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ntranslator: baumkuchen editors: glitterypanda, serefina

nChi Xiaochi pulled a deep bottomed dish holding two brown crabs over to himself and picked up a pair of tongs and a dinner knife, planning on pulling out the crab meat for his younger siblings.

nHe held up the tongs and waited for a while.

nJi Zuoshan came out of his memories, and called out, “Mister Chi?”

nChi Xiaochi, “Don’t Mister Chi me, come break open this crab.”

nJi Zuoshan, “……”

nChi Xiaochi, “……”

nFrom their expressions, both didn’t know how to eat crab.

nChi Xiaochi lightly knocked the tongs against the edge of the crab shell. “Try to smash the shell with spiritual power?”

nJi Zuoshan rolled up his sleeves. “Alright.”

n061 didn’t quite know whether to laugh or cry. He let out a soft sigh, then said, “……It’s me, don’t be afraid.”

nJust as Chi Xiaochi thought that those words sounded familiar, he felt his wrists being grasped by a pair of warm hands and lightly squeezed. He didn’t know whether 061 had done it one purpose, but his slender fingers just so happened to lightly press against his numbing tendon. The numb feeling made Chi Xiaochi instinctively suck in a light breath.

n061’s pleasant voice sounded by his ears. “Brown crabs are actually already very easy to shell. You just need to find the trick……”

nHe made Chi Xiaochi grab the knife and tongs and cut along the central ridge seam. With a swift stroke, the body of the crab instantly split into two, revealing a large swath of white crab meat and overflowing crab roe, turning into two cans of crab meat not just in name, but also in reality.

n“Don’t bite it with your teeth. Brown crabs have very hard shells. Use the tongs to pull off the crab pincers, then pry it open……”

nAlong with his slow, methodical words, the hard shell of the crab pincer was lifted.

n061 patiently used chopsticks to scrape out a spoonful of crystalline crab meat, dip it into the already mixed vinegar sauce, repeatedly swirl it around twice, but then didn’t put it into anyone else’s bowl, rather, naturally sending it into Chi Xiaochi’s mouth.

nHe said, “The first bite is yours.”

n061’s voice was gentle, like a cup of warm honey lemon water, immersing one and making one’s heart tighten slightly and turn sweet, but the moment he became firm, one had no way to refuse.

nAfter interacting with 061 for a long time, Chi Xiaochi’s rejection reaction towards him had lessened a lot, but in the moment his hands were grasped, the familiar feeling actually made him instantly think of Dong Feihong from the last world.

nBut he immediately dismissed the idea, not even willing to spend any more thought on it.

nHe couldn’t hold hope on this matter. ……Only on this matter, he couldn’t.

n……Wasn’t he played around with enough last time?

nSeeing Chi Xiaochi eat the crab meat, 061 also let go of his hands, returning once more to the body.

nHe subconsciously brushed his thumb along his burning palm, feeling a little strange.

nHad he ever treated his past hosts like this?

nAs far as his limited memory was concerned, towards his ninth and tenth hosts, he was always very polite and distant. Don’t even mention shelling crabs, or peeling mangosteens, even when his hosts met difficulties, he would only provide oral guidance, and even the concept of “coming out and helping” was rare.

nBut before he could think of the answer, the corners of his mouth curved up in a slight, shallow smile.

n……What he’d grasped hadn’t been Ji Zuoshan’s hands, rather, he’d directly come into contact Chi Xiaochi’s spiritual energy.

nThe perception of spiritual energy was much more sensitive than the usual physical sensation. That was why that momentary contact had induced Chi Xiaochi’s reaction.

nHis wrists were even more slender that Ji Zuoshan’s. He could loosely catch them in his palm without any effort. 061 even had the slight urge to feed him a little more.

nChi Xiaochi rubbed his wrists rather unnaturally. Only when the remaining sensation on his skin disappeared did the tension lessen slightly.

nFollowing the method he’d been shown, he cut open the other crab, then split the four halves filled with meat and roe to his younger siblings, while he himself took two crab legs and began to eat slowly.

nThe four little elves had already eaten until their bellies were round by this point, but they were still ravenous.

