Chapter 161

Ling Yue: "=_="

Eastern Sea Eagle: "⊙﹏⊙"

This is why it doesn't often fly over, if we keep catching it like this, the wire net will not all be torn apart by it.

Humans will definitely chase after it to demand compensation.

Eagle Eagle is weak, Eagle Eagle has no money. JPG

Ling Yue really didn't expect this; the nearby tourists were all startled, after reacting, they clicked away at the small hole, and even more exaggeratedly, they kept praising while taking photos: "Hiss, that's amazing—is that an eagle's claw or an iron hook?"

"Now I believe it, it's absolutely a mighty divine eagle!"

Hearing that, the Eastern Sea Eagle puffed out its chest with satisfaction, proudly looking at Ling Yue; Ling Yue glanced at it, and it immediately clamped its wings, its eagle eyes darting left and right, refusing to look at Ling Yue.

Ling Yue: "...... Guilty?"

The Eastern Sea Eagle glared at her, its eyes rolling round.

Who, who's guilty, who's guilty!

Ling Yue laughed, then suddenly took out a certificate, rarely chattering on, she told it this was the Forestry Bureau's approval certificate, and they could set off directly tomorrow.

The Eastern Sea Eagle's joy needs no further words.

On the train the next day, Ling Yue sighed.

Going to Changbai Mountain at this time can be considered the coldest period of the year; Ling Yue even admires her own courage for thinking about it, of course, the key is she has cultivation protecting her body, making her very resistant to the cold.

The things to prepare aren't many, nor are they few; besides daily necessities, Ling Yue prepared fruit wine, her own peace charms, and some specialties from Jing Shi.

Her earlier friend Qiao Qiao should still be developing in her hometown at this time; Ling Yue plans to go see her, she can't show up empty-handed.

Few animals accompany her; after careful calculation, because the weather is cold, the Feng Shui Turtle Grandpa, although it doesn't hibernate, naturally dislikes winter and didn't come along.

The Dragon Fish Jinjin naturally won't come either, it's inconvenient. The Xunbao Shu Duo Duo volunteered to stay home with the Mysterious Cat Queen to keep watch; as the weather gets colder, there are still kittens that need them to look after.

Ling Yue also hired a nanny; the home has surveillance, which can be checked in real time.

Crow Crow is also like that; although it's a northern crow, it doesn't fear the cold either, and the appearance of the Eastern Sea Eagle instinctively makes it wary. Big Black is training hard in the Criminal Investigation Brigade and can't come either.

So——

Across the snow-covered northern lands, a green-skinned train chugged over the ravine, its sound echoing in the air, white mist condensing on the transparent glass windows; in the hazy distance, the scenery outside flew by swiftly.

Ling Yue glanced at the one beside her—Bai Ze, not a person.

The ornament tied to her hand was a little tiger plush transformed from Da Lao Hu Junjun; as for the Eastern Sea Eagle——

Speak of Cao Cao and he appears—outside the window suddenly rang a high-pitched cry, it was the Eastern Sea Eagle.

This one, sounding like an old man, shouted loudly—not saying anything, just pure venting and yelling, finally returning to this black soil, finally home.

Even the endless white snow along the way made it feel intimately close; when it grew tired from flying, it simply perched on the train.

Aside from being a bit cold, there's nothing wrong with it.

However, it grows thick feathers, so these are not a problem at all.

On the contrary, Ling Yue on the train—from the initial freshness of setting out on a journey, to now, she has completely lost that feeling.

The green-skinned train isn't particularly bumpy, but the fermenting smell inside is hard to endure, and it's a cramped, mixed crowd. Fortunately, the train has been continually improved, it's fast, and after a while they finally arrived at Ling Yue's destination for this trip.

"Wuu wuu wuu~"

A green dragon exhaling white smoke came to a stop; Ling Yue had empty hands, beside her a tall man pulled a suitcase, carried a large backpack, his steps steady, yet he bore a hint of dutiful endurance.

But he wasn't working for nothing.

Taking advantage of Qiao Qiao not being here, Ling Yue glanced at him and said: "This month's salary is doubled; this trip counts as a business trip, so don't thank me, young man—work hard!"

Bai Ze raised an eyebrow—this was a little expression he'd learned from Ling Yue—then he lightly laughed: "Good."

"What's good about good?"

A round-faced cute girl in a down jacket waddled over slowly—not because she didn't want to hurry, but because the clothes were too thick to lift her legs.

But the moment she saw Ling Yue, Qiao Qiao seemed to gain boundless energy, happily rushing over: "Yueyue, I'm here to pick you up!"

Qiao Qiao gave her a big bear hug; the girl grinned, her eyes crescent-moon from smiling; after the hug, she glanced at Ling Yue with a wiggle of brows and asked: "Yueyue, who is this......?"

Who would have thought, Ling Yue said bluntly: "I'm her assistant."

"Come help me out."

Qiao Qiao froze; if she weren't bundled up like a ball, unable to lift her arms, she would have already slapped a hand over her face.

