Chapter 42
“This is for you…”
Hearing Su Ci’s words, A-Yan lowered his head. His small hands gently cupped the spatial button hanging from his chest, his body trembling slightly.
He had just used his spiritual sense to examine it and knew exactly how much it contained—so many valuable supplies, so much food. And yet, the keeper had entrusted it all to him!
Moreover…
From the pale golden cord, he could sense a familiar and comforting energy—it felt like a part of the caretaker himself. Wearing it was like having the keeper with him at all times.
A-Yan tilted his small head upward and caught sight of the young man’s now ordinary black hair.
The scene from moments earlier replayed in his mind, vivid and awe-inspiring.
A-Yan couldn’t help but rise onto his tiptoes, his tiny hand reaching out to touch the spot where Su Ci’s hair had broken.
At the same time, the child opened his mouth.
His face and neck flushed with effort, pain flickering across his expression. Yet, despite the discomfort, he persisted.
Finally, after a great struggle, he managed to utter a few broken syllables.
“Su… Su… hurts…”
Hearing his voice, Su Ci froze in surprise.
This was the first time he had truly heard A-Yan speak. He hadn’t expected the boy’s first words to be his name, or rather, the nickname coined by 4586.
To be honest, A-Yan’s voice wasn’t pleasant.
His throat must have been severely damaged, as his words came out like coarse sand grating through his vocal cords—hoarse and grating, lacking the usual sweetness of a child’s voice.
But the way he endured such pain to force out those sounds, his small hand gently resting against Su Ci’s hair, and the pain reflected in his eyes overshadowed everything else.
Su Ci gazed at A-Yan.
He didn’t want to form deep connections with others, but sometimes it was impossible to remain unmoved.
Just like the plants in the plantation… and now, this moment with A-Yan.
Su Ci took hold of the small hand touching his hair and said with a hint of helplessness, “I’m not hurt.”
A-Yan, having only spoken three syllables, had exhausted all his strength. His throat burned painfully, and he could even taste blood.
While the pain itself didn’t bother him much, he felt deeply discouraged—his voice sounded awful.
He looked down at the hand the caretaker held, feeling the warmth and softness of Su Ci’s palm. Letting go of his inhibitions, he leaned forward slightly, nestling into the young man’s embrace.
The caretaker didn’t push him away.
A-Yan felt his dejection lift, replaced by a soaring sense of joy. Pressing his cheek against the caretaker’s chest, he nuzzled affectionately.
Su Ci released his small hand and let his own palm rest on the boy’s head, gently ruffling his fine, soft hair. Its texture was fluffy, no less satisfying to touch than the wolf cub’s ears.
“Didn’t I tell you not to push yourself?” Su Ci chided softly. His palm glowed faintly with a golden light as soul energy flowed into A-Yan, nourishing the boy’s fragile body.
A-Yan closed his eyes, the pain in his throat easing. It felt so soothing—being near the caretaker always made him feel incredibly comfortable.
He tilted his small face upward, resting his chin lightly against Su Ci’s chest. His black-red eyes gazed up at the caretaker. Though the boy didn’t speak again, his eyes conveyed his apology and gratitude.
Faced with such an expression, Su Ci suddenly couldn’t bring himself to scold him further.
“This spatial button is yours to take care of,” Su Ci said as he withdrew his soul energy, his gaze settling on the button hanging against A-Yan’s chest. “You’ve learned how to use it, and as for the items inside…”
Though the button was packed with food, Su Ci still had another spatial button of his own, so he wasn’t in immediate need of its contents.
“Just keep it with you for now,” Su Ci said.
Even if A-Yan sneaked some food for himself, he wouldn’t be able to eat much. Su Ci decided he could turn a blind eye to it.
A-Yan nodded obediently. The pain from forcing himself to speak earlier had subsided. Hearing that the caretaker truly intended to entrust him with so much food filled him with a sense of trust and importance, making his heart swell with joy.
Did this mean he was now slightly more important to the caretaker than the little spirit plant?
“Alright, let’s eat,” Su Ci finally said.
