Bumper update #4
With Chapter 40, we’ve come to the end of arc V (my somewhat arbitrary division) and the birthday bumper updates for The Godlike Jade Rabbit. The next bumper update will be for Love is Deep.
Edit 9th Oct: I’ll be taking some time off to work on stockpiling translated chapters. Updates will resume in the last week of October or a bit earlier if I can manage it.
‘But I really miss him…’
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Ch. 40 | Memories
Troy looked blank for a few seconds before asking, ‘Then what should we do now?’
Styx replied, ‘The finals of the Guardians’ Tournament are just around the corner. Second Master cannot be without a spirit beast. Either we find him a high-calibre spirit beast within a short time, or we find and bring Dandan back.’
Troy said, ‘How are we going to find another spirit beast that’s more powerful than Dandan in a short time? I don’t think there’s any spirit beast more powerful than Dandan in all of Ridge City. So we had better go find him and bring him back.’
Styx pointed out, ‘Even if we bring him back, they’re on such bad terms they won’t be able to advance in the tournament.’
Troy thought for a while. ‘How about this, you go look for a new spirit beast and I’ll go look for Dandan.’
Since Styx couldn’t think of anything else, he agreed to this plan for the time being.
Dragon Ridge was as bleak and desolate as it had always been for ever since Yu Huan’s death, no one had dared to come to this deserted mountain. Acknowledged as the most powerful Guardian of all time, Arch-Guardian Yu Huan’s death had been too abnormal and Dragon Ridge had come to symbolise misfortune.
Dandan was walking slowly. He didn’t know whether it was because he was in low spirits but he was finding the walk somewhat draining. It wasn’t long before he came to the mouth of the cave that he used to live in. He had spent a century in this cave, the bulk of it sleeping, only going out to forage when he was hungry. At times, he would sense Yu Huan’s lifeblood, sometimes strongly, sometimes weakly. When he sensed it strongly sometimes, he would go down the mountain in search of him and when he didn’t find anything, would return to the cave and continue sleeping.
Come to think of it, this was the longest he had ever been away from his cave.
Upon returning this time, he found a pile of dead leaves as high as his waist at the mouth of the cave. He picked up a twig from the ground and tiredly swept the dead leaves away, clearing a path of sorts by which to enter the cave. After entering the cave, he found everything in its usual place — no one had been here.
Dandan transformed back into his original self and burrowed into the nest of wild grass, then closed his eyes.
Why was this life so long?
The rabbit wiped his face with his paws, feeling rather wronged.
All I ever wanted was to follow Yu Huan, even if it’s only his reincarnation. But I overlooked the possibility that he may not want me to follow him. In his previous life, he tricked me into making a pact with him, then I did the same to him in this life which is so ridiculous — this is such a pointless cycle.
I was too greedy, I guess. After enjoying a bit of family warmth, I tried in vain to enjoy it forever.
Now that I’ve been reduced to this state, serves me right.
Wouldn’t it have been better to have continued living alone without making a fuss about it? I really deserve to be alone.
He hid his face under his ears, feeling completely wretched.
Actually, the most painful thing in this world was not being unable to possess something, but to have just missed out on it…
If only he had never met that fellow with the jade green eyes.
If only he had never made that dratted pact with him.
If only he had never been injured and ended up in that small, muddy river.
Speaking of which, how had he been injured at that time?
Mm, Yu Huan had also asked the same question. They used to chat late into the night, or more precisely, Yu Huan had chronic insomnia and would keep him up with idle chat, not caring if Dandan was heavy-eyed with fatigue.
‘It must have been eight lifetimes¹ of rotten luck that led to my encountering you in that brook,’ Dandan complained, full of malice after having been woken up.
Yu Huan was not offended. Instead, his perpetually amused, clear green eyes crinkled up as he smiled. ‘Well, I must have amassed eight lifetimes of virtue to have been able to meet you.’
Dandan rolled his eyes so hard they almost reached the top of his head. ‘Spare me your nonsense.’
‘Speaking of which, how did you come to be poisoned and end up in that brook?’
‘I was set up by some treacherous humans.’
‘Who asked you to steal their livestock? That’s what we call retribution.’
‘I ate their livestock based on my own ability. Why should I suffer retribution for it?’
