Chapter 16: The Dirty Child
Once Yu An finished his cake, Lin Huaichen and Wen Xun returned to the living room. Another peaceful day slipped away. That night, Lin Huaichen sat by Yu An’s bed. “An-an, can you promise Papa something?”
Yu An didn’t ask what it was and simply nodded happily. “Okay.”
“Our An-an is so good,” Lin Huaichen praised with a light laugh. “Then promise Papa: from now on, don’t tell anyone that you aren’t human, okay?”
Yu An was confused. “But I’m not…”
“That’s not important,” Lin Huaichen told him firmly. Facing the little guy’s dazed eyes, he lowered his voice to avoid scaring the child.
He explained patiently, “Your Papa Wen and I are both humans, right? Regardless of your original identity, you are our child now, so you are the same as us.”
Lin Huaichen didn’t want Yu An to think he was an outlier. Currently, Yu An was ignorant; as he grew older, he would slowly understand. At that time, it would be up to him to make a choice between the identities of human and Xenogenic.
Yu An’s head was a mess. One moment he was a Xenogenic baby, the next he was a human baby? The baby’s brain was about to crash.
It’s so complicated. Whatever. Whatever Papa says is what goes.
Yu An simply gave up thinking, nodded his head, and spoke what he understood. “I know. I am the same as Papas. We are all humans; I am a human baby.”
Lin Huaichen pinched his soft cheek in satisfaction. “Right. As expected of my precious son. So smart.”
After Lin Huaichen left the room, the little octopus also crawled out from the succulent on the windowsill. Feeling the sticky little fellow on the back of his hand, Yu An looked down. “What is it?”
[Cub…] Soland’s voice sounded as if he had suffered a great grievance. His thin tentacles patted the back of Yu An’s hand. [Cub, just bear with it for now. Once our main forces arrive, we won’t have to fear these humans.]
Soland saw Yu An’s acceptance of a human identity as a compromise for the sake of safety. In this world, there were only him and Chausier—two Ushatos. Although Chausier was stronger, he wasn’t a reliable elder, so now there was only him beside Yu An.
Yu An asked in confusion, “I’m not suffering. Papas are humans, and I’m not afraid of them.”
So Soland’s words left Yu An completely bewildered.
Soland’s heart was collapsing; he really wanted to shake Yu An awake. We are your clansmen! You should trust your clansmen, not this group of humans! How could this group of humans be so kind? It must be a conspiracy!
Soland had already imagined a tragic picture of the poor cub being used by these humans and then cast out onto the streets. He was about to say a few more things to Yu An, but when he turned, Yu An was already nestled in his quilt, sleeping soundly.
Soland: “…”
How can you sleep at your age?!
Yu An’s cheeks were a rosy pink in his sleep. Soland couldn’t bring himself to wake him, so he could only let out one sigh after another before lying down beside Yu An’s pillow and falling asleep.
Due to Yu An’s special status, Wen Xun had to cancel the scheduled physical examination with Rong Shili.
When they talked about it, Rong Shili rested a hand on Wen Xun’s shoulder, his sharp gaze behind his glasses seemingly able to see through everything. “A-Xun, are you hiding something from me?”
Wen Xun turned his head away. “No. You’re overthinking.”
“Really?” Rong Shili raised an eyebrow. “Why do I feel like you and Lin Huaichen are up to something sneaky?”
Wen Xun wasn’t good at lying or making excuses. He pursed his lips tightly and refused to answer anything. When pressed, he would put on a “you’re bullying me” aggrieved look.
Rong Shili laughed and held up his hands. “Fine, fine. I won’t ask. Anyway, A-Xun, you and I are always in the same boat. You don’t have to worry about that.”
Wen Xun didn’t doubt him. “Mhm. Thanks.”
For several days, Yu An didn’t go to the Base. Fu Yunshu asked Wen Xun many times why Yu An wasn’t coming. Wen Xun could only be vague, saying his younger brother was sick and would take a few more days to recover.
In fact, Yu An’s mental magnetic field hadn’t dropped yet. Wen Xun and Lin Huaichen could only keep him at home for now. To avoid raising suspicion, they each took turns staying home to play with the child.
Lin Huaichen often took Yu An to play in the garden with water. However, Yu An held a small water gun, while Lin Huaichen had an adult-sized jumbo water gun, and they sprayed each other.
Lin Huaichen, the “big child,” had even more fun than Yu An. Every time, Yu An ended up like a drenched chicken, soaking wet from head to toe with water dripping from his clothes, yet he still smiled foolishly at Lin Huaichen.
Eventually, Wen Xun couldn’t take it anymore and chased Lin Huaichen off to work. Originally, he was meant to be home to play with Yu An, but now it was the reverse: Yu An was playing with him.
In addition, Wen Xun gave Yu An an intelligent AI he had recently developed. “This is Little White. If An-an gets bored in the future, you can let Little White play with you.”
