Stop Eyeing My Pretty Caretaker - Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Jian Chen couldn’t help but smile. He leaned down, resting his chin on his crossed arms atop the table, and began to coax the little Nine-Tailed Fox.

“Snowball, guess what I brought for you today?”

Jian Chen’s soft, gentle voice drifted from behind the little fox. The fox turned a deaf ear and closed its eyes, but its “Wind-Fire Wheel” of tails brushed past the tip of Jian Chen’s nose, making the youth let out a tiny sneeze.

Rubbing his itchy nose, Jian Chen continued to coax: “There are mice, earthworms, shrimp, and your favorite little grapes.”

Foxes are small, and they prefer food smaller than themselves, such as mice, wild rabbits, fish, and certain insects. Although they are carnivores, they often eat fruit to supplement their nutrition. For instance, Snowball’s absolute favorite was bunches of small grapes—he was almost completely unable to resist them.

However, the little Nine-Tailed Fox seemed exceptionally determined today.

Jian Chen placed the grapes on the table, plucked one off, and flicked it with his finger. The grape rolled toward Snowball’s paw and stopped right beside it, but the little guy remained unmoved. Only his ears twitched once.

Jian Chen felt there was hope, so he rolled another one.

Snowball’s nose sniffed imperceptibly. Keeping his back to everyone’s line of sight, he stealthily extended a paw and swiped the little grape under his fur with lightning speed.

Everyone: “…” They couldn’t help but let out “auntie” smiles.

Seeing that Snowball was willing to eat, Jian Chen stood up and rua-ed (petted) the little fox’s tails. Snowball’s tails were fluffy and voluminous, with beautiful snowy-white fur that felt incredible to the touch. After several months of recovery, the fox’s wounds had fully healed, and the nerves had reconnected perfectly; the extra tails were now seamlessly integrated with the little guy.

Jian Chen only hoped these tails wouldn’t negatively affect Snowball’s life or health. As for the “potential” mentioned by the Academy of Sciences, he would rather Snowball remain an ordinary little fox whose potential was never triggered.

However, Jian Chen fell into deep thought regarding how the little Nine-Tailed Fox had “broken out of jail.” Had Snowball learned to dig tunnels?

Jian Chen held the fox’s paw and pressed the pad with his thumb. The little guy’s sharp claws poked out. Jian Chen scanned the area but found no trace of dirt.

Snowball: ?!! This human is getting more and more bold with my favor!

Jian Chen then realized Snowball was very fastidious about cleanliness; he wouldn’t easily do something like digging a hole that would dirty his paws.

The little Nine-Tailed Fox whipped his paw back. He seemed even angrier now and slammed his paw hard against the tabletop.

Everyone: “…Pfft.” He’s so mad he’s pounding the table.

While the little Nine-Tailed Fox was busy being “independently beautiful,” his body suddenly went airborne as he was picked up. A faint, fresh, and very familiar scent wafted silently around his nose.

The youth held the white fox in his arms, leaned down, and without warning, kissed Snowball on the tip of his nose.

Snowball’s body stiffened visibly, his narrow eyes instantly widening into circles. Then, without mercy, he extended a paw and pressed it against Jian Chen’s lips.

“…”

Man and fox were in a bit of a stalemate. But gradually, everyone saw Snowball’s tails begin to wag. This revealed just how shy and happy he actually was.

Jian Chen didn’t seem to mind. He gently pulled the fox’s paw away. Snowball stood firmly in the youth’s arms, his two front paws stretched straight, standing tall and proud. He stared straight ahead, refusing to look at Jian Chen, looking like a little white statue. However, one of his nine tails slowly and quietly curled around Jian Chen’s right index finger.

Jian Chen admitted his heart trembled from the cuteness. He rubbed the fur on Snowball’s chest and coaxed him in a low voice: “Snowball, I’m going to go find the Little Phoenix, okay?”

“I’ll be back by the time you finish eating and take a nap.”

