CH 44

TL: Moonlit

After firmly denying any act of acting cute and shifting the blame to Yu Jin, Nan Fang went out to play with the cat. The moment he stepped out the door, he strangely felt like a scumbag who enjoys the comfort of home but still thinks about outside temptations.

He quickly dismissed this illusion and went to find the tabby cat.

In the inn, Shu Shuishui stood on the table, shaking his head. “Being so young and obsessed with playing with cats, you’ll be bullied by them when you get old.”

Yu Jin and Nan Ge remained silent. They couldn’t understand how Shu Shuishui came up with this theory.

Because both Shu Shuishui and Nan Fang accused Yu Jin of acting cute just a moment ago, he settled down. However, when he thought about how everyone except Shu Shuishui got an extra meal for breakfast today, he suddenly felt like he was a bully to a little mouse and wanted to make up for it. “Shuishui, do you want to play the simulator? I’ll take you in; you can watch the live streams inside.”

Shu Shuishui was very surprised, and his little ears twitched. “Live streams!” Was it the same kind of live streams he used to watch on Earth? Of course, it was with Shu Bao. The two little mice huddled together, watching a mukbang on the phone holder in front of them, with a horizontal phone they didn’t recognize.

“That’s right, this is also an important source of income for the Galactic Alliance. There’s more than one prisoner star in the Canghai Galaxy; there are even many actual prison stars. These planets are strictly restricted, and the prisoners have to fend for themselves. They will put simulators there, and compared to the peaceful world’s live streams, the realism and brutality of the streams there are much higher…”

Through Yu Jin’s explanation, Shu Shuishui quickly understood that the live streams Yu Jin mentioned were similar to those on Earth but also had significant differences. Most of the people participating in the live streams through the simulator were desperados, and their streams were genuinely teetering on the edge of life and death. The simulators didn’t provide any protection for their lives, and these participants were collectively known as “desperado streamers.”

Because of the excitement and authenticity of this kind of content, these live streams have garnered a considerable number of followers. Of course, there are strict age restrictions for viewers. The level of internet development in this world far surpasses that of Earth, so when they say there are age restrictions, they mean it. The video streaming software automatically identifies the age of viewers, and those who don’t meet the age requirements simply cannot access the live streams.

Shu Shuishui sat on the table, listening attentively, feeling like he had just opened up an entirely new world. In Shu Shuishui’s understanding, the simulators in this world were similar to the game capsules of holographic games. Although the Earth he once knew had not yet reached the holographic age, he had some understanding of it from Shu Bao’s incessant chatter about it.

However, the difference was that holographic games didn’t involve any danger, whereas the mental detachment in these simulators was a matter of life and death. If you died in the game, the user of the simulator would die too.

Shu Shuishui scratched his head. “Shu Bao would definitely love this world.”

“Shu Bao?” Yu Jin interrupted with curiosity.

“Yes, my friend, a remarkable one who really enjoys high-tech stuff. He’s a hacker, over 1.8 meters tall, big and strong…” When it came to talking about his friend, Shu Shuishui became quite chatty, endlessly describing how amazing Shu Bao was.

Yu Jin’s imagination couldn’t stop now. There really was a 1.8-meter-tall mouse! And he’s big and strong too! What kind of cat could possibly swallow him? “When will you grow to be 1.8 meters, Shuishui?” Yu Jin suddenly thought of something and asked casually.

Shu Shuishui himself couldn’t be certain, but he could feel that he was not far from achieving human form. After all, he was already a mysterious little cub of several hundred years old. “It should be soon…”

Listening nearby, Gu Langu’s eyes lit up. A 1.8-meter-tall Shuishui? How would he look when he transformed?

In the end, Yu Jin couldn’t take Shu Shuishui into the simulator together. After all, Gu Langu was right there, and as soon as Shu Shuishui showed interest in the simulator, Yu Jin was naturally kicked away. Gu Langu then took the curious Shu Shuishui upstairs.

Yu Jin felt a great regret, but then he thought, once the boss and Shuishui logged into the simulator, he could just add them as friends, and they could play together. This idea seemed perfect, but the reality was cruel, as adding friends was indeed possible, but playing together? That was impossible!

On the second-floor bedroom, Gu Langu got into the simulation cabin, and Shu Shuishui stood at the edge of the simulator, using his little paws to explore it up and down. Then, with a jump, he landed on Gu Langu’s body.

