Chapter 371: Lygophobia
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
When going to bed in the evening, Zhang Zian asked Famous to sleep with everyone else in the bedroom. It agreed and walked beside Galaxy’s crib, requesting to sleep there. Since Galaxy had no objection, Zhang Zian fetched a blanket for it.
However, after Zhang Zian went to bed and turned off the lights, Famous shouted in horror and fear. Its hysterical screaming had startled the drowsy Zhang Zian and other elves. Fortunately, it was about eight o'clock in the evening and it was not yet time for the neighbors to fall asleep. Otherwise, someone would have come to complain about the disturbing noises...
Famous was still haunted by fear and wouldn’t agree to turn off the lights. But with the lights on, Zhang Zian and the other elves couldn’t sleep well. Finally, with a blanket in its teeth, it went to the living room, which had been connected to the bedroom, and found a corner where Zhang Zian had put a small night light. It slept there with the light on.
Because of the jet-lag and surprise by Famous, Zhang Zian turned and tossed restlessly in his bed for quite a while, and grew increasingly believing in its narrative.
Famous was apparently extremely afraid of darkness, but even before the lights were turned off, it must have known nothing of this fact, or it would have demanded to keep the lights on at the very beginning. What did this indicate? That its suddenly-appearing lygophobia had something to do with its account of where it endured endless reincarnations in the abysmal black box.
Galaxy was not afraid of darkness because it had been in darkness forever and had never seen light, since it was born from humans’ fantasies. But Famous was different. It had seen light previously, so it was frightened of darkness—no, it was probably not the darkness that it feared, but the bottle in the darkness.
Zhang Zian asked himself, if he was in that same environment— where his any tiny movement might trigger a deadly switch to make him die in agony… —and was resurrected again, he probably would suffer from lygophobia too, unless he just lost his mind completely.
Just like this, at the cost of being afraid of darkness, Famous got some of Galaxy's capabilities—looking into the future. The scope and strength of Famous’s capacity was unclear. It could probably only foresee a limited future, and couldn’t interfere with the future. Even so, what it could do was very impressive.
If he pulled a man casually from the street and told him, "I can let you see the future for the next five seconds, but the price being afraid of the dark," perhaps 9 out of 10 people would agree to this...
Since Famous’s body was much stronger than and its capability was weaker than Galaxy, if Zhang Zian was correct, Famous was able to use its ability more frequently.
Lying in bed, Zhang Zian looked at the dim light in the corner of the living room, and then glanced at Fina, Old Time Tea, Richard and Snowy Lionet. Apparently, none of them had fallen asleep after being shocked by Famous. Fina also glared back at him fiercely with her green eyes.
If Famous could get part of Galaxy’s abilities, was it also able to...
He repeatedly thought about its feature in his mind— "Everything the Reincarnated Dog experienced is real", and fell asleep…
To deal with the jet-lag, he got in bed at eight in the evening and didn’t get up until seven o'clock the next morning. Yet, he still felt a bit tired. With the consent of Old Time Tea, the teaching of Wing Chun Kung Fu was suspended for a day.
When he got up, the elves were all awake. Galaxy was playing hide-and-seek with the American Shorthair, Fina and Snowy Lionet were lying cozily, Old Time Tea was watching the morning news in the corner on the first floor, and Richard… Richard seemed abnormally quiet today. No, it had been so quiet since they boarded the plane yesterday. Zhang Zian wondered if it really got cervical spondylosis. Should he call Sun Xiaomeng to come over and check up on it?
Famous apparently did not sleep well last night. It was staring blankly and it must feel bad knowing that it was suffering from lygophobia. Fortunately, unlike nocturnal cats, as a dog, it wasn’t influenced as much. It just needed to get used to sleeping with the lights on.
After washing his face and rinsing his mouth out, Zhang Zian went downstairs. He opened the shutter door and saw three people waiting there—two adults and one child.
Tian Yi and Gu Le had been waiting for a while, and they checked the time frequently. Although it was the weekend, they couldn’t wait too long here, because they also needed to apologize to other parents. If Zhang Zian hadn’t opened the door at that moment, they may have had to leave. They asked nearby neighbors about the hours, who said the pet shop was usually open very early. The owner probably hadn’t returned from other places?
"Hello," Tian Yi said with a smile, "Are you the boss here?"
"Uh... yes, that's right." Zhang Zian had just gotten up and wasn’t fully awake. He recognized little Yi Le, and the middle-aged woman behind him also looked familiar. What were they doing here? Sending a message?