Having resolved the matter of the spatial button, Su Ci turned his attention to the can of chicken nearby. The hunger in his stomach gnawed at him again, especially after the energy he had spent using his soul power. He needed to replenish himself as soon as possible.
Just as he reached out for the can, a small hand stopped him.
“Hmm?” Su Ci looked at the boy, puzzled.
A-Yan rummaged through the spatial button and pulled out a bag of potato chips, placing it in Su Ci’s hand. Then, he picked up the can of chicken and pointed toward the stove, specifically at the cooking machine that Su Ci had completely ignored until now.
“You want to use that?” Su Ci asked, slightly surprised.
“Mm!” A-Yan nodded vigorously.
Su Ci studied the machine. No corresponding “common sense” appeared in his mind, and seeing A-Yan’s eager expression, he decided, “Alright, can you handle it yourself?”
A-Yan nodded again.
“Okay, go ahead.” Though uncertain about what A-Yan planned to do, Su Ci didn’t stop him.
Pulling a chair closer, Su Ci sat down beside the boy, opened the bag of chips, and began eating.
While munching on a few chips, Su Ci found it impossible to focus entirely on his food. His gaze kept drifting back to A-Yan, curious about what the boy was up to.
Standing on the chair, A-Yan tiptoed to reach the overhead cabinet above the stove and retrieved a plate. His familiarity with the space suggested he had already explored it before.
After placing the plate on the counter, A-Yan emptied the canned chicken onto it, carefully spreading the meat evenly with a fork. Finally, he poured the remaining barbecue sauce from the can over the chicken.
Then, holding the plate with both hands, A-Yan laboriously slid it into the cooking machine. He selected the roasting mode on the control panel and rested his elbows on the countertop, watching the machine intently.
Halfway through the bag of chips, Su Ci’s hunger began to subside. Seeing how engrossed A-Yan was, he couldn’t resist scooting closer.
The two heads—one large, one small—pressed together as they peered at the cooking machine.
At first, Su Ci was merely curious and wanted to join the fun. But soon, his expression changed.
He caught the aroma.
It was an incredibly rich, savory scent—meat infused with barbecue seasoning. The roasting process enhanced the flavors, creating a tantalizing and mouthwatering fragrance.
Gurgle—
Su Ci swallowed hard. Turning to A-Yan, his beautiful, warm black eyes brimmed with urgency as if to ask: Can we eat yet? Is it ready? When will it be done?
Initially absorbed in watching the cooking machine, A-Yan quickly noticed Su Ci’s gaze—it was far too intense to ignore.
He turned to look at the caretaker, only to find that, at this moment, Su Ci, apart from being handsome as usual, seemed to have a new quality.
A-Yan couldn’t quite describe it, but it made him feel an almost irresistible urge to… pat Su Ci’s head.
Was this… cuteness?
A-Yan thought in a daze for a moment before cautiously reaching out and touching Su Ci’s hair. When the caretaker didn’t avoid his touch, A-Yan gave him a comforting smile and turned his attention back to the cooking machine.
He didn’t need to consult the instructions. Just one look, and he understood how to use the machine—it was far simpler than learning heavenly script.
As time passed, the aroma of the cooking grew stronger and richer. Soon, the machine gave a clear ding to signal it was done.
Noticing the growing impatience of the person next to him, A-Yan quickly opened the cooking machine.
A puff of hot steam escaped, carrying an even more intense and mouthwatering scent. It seemed the dish had turned out perfectly!
A-Yan was about to reach for the plate, but before he could touch it, the dish of roasted chicken floated out on its own, landing steadily on the stovetop to reveal the final product.
The once pale canned chicken was now a golden-brown masterpiece. Fat and juices had seeped out from the skin during roasting, mingling with the barbecue sauce to form bubbling pockets of fragrant, savory goodness. The aroma was so enticing that even A-Yan couldn’t help but swallow hard.
Su Ci reached out, and a fork appeared in his hand as if conjured from thin air. Without hesitating, he speared a piece of chicken and popped it into his mouth, ignoring the heat.
The moment the sauce hit his tongue, Su Ci’s expression melted into pure bliss, as if his taste buds were being lovingly cradled.