The simulator started working after being fully enclosed. The scanning was completed, recognizing both Shu Shuishui and Gu Langu. Then the online connection was established. In the void space, the human and the little mouse appeared out of nowhere. Startled by the suspension, Shu Shuishui quickly used his short legs to climb onto Gu Langu’s shoulder and sit there, but soon, due to weightlessness, his little butt left Gu Langu’s shoulder.

Feeling the fluffy, chubby bundle on his shoulder about to float away, Gu Langu reached out and cupped it in his palm.

Shu Shuishui poked his little head out from between Gu Langu’s fingers, feeling relieved that he was no longer floating aimlessly. “Is this the world of the simulator? Why is it all dark, and there’s nothing here?”

The simulator automatically recognizes the user’s mental world and creates different login spaces based on the user’s preferences and desires. Unfortunately, Gu Langu had no desires or preferences that the simulator could recognize, leading to this dark, boundless space with nothing in it.

Gu Langu quickly understood the situation and looked at the little bundle in his hand. With a thought, he transferred the creative power of the login space to Shu Shuishui.

In an instant, the dark void space transformed into a lush and vibrant mountain forest. Everywhere was covered in boundless greenery, with the ground covered in grass, and occasionally, a few pieces of green stones protruded, making them look especially precious. Towering trees reached for the sky, and only specks of sunlight could successfully penetrate to the ground, swaying as the wind gently caressed them.

Shu Shuishui looked around, and his little ears perked up in an instant! Wasn’t this his home on Earth? He fell asleep, and then he crossed over! His small courtyard and the two plots of farmland were right there! The seafood and livestock were growing strong, surrounded by lush hazelnut trees, and not far away, those hazelnut saplings were still young and tender.

However, Shu Shuishui quickly noticed some differences. The hazelnut trees here were still hazelnut trees, but the hazelnuts on them were each as big as an adult’s fist! They hung on the trees, plump and golden, resembling the most beautiful stars.

Overjoyed, Shu Shuishui struggled to slip out from between Gu Langu’s fingers, then quickly jumped down and headed straight for the nearest hazelnut tree.

The little dormouse was exceptionally agile, and in no time, he climbed to the top of the tree. He then spotted a hazelnut, rubbing his paws together in excitement before picking it. Unfortunately, after the seemingly perfect hazelnut was picked, it turned into a mirage and dissipated.

Shu Shuishui was taken aback, but undeterred, he picked another one with the same result. His little ears twitched slightly, but he stubbornly rushed towards the next hazelnut. This time, Shu Shuishui didn’t pick it; he went straight to gnaw on it. However, no matter how hard he bit, the hazelnut remained intact. Shu Shuishui ended up lying flat on the hazelnut, making it appear from a distance like a furry little ball resting on the hazelnut tree.

The hazelnut didn’t move, and Shu Shuishui stubbornly refused to give up. The hazelnut and the mouse were deadlocked like this, creating a comical scene that would surely make people laugh. Fortunately, Gu Langu didn’t start live streaming, so only he could witness Shu Shuishui’s unyielding and gluttonous behavior.

After waiting for a moment and realizing that Shu Shuishui had no intention of coming down, Gu Langu had no choice but to climb up the tree as well. He reached out and pinched Shu Shuishui’s nape, causing the little dormouse’s ears to twitch. Shu Shuishui opened his mouth, but his four little paws firmly held onto the hazelnut. It was the first time it had ever seen such a large hazelnut, and what if it let go? What would happen then?

Gu Langu felt speechless for the first time. “Shuishui, all of these scenes are simulated by the simulator based on your wishes. They are just virtual data and not real.”

Shu Shuishui paused, then sniffed the hazelnut carefully, which was as big as a fist. “You’re lying, I clearly smell the hazelnut!”

Gu Langu fell silent. “The sense of smell is also controlled by the brain, which means that the brain gives you a certain smell, and you will perceive that smell…”

Shu Shuishui couldn’t fully understand such complex neural reflexes. He simply rested his little head on the hazelnut, his chubby cheeks bulging out, looking like a stubborn little creature that refused to leave. Shu Shuishui even felt that if he could sleep on this large hazelnut, he would die without regrets!

With great patience, Gu Langu explained the neural reflex, nerve cell electrical signals, and neurotransmitters to Shu Shuishui and finally succeeded in putting the little dormouse to sleep.

