Extra 2 : The Cub Turns into a Little Bear (2)
Midnight.
A girl and a bear stared at each other.
Xie Heng was placed on the table. He felt a bit sleepy and instinctively raised his paw to yawn—but then he remembered something.
He glanced at the unfamiliar older sister and dared not move.
Although he was young, he had common sense. Right now, he was just a stuffed bear. If he moved recklessly, he might be thrown away as some kind of little monster.
But… was she really his Mom?
The little bear widened his black bead-like eyes in confusion.
Lu Xi was also studying him.
She took out her phone and opened an app. The countdown progress bar had disappeared, and for now, there were no new prompts.
This app was simple and straightforward.
But also very mysterious.
The background image had changed from her front yard to her bedroom.
It was the first time Lu Xi had seen a cartoon version of her own bedroom. The layout and decorations were mostly the same, but the colors were extra girly, with a dreamy filter that hit her right in the heart.
Including this adorable little bear.
In the top left corner of the app, a red progress bar was displayed. Lu Xi tapped on it, and three words appeared : {Life Value}.
Currently, the little bear’s life value was at 80%—good condition.
A prompt immediately popped up:
[The little bear needs warmth and cleanliness to help restore its life value faster.]
Below the life value, there were five transparent peach-shaped hearts. Right now, only half of one was lit up.
She tapped again, and the words {Affection Level} appeared.
[The more the little bear likes you, the more hearts will light up. One full heart can be exchanged for a gift!]
A gift?
Only now did Lu Xi notice a {Shop} icon in the top right corner of the app.
She tried to enter, but a message popped up:
[Insufficient hearts. You need at least one full heart to access the shop.]
Lu Xi felt a little disappointed.
But after a moment, she realized something was off.
Why did this little bear only have half a heart of affection for her?
She touched her face… Was it because she wasn’t pretty enough?
Lu Xi pulled out a chair, sat down, and frowned as she stared at the little bear, clearly unhappy.
Curious, she asked, “Are you a Brother Bear or a Sister Bear?”
Xie Heng : “…” He was probably a Son Bear, but he didn’t want to talk about it.
Lu Xi reached out and poked his forehead with her finger.
“Why do you only have half a heart for me?”
The little bear kept his mouth tightly shut.
His Dad had shown him pictures of his Mom before. She was really, really pretty and looked a lot like this Sister.
But… this Sister should still be a teenager, just slightly older than him.
Xie Heng suddenly didn’t know what to do.
Under Lu Xi’s scrutinizing gaze, he felt both shy and troubled. Unable to help himself, he scooted his little plush butt around, turning to face the wall instead.
Lu Xi : ???
What’s with this bear? Was he seriously turning his back on her?
Just then, the app’s background image changed slightly.
On the screen, the little bear had also turned his back. At the same time, a comic-style speech bubble appeared beside his head :
Little Bear : [I hate my Mom who has no boundaries! Carrying me in upside down was so uncomfortable.]
Little Bear : [Of course, I’m a little boy! Hmph.]
Lu Xi : “…”
She had just realized now that earlier, she had actually carried it in upside down…
Wait, no, not ‘it’—him.
This little bear cub sure had a temper, huh?
But according to the app, there was a young child trapped inside the plush bear, meaning he was just a child, probably only a few years old. Being a little immature was perfectly normal.
“Alright, I was too rough just now. I won’t carry you like that again, okay?” Lu Xi gently patted the plush bear’s round head, explaining patiently, “My family is all asleep. I didn’t want to wake them up, so I just tried to bring you in quickly without thinking too much.”
The little bear’s ears twitched.
Hmm?
Daddy, Uncle Butler, and a few aunties had all said that children who could apologize were good kids.
And he was a man, after all. Of course, he had to forgive Mommy.
So, after some hesitation, he turned back around.
Looking into the little bear’s bright black eyes, Lu Xi couldn’t help but smile.
Just then, a task notification popped up in the app:
[The little bear is all dirty and needs a bath! Once he’s clean, he’ll feel more comfortable, and his health and affection levels will increase! Countdown: 30 minutes.]
Without hesitation, Lu Xi took the little bear to the bathroom.
