Chapter 34

Hearing Su Ci's question, Number Three's little hands holding the metal ball tightened, and even his two little feet wearing baby shoes shrank back slightly.

Looking at it this way, it seems like he wants to run away at any time.

But in the end, he didn't run away.

The child raised his head, his round eyes, as blue as the clear sky, were still out of focus and dim, embedded in his handsome and lovely little face, making people feel pity for him.

Number Three slowly turned towards the direction of the sound, then nodded very slowly.

"think……"

The soft and tender voice is like the glutinous rice balls just out of the pot, soft and sticky, rolled in the white frosting, so sweet that it is refreshing.

Su Ci was a little surprised, and the young boy next to him had his eyes wide open.

He originally wanted to condemn No. 3's cunning behavior, but after hearing No. 3's voice, he had already forgotten what he was about to say.

"So you can talk!"

The young boy walked around No. 3, circling around him, sometimes standing up, sometimes squatting like a puppy, looking at him as if he had discovered a new continent.

"I've been at the brooding center for so long, and I've never heard you speak! I thought you couldn't speak!"

The young boy spoke excitedly, his big tail wagging behind him, and the little tuft of hair on the top of his head stood up in surprise and shook slightly.

There are so many cubs in the brooding center, and No. 8 has the best relationship with No. 4 and No. 5. Although he sometimes makes No. 5 cry and No. 4 beats him, he still likes to play with the brother and sister.

Then, he loved to fight with No. 6 and No. 7 on a daily basis, especially No. 6. They had been at odds since the first day he arrived at the nursery.

As for the oldest one, No. 2... he has the worst temper among the cubs.

In addition, he has become much stronger than he was a year ago, and has been spitting fire all day long recently. If No. 4 is not with him, No. 8 doesn't want to mess with him.

The most mysterious one is number one, number eight has never been seen so far.

And number three can be said to be the least noticeable among all their cubs.

Although he is very handsome, even more handsome than No. 5, he is blind and doesn't speak. He is like a transparent person. No one will call him to fight.

Number Eight heard from the adults in the maintenance team that Number Three seemed to have autism and that his eyes were congenitally damaged, and even the most advanced medical cabin could not cure it.

His eyes will probably remain like this for the rest of his life.

Number Eight didn't understand what autism meant. Perhaps it was an incurable disease? He hadn't had any ill feelings towards Number Three to begin with, but after learning about it, he felt even more pity for him.

Imagine him staying in a dark world every day, he would definitely go crazy.

In fact, he might not be able to stay there for even an hour, no, not even ten minutes, let alone repeating such a life every day.

However, it is also possible that No. 3 has never seen the light, so he is accustomed to the darkness?

Having said that, Number Eight still felt very sympathetic towards the little kid. Apart from the hateful Number Six, that stinky monkey, no one had the heart to bully Number Three.

Number Eight was unhappy when he thought of his "arch-enemy" Number Six, and even his big tail stopped wagging. But when his eyes met Number Three, he immediately showed a friendly smile.

Although, No. 3 couldn't see his smile.

"Number Three, your voice is so cute!"

Number Eight moved closer to the child, half-knelt down to keep his eyes level with the child, fixed his eyes on him, and spoke to him cheerfully and happily.

"Do you want to learn the flute too? Let's learn together!"

Su Ci listened to them with great interest.

Of course, it is mainly No. 8 who is responsible for the unilateral output.

He wondered if the little wolf had forgotten that they only had one flute. If he gave it to Number Three, he wouldn't be able to use it himself.

Number Eight obviously didn't realize that there were not enough flutes. He was still chattering with Number Three, acting very familiar.

And under his enthusiasm, Number Three… He tightened his fingers around the metal ball.

Although there was no expression on the child's face and no significant changes in his eyes, Su Ci could sense that the child was on the verge of escaping at any moment.

If his tail was exposed, he would be furious by now, right? I don't know if this child has a tail.

Su Ci watched their interaction and found it very interesting.

Number Three probably really wants to learn, otherwise, facing such an enthusiastic and talkative Number Eight, he would not insist on staying here.

Moreover, the child's lifeless blue eyes were always facing him. Although blind, it could accurately judge his position. As expected, none of the cubs who could be taken into the nursery were simple.

Teaching one is teaching, teaching two is also teaching. Su Ci doesn't mind finding two more disciples for Yin Zong.