Gu Langu sighed. What could he do? Of course, he would indulge Shu Shuishui. Eventually, Gu Langu lay down on the tree branch beside Shu Shuishui.

At that moment, a friend request came in, and Gu Langu checked the distance and direction, realizing it was from Yu Jin, who lived nearby. He accepted the request and then just stayed there, watching Shu Shuishui, who even in his sleep, had a satisfied expression on his face. Gu Langu couldn’t help but curl up the corners of his mouth, resting his hands behind his head, gazing at the sky.

He felt that it was good this way. He could leisurely enjoy the world of the little dormouse without any rush. He didn’t need to guess; this place must have been where Shu Shuishui used to live. It looked as energetic as Shu Shuishui, with a similarly gentle climate, and the plants were just as lovely, with the young saplings as tender as Shu Shuishui himself…

Completely immersed in Shu Shuishui’s world, Gu Langu studied everything from the blue sky to the flowers and grass…

In another room, Yu Jin waited for Gu Langu to log in and enter the main world after accepting his friend request. However, despite waiting for a while, Gu Langu’s status only showed “logging in” on the side.

Yu Jin sent a voice message but received no response. If Gu Langu wasn’t a supercomputer himself, Yu Jin would have suspected that he couldn’t find the login entrance. Thirty minutes later, nearly falling asleep, Yu Jin noticed that Gu Langu was still “logging in.” He couldn’t bear it any longer. Could there be something wrong with the simulator?

After logging out of the simulator, Yu Jin hurriedly left the simulation cabin and rushed to Gu Langu’s room. He knocked on the door, but there was no response. Instead, Nan Ge was attracted, and after a brief exchange, both of them felt that something was not right. They decided to force their way in.

Reaching the side of the simulation cabin, they peered through the protective shield and indeed saw Gu Langu and Shu Shuishui inside. However, there were also a series of indicators displayed on the cabin, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and cell indices, all of which were normal. In the status bar, there were words marked: “Deep Sleep.”

Yu Jin and Nan Ge: “…” So, Gu Langu entered the simulation cabin just to sleep? He actually fell asleep at the login screen? Could it be that Gu Langu’s login space was filled with beds?

“Since there’s nothing urgent, I’ll leave first,” Nan Ge reacted quickly, patting Yu Jin’s shoulder with his uninjured hand, and left the room.

Yu Jin scratched his head, feeling that something was off. Soon, he knew what was wrong because the Gu Langu lying inside was actually smiling! It was absolutely eerie! Yu Jin rubbed his temples and suddenly wanted to know what Gu Langu’s login space was like. How could it make the semi-mechanical Gu Langu fall asleep and even reveal a face with a benevolent smile as if he were an elderly person?

Despite his intense curiosity, Yu Jin didn’t dare to wake up Gu Langu on his own. He could only silently exit the room. However, just as he stepped out of the door, Yu Jin stared at the forcefully broken door with a dumbfounded expression. “Nan Ge! Come back! You are also responsible for the broken door!”

Coming back is impossible! It’s impossible in this lifetime. Yu Jin rushed to Nan Ge’s door but saw a paper posted on it: “Healing from injuries, please do not disturb, unless you want to fix two doors.”

Got it! The message is crystal clear. Unless the door is violently opened, it won’t open.

Yu Jin: “…”

So, while Gu Langu and Shu Shuishui enjoyed their quiet time together, Yu Jin worked tirelessly to repair the broken door, hoping to fix it before Gu Langu woke up.

Yu Jin’s eagerly anticipated journey into the simulator came to a halt. He kept comforting himself that it was fine; they still had a day before departure. Tomorrow! Tomorrow, he would definitely not wait for Gu Langu to be online, and he would venture into the world on his own!

However, things didn’t go as planned. The next day, Yu Jin still couldn’t log into the simulator. They migrated a day earlier than expected.

Nobody foresaw that the first snow of the year would come so suddenly. Well, others might have been somewhat prepared for the unpredictable weather on Cang Zhan Star, but Shu Shuishui was utterly bewildered.

When Shu Shuishui and Gu Langu came out of the simulation cabin, it was already evening. If it weren’t for Gu Langu realizing they had been in there for too long and worrying about Shu Shuishui’s mental state, Shu Shuishui would have wanted to sleep on the big hazelnut, sleeping until the end of time.