Snowball probably didn’t understand the words, but the youth’s voice relaxed him enough to briefly overlook Jian Chen’s many days of absence.

Jian Chen placed the little Nine-Tailed Fox back on the table, where his favorite grapes were laid out for him to feast upon. This small table was also where Snowball often basked in the sun and napped. He was like the most harmless mascot of the New Species Zone. Staff members often walked by and saw Snowball curled in a ball, sleeping with his belly exposed, or sleeping with his tail tucked, often forgetting to maintain his “image.” But no one disturbed him; after all, no one could refuse a live broadcast of a Nine-Tailed Fox napping.

Jian Chen turned to leave. Snowball froze. He lifted his head from the highly tempting grape feast and watched the youth’s retreating back. An anxious hum came from his nose.

The next second, he leaped down from the reception desk. Because he was in such a hurry, he didn’t aim his landing correctly. Snowball practically tumbled to the floor, his paws hitting the ground. The little fox whimpered, and having lost his front paw support, he performed a classic “face-brake” on the floor.

Everyone: “!!!” The little ancestor fell!

Hearing the sound, Jian Chen quickly turned around.

Snowball scrambled up instantly. His paws gripped the floor, his round eyes narrowed into slits, and his nine tails rose majestically, wagging twice as if to say: “What are you looking at, human?”

…

When the youth turned back, he saw a perfectly normal Nine-Tailed Fox. Good grief, he recovered in a single second. The onlookers were shocked.

Leaving the New Species Zone, Jian Chen began searching for the Little Phoenix. For a species skilled at flying, ordinary searching wouldn’t work. Jian Chen boarded a small flying vehicle and began searching the skies above the research institute, calling out the Little Phoenix’s name.

This wasn’t the first time the Little Phoenix had escaped; everyone was used to it. After all, the little guy never flew beyond the institute’s grounds; he only circled above, looking down at everything within the grand architecture. A casual flight was treated like taking him for a walk and didn’t disrupt the normal order of the institute.

The Little Phoenix, Rapha, was born this July. Although no one knew if the rumors from the Academy of Sciences about the Little Phoenix being “born from fire” were true, Rapha did have an indissoluble bond with fire. For example, when he was only two months old and hadn’t been at the institute for long, he happened to see a wood-burning fire pit and resolutely jumped in. By the time Jian Chen fished him out, his feathers were all burned off, and he nearly became a roasted chicken.

When he met Rega, the Little Phoenix would try to provoke him frantically. Jian Chen seriously suspected Rapha just wanted to confirm how much fire Rega could breathe.

However, after the “fire pit incident,” when the scorched Little Phoenix grew his feathers back, Jian Chen noticed the down had changed from light yellow to a brilliant gold. It was as if the little guy was proving he truly had the potential for rebirth through fire. His tail feathers gradually grew longer, and combined with his spreading wings, he was as dazzling as a flash of light. Rapha learned to chirp at a very young age; although it was the high-pitched “milk-voice” unique to birds, it was incredibly pleasant to the ear. It wasn’t hard to imagine how stunning his cry would be once he reached adulthood.

Jian Chen had named the Little Phoenix “Rapha” because the name symbolized “light, shining, and flying,” which perfectly suited his beautiful and magnificent image.

However, the institute staff were used to calling the Little Phoenix “Fireball.”

Jian Chen: “…” Well, that does seem more descriptive.

But “Little Fireball” had also broken out of jail on Christmas Eve. Although staff usually opened the gates to let the phoenix fly since birds need a wider range of activity than other animals this time, Rapha had escaped on his own initiative. And he hadn’t returned all night. This had never happened before.

Jian Chen put on his goggles to shield against the strong winds. He piloted the small vehicle rapidly around the institute’s perimeter, but still saw no sign of the Little Phoenix. Even though the phoenix was still a cub, his feathers were so brilliant it shouldn’t be impossible to spot him.

