The Cubs Can’t Possibly Be This Well-Behaved! – CH23

Chapter 23

The golden array hovered in the air, its simple yet profound design glowing softly.

Su Ci scrutinized it for a moment before making a few adjustments, nodding in satisfaction when he was done.

With a light movement of his fingertips, the miniature purification array attached itself discreetly to the outlet of the water dispenser.

This purification array would not only filter out all impurities but also retain a trace of spiritual energy in the water. Drinking such enriched water regularly would be highly beneficial for the cubs.

More importantly, this water was ideal for nurturing spiritual seeds.

While Su Ci busied himself with the water system, Number One entered the room and immediately sensed something unusual.

Almost instinctively, he looked toward the living room and took a few steps closer.

“Hungry… hungry…”

A faint, familiar consciousness reached out to him. Startled, the boy hurried toward the source, his short legs carrying him around the sofa. On the coffee table, he spotted an open can.

He recognized this type of can—it usually contained delicious-smelling meat, the kind the caretaker had eaten that morning.

“Hungry… hungry…”

The faint voice indeed came from the can, though it puzzled Number One. He tilted his head in confusion.

Approaching cautiously, he stood on his tiptoes and peered inside. Instead of fragrant meat, the can contained…

Yellow-brown soil.

Number One’s eyes lit up.

Is this from that little patch of soil in the courtyard? Could there be a seed in this can too? Or is it something else?

His curiosity grew. Since meeting the caretaker, his once lonely and monotonous life had suddenly become filled with wonders.

Even so, as he crouched by the coffee table and glanced toward the kitchen, then back at the soil-filled can, he held himself back, resisting the urge to dig into it.

“Hungry… hungry…”

The faint consciousness continued to call to him, similar to the voice he’d heard that morning but with subtle differences.

Number One opened his mouth as if to respond but hesitated, recalling his awkward, unpleasant voice. He closed his mouth again without saying a word.

Instead, he reached out and lightly touched the can’s metal surface with his fingertips before reluctantly pulling his hand back.

Propping himself against the edge of the coffee table, Number One stared intently at the mysterious soil-filled can, his wide eyes filled with wonder.

The slightly damp soil emitted a faint earthy scent. To the child, it wasn’t unpleasant; in fact, it felt comforting, almost like… a memory from long ago.

Su Ci placed a glass and a packet of nutrient powder on the dining counter. Casting a glance toward the living room, he spotted Number One lying against the coffee table, his eyes fixed intently on the can of soil.

After a moment’s thought, Su Ci walked over.

Hearing his footsteps, Number One looked up, his small face filled with urgency as he pointed at the can, clearly trying to convey something but unable to form the words.

Watching the boy’s cheeks flush with frustration, Su Ci reached out and gently ruffled his hair, his hand resting soothingly on the child’s head.

Feeling the caretaker’s hand, Number One tilted his head back, meeting Su Ci’s warm, dark eyes.

He blinked, and as if by magic, his anxious feelings melted away.

Pointing at the can again, he gestured for Su Ci to take a closer look.

Su Ci withdrew his hand and sat down on the sofa beside the child. Picking up the can from the table, he inspected it briefly before turning his gaze to the boy, who was staring at him expectantly.

“You sensed something?” Su Ci asked.

Number One tilted his head slightly. Sensed something? Did he mean the presence inside the can?

The boy nodded and gestured—one hand pointing to the can, the other touching his stomach. He opened his mouth but couldn’t find the words to explain.

Su Ci watched his movements with a slight frown, unsure if he understood the child’s meaning.

“This thing… it’s not food,” he said tentatively.

Number One shook his head, pointing first at the glass and nutrient powder on the counter and then at the can in Su Ci’s hand.

Amused by the boy’s animated gestures, Su Ci finally pieced it together. “It’s hungry, isn’t it?”

Number One’s face lit up with joy as he nodded vigorously. “Mm!”

The soft, milky sound of his response was endearing.

Setting the can back on the table, Su Ci looked curiously at the boy in front of him.

The child had striking black-red eyes, and his jet-black hair carried faint reddish undertones. Otherwise, there was nothing extraordinary about his appearance.

So, what kind of lifeless object could give rise to such a spirit?

The ability to sense life within the earth and “hear” the voices of plants was not something any ordinary spirit could achieve.

Unable to come to a conclusion, Su Ci noticed the child growing nervous under his scrutiny. Easing his expression, he shifted his focus back to the can of soil.

Spiritual seeds were fundamentally different from ordinary seeds.

Ordinary seeds contained the nutrients needed for germination and began drawing energy from their surroundings only after developing roots and cotyledons.

Spiritual seeds, however, required not only clean water and the right temperature but also a significant amount of nutrients to sprout.

The two spiritual seeds Su Ci had planted the previous night had already awakened and started absorbing the nutrients they needed to grow. But the barren soil couldn’t meet their demands.

Since morning, they had been emitting signals of hunger—
A basic, instinctive cry of need and complaint, not an actual ability to communicate with the outside world.

Su Ci recalled a time during his travels when a spiritual botanist had mentioned that the embryos within spiritual seeds were like delicate little babies. Once awakened from their slumber, they would wither and die quickly if their needs weren’t met.

At the time, Su Ci hadn’t taken it seriously.

