95 4.13
Because of Da Gong's anger the two transmigrators didn't try to outwardly communicate anymore. Luckily the bond would let them communicate telepathically as long as they were only a few meters away. So as Da Gong huffily walks away to the furthest corner of the courtyard with Jia Hyson gently carried in his beak, the pair were mentally exchanging information.
Jia Hyson was smart, he knew that in this story the transmigrators Tang Muxin and Pan Shuchun both held the original body's memories and had a small golden finger. Pan Shuchun's golden finger was not her agricultural knowledge or her uncanny ability to find super convenient plot devices but is actually a powerful green thumb that helped out in various ways. Tang Muxin's golden finger originally was the dragon but when that got eaten her luck and fortunes became an extraordinary golden finger on their own.
Now though, he will have to be Tang Muxin's golden finger. And as a fellow transmigrator in this story he should also follow the trend by having the original's memories and his own golden finger- his various skills. Of course it's best to avoid being too OP so he has to carefully pick only a few skills to focus on and show off in the story. Since most can't be used due to his lack of spiritual energy, he can only introduce his powers slowly over time which in terms of plot pacing is not necessarily a bad thing.
What is interesting was Tang Muxin's explanation of how she could connect their soul bond. A mechanical system voice in her head? From her description the voice is cold and emotionless, and Bebe can confirm that it wasn't responsible for it, meaning this is just how the skill works.
Jia Hyson mentally orders Bebe to investigate more about the skill specifics since the basic summary of the [Soul Bond] isn't enough to help him plan how to use it. It would be best if it had the ability to notify Tang Muxin for every important event relating to Jia Hyson slash Jin Bao such as learning a new skill etc. That way there will be more of an explanation to the mysterious mechanical voice in her head, after all, if it only appears once many readers may be dissatisfied with the lack of explanation or plot direction to this sudden introduction to a system that is never used. Even if it can't do that, since it was a low level basic program, Bebe can hire a system from R&D to customize it to their needs for a price.
Of course, given how stingy and selfish the pair liked to spend their p and points, they didn't want to do such a thing if given another option.
Jia Hyson: 'Laozi is saving for the next big skill sale ah!'♡(.◜ω◝.)♡
Bebe: 'Bebe is trying to secretly pay off their shared credit card debt ah!'
Jia Hyson: '...What was that?'(ಠ.ಠ)
Bebe: *cough* (｡ >艸<) 'Nothing.' < p>
Jia Hyson: '...we have credit debt?' ( º言º)
Bebe: 'Host, did Bebe mention that you're looking very lovely ah?' (´▽`ʃƪ)♡
Jia Hyson: (╬⓪益⓪)
Later on Jia Hyson would find out that Bebe got into one of those shitty addicting online games that make it hard not to buy things using all sorts of evil marketing schemes and tricks. Jia Hyson who has poor memory and grasp in handling money then realised that Bebe had been skimming off a few points here and there to pay for top quality armor or special potions, and would immediately beat the system half to death before selling the online account for twelve million p.
....Apparently Bebe was really good at games ah. Jia Hyson had made a huge profit in retrospect.
Of course right now they are in ancient times and Jia Hyson is a dragon bound to a protagonist and has a possible rooster boyfriend so he pushes the problem away temporarily in favor of other thoughts.
Like his body's name.
He was genuinely unaware that this little dragon's name was Jin Bao or Bebe would have given it to him when they were summarizing his identity. The baby was still barely a year old and had not yet been officially named before the rebellious dragons stole him away.
From Bebe's [World Encyclopedia] skill, dragons in this world have a naming ceremony similar to Christianity's baptism but far more important. In fact it's considered shameful if a dragon couldn't even bother to give a naming ceremony to their child on the 100th day of their hatching.
Given that Jia Hyson never had one he had assumed that using his own name would be okay, after all, there had been no reason not to ah. Who knew that this little dragon had been named even without the original body attending the ceremony. It could be clearly seen from this that the original baby's parents really loved him and still held onto the belief that he was still alive.
However Jia Hyson couldn't help but think that his naming ceremony must have definitely been the most depressing naming ceremony in dragon history. Think about it, dragons have low fertility so each baby is more precious than gold, to the point even the cruelest of enemies will not have the heart to kill off a hatchling. And in their spiritual energy rich space the hatchlings are born without illness or problems. All in all, a case like the poor baby dragon Jin Bao's was really a first of it's kind in this world.
Jia Hyson can imagine a great celebration, a banquet and a horde of guests, but with no guest of honor the attendees can only linger around awkwardly, careful of accidentally making a faux pas in front of the parents. He can imagine the parents of Jin Bao who hadn't stopped to rest since his disappearance finally pause their search in order to conduct the ceremony so when Jin Bao comes back he will not be shamed for having no name.
He wonders if the kidnappers felt guilty and regretful at this point as they watched the broken hearted couple give a wobbly speech about the day their baby was born. How small he was and how beautifully golden his scales were, their small golden treasure they didn't protect hard enough.
