Fending off harassers. Making him a sobering drink. Now even blocking alcohol for him. Xiao Yu couldn’t count how many good deeds his orange little kitty had done in just a few days. No one had ever protected him so selflessly before.
“Meow.”
The smoky-voiced big fat cat licked the corners of his eyes, which were unconsciously flushed, looking worried. In those pure green round eyes, Xiao Yu saw his own startled reflection. Damn, why did he feel like crying again?
Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to stay calm and hugged the cat, shouting to the incredulous crowd, “See? I have a family, no drinking allowed!”
The Alphas who hadn’t found a chance to show off smiled awkwardly, secretly gritting their teeth and glaring at the obstructive fat orange cat. Damn evil golden shaded cat, blocking not just the alcohol but their future prospects. Countless predatory eyes were fixed on Xiao Yu, wanting to make a move on this Omega young master with a gland defect. But unfortunately, he always had a heart of gold, never lacking money or love. He had never been involved with any Alpha, and even if they tried to climb into his bed, he wouldn’t want them. These Alphas, polished by countless complex relationships, were now not even as good as the cat in Xiao Yu’s arms. A group of people were red-eyed with jealousy.
Xiao Yu, feeling uneasy, consulted a pet blogger about whether to take the little cat to the hospital, and only relaxed after receiving a negative answer and some reassurance. Leon’s two snow-white hind paws stepped on the Omega’s slender legs. His front paws were on the dining table, standing majestically. With a round head and slightly bristled fur, his eyes were like a little devil’s, slanted and protective. It was as if anyone who tried to persuade Xiao Yu to drink would find the cat drinking not the wine in the glass, but their blood.
“Good boy, Little Zhi.”
A slightly cool hand reached from behind, scratching the little cat’s chest. Leon immediately puffed out his chest and raised his head, looking even more aloof: “Meow… Moo!”
Noticing the Omega’s hands were cold, the cat was very dissatisfied with his weak condition. All four paws stepped on Xiao Yu’s legs, adjusting his posture, and like a mother hen incubating eggs, he held Xiao Yu’s hand under his belly. Leon shivered from the cold, his spine fur slightly bristling.
“What are you doing? My hands are cold!”
Xiao Yu felt a wave of happiness, instinctively trying to pull his hand away, but the cat’s four paws held him tightly, like silver hooks inlaid with gems, holding him firmly and not letting him go.
“Meow-ow—!”
Дурак. (Fool.)
Xiao Yu’s heart was racing, his eyes growing hotter. He was moved by the mutual comfort between two completely unrelated lives. Almost every child has an imaginary friend during childhood, and as they grow older, the romantic and innocent imagination fades, and the friend who accompanied them through countless nights is never seen again. But it seemed like twenty-two-year-old Xiao Yu had suddenly received a gift from God. He pressed his face, warm from the heater, against the little cat’s back, rubbing it, and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, “…Thank you.”
The coconut-flavored big bread stiffened all over. Hearing the sniffles and sobbing from above, he blinked slowly. “If only you could talk, I’d love to hear you call me brother.”
Leon’s face darkened again. If not for the age, he would have thought the beautiful, porcelain-like Omega was younger than him. Only a year older, not really a brother. Besides, in their country, calling someone brother was akin to flirting. What exactly did this Omega want? Was he like this with everyone? The Federation people spoke too boldly and brashly for Leon to accept. An inexplicable sourness occupied the small heart of the cat.
A perceptive Alpha had already had the waiter remove the alcohol and replace it with drinks. After everyone was full and satisfied, someone stood up. “Boss Little Fish, I’m planning to audition for the lead role in a short drama recently, but the crew is too poor, and everyone auditions together. I’m a bit nervous. Could you give me some pointers?”
Monkeying around, might as well watch. Xiao Yu nodded. The cold, big Russian bread warming his hands got a bit anxious. He couldn’t sing or dance like that. Fortunately, these Alphas had a combined total of 800 brain cells. Seeing someone hinting at the young master for investment, they also found reasons to say they wanted to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. The solo audition instantly turned into a chaotic scene. You push me aside, I quietly elbow you, step on your shoe, pinch your inner thigh. Leon suddenly felt no sense of crisis. A bunch of fools who didn’t understand restraint.
The cat leaned over, the fleshy white mouth sniffing the Omega’s neck, secretly licking the gland a few times. The unsuspecting young master playfully pushed him away. The pleasant orange scent filled his mouth. Leon slowly licked his lips, his whiskers proudly twitching. Xiao Yu was amused by the monkey show, laughing back and forth, his long fox eyes squinting, his fair and bony hand stroking the big cat’s head. This was much more entertaining than dancing.