Seeing that Shu Shuishui’s spirits were still high and seemingly unaffected, Gu Langu felt much relieved. The operation of the simulator mostly relied on the energy converted from energy stones, but it also consumed a small portion of the user’s mental power, as it extracted the user’s mental energy.

This also meant that people with weak mental strength couldn’t stay in the simulator world for a long time.

Although somewhat surprised that Shu Shuishui was completely unaffected, Gu Langu still had Shu Shuishui log out of the simulation cabin.

After a satisfying nap, Shu Shuishui calmed down a bit from the excitement of the fist-sized hazelnuts. Even though the hazelnuts felt real when touched, looked real, and smelled real, not being able to eat them made them not real. But they could serve as a bed. Shu Shuishui stood on the hazelnut and, feeling a bit embarrassed, tapped his claws together. “Gu Gu, I’m sorry I didn’t believe you earlier.”

Gu Langu naturally didn’t mind; on the contrary, he was very happy. He was delighted when Shu Shuishui gave him a crystal hazelnut necklace. Seeing the hazelnuts on the trees, Gu Langu realized how much Shu Shuishui loved hazelnuts. “Is it alright? Do you like the simulation cabin, Shuishui?”

Shu Shuishui vigorously nodded his head several times. “I love it! I’ve never seen hazelnuts this big before; they are like the hazelnuts from my dreams!”

Gu Langu touched Shu Shuishui’s standing little ears, causing them to twitch occasionally in his hand. They were clearly itchy, but Shu Shuishui didn’t move his little head away. Gu Langu couldn’t help but continue rubbing them until the little dormouse became dizzy before he stopped. “If you like it, we can come here often in the future. But for now, we need to log out of the simulator, okay?”

The little dormouse was very obedient and felt guilty about not trusting the humanoid pet earlier, fearing the pet might feel sad. So, he nodded his little head. (＾-＾) “Okay~”

After logging out of the simulator, the scenery before them disappeared. Shu Shuishui tried to keep his eyes wide open, looking at those fist-sized hazelnuts until everything turned dark for a moment, and the scene changed to the transparent protective shield.

The moment the protective shield opened, both the human and the dormouse immediately sensed something was wrong. Gu Langu was extremely sensitive to temperature due to his own reasons, while Shu Shuishui, being in hibernation mode, was also affected by the temperature. “Gu Gu, why is it suddenly so cold?”

Gu Langu looked out the window. Although there was no moon outside, he could still see the snowflakes falling gently. “It’s snowing, winter has come.”

Scratching his head, Shu Shuishui made a soft sound of realization. Having heard about the horrors of winter and the upcoming cold wave, Shu Shuishui wasn’t too surprised, but he was taken aback by the significant temperature change. Before entering the simulator, the temperature was around twenty degrees Celsius above freezing, but coming out, the temperature had dropped below freezing, causing the snowflakes to form.

“Ah! My livestock!” Shu Shuishui jumped in place and quickly ran downstairs, nearly forgetting that his grasshoppers were still kept outside. Gu Langu followed closely behind and went downstairs with Shu Shuishui.

As the door was pushed open slightly, the howling wind and snow immediately rushed in, the freezing air piercing through the throat and lungs. With just one breath, it seemed like the entire body had turned cold. Without much hesitation, Shu Shuishui squeezed through the crack in the door. In an instant, the blizzard swept across the ground, and Shu Shuishui stumbled, nearly blown over.

Winter, a time when Shu Shuishui mostly hibernates, rarely faced such a situation. Looking at the vast darkness of the world, the heavy snowflakes were not peaceful but rather scattered by the fierce wind, falling heavily around Shu Shuishui’s feet and breaking into many tiny particles. Instinctively, Shu Shuishui drew in his little feet, and the snow on the ground still retained the shape of the snowflakes, glistening and translucent.

Taking a deep breath, Shu Shuishui gritted his teeth and ran quickly against the wind and snow. His two little ears pressed tightly against his head, and his fur was all blown in one direction.

Arriving at the small branch where the grasshoppers were tethered, Shu Shuishui saw that the grasshoppers looked somewhat frozen, with only their antennae still moving. Shu Shuishui immediately rushed over, carefully picked up one of the grasshoppers, and buried it against his furry chest. He felt a cool sensation on his chest and touched the bald head of the grasshopper. “It’s alright, not cold, not cold. I don’t like to eat chilled grasshoppers, so you will be fine.”