Even so, she couldn't help but pull Ling Yue to the platform side: "Goodness, sis, listen to what you're saying—is that something a twenty-something great beauty should say? Where did you pick up that man...... cough, cough, assistant—seeing that makes me want to snag one too!"

Ling Yue: "That probably won't work."

She also didn't understand why; she was speaking earnestly, yet the other side emitted a hehehe sound, leaving Ling Yue very confused.

The topic also jumped over in a hazy way.

Although they hadn't seen each other in a long time, the friendship between friends hadn't grown stale due to the separation.

The school dorms are bunk beds with desks underneath; she and Qiao Qiao were in the same row, sleeping head to head, they often used to stay up late playing mobile games...... cough cough, past events are too painful to recall.

Dongbei is really too cold.

Qiao Qiao expressed shock at her attire; Ling Yue shook her head: "What cold? I'm not cold at all."

As she spoke, she took Qiao Qiao's hand, only to realize this wasn't a hand at all—it was clearly a little ice cube!

On the contrary, Qiao Qiao herself—her eyes lit up instantly; she's a typical Dongbei lass, bold and hearty, but her physique really isn't good; in winter her hands and feet get cold, and she always has to bundle herself up into a big snowball.

Now it's clear—she can't handle it, but Ling Yue can! Looking at her slender frame, her inner fire is especially strong; she's practically a walking, human-shaped heating pad.

Qiao Qiao immediately didn't want to let go.

"Creak creak——"

After a heavy snowfall, the snow pits on the ground could reach over the ankles; stepping on them produced a crisp sound.

Qiao Qiao: "Did you hear that?"

Ling Yue blinked, looking at her; Qiao Qiao giggled: "It's the sound the snow makes—creak creak—come to our great Dongbei, I've got all the snow sounds in this area covered!"

She said, waving her hand broadly, very heroic and lofty; the next moment, the uncle in the car stuck his head out: "Qiao Qiao, what are you blabbering about again?"

Just now the heroic, cloud‑reaching Qiao Qiao instantly subdued her aura: "All right, all right, I'm coming right away!"

Ling Yue let out a puff of laughter.

She was led by Qiao Qiao holding her hand, just like a little horse crossing a river, following her step by step forward.

Not far away was Qiao Qiao's father's small car.

Suddenly, Ling Yue stopped in her tracks, feeling that something was off: "Bai Ze, did I forget something?"

Bai Ze lifted their gaze to the sky.

An inconspicuous tiny white dot appeared on the boundless, cloud‑free blue sky; as time passed, it drew nearer, giving people an indescribable sense of oppression.

Qiao Qiao jumped in fright: "What the heck is this thing?"

Ling Yue was about to speak when a sharp cry rang out; the piercing call of a Steller's sea eagle over two meters long instantly drew countless gazes. Qiao Qiao looked up at the ever‑closer huge wings and panicked: "Holy shit, it's an eagle!"

Yueyue, run fast!

She hurriedly grabbed Ling Yue's arm, about to pull her away, but in the blink of an eye the shadow loomed huge; Qiao Qiao turned her head, her pupils constricting sharply.

The change came suddenly—not just Qiao Qiao, but even the father in the car realized it too late; he flung the car door open, his hands trembling. Where did this huge eagle fly in from? Damn, it's too big!

Under the bright blue sky, a dense mass of shadow pressed down, making Qiao Qiao's scalp go numb; she was utterly desperate.

In the next instant, Ling Yue stretched out her arm; the Steller's sea eagle circled a few times and landed steadily on her arm.

That affectionate posture, those practiced movements—watching them, Qiao Qiao had nothing left to misunderstand.

She was completely done for!

Given how tense she had just been, it turned out to be a false alarm; not knowing whether to feel relieved or angry, Qiao Qiao strained to tilt her head back just enough to make out the eagle's full form—and this was with the Steller's sea eagle lowering its head.

What shocked her even more was Ling Yue's arm strength—such a slender figure, who would have guessed she was actually a powerhouse!

At that moment, a sudden 'Duang' sounded on the street.

It turned out a big brother had been staring blankly, not watching where he was going, and slammed straight into a utility pole; that sound made people's teeth ache.

Really hurts.

Ling Yue raised her hand slightly, and the Steller's sea eagle hopped down—after all, it knew its own weight, and after a few cries it told Ling Yue: "I've already seen Changbai Mountain; I'm going home."

Seeing Ling Yue give no response, it cried again: "Don't you have anything you want to tell me?"

Ling Yue smiled faintly, then suddenly reached out; the Steller's sea eagle, unable to miss her meaning, gave a haughty hum, but in the end obediently lowered its head—since they were parting anyway, she'd indulge it this once.

Ling Yue stroked its head; the Steller's sea eagle narrowed its eyes and silently swallowed the sigh that had risen to its throat.

Not only Qiao Qiao, but the nearby brothers and sisters were stunned, continually exclaiming: "Goodness, is that an eagle?"

"It's more obedient than a kitten or puppy—how did it grow so huge, and yet so beautiful!"

