Jun Ye took the pigeon soup from Xiao Xiu and had a sip, surprised by the taste. It wasn’t just similar in appearance; it tasted exactly like the soup from the previous world.
He drank the soup in silence, reflecting on the memories it stirred. In his previous world, he preferred the dishes made by Fei Xiu over those prepared by a mechanical chef. Fei Xiu always tailored the seasoning and ingredients to his taste, which was refined through years of mutual understanding.
Here, though, it would be possible to program a mechanical chef to replicate such flavors, but Jun Ye wasn’t willing to input each recipe detail. Besides, he was a culinary disaster himself, and he feared ruining the chef’s programming with his haphazard memory of ingredients and proportions.
After finishing the bowl of soup, Jun Ye felt a wave of nostalgia for the food Fei Xiu used to make. He considered hiring Xiao Xiu as his chef after their separation.
If Xiao Xiu could make pigeon soup, other dishes from his memories might not be far off.
“Chirp,” Xiao Xiu squatted in front of the lounge chair, looking up at Jun Ye with anticipation, though Jun Ye hadn’t let him feed him.
Xiao Xiu asked, “Do you like it, Big Fish?”
Jun Ye straightened up from the lounge chair, placed the empty bowl on a nearby table, and said to Xiao Xiu, “I’m thinking of hiring you as my chef. In exchange, you can ask for something you want.”
This world lacked a currency system, but Jun Ye felt that nothing was beyond his means, thanks to the system’s shop.
He could even afford to pay with ten thousand pounds of fish a month.
A male sea eagle who couldn’t catch fish might not find a mate, but with such a supply of fish, even if Xiao Xiu’s appearance made him less attractive to females, the food might make up for it.
However, Jun Ye realized he might struggle to accept “fish” as compensation, or any other similar food.
Damn, why was he even considering having Xiao Xiu as his chef after their breakup? Wasn’t the point to move on and distance himself?
Perhaps the pigeon soup had clouded his judgment.
If Xiao Xiu used the reward to pursue a female, the more the food resembled what he remembered, the more Jun Ye would want to lash out.
Jun Ye regretted offering to hire Xiao Xiu as his chef but was at a loss for words as he saw Xiao Xiu’s hopeful eyes.
Let’s see what Xiao Xiu wants.
“Chirp… Chirp, I want…” fish soup…
Xiao Xiu hesitated, clearly trying to ask for something challenging.
Jun Ye narrowed his eyes, his fingers brushing against Xiao Xiu’s head. Originally, there had been two tufts of down feathers at this spot. Eagle aesthetics valued these feathers, but they were now gone.
Xiao Xiu felt the cold on his bare head and instinctively shrank his neck, swallowing his words.
Such a timid and useless fool.
Jun Ye thought that if he didn’t have such high expectations for his partner and didn’t care whether Xiao Xiu was thinking about coupling with a female while being with him, they might not have reached this point of separation.
He had the power to force Xiao Xiu to stay with him. Xiao Xiu couldn’t match his strength, and Jun Ye could ensure that Xiao Xiu never approached or saw a female bird.
He could make Xiao Xiu unable to escape, be with him whenever he wanted, and make Jun Ye the only person in Xiao Xiu’s life…
Jun Ye retracted his hand, abandoning the idea of pressuring Xiao Xiu.
Such extreme measures weren’t his style.
He remembered the exquisite birdcage he had seen when buying the “nest.” Using such a fine prison to confine a fool like Xiao Xiu seemed beneath him.
“I want…” Xiao Xiu blinked, carefully observing Jun Ye’s expression.
Jun Ye’s expression was unreadable… Ever since their intimate encounter, he had maintained a serene, beautiful face.
Xiao Xiu’s gaze shifted to Jun Ye’s tail. Regardless of being a male, since Jun Ye said he didn’t want him to have offspring with a female, Xiao Xiu didn’t have any favorite females. He had always liked Jun Ye, even though Jun Ye had turned into a male…
“Chirp… I want to drink Big Fish’s fish soup every day.”
Xiao Xiu carefully reached out to hold Jun Ye’s tail.
Jun Ye: “…”
The moment his tail was touched, Jun Ye tensed up and couldn’t help but swat it.
—To hell with the fish soup! Was that what it really was?!
