Chapter 1

In his dream. A mutated bat chased Nian Nian for a very long time. Just as the enormous bat was about to catch him, a faint chill pulled Nian Nian awake from the nightmare. He opened his eyes groggily and realized his little blanket had slipped under the bed. His round belly was completely exposed because of his sleeping posture. His soft curls stuck up messily. He climbed down from the simple makeshift bed, picked up the blanket printed with little stars, patted it clean, then climbed back up, took off his shoes, and covered himself again with the slightly rough blanket. The dark room held only Nian Nian. On the old wooden desk sat a worn-out lamp, its dim yellow glow casting light on his fair cheeks. He pulled the blanket to cover half his face and began counting sheep to lull himself back to sleep. He did not belong to this world. He came from a dangerous apocalypse, where he was the team’s little burden. Facing apocalyptic disasters and mutated species, humanity had evolved. Babies born after the apocalypse usually awakened special skills. Ninety-five percent of babies awakened skills and showed them around age three or four. He was part of the other five percent. Even at seven years old, he had not awakened any skill. An orphan with no ability to protect himself. Eventually, when resources became critically scarce, he was abandoned by the team that once cared for him, left behind at the old human base. On the night he was abandoned. He slept in the broken laboratory of the old base. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a completely different world. It seemed he had crossed over. This kind of supernatural phenomenon was something he had heard the elders in the team talk about before. It sounded so magical that everyone thought it was just a story to trick children. But it had truly happened. In the new world, there were no sudden disasters or mutated creatures. The sun had not been corroded, its warm light was comforting. The apocalypse had been barren like a desert, but this new world was filled with countless grasses and flowers, like a giant green park. Even the air was especially fresh. Only one thing wasn’t so good. He had become smaller. From a seven-year-old child, he was now only about three and a half years old. So tiny, not even taller than the shortest sapling in Huahua Village. Thinking about all this, Nian Nian forgot how many sheep he had counted. So he decided to start over. One little sheep. Two little sheep. … By the nineteenth sheep, Nian Nian had fallen asleep, his small fists clenched. It was summer. As the sky turned pale white at dawn, crisp birdsong rang out in the forest of Huahua Village. The village lay by the mountains and rivers, its scenery pleasant. At the end of the stone-paved path leading to the farthest edge of the village stood a rather shabby stone house. When its old wooden door was pushed open from inside, it creaked loudly. Nian Nian climbed down from the wooden stool he had dragged over, moved it back to the other side, then stepped out of the stone house with his little steps. Not far away, outside another stone house, sat an old grandmother. Seeing the pitiful little child next door, she walked over slowly as usual. Her face was kind, and she carried a transparent plastic bag in her hand. Three-and-a-half-year-old Nian Nian had just washed his face. As he turned off the faucet and lifted his head, he saw Grandma Li from next door. In this new world, he still had no parents, but there were grandmothers, uncles, and aunts who loved him dearly. However, on the very night he crossed over, all of them passed away in an accident. He became an orphan once again. Helpless, like a drifting dandelion. “Nian Nian.” Grandma Li placed the plastic bag on the small stone table, her gaze full of affection. “Inside are steamed buns and sweet potatoes. Eat them while they’re warm.” Nian Nian’s family had been kind and simple-hearted when alive. After their deaths, Grandma Li and other neighbors helped take care of him. One could say he was now growing up on meals shared by many households. “Thank you!” Nian Nian gave the old woman a bright smile, his deep dimples especially adorable. “Grandma!” After coming to this world, his thinking and actions had almost completely regressed to those of a three-and-a-half-year-old cub. His speech was a little unclear, and because of poverty, his thin frame was even smaller than most children his age. Beside the stone table were two cut wooden stools. Nian Nian walked around and sat on the shorter one. The little tuft of hair on his head stuck up messily in the morning breeze. “Grandma, have you eaten?” Nian Nian asked. “I have. Now you eat.” Grandma Li replied with a smile. Nian Nian nodded. “Okay.” He had already washed his hands while washing his face. Now he opened the plastic bag, broke apart a sweet potato that was just a bit smaller than his fist, and gave half to Grandma Li. “Grandma, let’s eat together.” In the apocalypse, resources had been so scarce that even brutal killings occurred. But here, people with no blood relation to him gave him food every day. Nian Nian was very grateful, even obediently helping Grandma Li peel the other half of the sweet potato. His nails were neatly trimmed, so peeling wasn’t easy. The skin wasn’t fully removed, and his tender hands ended up smeared with sweet potato paste. Seeing this, Grandma Li laughed. “Nian Nian, let me help you.” Her movements were quick, and soon the skin was cleanly peeled. “Here, eat this piece.” Nian Nian held the piece he had peeled himself and took a bite. “Grandma, you eat that one.” He ate very politely, taking small bites, savoring the taste. His round eyes, bright like purple grapes, curved into crescent moons as he smiled. “It’s so delicious! Nian Nian likes it. Thank you, Grandma!” Morning light streamed through the lush locust trees, falling gently on Nian Nian. The soft glow made his cheeks look as fair as milk. He wore a white short-sleeved shirt with a round collar, printed with a yellow kitten in the middle, and black summer shorts with loose stitching at the hem. The shirt’s design had faded from too many washes. Getting dressed had taken him quite a while. Still groggy from sleep, he had even put his clothes on backwards and had to change again. “Nian Nian.” “Mm?” Nian Nian’s cheeks were puffed, his eyes round, and at that moment he looked just like a little squirrel nibbling food. “Come to Grandma Li’s house for lunch today.” Nian Nian remembered that he had already accepted Aunt Wang’s invitation yesterday. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he explained, “Yesterday when I passed by Aunt Wang’s house, I promised her I’d eat lunch there. When I pass the little garden, I’ll bring Grandma the prettiest flower back, okay?” The three-year-old cub spoke in a soft, milky voice, his tone especially adorable. Though thin, his skin was fair, his features delicate and lively. At first glance, he looked like a little tree spirit under the locust tree. Anyone who saw him would want to pinch his cheeks. The old woman smiled and nodded. “Alright, I’ll wait for you to come back.” Time slipped quietly by. Under the tree, the scene of old and young together was picturesque. After finishing the half sweet potato, Nian Nian patted his gradually rounded belly. Just as he was about to try a bite of the plump steamed bun, Grandma Li remembered something. “Nian Nian, today a group of outsiders will come to Huahua Village.” Grandma Li took a tissue from her pocket and wiped the sweet potato paste from his right cheek. “It seems they’re here to film some kind of TV variety show. If you see them, don’t be afraid. They’re allowed to film here by the township government and the village chief.” Nian Nian nodded obediently. “Mm~” Not afraid, not afraid. After all, he had seen mutated tigers before, Nian Nian thought.