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Chapter 185: Little Apple

Xiang Kun, who was in the midst of meal preparations, welcomed them into his home. He laughed, “You guys seem to have toured rather quickly! ”

The bus they took arrived at the local station a little after 9 0’clock. Then, they took a taxi to the zoo. Taking into account travelling time, ticket purchases, and time spent on the way to his house, they probably spent only about an hour visiting the zoo.

Li Yang, who still had tanned skin and a shaved head that made him look like a farmer, laughed, “We mainly just visited a few bird and poultry areas. But, many birds don’t usually chirp, so there wasn’t much to ‘see’.”

Xiang Kun understood that Xiao Pingguo’s trip to the zoo was not about “seeing” animals, but rather about hearing the sounds they make. If there were no chirping sounds, it indeed wouldn’t make much sense.

Today, Xiao Pingguo wasn’t wearing her sunglasses. Xiang Kun was able to see her seemingly normal and even pretty eyes, which gave him a feeling of lament. He knew that Xiao Pingguo was 17 this year, an age where she should be at high school, secretly playing with her phone during classes, quietly playing computer games after school, hanging out with friends, snacking, going home, and watching entertainment shows.

Xiang Kun had previously chatted about it with Professor Li Yang. The initial plan was for Xiao Pingguo to enroll in a school for the blind. Their city was home to a very well-known such school. However, after graduating from middle school, Xiao Pingguo didn’t want to attend a school for the blind any more. Instead, she wanted to learn about her interests organically and systematically.

So, Li Yang hired a lady to take care of Xiao Pingguo at home. For her study needs, besides Li Yang’s guidance, with the help of auxiliary voice functions in various electronic devices, she could already find the resources she needs online very efficiently.

Upon entering the house and exchanging greetings with Xiang Kun, Xiao Pingguo slightly lifted her chin before heading towards the Canary’s corner of the house.

Since Xiang Kun’s living room was quite empty and there was no dining table blocking her path, Xiao Pingguo could walk unobstructed to the table where the birdcage was kept.

“Xiang Kun, your room layout… it seems to be quite suitable for blind people,” Li Yang joked.

Xiang Kun naturally understood that he was referring to the minimal furnishing and lack of obstacles in his house. Smiling, he replied: “I haven’t been here for long. You guys entertain yourselves in the living room while I go back to cooking.”

Xiao Pingguo gently touched the outside of the birdcage with her hand. Li Yang, standing by her side, was somewhat puzzled as he asked the same question that anyone who saw the birdcage in Xiang Kun’s house for the first time would ask: “Why isn’t the door to the birdcage closed?”

This time, however, Xiao Pingguo answered: ‘”The Canary’ is unwaveringly loyal to Uncle Xiang. Even if all the doors and windows of the house were open, it wouldn’t fly away.”

Li Yang couldn’t help laughing, “Loyal, huh? Is that something you ‘read’ from its chirping?”

Xiao Pingguo giggled, “If you could make food as delicious as its birdseed, it would be loyal to you too.”

At that moment, the canary in the cage chirped twice, and then jumped out of the cage in two or three hops, perching at the edge of the table, tilting its head as it “observed” Xiao Pingguo.

Li Yang quietly described the Canary’s posture from the side. He knew that with his daughter’s hearing, she would definitely know that the bird had left the cage and could accurately determine its location. However, her hearing couldn’t tell her the bird’s current posture or movements.

Xiao Pingguo didn’t speak, but remained still, listening attentively.

After a while, she slowly reached out her hand towards the Canary’s location. strangely, “Glitter” didn’t run away, Instead, It movea closer, tilted Its neck so that her hand could lightly stroke its feathers. Its eyes squinted, taking on a relaxed pose.

If Tang Baona or Yang Zhen Er were here and saw this, they would probably be so jealous they’d hang “Glitter” up and loudly question why it ignores them and won’t even leave its cage?

The lunch Xiang Kun prepared was still four dishes and one soup. As he had never eaten with the father and daughter from the Li family before and only asked about their preferences on WeChat, all Li Yang said was to not make it too spicy and anything else was fine, so Xiang Kun could only make a rough guess based on the taste of the area where they have been living for a long time.

“Uncle Xiang, do you have any other pets?” Before the meal, Xiao Pingguo asked Xiang Kun as he served the dishes.

“It’s a rabbit, a Belgian rabbit. But you’d best not look at it, because I’m raising it for food,” said Xiang Kun, and to Li Yang, he added, “I plan to open a restaurant with a friend specializing in rabbit meat and have been researching various ways of cooking rabbit meat. Come, let you try it, Professor Li.”

