IBO -Chapter 164 Tree Climbing Competition

This novel contains sensitive and taboo content like R*pe, Mu**er etc. Read only if you are comfortable.

Thus, a tree-climbing competition kicked off in the courtyard.

The judge was Song Yi Ran; Xiao Zhong’er and Song Yu Tu were spectators.

All the children participated, including Song Yuan and Song Yue Tao.

“Do you think Song Yuan and Song Yue Tao can climb the tree?” Xiao Zhong’er whispered to Song Yu Tu from the side. “Can their hooves really climb a tree?”

Song Yu Tu shook his head: “Hard to say… who knows if they can?”

His original form had claws on all four limbs; he had never experienced hooves and didn’t know if they could grip a tree.

But judging from the confident expressions on Song Yuan and Song Yue Tao, they probably could… right?

The children couldn’t wait to start. They chose a locust tree as the competition tree.

Each child took turns climbing. From start to finish, the time was recorded. Whoever climbed the highest in the shortest time would win the competition.

Additionally, any child who successfully climbed the tree without getting their claws stuck would gain “tree-climbing privileges”!

Each child looked confident, sharpening claws, flicking tails, and stomping hooves.

Song Yuan and Song Yue Tao looked particularly confident, seemingly certain they could climb successfully.

Song Yi Ran held a stopwatch in one hand and a whistle in the other. “Beep—” The sharp whistle marked the start of the competition.

First up was Song Yin Yun. She moved skillfully and swiftly, reaching the topmost branch in just a few moves.

Song Yi Ran timed it; Song Yin Yun took only 40 seconds from the whistle to the top.

Xiao Zhong’er pulled out a bucket of popcorn, munching loudly.

Next was Song Bu Li. As the whistle blew, he shot toward the tree like an arrow… and then his claw tips got stuck in the trunk.

Xiao Zhong’er commented between bites: “Second attempt… no, third attempt now.”

Song Yu Tu raised his eyebrows curiously: “What do you mean? Did this happen before?”

“They’ve climbed trees before. Their claw tips got stuck in the trunk—they couldn’t go up or down. In the end, Song Yi Ran had to carry them down.”

Xiao Zhong’er added: “This has happened twice before. Including today, that’s three times.”

Song Bu Li’s tree-climbing plan failed at the start. Song Yi Ran carried him down.

Next was Song Xiu Hu. Learning from Song Bu Li, he decided on a safer strategy.

To avoid getting claws stuck, he had ground his claws flat before the competition, leaving no sharp tips.

But there’s a saying: extremes meet their opposite.

Song Xiu Hu’s claws were too flat to grip the tree, and he slid down like on a slide.

Song Xiu Hu failed.

The rest of the competition followed similar patterns: either claws got stuck or claws were too flat to hold.

Finally, only Song Yuan and Song Yue Tao remained. Song Yuan went first. At the whistle, he scrambled at the tree trunk with his hooves but couldn’t climb at all, circling the base and eventually failing.

Song Yue Tao met the same fate.

In the end, only Song Yin Yun successfully climbed, winning with a time of 40 seconds.

Xiao Zhong’er finished his popcorn and mumbled: “Looks like hooves can’t climb trees.”

Apart from Song Yin Yun, the children were all discouraged.

Song Bu Li’s eyes turned into the classic cartoon “sad fried-egg eyes,” looking at Song Yi Ran with tears.

“Waa… Brother, I still can’t climb the tree…”

Song Bu Li sniffled hard, trying to prevent his snot from dripping, his mouth pouting in sadness.

But he couldn’t stop the snot bubble. “Pop!” A translucent bubble slid out of his nose.

Song Bu Li completely lost his composure: “Waaah… I didn’t mean to make a snot bubble…”

Song Yi Ran squatted down, took out a tissue, and gently wiped it: “It’s okay, baby. It’s just a snot bubble. It’s a normal bodily reaction, like tears when yawning.”

“Not being able to climb a tree isn’t a big deal. Everyone has things they’re good at and things they’re not,” Song Yiran said, patting Song Buli on the head. “I can’t climb trees either, but what does that matter? These are just little things.”