After a while, the Omega got up to go to the restroom. The Alphas stopped performing, and the brothers had a bit of a falling out, even if they were there to entertain, they wanted to be more noble than the others. The private room was instantly chaotic. The fluffy big Russian bread calmly walked out the door. This hot pot restaurant was in the center of the business district, surrounded by high-end malls. Leon headed straight for a men’s clothing store, where everything was in cold, abstinent black, white, and gray. This was the time when everyone was full and wandering around. The sales staff, focused on their KPIs, didn’t notice a small heavy truck entering the store, still promoting new styles to customers.
The big bread walked in. The big bread walked out with clothes in its mouth. — A high-necked, tight-fitting black wool sweater that could cover his muscular build very well. Leon didn’t like being too exposed. Except for the coat, which was hard to transport, the cat quickly gathered a full outfit. The unmanned nursing room soon lit up, indicating it was in use. The Alpha’s tattooed arms were soon covered by black sleeves, dressed tightly. Leon never thought he would do such a thing, his eyes fierce and unwilling.
Not long ago, when he suddenly turned into a cat while showering at the hotel, he thought he was having a mental breakdown from the forced withdrawal, hallucinating, and ran out to seek his agent’s help, only to turn into a Siberian tiger. With no choice, he hid in an alley, where he met Xiao Yu. The light-haired, green-eyed Alpha pushed the door open, his tall and slender figure like a model, striding down the moving escalator. His cold, exotic face quickly caught the attention of passersby, who all gave him a second look. “Hey, this foreigner is quite handsome.” Fortunately, these people didn’t recognize his identity.
The five-star hotel was two kilometers away, and he had to get back before the “mark” Xiao Yu left on him completely dissipated. There, he had a long-term reserved suite. As long as Leon contacted his agent, there was still hope. The man, full of hostility, strode forward, not feeling cold despite his thin clothing. The orange scent on him was faint, and he didn’t know how to get more. How far did he have to push Xiao Yu? Inadvertently, Leon suddenly noticed his perspective had lowered significantly. He gritted his teeth in frustration. He must have turned back into the orange cat form again! Angry, he started running back to Xiao Yu.
A child’s heart-wrenching cries rang out, pointing at him and wailing, “Mommy, Daddy, there’s a tiger!” His parents also screamed heart-wrenchingly.
In the restroom, Xiao Yu pulled down his pants and saw four red paw prints on his tender, straight thighs, with a few clear toe marks from the little cat. “…” The cat’s love. Heavy as Mount Tai. The dinner was too noisy, and Xiao Yu, having expended half his energy, felt a bit tired. He hid in the restroom to rest for a moment, thinking of the little cat waiting for him, and perked up to return to the private room. In the corridor, he vaguely sensed something was off. The three-story hot pot restaurant seemed more crowded than before, and they were all non-dining customers, as if they were temporarily hiding from something. The stingy boss didn’t drive them away, instead nervously directing the staff. “Close the doors, block them!”
Xiao Yu was puzzled, and as soon as he pushed the door open, he was surrounded by several people. “Boss Little Fish, you’re back! We thought something happened to you!” The chatter made his head spin, not knowing who to listen to first. “Don’t you know? A Siberian tiger suddenly appeared in the city, running wild and scaring several passersby into fainting!” “Siberian tiger!?” Xiao Yu had never seen a Siberian tiger in real life, had no concept of it. Surprised for a second, he pushed past them, smiling and calling out, “Little Zhi, Little Zhi.” The expected deep but cute meowing smoky voice didn’t appear. The Omega’s face turned pale on the spot. “Where’s my baby?”
Everyone was either busy competing for favor or scared by the news of the tiger in the city, and the cat was so fierce and unapproachable that no one noticed where the big lump of a cat had gone. Seeing the young master Xiao’s eyes welling up with tears, anxious enough to flatten the hot pot restaurant, everyone hurriedly offered to help find it. Xiao Yu’s mood at this moment was like a mother who had lost her child. Many diners present were also pet owners, and they all helped search up and down. For a while, the name “orange” echoed throughout the restaurant. The boss, hearing something from the staff, was so scared he broke out in a cold sweat, apologizing to Xiao Yu, “Could you ask them to stop calling? It’s the most dangerous time now, what if it attracts the tiger…”
“You—” The dark, beautiful eyes glared angrily, almost bursting into flames. A sweet, warm orange pheromone uncontrollably covered the area, and the diners’ expressions began to turn strange.