Although Xiang Kun had opened the windows and cleaned the rabbit cage earlier, there was inevitably some smell. It was normal for those with sensitive noses to detect it.

“Oh.” Xiao Pingguo wasn’t particularly disgusted or repulsed by the idea of eating rabbit meat.

As expected, both the father and daughter were full of praise for Xiang Kun’s cooking skills. Even though he wasn’t able to adjust the taste according to their preferences, these are dishes that he had made many times, so there’s a basic level of skill there.

“This is my first time eating rabbit meat. I didn’t expect it to taste so good.” Li Yang praised while serving Xiao Pingguo, “With such cooking skills, you’re definitely cut out for opening a restaurant. At least I would definitely come back again after eating. ”

While eating and chatting, Xiang Kun told Xiao Pingguo some interesting stories of raising “Glitter,” and how he judged its emotions based on “Glitter’s” voice, posture, actions, etc., and talked about “Glitter’s” habits and bad behaviors.

They then went from “Glitter” to other bird species’ calls, and to birds’ life habits. This is the knowledge Xiao Pingguo has been learning since she graduated from middle school.

Following this topic, they went from changes in the number of gut microorganisms in certain birds affecting their food habits, to the research project Li Yang is currently participating in, and practical life applications of some microbial research, etc.

The father and daughter both had an enjoyable meal and conversation. They felt that having a meal with Xiang Kun was a pleasant thing. Not only was Xiang Kun’s cooking delicious, but chatting with him was also very comfortable. They always felt inspired for discussions, and whenever they felt a little tired or didn’t want to continue a topic, Xiang Kun could skillfully take over or introduce a new topic.

Xiang Kun also found the conversation enjoyable — except for the two “lively” stones in his stomach.

After the meal, Xiao Pingguo wanted to take ‘Glitter” for a walk outside, so Xiang Kun took the father and daughter to a spot not far from the community where people often walked.

Seeing Xiao Pingguo sitting on a stone bench by an artificial lake with the birdcage, Xiang Kun and Li Yang stood not far away and chatted.

It wasn’t until today that Xiang Kun learned Xiao Pingguo’s real name was Li Jun, a name that sounded quite masculine.

Xiao Pingguo’s mother had an accident and passed away shortly after she was born. Xiao Pingguo was not blinded later in life but was born completely blind, without any ability to perceive light.

But as for the cause of the blindness, Li Yang took his daughter to many experts, but there was no definitive explanation. And with the current level of technology, there’s practically no chance of restoration or cure.

If it was a case of later-life blindness, such as damage to the cornea in adulthood, then there would be no issue restoring vision through corneal transplants or other methods.

But if you’re congenitally blind, especially completely blind, it’s not just about

“fixing” the eyeballs, retinas at the back of the eyes, visual pathways – these “photosensitive components” and “transmission components”, if you want to be treated after adulthood. It also involves the visual areas of the cerebral cortex, those numerous, complex, interconnected neurons are still an area not fully mastered by humans.

When we “see” something, it’s not just about “seeing” with our eyes. Ultimately, the one forming the image out in the visual world in our minds is our brain.

During infancy, the corresponding visual neurons need to continually be stimulated through external information to establish visual experience and three-dimensional cognitive ability.

Otherwise, even if the “photosensitive components” and “transmission components” are restored in adulthood, without the corresponding, robust “processor” or “processing software” , you would still not possess normal visual abilities.

For instance, you can’t visually distinguish distances, what you see are two-dimensional images, thus unable to form three-dimensional cognition. You can distinguish colors and shapes, but you can’t recognize slightly more complex combinations accurately, like a human face. You would feel like it’s a cluster of bizarre components combined.

Even if you are blind and have been trained through hearing or other methods and gained certain abilities and judgment of a normal person, restoring the vision suddenly could disrupt the original cognitive system, leading to a loss of direction, resulting in chaos in the brain.

After listening to Li Yang’s words, Xiang Kun looked at the quiet girl sitting in the distance on the stone chair with a smile on her face, his heart suddenly felt a bit congested.

A child who loves nature and birds is doomed to never lay her eyes on those things she loves in her life, it feels a bit desperate just thinking about it.

Li Yang sighed and said, “Perhaps in the future, when technology has advanced to a certain extent, and we sufficiently understand the human brain and have higher technology and more advanced equipment, we can truly cure Xiao Pingguo’s eyes. As for now, all I can do is try my best to make her live happily and healthily.”

Initially, Li Yang and his daughter planned to leave around three in the afternoon, but Xiang Kun invited them back home and kept them there.