He really was a bit dirty. It had rained earlier that night, and the courtyard soil was still damp. Several muddy spots clung to his fur.
Luckily, her room had its own bathing area, so she didn’t have to go outside.
This time, Lu Xi was extra careful. She gently picked up the little bear and carried him into the bathroom.
She filled the sink with warm water, tested the temperature, and then placed the little bear inside.
Like a professional stylist, Lu Xi asked, “How’s the water? Too hot?”
The little bear blinked and stayed obediently still.
Lu Xi had never bathed a person before…
Wait, no, not a person, but a bear? Or rather, a cub?
Thinking about it that way felt a bit weird. But all she really felt was the soft, fluffy texture of the plush, and the adorably dopey face of the little bear, which kept the moment from being awkward.
But Xie Heng, on the other hand, was feeling rather embarrassed.
He was five years old now. He had already learned to bathe himself. He understood the differences between boys and girls, knew that boys used the men’s restroom, and that when bathing, boys and girls shouldn’t look at each other.
But right now, he was just a little bear.
And she was his Mom…
The water was pleasantly warm, and her movements were gentle. Xie Heng knew that if she didn’t help him, he wouldn’t be able to get clean on his own.
So, he could only resign himself to fate.
Fortunately, he was just a plush toy at the moment, and it didn’t feel the same as a real bath.
Closing his eyes, he let the minutes slip by.
Once she had washed him clean, Lu Xi took out a hairdryer, setting it to the lowest setting to carefully dry him off.
“It’s like drying a kitten,” she murmured, marveling at the fluffiness in her hands.
In just those few minutes of bathing the little bear, she had already made up her mind.
She was going to keep this app and take good care of this little bear.
First, she couldn’t delete it anyway. She could feel that whatever was behind this app was something beyond the current level of technology.
Second—well, the little bear was just too cute!
Lu Xi, who had never been fond of stuffed toys, found herself inexplicably captivated by this little bear. The more she looked at it, the more she liked it, as if there was some mysterious bond between them.
At her age, she was naturally curious and bold enough to explore anything that piqued her interest.
She knew this whole thing was a bit supernatural, yet she couldn’t help but feel excited.
She wasn’t afraid at all. Instead, she was curious, what did the child’s real appearance look like? Was it really that cute?
What would happen if she kept raising it?
And, could the app really grant her wish as it claimed?
Lu Xi carefully dried the little bear and placed it on her bed.
Then, she glanced at the app again.
Sure enough, the beginner’s guide had clearly stated that all she had to do was kiss the bear to restore its original form.
Without hesitation, Lu Xi leaned down and gave the bear a big smooch on its forehead.
Xie Heng froze, blinking in stunned silence.
How could she just kiss him like that?!
His teacher had told him that boys shouldn’t kiss girls casually. So, didn’t that mean girls shouldn’t kiss boys either?!
But before he could protest, Lu Xi had already kissed him.
Almost instantly, he felt something was off.
He couldn’t move.
A soft white light suddenly enveloped him—
Before he could react, he had transformed back into his child form!
Lu Xi was utterly stunned, holding her breath in disbelief.
How… How was there suddenly a naked little boy on her bed?!
Xie Heng nearly died of embarrassment.
He buried his face into the pillow and grabbed the blanket, pulling it over himself in a panic.
He had clearly been wearing clothes when he slept, why was he naked now?!
So embarrassing!
The little cub secretly vowed never to come out again. He would just suffocate himself under the blanket.
However, Lu Xi wasn’t about to let that happen.
She knew the little guy was just shy, so she tried hard to stifle her laughter. Gently pulling back a corner of the blanket, she saw the cub’s soft, milky-white face flushed bright red—even the tips of his ears were burning.
His wide, glistening eyes darted around nervously, like a startled puppy.
Were kids these days really so concerned about privacy?
Lu Xi didn’t usually like children, especially her two rowdy younger cousins, but this little one inexplicably made her feel protective and affectionate.
Something crossed her mind, and she smiled. “Should I find you some pajamas?”
Xie Heng hesitated for a moment before giving a small, timid nod.
