Chapter 59
Lu Jiao, who had been observing the two of them the entire time, widened his eyes in surprise and stared at Number Three.
This was the first time he had heard Number Three speak!
So, Number Three could talk after all? And his temper was so good—Lang Ze had practically forced him, yet he didn’t get mad. Instead, he even cooperated with him…
It turned out that carnivores weren’t always fierce and aggressive!
As for Lang Ze, his reaction was far more straightforward.
“Hey!”
Hearing Number Three call his new name in such a soft, sticky voice, Lang Ze thought it was the cutest thing ever. Overjoyed, he responded enthusiastically and immediately pulled the boy into a hug.
Number Three, like Lu Jiao, was small and delicate, two sizes smaller than Lang Ze. He could easily wrap his arms around him completely, like holding a soft little stuffed toy.
Of course, Number Three wasn’t a toy—he was much cuter than that.
Without any guidance, Lang Ze instinctively nuzzled his cheek against Number Three’s face. It was soft, squishy, and had a unique bounce to it—completely different from the feeling of rubbing against a tail.
The big tail behind Lang Ze began wagging vigorously, like an overly excited puppy.
Number Three, however, froze completely when he was suddenly hugged and nuzzled. His small hands, which had been holding the bamboo flute, turned tense, his knuckles going white from gripping it too tightly.
His wide blue eyes stared blankly ahead, unfocused, like a startled little animal.
He didn’t understand why the little wolf cub was suddenly so excited.
Fortunately, a voice soon rescued him.
“Lang Ze, didn’t you say you were going to teach me how to play the flute?” Lu Jiao’s voice rang out in the room.
Number Three recognized that voice. In fact, when Lu Jiao followed the caretaker into the room, he had already noticed and felt an impending sense of doom.
Sure enough, after letting him go, the little wolf cub nodded enthusiastically and said, “Right! But we still need to ask Number Three for his opinion.”
Ask him what?
Instinctively, Number Three scooted further away from Lang Ze. However, Lu Jiao took the initiative to step forward and sat down on his other side.
Now, Number Three had nowhere to escape.
However, unlike the little wolf cub, Lu Jiao was much more polite and didn’t sit too close. He left a respectable social distance of about one body’s width.
But for Number Three, even that distance felt a little too close. His body, which had already edged away, paused for a moment before awkwardly scooting back toward Lang Ze.
The timid little black cat huddled next to the big gray wolf, unconsciously showing a sense of dependence.
Of course, the carefree Lang Ze didn’t notice this at all. He continued the conversation from earlier. “Youyou also wants to learn the flute. I promised to teach him, but I also wanted to play with you, so I brought him along.”
“Number Three, let him play with us, okay?” Lang Ze asked earnestly.
Although he hadn’t heard Lu Jiao’s name before, it wasn’t difficult for Number Three to guess who Lang Ze was referring to.
Instinctively, he wanted to refuse. However, Lu Jiao, who had been quiet until now, began to speak up for himself.
He really wanted to learn the flute. Clearly, Lang Ze and Number Three had a good relationship, so if Number Three refused, he would likely be taken back to his room by the caretaker.
Lang Ze would probably stay—after all, he had only promised to teach him but never said it had to be today.
But Lu Jiao didn’t want to wait until tomorrow.
Since that was the case, he had no choice but to earn Number Three’s approval.
Of course, the clever Lu Jiao didn’t state his intentions outright. The resistance on Number Three’s face was already clear, and pushing him further would likely have the opposite effect.
Moreover, looking at the quiet and confused Number Three, at those lost blue eyes, Lu Jiao felt a protective instinct rise in his heart. Though Number Three was a year younger than him, seeing his helpless expression reminded Lu Jiao of himself.
If, in the end, Number Three still couldn’t accept him, Lu Jiao would probably choose to leave. He didn’t want anyone to be unhappy…
“Number Three, I’m Number Seven. You can call me Youyou.”
In the two years he had lived at the nursery, this was the first time Lu Jiao had introduced himself so formally to another cub. It made him a little nervous, but outwardly, he appeared gentle and friendly.
Deer were naturally kind and peaceful creatures, and in an environment where he could truly relax, Lu Jiao exuded no trace of hostility or aggression.
