I wanted to at least get chapter 29 done before I released part 3, but also didn’t want to delay all the posts. Hence, I still ended up posting this now. A warning though QAQ This chapter made me tear up a little. If you don’t want to end on a sad note, I’d suggest waiting till chapter 29 is up (sometime within 2 or 3 days).
Trigger warnings: prepare to be sad T^T
{Please read the original translations on SurrealSkyTranslations instead of supporting TL aggregator sites. Thanks!}
The Medicine-Seeking Rat coughed a few times before he leaned in and whispered to He Ruge in a low voice.
Medicine-Seeking Rat
[Ruan Ruan …… doesn’t have much time left. I have some milk tea powder here. Use it as a placebo and make some for Ruan Ruan to drink. Children like to drink sweet things. 】
【Name】: Milk tea powder
[Quality]: Normal
[Evaluation]: This is a sweet milk tea powder, after drinking it, one’s mood will improve~
In front of the screen, He Ruge was shell-shocked.
What did he mean ‘Ruan Ruan’s time is running out’? He had just learned Little Rabbit’s name, had just watched the stars together with Little Rabbit. There were many, many things they had left to do together. Nothing had started yet. How could it be already ending?
【Countdown: 00:15:01 Seconds】
A bright red countdown timer hung from the upper right corner, refusing He Ruge the luxury of further contemplation. He grabbed the Little White Tiger and Little Rabbit and put them into the medicine basket, and then followed behind the Medicine-Seeking Rat with a mask on.
Medicine-Seeking Rat was a very, very old man. He walked extremely slowly, but steadily in every step. Many old people at that age would have a hunchback, but the Medicine-Seeking Rat did not; he stood with his back straight and his steps were also stable and precise. He was an old man who, if standing with his back towards you, would give you the image of “strict and decent”.
It was especially so with the white coat and gray hair, giving off an aura of a highly respected elderly doctor who otherwise looked out of place in the Starry Sea Orphanage. He should be at home surrounded by grandchildren in a living room decorated with “The Benevolence of a Doctor” and “Hands of Miracles” on the wall.
Why would the Medicine-Seeking Rat appear in Starry Sea Orphanage? He Ruge recalled back to the “Mysterious Infirmary” side mission. Since the last time, he had only made a bit of progress on the mission’s overall completion.
What was the Medicine-Seeking Rat’s secret? It was still all a mystery.
With Medicine-Seeking Rat’s lead, He Ruge made it back to Room 214 practically at the last second of the specified time.
Crow, who was guarding Room 214, looked at He Ruge in surprise.
Crow
[Go to the staff dormitory later, I have something to discuss with you.】
When Crow finished speaking, he turned and left.
He Ruge put Little White Tiger and Little Rabbit back into their cages. He initially wanted to express his gratitude to the Medicine-seeking rat, but at this time, the Medicine-seeking rat had already left without a sound.
[The side mission “Hide and Seek” is complete, you have receive the reward “Universal Door Card”]
[Name]: Universal door card
[Quality]: Rare
[Evaluation]: This is a universal door card that can open any of the doors in Starry Sea Orphanage
Such a useful prop! He Ruge, who was filled with worry and anxiety all night, finally obtained some sense of comfort.
However, the moment He Ruge looked at the little rabbit, his mood which had finally been lifted rapidly fell all the way back down. Little Rabbit had lost a lot of weight. He Ruge hadn’t noticed it before, but now, when he examined the little rabbit carefully, he found Little Rabbit’s appearance was no longer a plump jade. The silver Zerg wings on Little Rabbit’s body were like gluttonous parasites, robbing the little rabbit of his nutrients.
If one removed his fluffy fur, it was estimated that he’d become stick thin.
Indescribable sadness permeated his heart, such that if it gained substance, it would condense into a dark cloud and let down a pattering of rain in He Ruge’s heart.
To He Ruge, Little Rabbit was still special.
His existence was more important to him than the golden python’s. In He Ruge’s heart, the little white tiger was ranked first, and the little rabbit was second. Although the golden python death caused He Ruge to be sad for a while, after grieving, he was still able to be happy for him from the bottom of his heart.
Because he knew that the golden python’s wish was to fly amongst the stars, and death was his best ending.
However, the little rabbit was different.
What he yearned for most was never the starry skies. It might be a rain of candy falling from the sky- One, two, all his favorite lemon flavor.
He Ruge’s mood was a little depressed. He wanted to hug the little rabbit and speak softly to him, but this was only a game. He was in front of the screen while the little rabbit was inside the screen. The only thing he could do was open his backpack and make a cup of warm milk tea for the little rabbit.
The scent of milk tea floated into the little rabbit’s nose. Little Rabbit sniffed and then looked at the milk tea in He Ruge’s hands with sparkling eyes.
No.19
[Chi “Is this the medicine Grandpa Doctor gave me? It smells so good~”】
The little rabbit happily held the milk tea in his paws and drank it without blowing on it, resulting in him burning his tongue. The little rabbit stuck out his tongue pitifully. However, no worries ever stayed with Little Rabbit for too long, and pain seemed to be the same. The pain on his tongue soon flew away, and the little rabbit bowed his head again to drink the milk tea.
The warm steam blurred the little rabbit’s expression, and He Ruge could only hear the gulping sounds of the little rabbit drinking the milk tea.
When the little rabbit raised his head again, he had already finished off all the milk tea.
No.19
【Chi “”It’s sweet, not bitter”】
His ruby-like eyes shone with a film of water. The little rabbit looked at the empty cup reluctantly, and then reluctantly looked up at He Ruge and Little White Tiger.
