CH 95

Jun Ye noticed that his points were steadily increasing without his knowledge.

He’d go to sleep with a balance of 1000 points and wake up the next day to find it had risen to 1020. This made him wonder if the system gave out daily login bonuses.

If that was the case, why had he struggled so much in his early worlds? Had he really lost so many companions to the sun?

With points steadily increasing, Jun Ye indulged in shopping sprees.

From initially relying on points for meals, collecting various types of cat (bird) toys, and buying translators, to getting his companion a few sweaters as the weather turned colder, and even gifting bird gloves to the whole eagle tribe.

Then he bought a submarine for an underwater day trip with his companion and even established an artificial island.

Jun Ye thought, maybe one day he’d get carried away and bring out an aircraft carrier.

The initially simple farming life took a wild turn, and Jun Ye became known as a great sorcerer, feared by all creatures within a hundred miles.

The only thing that didn’t go as smoothly was that while the seasons passed and his companion grew from a small bird into a chubby one, gaining all sorts of skills that the silly tribe birds knew, he still couldn’t understand Jun Ye.

Jun Ye asked the eagle teacher who was teaching his companion language. The teacher said that Xiao Xiu’s common language was the best in the nest, and the eagles used the same common language to talk to Jun Ye.

After buying all the translators in the system shop and still failing to communicate with his companion, Jun Ye could only guess that it was a forced setting of this world.

It was now winter, snow was falling, and the lake, hundreds of meters wide, was completely frozen.

Jun Ye slid across the ice, which did not show the slightest sign of cracking.

Recently, he had built a few warm houses for the eagles, where the young birds were now attending classes.

Through the glass walls of the warm house, Jun Ye accurately spotted his companion.

Among the group of fledglings wearing identical gray and white sweaters, Xiao Xiu’s sweater, embroidered with a macaw’s colors, stood out. Xiao Xiu had been well-fed for a year and was now noticeably chubbier than the surrounding fledglings.

Jun Ye waited for the young birds to finish class, using his tail as a pen to draw in the snow on the ice.

Without the sun, the eagles couldn’t use its position to tell time.

So, when the “sorcery device” from the merman started to chime, the worried eagle teacher quickly announced the end of class, fearing a curse from the device if they continued.

The other young birds, warned by their parents or teachers, quickly ran out on their short legs. Only a few who were close to Xiao Xiu and knew from him that the “sorcery device” wasn’t dangerous lingered, walking leisurely by his side.

Young Bird A: “Coo, coo, coo—” Finally, the last day. Xiao Xiu, will you stay in the warm house with us this winter?

Xiao Xiu: “Chirp chirp.” I’m with the great sorcerer.

Young Bird B: “Coo? Coo coo coo—” Doesn’t the great sorcerer need to mate and lay eggs in winter? The chief said we stored a lot of food this year, so adult birds will mate and lay eggs, which is why we have to stay in the warm house.

Thinking of the extra “people” at home, Xiao Xiu’s face darkened.

“Chirp chirp!” The great sorcerer doesn’t need to mate and lay eggs!

The big fish has endless food and can reproduce and care for offspring anytime. No need to rush and mate in such a cold winter.

Young Bird B didn’t understand: “Coo coo…” Why doesn’t the great sorcerer need to…

Before he could finish, Xiao Xiu had already run off, the colorful colors on his sweater seemingly coming to life and jumping through the snow just like a real macaw.

The young birds thought Xiao Xiu was playing chase with them and instinctively followed, until the one at the front saw a merman standing on the ice, wearing a white “robe.”

“Great sorcerer!” the leading young bird whispered, stopping abruptly, causing those behind to crash into each other and fall into the snow.

“Chirp~” Xiao Xiu ran to Jun Ye, stopping obediently beside his tail.

Jun Ye saw the pile of young birds but, seeing his companion didn’t seem inclined to return, he turned his attention back, bending down to pick up the now knee-high Xiao Xiu.

A month ago, Xiao Xiu had molted, losing his initial down feathers, which were replaced by thicker bird fluff.

With no feathers, holding him felt like hugging a heavy plush ball.

Jun Ye stroked the feathers on Xiao Xiu’s waist, exclaiming, “Chubby bird… no, Xiao Xiu, you’ve gotten rounder again.”

“Chirp chirp…” Xiao Xiu kicked his legs, hoping the big fish would put him down.

He was the largest of his age group now, and the big fish could barely hold him with one arm. He must be heavy.

“It’s because I’ve fed you well,” Jun Ye said, ignoring Xiao Xiu’s half-hearted struggle, carrying his chubby bird back to their lakeside home.

