Xia Lening had no intention of leaving with Xia Xiaoyao for the time being.
There were three reasons.
First, Gu Yucheng still looked angry. If he left and Gu Yucheng secretly cried again, it would be bad for public safety and city aesthetics.
Second, there were still a group of stray cats in this pet hospital that had nowhere to go after treatment. He needed to supervise Gu Yucheng.
Third, when Xia Xiaoyao squatted down to talk to him, her collar slipped slightly, revealing a red mark on her neck.
Although he had never eaten pork, he had seen pigs run. Of course he knew what that was.
His gaze shifted between Xia Xiaoyao and Lin Yangchun.
Noticing it, Xia Xiaoyao fastened the top button and said briefly, “Mosquito.”
Xia Lening nodded inwardly. Your mosquitoes are quite fierce—biting you in freezing November weather.
He suspected Lin Yangchun had successfully “taken down” the big boss. He couldn’t help feeling admiration. As a child, he had once believed Xia Xiaoyao would die alone, since her temper was so bad that dating her would require accident insurance first.
Back then, young and reckless, he had said it out loud—naturally, he had been beaten.
So that impression had stuck deeply.
Although he was heterosexual, he didn’t reject homosexuality. He accepted it quite well. When he had once seen Lin Yangchun take the risk and steal a kiss from Xia Xiaoyao, his first reaction had been shock, followed by admiration.
“Xia Lening’s greatest achievement in life was transferring the shares to me. Otherwise those old men would’ve been hard to deal with,” Xia Xiaoyao said irritably, running a hand through her hair. “Not coming with me?”
Xia Lening shook his head. Go deal with those old shareholders first, sis.
Gu Yucheng paused slightly.
“Fine,” Xia Xiaoyao shrugged. “Xiao Lin, let’s go.”
Lin Yangchun released the hand covering Gu Yucheng’s mouth. “Okay.”
In the car, sitting in the passenger seat, Lin Yangchun asked curiously, “President Xia, didn’t you say we were definitely taking it today?”
“It didn’t want to come with me. I can’t force it,” Xia Xiaoyao said lightly. “It’s still injured but acting so lively. Stupid.”
Lin Yangchun choked internally. I didn’t want to go abroad either. Who forced me?
Xia Xiaoyao glanced at her. “Do you think a newborn cat can be that smart?”
“Stranger things exist in the world,” Lin Yangchun muttered.
Xia Xiaoyao let out a faint scoff. “Tell me your impression of Xia Lening.”
“An embodiment of youth. Fearless, with all emotions written on his face,” Lin Yangchun recalled. “He turned our top class into a ‘wanted class.’ The teacher’s ‘you are the noisiest class I’ve ever taught’ was probably sincere.”
Looking at the rearview mirror, Xia Xiaoyao pressed the accelerator thoughtfully. “Xia Lening is the luckiest person I’ve ever seen. That’s why when I received a police call asking me to identify a corpse, I didn’t believe it. A boy who once fell off a cliff from a mountain with only minor scratches suddenly turned into a pile of flesh without warning. I always thought he wouldn’t die like that. He was blessed by luck since childhood…”
She paused.
“Most ridiculous of all—I didn’t even burn paper money for him, and he never came to me in dreams. A spoiled young master like him wouldn’t handle poverty well.”
Then she added, “Do you know who I’ve seen as the unluckiest person?”
Before Lin Yangchun could recover from Xia Xiaoyao’s superstition, she subconsciously asked, “Who?”
“That kid from the Gu family—Gu Yucheng.”
Meanwhile, Xia Lening refused to eat this and refused that, successfully wearing down Gu Yucheng’s anger.
The tense atmosphere from earlier had completely shattered.
“You really won’t eat?”
“I won’t!” Xia Lening stuck out his tongue. “I’m already in pain, and you still want me to eat this and that!”
Gu Yucheng laughed in anger. “If you don’t eat nutrition, how will you recover? Come on, just lick a little.”
“No!”
Gu Yucheng took out the long-life lock he had removed during surgery and reattached it around him. “Then I’ll stew you mouse soup,” he said flatly before leaving.
