Page 59

--It's alright, kids inevitably argue.

The Second Cub cried and trembled in Tao Qiu, the Eldest Cub and the Little Snake exchanged sharp glances, Third Cub looked at his sister with worry.

Tao Qiu politely said it was alright, but Green Python couldn't ignore it and leave it unattended.

In the end, she still forced the Little Snake to apologize to Second Cub. Although the Little Snake said it reluctantly and Second Cub didn't accept it, she still managed to bring the matter to a close.

Things have gotten this far, it's not good for the Green Python and the Little Snake to stay any longer. After saying goodbye to Tao Qiu and the others, they hurriedly left.

The meeting ended unpleasantly, and neither party seemed happy about it.

After Second Cub finished crying, he started making a fuss about washing off the dye, saying that seeing the dye reminded him of what the Little Snake had said, which only made him angrier.

Tao Qiu tried to persuade her, "If you wash it, wouldn't that be the same as agreeing with what she said?"

The main problem is that Second Cub is currently emotionally charged. Tao Qiu knows she really likes this hair dye, and what if she washes it off and then regrets it and feels bad after calming down?

Unfortunately, the Second Cub got stuck on one point, his tone unusually firm. "Chirp chirp, chirp chirp."

--Please wash it, Dad.

Seeing that Second Cub looked like she would continue crying if he didn't agree, Tao Qiu could only nod helplessly and say okay.

The stain was difficult to remove. I used wood ash water and medical alcohol alternately, and it took several days to wash it off.

After turning back into a pure white dumpling, Second Cub was listless for a while, and even her favorite roasted meat couldn't cheer her up again.

I achieved my goal, but I'm still unhappy.

I wonder if Second Cub regretted it, or what other reason it might be.

Until this day, the situation finally took a turn for the better.

A gust of cold wind blew into the cave in the morning, waking Tao Qiu from the cold. He opened his eyes groggily and saw white snowflakes drifting in with the wind, dotting the ground and the area around the bird's nest with tiny white specks.

Tao Qiu woke up almost instantly. He quickly transformed into human form and shook the cubs, especially the Second Cub, awake.

"Get up! Look! It's snowing! It's snowing!"

Tao Qiu was a human in her previous life and is now a bird. She has seen snow countless times, but to be honest, this is the first time she has ever been this excited.

"Chirp chirp?"

--Dad, are you calling me?

Second Cub was forcibly pulled out of the dream, still dazed. Her eyes were half-closed, and when she heard Tao Qiu keep saying "Xue, Xue," she thought he was calling her name.

Tao Qiu smiled and said, "It snowed today, Second Treasure, just like the snow in your name. It fell from the sky."

The Second Cub paused for a few seconds, then suddenly realized what his father was talking about.

"Chirp!"

--Snow!

The Second Cub used the strength it had when it first hatched, and with a whoosh, it jumped up.

The cold wind was biting. Second Cub stood by the nest, her feathers ruffled by the wind, but she didn't care about that at all. Her eyes were fixed on the snow-white ground, her eyes shining brighter and brighter.

Tao Qiu reached out and caught a snowflake in the air, then handed it to Second Cub.

"Look Xuexue! Every snowflake is different, pure white and clean, just as beautiful as you."

Upon hearing this, the pent-up frustration that had been building up in Second Cub's heart over the past few days gradually dissipated with her breath, transforming into cold snowflakes carried by the wind.

She transformed back into the lively, cheerful, and confident Second Cub.

"Chirp chirp." The Second Cub turned its head to look at the Eldest Cub and Third Cub who were staring at it from inside the nest, and happily chirped, "Chirp chirp!"

Brother and sister, come look! Snowflakes as beautiful as me!

The Eldest Cub and Third Cub exchanged a glance and then laughed.

"Chirp!"

--Here it comes!

The wind was too strong when it snowed, so Tao Qiu didn't let the baby birds go out to see the snow. She even pushed the bamboo door over to block the entrance to the cave, leaving only a small gap for light to pass through.

The kids were very obedient. When Tao Qiu said they couldn't go out now, they weren't in a hurry and obediently followed Tao Qiu to wash up and eat breakfast.

Since there is fire, it's natural to eat hot food in winter.

Tao Qiu cooked a meat slice soup and also cut the fruit into pieces so the children could eat easily.

The children enjoyed their meal and then chatted and joked with Tao Qiu until the afternoon when the cold wind gradually subsided and calm returned.

Tao Qiu put on the clothes the man had given him, pushed open the bamboo door, and carried the three cubs to the platform at the entrance of the cave.

The snow seemed to have started falling just before dawn, but by midday, the ground was already covered in a layer of white.

However, some rocks and trees still stubbornly display their colors, unwilling to be swallowed up by the white snow.

Tao Qiu had seen similar scenes far too many times. Although she felt a little moved, she wasn't particularly surprised.

The baby birds are different. They have seen the flowers, grasses and trees of summer and autumn vying for beauty, and even the soil has different colors. But at this moment, white has become the dominant color in their eyes.