Worry began to seep into Jian Chen’s heart; this was indeed unusual. Rapha’s personality was different from Snowball’s completely opposite, in fact. The Little Phoenix wouldn’t curl up in a corner all night; if he wanted to find someone, it would be in a grand, loud manner…

What if the Little Phoenix was looking for me?

Upon this thought, Jian Chen’s pupils dilated slightly. Almost instantly, he turned the vehicle around and headed toward the institute’s roof.

The highest point of the New Species Zone’s roof connected to the outside via a square hatch. It wasn’t opened easily unless there was a need to collect rainwater or for emergency transport tasks. Jian Chen wasn’t sure if Rapha had gone out through that hatch, but he had a premonition an instinct. Through that door, the Little Phoenix felt as though he was right outside.

And he was in danger!

Jian Chen swiped his emergency keycard to open the hatch. He flew through the institute’s ceiling and arrived at the outdoor rooftop located at the very top of the entire building. The view here was very wide, as it sat atop the institute, covering and protecting its roof, so the area was naturally quite large.

However, just as he arrived on the roof, Jian Chen noticed something was very wrong. He saw the Little Phoenix at first glance. But the next second, Jian Chen realized there was more than just the Little Phoenix on the roof.

Rapha’s state was very unusual. The little guy, usually as fierce as a goose, was now huddled in a corner of the rooftop next to a running air conditioning unit. This was the last place a bird would like to stay, yet the Little Phoenix was motionless, like a statue. Looking closely, one could see several golden feathers had fallen out and were scattered on the ground. There was also blood on his claws; he seemed to be injured. It looked like… he didn’t dare leave that spot.

Jian Chen immediately grew tense. Soon, he saw the creature confronting the Little Phoenix.

A Vulture.

With brownish-gray wings and sharp, fierce eyes, this was a species people were familiar with, yet rarely saw in person. Now, that vulture stood not far away on the other end of the terrace, overlooking the Little Phoenix cub like a predator confident of its victory. No wonder the Little Phoenix was shivering.

As the largest birds among raptors, vultures can have a wingspan of four meters. Such a gargantuan creature was a lethal threat even to humans. But why would a species famous for inhabiting high-altitude plateaus appear here?

Never expecting such a scene on the roof, Jian Chen sensed the deathly silence. The Little Phoenix soon spotted Jian Chen and gave a startled cry. Seeing that the youth remained unmoved, it cried again. Realizing it couldn’t drive Jian Chen away, it began to spin in place anxiously.

There was no time to think about why the vulture was here. Jian Chen knew that as soon as this giant made a move, it could easily snap the Little Phoenix’s neck.

Jian Chen tapped his watch to send an emergency communication to Chen Qiu, telling him to bring a tranquilizer. Next, he whistled with two fingers, trying to attract the vulture’s attention. If the vulture moved now, his vehicle would have a much higher survival rate than the Little Phoenix’s fledgling wings.

The great vulture soon noticed the human who had appeared out of nowhere. It tilted its head, its eyes wide and round, seemingly thinking: What is this thing? Is it edible?

Thirty seconds later, before the vulture could make any aggressive move, Chen Qiu appeared at the roof hatch. To Jian Chen, Chen Qiu appearing at the critical moment was like a savior; he almost wanted to kiss him.

Chen Qiu was completely blindsided by the situation. His voice trembled with panic: “Mr… Mr. Jian, what do we do now?” Chen Qiu was also seeing such a massive raptor for the first time; it was more than twice the size of a human. Who could handle seeing that?

Jian Chen handed the tranquilizer gun back to Chen Qiu and instructed: “I’ll go pick up Rapha. If the vulture attacks us, you fire the tranquilizer.”

“If it stays still, I’ll come back with the Little Phoenix. You close the hatch immediately so it can’t follow us inside.”

Chen Qiu nodded, signaling he understood.

Jian Chen took off his goggles, suppressed his fear, and started the vehicle. In an instant, he moved from his excellent hiding spot and exposed himself within the vulture’s hunting range. Jian Chen had a clear goal: bring the immobilized Little Phoenix back into the institute and close the skylight. The vulture wouldn’t be able to get in; that was the best outcome. No one wanted a direct confrontation with such a beast.

