“Bingbing?”
“Will it be stronger than a regular Blazing Lion in the future?”
“Not necessarily,” Liu Yi said. “A Radiance Shift only differs in appearance; its strength still depends on its postnatal development.”
Chiying stared at Yanyan the Blaze Lion for a few seconds, then looked away.
“Mo,”
it called out, its tone calm.
“So cute.”
Ziyue immediately agreed.
“Bingbing! Bingbing!”
“Right, right! Super cute!”
Liu Yi smiled slightly, listening to the two of them chime in.
She looked down at Yanyan the Blaze Lion in her arms, but her mind drifted back to when it had hatched.
When it hatched, Yanyan the Blaze Lion poked its head out of the eggshell, its golden eyes fixed on her, and let out a cry.
“Yanyan.”
Then it cried out again.
“Yanyan.”
The second time, she distinctly understood.
“It’s you.”
It wasn't a guess, nor an association; she truly, definitively understood the meaning of that cry. It was as clear as understanding Ziyue's “Bingbing” or Chiying's “Mo.”
But with Ziyue and Chiying, she only understood their words after contracting with them.
Yet, Yanyan the Blaze Lion hadn't been contracted.
Liu Yi's fingers unconsciously stroked Yanyan the Blaze Lion's back, her brows slightly furrowed.
Was it a delusion?
She carefully recalled the feeling at that moment.
When Yanyan the Blaze Lion cried out the first time, she only found it pleasant, but didn't understand. The second time it cried out, the meaning suddenly entered her mind; it wasn't a translation, but a direct comprehension.
But this didn't make sense.
A Beast Tamer's natural ability to directly understand a pet's words without specialized study is achieved through the energy link of the Beast Taming Space after establishing a contract with the pet.
Unless...
Her Beast Taming Space's development progress was already at 29%. Although new contract slots hadn't opened yet, the space itself was expanding.
Perhaps during this expansion, the Beast Taming Space's energy field underwent subtle changes, granting her a certain perceptive ability towards uncontracted pets?
Or, was it Yanyan the Blaze Lion's own nature?
A Radiance Shift individual, with an appearance rate of one in ten thousand or even lower. Different color, perhaps... other differences too?
Liu Yi thought for a long time but couldn't figure it out.
She looked down at the golden 'little sun' sleeping soundly in her arms and decided not to think about it for now.
Whatever the reason, being able to understand was certainly not a bad thing.
Maybe she even had a talent for translation.
...
Yanyan the Blaze Lion didn't sleep for long.
After about half an hour, it began to toss and turn on her lap. First, its little paws kicked, then its tail curled, and finally, its entire body arched up.
It opened its eyes, its golden gaze clearly showing hunger.
“Yanyan!”
It cried out, its voice much louder than when it hatched, full of vigor.
Liu Yi chuckled, “Hungry?”
“Yanyan!”
It cried out again, its little paws kneading her leg, its tail wagging anxiously.
This time, Liu Yi understood again.
“Hungry, hungry!”
She couldn't help but laugh, reaching out to rub Yanyan the Blaze Lion's head before gently placing it on the bed.
“Wait.”
She turned and walked to her desk, taking out the C-rank pet nutrient solution she had previously drawn from her backpack. She twisted open the cap, poured the nutrient solution into a small dish, and carried it back to the bed.
Yanyan the Blaze Lion had already caught the scent, its entire body leaning towards her, its little paws gripping the bedsheet, its tail held high.
“Yanyan! Yanyan!”
Liu Yi placed the dish on the bed.
Yanyan the Blaze Lion immediately pounced, burying its small head in the dish, and began lapping furiously.
Nutrient solution splattered all over its face, but it was oblivious, only focused on drinking deeply.
Ziyue leaned over from the side, its purple eyes curiously watching Yanyan the Blaze Lion, which looked like a starved ghost reincarnated.
“Bingbing?”
“Is it very hungry?”
“Newborn pets are all like this,” Liu Yi said. “You were the same when you were little.”
Ziyue tilted its head, seemingly trying to recall its own hatching, but apparently remembered nothing. It wagged its tail and continued to squat nearby, watching Yanyan the Blaze Lion drink.
Yanyan the Blaze Lion finally finished the nutrient solution in the dish. It lifted its head, its golden fur covered in white streaks, and the area around its mouth was a truly unsightly mess.
It let out a tiny burp, then contentedly lay on the bed, narrowing its eyes.
“Yanyan~”
It cried out, its voice soft and muffled, filled with the comfort of a full stomach.
Liu Yi smiled, pulled a few tissues from the desk, and carefully wiped the wet marks from its face.
Yanyan the Blaze Lion squinted as she wiped it, but didn't pull away, obediently tilting its face for her.
Liu Yi tossed the tissues into the trash can and turned to wash up in the bathroom.
Yanyan the Blaze Lion lay on the bed, its spirits much improved after eating its fill. It rolled over, its little paws swiping twice in the air, then began to survey its surroundings.
It first looked at the crystal chandelier overhead, the lights reflected in its golden eyes. Then it looked at the floating island landscape painting on the wall, tilting its head, as if wondering what it was.
Finally, its gaze fell on Ziyue.
Ziyue immediately puffed out its chest, its two tails held even higher, its purple eyes filled with anticipation.
Yanyan the Blaze Lion stared at it for a few seconds, then rolled over, turning its rear to Ziyue.
“Bing... Bingbing?”
It cried out, its voice clearly aggrieved.
Chiying floated over from the foot of the bed, its crimson eyes glancing at Ziyue's dejected appearance, its tail swaying gently, then settled in front of Yanyan the Blaze Lion.
Yanyan the Blaze Lion rolled back, its golden eyes meeting Chiying's crimson ones.
One gold, one red, the two pairs of eyes met for a few seconds.
Yanyan the Blaze Lion extended a little paw and tapped Chiying's nose.
Exactly the same as when it had tapped Ziyue earlier.
Chiying didn't dodge, allowing the tiny paw to tap its nose. The force was so light it barely felt anything.
“Mo,” it called out, its tone calm.
Ziyue peered over from the side, a hint of schadenfreude in its purple eyes.
“Bingbing.”
“It got tapped too.”
Chiying glanced at Ziyue, but said nothing.
Liu Yi emerged from the bathroom and walked to the bedside, seeing Yanyan the Blaze Lion tapping Chiying's nose with its paw. Ziyue squatted nearby, its tail held high, looking as if it were enjoying the show.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
Ziyue immediately turned its head and cried out.
“Bingbing!”
“It's tapping Chiying with its paw!”
Liu Yi glanced at Chiying, then at Yanyan the Blaze Lion.
Chiying's expression remained unchanged, while Yanyan the Blaze Lion retracted its paw, looked up at Liu Yi, its golden eyes full of innocence.
“Yanyan~”
Liu Yi smiled, not exposing it.
She walked to the bedside and sat down. Yanyan the Blaze Lion immediately came over to her.
Liu Yi reached out and picked it up onto her lap.
Yanyan the Blaze Lion turned around on her lap, found a comfortable spot to lie down, then contentedly narrowed its eyes.
Rate on N.U.