The barbecue flavor had reached its peak during the roasting process, and the pre-marinated chicken had transformed—crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside. Compared to eating the canned meat cold, the roasted version was exponentially more delicious.
Su Ci, who had sampled countless delicacies in his life, found himself admitting that after several meals of nutrient liquids and cold canned food, this was easily one of the most special meals he’d ever had.
He couldn’t stop after the first bite.
Piece by piece, the chicken disappeared from the plate. Before long, the entire can’s worth was gone, leaving behind only traces of barbecue sauce.
When he finally paused, Su Ci noticed the small boy beside him, watching expectantly, clearly waiting for feedback.
A-Yan’s eyes seemed to speak, slightly widening as Su Ci looked at him, as if asking: Is it good?
“It’s delicious,” Su Ci said with a smile, reaching out to ruffle the boy’s hair. “A-Yan, you’re very clever.”
He had figured out how to use the cooking machine, after all!
The young man’s smile curved his brows and lit up his eyes, as if tiny stars had fallen into them, brightening the room.
A-Yan stared, stunned for a moment, before breaking into a wide grin. His heart swelled with pride and joy.
It was the first time he had seen the caretaker smile like that! And the caretaker had even praised him!
Buoyed by the praise, A-Yan grew even more determined. He knew the caretaker had a large appetite, and one can of chicken wouldn’t be enough.
Now that the cooking machine had proven its worth and the caretaker clearly loved the food, he could make a larger batch.
Before long, the rich aroma of roasted meat filled Room 303.
Although Su Ci only ate until he was about half-full, the incredible flavors had thoroughly satisfied him. He felt no discomfort from the incomplete meal.
A-Yan, in turn, was rewarded with a cup of Su Ci’s favorite blackberry-flavored nutrient liquid.
Though Su Ci generously shared the barbecue chicken with him, A-Yan only took a single bite to understand its flavor before leaving the rest for the caretaker.
He loved seeing the smile on the caretaker’s face when he enjoyed delicious food. In the future, he resolved to make even more tasty dishes for Su Ci!
Meanwhile, back in the bedroom, the wall-embedded work manual emitted another wave of angry energy.
The disturbance was so noticeable that Su Ci couldn’t ignore it. Frowning, he wondered why the emerging book spirit seemed to have such a terrible temper.
And… why did it feel weaker than it had been that morning?
Just as Su Ci was about to get up to investigate the fluctuating energy in the room, his communicator buzzed.
It was a call from Gu Qingchen.
Gu Qingchen had just finished purifying the cubs.
Although Su Ci wasn’t there to assist, this was part of Gu Qingchen’s daily routine, and with the help of two guards, it wasn’t particularly difficult.
Surprisingly, the cubs had been unusually cooperative today. Apart from Number Six, the mischievous little monkey, Numbers Three, Five, Seven, and Eight were relatively compliant.
The only exception was Number Five, a little girl who had gazed at him with tearful eyes and repeatedly asked for her “big brother,” leaving Gu Qingchen a bit flustered. He quickly cast two purification spells on her before retreating from her room.
Curiously, despite the blood rain yesterday, the cubs’ contamination levels were relatively low. This might explain their unusually stable emotions today.
When Gu Qingchen reached the door to Number Eight’s room, he approached with caution. In his experience, Number Eight was just as troublesome as Number Six, often sneaking out whenever the door wasn’t fully closed.
But today, when he opened the door to Room 503, he didn’t see the little wolf cub pouncing toward him as expected.
Instead, he spotted the boy sitting inside, holding a glass of water and gulping it down noisily. His wolf tail swayed back and forth behind him. After setting the glass down, he even began humming a little tune.
The wolf cub seems to be in a good mood today?
Gu Qingchen found it odd. He stepped cautiously into the room, only to have the boy—who had been leaning over the table fiddling with something—turn toward him with a wary glare.
Seeing Gu Qingchen, the wolf cub bared his teeth in a growl, his expression unfriendly.
Gu Qingchen wasn’t bothered. Seeing that the cub didn’t attack, he entered the room with one of the guards, the metal door closing softly behind them.