Xia Lening imagined it and decided even nutrient paste suddenly didn’t seem so bad.
After Gu Yucheng left, Wangcai and the other cats peeked out.
“You really won’t eat?”
“I can’t. He’s forcing me,” Xia Lening said.
Wangcai looked at the untouched nutrient paste, then at the arrogant cat. It didn’t look forced at all.
“This is fish-flavored. Don’t you like it?”
“There’s no medicine that tastes good,” Xia Lening insisted.
“If you don’t eat anything and you can’t hunt, you’ll starve,” Lingdang said.
“I want to eat skewers, mala tang, chicken burgers with cola.”
“Then you might as well starve.”
“……”
Xia Lening closed his eyes, pretending to faint—and then actually fainted.
In his dream there really were skewers, mala tang, chicken burgers…
He woke up because of the smell.
A huge skewer platter hovered in front of him.
“You’re awake?” Gu Yucheng moved it away and sat down calmly.
“Hungry now?”
Silence. His stomach growled loudly.
On the table were not only the foods he had mentioned, but almost everything he could think of.
He sat up. Gu Yucheng pushed the aromatic dishes aside and placed a bland-looking meat paste in front of him.
Gu Yucheng smiled. “You can’t eat those.”
Xia Lening gritted his teeth. “Then why bring them?!”
“I eat them. I just let you smell,” Gu Yucheng said. “Your fish soup and chicken paste.”
That time it was Xia Lening who got angry.
“I told you you’re petty!”
Gu Yucheng ate tripe.
“Looks disgusting.”
Gu Yucheng ate a burger.
“Stop eating!”
Gu Yucheng ate barbecue.
“……”
Tears of frustration leaked from the corner of Xia Lening’s mouth.
“I hate you.”
Gu Yucheng’s heart tightened slightly, but his expression didn’t change.
Then he continued eating.
“I hate you!” Xia Lening shouted again. “Where’s Xia Xiaoyao?! I’m leaving with her! I’m not staying with you anymore—you’re abusing me!”
Gu Yucheng thought calmly: No chance. You already chose me.
He put down the skewers, stirred the chicken paste, and scooped a bit. “Eat a little, okay? I made it for a long time.”
“No—mmph!”
A spoonful was forced in.
“Disgusting!” Another spoonful.
“I’m not eating.” Chew chew.
“Gu Yucheng!” Another.
“You don’t understand!” Fish soup.
“Cat language!” Meat paste.
“I hate you!” Wipe mouth.
“Alright.” Gu Yucheng put down the napkin. “You’re full. Rest.”
“I can’t sleep. My back legs hurt, my front legs hurt—I’m basically paralyzed.”
“……”
“I want to go out.”
Gu Yucheng pulled out several pet communication buttons and said softly, “I don’t understand what you’re saying. Purple means go out, green means sleep, blue means play with your friends.”
Love you, kiss, brother.
So that was all he bought?
Xia Lening looked away in disgust. “Give up, villain. I won’t sell my dignity.”
A phone rang. Gu Yucheng answered.
“Mm. I know. I’ll go later.”
Xia Lening perked up. He was leaving again?
Right—he worked at a law firm internship. Of course he wasn’t idle.
Good. No one would force him to eat anymore.
He lazily swished his tail.
Gu Yucheng hung up and touched his tail. “Bored?”
“None of your business.”
“I’m going to report the attacker. I’m both the client and the lawyer. I need evidence. Want to come? We can go to the park later.”
“Whatever.”
At the pet hospital, the doctor examined him.
“You can go out, but be careful. Don’t get the wound wet, don’t overexert. You might consider a pet wheelchair.”
A pet wheelchair?
Curious, Xia Lening looked.
The doctor brought it out—a metal frame with two large rear wheels, straps, and supports. Basically replacing the hind legs.
He imagined himself in it.
Utter humiliation.
“……”
“Gu Yucheng! I’d rather die than use that thing! You deal with it yourself—hey, are you laughing?!”