Chapter 98
Su Ci frowned slightly as he looked at the bundle of spider silk in his hand, now nearly half its original size. With a wave of his hand, the work manual embedded in the wall flew into his grasp.
After examining it for a moment, he controlled the book to float in midair.
The entire work manual shook violently in the air, as though someone were grabbing and flinging it around. Its pages flipped rapidly, emitting a loud whap-whap-whap sound.
Finally, a piece of spider silk, about ten centimeters long and not yet fully absorbed or digested, tumbled out and landed gently on the floor.
Su Ci picked up the spider silk, rubbing it lightly between his fingers. Then he raised his eyes to fix his gaze on the manual.
The nascent book spirit, thoroughly shaken and dizzy, felt utterly miserable. Yet, it remained silent, refusing to reveal any signs of life and continuing its act of playing dead.
Seeing how timid it was, Su Ci couldn’t help but laugh.
“Brave enough to steal, but too scared to admit it?”
Hearing his chuckle, the book spirit was practically fuming with rage. But… it was indeed too scared to respond.
It didn’t even think it had done anything wrong. After all, that spider silk had been lying on the ground, essentially ownerless. What was wrong with taking a little for itself?
It didn’t eat it all!
It had left him a big bundle!
Although the book spirit felt indignant, it had suffered too many losses in confrontations with Su Ci. For the sake of its survival, it chose to keep quiet once again.
Seeing its pitiful state, Su Ci decided not to press further.
He could sense that the aura emanating from the work manual had become noticeably purer than before.
This was likely because the spider silk it had absorbed yesterday had already been purified. Not only was it free of pollutants, but it also carried spiritual energy—
That was probably why the protective barrier he had set up hadn’t blocked the spider silk this time, allowing the book spirit to claim it.
Su Ci studied the manual thoughtfully.
A book spirit was essentially a type of artifact spirit.
Although this particular book spirit wielded the power of rules, making it rather unique, it still fell within the broader category of artifact spirits.
Its existence was partly due to its absorption of spider silk, making the giant spider’s silk excellent material for its advancement.
The book spirit could absorb the spider silk, convert it into its own energy, and grow—perhaps even evolve—benefiting the development of its spiritual form.
In truth, Su Ci didn’t harbor any ill will toward the nascent book spirit. As long as it didn’t turn into a malevolent spirit, everything else was negotiable.
The giant spider’s silk, while useful to him, wasn’t irreplaceable. If necessary, he could give it all to the book spirit. After all, this was a book that had birthed a spirit capable of wielding the power of rules.
Rubbing his chin in thought, Su Ci quickly made up his mind. With the manual in hand, he left the bedroom and headed outside.
A-Yan had already set breakfast on the table.
The enticing aroma of food immediately stirred Su Ci’s appetite, and he realized just how hungry he was.
He casually placed the work manual on the table, picked up a piece of roast meat, and popped it into his mouth before heading unhurriedly to the bathroom to freshen up.
A-Yan watched Su Ci’s retreating figure, then turned his curious gaze toward the work manual.
Why had Su Su brought the manual out? In fact, A-Yan had already sensed something unusual about the book when he woke up this morning…
The nascent book spirit: “…”
Initially, being carried out of the bedroom and casually placed on the table filled the nascent book spirit with excitement—was this it? Was it finally gaining its freedom? Could it finally escape this terrifying caretaker?!
If asked what its biggest regret was in its short life as a spirit, it would undoubtedly say:
Why, on the morning it first gained self-awareness, didn’t it just hide somewhere quietly instead of foolishly showing itself and trying to meddle with that terrifying caretaker?!
Why did it have to provoke him?!
So, when it realized it had been removed from the bedroom and that the caretaker had walked away after setting it down, one can imagine how ecstatic the book spirit was.
However, the moment it noticed A-Yan’s gaze, its trembling, almost uncontrollable body froze instantly.
It would never forget—this seemingly harmless child before it had once used his tiny hand to give it just one pat, and that single touch had—
Sucked away all its power!