The grasshoppers naturally couldn’t understand Shu Shuishui’s comforting words, which were not very effective.

In the morning, two grasshoppers were slaughtered, and now Shu Shuishui had six left. However, his small chest could only accommodate two at most. After dealing with one grasshopper, he didn’t have time for the other. Just as Shu Shuishui was about to return to the room to warm up with the grasshopper he held in his arms, both the dormouse and the grasshopper were picked up by Gu Langu.

Shu Shuishui tilted his little head to look at Gu Langu’s thick hair, considering the feasibility of burying the grasshopper in it for warmth.

Gu Langu, even if he racked his brains, wouldn’t think of Shu Shuishui’s plan. Naturally, they couldn’t have telepathic communication. Instead, he quickly carried Shu Shuishui and the grasshopper back to the bedroom.

There was no heating equipment in the inn, but the temperature was much better compared to outside, and there was no howling blizzard. Gu Langu placed Shu Shuishui on the bedside table and found a handkerchief to cover him, wiping off the half-melted snow on Shu Shuishui’s body. “A few grasshoppers, Shu Shuishui, you don’t need to work so hard. It’s okay for the first day, but once we enter the real winter, try not to go outside easily.”

With the handkerchief covering him, the little dormouse nodded and lifted his tiny arm voluntarily, allowing Gu Langu to wipe him more thoroughly. “I remember, but Gu Gu may not know that frozen grasshoppers have a taste of earthiness and don’t taste good.”

Gu Langu: “…”

Looking at the grasshoppers placed by Shu Shuishui on the bedside table, they seemed to have entered a state of hibernation due to the low temperature, standing still obediently in their original positions. However, it was uncertain that once the temperature rose, they might start jumping around again.

However, the questions that occurred to Gu Langu also came to Shu Shuishui’s mind. Therefore, Gu Langu saw Shu Shuishui carefully tying the grasshoppers with thin threads and then placing them one by one on his own clean little bed, intending to sleep together with the grasshoppers.

Shu Shuishui arranged the grasshoppers neatly side by side on his bed, and then, with his plump little body, tried to climb onto the small green bed. Gu Langu’s voice came from above, “Shuishui, sleep with me tonight. It might be crowded with so many grasshoppers, and we don’t want to crush one or two of them.”

Shu Shuishui tilted his little head as he looked at the neatly lined up grasshoppers. He had no experience keeping grasshoppers warm, so what Gu Langu said was quite possible. “Then I’ll sleep with you, but will I squeeze you?”

Gu Langu glanced at Shu Shuishui, who was not even as big as a palm. “Not at all.”

Hearing this, the little dormouse took his small pillow from the bed and placed it on the cabinet. Then, standing on tiptoes, he carefully covered the grasshoppers with the blanket. All six grasshoppers faced north, and their antennae hung uniformly over the edge of the bed. Shu Shuishui looked at them and couldn’t help but feel like he had placed six bundles of spring onions on his bed.

After covering the grasshoppers, Shu Shuishui picked up his small pillow again and then hopped onto Gu Langu’s bed with a thoughtful expression. Holding the pillow, he looked a bit dazed, wondering where he should put himself on such a big bed.

Gu Langu took the initiative and placed Shu Shuishui’s small pillow beside his own pillow. “Try it, Shuishui.”

Shu Shuishui walked over and plopped down on the bed, resting his head on his small pillow. He lay flat on his back, with both little paws clasped together on his chest, looking serene. After a moment, he sat up, patted his pillow, and laid back down again, feeling finally comfortable. “Very good,” he said, patting the spot next to him. “Gu Gu, it’s time to sleep now.”

Gu Langu turned off the lights and gently lay down. With his furry body, he curled up to generate warmth. Shu Shuishui’s sleeping position was very standard, and his little paws were slightly cool, resting perfectly on Gu Langu’s shoulder.

Gu Langu pulled the blanket over, covering Shu Shuishui’s neck, leaving only his furry little head exposed.

Shu Shuishui turned his head and said to Gu Langu, “Goodnight, Gu Gu.”

“Goodnight, Shuishui.”

Throughout the night, both the human and the dormouse maintained their standard sleeping postures. Gu Langu didn’t need to toss and turn, while Shu Shuishui, having spent a long time hibernating, had also developed the skill of not moving unless necessary. So, when Gu Langu woke up the next day, the little dormouse next to him was still lying flat, with both paws clasped on his chest.

