Chapter Summaries

Xie Juanhan and Telingewei lured Tata Fish to shore with liquor-soaked fish so they could milk them, with Xie Juanhan hoping to use the milk to make double-skin milk. They filled fifteen waterskins before the Tata Fish woke and began spraying water at them.

• Xie Juanhan agreed to help Telingewei make liquor-soaked fish and learned that Tata Fish milk was used to nourish the little Companion Beasts.
• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei set out the bait and fishing rods while the Companion Beasts gathered on the reef.
• A school of Tata Fish arrived, sprayed the Companion Beasts with water, and then eagerly ate the liquor-soaked fish.
• The Tata Fish grew tipsy and passed out, allowing Xie Juanhan and Telingewei to milk them into fifteen waterskins.
• The Tata Fish began waking while the Companion Beasts threw stones and traded water jets with them, and some Tata Fish turned their spray on Xie Juanhan and Telingewei.

Xie Juanhan and Telingewei escaped the Tata Fish, brought their milk home, and made sweet treats for themselves and the Companion Beasts. When the little ones asked for fish-milk ice cream, Telingewei found a butter churn that could make the laborious churning easier, and they prepared to try it.

• Xie Juanhan transformed into a dragon and carried Telingewei out of the Tata Fish’s water jets, while Telingewei and Xie Juanhan drove the fish away by pelting them with stones.
• Telingewei carried Xie Juanhan and the Companion Beasts back to the cabin, where Xie Juanhan boiled and tasted the fish milk, finding it rich, creamy, and sweet.
• Telingewei bathed the Companion Beasts, and Xie Juanhan served them double-skin milk before they begged him to make ice cream.
• Xie Juanhan prepared the fish-milk ice cream base, and Telingewei took over churning when Xie Juanhan’s arm grew sore.
• Telingewei had the Companion Beasts fetch a butter churn given to him by Meiruidisi, and he and Xie Juanhan washed it and poured in the ice cream base.

Xie Juanhan and Telingewei let the little ones churn their own ice cream, then Xie Juanhan received lemon seeds from the Weaving Fairies by messenger bird. Later, the Weaving Fairies arrived at his cottage and asked him for help, leaving him curious about their request.

• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei made the little ones pedal the ice cream churn, and the exhausted little ones each received a small serving.
• Xie Juanhan tended his rice field and Alf Mushrooms, then received a letter and fresh lemon seeds from the Weaving Fairies.
• Messenger birds began visiting Xie Juanhan regularly and fought the Companion Beasts in his garden without damaging the plants.
• Xie Juanhan ended the fighting by feeding the birds and Companion Beasts, and Telingewei noticed how peacefully they ate together.
• Luli and the Weaving Fairies arrived riding messenger birds and told Xie Juanhan they had a request for him.

Xie Juanhan realized his treats had made the little messenger birds and Dragon Companion Beasts fat, so he promised to feed them less and turned to cultivating a vegetable garden. As friends and acquaintances arranged to send him seeds from afar, he prepared a resting place for the visiting birds, and a magical owl arrived with a letter.

• The Weaving Fairies asked Xie Juanhan to feed their little messenger birds less because they had grown too fat to fly comfortably.
• Xie Juanhan discovered that the Dragon Companion Beasts were also chubby and decided to cut back on rich foods for both groups.
• Xie Juanhan built up a deep vegetable garden beside his rice paddy, and Orfrey brought him seedlings and seeds.
• Xie Juanhan asked Telingewei to help find good seeds, and the Weaving Fairies and dwarves arranged to send seeds from their friends.
• As little messenger birds arrived with seeds, Xie Juanhan and Telingewei built shelters and other facilities for them by the fence.
• A magical owl flew into Xie Juanhan's courtyard, and he reached out to receive its letter.

Xie Juanhan and Telingewei took the little ones to the snowy mountains to gather fragrant wild berries for fruit wine. After tasting the berries, Xie Juanhan decided their aromatic skins made them promising for brewing.

• Xie Juanhan met Orfrey and villagers from Ailan Village, learned where Evelyn honeyberries grew, and sampled the berries they had gathered.
• Xie Juanhan served Telingewei berries, then learned Telingewei rarely picked them and ate them whole without spitting out the seeds.
• Telingewei offered to take Xie Juanhan to the snowy mountains to gather the berries elves used for Elven Holy Wine, and they agreed to go with the little ones.
• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei flew to the snowy mountains, where they found berries growing near the snow line.
• Xie Juanhan tasted the berries and explained to Telingewei that their richly aromatic skins should make them suitable for wine.