‘…’ Yu Huan was unable to think of a comeback there and then.
¹ 八輩子 bābèizi. If you’re not reading this chapter at hiding in plain sight, it has been stolen and reproduced by novelscraping sites.
His tongue having been loosened however, Dandan began grumbling. ‘I wasn’t actually hungry that day and only thought of going down to the village to walk around and look at the scenery, but two children unexpectedly presented me with a chicken.’
‘That was very kind of them,’ Yu Huan commented.
‘So I accepted the chicken. Why let it go to waste after all? They even told me to come again the next day, saying they would give me good stuff to eat.’
‘So you went again on the second day?’
‘Mm, I did.’
‘They gave you food to eat?’
‘They did.’ Dandan nodded.
‘So you found yourself a food source for a lifetime². Not bad.’
‘A week went by like this. After a week, I went down the mountain and saw that those two children had been tied up by the villagers and were getting a thrashing.’
Yu Huan looked up and asked, ‘Why?’
‘Said they were stealing chickens.’
‘Oh, so the food they had been feeding you was also stolen.’
‘Both children had been beaten until they were black and blue so I rescued them.’
‘Ah, you’re a rabbit who knows how to repay his debts.’
‘I took them back to my cave. It was raining then and both children were shivering with cold so I transformed into my beast self and gathered them to me, using my fur to warm them.’
‘And then?’
‘And then, the two children fell asleep after getting warm. I was sleepy myself so we all slept together.’ Dandan’s eyes dimmed. ‘But what I didn’t expect was that the two children would wait until I had fallen asleep before stabbing me with a dagger.’
‘Dear me, what an unexpected twist. Let me guess…’ Yu Huan rested his head on one hand and concluded, ‘The dagger had poison on it. You came down the mountain to find an antidote, collapsed in a brook and encountered me.’
‘Mm hm.’
‘Those two children had been in cahoots with the villagers from the start, putting on an act and waiting for you to lower your guard so that they could carry out a sneak attack on you. Once they had done that, they dusted their behinds and walked off?’
‘Pretty much but you missed out on the part where, after stabbing me, they spat in my face before leaving.’
Yu Huan’s gaze was sympathetic.
‘Don’t look at me in that disgusting way.’ Dandan turned over, his back facing Yu Huan and said, ‘I’m tired. Don’t bother me.’
There was no sound from Yu Huan. After a while, a hand suddenly rested on Dandan’s head. Yu Huan’s voice floated over. ‘You’re very kind.’
Dandan said awkwardly, ‘Don’t need you to comfort me.’
‘I’m not comforting you, I mean it. You’re very kind and deserve to be treated well.’
You’re very kind and deserve to be treated well.
This had always stayed with Dandan.
‘Honestly, why must you be so gentle all of a sudden…’ he grumbled under his breath.
Perhaps it was from that point on that he had unreservedly let Yu Huan into his heart?
² 长期饭票 chángqīfànpiào. Translation belongs to theresanother(DOT)wordpress(DOT)com.
Just because someone is a little bit good to you, you unreservedly let them into your heart. You thought you were being candid but actually it’s out of loneliness.
This kind of person is always the most tragic.
Maybe I shouldn’t have gone to the Song Manor, shouldn’t have found Song Lin. Perhaps it would be better if I just spend the rest of my life in this cave.
There was a sudden crack of thunder and he cast a glance outside — oh, it looked like the rainy season was about to start.
He didn’t like the rainy season. The sky was perpetually cloudy and there were always tons of small flying insects which hid inside his fur, causing him to scratch incessantly. In the past, Yu Huan would use a small brush to comb his fur during the rainy season but now he was alone and could only scratch himself non-stop.
How I long for a hot bath…
The next day, he woke up bleary-eyed. He had slept heavily the night before and dreamt of many things. It had been a long time since he had had nightmares for ever since following Song Lin, his mind had been more at ease. He had even dreamt of Song Lin last night saying to him, ‘Come home, I still want you.’
This man was very unusual, bestowing his Blood Weapon on him when they had just been acquainted, bestowing the Qingling Sword as well and even presenting him with more roasted lamb legs than he could eat. When it came to the work of an owner, Song Lin appeared to have done a more satisfactory job than Yu Huan.