It was outrageous!
If it hadn’t mustered every ounce of resistance and managed to snatch back a quarter of its rule-based power while the child was distracted, its consciousness might have dissipated entirely by now!
Its current weakened state was primarily because of this seemingly innocent child!
And this child was the one who led the charge in tidying up the caretaker’s room and caring for the caretaker’s daily needs. Now, he’d gone even further, corrupting the other young ones in the nursery to cook meals for the caretaker!
This despicable, rule-breaking child!
As a spirit born from the Caretaker’s Manual, the book spirit derived its authority and understanding of rules entirely from the manual’s provisions. And naturally, the manual’s rules were overwhelmingly focused on restraining breeders and protecting the rights of the young ones.
Thus, the book spirit felt a combination of anger, helplessness, and bitter disappointment toward A-Yan. It wanted to scold him for not living up to expectations, but it didn’t dare to voice its frustration aloud.
Yet no matter how furious it was, being stared at by this child sent shivers down its spine, as if a ravenous wolf had locked its gaze on it. After all, this child could absorb rule-based power!
Terrified, the book spirit decided to temporarily suppress its escape plan. If it tried to flee and got caught by this child again, like last time, it might not survive another encounter…
The instinct for self-preservation forced the book spirit to stay obediently in place, no matter how aggrieved and miserable it felt, until Su Ci returned from freshening up and began eating.
As for Su Ci, he thoroughly enjoyed his breakfast.
Although the texture of the spider meat wasn’t as good as when it was fresh due to being frozen, it was still vastly superior to canned, months-old preserved meats.
And with the large portions that left him feeling full and satisfied, Su Ci now ate enough each meal to feel eight or nine tenths full. The ample nourishment meant he no longer felt as fatigued as before. His energy levels had improved, and so had his mood.
He focused on eating, paying no mind to the terrified book spirit.
What surprised A-Yan was that, despite Lang Ze and Rong Heng’s meat-slicing skills being quite good, Su Su could still accurately identify which slices were cut by him and which ones were done by the cubs.
On the one hand, A-Yan felt the cubs needed more practice. On the other, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride and satisfaction.
Today, he experienced once again how helpful it was to have assistance, so he planned to continue involving the young ones in ingredient preparation in the future.
“Youyou and Little Li Hua have a natural talent for seasoning,” A-Yan told Su Ci, sharing his observations. He thought these two could be nurtured in that direction. As for Zheng Xing, with his ability to control machinery, he could assist with operating the food processor.
That way, everyone could contribute in their own way.
As for Numbers Two and Six, who were still in a special state, it would take time to see how they could help.
Su Ci listened to A-Yan’s plans for the young ones and nodded in approval, pleased with his ability to “recognize talents and make the best use of them.”
The book spirit, however, was extremely dissatisfied.
How could they let the young ones work? That was a serious violation of the rules! You rule-breaking scoundrels!
And then…
Su Ci extended his hand and placed it on the cover of the work manual.
The book spirit, which had been eavesdropping on their conversation and silently ranting, couldn’t suppress a tremor when the young man’s hand touched it.
What… what was he going to do?
It watched helplessly as Su Ci pushed it across the dining table, right in front of the child it found utterly terrifying.
“This book is yours to play with,” Su Ci said.
A-Yan blinked, staring at the work manual in front of him with a slightly bewildered expression.
“This book’s spirit, though still just a budding form, hasn’t yet developed full awareness or spiritual clarity and can’t manifest a physical form,” Su Ci explained. “Still, it’s a rule-based spirit.”
He continued, “You can take it and figure out how to control it.”
A-Yan was still weak and limited in his ability to protect himself. Since he needed time to grow, the quickest way to enhance his strength in the short term was by relying on external tools.
After absorbing the purified spider silk, the book spirit’s aura had become much purer. Additionally, A-Yan had grown significantly, so the spirit’s influence on his mind was no longer as overwhelming as before.
For these reasons, Su Ci decided to give the work manual to A-Yan. It was both a reward and a test.