And finally when the party finally ends, the couple would sit all alone in the darkening hall, surrounded by bright cheerful decorations that aren't able to fill the loneliness in their hearts and they'll cry. Because they know in their hearts they'll never see their little treasure again.
Jia Hyson's imagination was vivid and morbid. Even though he didn't know exactly what a dragon naming ceremony would look like nor the appearance of Jin Bao's parents his mind could still come up with something visually heartbreaking all the same. Maybe it's also due to his cynicism and anxiety problems since young, he was very good at imaging depressing things that could make his chest clench uncomfortably and tears unwillingly well up in his eyes.
Jia Hyson: QAQ Fuck, made myself cry.
Bebe: QAQ Fuck host made Bebe cry.
The Author God is ignorantly cruel. Just a fun inside joke in their writing can turn into such a tragic thing in reality. This sort of thing is impossible to imagine when writing so carelessly but when confronted with the consequences it can make one feel extremely uncomfortable with reality.
This sort of feeling is probably what a lot of hosts had felt before changing their paths to become Worldbreakers.
After all they may be on the run, and every day is may be their last as there is no one to look out for them.... but at least they can say they are their own person capable of paving their own fates and lives.
"Cluck? Cluck cluck?" Two bright silver eyes stare at him, faint concern somehow radiating from the rooster as he bends his head downwards to look at Jia Hyson who was snuggled underneath his body.
Jia Hyson reads the subtitles that appear in front of him.
[What's wrong? Is something wrong?]
Instantly some of the uncomfortable feelings dissipates and Jia Hyson shakes his head, meeping cutely and turning to lie on his back to better hug Da Gong. Da Gong clucks embarrassedly and pretends to go back to sleep.
Jia Hyson: 'Ah, ah, ah! He's so cute! Bebe isn't he so cute?' (⁄ ⁄>⁄ ▽ ⁄<⁄ ⁄)< p>
Bebe: '...Yes.' Fuck Da Gong really is a cutie. (⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄)
Strong and domineering but knew how to show concern and care, intelligent but doesn't overthink, aggressive but sweet.... other than being a bit more of a vinegar drinker than most and the fact Da Gong was a fucking rooster, Bebe honestly couldn't really find any huge flaws to the bird in terms of a lover's requirements.
Bebe absolutely hates the fact that Bebe thinks this rooster is probably the best boyfriend he's ever seen ah. Forget Jia Hyson's past suitors, those pathetic things, Bebe is including its previous hosts' lovers. Even including other system's hosts' lovers.
It supposes that there's something to say about humanity somewhere in that observation ah. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
While Jia Hyson drifts off to sleep thanks to the warmth and fluffiness of Da Gong's down feathers, Tang Muxin was awake and thinking.
From what Jia Hyson had told her through their link before cutting it off, he also was familiar with this story world's plot albeit to a slightly lesser degree as it is his sister who told him about it. His sister is a good friend of the author who wrote it and so he also knew a few more insider things like his current identity as a rejected mascot character.
What Jia Hyson said was of course nonsense. But it's not like anyone could prove it ah, and thanks to Bebe he could bring up insider knowledge about the story. Since he was a male transmigrator in what is supposedly a female oriented novel it's better to just explain it as having a friend or relative who liked the story or something along this line. After all, it's not very believable to have all this background information from his original body's memory given the infantile age.
Needless to say, there was no reason for Tang Muxin to not believe it, and the discrepancy between using his real name and the system in her mind telling her Jin Bao's name served as solid supporting evidence if nothing else.
They agreed to refer him as Jin Bao in the future though. No matter what, Jia Hyson now lived in Jin Bao's body, it would be rude to erase the last bit of identity that was Jin Bao for no reason.
During their mental chat they had briefly discussed future plans. Right now what Tang Muxin didn't have was pretty much everything but money. General knowledge, allies, a good standing in her family, a decent reputation…. No matter how it looks she has a large disadvantage in surviving well without following the plot right now.
The best thing right now was to start off with baby steps and let her properly meet another human first. Other than the maids and servants that would occasionally come to give and take her meals, she had nearly no contact with anyone. Even the guards have long slacked off in their duties, many people in the household having a very apathetic attitude toward her.
Jia Hyson had a bit more general knowledge than her, even without Bebe's input, but he won't have the street smarts and practical experience to help Tang Muxin out in integrating herself to the world. Ye Cheng who travels and socialises a lot on the other hand, is the perfect person in contrast.
Tang Muxin who seriously listens to Jia Hyson's suggestion quickly agrees and the conversation finally ends.
The next morning Jia Hyson coaxed his vinegar soaked rooster to bring Tang Muxin over to see Ye Cheng. Da Gong was naturally reluctant to invite a home wrecker into the in-laws house but after some calculations in his heart he decides to follow what his worm says.
Ye Cheng is a male human. This home wrecker is a female human. Da Gong has seen that Ye Cheng is rather popular with other humans. Maybe not as successful mate-wise but as a friendly acquaintance Ye Cheng has many. The home wrecker can become one of those and will no longer be interested in seducing cute little worms.
Home wrecker Tang Muxin: But... I didn't...