Jun Ye fought to control himself, merely pushing Xiao Xiu onto the floor. Xiao Xiu couldn’t tell if Jun Ye was playing or angry.
“Chirp…” Xiao Xiu lay on the floor, confused, looking up at Jun Ye.
Jun Ye glanced at Xiao Xiu’s exposed body on the floor, then tossed a blanket over him.
Xiao Xiu poked his head out from under the blanket. “Big Fish?”
“You said you wanted to mate with a female bird. You said you wouldn’t…” Jun Ye remained upright on the lounge chair, his gaze downcast, as if looking at Xiao Xiu on the floor or perhaps looking at nothing at all.
“Chirp…” The sound of Big Fish’s voice was always comforting, but this time, Xiao Xiu felt a sharp pang of pain, as if all his body hurt but he couldn’t find the source of it.
“Forget it…” Jun Ye, growing more irritated, averted his gaze to the door leading to the eagle tribe outside.
The weather was perfect: sunny, calm, and ideal for eagles to build their nests. On the forest canopy, a flock of gray-white eagles fluttered about, all newly matured males. They needed to build nests to court mates.
After a long pause, Jun Ye spoke, “You don’t need to be my chef anymore. Go build your nest.”
Build a nest and move out from here.
It was a way of saying… we’re done.
Jun Ye sent Xiao Xiu to build his nest and instructed the housekeeping robot to tidy the guest bedroom. He then turned back to his own bedroom.
He had shared this room with Xiao Xiu for many years. When they had first decorated it, Jun Ye had transformed it into a “bird’s nest” for Xiao Xiu. It featured a round wooden bed with a white feather duvet and a skylight in the ceiling, so they could lie together and gaze at the stars.
Xiao Xiu wouldn’t be able to finish building the nest today, so he’d still have to stay here.
Since they had decided to part ways, they needed to start living separately. Jun Ye planned to prepare a guest room for Xiao Xiu to move into, or he would move out himself.
Jun Ye looked around the bedroom, noting the cat toys hanging on the wall and the feathers scattered on the carpet. There wasn’t a single item that was distinctly his.
It seemed he was the one who should move out.
Thud—Thud—
A sound of something falling outside startled him. The only creature bold enough to make such a ruckus on his property was the fool trying to build a nest.
Jun Ye moved swiftly to the floor-to-ceiling window.
The house had only one level. As Jun Ye turned, he saw a pile of mismatched branches on the lawn.
He opened the window and slid into the yard, spotting a flat-headed eagle flapping its wings as it flew toward the nearby forest.
Jun Ye: “…”
Was that fool planning to build a nest in his backyard?
Jun Ye imagined what it would be like if he still lived in this room—every night, after bathing, lying on his bed while staring out the window at the fool glaring back at him.
No, he needed to move to the front guest room.
Also… who allowed that fool to build a nest in his backyard?!
Was he planning to attract a female eagle and lay eggs there?
Jun Ye saw the flat-headed eagle returning with more branches and immediately swatted the old branches off the lawn with his tail.
The backyard of the bedroom was just a small flat area a few meters wide before sloping down. With a sweep of his tail, the branches rolled down the slope.
“Chirp—Chirp—” Seeing his nest-building materials swept away by the merman’s tail, Xiao Xiu flapped his wings vigorously to speed up.
Xiao Xiu landed, dropped the branches he had collected, and hurried after the ones that had rolled down the slope.
After finally picking up one, he heard more branches rolling. Looking back, he saw the branches he had just brought were swept away by Jun Ye again.
“Chirp?”
Confused, Xiao Xiu looked at Jun Ye sitting on the grass with his tail stretched out, then scampered back to place the branches next to him.
Jun Ye unceremoniously flicked the branches away with his tail.
The branches flew off.
Xiao Xiu flapped his wings and chased after the falling branches, catching them before they hit the ground.
He turned and ran back, placing the branches in the previous spot, his eyes shining with excitement as he looked at Jun Ye’s tail.
Jun Ye: “…”
“Are you a dog?” I even bought so many cat toys for you.
“I’m Xiao Xiu Chirp—”
Xiao Xiu lowered his head and nudged the branches towards Jun Ye’s tail.
“…” Jun Ye lifted his tail and smacked the branches into pieces.
“Chirp!”
Xiao Xiu let out a sharp cry, ran off to get another branch, and returned.