Whether A-Yan could control and harness the book’s power would depend on his own abilities. Based on A-Yan’s demonstrated aptitude, Su Ci had confidence in him.
After all, the spirit’s physical form was just an ordinary work manual—not some formidable magical artifact—and the spirit itself was still a fledgling, not yet a true lifeform.
It was a perfect tool for A-Yan to train with.
Of course…
Su Ci shrugged and added, “If you can’t manage to control it, it can still serve as a spiritual artifact that provides you with rule-based energy when needed. No pressure.”
The nascent book spirit: …?
After a brief moment of silence, the entire work manual suddenly flew into the air, hovering mid-flight and radiating waves of intense anger.
Unbelievable! Simply outrageous!
Its rule-based power had been painstakingly acquired by secretly consuming spider silk. Why should it be handed over to this child? Why should it serve as some “spiritual artifact” to replenish rule-based energy for a kid?
A book can endure much—but not this!
Already hot-tempered by nature, the nascent book spirit could no longer hold back its fury.
However…
Su Ci raised his eyes and cast it a calm, indifferent glance.
The work manual, which had been furiously flipping its pages, froze instantly.
The previously noisy sound of pages turning filled the room, only to suddenly stop. The atmosphere grew heavy and suffocating.
“Snap!”
Finally, unable to bear the pressure, the book spirit slammed itself shut and plummeted straight back onto the table.
Even as it landed, it dared not make a loud sound, let alone express any further dissent.
Only then did Su Ci slowly retract his gaze.
He understood, of course, that truly subduing the book spirit required more than intimidation. A balanced mix of a stick and a carrot would be far more effective.
So, Su Ci placed the remaining spider silk on the table. With a snap of his fingers, the long strands of silk were evenly divided into smaller segments, each about ten centimeters long.
Sensing the spider silk, the previously deflated book spirit perked up visibly.
Su Ci picked up a piece of spider silk and casually tossed it above the work manual.
The book spirit hesitated. Could this be a trap? Was this caretaker… baiting it to break the rules?
But in the end, it couldn’t resist. After all—
Fortune favors the bold; starvation is the fate of the timid. It was worth the risk!
The closed book cracked open again, swiftly rose to snatch the spider silk, and then returned to its original spot as if nothing had happened.
At first, the book spirit remained cautious, not daring to do anything with the silk it had caught. But as time passed and it realized Su Ci wasn’t paying attention to it, it finally began absorbing the spider silk, converting it into energy.
The entire work manual emitted a faint glow, with the red hue in the light noticeably diminished compared to before.
Su Ci handed the remaining spider silk to A-Yan.
“You saw what happened just now. Absorbing the spider silk benefits this book. How you use it from here on is up to you.”
A-Yan nodded. With Su Ci’s earlier intimidation and the allure of the spider silk, he figured the book spirit would behave itself for a while.
Still, while A-Yan was happy to receive the gift, there was just one thing…
“It can’t go into the spatial button,” A-Yan said, holding the work manual with a slightly troubled expression.
While he had grown much stronger from daily cooking and training, and the book wasn’t particularly heavy for him, its size was undeniably inconvenient.
Carrying such a large book around everywhere was anything but practical…
“Because it has consciousness, it’s not considered a non-living object, so it can’t be stored in a spatial button,” Su Ci explained. If there were a storage pouch for spirit-infused items, this restriction wouldn’t apply.
Unfortunately, given the scarcity of resources, finding suitable materials to craft one was nearly impossible.
After a moment of thought, Su Ci touched the book’s cover. The thick, heavy work manual began to shrink, eventually becoming small enough to fit comfortably in one hand.
The nascent book spirit, still absorbed in consuming spider silk, seemed completely unaware of its own shrinking.
“This spell allows objects to change size at will,” Su Ci explained. “It’s a very practical technique, and it works on both living and non-living things.”
A-Yan’s eyes sparkled as he held the now-miniature work manual. He looked up at Su Ci and asked through his communicator, “Can I learn it?”
