The Record of Unusual Creatures

When Hao Ren took the carton out and placed it on the table, it attracted everyone's eyes. Even Becky, who was lying on the couch watching TV listlessly smelled the scent and turned to look. The fruits were giving out a golden glow, which drifted off like a mist in all directions. The mysterious mist-like glow suggested that the fruits were out of this world. Lily was always the first out of the gate when it came to eating. She picked one of them up and sniffed incessantly. "What's this? An apple? Why is it this colour?"     

"It's my year-end bonus. Although it's categorised as a staple food, I think it's the most valuable thing I've ever got." Hao Ren was pretty much in tears and laughing as he told them about the origin of the Golden Apples. "Oh, besides, I've also got a couplet, but let's just leave it for another time. Now, let us share the apples evenly among us. If what Raven said is true, eating the apples might extend your life by at least several years..."     

Lily's brows were scrunched together instantly. "We are otherworldlings, not spirits. We don't attain our current abilities via spirit practices."     

Instantly, all eyes were on her. Vivian jabbed Lily on the head and said, "You're supposed to be the least qualified person to say that! Don't you forget your husky spirit!"     

As the two were about to quarrel, Hao Ren quickly shoved the apples in their hands and diverted their attention. Everyone received two apples and there was one leftover. Hao Ren put one of his into the Dimensional Pocket while he munched on the other one. He walked around with the extra apple, contemplating who he should give it to . Then, he saw Lil Pea gnawing the table.     

"The kid's biting things again." Hao Ren quickly picked the little mermaid up and an idea crossed his mind. He placed the apple in front of Lil Pea and asked, "Hey darling, do you want it?"     

Vivian, who was munching on her apple graciously looked up and said, "The kid's only interested in wood..."     

But before Vivian's voice trailed off, Hao Ren saw that Lil Pea was checking the golden fruit out. She banged her head against the apple—she wanted to take a bite, but the fruit was too smooth and round. She did not know where to begin.     

Lil Pea hit her face on the apple a few times, but she still could not get her teeth on it. She looked up at Hao Ren with her tail wagging, and yelled, "Dad-dee! I want this!"     

It was a surprise. Hao Ren never thought the little mermaid would be interested in the Golden Apple. He had tried many times before with normal fruits, but she was never interested in them. So, he figured that the scent of the apple was probably not the thing that attracted her. Perhaps, the Golden Apple had something special that influenced her.     

Nevertheless, it was a good thing. Hao Ren quickly cut the apple in half, and then in smaller pieces before shoving them to Lil Pea. He offered the other half to Rollie the cat, who was loitering at the doorway. "Hey, Rollie! Here's some good stuff for you..."     

After that, Hao Ren found himself a good spot on the couch and watched some TV. He began to feel like he was living a mythical lifestyle—everyone had gotten two Golden Apples; even his cat got half of it. He looked at Rollie snoring at his feet and said thoughtfully, "How would Hesperides feel if she saw this..."     

Busy sorting out the groceries, Vivian spoke to Hao Ren without looking up, "Zeus had a similar but different fruit on the tree in his backyard. I tried it and it was sour. But, that was already considered a luxury back then."     

Hao Ren looked up, noticing that Lily was wrestling with her mind with regards to the last apple in her hand. So he asked her, "Did you feel anything after eating the apple?"     

"I'm not full yet," Lily answered very honestly. "I would like to finish the second one, but it's already the last one."     

"You really want to finish it all at once?" Vivian shot Lily a glance. "That fruit is divine, you should save it. Why don't you come over and help me pluck the garlic chives. I'll get the ingredients ready tonight and we'll make dumplings tomorrow, just in time for Chinese New Year! Oh ya, Biggie, could you please help me swap the gas cylinder out..."     

"New Year..." Hao Ren's mind drifted back in time as he heard those words.     

It had been a long time since he had a real New Year. He had been alone all this while and almost forgotten how New Year was supposed to feel like. For the last three years or so, the Spring Festival was to him, just days of eardrum-rupturing firecrackers and hours of staring at the idiot box. He could not even remember when was the last time he had a New Year's Eve reunion dinner!     

He looked around the house and saw the noisy husky; the sharp-tongued, but gentle-at-heart vampire; the siren who liked to sing, but could never catch the key; the demon who could lift a 14-kg propane tank with just his finger; Becky, who was always lying on the sofa, staring at the idiot box like he used to; the little mermaid, who was making squelching noises on his arm; and the four ascetics, who were so ever determined to challenge the bitter cold outside in the name of survival training, or something like that...     

Also not forgetting Dumb Cat which had a worry-free life.     

Hao Ren exhaled. He felt a sense of satisfaction, which he had never felt before. The big house may have achieved full occupancy rate in the past, but nothing was like these strange creatures. These non-human beings never felt a bit of nervousness in the house right from the beginning; they were restless, they were noisy, and they were there as if it was their own home. He felt a warmth beginning to fill his big house.     

"What're ya thinking about?" Vivian looked up and found Hao Ren looking at her too. "Why the salacious smile?"     

Hao Ren grinned. "I look forward to this year's Spring Festival."     

Vivian was stunned for a moment before she smiled back. "I look forward to it too. I've never celebrated New Year with so many people before. It's the first for me. It feels awesome save for the annoying Doggie."     

"Have I offended you again?" Lily jabbed Vivian on the nose with the garlic chives; though she sounded mean, their gestures were more playful than provocative. "I don't fancy celebrating New Year with Battie, but this year is going to be a blast without a doubt—I still remember that this time last year, I was in the Greater Khingan Range alone, with no one to talk to. After my meal, I just slept through the day and found myself waking up on the second day of New Year..."     

Nangong Wuyue shared her story too. "I've been alone all these years too. During last year's Spring Festival, I was lying in a motel next to a train station, listening to the crackling of firecrackers the whole night..."     

"You guys have had better times." Vivian twisted her mouth and said, "Last year, I spent my New Year in a cave in Shennongjia and I had rats for my New Year's Eve dinner."     

Hao Ren was almost tearful hearing about Vivian's miserable past. Before she came here, her life was like a 10,000-episode tragic drama. However, those days were behind her now.     

Still lying on the sofa listlessly, Becky looked up. "I have no clue what you guys are talking about. But it sounds like the Spring Festival is a big deal."     

"Yup, it's a big deal for us." Hao Ren glanced at Becky and smiled. "It's our day of reunion. We all come from different places, but we're together. We should celebrate this jolly time. Enjoy yourselves as much as you want."     

There was a glow in Becky's eyes before she suddenly became dejected. "Jolly... that makes me think of my comrades in my hometown. I didn't get a chance to say 'hi' to them the last time I was back. They probably think that I died in some ruins somewhere. You promised to find me the door so that I can go back."     

Becky's lament had stirred the emotions of the others. Nangong Wuyue sighed as she said, "Same goes for my brother, who may still be hiding in some ruins somewhere. He never bothers to come back, not even for a day or two. He should at least call if he can't make it back."     

"I don't know about Hesperides too." Vivian scrunched her brows together. "I've never given it a thought during my wandering years, but now that I've settled down, I realise that I haven't really celebrated anything with her. I don't even remember her birthday."     

"Nangong Sanba may be stuck in the santuary in Athens. We probably won't be able to contact him at the moment." Hao Ren sat up. "I'm afraid they won't be able to make it back for this year's Spring Festival. But, you guys have reminded me about them. Let's look forward to next year when we will surely be able to get everyone together."     

The next day, with the blast of the first firecracker in front of Hao Ren's house, the past was past and everything was anew again!