Just as Lu Xi turned to go to the wardrobe, she caught a glimpse of the blanket suddenly sinking down.
She paused, then carefully lifted the blanket again.
…?
The naked little boy was gone.
Only the little bear remained, lying on the bed and staring at the ceiling in speechless resignation.
Lu Xi : “…”
She was speechless, too.
That transformation didn’t last nearly long enough!
She hadn’t even gotten a good look at his face!
She quickly checked the app on her phone. A countdown timer had appeared next to the bear. When she tapped on it, a message popped up:
[The little bear can transform again in 24 hours.]
Lu Xi : …
So this ability had a cooldown period?
His affection level hadn’t changed, but his health had recovered to 90%.
Lu Xi couldn’t figure out why, but she set aside her confusion for now.
Maybe this skill worked like in games. Since it was only Level 1 right now, after a few more transformations, the cooldown might shorten, and the transformation duration might extend?
That would be nice.
Even though he was just a little kid, it still felt weird having him sleep in her room, in her bed.
But as a stuffed bear? That was no problem at all!
Lu Xi patted the bear’s head. “Let’s sleep. Your health will be full by morning.”
Xie Heng also played games, so he knew what health points were.
Right now, he was indeed feeling sleepy.
Everything that had happened today felt like a dream. His teddy bear suddenly talked, brought him to this strange place, let him meet his Mom, and now she had even taken him home.
Xie Heng suddenly thought of his Dad.
The little bear curled up under the blanket, anxiety creeping in.
What if he couldn’t go back? What if he never saw his Dad again?
Would his Dad cry when he realized he was gone?
He wanted to go back soon…
But… he had just met his Mom.
After she had apologized, she became so gentle, so kind. She even gave him a bath, and when she saw him embarrassed, she immediately went to find him pajamas.
And she smelled nice. The bed smelled nice, too.
Xie Heng really wanted to stay with his Mom a little longer…
Besides, he still had to save her. He needed to get her strawberry hair clip first…
Silently, the little cub apologized to his Dad in his heart.
He had already spent five years with his Dad, so what was wrong with staying with his Mom a little longer?
Anyway, his Dad was a grown man. If he wanted to cry, then let him cry! It wasn’t like he’d lose a piece of flesh from shedding a few tears!
Thinking about this, the little cub quickly fell asleep.
Lu Xi had always been a good sleeper. Even with an extra little bear beside her, it didn’t affect her at all.
The night passed.
Lu Xi was awakened by the alarm she had set.
It was seven o’clock, time to get up for school.
Drowsily, she got up and washed up. After coming out of the bathroom, she rummaged through her wardrobe, pulling out a few clothes to change into.
With her eyes still half-closed, she grabbed the hem of her pajamas, about to take them off, when she suddenly remembered something.
She whipped her head around to look at the bed.
The little bear was still there!
So last night wasn’t a dream!
In the app, the little bear’s health bar was full, and there was even half a new red heart.
Lu Xi’s heart instantly blossomed with joy.
It was just like playing an otome game1—except the one she was ‘romancing’ wasn’t some domineering CEO, but a little bear cub.
The screen had changed too. Night had turned into day, and the little bear lay obediently in the blankets, only his round little head peeking out.
A new dialogue box had appeared.
Little Bear : [Boys shouldn’t watch girls change clothes, 🫣]
Little Bear : [Cubs shouldn’t watch their mom change clothes either.]
Lu Xi couldn’t help but burst into laughter. She walked over and ruffled the fluffy fur.
He was too cute!
He actually called her ‘Mom’?!
Lu Xi was completely smitten. It really felt like she was raising her own little cub.
She couldn’t resist hugging the bear and giving him a kiss. But this time, nothing happened. Seemed like she had to wait for the cooldown to end.
Lu Xi felt a little disappointed.
Considering how shy the little cub was, she considerately took her clothes to the bathroom to change before coming out.
“All right, I’m off to school now. I’ll see you tonight, so stay put, okay?” She patted the little bear’s head and said goodbye.
Just as she turned around, the little bear suddenly reached out a paw and grabbed onto her backpack strap.
Lu Xi turned back and met his round, black, beady eyes.
