Chapter 1: The Little Cub
After the rain, the air in Yuncheng still carried a slight dampness. Fine water vapor, carried in the gentle breeze, moistened the exposed skin of pedestrians.
But soon, sunlight pierced through the clouds, baking the entire land into a golden, warm color.
Fei Zhiyan walked into the shadows of the room. With a rare motion, he lifted his eyelids and glanced expressionlessly at the clearing sky.
Inside the house, the butler was already waiting with the servants.
But Fei Zhiyan just lightly raised a hand, dismissing them.
The seven or eight people left quickly and quietly. Everyone kept their heads bowed, not daring to meet the handsome man’s gaze.
In the blink of an eye, the vast villa became silent and empty.
Fei Zhiyan slowly leaned back on the sofa, raised an arm, and rubbed his aching temples.
Just as he closed his eyes, the abrupt sound of something heavy falling came from upstairs.
Fei Zhiyan opened his eyes, a sharp, fleeting impatience flashing in them.
It must be those “bugs” again, hiding in dark corners, attempting to assassinate him.
Fei Zhiyan’s lips curled into a soft scoff.
Putting his gold-rimmed glasses back on, he even had the leisure to straighten his gray suit as he stood up.
Consider it a bit of respect for the person upstairs who was about to die.
Fei Zhiyan slowly strolled upstairs. He stopped before the bedroom door where the sound had come from and, with his cold eyes half-lowered, pushed the door open.
Inside the bedroom.
On the pure gray carpet, a chubby, fair-skinned child was clutching the bedsheet. The moment he heard the door open, he stared at the person who opened it with wide, round eyes.
Seeing Fei Zhiyan’s face, the child gurgled excitedly.
“Eee-ya—Pa!”
Papa, that’s my papa! Nuonuo finally found Papa!
His blue fishtail flicked up happily. Nuonuo had just managed to stand up, but because of his disobedient tail, he tumbled back onto the floor.
Thankfully, the fluffy blanket underneath cushioned his fall, so it didn’t hurt much. His tail, however, continued to swish cheerfully.
“Pa, paya…”
Tilting up his small, soft white face, he babbled nonsensically while his round eyes stared unblinkingly at the man before him.
By the door, just a few steps away.
Fei Zhiyan stared at the little merman on the floor, his motion of pushing the door open unconsciously faltering.
He had considered all sorts of scenarios behind the door, but this was one he had not anticipated.
A little merman cub?
This time, their method was… interesting.
Fei Zhiyan’s expression shifted several times before he took two steps forward amidst the little one’s tail-flapping.
Crouching down slowly, Fei Zhiyan stared at the small child with an unreadable expression.
Nuonuo looked at his papa’s magnified, clear face. His pupils were dyed a light gold by the sunlight from the window, making them as translucent and bright as amber.
“Ooh-ya—”
He gave his papa a happy, soft smile.
Seeing the light in the little cub’s eyes, Fei Zhiyan’s hand, which was about to grab the child’s neck, actually paused in mid-air.
Nuonuo, still unaware that his papa had murderous intent, continued to babble happily at Fei Zhiyan.
Wiggling his little body, he crawled forward a couple of times, and his small cheek brushed against Fei Zhiyan’s hand, which was still frozen in the air.
After rubbing his soft little face against Fei Zhiyan’s palm twice, Nuonuo stretched out his chubby little arms and looked up at Fei Zhiyan with wide eyes, asking for a hug.
“Hwug, Pa—”
He tilted his head up, his eyes shining with brilliant anticipation.
Fei Zhiyan seemed not to have expected this kind of maneuver from the child. He closed his eyes for a moment, finding himself unable to continue his action.
The little cub’s face had only touched his hand lightly, but Fei Zhiyan couldn’t ignore the soft, gentle sensation. The child’s fair, tender cheek seemed even softer than cotton, carrying the unique, delicate warmth of a baby, as if it would melt right in his palm.
Fei Zhiyan’s fingertips trembled slightly. He felt a flicker of irritation in his heart, wanting to wipe the sensation from his palm.
It was just a weak little cub…
He didn’t know what kind of methods those people used to create such a shoddy fishtail, thinking he would spare it a second glance.
How laughable!
Fei Zhiyan’s eyes became cold once more.
Pushing his glasses up lightly, he ignored the little cub’s expectant gaze and outstretched arms, and stood up indifferently.
“Baya.”
Nuonuo tilted his head, looking at the tall man in confusion, as if he didn’t understand why his papa wouldn’t hold him.
“Hwug, ya.”
Nuonuo’s open arms remained suspended in the air.
Fei Zhiyan, however, simply looked down on this fragile life, his expression cold and desolate.
