice. For the first time, a small smile began to bloom on his usually calm face.
Recalling Lang Ze and Youyou’s bright, cheerful expressions, Xing Xing let his lips curve into a crescent, forming a soft, shy smile that radiated pure sweetness.
Perhaps, this was the first true smile in Xing Xing’s otherwise dark and lightless world.
After all…
Before this moment, Xing Xing didn’t even know what a smile truly looked like.
Now, as he smiled, he finally resembled a proper six-year-old child.
“Okay,” he replied softly.
Xing Xing held onto Lang Ze’s words, remembering when the wolf cub had said he would one day play the world for him. He eagerly anticipated that day—when he could see the world through Lang Ze’s eyes.
By the shimmering creek, the young cubs tilted their heads upward to admire the starry sky. The brilliant starlight illuminated their faces, a reflection of the radiant future that undoubtedly awaited them.
Even the adults who were lucky enough to be brought into this illusion couldn’t help but be touched. For a moment, they set aside their questions and marvel, simply enjoying this beautiful moment with family and friends.
“Moo~”
Suddenly, the sound of a cow echoed through the air.
The familiar call made Lang Ze’s eyes light up instantly. He instinctively turned toward the sound, nearly tipping Xing Xing off his shoulders. Thankfully, Lu Jiao and Ren Lie stepped in to steady him just in time.
Amid the commotion, a large yellow ox leisurely emerged from the woods.
It paid no attention to the group, instead ambling over to the creek for a drink.
After setting Xing Xing down, Lang Ze couldn’t take his eyes off the yellow ox, his excitement plain to see.
“Su Su, can I ride it?” he asked eagerly.
He glanced around, realizing that Su Ci wasn’t inside the illusion.
But as Lang Ze thought about it, this made sense. The continuous melody of the flute needed Su Ci’s control, and when Lang Ze played his own sound illusions, he too remained outside the imagery.
As he mulled this over, a familiar figure quietly appeared by his side—it was A-Yan, also dressed in a caregiver’s uniform.
“Brother A-Yan!” Lang Ze called out.
“Mm,” A-Yan nodded briefly, skipping unnecessary words. Instead, he bent down, picked up Xing Xing, and carried him over to the yellow ox.
Seeing this, the other cubs quickly gathered around, with Lang Ze and Lu Jiao eagerly following behind.
A-Yan gently placed Xing Xing onto the back of the yellow ox. The animal turned its head to glance at them, then resumed drinking from the creek.
Sitting atop the ox, Xing Xing, despite being on a broader and sturdier surface compared to Lang Ze’s shoulders, felt a flicker of fear. Instinctively, he sought out Lang Ze’s presence.
“Heh heh, riding the big yellow ox!” Lang Ze exclaimed.
He didn’t need A-Yan’s help—he clambered up onto the ox’s back on his own, letting out a loud laugh as he pulled Xing Xing into his arms.
His joy was uncontainable. He couldn’t believe how kind Su Su was—despite changing the original reward, Su Su had still let him ride the yellow ox!
Lang Ze sat atop the ox, cheering in excitement. After a while, he retrieved his bamboo flute and began to play along with the melody he heard.
With his natural musical talent and mastery of audio illusions, Lang Ze’s tune didn’t disrupt the illusion at all. Instead, it harmonized perfectly with Su Ci’s flute, creating a richer, more magical atmosphere.
From the surrounding grass, tiny glowing dots suddenly rose, flitting through the air and twinkling like the stars above.
The young ones who had been eager to ride the big yellow ox immediately shifted their focus.
These “stars” on the ground were actually tiny glowing insects. Unlike fireflies, their entire bodies emitted a soft light.
This scene was something Lang Ze had once witnessed during a night at the orphanage after being rescued from the space pirate base. Now, harmonizing with Su Ci’s flute, he had managed to recreate the moment.
Even Su Ci couldn’t help but feel surprised.
To harmonize with his melody was already no small feat. But to further enrich the illusion with imagery that seamlessly fit the music and environment? That required not just skill but genuine talent and understanding.
The little wolf cub…
Perhaps he really had found an exceptional successor for the path of sound cultivation.
On the grassy bank by the stream, the cubs chased the glowing insects, laughing and playing. Even Xiang Yang, usually so calm and reserved, joined in the fun, spurred on by his little sister’s enthusiasm.
Lu Li, however, didn’t join the games. Ever since entering the illusion, he had been gazing at the surroundings with wide-eyed wonder. His expression was blank, but his eyes sparkled with awe and a deep longing.
So, this is what the outside world looked like? Could he one day see a world like this with his own eyes?
As young as he was, he couldn’t comprehend how difficult such a dream might be. Yet, he felt certain that with Su Su and Brother A-Yan by his side, any dream could become a reality.
About ten minutes later, the melody began to fade, signaling the end of the performance. As the final note fell, the illusionary world dissolved, and everyone returned to reality.
Lang Ze continued playing his flute with great enthusiasm, but without Su Ci’s melody, he couldn’t recreate the vivid and realistic world they had just experienced. The glowing insects, too, vanished without a trace.
Realizing this, Lang Ze let out a sigh of disappointment and lowered his bamboo flute.
Standing beside him, Xing Xing looked lost. His little hands reached out in front of him as if trying to grasp something, but there was nothing to hold onto.
The brilliant, vibrant world had disappeared again, leaving him in the vast, endless darkness once more.
Just the thought of it made Lang Ze’s heart ache.
“Xing Xing…” he began, intending to comfort him.
But before he could say more, the boy retracted his hands and looked up at him. His eyes curved into crescent moons, and a soft, sweet smile appeared on his face.
“Thank you, Brother.”
His voice was soft and delicate, barely more than a whisper, and still carried a trace of shyness. But this time, Xing Xing’s smile was real—it was the smile of someone who had learned to find joy.