He took out one of the minions he carved yesterday and gave it to Xiao Pingguo. However, since those carvings were originally made as “experimental tools”, he stopped when he felt the connection established and did not continue to finely polish it. Hence, it was a bit rough in terms of details.

Right in front of Li Yang and his daughter, he started meticulously polishing the carving.

When she found out what Xiang Kun’s gift was, Xiao Pingguo was very excited. Though she can’t see, she has always enjoyed “watching” animations, because there are many funny and comedic sound effects in animations. Those sounds alone could make her really happy.

When Despicable Me was released before, she found the minions’ voices very interesting. Her WeChat notification sound was set to the minions’ quirky laughter.

While Xiang Kun was polishing the minion in his room, Li Yang, looking at the Alsace wood carving and the Eight-armed, Eight-eyed Wood Carving placed next to the computer desk, admired Xiang Kun: this guy sure is multi-talented.

An hour later, after meticulously polishing, he handed over the finished product to Xiao Pingguo. Watching her carefully cradle the minion, sensing its shape and touch, so happy that her eyes were squeezed into slits, Xiang Kun also felt happiness. A sense of comfort that made him helpless to keep the corner of his mouth from curling up.

Seeing his daughter’s state, Li Yang patted Xiang Kun’s shoulder and whispered: “Thank you.”

Xiang Kun smiled and shook his head, saying, “When you have time, welcome to bring Xiao Pingguo to visit. Just let me know in advance so I can buy vegetables and prepare ingredients. When you come again next time, I promise the dishes will be more delicious than today’s!”

“Haha, the meal today was already great! When you have time, come and play with us!” Li Yang laughed.

Frankly, he was somewhat worried before coming today. Strictly speaking, he barely knows Xiang Kun. They met when he got a ride from him. Although they have chatted on WeChat a few times, they never had a deep conversation. They both barely know each other.

But his daughter affirmed Xiang Kun as her good friend and wanted to visit the canary “Golden Shimmer”. He could only bring his daughter over.

However, after several hours of interaction today, Xiang Kun left Li Yang with a very good impression – his greatest wish and motivation in life is to make his daughter happy. Today seems to be her happiest day in a few months.

After seeing off Li Yang and his daughter, Xiang Kun returned home. He took out another piece of boxwood from the cabinet, cut it to an appropriate size and started to compensate with twelve boxwood minions.

Actually, eleven would do too. After all, he wanted to test the effect of “Emotional Infusion” into items, the difference between eleven and twelve are essentially small. It’s not possible to hit the threshold precisely.

But somehow, the number eleven made him feel like he’s lacking something, It might be because he originally wanted to carve the twelve zodiacs, or because he considered twelve minions as a whole, so he decided to make another one to make up the number twelve.

As for giving one of the minions to little Xiao Pingguo, Xiang Kun’s aim was to try to use the “happiness” instilled into wood carving, to try to influence her, prompting her to occasionally have a happy dream.

Late at night, a couple of days later, at around eleven o’clock, Xiang Kun sensed the minion casually, trying to activate the functionality of emotional influence, guiding the surrounding targets into the dream.

Then he suddenly paused, gaining a sense of perceptions he never had before…

Xiang Kun even couldn’t understand if he was dreaming. Because he couldn’t see anything, it was not the darkness of closing eyes, but a kind of emptiness and void that he could not describe.

Then he sensed that emotion that did not belong to him, that happiness, the joyfulness, the laughter.

He heard the voices of two men talking, from vaguely to gradually becoming clearer. He distinguished these are two men’s voices, talking in cross talk.

He even knew which cross talk this was. He had listened to it before. He also knew that the speakers were Miao Fu and Wang Sheng.

Then in the voices of the cross talk, he heard some crisp chirping sounds. These sounds were melodious and very pleasing, in no way hindering him from listening to the cross talk. Just like a soft BGM, it integrates perfectly, making people feel comfortable when listening.

Xiang Kun clearly perceived the Emotion Bearer’s chuckling laughter. Then he immediately realized that this is indeed a dream, Xiao Pingguo’s dream.

It’s just that her dream didn’t have any images.

The feeling of nothingness, the feeling of “not being able to see”, to be honest, it shocked Xiang Kun a bit, even more than the dream of the frying pan before.

But thinking about this, Xiang Kun suddenly found that the void in front of his eyes was not completely void.

Somehow, he seemed to “see” something.

And those voices, whether they were the voices of cross talk, or the birds’ singing, all seemed a little different from what he usually heard?