Axolotl Translations

The Windwing was not an abandoned vessel—it had an owner. Even though the old man and Zheng Yijie had been staying on the Yongyue, this was still their home. No one would leave her forgotten in some dusty corner.

The deck was spotless, free of any debris. A thin shell of ice coated the railings and mechanical arms, but only a fine layer—it was clear someone had been coming back regularly to maintain her.

Despite being unoccupied for months, the interior of the ship was immaculate. The floors, the coffee table, the dining table—everything gleamed. Yet, without the buzz of daily life, it still felt a little cold and eerily quiet.

Finally, they were back. The Windwing—the ship Gu Mengran had missed day and night. Unfortunately, there was no time to rest. They had to clean out the fuel tank immediately and prepare for the Giant to pump in fresh fuel and restore power.

Cleaning the tank was a major task. The filters and other components needed to be replaced as well. Though the Windwing’s engine was designed to run on multiple fuel types, mixing fuels was a big no-no. Residual diesel and heavy oil could react and cause mechanical failure.

Speaking of heavy oil, Gu Mengran still had quite a stash in his space. It was cheap, burned efficiently, and packed high energy density—ideal for long-duration operations.

In other words: it burned slow and long.

Given the choice between diesel and heavy oil, the heavy oil would always last longer.

By all logic, the Windwing should have been running on heavy oil from the start.

But it wasn’t because Gu Mengran was rich or wasteful—it was just that heavy oil, for all its advantages, produced a lot of smoke. Its emissions contained harmful substances and directly polluted the environment and water sources. It was completely banned in Huangjiang.

They worked from noon until dusk. The Windwing’s tank was finally scrubbed clean. A long fuel hose stretched from the Giant’s deck to the Windwing, and it took nearly two more hours to top up her tank.

Once the hose was retracted and the engine preheated, a deep rumble echoed through the ship. After three months of silence, the Windwing welcomed her owner home—and roared back to life.

Having gone nearly two days and nights without sleep, Gu Mengran was beyond exhausted—on the brink of questioning his very existence.

After seeing off the villagers and crew who had come to help, he returned to the cabin with his family and collapsed directly onto the couch. He didn’t bother tidying up. He didn’t even want to shower.

His face was pale with fatigue, deep dark circles under his eyes. It was a pitiful sight. But the old man frowned at the way his dirty padded jacket was rubbing against the sofa and gently reminded him, “Go grab a bite, then take a shower and get some rest.”

“I don’t want to. I can’t move. Sleeping’s not that easy—I still have to change the sheets and duvet covers. Such a pain.” So tired he’d gone full zombie, Gu Mengran lay motionless on the couch, not even bothering to lift an eyelid.

The old man chuckled. “Want Grandpa to change them for you?”

“No need,” Gu Mengran mumbled. “Just let me rest a bit and I’ll be fine.”

The old man walked quickly over to the dining table, pulled out a chair, and glanced back at him. “Then rest somewhere else. Don’t go smearing that filthy jacket all over the couch.”

Before Gu Mengran could respond, Liang Zhao chimed in to defend him. “It’s fine, Grandpa. No one’s lived here in ages—the couch is probably dirty anyway. I’ll take the covers off and wash them tomorrow.”

“You spoil him too much,” the old man sighed and shook his head, then sat down in the chair himself.

Stomach growling, Zheng Yijie decided to join in. He grabbed a rag from the kitchen and gave the dining table a thorough wipe-down. Then he washed four sets of chopsticks and bowls and sat right next to the old man.

Not so much a hint as a full-on declaration.

Even though he was still sprawled on the couch, Gu Mengran caught the whole show and couldn’t help but laugh. “That obvious, huh? You’re just gonna start eating like that? Not even gonna close the curtains?”

“On it! At your service!”

He closed the doors and windows, drew the curtains, and turned on the heater. In no time, the living room was warm and cozy. Dishes were brought to the table, and without another word, everyone dug in.

The old man and Zheng Yijie had been staying on the Yongyue, living and eating alongside the villagers. They were never left hungry, but the food couldn’t compare to what they were used to.

Gu Mengran had been crashing on someone else’s boat too—and he’d been craving real food for days. Sure, he had his storage space, but with people constantly coming and going, there was never a chance to sneak a bite. At most, he could chew on some beef jerky when no one was looking.

People live for food, they say—and there’s a big difference between simply eating and actually enjoying a good meal.

If anyone wanted proof of what “focused eating” looked like, this was it. From the moment they sat down, the four of them didn’t exchange a single word. Only when most of the food had been polished off and the meal was winding down did Zheng Yijie lean back, pat his belly, and sigh contentedly.

“Man, that hit the spot. I feel alive again. This—this is what living’s supposed to feel like.”

“What are you saying?” The old man gave him a glare and smacked his hand. “They took us in out of kindness. Don’t go acting like we were mistreated.”

“My bad, my bad,” Zheng Yijie grinned, quickly apologizing.

Maybe to change the subject, he lifted his drink, turned to Gu Mengran and Liang Zhao, and smiled. “Welcome home, Mengran, Liang Zhao. I seriously missed you guys.”

“You miss us, or you miss the spatial storage?” Gu Mengran teased on purpose.

Zheng Yijie’s face fell. “Do I really seem like that heartless of a guy?”

“Relax, I’m joking.” Gu Mengran set down his chopsticks and picked up his glass. The smile in his eyes slowly faded, and his tone shifted from lighthearted to serious. “But seriously—thank you, Zheng Yijie. Thank you for taking care of Grandpa, for looking after the Windwing all this time without complaining.”

“Whoa, hey, what’s all this?”

