Chapter 20
Yan He looked at He Ting innocently. He hadn’t even said anything. Why was He Shao so defensive?
Besides, his guess wasn’t entirely unreasonable, was it?
He Ting stared at Yan He’s face. His innocent expression made it look like he was the one who had been deeply wronged. Yan He was so good-looking that it always made people unconsciously forgive his bizarre ideas.
He Ting said, “Where’s your mask? Put it on.”
He temporarily didn’t want to see Yan He’s bewitching face.
Yan He touched his face. “My cold is better, so I stopped wearing it. Besides, it’s been a bit stuffy lately.”
The academy was built in the mountains. Although it was still a bit warm now, in another two months, it would get cold enough in the mountains that it might even snow.
He Ting glanced up, and as if materializing out of nowhere, the stable manager hurried over from a short distance away, holding out a disposable mask to Yan He.
Thinking of the hundred-thousand-yuan monthly salary from Boss Number Two, Yan He decided it wasn’t wise to argue with He Ting. He obediently tore open the mask’s plastic wrapper.
The manager in front of him had a shocked expression and muttered, “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the Young Master show such a strong emotional fluctuation.”
Yan He: “…”
What a classic line!
Yan He also quickly caught the underlying meaning. The stable manager called He Ting “Young Master,” not “He Shao.” It was highly likely that the private owner of this stable was He Ting himself!
Or maybe He Ting had taken over the academy’s entire stable just for his two horse-uncles.
After the manager left, Yan He, now wearing a pink heart-patterned mask, looked at He Ting. Like a good corporate slave, he was unwilling to pry too much into his boss’s private life and stood there, quiet as a mouse.
Seeing him like that, He Ting felt his head start to buzz again. Yan He had stopped asking, but who knew what kind of wild theories he was cooking up in his head now?
He Ting patiently supplemented Yan He’s general knowledge: “According to scientific research, every person in the empire who can transform is the result of an accidental change in the maternal mitochondrial inheritance. It has nothing to do with bloodline.”
In an empire dominated by paternal family lines, it was actually the female’s mitochondrial inheritance that was the most stable, and it could even be traced all the way back to ancient times.
“So, it’s perfectly normal for my uncles and me to have beast forms from different families.”
“As for why we transform, science hasn’t reached a definitive conclusion yet.”
It all sounded very complicated to Yan He. In any case, there was probably no issue with He Ting being the He family heir. After all, a family that big wasn’t stupid.
Yan He immediately nodded, incomparably obedient. “Right, right, right. Whatever He Shao says is right.”
He Ting: “…”
Something’s weird.
Yan He asked respectfully, “He Shao, I was wondering why you asked me to come over…”
It couldn’t just be to listen to He Ting’s monologue proving he was a true He family member, could it?
“I found you a part-time job at the stables,” He Ting said, looking at the two horses in front of him. “Feed these two, and occasionally take them out for some air, let them stretch their legs in the paddock.”
The job sounded a bit troublesome. Yan He couldn’t help but politely decline, “He Shao, classes have officially started, and I’m pretty busy. I’m still trying to catch up on my studies…”
He Ting cut him off flatly. “Two thousand per visit.”
Yan He instantly snapped to attention, standing as straight as a soldier. His tone was filled with sincerity: “Boss Number Two, I am at your service.”
Two thousand per visit? If he came every day, rain or shine, wouldn’t that be an extra sixty thousand yuan a month?
He had to admit, Bestia Academy was a bit dangerous, but you could really make money here. By the time he graduated and got out, he might be able to retire immediately.
He Ting had Yan He come over and handed him the feed. “These two are a bit bad-tempered, and they’re picky eaters. You try feeding them first.”
Yan He had never seen a real horse, let alone fed one. He took the feed and cautiously tried to offer it to the exceptionally beautiful Ferghana horse’s mouth.
He Ting’s horse-uncle sniffed the fragrant feed near its mouth, stared at Yan He, and suddenly curled its upper lip, baring its teeth. Seeing it snarl, Yan He jumped back in fright, retreating right into He Ting’s arms.