He smiled warmly and greeted him, “Number Eight, you seem to be feeling pretty good today.”
Number Eight rolled his eyes and ignored him, resuming his work on the object in his hands.
As Gu Qingchen approached, he saw the boy working with a sheet of white paper. He rolled it into a long tube, tore and folded the ends to secure it, and began poking holes into the tube with a pen.
Although Gu Qingchen couldn’t figure out what he was making, he found it unusual to see the wolf cub so quiet—no mischief, no chaos. It felt almost unsettling.
“Let me check your contamination levels first,” Gu Qingchen said, pulling out a scanner. A sweep of light revealed a number on the device.
Contamination Level: 8 (Low).
Gu Qingchen was stunned. It was an exceptionally low reading. Even if purification were delayed, it wouldn’t pose any immediate problems.
While the cubs hadn’t been directly exposed to the blood rain, it had been several days since their last purification. For Number Eight, such a low reading was particularly unusual.
Gu Qingchen’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. He looked at the wolf cub and asked patiently, “Number Eight, do you feel any discomfort anywhere?”
The boy’s face bore new bruises and evident bite marks. Gu Qingchen had already reviewed Number Eight’s data—like Numbers Six and Seven, he had entered a berserk state during yesterday’s blood rain.
Number Eight hadn’t been administered a sedative and had only fallen asleep after exhausting himself. Normally, he should still be recovering today, exhibiting signs of fatigue or lethargy like Number Six.
Yet here he was, cheerful and energetic. It didn’t make sense.
When Number Eight didn’t answer, Gu Qingchen continued gently, “Let me treat the injuries on your face.”
His tone was warm, and his smile appeared kind and harmless.
But Number Eight frowned. The wolf cub’s instincts were always sharp. Though he didn’t sense malice from Gu Qingchen, he disliked the overly saccharine smile.
“No need,” the boy snapped, scowling. “Just hurry up and purify me. Do it fast and get out of here. You’re bothering me.”
Gu Qingchen wasn’t offended by the blunt words. After all, the boy hadn’t resorted to violence or outright insults—his tone was simply unpleasant.
“Alright, I’ll purify you first,” Gu Qingchen agreed amiably. “Let me see your hand.”
Only then did Number Eight reluctantly set aside the “paper flute” he had been working on and extend one hand toward Gu Qingchen, who held it gently with a gloved hand.
A soft glow emanated from Gu Qingchen’s palm. Having undergone countless purification sessions before, the wolf cub didn’t even glance at the light—it no longer piqued his curiosity.
For now, Number Eight was entirely focused on learning how to make his paper flute.
“Are you done yet?” he asked impatiently, tapping his toes against the floor. One of his fuzzy wolf ears drooped halfway, emphasizing his growing irritation.
“Almost,” Gu Qingchen replied with a cheerful smile, though he deliberately slowed down the purification process. He wanted to probe Number Eight further and figure out why his contamination levels were so low. However, before he could ask, the wolf cub spoke again.
“By the way, has the caretaker come back?”
Mentioning the caretaker clearly lifted the boy’s mood; his energy visibly spiked, and he suddenly became talkative.
“He left in the morning, right? Said he was going to the medical department to pick up Numbers Two and Four. Oh yeah, they’re back now, aren’t they? That crybaby Number Five must be over the moon!”
Hearing Number Four’s name made Gu Qingchen’s smile falter slightly, but he responded vaguely, “Caretaker Su is back. He’s probably in the dormitory now.”
“Then call him!” Number Eight demanded, his tone turning assertive after a brief stutter. “Tell him to come… come see me!”
Gu Qingchen looked at Number Eight with surprise. He hadn’t expected the wolf cub to be so fond of Su Ci. Despite visiting the rearing facility many times, Gu Qingchen had never seen Number Eight actively request to see a keeper.
“Hey! Are you even listening to me?” Number Eight’s dissatisfied voice snapped him out of his thoughts. The boy tapped the table impatiently and accused him, “You’re being…”
The wolf cub paused, searching for the right word, then pointed a finger at Gu Qingchen and continued, “Right! Rude!”