The little bear blinked, looking a bit reluctant to part.
“…You want me to take you with me?” Lu Xi asked hesitantly. “But… you’re so chubby, you won’t fit in my bag.”
The little cub looked like he’d been struck by lightning.
H-he… was… chubby?
Boohoo.
People had always called him cute, but no one had ever called him fat! He was clearly thinner than Lele!
The little bear painstakingly rolled over, falling into a sulk.
Lu Xi was momentarily stunned.
Could it be that calling him chubby made him mad?
This little rascal sure had a big temper.
Lu Xi suddenly felt a bit troubled.
He wasn’t just an ordinary stuffed bear, she couldn’t bear to leave a little kid alone at home.
Besides, what if the app issued a new task today? If the bear wasn’t with her, wouldn’t she fail the game?
Just then, her phone vibrated.
The app had a new notification!
[You have collected one little heart! You can now exchange it in the store for a gift.]
At that moment, Lu Xi noticed that the store logo had turned from gray to black. She tapped it and entered the store.
Three gift boxes were displayed on the screen, each with a description beneath it.
[1,000 yuan in cash]
[The boy you like will confess to you]
[The little bear can change size at will]
Lu Xi: “…”
She wasn’t short on money.
She didn’t have a crush on anyone.
Only the last option was appealing, so she picked it without hesitation.
[Congratulations! You’ve successfully redeemed a gift! From now on, you can change the little bear’s size at will. Just imagine it in your mind, and it will happen.]
Lu Xi raised an eyebrow slightly.
This was like some power straight out of a cultivation novel.
Well then… let’s make him as small as the little bunny keychain on her bag—that way, she could carry him around in her pocket.
The moment she thought of it, the little bear instantly shrank down.
Now, he was only palm-sized.
Lu Xi was a bit amazed, but after everything she had witnessed last night, she wasn’t even surprised anymore. The little bear could already transform into a human cub, changing sizes wasn’t that strange.
Without overthinking it, she tucked the tiny bear into her pocket and headed to school.
Xie Heng stayed obediently in Lu Xi’s pocket.
He had slept especially well last night and was feeling great.
Even though she had kissed his face again earlier, he was still overjoyed that she had agreed to take him to school.
He felt a little shy, but at the same time, his heart was warm and fuzzy.
He suddenly felt that his Mom was being so kind to him, spoiling him so much.
Lu Xi got out of her car and walked toward the school gate.
Suddenly, she noticed a large crowd gathered at the entrance, mostly girls.
As she approached, she heard excited voices rising one after another.
“Is that really Xie Yizhao? Ahhh, he’s so handsome it’s making me cry today too!”
“He’s playing in tomorrow afternoon’s basketball game! I’ll skip class if I have to, but I have to watch!”
Xie Heng : !!!
Xie Yizhao!
That’s his Dad’s name!
Wait a minute, is his Dad now around the same age as his Mom?!
Lu Xi heard the name but remained indifferent. She only glanced at Xie Yizhao before walking past the crowd, eyes fixed straight ahead.
However, Xie Heng didn’t manage to keep his cool.
Too excited and curious to see his Dad, he only meant to stretch his neck out for a look, but lost his balance entirely. He fell forward in a full-body tumble, landing face-first on the ground, then rolled a few more times.
The little cub : Wuwuwu, so embarrassing!
He didn’t realize that he had rolled right to Xie Yizhao’s feet.
At this moment, he had shrunk so small, smaller than Lu Xi’s palm. Fortunately, Xie Yizhao was observant and had sharp eyesight, noticing the tiny thing that had rolled beside him at once.
The boy glanced at the girl walking ahead of him. Her petite back somehow exuded a sense of effortless confidence.
Pressing his lips together, he picked up the small bear and raised his voice slightly, “Lu Xi, your bear fell.”
Lu Xi froze.
She instinctively patted her pocket, finding it empty. Then, turning around, she saw the bear in the boy’s hand.
?
Did this little cub see a handsome guy and decide to run away from home?!
- An otome game is a story-based video game where the main character is a female and the goal is to develop a romantic relationship with one of several male characters. ↩︎