“Chapter 6”

"Chapter 6"

"Just as this child said, indeed, butterflies are beautiful."

"Not only beautiful, but they also pollinate, aiding in the propagation of plants."

"But that's a butterfly, not the caterpillar that feeds on plant leaves and stems!"

"Especially for a Canary plant like me, without thorns, with tender leaves and delicate buds, and a fragrant body, caterpillars are the most dreaded enemy!"

"Thus, even though the child in front of me looks truly adorable and well-behaved, the thought of him being a caterpillar Alpha sends shivers down my spine."

"Fear of a natural predator is embedded in one's genes; even a little rose transformed into human form is no exception. The child hadn't yet realized why 'mommy' suddenly changed her attitude, and Qiuqiu had already retracted his hand and stepped back."

"He was about to say something, like 'Don't call me mommy' or 'Don't follow me,' to clarify their relationship, but before he could speak, the child, without hesitation, carried the eggshell and wobbled after him on little legs."

"Seemingly afraid of being disliked, the child extended a hand to tug at Qiuqiu’s trousers but ultimately withdrew it."

"The child’s pale face tilted up, grey eyes brimming with hopeful light, said in a babyish voice, 'Mommy, eat the shell.'"

"Even before opening his eyes, he sensed that the beautiful and gentle person in front of him seemed to really like his eggshell."

"Despite the inherited memory telling him that the eggshell contained energy to help him grow quickly, he couldn’t bear to eat it himself, preferring to offer it to his newly met mommy as a gift."

"The child’s sincere gaze unexpectedly struck the softest corner of Qiuqiu’s heart. Faced with such a devoted, adoring little one, he found it hard to be stern."

"'Umm…'"

"'You really leave me no choice.'"

"Qiuqiu stopped and crouched down, pinching the child’s chubby cheeks: 'They say this planet is dangerous. I can’t just leave you, a newly hatched caterpillar, all alone here.'"

"As if explaining to the child and convincing himself, Qiuqiu murmured, 'After all, a caterpillar Alpha doesn’t sound like a particularly strong species… But since you’re cute and willing to give me your eggshell, I’ll keep you with me for now and find your parents later.'"

"The child didn’t understand the first part of Qiuqiu’s speech and selectively ignored the rest. So, to him, Qiuqiu’s long explanation sounded like: balabalabalabala stay with me balabalabalabala."

"His eyes brightened instantly, happily blowing snot bubbles: 'Mommy! With mommy!'"

"Even with mental preparation, the young rose felt somewhat embarrassed."

"'Can you not call me mommy? Call me brother instead.'"

"'Mommy!'"

"It seemed there was no turning back now."

"Qiuqiu sighed, quickly accepting the reality: 'Call me whatever you like.'"

"After all, he wasn’t human, and human conventions didn't quite fit him."

"The little caterpillar, thinking mommy was upset, diligently offered the eggshell: 'Shell, eat eat.'"

"'...No rush with this,' Qiuqiu said, keeping the eggshell for him."

"He decided to name the child: 'Then I’ll call you Mao Mao, is that okay?'"

"The reasoning was simple, even instinctive: Caterpillar → Mao Mao."

"Concise and very apt."

"Mao Mao didn’t seem too fond of the name. Through inherited memory, he vaguely remembered having a name, but perhaps due to insufficient energy during hatching, those memories were distant and blurry, eluding his grasp. Before Mao Mao could express his opinion, Qiuqiu’s next words shifted his attention: 'In return, I’ll tell you my name.'"

"Mao Mao perked up his ears and antennae."

"'Canary for Qiu, Autumn for Qiu,' Qiuqiu said earnestly, 'Remember my name; if you get lost, knowing it will help you find your way home.'"

"Mao Mao’s tender face turned serious, nodding solemnly: 'Mmm! I’ll remember everything mommy says, Mao Mao will!'"

"'Good boy,' Qiuqiu said, ruffling his soft silver hair, causing the upright antennae to wobble."

"Mao Mao’s eyes sparkled brightly, always wearing a look of admiration and genuine smile."

"Having completed the process of familial recognition, Qiuqiu finally had a moment to inspect the eggshell Mao Mao had given him."

"The large white egg, intact just last night, had been neatly split into two equal halves after hatching, and could even be pieced back together along the cracks."

"Qiuqiu examined it closely, confirming it was laden with abundant spiritual energy, exactly what he needed at his current stage. Therefore, he accepted it gracefully and without any hesitation."

"However, he kept only one half for himself, handing the other to Mao Mao: 'You eat half, and I’ll eat half.'"

"Though not entirely sure how beings in this world are constituted, Qiuqiu, based on his experiences on Earth, knew that oviparous creatures like snakes eat their shells after hatching for nutrition. By analogy, he guessed Mao Mao might need it too."