Gu Qingchen: “…”
This little troublemaker even knows what “rude” means? That’s a first.
“Of course I’m listening,” Gu Qingchen said in a placating tone. “If you want to see the caretaker, that’s fine. But can I ask you a few questions first?”
“Who said I want to see the caretaker? Clearly, it’s him who wants to come see me!” Number Eight huffed with indignation but eventually nodded. “Fine. What do you want to ask?”
The wolf cub’s unexpectedly cooperative response left Gu Qingchen momentarily stunned. Recovering quickly, he began asking about Number Eight’s recent activities—what he ate, what he did, and if there was anything unusual in his behavior.
These were details that should have been logged in the keeper’s growth records. However, since Su Ci had only recently started his role, it was unlikely those records were complete.
Number Eight found the questions strange, but having agreed, he answered dutifully. “Nothing different from usual,” he said.
He thought back on the past few days and recounted his routine without much omission—except for the “deals” he made with the caretaker.
The wolf cub’s routine was straightforward: eating, sleeping, fighting, and stealing toys. Far from being embarrassed, he described these activities with great enthusiasm, as if they were accomplishments.
By the end, Gu Qingchen’s smile was visibly strained. He hadn’t gleaned anything useful from the wolf cub’s chatter and resolved to investigate Number Eight’s physical data more thoroughly later. This was a matter of the cub’s health and contamination levels, and it had to be taken seriously.
“Thank you for your answers,” Gu Qingchen said, withdrawing his hand and preparing to leave.
“Don’t forget what you promised me!” Number Eight reminded him sharply.
Gu Qingchen nodded. Rarely did he get the chance to interact so peacefully with Number Eight, so he cherished the opportunity, hoping to earn the wolf cub’s trust.
Still, he couldn’t help feeling a twinge of jealousy.
He had served as the facility’s purifier for two or three years, frequently interacting with the cubs and giving them his best efforts. And yet, he was still outshined by Su Ci, who had only been in the role for a few days.
“Should I call him now?” Gu Qingchen asked.
When Gu Qingchen asked his question, the wolf cub’s fluffy tail began wagging vigorously behind him. However, his eyes darted to the side, and he said, “You call him after you leave!”
No way he was letting it seem like he was that eager to see the caretaker.
“Alright,” Gu Qingchen agreed readily.
The purification process had gone so smoothly that Gu Qingchen felt as though he were in a dream. He gathered his equipment and, on his way out, glanced back at the boy, who was unconsciously swaying his tail. A smile tugged at Gu Qingchen’s lips.
Truth be told, the wolf cub was quite endearing like this.
As much as he wanted to pet those fluffy wolf ears, Gu Qingchen wisely restrained himself from acting on such a dangerous impulse.
Calling the guard to join him, Gu Qingchen prepared to leave Room 503. Just as the metal door slid open, he felt a sudden gust of wind rush past him.
“Let go of me!”
By the time Gu Qingchen turned around, the wolf cub—who had just been so adorably cooperative—was now thrashing wildly in the grasp of the hallway guard.
“Let go! Or I’ll bite you!” the boy threatened, baring his teeth defiantly.
“…”
Gu Qingchen pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. He motioned for the guard to place the indignant wolf cub back into the room and then promptly closed the door behind him.
He initiated a video call to Su Ci.
The projected screen soon displayed the caretaker’s slender, handsome face. Privacy mode was enabled, so Gu Qingchen couldn’t see Su Ci’s surroundings, but he didn’t mind.
After relaying Number Eight’s request, Gu Qingchen noticed Su Ci nod thoughtfully. A contemplative expression crossed the caretaker’s face before he asked, “Dr. Gu, do you know why there aren’t any teachers in the nursery facility?”
The question caught Gu Qingchen off guard.
He had interacted with many caretakers before, but Su Ci was the first to bring up the topic of educating the cubs. Most caretakers were already overwhelmed dealing with the cubs’ frequent berserk episodes and had little energy to consider anything beyond immediate survival.
Indeed, the nursery facility lacked a designated teaching staff. But… it wasn’t simply because no one wanted to take the job, right?