Gu Langu curved his lips into a smile, and leaned over slightly, wanting to secretly give a kiss to Shu Shuishui’s exposed little ear.

However, just as Gu Langu was about to touch the furry little ear, Shu Shuishui’s sensitive ear twitched, and he quickly retracted his head. His little paws instinctively tried to pull the blanket over his head, but no matter how hard he tugged, the blanket remained unmoved.

Seeing this, Gu Langu immediately cooperated and lifted the blanket higher. Shu Shuishui covered his head again and continued sleeping, but this time, he left two tiny ear tips exposed.

Sensing that today would be busy, Gu Langu didn’t continue lying down. He got up, freshened up, and glanced at the six grasshoppers on Shu Shuishui’s small bed. These grasshoppers had probably never slept on a bed before, each one securely tied up by Shu Shuishui, lying obediently there. Shu Shuishui’s small blanket was actually a small handkerchief, so it wouldn’t suffocate the grasshoppers.

Walking to the window, the outside was already covered in a vast expanse of white, with no trace of the summer green from yesterday. The tree leaves were coated with a thick layer of snow, and due to the semi-melted state, the leaves were firmly frozen.

There were people outside, moving slowly. Underneath the white snow, there was clearly an icy layer, making it very slippery.

Gu Langu looked at the simulator placed in the spacious room. Instead of leaving the room, he entered the simulator and lay down.

After a moment, the simulator started, and Gu Langu appeared in the familiar login space, but it was still empty, as if it was the end of time and nothing existed, not even gravity. Unwilling to give up, Gu Langu controlled his body and flew rapidly towards an unknown direction.

This was Gu Langu’s world, and his speed was incredibly fast. He could cover tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of meters in just one second. After moving at such high speed for over ten minutes, Gu Langu had to stop.

Why is there nothing? Gu Langu’s emotions were complicated. Could it be that in his true inner world, nothing really existed? It seemed impossible. He loved small rodents so much, he wanted to laugh, so why was everything barren here?

Gu Langu rarely fell into self-doubt. Even someone as powerful as him had days of fear and uncertainty. He was certain that he wanted the world to have the presence of Shu Shuishui – saying good morning in the morning, good night in the evening, giving him gifts, and preparing food for him. It was as if a little angel had fallen into his world of nothingness, creating ripples one after another.

But why did the simulator detect a login space with nothing in it? Gu Langu tried his best to create something in his void space. If one day Shu Shuishui found out the reason for the empty login space, would he be heartbroken?

Gu Langu even attempted to use his psychic power to create something, but there was nothing, absolutely nothing. His psychic power attacked the void world frantically, but it only caused unbearable pain without any ripples of change.

In the bedroom, Shu Shuishui was still sleeping soundly, completely unaware that his humanoid pet had gone mad in the simulator early in the morning.

Until he felt a clear sense of exhaustion, Gu Langu stopped his meaningless actions. On his usually cold and expressionless face, a sense of self-disgust appeared. Gu Langu knew that as a semi-mechanical being, he could no longer fit into the world of normal people. But he never thought it was a problem until now. Suddenly, he was afraid that he wouldn’t be able to fit into Shu Shuishui’s world, especially after witnessing the vibrant inner world of Shu Shuishui yesterday.

Compared to that vibrant world, this dark, boundless world seemed so desolate and pitiful.

At this moment, Gu Langu’s emotions were clearly trapped in a strange cycle. Lost in his own thoughts, he forgot that if he truly had no desires or emotions, why would he sneak into the simulator early in the morning and attempt to alter the login space? What Gu Langu truly hoped for was a day when he could proudly bring Shu Shuishui into his own login space and tell him, “My world is full of blooming flowers because of you.”

However, every cell in Gu Langu’s body rebelled against this meaningless act, and he couldn’t find the right outlet for his frustration, leading to a state of confusion and obsession in his mind.

The mental energy consumption was enormous, and Gu Langu had to enter the simulator. However, he didn’t notice that in the unseen void, tender green saplings were breaking through the soil. If Shu Shuishui were here, he would undoubtedly recognize them as hazelnut tree saplings, a type of tree that fundamentally didn’t exist in the Cang Zhan Star.

Gu Langu patiently waited for the simulator to open and then sat up, with an expressionless face. But when he looked at his bed, he was taken aback!

On the bed, the blanket was still neatly spread, but now there was a large lump underneath it, clearly, someone was lying there! And the position was exactly where Shu Shuishui had been sleeping!

