Illusion?

Liu Xue touched the little girl's shoulders carefully.

"Sit up straight. Papa wants to show you a surprise, okay?"

The little girl did not heed his words. She began trembling and sniffling like mad.

"Xiao Bai, come here," Liu Xue gestured.

The little fox had finished grooming herself long ago, and had been staring at the two from the corner of his eyes the moment the house appeared. It ran over obediently and skidded to a stop in front of the two of them, eyes flashing with complicated colors.

"You've heard everything, right? She's blind. I want to ask you if you could use your illusion abilities to show her just a glimpse of our surroundings," Liu Xue asked, a helpless but hopeful expression on his face. "Just a try."

He too was in doubt if it would work, but still glanced at the little fox expectantly.

'Xiao Bai is SSS-grade and a mythical beast. With all the supernatural things that's happened these last three days—like how we have a spiritual understanding of each other already, even though she's just an infant and a fox—I've got to try everything on hand, no matter how unscientific or illogical it sounds. As long as Xiao Bai's illusionary abilities don't affect how Mengmeng perceives stimuli and process information, or her eyes, it should work. Since she's never been able to see, Xiao Bai needs to hijack the visual system of the brain entirely and unlock it, then it should …'

"Mi, mi!" Xiao Bai chirped. She gave a solemn look at Liu Meng.

Liu Xue took it as an indication that she would try with all her might. He nodded and held the little girl by her arms tightly.

"Mengmeng, be prepared. If it doesn't work, please be assured, papa will try again. I know it's your dream to be able to see."

Liu Xue could do nothing but watch as Xiao Bai shut her eyes. A cold gale unlike others blew by, sending the hairs on his arm piercing straight. He could not tell if it was a good or bad sign. The only thing he could do was pray, pray with all his might, more than than the daily sign-ins, the material box openings, the hungry tiger, that something magical would happen.

"Ah!"

Before Liu Xue could think his next thought, the little girl's cry sent a jolt to him. He quickly pulled her even more tightly against his chest. Both she and the little fox were gasping for air, but he could tell the former was with excitement and the latter with fatigue.

Fearing they would hyperventilate, the alarmed Liu Xue quickly asked, "Are you okay? Did it work?"

"I saw … I saw something! It was not nothing! There was … there was … there … it felt very happy; it was not scary! They, they are not here! I … I see papa! Is that you, papa? You look like … me! Is that me? What, what is that?"

Words could not describe the relief in Liu Xue when he saw her at a loss of words, unable to describe anything. Though it was saddening at the same time, he could not help but feel hopeful for the future. Although for a split second, it was clear that whatever Xiao Bai did, it worked, and unexplainably so.

"Mi! Mi!"

"You mean her eyes are not 'broken' after all? She can recover and have the ability to see again?"

"Thank you, Xiao Bai." Liu Xue casted a grateful look at the little fox and made the mental note to spoil the little fox with meat for a lifetime.

The little girl did not stop blabbering on what she saw that half a second. Though unable to describe anything, she knew that there was something where something was.

'Now, it is the matter of either prolonging the duration of the illusion or rejuvenating Mengmeng's eyes. I first thought of this jungle island as a tool for revenge, a vacation. But now, it is more than them both. I shall conquer it, and let her see this world for its worth.'

***

The next hour or two went by like a breeze though Liu Xue felt he had taken it slow.

After the whole ordeal with Liu Meng passed—she calmed herself down rather quickly—Liu Xue took to it to construct the wooden rocking chair. The sunshine shone it on through the window and into the corner where he placed it. It had only cost a handful of wood and could barely be considered comfortable, he sat in it with Xiao Bai on his shoulders and the docile Liu Meng on his lap anyway. Their presence alone gave him a warm feeling, and like so, the three of them rocked and relaxed to the afternoon scenery.

Of course, the little girl could not enjoy the scenery. Though the matter passed, it still lingered in Liu Xue's mind. The thought of it made his heart throb and twang in distress, but with the thought of a potential opportunity to heal her eyes as well as to comfort her, he passed the two pear juice boxes, not before teaching her how to use a straw.

Much to his disappointment however, when Liu Xue asked the little girl if she felt anything in her stomach area when she drank the graded juice, she shook her head.

"What is this yummy thing, papa? Are yummy things good for your body?" Liu Meng asked instead.

A drip of the pear juice trickled down her lips. Against the bright sunshine casted on her face, Liu Xue felt the scene before him was too cute. His hand that was fluffing Xiao Bai lazing about on his shoulder moved and gently brushed the liquid off.

'It seems that Mengmeng hasn't been corrupted by the likes of herbal medicine and root vegetables yet. What should I tell her? She's so frail and skinny, she needs the nutrients,' he thought.

"That is pear juice. Yes, everything yummy not just tastes good, but is good for your health. And eyes. So you must eat lots of yummy things papa gives you, okay?"