Su Ci nodded. “Of course. I’ll teach you later.”
“Okay!” A-Yan beamed with excitement at the affirmative answer. He then pulled out a string, tied it to the shrunken work manual, and hung it around his chest.
The book spirit, now behaving like an ordinary work manual, dangled obediently on A-Yan, almost like an accessory. Surprisingly, it looked quite stylish.
Just as Su Ci was about to say something more, he paused.
Turning his head toward the door, he extended his control, and the tightly closed metal door slid open on its own.
Standing outside in the hallway was a small monkey, lingering near Room 303’s entrance. Startled by the sudden opening of the door, it froze.
“Come in,” Su Ci called from inside the room.
Snapping out of its daze, the little monkey quickly hopped through the doorway before the metal door could close again.
As soon as Number Six entered, its eyes fell on the crimson flame tiger sprawled peacefully on the floor in the living room, sound asleep. The monkey hesitated for a moment before looking up at the caretaker seated at the dining table.
The caretaker was watching it too, his gaze calm yet assessing.
The little monkey crouched in place until the caretaker beckoned it over. Then it scampered forward and, at Su Ci’s gesture, jumped onto the table.
Sitting in a corner of the table, it looked at the empty plates and inhaled the lingering aroma of roasted meat. Even though it preferred fruits and vegetables, the enticing smell made it swallow involuntarily.
“Do you want to eat?” Su Ci asked, generously offering the leftover slices of meat on the plate, having already eaten his fill.
The little monkey, however, shook its head.
Instead, it looked at Su Ci with its big, round eyes, filled with determination and urgency.
Seeing its expression, Su Ci’s lips curved into a faint smile. “It seems you’ve made up your mind.”
The little monkey nodded. Unable to speak, it pointed to the Crimson Flame Tiger sleeping on the floor.
Su Ci understood that the little monkey wasn’t referring to Number Two, but rather to himself, still lying in Room 302.
“You’ve decided to return to your body now, haven’t you?” Su Ci asked for confirmation.
The little monkey nodded and let out an anxious chirp.
After spending the entire night near his body, relying on the faint connection he could still feel, Number Six realized the caretaker hadn’t lied to him. The part of himself currently inhabiting his body was indeed in terrible condition.
At one point during the night, that version of himself had woken up.
What Number Six saw shocked him—his body thrashing about in a frenzied, chaotic state, torn by madness and contradiction. Startled and frightened, Number Six had no choice but to intervene and knock his body unconscious again.
He remained by his body’s side, desperately trying to find a way back in but quickly realized he couldn’t do it on his own.
By then, it was already late at night. Knowing the caretaker was likely asleep, he didn’t dare create too much commotion and could only wait anxiously.
Finally, morning came. Once he figured Su Ci should be awake, he cautiously made his way to the caretaker’s room.
Now, Number Six knew fear.
He wanted to go back, to return to his body and save that other version of himself.
Even though that part of him was clumsy and they had never truly communicated—and that version might not even know he existed—after so many years together, Number Six had come to see it as a kind of brother.
It was a strange feeling. Though they were ultimately one and the same, Number Six couldn’t help but feel this way.
He couldn’t stand by and watch that version of himself die. Even if not for his own sake, even if not for the possibility of achieving more in the future, he would make this choice for the bond he felt.
Su Ci could sense the little monkey’s urgency but felt it necessary to explain some things upfront.
“Your current situation is very serious,” he said. “Your soul has already grown solid. Returning to your body will involve significant pain. You need to be prepared for that.”
The little monkey nodded, his face showing no hesitation.
This was a mess of his own making… enduring pain was something he felt he deserved.
Once the little monkey displayed his unwavering resolve, Su Ci led him and A-Yan to bring Number Six’s body back to his room.
The blond boy lay on the bed, his eyes closed, his face flushed, and beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
Number Six’s body was enduring yet another agonizing surge of bloodline power.
Su Ci extended his hand, gathering a small point of golden light at his fingertip and placing it on the boy’s forehead. As the light merged with his skin, the deep furrow in his brow visibly relaxed.