Tentatively, he reached out and took hold of Number Three’s small hand. Then, pulling out half a potato chip from his cub uniform pocket, he placed it gently in the boy’s palm.
“This is a potato chip. It’s for you,” he said softly.
The little boy’s face carried a faint smile, his aura calm and serene, like a real, snow-white little deer—ethereal and pure.
Number Three could feel the gentle energy flowing from Lu Jiao, along with the subtle mental power radiating from him. Though it was cool to the touch, it no longer carried its usual sharp, piercing edge. He didn’t find it unpleasant.
For a moment, he forgot to pull his hand away.
He didn’t respond to Lu Jiao but instead turned his face toward Su Ci. His pale blue eyes, devoid of any light, looked completely lost and helpless.
But this time, the caretaker didn’t intervene to help him.
The young man quietly walked over, crouched down in front of him, and asked gently, “Do you want to eat it?”
After placing the potato chip in his hand, Lu Jiao had already released his grip. He, too, was waiting for Number Three to make his own decision.
Only Lang Ze stared curiously at the half potato chip, tilting his head slightly.
Wasn’t this the potato chip I gave to Youyou earlier? He hadn’t expected Lu Jiao to save half of it—and even offer it to Number Three!
Lang Ze couldn’t help but feel impressed. If it had been him, he definitely wouldn’t have been able to resist eating the whole thing. Just yesterday, after eating one chip, he’d told himself he’d save the second for later, but in the end, he couldn’t stop himself from eating it. Originally, he had planned to keep it for the next day.
Still, he didn’t regret it too much. As long as the caretaker was around, he could eat potato chips every day from now on!
“Number Three, hurry up and eat it! Youyou saved it just for you!” Lang Ze said, his tail wagging energetically.
He felt that everything was perfectly balanced—everyone got to eat a potato chip, and everyone was happy.
When he saw that Number Three still hadn’t moved, Lang Ze, remembering how hesitant Number Three had been yesterday, added considerately, “We won’t look at you, okay? You can eat it. It won’t taste good if it gets soft!”
With that, Lang Ze grabbed Lu Jiao and called Su Ci over to the other corner of the room to talk.
As they moved away, Number Three’s body gradually relaxed. The air around him seemed fresher and lighter. But…
He lowered his head, scanning the potato chip in his hand with a thread of his mental power.
The expression on the little boy’s face was blank, but if one looked closely, they could see his indecision.
After a long pause, he quietly swallowed and, holding the chip carefully, began nibbling on it.
The potato chip was still very tasty!
As he ate, his ears perked up, listening to Lang Ze and the others talking.
Since they were in the same room and Lang Ze hadn’t lowered his voice, every word of their conversation carried clearly to his ears.
“Su Su, Number Three doesn’t have a name yet. Can you give him one?”
A name…
The motion of Number Three’s nibbling paused slightly.
He had been at the nursery since he was very young. As far back as he could remember, “Number Three” had always been his name. With his indifferent personality, he had never thought there was anything wrong with it.
So “Number Three” wasn’t his real name?
Number Eight’s name was Lang Ze, and Number Seven’s name was Youyou. Then his name…
He thought about it, and a faint sense of anticipation rose in his heart. Of course, this anticipation wasn’t particularly strong. It was the kind of feeling that said: It would be nice to have a name, but I wouldn’t feel sad if I didn’t.
Then, he heard the caretaker’s calm voice ring out. “If he wants one, of course he can have it.”
“Alright, then we’ll ask him later,” Lang Ze said. But then he frowned and muttered, “Now there are three of us, but we only have one flute…”
Su Ci glanced at him. With a casual flip of his hand, another flute appeared in his palm.
Lang Ze immediately recognized it. “That’s the one from the activity room!”
Su Ci nodded and handed the flute to him.
“You can use it for now,” Su Ci said after a pause. “But don’t break it.”
“Okay! I promise we won’t break it!” Lang Ze replied confidently, assuming Su Ci had simply stored it in his spatial button. He didn’t think too much about it.
Taking the flute, Lang Ze played with it briefly before shoving it into Lu Jiao’s hands. At this point, Number Three had already finished eating the half potato chip.
The little wolf cub happily bounced over, squatting in front of Number Three and asking excitedly, “Number Three, let the caretaker give you a new name, okay?”