No.19
[It’s sweet, I’m not bitter】
The little rabbit was fully curled up on the cotton nest. He watched He Ruge with his ruby-red eyes and said with a sweet, milky voice:
[I want to hear you sing a song.】
It was as if they’d returned to Room B6, He Ruge singing a song for that silly Little Rabbit who was overawed by something as simple as sunshine.
He Ruge sang naively to the screen.
Silliness was contagious, and He Ruge had been infected by the little rabbit and also become a fool.
Even knowing that the bunny in the game can’t hear anything, He Ruge still sang a nursery rhyme to the screen: “Twinkle and twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are, up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky~”
“Twinkle and twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are, up above the sky so high, like a diamond in the sky~“ 1
＊
Ruan Ruan was a little rabbit. He wasn’t the fastest at learning to speak, but he was definitely the most diligent! Because once he learned a phrase, he would repeat it all day long.
For example, Mom, I love you~
For example, Dad, I love you~
During those times, Mother Rabbit would say that Ruan Ruan is a silly, bubbling little rabbit. But, Ruan Ruan never felt that he was silly. He believed he is very smart, because how else would he know that the day his parents said “we’ll be back soon” was a lie.
Otherwise, why would Mother’s eyes swell up?
But, Ruan Ruan was a considerate and understanding little rabbit. He tried hard to convince himself of what his parents had said and waited long for them to come back. He waited and waited for a long time, but his parents never came back.
But, it’s okay. He would change locations and wait for his parents to come back. However, this new place was dark and made him scared. Ruan Ruan was a little rabbit who was afraid of the dark.
Back then, when he still slept with his parents, there was always a night light by the bedside specially reserved for him.
It was a dazzling light, like a little star in the dark night.
He had been really scared, but fortunately, he met a beautiful siren. That siren would give him delicious fruit candies and would sing songs to him. Once he listened to the songs sung by the siren, his head would no longer hurt.
Ruan Ruan really liked the siren. He liked the siren as much as he liked his mom and dad.
And if you like someone, you have to tell them.
So, the little rabbit told the youth before him very seriously, “I like you very much~”
“I also like candy~ Do you have any candy?”
He really liked Siren, and he also really liked candy. Yet, the young man in front of him showed an expression of not knowing whether to laugh or cry. He treated it as listening to a child’s joking words.
There were always so many uncanny situations in the world, such as how He Ruge ended up treating the Little Rabbit’s sincerity as childish words.
However, He Ruge was better than other adults because he never lied to children.
Ruan Ruan had asked He Ruge, will you come again?
The young man had smiled and said, he will.
Ah, he continued to come back the entire time. Siren truly was a very gentle and promise-keeping adult. He never promised something he didn’t keep, but rather only talked about it after doing it.
For example, taking Ruan Ruan to see the stars.
Looking at the bright starry skies through the glass window, he spotted two small, shining stars. Though they were not the brightest nor conspicuous, their light was soft and gentle, like the light from the night light beside his bed in the past.
The two little stars flickered slightly, as if they were mom and dad’s eyes smiling at Ruan Ruan.
Do people really become stars after they die? Ruan Ruan had once asked Little White Tiger about this.
Then, Ruan Ruan discovered that not only do adults like to lie, but children also liked to lie. How could people become stars when they die? But, Little Rabbit was an empathetic little rabbit, and he always cooperated with everyone’s lies.
Sometimes, if you believed in certain lies for a long time, they would become a truth. For example, that Mom and Dad would come back soon, that people will turn into stars after death, that medicine is naturally sweet.
Ruan Ruan hated hardship. At first, when Siren fed him medicine, he believed Siren was a bad person. Later that night, he recovered from the illness and Siren fed him candy. Then, he believed that Siren was a good person.
“Bitter medicine can treat illnesses, silly little fool.”
He even said he was a silly little fool; even a little fool knew that medicine was bitter. Now, they’re using sweet milk tea to trick him into thinking it’s medicine. Then who exactly was the bigger fool?
But, the empathetic Ruan Ruan never revealed anyone’s lies. He was just really hungry, so, so hungry. After transplanting his Zerg wings, his stomach kept telling him he was hungry.
Thus, drinking a cup of sweet, hot milk tea was indeed a very joyous thing.
Ruan Ruan couldn’t wait to take a sip of the milk tea, and ended up scalding his tongue. The pain made tears come out, but Siren was still in a daze and didn’t come up to comfort him. Yes, Siren was Siren, not mom nor dad. Only moms and dads would say to him, “Pain, pain fly away”.
He lowered his head and drank milk tea in big gulps while secretly shedding a few tears under the cover of the steam. His salty tears fell into the sweet, hot milk tea, and it all tasted sweet.
And so, Ruan Ruan’s mood improved again. He drank the milk tea, and then looked up Siren and No.20.
It’s sweet, and he wasn’t bitter. But, he was very tired and wanted to have a good sleep. Maybe, when he wakes up from his nap, there will be no more worries.
Siren was singing to him in a soft voice. It was as if his mother was beside him singing him a lullaby.
The twinkling little stars were father and mother. This time, he believed it.
The little rabbit slowly closed his eyes and fell into a permanent dream.
{Please read the original translations on SurrealSkyTranslations instead of supporting TL aggregator sites. Thanks!}
Footnotes:
Original: Twinkle and twinkle, sparkle and shine, the sky is full of little stars, hanging in the sky to shine, like many little shining eyes~ Twinkle and twinkle, sparkle and shine, the sky is full of little stars, the sun is sinking slowly westward, the crows are going home in flocks, the stars blink their little eyes, twinkling and shining until dawn~”
Oh, my poor heart QAQ. I promise it gets better, though. Also, don’t forget the Goblin Ball that keeps making appearances in the earlier chapters!
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