“Alright, let’s begin.”
Su Ci had temporarily suppressed the raging bloodline power within Number Six’s body. During this brief window, he needed to reunite the fragment of his soul with his physical form.
The little monkey jumped into Su Ci’s palm.
“This process will be very painful,” Su Ci reminded him again.
The little monkey nodded, his youthful face now showing a hint of steely determination—a quality he had learned from the base’s guards and powerful warriors.
Blinding light began to shine from Su Ci’s hand.
The little monkey crouched in Su Ci’s palm, engulfed by the soft golden light. Faintly visible through the glow, it clenched its eyes shut in pain.
“Screeech!!”
A harrowing cry escaped the monkey as it clutched its head, rolling frantically in Su Ci’s palm.
But Su Ci remained steadfast. The golden light restrained the monkey, preventing it from escaping no matter how much it struggled.
The young man’s expression grew increasingly stern and focused. His warm black eyes had turned icy pale gold as he watched the little monkey, channeling his soul energy to purge the lingering karmic entanglements from its soul.
With the flow of the golden light, wisps of faint, nearly invisible green smoke began to rise from the monkey’s soul and dissipate into the air.
These were the foreign elements that had caused Number Six’s soul fragment to solidify over time. Left unchecked, these substances would eventually transform into physical flesh and blood, creating a new body for the fragment.
This was why his physical body had rejected him and why the fragment of his soul could no longer return—it was no longer pure.
Not all of the substances were useless. Some were part of the golden-furred monkey’s innate abilities, allowing their secondary forms to absorb foreign elements and construct new bodies.
However, for the little monkey to return to his original body, these impurities had to be removed.
Su Ci’s current task was to purify Number Six’s human soul fragment and restore its purity.
The accompanying pain was unimaginable.
A-Yan watched from the side, his heart clenched with worry. Number Six was so small—could he endure such agony?
Under his watchful eyes, the little monkey’s cries gradually quieted.
It wasn’t because of weakness but because…
The little monkey was controlling itself.
Its body had shrunk considerably, now barely half the size of a palm. Under the continuous infusion of Su Ci’s soul energy, it slowly pushed itself up into a half-kneeling position.
Number Six kept facing his physical body. Each time he reached the limits of his endurance, he would force himself to open his eyes and look at his other self.
Memories from the past replayed in his mind like a lantern show.
He thought of many things and yet, simultaneously, nothing at all.
The excruciating pain of his soul being burned and torn apart shattered any coherent thoughts before they could fully form.
But no matter what, each moment gave him renewed courage and strength to keep going…
The process seemed endless. Finally, the soul fragment became faint and translucent once more. The tiny, radiant golden monkey hovered weightlessly in Su Ci’s palm.
The little monkey remained in its half-kneeling posture, unaware that Su Ci had stopped channeling soul energy. It was already completely unconscious.
The fact that it endured for so long was remarkable. Just as the sharpness of a sword comes from repeated honing, enduring such hardship would undoubtedly benefit Number Six’s future cultivation.
Su Ci exhaled slowly.
Purging the impurities from a remnant soul while simultaneously preserving it to the greatest extent was an incredibly delicate and dangerous task. Even for him, it wasn’t something he could accomplish with ease.
Fortunately, everything had gone smoothly.
Seeing that the process was complete, Su Ci extended his hand above Number Six’s forehead, turned his wrist, and pressed the now spirit-like monkey into the boy’s brow.
The soul fragment, now the size of a soybean, merged seamlessly into his skin upon contact, like ice melting into water.
This time, Number Six’s body no longer rejected the monkey because they were, after all, one and the same.
But the process wasn’t over yet.
Su Ci brought his fingers together and pressed them against the boy’s forehead, using his soul energy to guide the fragment deeper into the sea of consciousness to reunite it with the other half of his soul.
Number Six’s sea of consciousness was filled with blinding, violent light—just as Su Ci had warned, his condition was far from ideal.
