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They couldn't sleep and were bored, so they could only find something to amuse themselves.

Second Cub suggested going to play by the pond. Tao Qiu asked if he needed to bring their little bamboo raft down, but the children said no; they just wanted to walk by the water.

Tao Qiu told them to call him if they needed help, then focused on growing his plants. The bird cubs were all well-behaved, and he felt completely at ease with them.

Third Cub actually wanted to stay with Dad more, but she didn't want Dad and her older brother and sister to think she was still as timid and fragile as before. Besides, she did want to go play a little, so when her sister pulled her along, she didn't refuse.

The little bird cubs ran to the pond on their short legs. The water was clear, reflecting their appearances distinctly.

Second Cub tilted her head, then spread her wings and flapped them twice, admiring herself from side to side.

She chirped smugly, "Chirp, chirp, chirp. Chirp, chirp. Chirp, chirp."

—I look like Dad. Dad is good-looking, and so am I.

The children had never left the valley since they were born. Aside from their family of four, they had only ever seen prey that was already dead or half-dead.

None of that prey had been birds. The children didn't think the animals were ugly, but they didn't think they were good-looking, either. The bird cubs used Tao Qiu as their standard of beauty.

Although Tao Qiu often praised the three of them for being cute, the bird cubs still thought looking like Tao Qiu was best.

Whether it was her pure white snow feathers, pale green eyes, or somewhat mischievous personality, Second Cub was more like Tao Qiu—a miniature version of him, in fact—and she was proud of it.

When Third Cub heard her sister, she was happy that her own feathers were almost entirely white too. But when she saw the pair of crystal-like purple eyes reflected in the water, she still lowered her head sadly.

Her eyes were a different color from Dad's and her brother's and sister's...

Just then, Second Cub finished admiring herself and turned to Third Cub, happily chirping away at her.

—Little sister, your feathers are just like mine and Dad's, but yours are more special. There's a little black on your tail. Dad said it looks like tangyuan. Tangyuan must be delicious, and Dad and we all like delicious food.

Third Cub's spirits had sunk to rock bottom, but her sister's words slowly lifted them again.

That was right. It didn't matter that her eyes were a different color. They were all Dad's children. Dad loved and cared about her brother and sister, and he loved and cared about her just the same.

When her health had been poor before, Dad and her brother and sister had even taken extra care of her.

The little worry that had just sprung up in Third Cub's heart was soothed by her family's love before it had a chance to grow. The smile in her eyes deepened, and she thanked her sister in a smiling voice.

Second Cub hadn't actually noticed that Third Cub had been upset. She had said those things simply because she genuinely thought so. Perhaps being carefree had its advantages too.

She thought Third Cub had thanked her because she liked what she had said. She also thought she was a sweet-talking little cutie, just as Dad said, so she grew even prouder and puffed out her chest.

Beside them, Eldest Cub watched his two sisters, his green eyes full of relief.

He had noticed the change in Third Cub's mood, because he had felt something similar before.

After all, he was the only one in the family with black feathers, and he looked out of place. Sometimes he had wanted to ask Dad why he alone was different from everyone else, but whenever he met Dad's eyes, so full of love as they looked at them, he couldn't bring himself to say it.

Gradually, as he grew, he found the answer himself.

The real reason he had fretted over his different feather color was that he was afraid Dad would stop caring about him because he was different.

But Dad loved each of his children with all his heart and didn't treat them differently because of their feather color. Once he understood that, he let it go.

He understood what Third Cub was thinking and wanted to comfort her, but before he could speak, Second Cub had unwittingly resolved her worry.

Third Cub noticed Eldest Cub watching her and looked back. As their eyes met, she said, "Chirp, chirp. Chirp, chirp."

—Big brother is just like Dad. He's very gentle with us.

Second Cub nodded in agreement. "Chirp, chirp, chirp. Chirp, chirp."

—Big brother and Dad both protect us. Big brother and Dad are both wonderful.

Eldest Cub summed it up in a gentle voice. "Chirp, chirp, chirp."

—We're all the best.

Tao Qiu took a moment to glance back at the children. They stood shoulder to shoulder in a row, huddled together and talking about who knew what, but they looked happy.

It couldn't have been better that the children got along so well.

Tao Qiu turned back and continued increasing the energy he put into his ability. He had to work even harder so that he and the children could have all the fruits and vegetables they wanted in winter!

By lunchtime, a pear sapling as high as Tao Qiu's calf had grown in front of him.

Rubbing his rumbling stomach, Tao Qiu called the children back from their play and prepared to eat lunch.

When the bird cubs came hopping back, each had something in their beak. Eldest Cub was struggling to carry a little bamboo cup full of water, Second Cub held a pretty little stone, and Third Cub had a small yellow flower.

The things were all different, but every one of them was for Tao Qiu.