He Ting steadied his slightly wavering thoughts. He remained standing behind Yan He but put a finger on his back, maintaining a safe distance of twenty centimeters.
He Ting reassured him, “Don’t be afraid. When a horse bares its teeth, it’s different from a dog. It’s not a threat. It’s just sampling the scents in the air.”
So that’s what it meant. Yan He let out a small sigh of relief.
Yan He watched as He Ting’s horse-uncle lowered its head and began to eat the feed he offered. The beautiful Ferghana horse swished its tail lightly, its every move indistinguishable from that of a real horse.
Ever since his “showdown” in the Colosseum, Yan He could roughly sense the difference between a transformed person and a wild beast.
“Can they… never change back into humans?” Yan He asked cautiously.
He Ting “Mm”ed, raising a hand to gently stroke the horse’s head. “Four years ago, after they fully transformed, they completely lost their humanity and became wild animals.”
And he… no longer had uncles.
“For those who have fully transformed, their families usually take them back to be kept as pets until they die. If their beast form is a protected species, they are released into the wild.”
He Ting had refused all those options and just kept his two uncles here in the academy stables, visiting them occasionally.
They no longer remembered him, their nephew, and just treated him as a human from a different species.
He had once looked forward to the day they could meet again.
He Ting lowered his gaze to Yan He’s profile. He didn’t know if he was going crazy, but he found himself placing that expectation on Yan He.
“Touch it.”
He Ting grabbed Yan He’s wrist, guiding him to touch the horse’s face.
The fur under his hand was soft. He Ting’s horse-uncle must have been very well taken care of; it felt very comfortable.
The Ferghana horse gave a happy snort, but other than that, no magical scene occurred.
Yan He realized there really was no danger, so he shook off He Ting’s wrist and touched it more boldly. Then he discovered a fatal problem: “He Shao, I remember horses only live for twenty or thirty years. These animals that have fully transformed…”
He Ting said flatly, “Mm, they don’t live for many years.”
Then wouldn’t that Hamster Bro be in trouble? If he fully transformed, he’d live two years at most, and his family would be planning a funeral.
He Ting suddenly reached out and plucked off Yan He’s mask, staring at his face. “Yan He, I’ve never seen you transform.”
He had checked Yan He’s enrollment report and knew he was a husky, but he had never seen it.
It was hard to imagine this face belonging to a husky. Maybe… a high-quality husky?
In that instant, He Ting suddenly wanted to probe his secrets further.
Yan He laughed dryly. “Hahaha, of course it’s because my self-control is top-notch. I’m emotionally stable, calm under pressure, and perfectly composed.”
A person who would bow and scrape for a little bit of money actually had the nerve to say he was emotionally stable.
But Yan He did have some skill. To be in that Colosseum environment and not even semi-transform, his self-control was indeed not weak.
A trace of approval flashed in He Ting’s eyes.
He Ting: “Is that so? Then I’ll wait for the day of the ‘Big Exam’.”
Yan He froze, not quite understanding. “What’s the ‘Big Exam’?”
He Ting said, “Bestia Academy’s Big Exam uses professional equipment to measure your probability of transformation. A low probability gives you a chance to leave the academy for break.”
The more Yan He heard, the more wrong it sounded. He couldn’t help but ask, “If you don’t pass, what about winter and summer break?”
He Ting was blunt: “Then you stay at the academy.”
No classes, but you can’t leave the academy.
Yan He: “…”
That sounds exactly like being in jail.
He Ting reminded him, “During this assessment, many students who are usually emotionally stable can’t control themselves and end up transforming.”
At that time, I wonder if I’ll see a husky?
Yan He did not want to drag the topic onto himself, this pure-blooded human fake-husky. He quickly said, “In that case, He Shao, you must never fully transform into a Siberian tiger.”
He Ting stared at the Ferghana horse that was focused on eating the feed in the manger. His eyes flickered, and he asked softly, “Why?”
Because Siberian tigers are a Level 1 Key Protected Species in the empire?
If the F4 fully transformed, there were only two outcomes—return to the wild or be checked into a zoo.
“Aren’t Siberian tigers endangered? It must be hard to find a partner.”