What's more, most of the Yin Sect's methods can cultivate one's body and mind, and can also improve the practitioner's control over himself. Learning more will also be of great benefit in suppressing and dissolving the blood power in the two cubs.

If they learn something, it should help them reduce the chance of going berserk and maintain a stable state. In this way, tragedies like that of 4583 can be avoided to a great extent.

"Okay, I accept your deal." Su Ci said, placing his palm on No. 3's head and gently pinching his fluffy little ears with his fingertips.

The ears are small and fluffy, so soft that they seem like they will break if you put too much force on them. They feel amazing to the touch.

Although it was a pity that he couldn't touch No. 8's big tail, Su Ci felt that if he really asked to touch the tail, the little No. 3 would probably be scared away immediately.

He only pinched the ear lightly, and the child hugged the metal ball tightly in his arms. Two blushes appeared on his fair face, and his lifeless eyes seemed to become watery because of holding his breath, making him look more and more like a delicate and lovely little girl.

Seeing how hard he was enduring, Su Ci kindly let go of his hand. The little guy showed an obvious expression of relief, but his stiff body was reluctant to relax.

For No. 3, having his ears touched is probably a huge sacrifice.

But Number 8 next to him was completely different. When he heard Su Ci speak, his attention was instantly drawn back.

He immediately forgot about number three and moved closer to Su Ci again, grinning happily, his eyes narrowed into two crescents.

This was also the first time that No. 8 smiled so happily since he came to the nursery.

"Deal! It's a deal!" he exclaimed. "Great! I can learn to play the flute!"

Looking at the lively and active child jumping up and down, Su Ci couldn't help but start to doubt, can this little wolf cub really learn successfully?

The old man from Yin Zong often said that talent and hard work are both indispensable for the human race to practice music, so whenever he saw Su Ci, he would reveal a look of envy and regret.

Su Shi was good at music, but he did not like to delve into it. He only liked to drink his peach blossom wine.

Every time Taoist Yin Zong laughed at him and scolded him for wasting his talent and being delayed by his appetite, Su Ci would turn a deaf ear to him and drink up all his peach blossom wine.

The old man didn't even think about the fact that if he hadn't been good at making Peach Blossom Wine, he wouldn't have been able to become the Master of Music, let alone learn music from him.

Now, it is impossible for him to teach the inheritance of his Yin Sect to the two cubs in front of him.

The blush on the face of number three next to him gradually faded, and his expression became dull again. It can be seen that he was also happy, but not as obviously as number eight.

At this moment, he seemed to sense something, slowly restrained his expression, and "looked" in the direction of the breeder, tilting his head.

Is this emotion... sadness? It seems more complicated than that.

However, before he could make a careful distinction, Su Ci had already collected his thoughts and coughed lightly.

The little wolf cub, who was originally cheering, suddenly calmed down. He quickly put his head close to Su Ci's hand so that he could touch his ears.

To be honest, the wolf cub's ears are thicker and bigger, and feel silky soft. You don't have to worry about them breaking if you use too much force, so you can rub them without restraint. From a user experience perspective, the wolf cub's ears are better to touch.

Su Ci couldn't let go of it, especially as time went by. The little wolf cub's cheeks and neck turned red, and his facial expressions changed from shyness to anger, but he had to tell himself to endure it. It was particularly interesting to watch.

"Are you okay?"

Finally, the little wolf couldn't stand it anymore and glared at Su Ci with shame and anger. However, when he met Su Ci's lazy gaze, his arrogance immediately subsided.

The boy's tone softened again, "I... I mean, you've been touching her for a long time, and you only touched number three once..."

The next sentence was a quiet mutter, clearly very dissatisfied with this discriminatory treatment. Then he continued, "Should you start teaching us now?"

Su Ci stopped teasing him and nodded.

Number 8's face lit up with joy, and he quickly pulled Number 3 to sit in a row in front of Su Ci, then tilted his little head back and listened to Su Ci's lecture together.

However, Su Ci did not start teaching immediately.

He looked at Number Eight, then at Number Three, and after a moment's silence, he said to the little wolf cub, "I'll teach you the basics first, and then you can teach Number Three."

Children are blind, so they need more patience and time to learn. Su Ci is busy with other things now and doesn't have time to teach them step by step.