When the monkey’s soul fragment entered the sea of consciousness, the suppressed soul within immediately moved closer. Taking the form of a blond boy, it embraced the little monkey tightly.
The two souls, separated for so long, began to merge. The process would take some time, as their prolonged separation had left gaps that needed to be repaired. When Number Six awoke again, he would finally be whole.
After carefully checking the boy’s condition, Su Ci withdrew his hand and stood up. Turning to A-Yan, he said, “Let’s go. He needs a good rest.”
Sleep was always the most effective and economical way to heal a soul.
A-Yan didn’t respond right away. He stared at the blond boy lying motionless on the bed and couldn’t help but ask, “Su Su, will we… ever see the little monkey again?”
Honestly, he had grown quite fond of the obedient and sensible little monkey. The thought of never seeing it again left him feeling a bit sad.
Sensing A-Yan’s low mood, Su Ci gently patted his head and said, “Number Six has the bloodline of the golden-furred monkey. Once he fully masters his bloodline powers, he’ll naturally be able to manifest a second form again.”
However…
Whether the little monkey that appeared in the future would be as well-behaved as before was another question entirely.
After all, Number Six and the little monkey… were essentially personality inversions of each other.
With the matters of the book spirit and the little monkey resolved, Su Ci took A-Yan to the back of the nursery building to check on the growth of the plants in the fields.
When they arrived, Lang Ze and the others were already there.
This patch of greenery had become their new activity spot. After helping out in the kitchen and being sent off by A-Yan, the children naturally returned here on their own.
4586 stood guard nearby, just as it had when watching over the activity room before, though the atmosphere was entirely different now.
At the moment, Lang Ze was intently practicing his flute playing.
Meanwhile, Lu Jiao and Zheng Xing were engaged in their own activities—one crouched on the grass, playing with the soil, while the other was leaning close to the lion siblings, listening as Rong Heng recited mantras.
Lu Jiao no longer feared the other young ones in the nursery. The spiritual nature of his white deer bloodline was gradually manifesting in him.
He displayed a thirst for knowledge far greater than the other children. While Rong Heng and Little Li Hua were reciting the heart mantra, the rhythmic, poetic cadence of the text captivated him.
As for the flute…
Though Lu Jiao had always been deeply attached to the instrument, his recent practice had made him realize that he might not have much talent for music.
At least, not compared to Lang Ze and Zheng Xing.
It would be a lie to say he wasn’t disappointed, but he wasn’t overly upset either. After all, as long as he practiced diligently, mastering one or two flute tunes shouldn’t be a problem.
For him, that would already be enough.
Now that he had greater freedom and broader horizons, Lu Jiao’s mindset had become much calmer. He hadn’t given up searching for the melodies in his memory, but he no longer felt the same urgency.
As for the caretaker’s extraordinary ability to use the flute to transport them into another world—Lu Jiao didn’t dare to dream of achieving that.
Earlier, while Rong Heng and his sister were reciting the mantra, Lu Jiao found himself distracted, unable to focus on his flute practice. His intermittent playing even earned a scolding from Lang Ze.
When it came to flute playing, Lang Ze was surprisingly strict.
In the end, Lu Jiao decided it was better to set aside the flute for now and focus on the mantra that truly interested him. He explained his reasoning, and Lang Ze agreed.
So, Lu Jiao settled a few steps away from the lion siblings, sitting quietly without disturbing them.
With his well-behaved demeanor, Rong Heng couldn’t bring himself to send him away.
He also didn’t want to return indoors. Compared to the confines of his room, this little green space felt much more comfortable. Since his sister enjoyed it too, he saw no reason to leave.
Thus, Lu Jiao was allowed to stay and listen.
After all, the caretaker hadn’t said the mantra couldn’t be heard by other young ones. Even though Little Li Hua could recite it flawlessly, she hadn’t mastered its essence.
With that thought, Rong Heng decided to stop worrying about Lu Jiao. He focused on memorizing the mantra while Little Li Hua patiently repeated it over and over to help him.
