Gu-Ji
Xie Luan helped the muka cub blow out the candle and cut the cake. Having taken the number of cubs in the club into consideration, he had made a very big birthday cake with three layers.
“Like it?” Finished feeding a slice of cake to the muka cub in front of him, Xie Luan asked the same question as he had when he had given the cub a milk candy.
Just like Xie Luan, the muka cub’s reaction was also the same as at that time. The thin vertical pupils stopped in place and he remained motionless as he experienced the burst of sweetness. However, after hearing Xie Luan’s voice, the cub obediently issued a low response from his throat.
The adults in the room began giving cake to the rest of the cubs. Towards the end of the party, Xie Luan cut a piece of cake for himself and sat down on the soft rug-covered ground. Xie Luan lifted the nox, who had been lying quietly on his shoulder and took him into his arms, he then raised his fork with a bit of cake on it and brought it to the nox.
“Mawh.”
As if not expecting Xie Luan to do this, the nox, who looked like a little round ball while in cub form, made a low sound.
“We will also celebrate your birthday like this next January.”
Saying this, Xie Luan added after a second, “We will celebrate every year.”
Following Xie Luan’s words, the fluffy tail behind the nox nested in his arms gradually rose. Finally, the tail tipped left and half hooked around Xie Luan’s wrist.
After finishing the cake, Xie Luan saw that the birthday boy was still wearing the little triangular hat on his head and he continued wearing it throughout the day. He looked like he was cherishing that little hat.
That night, the muka cub used his forearm to carefully carry it with him to bed and as he fell asleep he was still protecting it in his arms.
Passing by and seeing this scene, Xie Luan bent down and kissed the cub’s hard forehead. After the good night kiss, he went back to his room.
Xie Luan did not bring the baby mermaid with him to sleep together. Not this time. The little mermaid had already been on land for a long time during the day and had now returned to the pool to rest.
Putting the nox in his arms down by the pillow, Xie Luan sat down on the bed. At this moment he suddenly remembered that he had still not taken out the things he had put into the space button on Saina.
Xie Luan touched the space button and took out one translucent gem after another. These newly mined ores, which had yet to be cut or polished, had been given to him by the muka cubs. Xie Luan had actually not had a chance to take a good look at them until now.
Although completely unpolished, the blue-green semi-transparent gems also seemed very beautiful. Xie Luan picked up one of the smaller ores and moved it closer to the eyes of the nox who was looking at him.
Cyan. Xie Luan just found that the color of these gemstones was very similar to the color of the nox’s eyes. You could almost say that it was completely the same tint.
Just like the winter sky and a breath of cold air all at the same time. It also looked very pure.
Placing the gem close to the eyes of the nox and comparing them, Xie Luan’s eyes smiled as he said, “It’s a quite beautiful color.”
Almost the moment his voice fell, Xie Luan saw the nox, who was originally lying down, lift his body and the tip of the tail hanging behind him pointed upwards in an arch. Then, before Xie Luan’s eyes, was no longer a round fluffy cub, but an adult nox.
The two men were not far apart from each other and he was all of a sudden pulled extremely close. Xie Luan saw the nox slightly lower his head and the two beautiful cyan eyes were completely displayed before him, glimmering in the dim light of the lamp. His figure was clearly reflected in them.
In order to make it easier for Xie Luan to see his eyes, Ya Yi did not make any other unnecessary movements. After pulling him close, he motionlessly gazes at him, only the silver tail behind him would still react to Xie Luan’s line of sight.
Like a beautiful and dangerous beast showing a docile attitude, making it possible to approach and touch. When using this kind of attitude to get close to people, it was usually very hard for others to refuse.
This statement was truly not false. Xie Luan at once found it hard not to touch the silver tail that behaved so obediently, it was also hard not to let it encircle his waist.
The last Xie Luan remembered was planting a goodnight kiss on the nox’s forehead. That night, he was half encircled by the nox’s tail and like this he gradually fell asleep.
After the muka cub’s birthday, there were only 12 days left of the month. On the last day of the month, Xie Luan without warning received a promotion.
“President, why suddenly…” Hearing the old president who had gathered everyone say that he wanted to officially hand over the president’s seat to him, the surprise on Xie Luan’s face was not fake.
The president hadn’t mentioned it to him beforehand. However, compared to his surprised look, Xie Luan found that the others around him appeared to long have seen this coming and now, after hearing the president’s words, merely nodded.
“It’s not sudden.”