Xie Juanhan and Telingewei made berry wine with the little ones, who had sour berries set their teeth on edge after deliberately eating them to get treats. The little ones became fascinated with the fermenting wine, and Xie Juanhan caught them sneaking away from the kitchen after a suspicious noise.

• The little ones’ teeth became sore from tasting sour berries, and Xie Juanhan realized they had done it on purpose to try to get cakes and ice cream.
• Xie Juanhan explained how he would air-dry some berries for a second fermentation, and the little ones cheered up at the promise of tasting the finished wine.
• Xie Juanhan washed and crushed the berries with help from the little ones, then left the mixture to ferment in a covered vat.
• The little ones began visiting in the mornings to watch Xie Juanhan stir the fermenting berry wine.
• While Xie Juanhan read in the study, he heard a noise from the kitchen, warned Harper not to paw at the wine, and watched a group of little ones sneak away.

Xie Juanhan learned that the Companion Beasts had been visiting shy sprites and brought the sprites cake, honey water, and berry wine to request a blessing. After the sprites blessed the wine and played with their friends, Xie Juanhan returned to check the jars.

• Xie Juanhan learned from Telingewei that the little ones might be visiting sprites, who could bless crafted goods and plants.
• Xie Juanhan caught the Companion Beasts checking the wine jars and asked them to arrange for the sprites to bless the berry wine.
• Xie Juanhan baked a cream cake and packed it with honey water, then carried the offerings and two wine jars into the forest with Telingewei and the Companion Beasts.
• The sprites appeared, shared the offerings with the Companion Beasts, and blessed the wine jars with their wands.
• After the sprites vanished, Xie Juanhan and Telingewei came out of hiding and approached the jars as the sleepy Companion Beasts greeted them.

Xie Juanhan and Telingewei joined the Companion Beasts for a visit to the water nymphs’ seasonal lake restaurant. They paid with polished gold coins, and the water nymphs served them spring wine and gave Xie Juanhan a flower wreath.

• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei found that the little sprites’ blessing had improved the berry wine, and Xie Juanhan added Dragon Power to help it ferment.
• The Companion Beasts excitedly told Xie Juanhan about the water nymphs’ lake restaurant and invited him to go with them that evening.
• Telingewei heated and polished gold coins for Xie Juanhan and the Companion Beasts to use as payment.
• That night, Telingewei and the Companion Beasts led Xie Juanhan through the forest to the restaurant on the lake.
• The Companion Beasts and Xie Juanhan paid the water nymphs with gold coins, and the water nymphs brought them spring wine and gave Xie Juanhan a flower wreath.

At a water nymphs’ feast, Xie Juanhan revealed that he preferred men, leaving Telingewei shaken as he realized he could be a potential partner. The two became more reserved with each other, and by July Telingewei was still distracted and asking a Companion Beast why it no longer visited Xie Juanhan as often.

• A water nymph offered Xie Juanhan a wreath as an invitation for sex, and Telingewei explained what it meant.
• Xie Juanhan accepted the wreath but declined the nymph’s invitation, then told Telingewei that he preferred men.
• Telingewei was deeply shaken by the possibility that he could be within Xie Juanhan’s range of potential partners, and he remained distracted through the meal.
• Telingewei absentmindedly used Dragon Flame on the water nymphs’ boat of gold coins, setting it ablaze and blowing it apart; Xie Juanhan rescued the coins with water.
• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei became more reserved with each other, and by July Telingewei asked a Companion Beast why it had stopped visiting Xie Juanhan daily.

Telingewei learned that demonic beasts were damaging Xie Juanhan’s crops and devised a way to help protect them. The next morning, he suggested inviting a Meli Demonic Wolf to guard the fields, and Xie Juanhan showed interest in going to look for one with him.

• Telingewei paid the Companion Beasts to keep Xie Juanhan company, and they reported that demonic beasts and birds were ravaging his fields.
• Xie Juanhan explained to Orfrey that he wanted to protect his crops rather than use them as bait for hunting or raise his prices.
• After hearing the Companion Beasts’ report, Telingewei considered how to keep the demonic beasts away from Xie Juanhan’s fields.
• Telingewei visited Xie Juanhan early the next morning and suggested inviting a Meli Demonic Wolf to live near the fields and defend its territory.
• Xie Juanhan asked whether the wolf might hurt nearby farmers, and Telingewei offered to help arrange a contract.
• The Companion Beasts urged Xie Juanhan to catch a wolf, and when he asked if Telingewei was free to go with him, Telingewei said he was very free.