Nuonuo let out a small sound and blinked, the anticipation in his eyes gradually being replaced by bewilderment.
From as far back as Nuonuo could remember, he had been enveloped in darkness.
The System told him that, for certain reasons, he was separated from his papa, but his papa was always waiting for him.
Not only that, but there were also three super-villain older brothers at home who loved him very much and were eagerly awaiting his return.
The little Nuonuo, who longed for hugs and kisses, had traveled a long, long way and waited for a long, long time before he finally saw a glimmer of light in the darkness and saw the papa he had only ever seen in photos.
But… why won’t Papa hold me?
Nuonuo’s little arms, still outstretched, began to grow sore and stiff.
He pressed his lips together, seemingly never having imagined this situation. His little arms drooped listlessly, and a film of moisture slowly gathered in his grape-like black eyes.
The warmth on Fei Zhiyan’s palm had not yet faded. He half-closed his eyes, pondering the motives of the person behind this.
When his gaze fell on the little cub again, he saw the child staring at him with a puckered lip, on the verge of tears.
Fei Zhiyan’s fingers twitched. His voice carried its usual coldness: “What are you crying for?”
He hadn’t provoked the child in the slightest.
The moment he heard his papa’s voice, the tears that had been welling in Nuonuo’s eyes fell like pearls from a broken string, splattering onto the floor.
“Wuuu, Pa… hwug… no, wuuu—”
Nuonuo sat on the floor like a pitiful little thing, his sobs making his already unclear words even more muffled.
His blue fishtail also drooped listlessly on the ground, completely devoid of its earlier energy.
Staring at the two wet tear tracks on the child’s face, amidst Nuonuo’s sticky, whimpering cries, Fei Zhiyan’s stiff body finally moved.
He reached out and patted Nuonuo’s head a couple of times. Fei Zhiyan’s expression was still icy. “Stop crying.”
Thinking the child had been frightened by his earlier killing intent, Fei Zhiyan felt a surge of annoyance and could only gruffly say a few words.
Feeling the pat on his head, Nuonuo took it as a loving touch from his papa and slowly stopped crying, tilting his head in teary-eyed confusion.
Perhaps afraid the little cub would start crying again, Fei Zhiyan’s hand remained on his head for a long time.
The child’s fine, soft hair made Fei Zhiyan feel a little uncomfortable. He endured it for a moment before finally pulling his hand back.
“Ba, ya!”
As Nuonuo tilted his head in confusion, Fei Zhiyan lightly rubbed his palm, which now felt a bit itchy.
Too soft. And too fragile.
Fei Zhiyan closed his eyes, thinking that if he had used just a little more force, the little cub in front of him would have turned into a pile of mangled flesh.
Sensing the “loving pats” on his head were gone, Nuonuo raised a little arm and touched his own head.
Perhaps because his papa had just touched him, a sense of emboldened grievance suddenly welled up in his heart.
He hadn’t felt wronged while waiting in the dark space, nor when he couldn’t find his papa. But now, after his papa had patted his head, Nuonuo suddenly felt like crying.
“Pa, dark, ooh…”
Nuonuo gestured as he spoke, looking at Fei Zhiyan with moist eyes, trying to tell him that the place he came from was very, very dark.
But Nuonuo wasn’t scared at all. To see his papa, he had obediently curled up in the small spatial transport pod…
And then, with a sudden whoosh, he saw his papa!
At this thought, Nuonuo’s eyes lit up, and he happily revealed his pearly white baby teeth.
Fei Zhiyan watched the child, who was now grinning foolishly for some unknown reason, and the irritation in his heart suddenly dissipated.
“What are you smiling at?”
Fei Zhiyan’s tone was disdainful, but he reached out and lifted the child.
Caught off guard, Nuonuo was hoisted into the air. His big, round eyes widened, and he excitedly flapped his fishtail, coming face-to-face with Fei Zhiyan.
“Ba-yaya!”
He curled his blue fishtail high and waved his little hands in the air, trying hard to get closer to his papa for a cuddle.
Fei Zhiyan, however, was holding the child by the scruff of his neck, scrutinizing him from top to bottom.
The little cub he held was about two years old. His eyes, having just shed tears, were crystal clear and bright, as if they had been washed clean, without a hint of shadow.
His smile was soft and fluffy, for some reason reminding Fei Zhiyan of the sunshine that had appeared in the sky earlier.
Both were just as brilliant and bright.
The System finally managed to recharge some energy. The moment it came online, it was nearly scared to death by the scene before it.
Oh, for crying out loud! Why did it teleport Nuonuo directly in front of the great villain?!
It’s all over now.
For a split second, the System felt its own core stop beating.