So, if there is free labor, why not use it?

Suddenly assigned a task, the young boy opened his mouth and subconsciously wanted to refuse, but after glancing at the quiet and cute No. 3, he closed his mouth again and agreed reluctantly.

"Of course you can, but...but I have a condition!" said No. 8.

"What are the conditions?" Su Ci asked.

"I...I want to touch number three's ears too!"

Number Eight felt that if he taught Number Three without any benefit, it would be a great loss. The reason why Su Ci was willing to teach him was that he paid the price of touching his ears.

And he was touched for so long! Number three just once!

However, No. 3 is already so pitiful, it’s not easy to really ask for anything from him, so touching his ears is just right!

“…”

Su Ci was silent for a moment, then glanced at Number Three, who was hugging the metal ball tightly again. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Don't you have one yourself?"

The young boy dodged his gaze, then curled his lips and said arrogantly, "Anyway, if you want me to teach him, he'll let me touch his ears!"

Although he has ears, No. 3's ears are different from his. They are small and soft. Just looking at them makes him want to touch them.

Because of Number Eight's insistence, Su Ci had no choice but to ask Number Three, "What do you think?"

Number Three, who had been a little slow in his movements, shook his head very quickly this time and said in a soft voice, "No...don't..."

Su Ci looked at Number Eight and shrugged.

The expression on Number 8's face suddenly fell, and a trace of hurt flashed in his green eyes, but he quickly concealed it. He muttered angrily, "If you don't want it, then don't want it. Who cares?"

After saying that, he turned his face away, but then he felt it was not enough, so he moved to the side. Suddenly, there was a fist-sized gap between the two cubs that were originally close together.

Then, Number Eight glanced furtively at Number Three.

When he found that the child still had no reaction and even looked relieved, he puffed out his cheeks, snorted heavily, and moved further to the side.

Now, the distance between them was an arm's width.

Hearing No. 8's hum, No. 3 finally responded a little. He tilted his head slightly, then looked up at Su Ci, waiting for him to lecture.

Number Eight: “…”

He never wants to pay attention to him again!

Seeing No. 8's frustrated look, Su Ci wanted to laugh, but he held it back. He sat up straight, picked up the flute in his hand, and began to explain the instrument to the two little ones.

The young man's voice was gentle and clear, as if it had a special charm. When he began to speak, even the sulky Number Eight restrained his expression and listened carefully and attentively.

"The piece I just played is called 'The Shepherd Boy'."

"What is a shepherd boy?"

"In ancient times, children your age had to go out to herd sheep, and they liked to play little tunes like this..."

"What is grazing?"

In the activity room of the nursery, the sound of questions and answers could be heard from time to time. This seemed to be the first time that such a peaceful and tranquil scene had appeared since the nursery was built.

When 4586 came back after sending No. 7 off and saw this scene, he even slowed down his movements unconsciously.

The nanny robot stopped at the door of the activity room.

Its electronic eyes moved gently, recording the heartwarming teaching scene in the activity room without missing a second, and stored the record in its memory chip.

Its chips were getting slightly hot.

Except for Su Ci, the other two cubs were unaware of its arrival. They had long been attracted by what the breeder was saying and had no intention of paying attention to anything else.

They are actually at an age where they are full of curiosity and thirst for knowledge about the outside world, especially No. 8 who is almost nine years old.

The little wolf cub didn’t dislike studying, but he didn’t have the conditions and no one to tell him about the things that interested him.

He listened to the breeder's description and imagined that in that beautiful "old times", he was riding a big yellow cow, playing the shepherd's flute, and walking slowly in the mountains covered with trees and green grass. What a pleasant feeling!

Number 8 listened with longing, as if he had really seen such a scene. Even Number 3, who was standing next to him, showed a look of surprise and obsession on his cute little face.

Because the two cubs seemed to have broken up - of course, it should be No. 8 who broke up with No. 3 unilaterally, so Su Ci had to think of another way to try to let No. 3 and No. 8 have the same learning experience.

He has already mastered the use of music to perfection, and every word he speaks contains the manipulation of sound.

With his control, the two cubs who were listening attentively entered the illusion unknowingly and saw the world he presented to them.

It was just a very common scene in his millions of years, but it was so shocking to the two children.

Especially for Number Three, who has never truly seen this world.

