At dinnertime, Xiao Zhenyun decided to treat everyone. He took the tired gang to a highly-rated restaurant near the amusement park for a meal.
He had reserved a private room in the restaurant, which came with an independent tea room and garden, perfect for both indoor dining and outdoor barbecuing.
There isn’t a single kid who can resist barbecue, and Si Chu, even at thirty, was no exception.
The more ‘mature’ Xiao Zhenyun, however, was too lazy to join them. He gracefully took his seat and sipped the hot tea provided by the staff. Just then, he received a call from his workaholic uncle, Xiao Jingfeng, who was giving him weekend work instructions. As always, Xiao Zhenyun was the one being sent to the meeting.
Over the past two years, Xiao Zhenyun’s work pattern had gradually returned to its initial mode: constantly busy, working around the clock, and traveling across the globe. He reluctantly agreed, listening to his uncle’s concerned inquiries about his activities.
Xiao Zhenyun truthfully shared his day’s itinerary and politely asked if Xiao Jingfeng wanted to join.
He was merely being polite, but Xiao Jingfeng, oblivious to any polite refusal, immediately agreed to come over. He even suggested bringing Captain Duan Fei along. “Oh, and Duan Fei’s here too. Should I bring him? It’s settled then, make sure there are extra chopsticks.”
“…” Uncle, you’re really not holding back, are you?
After ending the call, Xiao Zhenyun took another sip of tea. “Is Duan Fei practically living at the Special Operatives Guild now? I see him four out of five workdays.”
“He’s the chief officer responsible for the liaison between the military and the special individuals unit,” Si Di responded. “Seeing him seven days a week wouldn’t be unusual.”
“I can’t think of anyone I’d want to see seven days a week,” Xiao Zhenyun replied indifferently. “Have you noticed that Xiao Li hasn’t been around since I tossed him into boarding school?”
“…”
Si Di remained silent for a moment, then suddenly turned his head, looking up at Xiao Zhenyun, his lips curling into a soft smile. “Yes, I know I’m special.”
Xiao Zhenyun’s gaze slid past Si Di’s stone-green eyes, over his straight back, and landed on his long wolf tail, which was swinging without restraint at the moment, showcasing its owner’s happiness.
He really loves him, Xiao Zhenyun mused. Despite being from a notoriously fierce and powerful race, a veritable fighting machine, he was so easily satisfied. Just a casual word from Xiao Zhenyun could make the sentinel happy for a long time.
He vaguely began to understand the so-called ‘contrast charm’ a bit better…
Twenty minutes later, Xiao Jingfeng and Duan Fei finally arrived.
Uncle came not just for a bite but to devour. He headed straight for Xiao Jiali’s barbecue stand as soon as he entered. Duan Fei, with his thin skin, earnestly prepared a gift. He stopped politely in front of Xiao Zhenyun and presented it with both hands.
“These are Austin roses that Duan Pei had airlifted in this morning.” The bouquet was so large it nearly engulfed Duan Fei, so Si Di quickly stepped forward to receive them. Duan Fei looked up at the hundreds of roses, feeling a headache. “Each color of rose has its own name, like Juliet, Lychee… I’m sorry, I can’t remember them all.”
“Why not just call them yellow roses, red roses, pink roses, and gradient roses?” Xiao Zhenyun gently stroked a rose petal with his fingertip. It was soft and fragrant.
Duan Fei chuckled softly. “If Duan Pei knew his flowers ended up with people like us who don’t get it, he’d probably be heartbroken…”
At this moment, the barbecue garden had completely transformed into a sea of spiritual bodies. Everywhere you looked were spiritual bodies, a whole zoo.
The Czech wolfdog, with heavy eyelids, alternated between sleep and excitement. With plenty of meat to feast on today, its tail wagged like a propeller, spinning as if trying to take off.
Tai Ji, on the other hand, seemed more composed. With its heavy black claws stepping onto the steak in the basin, its sharp teeth immediately tore off a piece of red meat, tossing it into its mouth effortlessly, swallowing it down.
The eagle pressed a half-meter-long fish under its claws, its sharp beak pecking at it. Swallowing, it glanced back at the short-tailed viper swaying on the stone path before returning to its meal.
The viper’s belly was stuffed with an entire bullfrog and a whole quail. Its previously slim figure was noticeably swollen, causing its slithering pace to slow down. However, under the watchful gaze of its natural enemy, it huffed and puffed, trying to speed up.
Hedgehog saw this and complained to Xiao Jiali, “Can you control your bird? It’s eyeing my spiritual body with bad intentions all day long… Ugh, it’s like teaching a student only to starve the master. How old are you, and you’re already thinking about taking out your master?”
By the way, Hedgehog’s spiritual body viper’s name is Golden Monkey.
Don’t ask why Hedgehog’s spiritual body is called this name, just like don’t ask why he is called Hedgehog.
Anyway, the main point is completely irrelevant.