The small patch of greenery swayed gently under the breeze. Nourished by spiritual energy, the plants thrived. Amid this peaceful atmosphere, the children’s soft voices reciting the mantra could occasionally be heard, interspersed with the melodic sobbing of the bamboo flute in the background.
Su Ci watched the scene unfold before him, and a faint sense of delight rose in his heart.
Meanwhile, A-Yan was earnestly asking about the placement of the Star Chain Fruit Vine. Su Ci nodded and was just about to respond when Lang Ze noticed him.
The boy immediately put down his bamboo flute and came running over, chattering excitedly.
“Su Su, did you hear that?” Lang Ze exclaimed. “I just managed to play part of the tune!”
Though it was only a short segment, considering how recently he had started learning, this progress was already quite impressive.
“Hmm, not bad,” Su Ci replied.
Their commotion soon drew the attention of the other young ones. Rong Heng continued to observe quietly, but Little Li Hua darted over immediately.
She looked up at Su Ci, her voice soft and filled with a hint of grievance as she said, “Su Su, didn’t you say… yesterday afternoon you’d take me to see the little camel (Luo Shengfei)?”
She had waited all afternoon, but no one came.
Seeing the little girl’s puffed-up, upset expression, Su Ci suddenly remembered the second thing he had forgotten.
He had promised to take Little Li Hua to find Luo Shengfei, but…
“I only said ‘the afternoon,’ not which afternoon,” he replied with perfect composure, showing no sign of guilt.
Little Li Hua froze, momentarily speechless.
She opened her mouth, trying to argue, but when she thought about it, she realized… the caretaker was right! That was what he had said.
Her cheeks puffed out slightly in frustration as she muttered, “Then… then can it be this afternoon?”
4583 was still with the little camel. Even though she now knew Little Camel wouldn’t harm 4583, she couldn’t help but worry. She really wanted to see 4583!
Seeing the longing in the little girl’s eyes, Su Ci nodded. “Alright, this afternoon.”
“Yay!” Little Li Hua cheered, jumping in excitement.
Before leaving, she didn’t forget to add, “Thank you, Su Su!”
Lang Ze, overhearing everything, widened his eyes in surprise. What?! They were going out to play?
He couldn’t hold back and joined in immediately. “What about me? What about me? Can I come too?”
Going out to play!
Lang Ze had been dreaming of another trip outside!
Grabbing Su Ci’s sleeve, he turned on the charm, his voice soft and pleading. “Su Su, please take me too, okay? I promise I’ll be good and won’t run around!”
As Rong Heng approached with Lu Jiao, he caught sight of Lang Ze wagging his tail and acting adorably. The sight left him momentarily stunned.
Since returning, he had noticed some changes in Lang Ze, but this change…
Wasn’t it a bit too drastic?
What shocked him even more, though, was that the usually aloof Lu Jiao had joined in as well!
“Su Su, I’d like to go too…”
The silver-haired boy moved closer to Su Ci, speaking in a soft voice. While he appeared more reserved than Lang Ze, it was unmistakably… an attempt at acting cute!
Rong Heng was utterly speechless. Was everyone here learning how to act spoiled now?
Rong Heng doubted his own eyes for a moment. Hesitating, he turned to look at Zheng Xing. Surely that little one wouldn’t be…
Thankfully, Zheng Xing was still sitting quietly in the greenery, nestled beneath the three Star Chain Fruit Vines that were growing the best. His small figure was obscured by the lush leaves, seemingly uninterested in the commotion happening nearby.
In truth, Zheng Xing was aware of what was going on, but…
Going outside…
He shrank further under the leaves, trying his best to hide. He thought the nursery was perfectly fine and had no desire to leave.
However, in the end, that familiar scene played out once more—
Zheng Xing felt his arm being grabbed, and before he could react, he was forcibly dragged out of the shadows. The bright, cheerful voice that shattered his quiet, solitary world rang out again.
“Zheng Xing, Su Su promised to take us out to play this afternoon!” Lang Ze exclaimed enthusiastically, pulling him along.
“Come with us!”