Wen Xun activated the little white bird robot. Little White’s red pupils lit up, and its wings flapped as it flew up, circling Yu An twice. Its voice was a cute child’s voice.
“Hello, Little Master. My name is Little White. I am your companion robot bird. I have functions such as chatting, physical monitoring, photography, and video calling to provide you with better service.”
Yu An’s eyes sparkled. He tentatively called out, “Little White~”
“Mhm, I’m here!” Little White answered very quickly, landing on his shoulder and tilting its head in an adorable way. “Does Little Master have any instructions?”
Yu An shook his head. “I just wanted to call you.”
“Okay. No matter when or where you call Little White, Little White will always give a response.”
Little White’s speech library was very large, allowing it to talk naturally with Yu An. Yu An and Little White got along harmoniously, but Soland was unhappy—because the shoulder Little White was currently perched on was the spot he usually liked to lie!
Soland glared angrily at Wen Xun. Sure enough, none of these humans are good. To think they created such an ugly bird to compete with him for the cub’s affection—what a truly sinister human!
Wen Xun ignored Soland’s resentful gaze. Tolerating this unknown Xenogenic staying by Yu An’s side was already a huge concession; he wasn’t going to waste any effort worrying about its feelings.
Not satisfied? Then get out.
“Eh, Papa, what is this?” While playing with Little White, Yu An noticed a tiny display screen on its back. A large “C+” was displayed on it.
Wen Xun said, “This is your physical rank. If the letter on it changes to B-rank or above, An-an must come home quickly and not let anyone else touch you.”
All Xenogenics are walking magnetic fields that can influence the people around them to mutate. After examination, Yu An’s magnetic field was not infectious, but that didn’t mean direct contact with his body wouldn’t cause a mutation.
With Little White, Yu An could more clearly know his own physical condition.
“It’s time for Little Master to drink water.”
“Little Master should supplement his vitamins.”
“It’s exercise time for Little Master!”
“A glass of milk before bed~”
“…”
Little White reminded Yu An of everything down to the smallest detail. Soland’s teeth itched with hatred; every time Little White passed him, he would swing a tentacle to hit it.
Whenever Little White was hit, it would bury itself aggrievedly in Yu An’s arms and use its high-end algorithms to launch a counterattack. “Little White has been attacked. Little White is so pitiful. Brother Soland is so mean. Unlike me, I never hit anyone; I can only be hit.”
Soland: “…”
Damn it, this is actually a “Green Tea Bird”!
Unfortunately, Yu An fell for it every time. He would kiss Little White’s head in sympathy, stroking the spot hit by the tentacle, and warn Soland in a milky yet fierce voice, “You can’t bully Little White. He’s still a baby.”
If the day Little White was turned on was its birthday, it indeed was a baby not even a month old.
Soland could only seethe with impotent rage.
A few days later, Yu An’s mental magnetic field stabilized at the C-rank, and he could finally go out to play with Fu Yunshu. Before leaving, he specifically brought a taro mud cake for Fu Yunshu because the older boy had given him a chocolate bar earlier.
Wen Xun left after dropping Yu An off at Fu Yunshu’s room. With Little White flying beside him and Soland perched on his shoulder, Yu An knocked on Fu Yunshu’s door. “Brother, I brought you a delicious cake.”
Fu Yunshu opened the door and looked down. The little guy, wearing a yellow duck water bottle on his back, looked up at him. He held a small cake box in his hand and wore a small backpack, looking like a primary school student on a field trip.
“A gift~” Yu An smiled and handed the taro mud cake to Fu Yunshu. “Thank you for the chocolate you gave me last time. This cake is super yummy. It’s for you to eat.”
Fu Yunshu stared blankly at the exquisite cake box in his hand. This was the first time he had ever received a gift. For a moment, he appeared lost, leading Yu An into the room with some panic. “Thank you for your gift. I like it very much.”
Yu An smiled and said brightly, “It’s a taro mud cake. It’s not the super sweet kind.”
He remembered Fu Yunshu had casually mentioned once that he didn’t like overly sweet and cloying food, so he had specifically chosen a taro mud cake.
Fu Yunshu opened the box and took out the beautifully shaped small cake. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Yu An’s gaze fixed on the cake, secretly swallowing his saliva.
A smile flashed in his eyes. He used the spoon to feed Yu An the first bite. Yu An was surprised and hurriedly waved his hands, stepping back. “No need. I’ve already eaten. Brother, you eat.”
Yu An had already eaten a small cake at home; he couldn’t eat any more today, or he’d get cavities. Papa said that getting cavities hurt a lot, and Yu An was most afraid of pain.
Fu Yunshu didn’t miss the longing in his eyes. The corners of his lips quirked up. “Just one bite. It’s okay.”
Yu An really wanted to eat it and asked hesitantly, “Really? Won’t I get cavities?”
“It’s only a small bite. You’ll be fine once you rinse your mouth later. You won’t get cavities.”