His world was not as dark as Number Eight imagined, but it was also blurry and colorless.

Number Three knew from a very young age that he did not rely on his eyes to observe the world. The visual information he received from the outside world came from his mental power.

As he grows older, he can perceive more and more things, and he no longer trips and falls when walking like he did when he was a child.

He can avoid obstacles in his way very well, can hold a spoon to eat by himself, and can accurately pick up his metal ball when it falls.

However, Three knew that was not what things really were.

But today, he really "saw" it.

Such a beautiful and colorful world that he had never seen before -

A blue sky with white clouds floating in the air, a clear stream with green grass growing at the bottom, tall trees covered with emerald green leaves, and pink and white flowers blooming on the trees...

It turns out that this is what the real world is like.

He didn't know the specific names of those colors, but he knew what they looked like.

He wanted to remember this scene in his mind forever.

Number Three, who possesses powerful mental strength, knows clearly that the scene before him is an illusion, a power exerted by the breeder, but he is willing to sink into it and does not want to wake up.

He seemed to actually smell the fragrance of the flowers.

In the rich fragrance, a shepherd boy riding on the back of a yellow cow passed by the stone bridge over the stream leisurely. He held a shepherd's flute horizontally in his hand, and lightly plucking it with his fingertips, playing a light and joyful tune.

It turns out that this is how the flute is played.

When the breeder was playing the flute, No. 3 used his mental power to observe him, but all he got was a chaotic picture, so he didn't know how to play the flute specifically.

In fact, when the keeper came to the nursery on the first day, he noticed that while he could barely see the outlines of other people, he couldn't see anything clearly about this keeper.

From his perspective, the new keeper was a mist, a walking mist that would steal his dinner.

Although Number Three was puzzled, he was not prepared to explore. He just wanted to be alone and had no interest in the breeder's secrets.

But today, it's different.

When the keeper played the flute, he truly saw the light and saw a scene that he had never seen in his short life.

So, when the keeper promised to teach Number Eight to play the flute, he mustered up the courage to step towards the crowd for the first time and take the initiative to talk.

He really wanted to see that kind of world again... and now, he saw it again.

In addition to the beautiful sight, he also saw a person, a child.

So, is this what people are like? Does he look like this? Does Number Eight look like this? Does the breeder... look like this too?

Number Three stared at the shepherd boy infatuatedly, as if he could truly see that free, healthy and joyful soul through the long river of time.

He thought that the shepherd boy was very handsome.

Everything in this fantasy world is so beautiful... I can never get enough of looking at it...

While Number Three was lost in thought, the shepherd boy playing the flute seemed to see him. When the ox walked down the stone bridge, he put down his flute, turned around, smiled warmly, and waved at him...

Number Three helplessly hugged the metal ball in his arms, his back becoming stiff.

Then, in the blink of an eye, before he could respond to the little brother, all the beautiful and gorgeous scenes in front of his eyes disappeared, and everything returned to the gray world.

don't want!

Don't disappear!

For the first time in his life, No. 3 experienced such a strong emotional fluctuation. He raised his little hands eagerly, wanting to grab something.

But that was just an illusion, how could I catch it?

When the little hand grabbed nothing, Number Three blinked and realized the fact. His eyelashes drooped and he was about to withdraw his hand, unable to hide his disappointment.

Then, a large hand grabbed him and wrapped his fist in its palm.

The soft and warm hand belonging to the breeder stretched out from the mist and gently grasped his hand.

Then, Number Three heard the keeper chuckle, and he said, "Okay, now you know what a shepherd boy is. Let's continue."

The feeling of loss and sadness that welled up in Number Three's heart was suddenly soothed.

He thought that although this strange breeder would steal his dinner, if he could see such a beautiful world again, he wouldn't mind giving him all his dinner.

Does the little shepherd boy in the fantasy world really exist? Are there other people besides him?

Number Three has never felt such strong curiosity and interest in the outside world.

After the breeder let go of his hand, he hugged the metal ball again, then raised his head to look at the fog and listened attentively again.

Number 8 next to him did not have such a complicated psychological process as Number 3. He did not even realize that everything that had just happened was an illusion and thought it was his own imagination.

"Go on! I want to hear it!"

The young boy shouted happily, "He is indeed very similar to the carefree little shepherd boy in Su Ci's memory."