The next morning, Ximing woke up early.
He stared at the ceiling for a few seconds.
Then he remembered.
The chickens.
He immediately sat up.
"Today is the day."
He got dressed and stepped outside.
The morning air was cool and fresh. Birds were singing somewhere beyond the trees, and sunlight slipped through the leaves.
Ximing stretched.
"This is what retirement should feel like."
Then he remembered something.
He needed chickens.
Real chickens.
Which meant he had to find some.
Kael Has Questions
When Ximing returned to the village, Kael was outside his house sharpening his axe.
Kael looked up.
"You're awake early."
"I have an important mission."
Kael stopped sharpening.
"What mission?"
"Chickens."
There was silence.
Kael stared at him.
Ximing stared back.
Finally, Kael asked,
"Why?"
"Because I want chickens."
"...That's your entire explanation?"
"Yes."
Kael sighed.
"Fine."
Ximing smiled.
"Excellent. Where can I get some?"
"There are several farmers who raise them."
"Take me there."
Kael stood.
"You really are serious."
"Extremely."
The Farmer
Kael took Ximing to a small farm near the edge of the village.
An older rabbit beastwoman greeted them.
"Kael. Who's this?"
"This is Ximing. He's staying near my house."
The woman looked Ximing over curiously.
"You're the newcomer."
Ximing smiled politely.
"Yes. Nice to meet you."
"I heard you were interested in chickens."
Ximing's eyes immediately brightened.
"Very interested."
She laughed.
"I have a few young hens and a rooster I can sell."
Ximing crouched beside the chicken pen.
The chickens wandered around, pecking at the ground.
One particularly fluffy hen walked directly toward him.
Ximing held out his hand.
The hen pecked his finger.
He froze.
Kael laughed.
"That was not liking me."
The hen pecked him again.
"She definitely likes you."
Ximing narrowed his eyes at the chicken.
"You're going to be trouble, aren't you?"
The hen clucked.
A New Little Family
Eventually, Ximing bought several chickens.
He carefully carried them home with Kael's help.
Inside his personal space, he had already prepared a small area for them.
There was a wooden coop, clean water, food, and plenty of room for them to wander around.
When Ximing opened the enclosure, the chickens stepped outside.
They immediately began exploring.
Ximing watched proudly.
"My first animals."
Kael folded his arms.
"You look like a proud father."
Ximing turned around.
"Don't start."
Kael laughed.
Ximing pointed at the rooster.
"And you're the leader."
The rooster proudly strutted across the yard.
Ximing nodded.
"Good. Your name is General."
Kael blinked.
"You name your chickens?"
"Of course."
Ximing pointed at the fluffy hen.
"She's Princess."
Another chicken.
"That's Dumpling."
Another.
"That's Pepper."
Kael stared at him.
"You've named all of them?"
"Yes."
"You've known them for five minutes."
"That's enough time."
Kael shook his head.
"You are strange."
Ximing smiled.
"Thank you."
The First Egg
A few days later, Ximing was working in his vegetable garden when he heard an excited clucking sound.
He looked toward the coop.
Princess was sitting inside.
Ximing walked over.
And there it was.
A single egg.
He stared at it.
Then his eyes widened.
"Kael!"
Kael, who had been repairing part of the fence, looked over.
"What happened?"
"We have an egg!"
Kael walked over.
"...Yes."
"Our first egg!"
Kael looked at him. This chapter is updated first at g.com.
"You've never seen an egg before?"
"Of course I have."
"Then why are you so excited?"
"Because it's mine."
Kael laughed.
Ximing carefully picked it up.
He looked at the egg for several seconds.
Something about it made him unexpectedly happy.
It wasn't expensive.
It wasn't rare.
It wasn't magical.
It was simply something his little farm had produced.
His first real result.
He smiled.
"Tonight we're making breakfast for dinner."
Kael raised an eyebrow.
"Breakfast for dinner?"
"Exactly."
A Small Dream
That evening, Ximing sat outside with Kael.
They ate the food Ximing had prepared while the chickens wandered around nearby.
The sky was filled with stars.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Then Kael asked,
"Ximing."
"Hm?"
"What do you actually want from this life?"
Ximing became quiet.
He looked at the little house.
The garden.
The chickens.
The farmland.
Then he looked toward the distant forest.
"I want peace."
Kael listened.
"And?"
Ximing smiled softly.
"I want a home."
Kael waited.
"And someday..."
Ximing looked at the stars.
"I want a family."
He didn't explain everything.
He didn't need to.
Kael simply nodded.
"Then I hope you get one."
Ximing glanced at him.
There was something warm about the way Kael said it.
Ximing smiled.
"Me too."
The two continued sitting beneath the stars.
For once, Ximing wasn't thinking about his old life.
He wasn't worrying about tomorrow.
He wasn't trying to prove anything.
He simply enjoyed the quiet.
His retirement had officially begun.
And perhaps, one day, his little house would become more than just a house.
Perhaps it would become home.