The Steller's sea eagle's eyes flashed, glaring at the woman who had spoken: "What kitten or puppy? I am a Steller's sea eagle, a particularly formidable one!"

That fierce look of hers made it clear at a glance that she was not to be trifled with.

Qiao Qiao watched nervously, unsure how to speak; suddenly her eyes widened as she saw Ling Yue pat the eagle's wing.

Flutter—

The Steller's sea eagle let out a sudden cry, its huge wings fully unfurled, spanning over two meters—a sight that startled the soul; having shown off enough, it soared upward.

The Steller's sea eagle circled above Ling Yue's head for a while, reluctant to leave: "I really have to go now. Remember, if you encounter anything, call out my name—White Jade Claw! This whole area is my territory; I've got you covered!"

Ling Yue nodded and waved, yet the Steller's sea eagle didn't depart, continuing to circle overhead.

Ling Yue gazed at it, and it dared not meet her eyes: "Um… uh…"

Ling Yue: "Pet food, right?"

The Steller's sea eagle: "Hahaha, how embarrassing!"

While saying that, its round, gleaming eyes fixed on Ling Yue; seeing her open the backpack, its big claw snatched a bag of pet food at once, glanced over, and it thought, "Why not give another bag, one claw each?"

Suddenly, a chill ran down the Steller's sea eagle's back; lifting its head, it met Bai Ze's gaze and shuddered, nearly dropping the bag from its claw.

The Steller's sea eagle: "I'm fine!"

Having said that, it darted away with a 'whoosh'.

Watching its eager demeanor, Ling Yue could hardly help laughing and crying at once—could she really refuse to give it more?

Suddenly, she felt a wave of heat behind her.

Ling Yue turned her head to meet Qiao Qiao's blazing gaze; the latter's face flushed red, her chubby hands clasped, her sparkling eyes fixed on Ling Yue: "Sis! You're my only sister!"

Hearing that, Ling Yue's scalp tingled, involuntarily recalling the recent entertainment‑industry scandal—she certainly didn't have that kind of fortune.

Ling Yue, helpless: "What do you want to say?"

Qiao Qiao rubbed her hands and giggled lecherously; despite being a pretty little girl, she now looked all sorts of lewd.

Qiao Qiao: "Is this eagle yours?"

Ling Yue gave her a stare: "What are you thinking?"

At that moment, even the father from the car came over; father and daughter looked at her with the same expression, and Ling Yue coughed lightly: "Shall we talk in the car?"

Although she wasn't afraid of the cold, standing outside all the time wasn't ideal; moreover, thanks to the goofy antics of the silly Steller's sea eagle elder, quite a few people were still staring at her.

In the car, Ling Yue had intended to say just a couple of sentences and be done, but she vastly underestimated Qiao Qiao's curiosity; after driving for over an hour, Ling Yue managed to lecture for half the journey, while the remaining half was spent with Qiao Qiao giving her a crash course in Dongbei cuisine.

Forgot to mention, Qiao Qiao's family runs a Dongbei restaurant; her father has been a chef for twenty‑odd years, specializing in dishes like guo bao rou, fried mushrooms, sautéed meat strips, chicken stewed with mushrooms, and iron‑pot stewed goose…

After rattling off a litany of classic Dongbei dishes, Ling Yue said: "I'm hungry—when do we eat?"

The little plush Jun Jun on her wrist drooled even more, its tiny mouth watering a thousand feet; when it lived here, why had it never gotten to enjoy such delicacies?

Even more coincidentally, Qiao Qiao's hometown lies at the foot of Changbai Mountain; this small village boasts simple, honest folk customs and offers various tourist activities such as skiing and fishing.

According to Qiao Qiao, they originally lived off the land, but as national policies grew stricter, even the nearby mountain resources were nearly exhausted, and the farther‑out—

Qiao Qiao sighed: "Who would dare go in? This part of Changbai Mountain is primeval forest—let alone bears, even tigers have been spotted; venturing deeper isn't about making money, it's about courting death."

So, the only option left is to develop tourism a bit.

Ling Yue furrowed her brows, expressed concern in a few sentences, Qiao Qiao gave a bitter laugh and didn't say more; however, from her expression Ling Yue could tell that the situation seemed not good.

On the first night, Ling Yue slept on the Dongbei kang; underneath, the firewood burned warm and hot; before bed, Qiao Qiao placed several roasted sweet potatoes underneath, saying they were for breakfast the next morning.

I don't know if it was an illusion, but Ling Yue seemed to smell a sweet fragrance.

She turned over, and through the glass she could clearly see the sky full of stars outside the window.

In the countryside without light or industrial pollution, on the ink‑blue sky canopy, even the scattered stars were exceptionally clear and twinkling.

They were like treasures hidden in a box, radiant and gleaming.

「Wuu— wuu— wuu~」

Ling Yue slowly opened her eyes wide, looked toward the window, and the crying continued.

Ling Yue: People can't, and shouldn't be this unlucky, right QAQ。：，，.