"Mao Mao, with wide eyes, stepped back: 'The shell is all for mommy...'"

"'I only need half.'"

"Saying so, he pushed his half of the shell into Mao Mao’s mouth."

"'Ow!'"

"Caught off guard, Mao Mao ended up with a mouthful of eggshell."

"He blinked, staring blankly at Qiuqiu for a while, then instinctively bit down. A sweet flavor instantly filled his mouth."

"Mao Mao's eyes lit up, and he began to munch enthusiastically: 'Crunch, crunch.'"

"'Sweet, it's sweet!'"

"As he swallowed, a familiar, kindred energy warmly nourished his entire body."

"A flash of white light enveloped him, and once it faded, Qiuqiu was surprised to find that the little one seemed to have grown a bit, transforming from the appearance of a three-year-old to that of a four or five-year-old."

"Was the effect this noticeable?"

"After growing a bit, Mao Mao's speech became less stammered, allowing him to express himself more clearly."

"He tidily wiped his hands, adjusted his antennae, and then concluded, 'The shell is sweet, but not as sweet as mommy's energy.'"

"Mao Mao still remembered how delicious mommy’s energy was, sweet as dew laced with floral fragrance, vibrant with life, like an oasis in the desert nourishing his parched body and soul."

"In comparison, even the co-produced eggshell didn’t provide the same internal comfort and peace."

"While still in the egg, though his consciousness was dormant, he instinctively felt a crisis of depletion. He tried to absorb more energy, but the surrounding scarcity and harsh environment were insufficient for his hatching."

"At this critical juncture of life and death, a surge of vast energy suddenly flowed into the eggshell, buoying him up like an ocean, saturating his shriveled body."

"In that moment, Mao Mao's restless heart calmed, basking in that pure aura. The first person he saw upon opening his eyes was the one who had given him life."

"He instinctively felt an indescribable dependence and affection towards Qiuqiu."

"Now, Mao Mao followed Qiuqiu like a little tail. Even without sensing that gentle energy, just being closer to mommy made every pore in his body breathe easier, as if not in the dry desert."

"Mao Mao sensed a vital energy from Qiuqiu, evoking an illusion of being back in the womb, hence he called the youth 'mommy.'"

"Qiuqiu, unaware of what he represents to people in this world, thought Mao Mao’s calling him mommy was just a case of imprinting and didn’t dwell on it much, let alone the deeper reasons behind it."

"After Mao Mao finished his half of the eggshell, Qiuqiu slowly savored his own portion."

"With each chew, the previously sparse spiritual energy around became abundant. Qiuqiu felt as if soaking in a spiritual energy-filled hot spring, comfortably closing his eyes to relish the wonderful sensation of energy filling his body."

"This was a real replenishment, not just a light taste like the night before. Although it was a drop in the bucket compared to his overall energy needs, the half shell was enough to make Qiuqiu happy."

"He ate slower than Mao Mao, his movements graceful and natural, conveying a sense of relaxation to anyone watching, even the most impatient person wouldn’t rush him."

"After finishing, the energy from the eggshell had fully entered Qiuqiu’s body, its gentle power meandering through every corner, replenishing what had been spent."

"As Qiuqiu quietly absorbed this energy, a whirlwind like the one from the night Mao Mao hatched suddenly enveloped him, sweeping him up within it."

"Qiuqiu's eyes snapped open instantly. About to be alarmed, he keenly noticed that the wind blade seemed to have no aggressiveness. Instead, its movement was very regular, faintly shimmering with silver light."

"Strands of wind and light intertwined, gradually converging into an eye of the storm. Then, Qiuqiu found a silver dagger in the middle of this vortex."

"'What is this...'"

"He reached out to grab it, expecting some difficulty, but to his surprise, it was remarkably easy."

"The object showed no other reaction, as if it was meant to be his, obediently falling into his palm."

"However, after thoroughly inspecting the dagger, Qiuqiu found no special engravings or taboos, not even sensing a trace of spiritual energy."

"He tried infusing it with his spiritual power, but still, there was no response, as if it was just an ordinary dagger."

"The smooth, sharp blade reflected the youth's beautiful and delicate features, and the hint of confusion in his golden eyes."

"'Just a plain weapon, then?'"

"Qiuqiu's expression remained neutral as he played with the shimmering silver dagger, making Mao Mao anxious: 'Mommy, put the knife away, don't play with dangerous things.'"

"Primarily concerned about frightening the child, Qiuqiu quickly sheathed the overly sharp dagger into his black boot, where it disappeared without a trace."

"He stood up, dusted off his clothes, took Mao Mao’s hand, ready to leave, when suddenly a man’s voice halted them:"

"'Who’s there?!'"

"Qiuqiu paused, turning to look towards the source of the voice."

"Author's note:"