Really, in the end he couldn’t tell whether he had been fighting for Yu Huan or Song Lin.
Was this a positive development?
Bi An was always saying that Dandan had a one-track mind so if Bi An ever knew about it, perhaps he might be happy for him?
But why was Song Lin so very angry?
Even if Dandan had gotten close to him only because he was a reincarnation, as long as he helped Song Lin to win the title of Arch-Guardian, as long as he was of benefit to him — wasn’t that enough? Why did his reason for getting close to him matter so much?
Dandan yawned.
What was going on? When he was alone last time, he used to reminisce about the life he had led with Yu Huan but now he was starting to miss Song Lin too.
It was still raining outside and the rainwater was starting to seep into his cave, making his bed wet.
Huh, did that mean he had to move and find a new place to live in? Tch… and he was itching all over as well from the small insects residing in his fur.
Dandan found his dirty self especially disgusting — there really was a difference in the circumstances of a house pet and a wild animal.
Should I go back and apologise in exchange for a hot bath? No, no, I mustn’t be such a good-for-nothing. I’ve already been chased out; if I still go back eagerly³, what will people think of me next time? Besides, Song Lin doesn’t want to see me any more, right?
But I really miss him…
Mm, really miss him.
³ 眼巴巴 yǎnbābā. Please consider reading from theresanother(DOT)wordpress(DOT)com rather than from novelscraping sites.
The rain kept pouring down, the sound of it pattering on the leaves sounded especially desolate.
Dandan really didn’t understand sometimes why he would gain something only to lose it?
Yu Huan had given him a permanent home but then went to Heaven. Song Lin had given him a permanent home but had kicked him out after that.
Dandan pawed the dried grass of his nest. Hey, I say… do you all really think that… I won’t be hurt? That I won’t feel pain?
Right now I’m…
So miserable I feel like dying.
His eyes slowly became moist.
It was no exaggeration to say that if Song Lin were to appear in front of him now and ask him to go back, he would immediately leap into his arms.
Why was it both owners didn’t want him? Maybe there was something innately hateful about him.
If there is a next life, I want to be a brook in the mountains, flowing into the sea, not caring if anyone likes me or not.
Just as he was letting his imagination run wild, his keen senses suddenly detected a strong aura creeping up behind him.
Dandan immediately tensed his muscles and the claws on his back legs also slowly extended as he quietly awaited the person’s approach.
The next instant he sprang and fell upon that person, pinning him to the ground.
‘Ow! Ouch ouch ouch ouch!!’ Troy wailed.
‘It’s you?’
‘It’s me, Brother Dandan!’
(Approx. 2137 words)
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Theme: Memories
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Translated and edited by 12
hiding in plain sight 
Oh god, self pity. Oh god, it’s working on me and I’m all POOR DANDAN all over my computer screen.
Hearing Dandan’s background though is pretty heartbreaking. Trusting humans only to be (literally) stabbed in the back. The villagers using children to do it. Rough. Dandan’s pretty dense though with emotions (low EQ I guess). Like, gee, I wonder why Song Lin is super bothered that Dandan may only be helping him because he may or may not be Yu Huan’s reincarnation. C’mon Dandan!
I know Dandan pretty much put this on himself, but I still can’t help but hurt for him. :’) I’m weak to main characters. I just want Song Lin to scoop him up and hug him already–which, okay, is not going to happen any time soon, but a girl can dream right.
HI TROY. Glad you tracked Dandan down!
Again, thanks for all the releases! Enjoying this greatly and once more, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
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Mostly he’s dense about these things, hehe. Or, also unused to it perhaps. If you’ve noticed, he appeared to be the only jade rabbit in existence even when Yu Huan found him so he could really have been alone for a very long time. And then his encounter with the villagers didn’t help either.
Not sure if you saw the notice in Chapter 11 of Love is Deep but there won’t be any updates for the next two weeks at least, maybe even three cos I need to build up my stockpile of translated chapters. Just FYI 🙂.
My pleasure and thank you for the birthday greetings! 🥰
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Yeah, he seemed really lonely in the beginning, even if he fooled himself into thinking that he wasn’t.
I did not see the notice, so thanks so much for telling me! It’s okay, you do what you need to~ This was definitely a better point to wait instead the last other couple chapters. :’)
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