But things didn’t go as planned.

The moment Jian Chen’s vehicle shot forward, the great vulture’s eyes became razor-sharp. It spread its wings and dove toward Jian Chen.

Chen Qiu’s heart jumped into his throat. His hand holding the tranquilizer gun shook uncontrollably. He aimed at the vulture’s body even if he missed the head, hitting the tail would be enough to make the big guy go limp on the spot!

Jian Chen wasn’t far from the terrified little guy and quickly scooped up the Little Phoenix. Just as he tucked him into his arms, he felt a sudden gust of wind behind him. Sensing trouble, Jian Chen immediately accelerated the vehicle and shouted: “Chen Qiu!”

Chen Qiu was sweating profusely. He tremblingly aimed at the vulture’s body, pulled the trigger, and the first dart shot out. The vulture tapped the terrace floor with its claws, its body rising rapidly. The tranquilizer brushed past the beast’s underbelly and missed.

Chen Qiu didn’t have time to hesitate. He quickly loaded the second shot and aimed. Because everyone was moving fast, the perspective shifted: Chen Qiu was in the back, in front of him was the flying beast, and in front of the beast was Jian Chen flying with the Little Phoenix.

Chen Qiu made a split-second decision, pulled the trigger, and fired the second shot at the vulture!

The great vulture slightly raised a wing and used the same trick as before. As if mocking human incompetence, it looked down, watching the flying tranquilizer dart shoot straight toward Jian Chen.

Chen Qiu: “!!!!” He almost lost his voice as he screamed: “Teacher, watch out!”

Jian Chen held his breath, but still watched as the tranquilizer dart pierced into his right shoulder. He stiffened, feeling a brief sting in his shoulder, and quickly understood what had happened. Very soon, a slight numbness began to spread from his shoulder.

The sound of the wind, the sensation in his shoulder, and even the feeling of holding the Little Phoenix all grew weak. Jian Chen blinked with effort, finding an unprecedented exhaustion surging toward all his senses. The vehicle lost control and dove toward the floor of the roof.

The great vulture followed Jian Chen, pursuing without hesitation.

Chen Qiu’s eyes turned red. He quickly gave chase in his vehicle while aiming at the vulture’s head and fired the third dart. This one didn’t miss; it pierced firmly into the vulture’s neck. The beast’s body stiffened, and its flight speed slowed visibly, but it didn’t stop.

The next second.

A shadow that blotted out the sun descended.

It was abrupt, without warning, appearing just like that with a heavy sense of oppression and deterrence. The massive black shadow practically enveloped all of them, humans and beasts alike, like a shadow one couldn’t escape.

Then, Chen Qiu heard a sound like a dragon’s roar.

“??”

This was definitely his imagination. How could there be a dragon? The only little dragon was still in the institute.

However, the vulture, still in flight, was suddenly pinned to the ground by a dragon claw covered in black scales! The creature, with its four-meter wingspan, was like an insignificant plush toy, stepped on by the claw and unable to rise again.

Looking up, Chen Qiu’s eyes widened to the point of splitting.

That was… a black dragon.

Covered in scales, with wings where red and black fire intertwined a black dragon whose silhouette nearly blotted out the sky!!

The black dragon didn’t linger. After taking down the vulture, it sped toward Jian Chen’s falling figure.

Before losing consciousness, Jian Chen felt his body being scooped up. Opening his eyes slightly, he saw a pair of beautiful wings—sharply angled fan-shapes, with a deep red connecting the wing roots, clashing with the black. The dragon scales were arranged sharply, looking incredibly powerful and beautiful.

Only, it was much, much larger than he remembered. This reminded Jian Chen of the little dragon in the institute.

Thus, he murmured softly: “Rega?”

…

“Who is Rega?”

The person holding him laughed softly. The voice seemed to be from far away, yet also right in front of him: “Have you forgotten my name?”

“Brother.”