Such a novel and awe-inspiring scene naturally requires the little ones to process it slowly.

Tao Qiu wasn't in a hurry, so she leisurely accompanied them to the doorway to enjoy the view.

A layer of snow had also piled up at the cave entrance. Tao Qiu squatted down and put the children on the ground, grinning mischievously, "Now that you've seen the snow, let's try walking on it and see what it feels like."

Are the baby birds silly and innocent? With curiosity in their hearts, they hopped into the snow, leaving a trail of claw marks.

However, before they had even stayed for three seconds, they hurriedly ran back.

"Chirp chirp!"

--Okay? Ice, okay? Ice!

Tao Qiu burst into laughter. "Hahaha, you've fallen for their trap!"

The Second Cub looked at his old father with a resentful expression. "Chirp chirp..."

--Dad actually... played a trick on us...

"How could it be teasing? It's just to let you experience the wonders of nature. So, do you like it?"

The Third Cub looked aggrieved. "Chirp chirp?"

--What do you think, Dad?

The unscrupulous father laughed even louder.

The baby birds. "..."

"Okay, okay, Daddy will apologize and give you small gifts, okay?"

The Second Cub immediately changed his expression. "Chirp chirp?"

--What gift?

Tao Qiu squatted down, gathered a pile of snow, and said happily, "Just wait and see! You'll definitely love it!"

Yes, Tao Qiu wanted to build a snowman—no, Snow Bird.

Hearing Tao Qiu's confident tone, the children couldn't help but feel expectant. They ran over and squatted at his feet, watching him slowly pile up the gifts.

Twenty minutes later, the baby birds looked at the strangely shaped, chubby snowball in front of them with wide, curious eyes.

Eldest Cub: "Chirp?"

--This is?

"This is Snow Bird I made by imitating yours." Tao Qiu said excitedly, her tone full of appreciation and satisfaction with her own art, gesturing with both hands as she introduced it to the children.

"Look! This is a little pointed snout, this is a little belly, this is a little tail, these are little paws, wow, every part is super cute! Your dad is simply a born artist."

The three chicks looked at each other, but couldn't see any resemblance whatsoever to the ugly snowball.

Eldest Cub: "... Chirp chirp?"

--Dad, do you want to hear the truth?

Tao Qiu had already seen the answer in their eyes, so she quickly covered her ears and kept muttering to herself.

"I won't listen, I won't listen, the little bird is chanting, the Snow Bird I made is the cutest!"

The Second Cub looked at the Eldest Cub, his heart filled with despair, and said calmly, "Chirp, chirp, chirp."

"Brother, I want to eat fruit. Let's go back to the cave."

The Third Cub chirped, "Chirp chirp."

--Me too.

So the three siblings ignored their mad father and went back to the cave together.

The snow during the day was just the beginning; the wind and snow intensified at night. Even with bamboo doors and stones blocking the cave entrance, and the baby birds huddled in Tao Qiu's arms, they could still hear sounds like ghosts wailing and wolves howling outside.

The snow fell for three days and three nights. Tao Qiu was only able to go out to shovel snow when the wind subsided a bit, and the baby birds could also take the opportunity to cool off.

The fire in the cave never went out, and hot water was always burning on the fire, so they could drink whenever they wanted.

In the past, Tao Qiu was a lone bird, spending the winter eating and sleeping. Now that it has children, it can easily spend a lot of time playing with them or preparing a delicious lunch.

He and his chicks had incredibly good stomachs; they ate roasted meat and drank chilled fruit drinks without getting an upset stomach even once, and actually found it quite enjoyable.

Three days later, when the snow stopped, they pushed open the bamboo door and stood at the cave entrance again. The thin layer of snow on the platform had grown to calf level.

This is the result of Tao Qiu shoveling snow every day; I can't even imagine how thick the snow must be in other places.

Tao Qiu exhaled a puff of white mist; he had only been out for a short while, and the tip of his nose was already red from the cold.

He said to the kittens in his arms, "It's so cold, everyone must be staying home right now."

The Third Cub: "Chirp, chirp."

--It's cold, time for bed.

Tao Qiu suddenly smiled, her pale green eyes sparkling. "Since they're home, it's our turn to go out."

Eldest Cub immediately understood the meaning of Tao Qiu's words. His heart raced involuntarily, and his eyes were fixed on Tao Qiu.

"Come on! Dad will take you for a walk outside the valley. This time, it's a really nice gift that you'll like!"

Good news? The news came so suddenly! The kids were stunned for a while before they remembered to cheer.

"Chirp! Chirp!"

--Finally, I can go out! Dad, I love you!

The Second Cub sidled up to Tao Qiu, rubbing against her relentlessly.

Tao Qiu smiled and said, "Aren't you angry that I was joking with you guys earlier?"

"Chirp chirp." The Second Cub was delighted.

I wasn't angry to begin with.

Tao Qiu raised an eyebrow. "Right, right, I'm not angry, I just haven't spoken to Dad for two hours."