nXiaodi used a spoon to dig the meat out of the crab shell, inhaling one bite after another with relish. Sanmei was currently discussing with wudi whether to bring the remaining crab meat back to eat with noodles or stew with eggs.

nOnly simei was sneaking looks at her erge, her bright eyes filled with gratification.

nShe felt like her older brother wasn’t quite the same as before.

nIn the past, whenever her older brother came home, he would always say that he was doing very well in that young master surnamed Zhan’s home. There was food and clothes, and there was even a new mecha for him to pilot, but Xiao Si had always felt like her older brother wasn’t as happy as he acted.

nPerhaps by leaving that person, and staying by Rosie-jiejie’s side, her older brother would be able to live even better.

nWhile at the same time, at the Zhan mansion.

nFaced with a table filled with good dishes of both chicken and fish, Zhan Yanchao didn’t have any appetite.

nZhan Yanling tapped his fork against his glass, and raised his glass of red wine to toast him, but Zhan Yanchao didn’t raise his glass.

nHe looked at the empty space by his side, then looked at his full ricebowl. His heart was filled with an indescribable sourness.

nIf it was in the past, if he left food in his bowl, Ji Zuoshan would always silently take it.

nZhan Yanchao especially loved to mock him with, “You like eating my things so much?”

nJi Zuoshan would lower his head and take a few bites, then say in a soft voice, “If I don’t eat it, it’ll go to waste.”

nMister Zhan had always doted on Zhan Yanchao and would never scold him for wasting food. Whenever Zhan Yanling saw him waste food, he too would only shake his head disapprovingly.

nWhy hadn’t the person who would take his bowl come home yet……

nZhan Yanling didn’t discipline his younger brother at the dinner table, just giving him a suggestion during dessert after the meal, “I suggest, with the mental state that you’re in, that it’d be best if you don’t participate in tomorrow’s……”

nZhan Yanchao cut him off, “I want to go.”

nJi Zuoshan would be going, so how could he let Ji Zuoshan and Rosie go off together on their own?

nSeeing his younger brother’s lost appearance, Zhan Yanling wanted to say something, but in the end, he still held back.

nIt wasn’t that Zhan Yanling didn’t want to manage his younger brother, but firstly, the age gap between him and his younger brother was too large, and secondly, because his mother had died due to Zhan Yanchao’s birth, he had always had a hard time feeling positively about his younger brother.

nZhan Yanchao lowered his head and thought for a while. Suddenly, he clapped his hands together, and started smiling happily.

nEven though he didn’t like this younger brother very much, Zhan Yanling had to admit, his younger brother was a beauty. When he smiled sweetly, he was simply stunning.

nZhan Yanchao ran towards the kitchens. “Quick quick quick, make a few new dishes, the more exquisite the better. When you’re done, pack them up.”

nZhan Yanling said helplessly, “What great idea have you come up with now?”

nZhan Yanchao was radiant with delight. “I’m going to send delicious food to Ji Zuoshan’s younger brothers and sisters!”

nZhan Yanling, “……”

nHe didn’t say anything.

nRight now, he might be able to understand Ji Zuoshan better than Zhan Yanchao, but letting this younger brother of his run into a wall might not be something bad.

nZhan Yanchao, driving his electromagnetic car, arrived at the little house he’d bought for Ji Zuoshan’s younger siblings, but he didn’t see any lights on inside.

nDriving an electromagnetic car in such a place truly attracted a lot of attention. Many little kids hiding in the dark couldn’t hold back their curiosity, sneaking over to touch the car after he got out.

nHe couldn’t be bothered to berate them. He picked up the meal box, straightened his tie, and strode over towards the house.

nBy all reason, someone who cared about his family as much as Ji Zuoshan did, needing to go to “The Scar” tomorrow, would definitely come back to see his siblings.

nThinking about how he’d be able to see Ji Zuoshan in a short while, Zhan Yanchao even felt a little hungry now.

nZhan Yanchao of course wouldn’t know what was called “do not enter without permission”. This house had been bought by him, he of course had the key, so he didn’t need to squat outside to feed the mosquitoes.

nHe dug out the key, and opened the door.

nThe inside of the house was in complete darkness. He felt along the wall. Only after amassing a handful of dust did he finally feel a light cord.

