Early the next morning, Si Shen got up early to make breakfast.
Although Nian Chengxiao no longer held a spatula and cooked, he still crowded around the counter, patting his chaotic Tentacles to help.
He didn’t go out again today. The things he’d bought yesterday were being delivered today, so someone had to be home.
Everything they’d bought needed to be put away in the RV to prepare for their Doomsday journey.
They hadn’t organized the RV at all since buying it; there was nothing inside.
He’d originally planned to get everything ready together with Nian Chengxiao, but now he was left to do it all alone.
Si Shen found a small cart he’d once used to pick up packages and pushed his Seeds from the basement’s first level to the second.
“Oh, Xiao Shen! Why haven’t I seen Xiao Nian taking out the trash these past couple of days?” Auntie Zhao, who lived in their building, got off a mobility scooter with a bag of groceries.
Si Shen stopped and greeted Auntie Zhao. “Hello, Auntie Zhao. Niannian’s been busy with an experiment these past few days, so he hasn’t come home. Once he’s done with everything, we’re going back to C City together.”
The excuse Si Shen had rehearsed several times came out without a hint of hesitation.
Auntie Zhao smiled. “You two really are so sweet together. Now that you’re on vacation, you should go out and enjoy yourselves. Take in some scenery.”
After speaking, Auntie Zhao took her groceries to the elevator, while Si Shen brought his things down to the second basement level.
Inside the RV, Si Shen sorted the medicines into boxes, labeled them, and put them in the space beneath the stairs.
The Seeds were all sealed for storage and put in the compartment under the sofa.
They also had various instant foods with the Seeds, which wouldn’t spoil at room temperature.
The cooked food he’d bought, along with anything that couldn’t be kept at room temperature, went into the RV’s refrigerator.
The bedroom in the RV hadn’t been set up either, so Si Shen brought over several sets of silk bedding from home and made it up nicely.
He and Nian Chengxiao had chosen each set themselves, and every one had cost four figures.
They were expensive, but they were certainly comfortable. Now that they were about to begin surviving the Doomsday, such luxurious bedding might be their only comfort.
Si Shen busied himself inside the RV, while Nian Chengxiao studied with a tablet in his hands.
Yesterday, after Si Shen discovered that Nian Chengxiao had an astonishing ability to imitate, he tried to teach this Mutant.
Si Shen knew how absurd it sounded to teach a Mutant.
But he couldn’t accept the brilliant Professor Nian eating people, even if it was a Mutant’s instinct.
He believed that if Nian Chengxiao ever regained Consciousness, he would never be able to accept having eaten people.
Yesterday, watching Nian Chengxiao imitate his movements while cooking had given him an idea.
If Nian Chengxiao could imitate his actions, did that mean he could learn to develop a sense of self?
A Mutant could simply devour food, so there was no reason for him to have held a spatula and cooked yesterday.
Obviously, Nian Chengxiao had cooked for him.
Since he was capable of acting against his biological instincts, maybe he could learn to break free of the Mutant’s many bad habits!
So Si Shen took out a tablet and played educational videos for young children for the Mutant.
Nian Chengxiao obediently sat on the table, watching the cartoons on the tablet with great concentration.
Si Shen worked while glancing at Nian Chengxiao from time to time.
He couldn’t help sighing. Someone with no room for further advancement in academic qualifications was actually starting all over with preschool lessons.
It was simply terrifying!
Si Shen kept his hands busy, but his ears weren’t idle either; he had the news on.
The morning news happened to be covering the terrorist attack on the bridge, which caught Si Shen’s attention.
“The perpetrators behind the attack on Yuhe Bridge in our city have been apprehended. There is no need for the public to panic. Online rumors that the terrorists escaped capture have been confirmed to be false…”
Si Shen stopped paying attention to the rest of the news and sped up his work.
He knew the attacker at Yuhe Bridge wasn’t a terrorist at all, but a Mutant.
And now that Mutant had been captured, which meant the people from the Research Institute had arrived in A City.
That wasn’t good news for Nian Chengxiao. They would have to leave a few days earlier.
While Si Shen and Nian Chengxiao were busy in the RV, a call came in.
“Hello, how can I help you?” Si Shen put the call on speaker.
“Hello, Mr. Si. I’m calling from Wushang Home Furnishings. The clothes you ordered yesterday have arrived, and you’ll need to sign for them in person.”
The employee’s voice came through the phone. The Mutant, who had just been studying intently, suddenly stealthily stretched out a Tentacle.
“Oh, all right. Wait a moment, I’ll be right there.”