He crouched down in front of the smaller boy, his hands on the ground, leaning forward slightly. His green eyes sparkled brightly with excitement and expectation.
Number Three raised his eyes slightly, feeling the constant flow of life and vitality coming from Lang Ze. He was so full of energy, like a little sun—completely different from himself.
I wonder what Number Eight looks like… Would he be like that shepherd boy playing the flute?
As he thought about it, Number Three reached out his small hand and poked Lang Ze’s cheek with his fingertip.
It was soft and warm, just like it had been that morning.
The little wolf cub blinked in confusion, not understanding why Number Three suddenly poked his face. But he didn’t stop him and instead continued to tempt him. “I’m telling you, the caretaker is amazing at giving names! He even knows how to recite poems and play the qin!”
“Oh, right! The caretaker also said that once I learn how to play the flute, he’ll teach me how to play the qin!”
Hearing this, Su Ci, who was standing behind him, couldn’t help but reach out and ruffle his head in a chaotic mess. “Did we really say that?”
Lang Ze pouted in protest, holding his head defensively. “Isn’t that what we agreed on?”
Turning around, he looked at Lu Jiao for support. “Youyou, the caretaker and I definitely agreed on that, didn’t we?”
Lu Jiao: “…”
How was he supposed to respond?
He had, of course, heard the conversation. At the time, the caretaker had clearly said that once Lang Ze learned to play a full tune on the flute, he would let him see what a real qin looked like and explain how its strings produced sound…
But could he really say that now?
Looking at Lang Ze’s trusting gaze, Lu Jiao really didn’t want to say something that might “betray” him. At the same time, he didn’t want to lie or risk making the caretaker dislike him.
Lu Jiao found himself in a difficult spot.
He glanced at one, then the other, before silently lowering his head, choosing not to say anything at all.
Seeing this, Lang Ze assumed that Lu Jiao simply hadn’t heard the conversation clearly. So, he turned back and reaffirmed with confidence, “Anyway, that’s what we agreed on. Once I learn how to play the flute, you have to teach me the qin! No backing out!”
Who’s the one being unreasonable now?
Su Ci looked at Lang Ze and couldn’t resist flicking the boy’s forehead lightly with his finger.
“Ow!” Lang Ze yelped, covering his forehead with his hand.
Seeing the boy’s unhappy expression, Su Ci shrugged and said, “Learn the flute properly first. Being able to play just one song doesn’t mean you’ve mastered it.”
Su Ci didn’t mind teaching him the guqin, but too much at once would only result in poor progress. If Lang Ze could learn the flute well, that would already be quite impressive.
Lang Ze was about to argue when Su Ci looked toward Number Three and asked, “Do you want a name?”
The focus of the three of them shifted back to Number Three. The small boy instinctively gripped the flute in his hands tightly, feeling nervous again. But in the end, he nodded lightly and whispered, “I… want one.”
Lang Ze instantly forgot about the guqin, his excitement overflowing. “Yay! We’re giving Number Three a name!”
He jumped up and dragged Number Three’s desk over, while Lu Jiao followed suit, pushing a chair closer.
Number Three looked puzzled. He didn’t understand what desks and chairs had to do with giving him a name. But soon, he understood—
The caretaker pulled out paper and a pen, placing them in front of him. Su Ci’s gentle voice rang out. “Write down your true name on the paper.”
Number Three froze slightly.
He felt a strange force guiding him—emanating from the deep, unfathomable mist surrounding the caretaker. The power was gentle and warm, yet it carried an undeniable authority.
By the time Number Three realized what was happening, he had already picked up the pen. The tip of the pen touched the paper that the caretaker had placed on the chair, and slowly, he began to write.
It felt as if his hand had a will of its own. The pen traced over the paper slowly, steadily, as though driven by something beyond himself.
With his strong mental power, Number Three was naturally far more sensitive to this mysterious force than Lang Ze or Lu Jiao.
Yet, as he felt the power guiding him, he didn’t feel afraid.
Inexplicably, he had a strange realization deep within.
He could sense that whatever this force was guiding him to do would be of great benefit to him. As for what kind of benefit specifically, he couldn’t comprehend it just yet.