Jun Ye: “… Are you playing me?”
“The Big Fish’s tail is so much fun to play with, Chirp,” Xiao Xiu excitedly pushed the branch towards Jun Ye’s tail.
“…” Jun Ye asked, “How old are you?”
“A Chirping eagle who can fly is an adult eagle.”
In this world, beastmen were classified by age as juveniles or adults.
Jun Ye, expressionless, said, “Adult eagles are building nests.”
Xiao Xiu squatted next to Jun Ye’s tail, looking stubbornly unmoveable. “They’re not building nests seriously Chirp. I saw many newly adult eagles playing with white birds. I want to play with the Big Fish’s tail…”
Hearing this, Jun Ye crushed the branch by his tail and looked at Xiao Xiu, smirking, “How do you want to play?”
Xiao Xiu stood up eagerly, “Chirp, I want to fetch branches for the Big Fish!”
He dashed off like the wind.
Jun Ye: “…”
“Damn it!” Jun Ye stood up in frustration, realizing for the first time that Xiao Xiu was truly a fool.
“Chirp?” When Xiao Xiu returned with a branch, Jun Ye had already entered the bedroom.
The narrow gap of the open window made Xiao Xiu hesitant to enter, so he poked his head in and asked, “Aren’t we playing anymore, Big Fish?”
Jun Ye, facing away, said, “Go build your nest. Build it wherever you want.”
“Chirp…”
Xiao Xiu, feeling a bit dejected, went to retrieve the branches that had rolled down the slope.
Jun Ye did not leave but sat back in his chair, observing the comical efforts of Xiao Xiu as he busily constructed his nest outside.
Xiao Xiu was using branches and grass stems to make a rudimentary nest base. Then he ran to the artificial beach to collect some shells to place on the nest, and next, he raided the flowerbed for some freshly ripened strawberries…
By sunset, the “nest” had turned into a haphazard mess.
Jun Ye, watching Xiao Xiu diligently adjust the nest’s arrangement with a serious expression, realized that Xiao Xiu wouldn’t be moving out anytime soon.
Click—
The vintage alarm clock by the bed ticked to six o’clock, the time when the mechanical chef would serve dinner.
Xiao Xiu, with his keen ears, knew it was time for dinner and hurried to the floor-to-ceiling window, peeking in at Jun Ye. “Big Fish, come see if you like the nest I built.”
“…” Jun Ye: “Are you serious?”
“Chirp!” Xiao Xiu nodded eagerly, eyes filled with both nervousness and anticipation.
Jun Ye stood up, ready to ignore the foolishness and leave.
Seeing Jun Ye turn, Xiao Xiu hurried into the room, “Chirp! I, I didn’t catch a fish you like today. I’ll try harder in the future. Please, just look…”
Click—Crash—
Xiao Xiu dashed to Jun Ye, causing the small sliding door behind him to fall with a loud thud.
Jun Ye’s pupils contracted.
“Chirp!”
Instinctively, Xiao Xiu spread his wings and hugged Jun Ye. Jun Ye embraced Xiao Xiu, using his strength to reposition them.
They clung together for a while, with Jun Ye eventually lifting his head to see the overhead space covered completely by Xiao Xiu’s wings. He patted Xiao Xiu’s back, signaling him to let go.
“Chirp…” Xiao Xiu opened his eyes to see shards of glass scattered not far from him. His legs went weak, almost unable to support him.
The Big Fish was in front of him, and those transparent shards almost fell on the Big Fish’s tail…
Jun Ye lowered the wings from his head and wrapped his arms around the softened eagle. “It’s okay now.”
“It’s okay…” Jun Ye repeated, burying his face in the thick feathers of Xiao Xiu’s neck.
That evening, Jun Ye and Xiao Xiu, who clung to him without a moment’s respite, moved into the suite Jun Ye had made the robot clean earlier.
Jun Ye bathed Xiao Xiu in the pool. Xiao Xiu was more comfortable in his original form and only changed to human form when necessary or when Jun Ye insisted. Since Jun Ye didn’t want to force him, even though bathing in human form was more convenient, he complied and spent over an hour in the bathroom.
After drying Xiao Xiu’s feathers, Jun Ye took him to bed. When Jun Ye turned off the lights, the moon had already climbed to the top of the window frame.
