Hua Lang watched the two of them talk about job opportunities, listening in while pretending not to care. He learned a few things from their conversation. First, the angel's name was Tian. The other guy was Lu Chen, a human. They didn't seem to know each other all that well, which gave him a bit of relief.
Second, Lu Chen had no idea Tian was an angel, which made the situation even stranger.
And third, for some reason, Tian was stuck here in the human world. Why? Hua Lang had no idea. Wasn't Tian sent to kill me? he wondered, his little pig brain spinning. I'm right in front of him, but he doesn't even realize it's me. Did he not do this to me after all? Then who did?
His mind buzzed with too many questions, making him feel dizzy. Being a pig is such a pain, he thought, feeling the weight of his small, awkward body. His hooves were already dirty, and he was tired—more tired than he ever remembered being. All he wanted was to crash onto a soft bed and forget everything.
Stumbling around the room, he finally found an unmade bed in the corner. With surprising care for a pig, Hua Lang straightened the sheets, making sure there were no wrinkles. He climbed onto the bed, cuddled up with the comforter, and let out a sigh as he drifted off to sleep.
A silent prayer played on repeat in his mind: Please… just let me be human again.
Later that night, Tian walked over to his usual bed, only to freeze when he saw the piglet snuggled up under the covers. His eyes narrowed. This thing has some weird human habits, he thought, shaking his head.
The piglet let out a soft snore, completely dead to the world.
Tian sighed in defeat. "Great," he muttered, climbing over the little pig and carefully lying down next to it, trying not to disturb its sleep. "I've really hit rock bottom, huh? Sleeping next to what could be tomorrow's breakfast…"
He stared up at the ceiling, feeling more than a little sorry for himself. "Life was so much better when I was an angel," he whispered to no one in particular. Back then, he didn't have to feel cold or hungry. Eating was optional, and going to the bathroom wasn't even a thing. Now he had to deal with all of it—especially that last part. Gross.
He let out another deep sigh, his thoughts wandering. "Where's Hua Lang? Could I even go back to being an angel after this? Is finding him the answer?" He glanced at the piglet, who was still fast asleep beside him. "I don't know… That guy's as cold as stone. Probably wouldn't care either way."
Pulling the comforter closer for warmth, Tian accidentally dragged the piglet with it. The little creature ended up pressed against him, its soft, warm body making his cold hands feel a bit better. Well, at least it's useful for something, he thought, half amused. His fingers absentmindedly brushed against the piglet's ears, watching them twitch slightly.
The piglet let out a soft snort but didn't wake up, just snuggled deeper into the blanket. "Gotta admit, it's kinda cute…" Tian muttered under his breath. Then, a thought hit him. "Wait… is it a he?"
Curious, he lifted the blanket and checked, lifting the piglet's hind legs. Sure enough, a prominent pair of balls dangled there.
"Yep, he's a he," Tian confirmed with a small chuckle. "Good boy. I'll call you Bacon… like bacon strips. Maybe you'll grow up to be delicious one day."
Despite his joking, there was a weird softness to the way he held the piglet. He pulled it close, its warmth seeping into his chilled hands. Before long, his eyelids grew heavy, and he found himself drifting off to sleep, hugging the little piglet close.