In fact, he had even lightly stepped on the botanist’s field, only to see the spiritual seeds he’d just planted sprout in a frenzy.

Within moments, the barren land was covered in lush spiritual plants, their vibrant branches waving as if proudly showing off their growth. The botanist had been left speechless.

But now, recreating such a scene seemed out of reach.

Is this what mortals mean by the wheel of fortune turning? Su Ci mused, shaking his head as he pulled out the packet of solid fertilizer from his spatial button.

The multi-purpose nutrient solution was more expensive, so he decided to try the solid fertilizer first. After all, his points came from trading precious canned beef—it was better to save whenever possible.

Opening the fertilizer packet, he found it filled with small, round white granules. Their surface was matte, and a plastic scoop was included in the bag. A single scoop could hold about a dozen pellets.

Su Ci read the instructions on the fertilizer packet. He sprinkled a scoop of the solid fertilizer onto the soil in the can, then retrieved a glass of purified spiritual water from the kitchen. Carefully, he poured the water evenly over the soil.

The white fertilizer pellets dissolved on contact with the water, quickly blending into the loose soil.

Number One, lying nearby, kept his eyes fixed on Su Ci’s actions. As the caretaker poured the purified water, the “hungry” voice from the soil can suddenly changed.

“Oh ya!”

As if in delight, the faint consciousness let out a cheerful exclamation, followed by—

“Grow—grow—grow grow grow—”
“Grow—grow—grow grow grow—”

A childlike yet resolute thought echoed repeatedly, signaling its effort and determination to grow.

Number One watched in wonder. So… is the little one in the soil growing?

“Hmm, it seems like it might be working,” Su Ci murmured, stroking his chin. He, too, noticed the change in the spiritual seed. But as he sensed the seed’s externalized consciousness, he frowned slightly.

All talk and no action. What’s the point of chanting if the seed coat doesn’t even crack?

As an earth spirit, Su Ci had witnessed countless plants flourish, bloom, and bear fruit at astonishing speeds in his presence. Naturally, he wasn’t impressed with the slow progress of this tiny spiritual seed.

Of course, the seed buried in the soil couldn’t sense Su Ci’s thoughts. It continued broadcasting its growth signals with unrelenting enthusiasm—

“Grow—grow—grow grow grow—”

Like a little child demanding attention, shouting for the world to watch its every move.

Su Ci rolled his eyes at the seed’s fussiness and turned to Number One beside him. “You saw the little patch of soil in the courtyard this morning, didn’t you?”

Number One nodded earnestly.

“There’s another spiritual seed buried there. It’s been whining about being hungry since this morning,” Su Ci said, scooping up some fertilizer. “Here, take this. Sprinkle these pellets onto the soil just like I did. Do you know how to do it?”

Number One took the scoop of fertilizer with both hands, nodding vigorously.

Yes! I know how to do it!

“Then off you go.”

Su Ci patted the boy’s head. Grinning widely, Number One turned to leave. The moment he took a step, his figure vanished from Su Ci’s sight.

Behind the nursery building, Number One reappeared beside the patch of soil, holding the scoop of fertilizer. The protective barrier around the soil kept the pellets from coming into contact with the polluted air outside.

Number One blinked in surprise, looking around. He had suddenly found himself outside!

His gaze fell on the soil patch before him, and his face lit up with joy. Bending down, he carefully sprinkled the solid fertilizer evenly over the soil, mimicking Su Ci’s earlier actions.

But when he finished, the faint consciousness continued to whine:

“Hungry… hungry…”

Thinking for a moment, Number One realized that the solid fertilizer needed water to dissolve and be absorbed into the soil.

Remembering the water, he stood up and disappeared again. Moments later, he reappeared inside Dormitory 303, standing by the living room sofa.

Still unaccustomed to the sudden transitions, Number One stood dazed for a moment. When he looked up, his eyes met Su Ci’s approving gaze.

Freezing briefly, his cheeks flushed slightly. He raised the scoop in his hands and held it out to Su Ci.

Su Ci took the scoop while the boy pointed to the glass of water on the coffee table, his mouth opening slightly as if to speak.

“Mm, go ahead and give it some water,” Su Ci said, handing him the glass.

Number One cradled the glass carefully and disappeared again.

Watching the boy vanish in the blink of an eye, Su Ci couldn’t help but marvel. In less than half a day, his speed has improved this much…

In the courtyard, Number One crouched just outside the protective barrier, struggling to hold the large glass with his small hands. Carefully, he poured the water over the solid fertilizer pellets.

“Oh ya! Oh ya!”

As the clear water seeped into the soil, the fertilizer dissolved completely. Buried beneath the soil, the spiritual seed let out a joyful cheer.

Once Number One finished watering, the joyful cheers from the spiritual seed stopped. However, unlike the one in the room, this seed didn’t seem eager to grow.

Number One frowned as he observed the now-silent seed. After a while, he slowly began to “hear” a peculiar sound—

“Hoo-hoo… woo-hoo-hoo…”

The child blinked in confusion at the soft, leisurely breaths. Was it… snoring? He leaned in closer, straining to listen.

“Hoo-hoo… woo-hoo-hoo…”

The consciousness, though faint and immature, exuded an unmistakable sense of peace and contentment—clearly enjoying a comfortable nap.

Compared to the diligent, hard-working seed in the room, this one was a little slacker!