Xie Juanhan and Telingewei searched the Magic Forest for Demonic Wolves, and Telingewei confessed that his feelings for Xie Juanhan were romantic. After they made up, they found the little ones being chased by a talking Demonic Wolf.

• Telingewei and Xie Juanhan traveled with the eight little ones to the Demonic Wolves’ territory and waited near a den.
• While they hid, Telingewei told Xie Juanhan that he had feelings for him and asked him not to avoid him.
• The little ones overheard their conversation, and Xie Juanhan flew off with Telingewei to escape their stares.
• Xie Juanhan agreed not to avoid Telingewei, and Telingewei carried him back toward the little ones.
• They found the eight little ones running from a huge Demonic Wolf, which spoke and questioned why Dragon Companion Beasts were fleeing.

Xie Juanhan and Telingewei met a timid Laicheston Demonic Wolf cub named Moli, whose pack offered him a new home after he struggled to fit in. Xie Juanhan took Moli back to the farmland, where the cub settled in and began treating the area as his territory.

• Telingewei and Xie Juanhan encountered a Laicheston Demonic Wolf carrying Moli and offering the cub to them.
• The larger Demon Wolf explained that Moli was the pack’s only cub to awaken as a Demonic Beast and had become timid because he was different from the others.
• Moli burrowed into Xie Juanhan’s cloth bag, and Xie Juanhan agreed to try taking him home.
• Xie Juanhan learned the cub’s name was Moli, waved his paw to the pack, and left with him and Telingewei.
• Xie Juanhan made Moli a den near the farmland, where Moli quickly settled in and developed a strong sense of territory.

Xie Juanhan noticed the Companion Beasts had made the little demon wolf their follower and discovered Telingewei’s absence had left him unsettled. He and Telingewei discussed using sweet cold melons to trade for Tata Fish milk, while the little ones celebrated Little Moli’s work guarding the melon field.

• The little demon wolf played with the Companion Beasts and kept pests away from Xie Juanhan’s crops.
• Xie Juanhan caught Harper and the others rummaging in the kitchen with the little demon wolf, apparently looking for food.
• When Telingewei did not visit, Xie Juanhan asked the Companion Beasts where he was and realized he missed their usual visitor.
• Telingewei came by that evening, and Xie Juanhan showed him a guide suggesting Tata Fish liked honey algae and might prefer sweetness to wine.
• Xie Juanhan proposed trading cold melons for a chance to milk the Tata Fish, and he and Telingewei sampled the ripe fruit with the Companion Beasts.
• Xie Juanhan praised Little Moli for guarding the melon field, and the Companion Beasts pressed their paws against the little demon wolf in admiration.

Xie Juanhan and Telingewei tried to trade cold melons for Tata Fish milk, but the Tata Fish led Xie Juanhan out to help them confront a demon whale. After the whale fled, the Tata Fish continued onward, and Xie Juanhan agreed to scare off one more enemy before insisting they trade.

• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei picked cold melons and brought them to the reef, while the Companion Beasts stayed with the little demon wolf.
• Xie Juanhan offered the Tata Fish cold melons in exchange for fish milk, and they eagerly ate the fruit.
• When a Tata Fish sprayed water at Telingewei and the Companion Beasts, Xie Juanhan refused to continue the trade and prepared to leave.
• The Tata Fish led Xie Juanhan out to sea, where they charged a level-four demon whale and called on him for help.
• The demon whale saw Xie Juanhan's white dragon form and fled, while the Tata Fish celebrated and swam onward.
• Xie Juanhan agreed to help the Tata Fish scare off one more enemy, then demanded that they trade for fish milk.

Xie Juanhan stopped the Tata Fish from eating the Demonic Oysters and made peace with them by trading for their fish milk. After returning home, he went hunting and stayed out late, while the Weaving Fairies arrived with his ordered sheets and clothes and worried they would miss their ball.