Back home, the robotic chef had prepared a full fish feast.

Jun Ye placed Xiao Xiu on a chair and sat beside him, the robotic butler presenting the utensils.

Xiao Xiu stared nervously at the butler.

He didn’t know it wasn’t a real person, but he knew it was always by the big fish’s side when on the island.

A puppet? A servant? A mate? Or all three?

Xiao Xiu had never seen the big fish mate with it, but he wasn’t always with the big fish. Could the big fish already have a mate and be preparing to reproduce?

He loved eating fish, but now, looking at the feast, he had no appetite.

No matter how much he ate, he’d only get fatter, grow no feathers, catch no fish, and couldn’t court the big fish.

“Don’t want to peck it yourself?” Jun Ye, seeing his companion not eating, happily lifted him onto his lap.

Holding him with one arm, he picked up a piece of fish with the other. “I’ll feed you.”

His companion finally seemed normal, no longer insisting on awkwardly pecking at food like the other silly birds.

Inside, Xiao Xiu didn’t like this. He didn’t want to be fed like a fledgling. He was growing up and soon would have wings fully developed, ready to court the big fish.

He had secretly learned to transform from the eagle chief, though he was still not skilled and could only change into a short, human-like form.

But before courting the big fish, he would perfect his transformation into a stronger human form, stronger than the eagle chief, able to be with the big fish all day long!

Jun Ye said, “Open your mouth, it’s a light and healthy fish.”

“Chirp…” The fish was delicious…

Having a chubby bird companion had its perks—hugging one to sleep was the best.

Xiao Xiu bounced on the bed with his short legs.

“Chirp chirp chirp!” Big fish, can you hold me all winter? Don’t transform or mate with anyone else!

Jun Ye adjusted his body temperature to be slightly warmer than Xiao Xiu’s, then took off his companion’s sweater and stroked the thick winter feathers, soothingly saying, “Sleep. I bought a writing board and will start teaching you words tomorrow. The lousy system can’t keep us apart.”

Xiao Xiu shivered for some reason, though the big fish’s hands were surprisingly warm…

Late at night.

Xiao Xiu struggled to lift his head from the big fish’s chest, and after a few seconds of separation, nuzzled back against it.

“Chirp…” It’s the big fish’s fault for holding him so tightly; he couldn’t nibble at the scales tonight.

Hmm, could this little fruit nearby be nibbled? Was it as sweet as honeyberries?

He’d just take a small bite.

…

A night of warmth and sweetness.

When Jun Ye woke up, he felt a tightness in his chest. He didn’t think much of it at first, but when his clothes rubbed against his skin…

Frowning, he pulled his shirt aside to look. “Hiss…”

It looked like an allergic reaction.

“Chirp…”

His companion’s round body moved slightly, and Jun Ye quickly closed his shirt.

Turning back, he saw his companion was still half-asleep, eyes barely open.

“Didn’t sleep well?” Jun Ye bent down to stroke the feathers, thinking Xiao Xiu might not be used to being held. Since coming to this world, it was the first time he held his companion to sleep. Before, it was because Xiao Xiu was weak and he, being a merman, had a body temperature almost constant with the environment.

This time, he had found inspiration from patterns on items collected from the system shop and had experimented with a temperature-adjustable array on himself.

The goal…was simply to hold his companion to sleep once.

If holding Xiao Xiu caused him to sleep poorly, they’d have to return to their usual arrangement of dividing the bed and sleeping separately.

“Chirp…”

Xiao Xiu, extremely sleepy, quickly dozed off under the calming presence of the big fish, unaware that this moment had sealed his fate of sleeping alone for a long time.

Jun Ye tucked the blanket around his companion, slid out of the room, and told the robot chef to delay breakfast.

He then casually opened the system shop, ready to check the points that had increased overnight.

Opening the page, the total points were 5800; he remembered it was 5500 last time…

He paused, his hand moving faster than his thoughts to the points detail section.

Though the “Points Detail” wouldn’t explain the reason for point increases, it would record the points spent and earned over a period.

The last point increase was…300 points.

What did he do last night? Even if he didn’t spend the night with his companion, he would only lose 100 points!

Earning so many points overnight, it must mean his companion had spent the night with him…

At that moment, Jun Ye thought of the area that seemed to have an allergic reaction.

…

Tonight, the bed would be divided again.

Lmao, I hope Xiao Xiu enjoyed that “little fruit” because he will not get close to them for a long time

Thank you for reading