Gu Langu felt like his heart had stopped beating. Where was Shu Shuishui!

Rushing to the bed, Gu Langu refrained from attacking immediately. Instead, he gently lifted the blanket.

There lay a completely naked youth in a perfectly standard sleeping position, hands clasped in front of his chest—this position…

Gu Langu’s gaze shifted to the young man’s head. He had a handsome appearance, appearing to be in his early twenties. His most eye-catching feature was his soft warm-brown hair, his dense eyelashes giving him a tranquil look. His straight nose appeared elegant, and his thin lips were a ruthless crimson, contrasting with his fair skin. But what stood out the most were his slightly raised sword-like eyebrows, adding a touch of maturity and determination to the otherwise youthful look.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Gu Langu felt like the world had narrowed down to the sound of his own heartbeat. He had a wild guess forming in his mind, but it contradicted the scientific education he had received since childhood. Time travel, Gu Langu could somewhat comprehend, considering the imminent arrival of the End Times in the Cang Zhan Star, leading to internal spatial turbulence and potential temporal anomalies. But how could science explain the appearance of a mouse and a person together?

Gu Langu desperately hoped that this was real, but he also feared that it might be real. Shu Shuishui was already extraordinary; anyone who spent time with him would be drawn to him. The young man on the bed was already remarkable based on his appearance alone. But when Gu Langu thought about his recent encounter with the simulation space, he found himself torn.

After wrestling with his thoughts for a while, the eyelashes of the person on the bed fluttered, as if he was about to wake up! Gu Langu was so startled that he dropped the blanket he was holding. He almost forgot that he had seen the person naked. Such behavior could easily be mistaken for that of a pervert. Would Shu Shuishui despise him for it?

Gu Langu quickly reorganized the blanket and covered the young man again. However, just as the young man was about to open his eyes, the blanket quickly collapsed, and he turned back into a fluffy little ball.

The little ball kicked his legs and turned over, placing his chubby cheeks on the pillow. The entire dormouse emitted an aura of happiness from having had a good sleep. After a moment, the little dormouse opened his eyes and was surprised to find Gu Langu standing by the bed, looking at him without blinking. Shu Shuishui extended his paw and waved. “Good morning, Gu Gu!”

Gu Langu reacted a bit slowly. “Good morning, Shuishui.”

The little dormouse climbed out of the blanket, walked to Gu Langu’s pillow, and then used his paws to grab the pillow, stretching his body and curving his back in a long yawn. After the yawn, he carefully retracted his paws, avoiding any damage to the pillow.

Gu Langu noticed that Shu Shuishui had no recollection of his transformation and therefore didn’t mention it. Gu Langu guessed that this was probably Shu Shuishui’s first time turning into a human. Otherwise, the small bed on the bedside table would have been crushed. That was just as well; it gave Gu Langu more time to figure out how to create something in that void simulation space.

Feeling afraid of being rejected, Gu Langu refrained from talking about Shu Shuishui’s transformation. He held Shu Shuishui, who had just finished his long yawn, and went to freshen up. As he watched Shu Shuishui use a small toothbrush to brush his teeth, Gu Langu silently thought that he should start collecting normal-sized items for the migration.

Once Shu Shuishui dried his face, he eagerly climbed up to the window and looked outside at the vast whiteness. He was curious about the snowy world.

Shu Shuishui had traveled almost all over the Earth, including cold places and both poles. He had climbed the Alps and ascended the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. But year-round snow and freshly fallen soft winter snow were still different experiences.

During his hibernation period, Shu Shuishui wouldn’t wake up even for the end of the world, let alone snowfall. So, this kind of early morning, just after the snow had fallen, was a rare sight for Shu Shuishui.

After admiring the white world for a while, Shu Shuishui finally took his head off the glass and rechecked his little grasshoppers. He then thought about it and decided that he needed to bring an extra flowerpot to take care of them. “Let’s go, Gu Gu, let’s make breakfast.”

But breakfast didn’t come to fruition because Yu Jin and Nan Ge had already gotten up earlier and eaten. Although compared to Shu Shuishui’s breakfast, theirs was quite pitiful, they still had to quickly eat something before heading out to work in the snow.

Shu Shuishui looked astonished at the warm breakfast left in the pot. In the end, he obediently nibbled on the purple tree cake until it was all gone.

