Chapter 4

—Guidance from Fenrir: 【High-rank succubi feed mainly on spirit energy and human fluids—but our little Siran is still growing and hasn’t learned charm skills yet, so dear Master can use magic candy for now.】
Wen Xi opened his bag and checked rainbow candy and star candy—star candy added 80 fullness, rainbow only 20. He picked star candy and tapped Gift.
The star candy sparkled and flew to the sprite.
The sprite’s lowered head snapped up—but he didn’t reach out, only asked in disbelief: “geven se?”
【For me?】
Who else? Anyone else in this room?
Wen Xi found no chat box—besides patting, he had no better way to respond.
Too one-note for real emotion—did conversation unlock later?
Before he figured out how to reply, Fenrir’s guide box answered: 【Little Siran, getting care for the first time, is scared—he can’t believe he gets candy without earning it. Master can drag the star candy to his mouth and force-feed him～We succubi love forced love～(*≧ω≦)】
Oh.
Wen Xi did as told and dragged the candy to the sprite’s mouth.
The sprite stared, then a string of pink bubbles rose over his head; he squirmed out a “Lanke.” Only then did he open his mouth and eat the star candy.
After eating, fullness maxed; the HP he’d lost refilled; white light surged from his feet to make him glow. His rank rose from Novice I to Novice II.
With the level-up, a system message arrived.
System: 【Map location—School—unlocked. Please check it out.】
Wen Xi opened the map; the school icon was colored in. He tapped it.
As the scene switched, a familiar text box appeared.
Fenrir: 【To survive in human society, learning is essential—will you enroll your familiar so he can gain more skills?】
【Yes】【No】
Wen Xi thought of the sprite’s starting stats—Intelligence 10…
He had to enroll—maybe the kid would grow a brain along the way.
Besides, raising stats tied to knowledge and experience.
With that, Wen Xi chose “Yes” cleanly.
Next second, a green payment screen popped up.
System: 【Pay 20 Heart Coins to enroll your familiar in “Yinglier” elite school?】
Elite school, huh.
20 Heart Coins—two yuan in real money?
Very elite.
The newbie pack had exactly 20 Heart Coins; Wen Xi paid directly.
Not bad—still no forced spending so far. Pretty fair.
Payment succeeded; Fenrir continued: 【Wonderful—our little Siran can start class tomorrow! Will you also buy him a school uniform?】
【Yes】【No】
Was this a trap?
Before Wen Xi chose, a call interrupted.
The colorful game screen was covered by the incoming call—caller ID: Zhou Mingyu.
He was Wen Xi’s childhood friend, nightlife king, basically invisible by day.
Wen Xi answered; Zhou Mingyu’s loud voice came through: “Hey, Xi—late-night snacks? Near your place—me and Feng Li.”
Wen Xi: “Pass—already in bed.”
Zhou Mingyu joked: “Come on, I finally caught you not streaming—really skipping? Couple drinks? Got someone in the blankets?”
Wen Xi laughed: “No—been tired lately. Next time—my treat another day.”
Zhou Mingyu seemed to hear the exhaustion and relented: “Fine—rest early, ping me when you’re free.”
“Sure.”
“Oh, wait—” Just as they hung up, Zhou Mingyu stopped him.
“Mm?”
“You rehome that dog you picked up yet?”
Wen Xi’s eyes went to the foot of the bed; Fuzai looked up at him, tail wagging.
“Not yet.”
Zhou Mingyu: “Feng Li says his uncle runs an auto shop and wants a guard dog—what do you think?”
Wen Xi went quiet a moment.
He knew Feng Li a little—the impression was okay.
But lately he’d seen videos of adopted dogs ending up slaughtered for meat; he couldn’t pretend those risks didn’t exist.
It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Feng Li—he didn’t want to gamble on human nature.
“Forget it—I’m keeping him myself,” Wen Xi said.
When Fuzai first arrived, Wen Xi had posted adoption—no takers. Now they’d bonded; he couldn’t bear to send him away.