Mate-less Ye Cheng: ...Even his rooster knows his love life is pathetic. ORZ
Trotting along time Ye Cheng's house, Tang Muxin couldn't help but feel the path was a little familiar, like the original body had been here before. However the emotions she was grasping were fairly complicated and smothered like the memories had been purposely pushed to the bottom of her mind, barely out of reach.
The odd feeling gets a bit more pronounced when the odd trio arrive a street away from the house. Tang Muxin frowns and presses her forehead, massaging it in small circles anxiously. She could have sworn she had most of the original body's memories but why in regards to this Ye Cheng person she had a weird feeling.
Silently she curses this shitty cannon fodder character. The Tang Muxin of this world was an idiot who hates the poor and loves the rich, stupid, naive, and frankly, a little delusional. She disdained anyone with slightly less status and wealth than herself, even toward the village leader's favourite concubines much less the poor villagers. Obviously due to this she only paid minimal attention to them. It was surprising enough that there is an emotional reaction to this Ye Cheng at all.
In short, even though Tang Muxin probably could see these memories clearer then the original, it doesn't stop the fact that these memories held little practical value and even she had trouble extracting any good information from it.
She briefly touches the hidden blade in the long sleeve of her dress, reassured by the security that a sharp blade has. Admittedly it wasn't the best, she could only quickly snatch the smallest knife from the kitchen that was about to be thrown away but it should be enough to ensure a safe escape if things went south. Glancing at the large rooster and the tiny skinny dragon sunbathing on him.
…She should probably be able to grab Jin Bao and run if needed ah.
Da Gong trots over to the door and pecks at it before crowing.
In response there was a faint curse and a clatter before the sound of running is heard along with some background animal sounds. "Coming! Coming! Da Gong, don't you dare break my door again, I'm coming!"
Tang Muxin stares at Da Gong aghast. What is wrong with this chicken?!
Da Gong glances at her and clucks provocatively.
...….Maybe it would be for the best if she just left Jin Bao there. He seems to have lived well without her anyway.
Finally the door opens, revealing a ruffled Ye Cheng. It looked like they had disturbed what was a very laidback morning for the young man. Ye Cheng's handsome face had a slight scruffy stubble that made him a little roguish to look at and his hair was messily tied up giving him a rather debauched appearance. His outer clothes had also been hurriedly put on and was currently slipping off his shoulders, exposing his healthy wheat skin and collarbone.
Tang Muxin silently admires the man. 'Not too bad to look at ah,' she can't help but praise internally.
'Oh-ho,' Jia Hyson snickers cheekily, opening a single golden eye to look at the protagonist while sunbathing on Da Gong. This mischievous, indulgent appearance really causes Tang Muxin's eye to twitch. Without a proper system like Bebe who can help filter things through the soul bond, it's hard for Tang Muxin to control her thoughts so they aren't broadcasted to her fellow transmigrator. 'So you like the sunny boy-next-door type ah.'
Tang Muxin stays silent. Unfortunately Jia Hyson, secure in his knowledge that she can't throw him away now, continues to chatter.
'I get it ah, personally I like the domineering but doting CEO type and the rough, cold on the outside, warm on the inside types but I see the appeal.'
Tang Muxin forcibly suppresses her scathing comment about how it seems his type was feathered and tastes good deep-fried. Though she did have to reluctantly agree that the rooster, from her short term observations, does seem to fit most of those personality traits.
"You came early ah," Ye Cheng greets Da Gong and Xiao Bang with a smile.
"Cluck." Da Gong clucks domineeringly. "Cluck, cluckcluck, cluck. Cluck, cluck, cluckcluckcluck, cluck."
[Be grateful human. I have brought a female human who might be interested in you. She is a loose woman but her chest is swollen like you like them.]
Jia Hyson almost did a spit take reading this.
Ye Cheng obliviously felt touched by the attention his aloof rooster was giving him. Generally Da Gong is a quiet chicken, it's rare that he will talk so much at once. Seeing that Da Gong was gesturing with his wing, Ye Cheng finally notices there was someone a few steps behind the rooster.
Feeling embarrassed for his appearance and lack of manners, Ye Cheng looks up with a smile, ready to greet the arrival. But then he sees who it is and his smile stiffens. "Miss Tang." He says coldly.
Tang Muxin who had been having trouble recognising Ye Cheng finally remembers after seeing the handsome face filled with stiff disdain. The reason why she couldn't remember this was probably because the original deliberately suppressed those memories due to unprecedented embarrassment and guilt. Immediately she wishes to die and hope that her next life won't be as full of pits as this one.
In theory, Da Gong had a good idea. Even though not many women wished to openly pursue such a chatterbox like Ye Cheng, many still liked his bright personality and handsome face so Ye Cheng had many female friends and a few secret admirers. Overall there were few who disliked Ye Cheng despite not necessarily seeing him in a romantic light.
However, Da Gong failed to realize one thing.
Ye Cheng may not be disliked by some people but he will still have people he, himself, dislikes.
Tang Muxin, the arrogant idiot daughter of the Tang Family was one of the few people he outright loathes.