nWith a heart full of hope, he gave a forceful tug——

nWhat met him was an empty room.

nNo tables or chairs, no people, just a bed made of bricks off to one side.

nZhan Yanchao’s heart also fell to the ground, empty.

nHe went around the room once, then made another round, wondering, at a loss, where had they gone?

nHe looked left and right, then found a little note that had been placed on the edge of the bed.

nZhan Yanchao picked it up and turned it over. With a jingle, out fell five little keys.

nUnresigned, he shook it a few more times, then reached out and dug around inside, only to find that other than five keys, there truly wasn’t a message inside.

nZhan Yanchao was even more at a loss now.

nHe didn’t get angry, or perhaps it was that there was nothing for him to smash here.

nHe placed the meal box on the bed, and without dusting it off, sat down.

nZhan Yanchao sat there for a while, then thought, he couldn’t bring the meal box back and let his older brother see a joke.

nSo he opened up the meal box, took out all the food, setting it up on the bed, then began to shove it into his mouth, mouthful by mouthful, with a slight beggars-can’t-be-choosers mentality.

nBut when the food entered his mouth, without exception, it became bitter.

nAs he held up the meal box, tears fell down his face.

nClearly he used to be so good to me in the past, why did he suddenly stop?

nBefore “The Scar” summer training officially started, Rosie finally confirmed that, according to the national standard, Ji Zuoshan’s spiritual power was at least 2S grade. If he trained a little more, he would soon break through to 3S.

nAs for the natural energy in his body, it was far beyond the normal value. If he wanted to, he could transform into an Alpha at any time.

nRosie sighed, “You really are a treasure trove.”

nAnd his reputation as a treasure trove was indeed known far and wide now.

nFor “The Scar” summer training, all registered students were broken up and dispersed amongst four assembly points. They would first gather for a day to complete their registration and sign in. After signing in, each group’s members would decide on the time they would set off. In accordance with the requirements, they would be dispersed throughout the training ground from 0:00 to 6:00 the next day.

nAt the pre-competition assembly point, the students from other schools pointed at Ji Zuoshan.

n“It’s that little pretty boy. He destroyed a mecha.”

n“The one operating a training mecha?”

n“Should be.”

n“Don’t talk nonsense. A training mecha fighting a specialised mecha, and destroying the specialised mecha?”

n“……I didn’t say if it was true, it’s a rumour, just a rumour.”

n“But he really does look very good. Pale and slender, and his waist and body are pretty good too.”

n“Hah, you like him?”

nThey hadn’t been able to personally see his feat of tearing a mecha apart with his hands and didn’t know about the spiritual power test, so Ji Zuoshan was just a conversation topic for them.

nZhan Yanling announced the rules. Like the years before, other than their mecha, they were not allowed to bring in any other items. The people at each assembly point were to form a team of four on their own and move together as a group. If they ran into a dangerous situation they couldn’t deal with on their own, they could send out a distress signal, and the base would send someone to rescue them.

nThe first ten people to successfully arrive at the base would receive a reward, and the first person would receive a high-precision army grade mecha.

nHearing that classifier, Chi Xiaochi’s heart moved slightly, but he didn’t say anything.

nChi Xiaochi looked at his Blue, and felt that no matter how he looked at it, it was pleasing to the eye. After a moment of thought, he decided to take second place, and if that wasn’t possible, after taking first place he would have them give him a discounted prize.

nThe moment that Zhan Yanchao, who was mixing amongst the crowd, heard the announcement that they could form groups now, he then snapped back to himself and started to push his way over to Ji Zuoshan.

nWho knew that Rosie, , and would grab his arm. “Let’s form a team?”

nChi Xiaochi of course nodded.

nZhan Yanchao became all the more anxious. He began to roughly part the crowd.

nWho knew that when he was not more than five or six steps away, two people wearing their school’s uniform made their way to Chi Xiaochi first. “Hello, how about forming a team with us?”

nThe author has something to say:

nI originally wanted to write about eating chicken, but ended up writing about eating crab qwq

nLiu-laoshi: This is probably just friendship.

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nbaum: actually, would you guys rather I use simei and other such titles, or should I turn them into the longer “his fourth younger sister”?

nsere: yay its a mini training camp arc

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