Third Cub said shyly and happily, "Chirp, chirp. Chirp, chirp, chirp."

—Thank you for working so hard, Dad. These are our presents for you.

Meeting the cubs' expectant gazes, Tao Qiu tucked the flower into his hair, put the stone away, and finally drank all the water in the bamboo cup in one gulp.

"Thank you, my darlings. Dad loves every one of your presents very, very much."

Eldest Cub said, "Chirp, chirp."

—I'm glad you like them, Dad.

Second Cub chirped happily, "Chirp, chirp, chirp!"

—I knew Dad would love the presents we gave him!

Tao Qiu set the bird cubs' bamboo bowls in front of them and divided the sliced meat and radish among them. Smiling, he said, "That's right. Dad loves anything you give him, especially presents you put so much thought into."

Eldest Cub had come back for the bamboo cup in the middle of playing. Tao Qiu hadn't thought much of it at the time, but now he realized that Eldest Cub had seen him sitting still all that time in the relatively hot weather and figured he must be thirsty, so he had brought him water.

Second Cub liked pretty stones, but few met her standards. She searched for them carefully and treasured them, yet she had given him a stone she had spent time finding and liked very much.

There were few flowers or grasses in the valley, and they were even scarcer at this time of year. Third Cub must have spent time finding such a bright flower in full bloom.

Even without the three cubs saying so, Tao Qiu could see how much thought they had put into their gifts, just as they had given them to him because they felt for him working so hard.

Their father had shown his appreciation for their gifts, and the cubs couldn't help feeling delighted as they ate. In their good mood, they accidentally ate too much.

The father and his three children had eaten the radish they had dug up early at every meal, and they finished it off at this one.

"Chirp..." Second Cub patted her belly with her wing.

—My tummy got fat.

Her silly appearance made Tao Qiu chuckle. He scooped all three cubs, now round as balls from eating, into his arms and gently rubbed their bellies in turn to help them digest.

A full stomach made them sleepy, and Dad's rubbing felt so comfortable that before long, the three cubs could no longer resist their drowsiness and all drifted off to sleep.

Holding them didn't stop Tao Qiu from continuing to grow the pear trees. It wasn't until the afternoon sun grew so fierce that he couldn't stay outside any longer that he took the cubs back to the cave to rest.

After dinner that evening, Tao Qiu resumed his work while the sun was setting and it was a little cooler.

Tao Qiu took the bird cubs with him almost every time he went down. The sounds of them playing nearby also relieved some of the tedium of growing plants.

The three cubs most often played "eagle catches chicks." Even the relatively weak Third Cub preferred playing the hunter, the "eagle." Their bloodline instincts were at work.

Tao Qiu occasionally took a moment to give pointers to both sides, and whether catching or dodging, they developed quite a few skills.

The bird cubs were thoughtful too. Every day, they found different ways to bring Tao Qiu things. When they had nothing left to give, they snuggled up to him and acted cute or sang to him. In short, they never let Tao Qiu get bored.

To keep the other mutated monsters from noticing anything unusual, Tao Qiu continued going out to patrol and hunt as before. Mutated monsters didn't usually approach the valley either, so the three cubs and his ability probably hadn't been discovered yet.

Those busy days, with their moments of leisure and comfort, passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, a month had passed since Tao Qiu began growing the radishes and pear trees.

The radishes grew as thickly as weeds, a lush expanse of green when viewed from above. The pear trees, on the other hand, retained the appearance of their parent tree. Their branches and leaves were black tinged with purple, and even their blossoms were purple. They looked frightening, yet possessed a strange beauty.

Tao Qiu infused them with his ability day and night, growing both pear trees to more than four meters tall. Their branches and leaves were lush, and when the flowers bloomed, their fragrance filled the air, mesmerizing and breathtaking.

The three cubs liked the fragrance and often asked Tao Qiu to put them up in the trees to play. Sometimes they hid among the branches and leaves and played hide-and-seek with him, asking him to find them.

"Chirp, chirp, chirp?"

—Dad, can you see me?

Second Cub's voice was full of excitement.

Tao Qiu glimpsed the conspicuous patch of white among the branches and leaves, and his eyes crinkled with a smile. "No, I can't. Xuexue, you're hidden so well! Dad has looked around several times and still can't see you."

"Chirp?"

—What about me?

Third Cub couldn't resist asking too.

"Dad can't see Yuanyuan either. Oh dear, you're all hidden so well. I think it'll take me a long time to find you."

When the cubs heard that, they let out secretly delighted chirps.

Eldest Cub was the most cautious, and his ink-black feathers were best suited for hiding among the mutated pear trees. He didn't make a sound easily, either. Tao Qiu had to use the same keen eyesight he once used for spot-the-difference games, looking several times before he found him.