All he could do was focus on the sensation of the pen gliding over the paper, trying to remember the way each line and curve took shape.
Finally, his hand came to a stop.
What did I write? Number Three wondered. He couldn’t see it, and his mental power wasn’t able to pick up such fine details. The realization made him feel a little disappointed.
Number Three put the pen down and turned his small face toward the caretaker.
Su Ci picked up the paper and raised an eyebrow slightly, his expression showing a hint of surprise.
Number Three’s writing was even messier than Lang Ze’s, let alone compared to Lu Jiao’s.
Of course, the clarity of the characters wasn’t a measure of talent; it simply meant that Number Three hadn’t yet found his true path.
Su Ci tore off the page, stared at the scribbled symbol for a moment, and then wrote a character on a new sheet of paper.
(Zh?ng)
As soon as he finished writing it, Lang Ze couldn’t hold back his curiosity and asked, “How do you read that? What does it mean?”
“Zh?ng,” Su Ci pronounced. “It originally carried the meaning of expedition or conquest.”
He turned his gaze to Number Three. The small child, perhaps because he couldn’t see, had unfocused, blank blue eyes that made his face look perpetually dazed and a little slow to respond.
He looked like some soft, harmless little animal, the kind that easily stirred a person’s protective instincts.
“What does ‘conquest’ mean?” Lang Ze continued to ask.
Number Three didn’t visibly react, but his fingers, which were gripping the flute, noticeably tightened.
Su Ci glanced at the symbol on the page and shook his head. “Besides conquest, this character has another meaning.”
“What’s that?” Lang Ze looked at him with even more curiosity. Lu Jiao had also come over, listening carefully to the caretaker’s explanation.
“To travel to distant places,” Su Ci said.
Lang Ze tilted his head. “Travel to distant places…”
He looked at the little boy who couldn’t see, then at the caretaker, and fell silent for a moment. Even the usually quiet Lu Jiao became even more subdued.
Su Ci wrote another character on the paper.
Before Lang Ze could ask about it, Lu Jiao spoke up. “I know this character! It’s the character x?ng—for stars!”
“Stars?”
“Yes, like the stars in the sky!”
So, Number Three’s name was—
“Zh?ng X?ng?” Lu Jiao murmured, staring at the name. “Does it mean… to travel to the distant stars?”
But the cubs in the nursery… weren’t allowed to leave Prison Star.
That much, Lu Jiao had overheard from the adults.
He didn’t know why that was, and he had once felt confused about it. But he was still young—he couldn’t even leave the nursery, let alone Prison Star. So, he had decided to think about it again when he was older.
Still, the name the caretaker gave Number Three…
Looking at the little boy’s vacant blue eyes and remembering how he often seemed lost in his own world, Lu Jiao realized something.
This must be the caretaker’s most beautiful wish for Number Three, right?
To travel to the distant stars…
Lu Jiao recalled the breathtaking view of the Milky Way he had seen through the window of the spaceship when he first arrived. Unable to hold back, he softly said, “That name is so beautiful…”
“Yes! It’s super nice!” Lang Ze agreed, nodding vigorously. “Zh?ng X?ng—it’s awesome! Hehe, it means super great!”
As he spoke, he couldn’t resist leaning over again, rubbing his head against the boy’s like a big, affectionate puppy. His large, wagging tail swished back and forth, more excited than even the boy himself.
The little boy’s face showed a trace of distress.
Is it because I let him touch my ears yesterday? Is that why he’s acting so clingy today?
Feeling helpless, Number Three turned his small face toward the caretaker, seeking rescue.
However, the caretaker didn’t intervene this time. Instead, Number Three recalled what the caretaker had told him in the activity room.
If you don’t like something… you have to refuse it.
But then again, he didn’t particularly dislike it either.
Fortunately, at that moment, the little wolf cub finally released him and asked, “Number Three, do you like this name?”
Do I like this name?
The little boy tilted his head slightly. He couldn’t see how the two characters were written, only hear how they sounded. Yet, recalling the sensation he’d felt while outlining his “true name” earlier, he realized how perfectly the name fit.
To travel to the distant stars…
The stars—what did they look like? He knew the stars were in the sky, far, far away, so far that his mental power couldn’t reach them.