His head down, little Yi Le was standing sheepishly near his father. With a pair of new glasses on his nose, he seemed less naughty and more mature.
Gu Le was looking somewhere else and avoiding eye-contact, and her face was full of an embarrassing expression.
"I'm sorry, I heard from my child that some time ago, you stopped him from running across the street. Thank you so much, or else something terrible would have happened..."
Tian Yi patted Yi Le on his back. Yi Le lowered his head and apologized, "I'm sorry, it was my mistake."
Hearing the familiar voice, Old Time Tea came from the back of the shop and watched from the side.
Gu Le coughed and apologized, "I'm sorry, store manager. I was in a bad mood that day and accused you randomly. This is so embarrassing."
Tian Yi handed him the gift box. "Store manager, I was also wronged by my boss. I know how it feels to be wronged by others. As a token of our apology, this is our gift, and we hope you can accept it."
Zhang Zian immediately waved his hand, "I can’t accept the gift."
Tian Yi smiled bitterly, "Are you still mad? In fact, we came here a few days ago, but your shop was closed, and your neighbor said that you were traveling abroad. That’s why we are here again today."
"No, I’m not mad," Zhang Zian shook his head.
He walked in front of Yi Le, bowed down and asked, "Yi Le, do you truly realize your mistakes?"
Gu Le wanted to chime in and answer for her kid, but was stopped by Tian Yi.
Yi Le nodded, "I'm sorry, I made mistakes."
"About what?" Zhang Zian asked again.
"I should not have crossed the road recklessly, and I should not have made a lie and framed you..." Whispered Yi Le.
Zhang Zian stood up and patted his shoulder, "Well, you are still a good boy since you have recognized your mistakes, so I forgive you."
Tian Yi and Gu Le were relieved. Tian Yi handed again the gift box, "Store manager, please accept our gift..."
Zhang Zian again rejected, "I’m not accepting it. If you really want to apologize, I have a request."
Tian Yi and Gu Le were surprised, wondering what Zhang Zian wanted.
"Please, go ahead. We will try our best to meet your request," Tian Yi smiled.
"It is not a request for you." Zhang Zian looked at Yi Le again, "Would you please give your full support to the program of your classmate, Cai Xiaoqin, for the school founding anniversary?"
Yi Le looked up at him through the glasses lenses, "The show of a pet shop in fairyland?"
"Yes, can you promise me with this request? I know you are very influential among the boys in your class, right?" said Zhang Zian.
"Not influential anymore..." Yi Le was embarrassed and turned to look somewhere else, "Okay. Now that I don’t play Arena of Valor anymore."
Zhang Zian smiled, "Thank you. By the way, don’t tell Cai Xiaoqin about what happened today. This secret lies between us men, right?"
"That's right!" Yi Le nodded heavily, and then had to push the glasses back up his nose. He was not accustomed to wearing glasses.
"Well, I will not accept the gift, you can take it back." Zhang Zian firmly said to Tian Yi.
"Please..."
"It’s okay. Let’s not mention again what happened in the past. You guys still have things to do, right? Don’t spend too much time here, just do what you have to do."
Zhang Zian noted that in addition to the gift box Tian Yi handed to him, Gu Le was also carrying a few other boxes. Maybe they were going to apologize to other parents, whose children were once bullied by Yi Le.
Tian Yi sighed, "Then we should go now. But we will visit you in the future. If my colleagues want to buy pets, I will recommend your place to them."
Gu Le also said, "Yes! I also have a lot of female colleagues who are fond of kittens and puppies. I will mention your store to them oftentimes!"
Zhang Zian laughed, "Thank you."
"I... " Yi Le raised his hand, "I… will also tell my classmates."
"Well, thanks, Yi Le." Zhang Zian rubbed on Yi Le’s head, making him even more shy.
Tian Yi pulled up Yi Le’s hand, "See you later. Yi Le, say goodbye to uncle."
Yi Le turned his eyes and said what he had heard from Little Celery, "Goodbye, Brother Store Manager."
Zhang Zian was very happy. He smiled and waved his hand, "Goodbye, come and play if you have time, and bring your friends."
Upon seeing the family of three leave, Zhang Zian thought it was just like his childhood, when his parents held him by his hands and walked on this old Zhonghua Road.
Old Time Tea nodded to him with delight.
"Grandpa Tea, let me brew tea for you." Zhang Zian was in such a good mood.