• The Tata Fish raided Xie Juanhan and Telingewei's Demonic Oyster ropes, so Xie Juanhan whipped them until they stopped and Telingewei checked the damage.
• The Tata Fish offered fish milk, and Xie Juanhan agreed to trade with them and promised to share the grown oysters later.
• Xie Juanhan brought the fish milk home, where the little demonic wolf eagerly drank it while the Companion Beasts secretly gave it extra.
• While hunting, Xie Juanhan chased and killed a level-four demonic bear, but night fell before he returned home.
• The Weaving Fairies arrived at Telingewei's cabin with the sheets and clothes Xie Juanhan had ordered, but they feared waiting for him would make them miss the fairy ball.

Telingewei helped Xie Juanhan after the Weaving Fairies delivered clothes and bedding, then surprised him with a tender response to his thanks. Later, the two dragons went on a date to gather nut blossoms and baked sweet pastries together.

• Telingewei accepted the Weaving Fairies' textiles and paid them before Xie Juanhan returned with a magic bear he had hunted.
• Telingewei processed the bear while Xie Juanhan rested, then thanked him for letting him help, leaving Xie Juanhan flustered.
• Telingewei and Xie Juanhan agreed to go on a date to pick edible nut blossoms, while Xie Juanhan sent the eager little magic wolf back.
• The two gathered freshly opened nut blossoms and returned to Xie Juanhan's kitchen to prepare pastries together.
• Xie Juanhan offered Telingewei the first warm batch of nut blossom pastries.

Xie Juanhan and Telingewei followed the Companion Beasts as they secretly brought pie to the sprites and asked them to bless the crops. Investigating the fields, the dragons discovered that the orange sweet roots had been cut off and suspected goblins had stolen them.

• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei noticed the Companion Beasts saving pie and secretly following Harper with a basket.
• The Companion Beasts and the little demonic wolf met the sprites and asked them to help with a problem affecting the crops.
• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei hurried to inspect the farmland but initially found nothing amiss.
• Telingewei pulled up an orange sweet root and found its underground portion had been cleanly cut away.
• Telingewei suspected goblins from the forest had stolen the orange sweet roots, and Xie Juanhan recognized them as the goblins they had encountered while mushroom hunting.

Xie Juanhan and Telingewei shared pies and dew wine with the Pixies and Companion Beasts, accidentally getting the Pixies drunk. Two days later, Xie Juanhan found that the Pixies’ blessing had helped an Orange Sweet Shoot grow a new, higher-quality root, and he praised the little Demon Wolf for guarding the crop.

• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei watched the Pixies bless the Orange Sweet Shoots while the little Demon Wolf and Companion Beasts caught the tired Pixies on their backs.
• Xie Juanhan brought nut and flower pies, and Telingewei served the Pixies dew wine; the Pixies promptly fell over drunk, and the little Demon Wolf caught them.
• Two days later, Xie Juanhan pulled up a scrawny Orange Sweet Shoot and found its new root was better in quality than its original root.
• Xie Juanhan buried the Orange Sweet Shoot again and promised the little Demon Wolf extra Demonic Beast meat for guarding the crops and catching bugs.

Xie Juanhan and Telingewei trapped the Goblins that had been stealing Orange Sweet Shoots. Xie Juanhan punished them by hanging them over compost, then moved them above a less foul-smelling pile of silt.

• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei set snares beneath the Orange Sweet Shoots and waited for the Goblins to return.
• The traps caught many Goblins, and Xie Juanhan froze those that escaped while Moli barked at them.
• Xie Juanhan threatened the Goblins, but one fainted from fright, and the others cried and begged for mercy.
• Xie Juanhan had Telingewei tie the Goblins together and hung them over the compost heap instead of hitting them.
• When the foul smell overwhelmed the Goblins, Xie Juanhan moved them above a pile of silt with only a faint earthy smell.

Xie Juanhan released the Goblins after warning them not to steal again, then fed the Companion Beasts and little Demon Wolf a dinner of meat and roasted Orange Sweet Shoots. A letter from the Water Demons offered to buy his crops, but Xie Juanhan chose to keep repaying Telingewei slowly, leaving their relationship tinged with flirtation.

• Xie Juanhan freed the Goblins, who fled underground after he warned them not to return.
• Xie Juanhan brought the hungry Companion Beasts and little Demon Wolf home and served them meat and roasted Orange Sweet Shoots.
• A messenger owl arrived with a parcel and a letter from the Water Demons asking to buy Xie Juanhan's seasonal crops.
• Xie Juanhan told Telingewei he would rather repay his Demonic Core debt before discussing other things, and Telingewei agreed to let him pay slowly.