Grandpa pointed at the little bird and said,
"Take care of this little one. She's naughty and loves causing trouble… Never let her down or abandon her."
As he spoke, his aura shifted ever so slightly, faint traces of his former Immortal majesty surfacing once more.
Su Wen looked at the Little Sparrow resting in Du Yue's palm. She tilted her head, her beady eyes full of attitude, clearly saying,
'If you make me sad, I'll never talk to you again. Hmph!'
Su Wen couldn't help but smile. He lifted her gently with both hands, pressed several soft kisses to her fluffy head, patted her tiny crown, and whispered with quiet warmth,
"She's my family. She'll always have a place in my heart… inseparable."
He raised her a little higher so she faced him directly. After a brief moment of thought, he spoke softly,
"I'm sorry I never considered this before… but now that I have the chance…"
He paused, a gentle smile tugging at his lips.
"You little sparrow… so cute, so charming, flying freely in the sky and filling our life with happiness… Suzume. Can I call you Suzume...?"
He looked at her lovingly and continued,
"And since you're a part of my family… from today onward, you'll be called Su Suzume. How does that sound?"
He waited quietly for her response, his hands steady and warm.
"Suzume… Su Suzume…"
The little bird murmured the name softly, almost dazed. For a moment she seemed lost… then her eyes brightened all at once.
"Hehehe, I love it! -Chirp!"
She fluttered into the air immediately, circling around the table in excitement, chirping nonstop.
"Hehehe! From now on, I'm Su Suzume! -Chirp!"
At that moment, she felt something stir deep inside her, something that had been missing for a long, long time. As if a hollow space within her tiny heart had finally been filled. Warmth blossomed in her chest, swelling into pure, unrestrained joy.
"Dumb Su Wen, I'm so happy! -Chirp!!"
With a tiny, proud expression on her face, she continued to whirl around everyone, her cheerful chirps ringing like delicate bells.
Then, without warning, her entire body began to glow… golden light bursting forth from her small form like a miniature fluorescent star.
The little sparrow hovered in the air, her feathers glowing softly.
Golden lines shimmered along her wings whenever she moved, while the rest of her feathers stayed a warm, gentle brown that made the glow even more striking. Her eyes, bright and round, seemed clearer than before… filled with a lively intelligence and an almost smug pride. Every movement she made left behind faint glimmers in the air, as though she were scattering tiny sparks of sunlight.
Grandma and Grandpa, who had finally regained their original memories, exchanged glances, shock evident on their faces… though they quickly hid it
Su Wen stared at her, utterly bewildered.
"Why did you suddenly turn into a little sun? And why are your colours changing?"
Su Suzume didn't answer. Instead, she floated higher, admiring herself as she struck a cute little pose… wings slightly spread, head tilted proudly, chest puffed out like she was the empress of all sparrows.
"-Chirp! Don't I look more beautiful and awesome now?"
Du Yue replied before Su Wen could even open his mouth.
"Little Suzume is the cutest of all."
She gently cupped the small bird, lifted her close, and rubbed her cheek tenderly against Suzume's tiny face. Suzume squeaked joyfully, her feathers fluffing up in delight.
Su Wen looked at his grandparents. Their auras were no longer stable or purely mortal; instead, they shifted subtly, like tides responding to something unseen. A quiet pressure filled the room, gentle yet profound.
He swallowed and asked softly,
"When… will we meet again? I'll come look for you..."
Grandma stepped forward. A profound aura now surrounded her. Though her eyes were still gentle and filled with love, there was an unfathomable depth within them… like a vast night sky where countless stars quietly shimmered. She smiled, warm and reassuring.
"Don't worry," she said gently. "Just cultivate at your own pace, as you always have, and you will find us soon enough. If I were to tell you where we are now, you would only push yourself too hard. Rushing your cultivation would do you more harm than good."
Su Wen opened his mouth to respond… but before he could, Grandpa cut in, his hands clasped behind his back as if nothing important was happening.
"How many jars of wine did you brew for me?"
Su Wen paused. Then he understood their intention. His shoulders relaxed slightly as he replied honestly,
"Nine. But you already drank one today… so there are eight left."
Grandpa's eyes lit up.
"Good. Good boy."
Su Wen shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"Eight jars of mortal wine… and you, Grandpa, are a profound Immortal. Are you sure you can handle these?"
Grandpa let out a low chuckle, the sound surprisingly warm and rich.
"Brat, do you think I won't enjoy it? It's not about mortal or immortal… it's about who brewed it and the emotions mixed in."
Su Wen laughed, shaking his head.
"I just worry. You're not the same as before… and these wines are strong enough to knock a supreme cultivator out cold."
Grandpa waved a hand dismissively.
"You're right. I'll be careful… sip by sip, slowly."
For a moment, Su Wen and Grandpa exchanged glances… equal parts amusement and affection… before they both burst into hearty laughter.
Grandma and Du Yue watched quietly, small smiles tugging at their lips, their eyes full of warmth.
Then, as if casually remembering something trivial, Grandpa added,
"Oh… and don't forget to ask this little bird to change the mountain's position whenever you wish to travel. You can... Mmm... think of her as the Spirit of the Mountain."
With a casual wave of his hand, space rippled. One by one, eight wine jars appeared neatly in the air, followed by an entire collection of 'The Legends of the Boss Wife', stacked perfectly beside them.
Su Wen and Du Yue both turned… slowly… to look at Little Suzume. Their expressions froze.
Su Wen's mind reeled. 'Don't tell me this entire mountain is…'
He lifted his gaze toward Grandpa once more.
At this moment, Grandpa's aura had completely changed. It was calm, vast, and profound… so peaceful that it inspired reverence, yet so deep that ordinary mortals would not even dare to meet his eyes unless he allowed it.
Grandpa met his gaze, then slowly shook his head, a mysterious smile spreading across his wrinkled face.
Su Wen let out a helpless sigh.
'…Fine. I'll ask the bird later.'
For now, he chose not to pursue it any further... today had already been more than enough, especially with his so-called date and everything that had happened afterward.