Song Yiran then went around and patted the heads of all the cubs one by one. “Darlings, these are just small, minor things. Let’s not get upset over them, okay?”

“This is just a personal ability. Some people can climb trees, some can’t. But what does it matter? Everyone has things they excel at and things they don’t. That’s not the only way to judge someone’s worth.”

“Does it matter if you can climb a tree? Whether you can or not, you’re all my treasures. You’ll always be my pride!”

Xiao Zhong’er took out a pack of konjac snacks and chewed while commenting, “Truly a brotherly bond that moves heaven and earth!”

Song Yutu’s expression softened, his tone unusually gentle. “Brother is just that kind of gentle person. He never judges someone’s value based on trivial personal traits.”

The outside world is cruel. Most industries quickly label newcomers for easier selection or exclusion.

For example, an employee with average skills will simply be considered ordinary by colleagues.

No one will care if they have other talents—even if they’re good at music, literature, or have a rich inner world.

To coworkers, they’re just a normal, average employee.

Once a label is placed, what else could an average employee be good at?

Or an exceptionally skilled employee will be rated as excellent.

But no one will explore whether they have worries, or things they aren’t good at.

Because the label is fixed. People assume an excellent person can’t have troubles.

Labeling is a convenient way to quickly identify similar people, or to quickly reject those who don’t fit. For many, this is very practical.

But sometimes it’s too arbitrary. All labels are one-sided; no matter how many, they can’t truly capture a person’s traits.

Moreover, people change. Even a past version of oneself may not match the present self in thought or feeling.

Labels once placed on someone may not apply now, yet they often stick with a person for life, rarely changing.

Song Yutu disliked this way of judging. He didn’t like labeling others, nor being labeled himself.

Although he dislikes it, he still finds a way to survive in the outside world.

Yet he can never truly like it. Compared to the outside world’s shallow judgments, he prefers Song Yiran’s way of seeing people.

Song Yiran always looks past labels to see someone’s true qualities.

In front of Song Yiran, he is just himself. No labels, no frames—just a natural human being.

That afternoon, the children gathered in the yard to draw.

They were preparing entries for the Karundiel Painting Competition. By now, everyone was finishing up.

Ten minutes later, all the paintings were complete, and the cubs excitedly called Song Yiran over to see their work.

“Brother! Brother! My painting is done! Come see it!”
“Me too! Brother, my painting is done~”
“And me! Me too!”

Song Yiran went around, looking at each child’s drawing. Most were simple, childlike sketches.

Song Buli drew a square frame with simple flowers, rough trees, and a few stick figures inside.

“Brother, I drew our yard. These little people are me and my brothers.”

Song Yiran, flattering against his conscience, said, “It’s very lively and vivid! Amazing, sweetie!”

Song Fu’s painting was highly abstract—red, yellow, brown all smudged together in blocks across the canvas.

“Brother, I drew braised chicken drumsticks, braised pork, and fried meatballs.”

“Oh, my dear little one, that’s fantastic! So vivid and lively!”

Song An’s background was pure black, sprinkled with dense, colorful dots.

“Brother, I drew a cosmic star map.”

“Wow! It looks so real!”

Song Yang drew a bright blue sky with simple white clouds and a few small black dots.

“Brother, I drew the sky and clouds, and birds in the sky.”

Song Yiran realized—the little black dots were the birds!

“Excellent! Very realistic!”

Song Chiyu drew a large red flower. Song Yiran couldn’t identify the type.

“Brother, it’s a rose!”

“Wow, it looks just like a rose! Amazing!”

Song Xianyue drew a night sky with a golden moon and lots of little yellow stars.

“Brother, I drew the night sky!”

“Beautiful! Fantastic work!”

Song Yinyun drew a forest, with dense, messy trees filling the canvas.

“Brother, I drew a forest!”

“Wow! It’s so vivid and lively!”

Finally came Song Xiuhu and Song Yuexin. While the other cubs’ drawings were age-appropriate, simple sketches, their style was clearly different.

Their works were delicate realism, far surpassing the others.

Song Xiuhu painted a planet in a black universe, glowing softly in dreamy pink light.

On the planet bloomed beautiful roses, turning it into a globe of roses.