Xiao Yu, in his panic, remembered to ask, “Is there surveillance near the private room?”
“Yes, yes, yes!” The Omega followed the boss with a cold face, taking out a strong inhibitor patch from his pocket and pressing it on the gland at the back of his neck, his movements crisp and neat. A cold and glamorous profile, the Alphas’ eyes were glued to him.
“It’s out, take a look, is this your cat?” He frowned slightly, leaning over to look at the screen, then gasped in disbelief—
Not long ago, the sixteen-pound big fat cat waddled out of the store, as if going to do something it had to complete. The round, ball-like back was very determined, with a strong sense of purpose.
Xiao Yu’s nose suddenly felt sour, and he stood there in a daze. A strong feeling of abandonment washed over him, instantly stripping away all the happiness he had felt these days. Nothing was more painful than giving and then losing.
The shop owner laughed awkwardly, “Don’t be sad, this cat looks very independent and has its own ideas. Maybe it just went out to do something and will come back to find you soon.”
The untimely joke didn’t comfort Xiao Yu. The Omega’s tears were swirling in his eyes, the crystal-clear teardrops about to fall in the next second. The shop owner’s expression became more and more subtle, afraid that this wealthy young master would throw money at them to go out and search together. Right now, it wasn’t a time to want money over life.
Xiao Yu sniffled, stubbornly holding back his tears. He never cried in front of outsiders. With a gland defect, if he showed any weakness, those with ill intentions would see it as an opportunity, like hyenas, and pester him endlessly.
The Omega instinctively took out his phone. He wanted to call his family for help, and with one command, countless people would be mobilized. His actions suddenly froze in mid-air.
— No. Right now, the citizens were being urgently evacuated, the brightly lit buildings and malls were crowded with people, and the streets had never been so empty. Would he let innocent people get involved?
“Open the door for me, I’ll go out myself.” What if his little cat was eaten by the tiger?
The shop owner frantically chased after the young master running downstairs. “Ancestor, ancestor, listen to me, some cats just can’t be tamed, can’t you just get another one?”
“Shut up!” Xiao Yu scolded harshly, his blood boiling. His little cat had always been well-behaved. It wouldn’t suddenly leave him.
The diners and friends gathered around to persuade Xiao Yu not to go, but once the young master lost his temper, no one could stop him, neither soft nor hard. He promised everyone present that if anything happened, no one would be held responsible.
The glass door was pulled open from the inside, and the boss used the remote to open a small gap in the shutter door. The Omega frowned slightly. He didn’t care about much, directly slipping through the gap, the cold, biting outdoor air instantly filling his lungs. The fear of facing a beast at any moment also came along.
Xiao Yu felt lost. The boss kindly called out, “Young Master Xiao, come back in. Wait until the zoo takes care of the tiger, then look for it! It’s not too late to change your mind now!”
Xiao Yu was determined, stubbornly searching along the road. The sound of the shutter door closing echoed from behind, and he knew there was no turning back.
Just thinking about the well-behaved cat facing danger alone, possibly not even enough to fill the tiger’s teeth, made Xiao Yu feel a pang of sadness. He had already considered Ao Runzhi as family. From the first meeting, there was a sense of soul resonance. The little cat seemed like the only light in his exhausted situation, and for the first time in his life, plagued by pheromone overflow symptoms, there was a life that accepted him unconditionally. No physical discomfort, no disdain or sympathy. Just those big, cold, emerald-like eyes blinking, then rubbing against him.
Unknowingly, hot tears slid down his pale face. No matter how hot the tears were, they couldn’t compare to the feeling of his heart being fried in oil.
Xiao Yu’s face, usually well-maintained at great expense, had delicate skin that was very tender. Now, with tears and the north wind, his delicate and beautiful face was painfully frozen. He walked along the road, calling out, his thin figure under the streetlight trembling slightly.
Xiao Yu, as if guided by a ghost, walked back to the alley where he first met the little orange cat. The scene brought back memories. He sniffled and wiped his tears a few more times.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a crouching shadow in the darkness, and the Omega’s blood froze for a moment, thinking he had encountered the Siberian tiger. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a person hiding. The person was in the shadows, face unclear, but a large Alpha, staring at Xiao Yu intently.
The two stared at each other for a full ten seconds, the air unprecedentedly silent for ten seconds.