The room lacked a skylight or floor-to-ceiling windows, only a small window allowing some external light. The moonlight provided just enough visibility while obscuring details.
Jun Ye did not lie down but leaned against the headboard, lost in thought. Xiao Xiu lay on Jun Ye’s tail, silent and still, covering the fish’s tail with his warm feathers.
Jun Ye thought about the messy nest from earlier that day, and remembered that the only fish Xiao Xiu had caught was one he had choked on. He also recalled how Xiao Xiu’s first instinct when the sliding door fell was to spread his wings to protect him.
How could an eagle that couldn’t build a proper nest, couldn’t catch fish, and had uncertain future with its plumage, survive?
Jun Ye closed his eyes and, upon reopening them, looked solemnly at Xiao Xiu’s head resting on his stomach. “I’m giving you a chance to choose.”
“Chirp?” Xiao Xiu lifted his head from Jun Ye’s abdomen.
“First, you can start learning how to build a nest and catch prey properly from the tribe tomorrow. You must learn to catch flying birds and beasts if you can’t go underwater. After you’ve learned, move out from here. After that, whatever you want to do, I won’t interfere.”
“Chirp?!”
Xiao Xiu hurriedly wrapped his wings around Jun Ye. “I shouldn’t have ruined the Big Fish’s nest. I’ll fix it right away. Please don’t drive me away…”
Jun Ye placed his hand on Xiao Xiu’s head, pushing him back onto his stomach. “Second, you can stay here, but you must not like female birds or form a pair with them. Our relationship won’t change much… I might be with you, or I might not.”
Xiao Xiu rubbed his head against Jun Ye’s palm and, after Jun Ye finished speaking, softly said, “I don’t like female birds. I only like the Big Fish…”
Jun Ye remained silent for a moment before asking, “Have you decided?”
“Chirp!” Xiao Xiu nodded and then asked, “What does it mean for the Big Fish to be with me or not?”
Jun Ye replied, “… It means love.”
“Chirp?” Xiao Xiu was confused. He knew the word “love” meant very fond of something, but what did it involve?
Jun Ye held Xiao Xiu’s head to face him directly. “It means mating, entanglement, entering and being entered… It’s something between two individuals. I will respect you, and you can’t force me.”
Xiao Xiu thought for a moment and then cautiously asked, “And… drinking fish soup?”
“… Yes.”
“What if the Big Fish wants to be with me? When will we be together?” Xiao Xiu nuzzled his face against Jun Ye’s hand, practically begging with his expression.
“… You’ll have to wait until you learn how to love me, and when I happen to feel like expressing my love for you,” Jun Ye said, feeling a bit embarrassed, and pressed Xiao Xiu’s head back into his embrace to stop him from staring.
In the mood, and with the presence of a seemingly clueless eagle, Jun Ye couldn’t help but get a little poetic.
He felt awkward recalling what he had just said and wished he could erase it and start over.
Of course, the eagle wasn’t cooperating.
Xiao Xiu turned his head in Jun Ye’s hand, eyes sparkling, and said, “Big Fish, tell me how to love you. I’ll definitely try hard to learn.”
“… Just go to sleep, you birdbrain.”
Jun Ye lay back, pressing Xiao Xiu’s head into his chest, and covered them with the blanket.
Xiao Xiu couldn’t sleep and kept fidgeting under the blanket.
Then he noticed that Jun Ye seemed to have returned to his pre-breakup self, no longer moody and very tolerant of him.
Unable to resist, Xiao Xiu asked softly, “Big Fish, how much do you love me right now?”
“… Enough to let you poke my chest a few times.”
Xiao Xiu quickly adjusted his beak to avoid accidentally poking Jun Ye, fearing that his love would decrease if he did.
Still feeling uneasy, Xiao Xiu transformed back into his human form and nestled back into Jun Ye’s embrace.
That way, he couldn’t accidentally poke him.
“…” Jun Ye: “Birdbrain.”
“Chirp?!” He was an eagle!
Well, without his crown now…
It was troubling. He needed the Big Fish to express his love for him properly, and he also needed a liter of fish soup.
A liter of fish “soup”… do you want to milk him dry or what?
So it’s the end of this arc… Not a big fan overall, especially of how it played out near the end, ngl :/
Anyways, there’s only 16 chapters left before it ends :’))
Thanks for reading!