But he wanted to know. He wanted to see what the stars looked like…
It was just like the first time he had “seen” a vibrant, colorful world through the sound of the flute. For the second time, a longing for the outside world grew in the boy’s heart.
Perhaps, once he learned to play the flute, he would be able to “see” what the stars looked like?
He nodded and said softly, “Mm, I like it.”
The name that the caretaker had given him—he liked it.
His voice was soft and delicate, so faint that it could only be heard if the room was perfectly quiet and one listened carefully. But Lang Ze, who had been waiting eagerly, heard it clearly.
“Yay! Now we all have new names!”
The little wolf cub was bursting with pride, thrilled that his friend had also gotten such a nice name. When Su Ci handed over two sheets of paper, Lang Ze quickly took them on behalf of the little boy.
“X?ng X?ng, keep this safe, okay? It has your name on it and the picture you just drew. Youyou and I both have ours!”
He grabbed the boy’s small hand and carefully placed the two sheets of paper into his palm, making sure he held them properly.
“X?ng X?ng?” The little boy looked puzzled. “Isn’t it Zh?ng X?ng?”
“That’s right!” Lang Ze said enthusiastically, reaching out to ruffle his hair. “That’s your nickname. Lu Jiao’s nickname is Youyou, too—it’s a name that’s easier for people to call.”
Eagerly, Lang Ze continued explaining, “Youyou’s real name is Lu Jiao, not ‘Lu Jiao-jiao’ like antlers, but the ji?o as in short legs!”
Quietly listening to all of this, the little white deer’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“That’s not right!” he said anxiously, correcting Lang Ze. “The poem goes—‘White as snow on the mountain, bright as the moon among the clouds!’”
His clear, gentle voice repeated the poetic lines once again.
Then, turning to formally introduce himself to the little boy, he said, “X?ng X?ng, my real name is Lu Jiao—the Lù for silver sika deer, and Ji?o as in ‘bright as the moon among the clouds’. Ji?o means pure and bright.”
Listening to his explanation, little Zh?ng X?ng paused slightly.
Pure and bright…
Suddenly, that fleeting glimpse of the world he had “seen” through sound flashed in his mind again. He knew that what floated above the shepherd boy’s head was the sky, and the things drifting across the sky were clouds.
Then…
What does the moon look like?
So, is Number Seven the pure and bright moon?
Little Zh?ng X?ng sat in a daze, lost in thought for a while before coming back to his senses.
He could feel that Number Seven was looking at him.
The aura around Number Seven was changing too, becoming even calmer and gentler, making him feel inexplicably comfortable.
Thinking about the half potato chip Number Seven had given him earlier and recalling Lang Ze’s friendliness, little Zh?ng X?ng fidgeted with his fingers and whispered softly, “I am… Zh?ng X?ng.”
After speaking, he fell silent again, retreating into his own little world.
But even with just these four words, Lu Jiao was overjoyed.
Does this mean Zh?ng X?ng has accepted me? he wondered. Does this mean I can stay and play the flute with them? He looked happily toward the caretaker, hoping for confirmation.
However, before Su Ci could say anything, Lang Ze had already started making plans.
“Number Three has a new name now, so let’s play the flute together!”
The boy continued excitedly, “The bamboo flute can be for X?ng X?ng to play. I’ll use the one from the activity room to teach Youyou… Oh, wait! Since it’s Youyou’s first lesson, Su Su, can you play the flute for us again?”
Little Zh?ng X?ng, who had just been wondering why he was suddenly called “Little Star,” immediately forgot his confusion upon hearing this.
That’s right! He thought to himself. On my first lesson, the caretaker played the flute for us! So, for Youyou’s first lesson, there must also be flute music to hear!
At this point, all of little Zh?ng X?ng’s resistance to Lu Jiao staying in his room vanished completely. As long as he could hear the caretaker’s flute again, he didn’t care how long Lu Jiao stayed!
Su Ci looked at little Zh?ng X?ng, whose spirits had noticeably lifted, and then at Lang Ze, who had casually managed to secure a benefit for himself and his friends. He couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
Is this little wolf cub really as foolish as he seems?
Only Lu Jiao looked slightly confused. Is the caretaker’s flute music really that special? he wondered. Why does even Zh?ng X?ng look so excited about it?
Haha seems cunning like a fox