After breakfast, the little dormouse couldn’t wait to go outside. But when he saw Gu Langu still wearing only a single layer of clothes, Shu Shuishui instructed, “Gu Gu, go change into winter clothes, and then we can go out again.”

Gu Langu wanted to say that he could regulate his body temperature and suppress the sensation of cold, but he refrained from mentioning it because of the blow he had received in the simulation space. He didn’t want to appear any more different than he already did. So, he obediently went upstairs to find some clothes.

Shu Shuishui also fetched his little down jacket, cap, and even little shoes from the spiritual storage. Each item was exquisite, all tailor-made by Shu Bao for Shu Shuishui. After all, on Earth, dressing up pets was not uncommon.

Once Gu Langu changed into his clothes, he looked at Shu Shuishui, who was already fully dressed on the table, and was stunned. The red cap, red down jacket, and red shoes made him exceptionally eye-catching.

“Gu Gu, you changed your clothes? Let’s go then.” Shu Shuishui hopped off the table and headed straight for the door. Gu Langu quickly followed.

When they pushed open the door, the storm from the previous night had subsided, but the sky remained overcast. It was uncertain when it would snow again.

The base was bustling with people, and Shu Shuishui quickly realized that because of the snow, they would have to migrate ahead of schedule. Although it was only one or two days earlier, on Cang Zhan Star, once it started snowing, the temperature would not rise again, and the weather would deteriorate day by day. In such circumstances, every hour counted.

Shu Shuishui stood on the threshold, looking at the accumulated snow outside. Then, as usual, he leaped and hopped down.

The little dormouse instantly disappeared from view, completely submerged in the white snow.

Gu Langu: “…”. Following the small pit made by Shu Shuishui’s leap, he soon saw a small red figure struggling.

Gu Langu picked up Shu Shuishui and cradled him in his hand.

Shu Shuishui: “…”. The new snow was so soft, and it was so thick! He was much shorter than snow now!

The little dormouse shook his head and looked down from Gu Langu’s palm, noticing many footprints left by others outside the door, and the snow there didn’t seem as thick.

“It’s because of the wind. A large part of the snow melted last night and piled up outside the door, so that’s why the snow here is so thick,” Gu Langu explained. He instinctively reached out to touch Shu Shuishui’s little head, accidentally pulling off his small red hat.

Shu Shuishui looked up at Gu Langu. “Does Gu Gu want to wear the hat?”

Gu Langu looked at the hat, which could only fit on his finger, and shook his head. “You can wear it, Shuishui.”

Shu Shuishui took back his little hat, grasped both sides with his paws, and pulled it down over his head. He wasn’t sure if the hat made him feel warmer or if being fluffy was warmer.

Carrying Shu Shuishui through the accumulated snow, the little dormouse tried to walk on his own with his paws, as if he wanted to go down himself. Gu Langu had no choice but to put Shu Shuishui down, but it turned out the snow was up to his waist.

Shu Shuishui: “…”

Gu Langu: “…”

Shu Shuishui attempted to take a step forward gently, but unsurprisingly, he stepped on the soft snow and toppled over like a carrot, planted in the snow. “Gu Gu, you walk in front, and I’ll follow your footsteps, how about that?”

Gu Langu looked at his own stride and felt that this method wouldn’t work either. Nevertheless, the little dormouse half-buried in the snow looked at him expectantly. Gu Langu could only brace himself and take smaller steps, trying to reduce the distance. However, when he turned his head to look, the distance was still too great, and Shu Shuishui’s little short legs couldn’t possibly reach it.

While Gu Langu was contemplating whether he should walk step by step, he saw the little dormouse make a light leap and land precisely in his footprints. Then, with another hop, Shu Shuishui landed in another footprint.

Gu Langu: “…”

In this way, one person walked ahead, and one dormouse bounced behind, a sport that would be quite physically demanding, yet the little dormouse did it so effortlessly, seeming to enjoy it endlessly. The red and warm brown figure bounced along like a small ball, following closely behind Gu Langu.

After hopping for a while, Shu Shuishui finally satisfied, returned to his place on Gu Langu’s shoulder. He didn’t forget to take off his snow-covered shoes and put them in a plastic bag before returning them to the spiritual storage, to prevent getting Gu Langu’s clothes wet. “After stepping on the fresh snow, winter has officially arrived! Don’t be afraid, Gu Gu. I’ll make you a… down glove…”