Si Shen hung up and left the RV to go upstairs and sign for the clothes.
Their RV was parked on the second basement level, while they lived on the seventh floor. Luckily, the elevator went straight there.
Nian Chengxiao’s round little body had no obvious front, and it was impossible to tell whether he even had eyes.
Even so, he was remarkably nimble. Several pairs of Tentacles extended from beneath his body, lifting him up as he silently followed Si Shen.
Si Shen was in a hurry to sign for the clothes and didn’t notice the Mutant following right behind him.
He entered the elevator and pressed the button for the seventh floor. As soon as he stepped out, he saw the employee waiting by the door.
A large package sat at the entrance. Si Shen checked the order and signed for it.
“Mr. Si, sorry to ask, but is that a Backpack on your back? It looks so cute. Could I ask where you bought it? I’d like to get one for my daughter,” the employee asked hesitantly.
Si Shen nearly lost his composure. He reached behind himself and, sure enough, scooped up a little ball.
“My friend made it by hand. It’s not for sale, sorry.” Si Shen smiled as he held Nian Chengxiao.
“Chirp!” Nian Chengxiao let out a comfortable little cry.
Nian Chengxiao suddenly chirped, and Si Shen broke into a cold sweat, almost shouting out loud.
“It can even make noises! Your friend is really talented. What a shame. Anyway, thank you, and have a nice day!” The employee left with a regretful look.
Si Shen watched the young man leave, then opened the door at lightning speed and tossed Nian Chengxiao inside, bringing the clothes in with him.
The moment he closed the door, Si Shen completely lost it!
“Nian Chengxiao! Get over here!”
Si Shen had been with Nian Chengxiao for nearly a year, and he rarely called him by his full name.
When they first met, Si Shen knew Nian Chengxiao was a professor, so he usually called him Teacher Nian or Mr. Nian.
Later, once they became familiar with each other, Si Shen started calling him Brother Nian.
After they got together, Si Shen got even bolder and called him Niannian.
And when he was in the mood, he would call him Professor Nian or Brother Xiao to flirt with him.
That meant Si Shen was truly angry if he called him by his full name.
But what did a brainless Mutant know? All he knew was that the sweet human in front of him was calling him!
He immediately came running over, patting his chaotic Tentacles and chirping happily from time to time.
Si Shen looked at the excited Mutant and was left speechless with anger.
You’re furious and want to vent, but the other person is not only stupid, they can’t even understand what you’re saying.
With nowhere to direct your anger, you suddenly feel as if you’ve lost several years off your life.
Si Shen laughed despite himself. What could he do? This brainless Mutant was his responsibility, and he’d have to see this through to the end, even if he had to crawl.
Si Shen got his emotions under control and started reasoning with the Mutant in front of him.
He repeatedly emphasized that Nian Chengxiao must not show himself in front of humans or make any noise.
If someone accidentally spotted him, he would have to pretend to be a doll.
The Mutant, who had been excited that the sweet human was calling him, only realized he might have made Si Shen angry again after hearing him repeat himself over and over.
“Chirp.” Nian Chengxiao cautiously reached out a Tentacle and wrapped it around Si Shen.
Don’t be angry. I’ll learn. I’m smart—I’ve already learned how to count. I’ll listen to you. Please don’t throw me away.
Si Shen couldn’t understand what the Mutant was saying, but when he saw the Mutant clinging tightly to him, his swelling anger deflated like a punctured balloon.
He hugged Nian Chengxiao and rested his face against the little ball.
“Niannian, it’s not that I won’t let you express yourself. You just can’t do it here. The world is very dangerous for you right now, and there are lots of bad people who want to catch you.”
His muffled voice came out. “If they catch a Mutant like you, they’ll lock you in a jar and experiment on you. Then you won’t be able to see me anymore.”
“But it won’t be like this for much longer. The day after tomorrow, I’ll take you out of A City, then pass through B City on our way back to my hometown. After that, you can make all the noise you want. No one will say anything.”
Si Shen told Nian Chengxiao about his plans. Nian Chengxiao might not have understood, but he reached out a Tentacle and stroked Si Shen’s face.
As Si Shen felt Nian Chengxiao’s touch, the exhaustion in his heart was suddenly met with a shot of strength.
Nian Chengxiao was nothing like the Mutants in the novels. He definitely had a Consciousness of his own!
Nian Chengxiao could express happiness and do all sorts of strange things unrelated to development.
That made Si Shen even more certain that Nian Chengxiao might recover.
But even if Nian Chengxiao never recovered, as long as he didn’t eat people, Si Shen could take care of him for the rest of his life.