“Yeah, figured you’d get attached—can’t let go.”
“Mm.”
They exchanged a few more pleasantries before Wen Xi hung up.
Unexpectedly, this time the screen didn’t stick in-game—it returned to the home screen on its own.
Wen Xi checked the time—past two a.m.; he was tired.
He didn’t reopen the game; he set the phone on the nightstand and killed the lights.
-
Next morning, Wen Xi was still asleep when buzzing vibration woke him.
Eyes half open, he fumbled for the phone and answered without really looking: “Hello…”
“Still asleep? It’s your uncle’s birthday today—dinner at his place—you forgot?” His mother Pei Yingzi’s voice came through.
“Didn’t forget…” Wen Xi replied while checking the time—only nine. “Dinner doesn’t need to be this early.”
“Didn’t want you oversleeping—you’ve got a drive.”
Wen Xi: “Half an hour.”
“Then you should be up anyway—planning to skip breakfast and lunch together? Bad for you…”
Afraid she’d keep nagging, Wen Xi said quickly, “Okay, I got it—up now.”
After hanging up, he lay eyes closed a bit longer, then sat up slowly.
Fuzai pattered over and dropped a few kibbles on his pillow, eyes bright.
This wasn’t the first time Fuzai “fed” him.
Late nights streaming meant he usually woke at noon—no breakfast habit. Since Fuzai arrived, his pillow sometimes had dog food.
Sometimes freeze-dried, sometimes half-chewed dental sticks.
Wen Xi patted his head, patient: “Thanks—but I really don’t eat that.”
Fuzai: “Woof woof.”
Wen Xi reached under the bed, found Fuzai’s toy ball, and threw it; Fuzai stopped fussing and chased after it.
When Wen Xi came out of the bathroom, Fuzai sat at the door with the ball in his mouth.
Dumb dog—good thing no one else adopted him.
While it was still early, he walked Fuzai downstairs and left home around ten thirty.
Weekend traffic on the main road slowed him; he reached the hotel at eleven ten.
After parking, he followed the front desk’s directions. Before mealtime, early relatives were chatting in the lounge.
Wen Xi had barely reached the door when his uncle Pei Wenbin greeted him: “Looking sharper again.”
“You’re the star today.” Wen Xi handed over the gift bag. “Happy birthday, Uncle.”
Pei Wenbin joked: “Bring a girlfriend home and I’d be even happier.”
Wen Xi: “I’m still young.”
“You’re twenty-four this year…”
Wen Xi deadpan: “Prime years for hustling.”
Pei Wenbin gave a thumbs-up: “Ambitious—just like me back in the day!”
Wen Xi: “Mm.”
They chatted a bit more; new guests arrived.
As the birthday guest, Pei Wenbin was swamped.
Wen Xi didn’t bother him—he greeted the elders one by one and looked for the least noticeable corner to sit.
His mom had gone to pick up his grandparents—not here yet. His dad was away on business—“alone and defenseless,” Wen Xi didn’t want to be the center of attention and steered clear of the crowd.
“Bro—over here.”
Cousin Pei Jin waved happily.
The least noticeable corner was already taken.
Wen Xi walked over and sat beside him. “Why’ve you been grinning at me?”
Pei Jin said: “Now that you’re here, they won’t ask about my grades—they’ll ask if you have a girlfriend. Heh.”
Using him as a shield?
Wen Xi gave a flat “Oh” and added: “Heard you got a 55 on math last time?”
Pei Jin’s face fell: “It was 58!”
“Nice—two points from passing.”
Pei Jin: “I’ll pass next time.”
“Mm—go for it.”
“If I pass, can I come visit you over winter break?”
Wen Xi lounged on the sofa and sized up the chubby kid.
Pei Jin was fifth grade, bottom of the class.
He wasn’t stupid—just never put his mind on school; he loved clever shortcuts and was a headache.
Anyone who tutored him for a few days would get blood pressure spikes.
Wen Xi shook his head, firm: “No—unless you hit 80.”