Besides, this was one of the main ‘gongs’ in the novel. A gay bro! Siberian tigers are already endangered, and now one of them is gay? Isn’t that just worsening the endangerment?
He Ting chuckled at his words.
A sound of urgent running came from the distance, and a moment later, Pan Ze came flying in from outside the stables.
Pan Ze’s stamina was truly impressive; he wasn’t even breathing hard after running that fast.
Pan Ze immediately said, “He Shao, Shen Shao returned to campus today.”
He Ting nodded. Shen Xianqing had snuck out when the last batch of specially-enrolled students arrived. It was impossible for them to let a ferocious beast who could transform at any time stay in an ordinary residential area. A week was indeed the time he’d be arranged to return.
I just wonder if he got his business done.
Pan Ze looked anxious. “He’s in the F4 lounge. I was waiting outside. I don’t know what Shen Shao said to Yun Shao, but Yun Shao suddenly went crazy, transformed, and flew off. We can’t find him.”
Shen Shao, that stingy former boss, has now screwed over Yun Shao, this hot-tempered new boss.
Yan He stared at Pan Ze’s head. He had a feeling Yun Xiao had turned into a golden eagle and snatched his wig again. The fiery red hedgehog wig on Pan Ze’s head looked a bit crooked.
He Ting’s expression turned grim. Last night at the Colosseum, He Ting had already noticed that something was wrong with Yun Xiao.
In all these years, he had only ever seen that state in his two uncles.
Yun Xiao… might have completely lost control.
He Ting said in a low voice, “We have to find Yun Xiao quickly. Otherwise, because he’s a bird of prey, the academy will take special action to protect the other students.”
Yan He also knew how serious this was and hurried out of the stables after He Ting and Pan Ze.
The Ferghana horse and the zebra stretched their heads out, watching them leave. The Ferghana horse suddenly spat out the feed in its mouth.
Once the three of them left the stables, they had no idea where to find Yun Xiao.
Yan He looked up at the blue sky. “Isn’t he flying right there?”
A giant golden eagle was circling frantically above the stables, like its radar was broken.
Readers nicknamed Yun Xiao ‘Big Bird Baby.’ Yan He suddenly felt ashamed. His mind was too dirty. So that “big bird” didn’t mean that “bird.”
He Ting narrowed his eyes. Did it fly near the stables to find me, or to find Yan He?
Pan Ze scratched his wig, his head pounding. “How are we supposed to get Yun Shao down?”
None of them were birds in their beast form; they couldn’t fly up there.
Should we go to the Bird Club for help?
As far as Pan Ze knew, the Bird Club at the academy was mostly parrots, mynas, peacocks, and the like. They could fly, but their beastly instincts would probably make them too terrified to go anywhere near a golden eagle.
He Ting: “A drone.”
Time to use the power of technology!
Pan Ze went right back into the stables and had the manager get the drone they used for panoramic shots, sending it straight into the sky.
The few of them stood on the ground, able to see a real-time view from the sky on the drone’s feed, and could even talk through it.
Yan He couldn’t help but marvel. Being rich really was great.
Soon, the drone’s camera captured a golden eagle in a strange state. Its sharp eyes were scarlet, and it flapped its wings frantically, circling in the air and even trying to attack the drone, as if it had lost its humanity.
He Ting looked at Yan He and Pan Ze, signaling his two lackeys to say something, to see if they could coax the bird down first.
Yan He passionately grabbed the mic: “Yun Xiao, we got footage of you streaking again! What ‘Big Bird’ bro? You’re ‘Streaker’ bro! If you don’t come down, I’m sending this to the academy newspaper!”
As for how the academy paper would write it up, that wasn’t his problem.
Pan Ze’s head was about to explode. “Yan He, is this how you ‘coax’ Yun Shao? You…”
Before he could finish, the giant golden eagle, enraged, dove straight down from the sky, hurtling right at them.
He Ting yanked Yan He out of the way. Pan Ze stumbled and scrambled to dodge. They watched the golden eagle crash to the ground like a stone, sending up clouds of dust.
Pan Ze: “!”
Yan He: “Well, you can’t say he didn’t come down, right?”
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