Hearing him say this, Yu An was relieved and happily ate that small piece of cake, covering his mouth as he chewed. He mumbled indistinctly, “I’m only eating one piece, so no cavities.”
Whether he was talking to himself or someone else, it was incredibly adorable. A smile flashed in Fu Yunshu’s eyes, and he quietly ate the fragrant and sweet cake.
There weren’t many fun things in this small room except for the bookshelf filled with books. Yu An didn’t know many words, so he mainly relied on Fu Yunshu to tell him stories.
Fu Yunshu was a very patient child. Learning that Yu An wasn’t in kindergarten and didn’t even know pinyin, he proactively offered to teach him to read, starting slowly from the basics.
Yu An sat beside him, obediently practicing writing on scratch paper.
Halfway through, Wen Xun came to check on the two little ones. He was pleasantly surprised to find that Fu Yunshu’s room was a perfect daycare. The boy’s mental state appeared even more stable than his own. It was quite good.
Before leaving, Wen Xun glanced at the monitor in the corner of the room, lowering his gaze to hide the expression in his eyes.
Not long after Wen Xun left, a couple dressed in heavy protective suits arrived at Fu Yunshu’s small room. Carrying a bag of things, they pushed the door open directly.
Hearing the movement, Yu An turned to look. Seeing two strangers, he immediately hid behind Fu Yunshu in fear.
Fu Yunshu’s expression darkened. With one hand protecting Yu An, he asked in an unfriendly tone, “What are you doing here?”
The woman placed a large bag of snacks on the table, her tone carrying a hint of blame. “Yunshu, is this any way to treat your mother and father? We are your parents. Is there something wrong with us coming to see you?”
Fu Yunshu looked at them mockingly. “Stop pretending. I only find it disgusting.”
“Fu Yunshu!” Father Fu slammed his hand heavily on the table, his expression dark behind his glass visor. “Watch your attitude!”
Yu An trembled and gripped Fu Yunshu’s clothes in fright. No matter how slow he was, he could sense the bow-drawn, sword-unsheathed tension between Fu Yunshu and his parents. He called out “Brother” uneasily.
“Don’t be afraid.” Fu Yunshu’s voice was gentle as he stroked Yu An’s head. When facing his biological parents, he wore a face of indifference once more. “If you have something to say, say it quickly. Then leave.”
Father Fu was clearly about to flare up again, but Mother Fu reached out to stop him. She took a step forward, her gaze landing on Yu An, who was hidden behind Fu Yunshu. “A new friend?”
Fu Yunshu: “None of your business.”
Mother Fu lowered her voice and spoke slowly. “Yunshu, I know you resent your father and me. But the CAF Project is something so many people wish to participate in yet have no way to find. It can help you become someone superior. You can already sense the power it gives you, can’t you?”
Yu An stole a glance at Fu Yunshu. His face had become even worse after Mother Fu said those words, and his hands at his sides were tightly clenched.
Yu An was very afraid. He shook Fu Yunshu’s clenched hand and looked up at him, his clear eyes filled with worry.
The brother seemed to have a bad relationship with his parents. In fact, Yu An didn’t like this couple either—he hadn’t liked them from the very first moment he saw them.
“This child beside you should also be a participant in the CAF Project. But Yunshu, your social circle doesn’t belong here.”
Mother Fu gave Yu An a cursory glance. She didn’t recognize him and assumed he was a junior from some insignificant family.
She retracted her gaze contemptuously and instead grabbed Fu Yunshu’s hand, her tone excited. “In two weeks, Mother will come to take you to the welcome banquet for the Lin family’s Little Young Master. Your friends should be of the same status as the Young Master, not some dirty child like this. Do you understand?”
Yu An, whose face was smudged with pencil lead, stared blankly at Mother Fu for a few seconds. It took him quite a while to realize the “dirty child” she mentioned was actually himself.
Nonsense! He was clearly the cleanest child! Even before he followed Papa, he had washed himself clean every day. No one had ever said he was dirty.
Yu An’s small face puffed out like a little pufferfish. This adult was so annoying!
Translator’s Note:
Terms and Slang:
- Green Tea Bird (綠茶鳥 – Lǜchá niǎo): A play on “Green Tea Bitch” (綠茶婊). In Chinese slang, “Green Tea” refers to someone who acts pure, innocent, and victimized to gain sympathy or manipulate others. Little White is a pro at this!
- Teddy (泰迪 – Tàidí): In Chinese internet culture, Poodles/Teddies are often joked about as being incredibly hyperactive or “lustful.” Wen Xun is calling Lin Huaichen a dog for being too touchy-feely.
- Little Carrot Head (小蘿蔔頭 – Xiǎo luóbo tóu): A common, affectionate Chinese term for a small child, like “toddler” or “little sprout.”
- Indiscriminately Hostile (無差別敵視 – Wú chābié díshì): This means hating something as a whole category without looking at individual cases. The Base hates all Xenogenics, regardless of whether they are “good” like Yu An.
Stay safe and stay hydrated! Have a great day~
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