Xiao Yu felt creeped out, cursing inwardly. What a lunatic, big dumb guy, mute! Such a big piece, really just for show, hiding by the trash heap without a word. If he howled a few times now, this idiot would jump up and beg him not to attract the big tiger, right? Thinking of this, Xiao Yu’s mood improved a bit.
The Omega, with a sense of martial virtue, looked around, confirming there were no beasts in sight, then cautiously asked in a whisper, “Have you seen a cat pass by?”
Mysterious man: “…”
“A mix of golden shaded and tabby, quite fat and strong, a big one, face very cute but doesn’t use it correctly, always with a fierce expression, have you seen it?”
The mysterious man remained silent. Xiao Yu had no choice, pulling out a candid photo from his phone and moving closer. Continuing to ask, “Please, the cat is very important to me, could you recall again?”
On the glaring phone screen, a picture of a big orange cat pooping appeared. Front paws on the edge of the litter box, hind legs in the litter, mouth tight with effort, producing the warmest chocolate in the cold winter.
…When was this taken!
The Alpha visibly leaned forward in excitement. Xiao Yu caught his change and excitedly said, “You’ve seen it, haven’t you!”
The man’s breathing suddenly intensified, seemingly angry. Gripping the phone tighter, Xiao Yu felt this person was simply inexplicable, holding back his words. He hated long-winded Alphas, must be an old bachelor who couldn’t find a partner. For the sake of the cat, Xiao Yu chose to endure.
“If you know, please tell me, I can reward you, whatever you want.”
The mute big guy suddenly stood up from the shadows. A skyscraper rising from the ground. Xiao Yu was suddenly enveloped in light and shadow, staggering back half a step in shock.
“…!”
The fox eyes, red from crying, looked delicate and timid, the extended eye corners with a hint of charm, seemingly frightened. Xiao Yu finally saw the person’s appearance clearly. Extremely aggressive superior features exposed before him, deep-set eyes, emerald green like jade, looking at a dog with deep affection, now frowning, looking at him with a hint of grievance.
The Omega’s mind went blank for a second, gasping in surprise. Handsome, stunningly handsome. That was the first impression. The second impression, had he seen this person somewhere before? 30% familiar. The third impression, his type.
No, wait. Why was he wearing animal ears and a tail, how was the tail attached?
Leon watched Xiao Yu’s pitiful, enchanting little face go through several expressions. A moment of amazement. A moment of happiness. A moment of confusion. A moment of disdain.
Leon, being chased by the city’s armed police, was completely speechless.
Xiao Yu suddenly felt unhappy, Alphas these days were so dirty, dressed so tightly, yet coming out to play the owner’s game. Looking closely at the thin clothing, definitely not a decent root. Look at this silly look, did the owner run away scared of the Siberian tiger? Every man for himself in a crisis? This foreigner should be glad he wasn’t locked in a cage, otherwise, to the tiger, he’d be a wild buffet, a nutritious main course can.
The sharp little face showed contempt, his thoughts all over his face.
Leon, seeing his eyes wandering to the tail, knew what he was thinking, gritting his teeth in anger. Remembering Xiao Yu’s disdainful look when he saw his boxing ID photo. A 1.9-meter world-class athlete inexplicably felt ashamed, lowering his eyes, pulling up the high-necked sweater to cover the lower half of his face. Out of sight, out of mind, hoping Xiao Yu couldn’t see his face would make him feel better.
The Omega laughed in anger. This foreigner really had a strong sense of self-management, even abandoned, still keeping himself pure for his owner?
Xiao Yu asked, “Not talking, huh?”
“Where’s your owner, let him talk to me.” He had to find out Ao Runzhi’s whereabouts today.
Xiao Yu was fierce and menacing, his beautiful face under the streetlight showing the jade-like texture of an Oriental, beautiful and sharp.
Leon was mesmerized, his deep, magnetic voice suddenly calling him: “Братик.” (Brother.)
Xiao Yu’s ears felt like they were hit by an electric current, tingling and numb. He didn’t lose his mind to lust, shaking his head, “Oh, still a Russian.” If he really wouldn’t speak, then forget it. Since he had seen it, it proved his cat was nearby, probably hiding. Xiao Yu glared at him, brushing past.
His arm was instantly grabbed, this Russian was incredibly strong, Xiao Yu was startled, and before he could shake free, the Alpha leaned in, tilting his head, the protruding scarlet tongue in the cold night both hot and soft, heavily grinding over the kiss mark on his neck.
Xiao Yu’s legs instantly went weak.
Leon repeated in Russian— Brother, it’s me.
Author’s Note: Here it is! More words today, a little late! [Throws flowers]