Damp and hot, sticky.
Accompanied by a rather reluctant sucking, Fan Wubing slowly woke up, and the morning light entered his eyes.
Then, he saw a kitten-like fellow crouching beside him, struggling to suck his right index finger. Her eyes were full of confusion, as if thinking, itâs clearly the same finger, why is it different from yesterday?
On her face floated some blood-red twisted runes, causing her facial features to change a bit; at this moment, she looked like some kind of mountain demon.
Fan Wubing sat up and seriously looked at her.
She also seriously looked at Fan Wubing, her pupils resembling a fearsome beast, yet revealing a curiosity about everything, as if she was unacquainted with the world.
"Hungry?" Fan Wubing asked.
She couldnât speak, only nodded repeatedly.
It felt as if she was surviving by some instinct, her intelligence not very high, at least, not like a child of her age.
Fan Wubing cut his finger, and the blood seeped out.
The girl opened her mouth, her little tongue first licked it, then started sucking.
Next, Fan Wubing summoned the Flying Sword Peach Blossom. Recently, Peach Blossom seemed like it was about to cocoon for the second time, so it needed to be fed every day.
Peach Blossom flew out of the Purple Mansion and froze.
It circled above the girlâs head several times, then turned towards Fan Wubing, bending its blade, both puzzled and downcast.
It thought, so Iâm not the only one...
"Not eating?" Fan Wubing asked.
Peach Blossom immediately perked up, entwining his left wrist and climbing up his arm, absorbing the blood energy from near his elbow.
The man and sword enjoyed the delicacy from his left and right.
Fu Manman burst in from outside, witnessing this scene, she only felt they were playing something novel and wanted to join, though there was no reason to.
She came next to the girl, curiously looking at this child, then said to Fan Wubing, "Good morning, dear brother."
"Iâve already told you not to call like that anymore."
Fu Manman smiled, "Isnât this fine? Well... When away from home, pretending to be siblings is quite common."
"Then thereâs no need to call one âdear brother.â It sounds very awkward."
"Then, brother?"
If Fu Manman were more like a sister, being called that wouldnât be anything. But sheâs not a sisterly character, itâs a more ambiguous role.
Calling out "brother," naturally carried a hint of charm, making her more forgetful of her identity.
Fan Wubing saw her smiling face and felt this girl more like an adult.
Without waiting for Fan Wubingâs agreement, she continued to say, "Iâll call you that. Brother, brother. Itâs fine."
"Forget it, do as you please."
"Hmm... We should give her a name, right? Canât just call her âgirl.â"
"Better ask her." Fan Wubing looked at the girl, "Little one, whatâs your name?"
The girl didnât let go, just curiously glanced at Fan Wubing and buried her head, sucking hard.
Fan Wubing held his forehead, "Iâm so dim-witted, thinking to ask her. Better give her one."
"Let me, let me!" Fu Manmanâs eyes sparkled, quite interested in naming.
"You do it."
Fu Manman paced several rounds, pondered for a while and said, "How about Cat? Look at her, she really looks like a kitten."
"Change it, thatâs not a name at all."
"Yesterday was October 23rd. How about âTwenty-threeâ?"
"Not thoughtful, change it."
"You mean a proper name?"
"Otherwise?"
Fu Manman thought again, "It needs a surname... How about your surname?"
"Why not take elder sisterâs? After all, she found her first."
"Perhaps she has a name." Fu Manman stuffed her nose, then said, "Then donât give a surname, just a name first. Wait until we see Sister Fu Ming later. Hmm... I still think Cat is good."
Fan Wubing held his forehead, "Since you like cats so much, just call her Xianchan. Itâs a catâs alias anyway."
"Remove âSlaveâ and itâs perfect, isnât it?"
"Indeed."
Just then, the little one was full. Her appearance returned to normal, basking in the daylightâs clear light, her face... It wasnât an illusion, she was indeed cute, just her hair was messy and her clothes a bit plain and vulgar, with proper dressing up, sheâs the kind people like.
Fan Wubing said, "Little one, youâll be called âXianchanâ from now on."
Xianchan looked up, confusedly gazing at him.
He extended his hand, white light emanating from his fingertips, writing the name "Xianchan" in the air.
"This, from now on, is your name."
Xianchan gazed at the swaying characters, slightly opening her mouth, seemingly about to read them.
Fan Wubing and Fu Manman looked at her expectantly.
She closed her mouth again, nodded with a smile, crescent eyes under willowy brows.
...
Fan Wubing had a motherly nature.
Or rather, due to being fed, Xianchan considered Fan Wubing as her mother, clinging to him everywhere, tightly hugging his hand wherever he went.
Initially, bathing and dressing her, changing clothes, combing hair was supposed to be Fu Manmanâs task, but she didnât allow it and was quite fierce.
So Fan Wubing had to do it.
Thankfully, having often helped elder sister comb her hair before, it wasnât difficult.
You could say, it felt like raising a daughter. A not-so-smart, silly daughter.
The fortunate part is, sheâs quite obedient, listens well, doesnât cry or fuss. In this aspect, she hasnât caused Fan Wubing any trouble.
An extra boat ticket was bought for her.
After waiting, that morning, at the seaside port, they saw a giant celestial vessel shaped like a wandering dragon emerging from the sea, hovering at the boarding dock.