Chapter 18: Night Talk in the Forest
By evening, Chu Feng was sitting on a thick tree branch, gazing into the forest at night.
Ilya landed lightly beside him.
“Are you looking at the moon? Do you have one where you’re from?”
Chu Feng nodded.
“Yeah, but it’s not as pretty as here.”
The night sky in this world was stunning, with especially bright stars.
“What exactly is a birthday cake?” Ilya asked.
Gray had asked about the cake before, but he probably just wanted to eat it and didn’t care about the meaning behind it.
Chu Feng explained:
“It’s a cake you eat on your birthday.”
Then he explained what a birthday was.
Ilya nodded:
“I see. So, people where you’re from all eat cake on their birthdays?”
“Pretty much.”
Ilya said with a hint of envy:
“That sounds wonderful… That means you get to eat it every year.”
Chu Feng looked at Ilya’s dreamy expression and thought: He really does love cake, huh? Even when he’s being a foodie, he’s still so pleasant to look at… Beautiful people really are something else.
Suddenly, Chu Feng remembered the events before his first time crossing over.
Back then… something had happened…
“Do you guys celebrate birthdays?” he asked.
Ilya shook his head.
“I don’t. Maybe nobles do.”
He had been born in the winter, a season of scarcity—just surviving took all one’s strength. There was no room to celebrate birthdays.
As for Gray, his half-brother, their mother had left after entrusting him to Ilya. Ilya had never even asked when Gray’s birthday was.
Ilya tilted his head: “Is today your birthday?”
Chu Feng nodded. “Yeah.”
“Then… happy birthday.”
Chu Feng smiled. “Thanks.”
Ilya smiled back: “I should be the one thanking you. Because it’s your birthday, we got to eat such delicious food.”
Chu Feng looked at him and said: “If you like it, I’ll bring you more next time.”
“Even if it’s not your birthday?”
“Of course.”
“That’s too much trouble,” Ilya said, shaking his head.
Chu Feng smiled and changed the subject: “Tomorrow, are we heading to Crescent Village?”
Ilya nodded and said, “Yes.”
Crescent Village was a mixed settlement of half-elves and half-beastfolk. For safety reasons, it typically didn’t welcome outsiders—especially the cunning human race.
After some consideration, Ilya decided to bring Chu Feng along.
Chu Feng had too many good things. Clearly, he wouldn’t care for the simple goods of their village.
Chu Feng smiled and said, “I’m really looking forward to it!”
Ilya had mentioned that there were many half-elves and half-beastfolk in Crescent Village, and Chu Feng was genuinely curious.
“Will the villagers try to beat me up?”
Chu Feng had picked up some of their language from Gray and clearly sensed his dislike for humans.
Ilya looked at Chu Feng seriously and said, “As long as you don’t do anything out of line, no one will attack you.”
Chu Feng nodded.
“I see.”
“Get some rest—we’ll be on the road tomorrow.”
Chu Feng nodded again. “Got it.”
Ilya looked at Chu Feng with hesitation.
“What is it?” Chu Feng asked, confused.
Ilya shook his head.
“It’s nothing. It’s just… we have a long way to travel tomorrow.”
Chu Feng: “…”
Is he worried I won’t be able to keep up? But aren’t Duoduo and Gray coming too? Surely I won’t be worse off than those two little kids… probably.