The sudden praise landed on him like a heavy crown. Caught off guard, Zheng Yijie’s face turned bright red. He didn’t feel like he’d done anything particularly special, and for a moment, he was totally flustered, fumbling for a response.

The old man, still picking at the last bits of food, let out a muffled chuckle and jumped in to ease the awkwardness. “We’re family—what’s with all this formal talk? Let’s not get too sentimental.”

“Yeah, yeah, we’re all one family—no need to say stuff like that. Makes it feel too serious, I can’t handle it!” Zheng Yijie quickly chimed in, running with the save.

The warmth returned to Gu Mengran’s face, and both he and Liang Zhao raised their glasses.

“True enough,” Gu Mengran said, “but still—thank you.”

“Ugh, you’re so annoying. Enough already! Come on, cheers!”

“Grandpa, you too!”

“Alright, alright, a toast with soda it is!”

Clink! Four glass cups met in a crisp, clear ring.

Bellies full and hearts warm, Zheng Yijie and Liang Zhao got up to wash the dishes and tidy up the kitchen. Meanwhile, Gu Mengran and Meng Gaoyang lounged in their seats like a pair of overfed grandpas, totally content and unwilling to move.

With a full stomach, the sleepiness started to hit. Gu Mengran let out a long yawn. He’d planned to go wash up and head straight to bed, but as he stood, something suddenly came to mind. Curiosity got the better of him, and he plopped back into his seat.

“Grandpa?” he called.

The old man was still working a toothpick, and when he heard the call, he lifted his chin slightly. “What?”

“I’ve been wondering,” Gu Mengran said, propping his chin on both hands and looking at him with wide, curious eyes. “How much fuel do Uncle Ding and the others really have on that boat? Enough to last eight or ten years? Isn’t that a bit too crazy?”

The old man gave him a surprised look. “You’ve been staying on their boat all this time and still don’t know?”

“You said it yourself—it’s their boat. I’m just a guest. If they don’t bring it up, it’d be rude for me to pry,” Gu Mengran said with a pout.

The old man nodded. “That’s true. Ding Pengyi never told me the exact number, but he didn’t try to keep it secret either. I mean, come on—who am I? When I was already sailing captains, he was still a deckhand. Think he can hide anything from these eagle eyes of mine?”

Gu Mengran patiently let his grandpa finish bragging, nodding along. “Yes, yes, of course—my grandpa was the best captain in the whole country back in the day. So, Captain, can you tell me just how much fuel the Giant actually has?”

The old man flicked his toothpick into the trash can, then casually raised four fingers.

Gu Mengran tilted his head. “Forty thousand tons?”

“Are you a pig? Our Windwing can carry three thousand tons on its own. A supertanker, and you think it tops out at just forty thousand? What do you think it is—big head, tiny belly?” The old man shot him a disappointed glare, like he’d failed some family legacy.

Skipping the argument, Gu Mengran started counting on his fingers.

Ones, tens, hundreds… ten thousand… hundred thousand…

Wait. Four hundred thousand tons?!

His stunned expression said it all. The old man raised a brow and knocked on the table. “That’s right. Fully loaded, the Giant can hold around five hundred thousand tons. Judging by her current waterline, minus all the onboard equipment and supplies, she’s carrying a safe estimate of four hundred thousand.”

Gu Mengran slumped in his seat, dazed. “No wonder they’re so confident. Uncle Ding’s being way too conservative—at this rate, if we ration it properly, we could make it last twenty, thirty years easy.”

“You’re thinking too small.” The old man wagged a finger. “Sure, the Giant can carry that much—but she can burn through it just as fast. That kind of ship is famous for guzzling fuel. Full speed for one day? That’s a hundred, maybe two hundred tons gone, just like that. She’s not like our little boats.”

“Speaking of burning fuel…”

Gu Mengran wet his lips, then looked his grandpa in the eye. “Grandpa… Uncle Ding said he’d supply us with fuel because of you. But the ship isn’t just his. If this goes on long term… won’t the other people on board start having issues?”

“If we’re docked, sure, it’s no big deal—barely any fuel gets used. But once we start sailing… even the Windwing and the Yongyue use quite a bit. Long-term fuel supply is no small ask.”

“Hah!” The old man let out a hearty laugh.

“Hah!” The old man let out a hearty laugh.

Gu Mengran blinked, puzzled. “What’s so funny?”

The old man waved him off, still chuckling. “Nothing, nothing. It’s just… in the grand scheme of things, the fuel they’re giving us is barely a drop in the ocean compared to what the Giant carries. Let me give you an example: say you have 400,000 bucks, and I’m broke. We’ve got a pretty good relationship, right? So now and then I ask you for a few dozen bucks—would you say no?”

“I get it, I get what you’re saying.” Gu Mengran frowned slightly and sighed. “Once or twice, sure. If I’ve got plenty, giving out a little doesn’t hurt. But if it keeps happening, no matter how close we are, it’s gonna wear thin. I’m not a bottomless pit.”

The old man’s grin widened. He nodded, pleased. “Exactly! That’s the point. Helping you once or twice is kindness. But if you keep taking without giving anything back, even the best relationships will fray. So before they start thinking of you as dead weight and cut you loose, you’ve gotta show them your value. That’s how you take the initiative.”

He tapped the table for emphasis, his tone serious now. “Remember this: the strongest relationships in this world… are built on mutual benefit.”

Something clicked in Gu Mengran’s mind. The realization hit him like a light turning on.

He looked at his grandpa with wide, admiring eyes and suddenly laughed. “No wonder they say having an elder at home is like owning a treasure. You really are a gem, Grandpa! Thanks for squeezing in a life lesson for me—you’ve given me exactly what I needed.”

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