The president glanced at Xie Luan, trust showing in his eyes. “This old man is already very old and has since some time back not had the energy to properly manage the club. It is all thanks to Xiao Qi helping me take care of the club all these years that Yunbao Branch has barely been able to stay afloat until now.”
“But ever since you came to our branch, this old man has seen the club grow in front of my eyes and truly come alive. I don’t see any problem with me making you president, Xiao Qi also agrees with this decision.”
Saying this sentence, the old president touched the virtual document shown by the connector and moved the document over to Xie Luan. “If you’re ready, sign this document right away. I’ll leave Yunbao in your hands.”
After signing the document, all of Yunbao branch’s assets would immediately become Xie Luan’s. The old president hadn’t left even a bit for himself, he was completely transferring it all, it was all written in the document.
Noticing that Xie Luan was still a little hesitant at this point, the old president opened his mouth once more and said, “Me being at this age, I don’t know how long I can continue watching over Yunbao. Who else can I ask this of?”
Hearing him say this, Xia Qi was the first whose expression changed. [1]
This year, the president would turn 210 years old. In the sevilla race it could be considered as having lived a very long life. Even though birth, aging, sickness, and death were the most unavoidable things in the universe, Xia Qi, who regarded the old president as her grandfather, still felt like her chest was a little stuffy.
The staff at Yunbao branch had no objections against Xie Luan becoming president. Under everyone’s eyes, Xie Luan at last signed the document.
The document went into effect the moment Xie Luan signed his name, that is to say, from that day on Xie Luan officially took over as the new president of Yunbao branch and the relevant information on Yunbao branch’s homepage on the starnet also changed accordingly.
Going from vice president and investor to becoming the official president, even if his title was different, Xie Luan’s daily work did not actually change much. It was merely that, if they needed to be in contact with other cub raising branches in the future, he would attend as president.
The following month, Gaia seemed to be getting hotter with each passing day.
Summer had finally arrived, and so had the rainy season. It was a cloudy day in the city Yunbao branch was located, a light rain pitter-pattering against the club’s roofs. Something related to this club was happening far away at the Star Alliance headquarters at Shilolin.
“Have you heard? Today that maniac unexpectedly took the initiative to submit his retirement application to the military department. Is it really true?” In the Star Alliance administrative department, several civil servants gathered together to whisper, disbelief clearly written across their faces.
“It has to be fake, right? That man is a famous battlefield maniac, why would he give up and request for early retirement? He is decades away from retirement age.”
“Shhh—“ Hearing footsteps gradually approaching, one of the employees hurriedly gestured for the others to be quiet.
A man with a scar at the corner of his eye passed by, he gave off an aura of oppression from his whole body. The man was obviously military personnel, but this middle-aged man appeared very cruel.
Compared to military, the other looked more like a dangerous lowlife and his reputation as a battlefield maniac also made many of his colleagues at the military department avoid him. They only dared to talk about him behind his back and became completely silent when facing him.
As soon as the man was some distance away, the silent civil servants relaxed. Just now, when the man had passed by, one of them saw that he was missing a hand and couldn’t help saying, “Is it because of his left hand that he chose to retire? He was seriously injured at the battle of Kesou more than a year ago, it may be the reason…” After discussing for a while, the whispering voices gradually stopped. At this time, Morrison, who had submitted his retirement application, had already left the Star Alliance headquarters and walked back home.
“Gu-Ji,Ji~” Hearing the door open, the cub who originally had been nestled on the bed at once woke up. Like a plump little penguin, the laili cub waddled over, he then bumped into and hugged the leg of the adult who walked in.
Morrison could never get used to this way of greeting. Bending down, he used one hand to hold the laili cub. After he put him back down again, he touched the cub’s head.
Because he only had one hand, Morrison couldn’t hold the baby and stroke his head at the same time.
“Guu~” Issuing a sound, the fluffy little laili cub flapped his wings continuously as his head was touched. Although, just like in the kuthi race, the laili cub form was similar to a bird, this lali cub could not fly.
Morrison from time to time lowered his head to look at the cub who was waddling around the room. Once the Star Alliance approved his retirement application, he was going to take the cub with him to Gaia.
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Translator’s note:
A new fluffy cub! ><
[1] – I first thought she reacted to him saying “who else can I ask this of?” and pictured her making a wtf face… No, but really, Xia Qi must be an angel. [negativity warning⚠️] Although I’m happy for Xie Luan, I really dislike this trope (When a woman dedicates all her life to something, then an average guy comes along and masters it in one day after being taught by her, gets acknowledged by her master, and takes all that should have been hers…) it is used in books and movies all the time and is a bit sad to see.