Hedgehog kept pestering, and Xiao Jiali apologized repeatedly. Xiao Jingfeng, unable to bear seeing a Xiao family member being bullied by an outsider, shoved a kebab into Hedgehog’s mouth. “Can’t shut this damn mouth with food?”
“What’s this?”
“Roasted silkworm pupa.”
“…Yuck!”
The carnivores mainly relied on their humans for feeding, one by one eating to their heart’s content, their stomachs bulging. The herbivores simply helped themselves, grazing on the grass in the garden. Si Chu didn’t manage to stop Tian Lu in time, and it had already chewed a patch of fresh grass bald.
Ye Feiran had prepared a large bowl of shelled corn kernels and, with a warm smile, beckoned the peacock, Ye Zi, over. The scene was no different from that of a rural aunt feeding chickens.
As soon as the bowl hit the ground, Tian Lu strolled over, not the least bit reserved about helping itself.
Peeled corn kernels were Xiao Jingfeng’s white horse’s favorite. As Tian Lu and Ye Zi buried their heads to eat eagerly, the horse walked over step by step, politely lowered its head, and greeted Ye Feiran. Smiling, Ye Feiran patted its mane. Only then did the white horse gently nudge Tian Lu aside to make room, before burying its larger head in the bowl.
The white horse is named Wang1King, a very fitting name, while Hedgehog’s Golden Monkey is completely different in style.
Duan Fei admired the whole park and felt it wouldn’t be right not to bring something along, so after hesitating for a moment, he quietly reached into his backpack and pulled out a… sleeping ferret.
It was out like a light.
Like a snowy white fur scarf, not budging no matter how much it’s jostled.
Under Xiao Zhenyun’s questioning gaze, Duan Fei explained, “It’s not mine, it’s Lily’s. She asked me to bring it… to make friends?”
The Czech wolfdog rested its two paws on the table, observing the white bundle of fur sleeping awkwardly.
The owner followed its spiritual body, and after a few seconds, Si Chu leaned over, touching the ferret’s soft belly fur, delighted, “Nian Nian, come here, it’s a ferret.”
Just as he finished speaking, voices came from two different directions—
“I’m here!”
“Huh?”
Si Chu was momentarily stunned, looking puzzled, then saw ‘Xiao Nian’ and ‘Uncle’s friend’ exchanging glances, revealing a very complex expression.
Xiao Nian regretted speaking too quickly, a habitual response at an inappropriate moment.
Xiao Jiali’s feelings were complicated, a mix of regret and resentment, compounded by Xiao Zhenyun’s inability to read the situation, creating this awkward atmosphere.
In this situation, Xiao Zhenyun bravely stepped forward to stabilize the situation.
“It’s like this, now that everyone’s here, I have an important announcement.” He cleared his throat to draw everyone’s attention, then declared loudly:
“In memory of Xiao Li’s passing ten weeks ago, I’ve decided today, Xiao Nian will officially change his name to Xiao Jiali.”
Xiao Nian, Xiao Jiali: “…”
Si Di, Xiao Jingfeng, Duan Fei: “…”
Si Chu, Ye Feiran: “???”
Hedgehog’s reaction was different from the others. As soon as the words fell, he clapped wildly, “Fantastic! A significant move, Xiao Zhenyun! I’ll toast to that!”
Xiao Zhenyun, with a brain circuit very different from ordinary people, raised his glass and clinked it with Hedgehog’s, “Cheers.”
“Cheers!”
The only two left in the dark, Ye Feiran quietly leaned over to Xiao Zhenyun’s ear, “Little Uncle, is this appropriate? Doesn’t it seem a bit unfair to Xiao Nian…”
Si Chu looked directly at Xiao Zhenyun’s face as he half-crouched down, “Little Uncle, are you drunk?”
In the next moment, tears welled up in Xiao Jiali’s eyes, who is in Xiao Nian’s shell, “I’m willing! I’m Xiao Jiali now, I’ll live for him, I’ll do what he wished!”
Ye Feiran, Si Chu: “…”
The two main characters were puzzled by the abnormality of the situation.
Xiao Nian stood next to him like a hidden fox, showing no ripples inside, even smiling a little.
At least Xiao Zhenyun did one thing right, with everyone present, it was quite leisurely. After eating and drinking their fill, they sat in the tea room chatting, with no hurry to leave.
Si Di went to the restroom and when he returned, he vaguely felt something was amiss. He knocked on the door, but when he entered the private room, he found the four people inside, even their spiritual bodies, had disappeared completely.
In situations like this, it usually meant one of two things: either he had entered the wrong room, or today was his birthday.
But unfortunately, Si Di was sure it was neither.
“Are you guys playing hide-and-seek with a sentinel?” Si Di expressed his confusion truthfully, then quickly turned towards the door, only to meet Si Chu’s widened eyes as he covered his mouth and nose with both hands.
The little dog’s surprised expression made Si Di raise an eyebrow, “Hmm…? You held your breath, but the noise of your footsteps was a bit loud.”
The little dog gave him a disgruntled look and, as if he had realized something, excitedly pointed behind him.
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
