In the darkness, one man and one cat faced each other.
Gu Yucheng’s gaze was deep. It wasn’t his usual gentleness or cold sharpness, but something heavy and earnest, as if he were recalling something from long ago.
Xia Lening suddenly wasn’t that curious anymore.
This topic seemed somewhat heavy and even cruel to Gu Yucheng.
Although Xia Lening was very interested in Gu Yucheng’s failed romance, he had no intention of tearing open someone else’s wounds.
The cat stretched out a paw and lightly pressed it against Gu Yucheng’s chin.
“How about you just talk about her good qualities instead? If this cat lord turns back into a human, I can help introduce you to a suitable young lady—but only if she likes you too.”
Gu Yucheng’s gaze flickered, and he let out a small laugh.
“He thought I was hypocritical and pretentious. He wasn’t wrong.”
Xia Lening didn’t dare speak anymore. For a long time, he had thought the same, though now his impression of Gu Yucheng had improved slightly.
Gu Yucheng stared at the cat who avoided his eyes and gave a self-mocking smile.
He knew that with Xia Lening’s straight-man brain, he would never guess that the person he was talking about was him.
Maybe the darkness amplified emotions. Maybe it was because he had already experienced the pain of losing him once. Or maybe it was because the person he longed for day and night was right beside him. For once, Gu Yucheng felt a strong urge to confess.
Even if he knew that if Xia Lening ever learned the truth, his conscience would be troubled—he still wanted him to remember him deeply.
If he couldn’t shake his heart, then he would take another path and target his conscience instead.
Gu Yucheng thought to himself, Xia Lening was right—I really am this despicable.
Something like “crying in front of him and not being comforted” would never happen with Xia Lening. His heart was too soft. Even when rejecting others, he spoke gently and considered their feelings.
Gu Yucheng wanted to tell him about his love, his pain, his expectations. What if Xia Lening found out and softened, and agreed to give it a try?
So he said, “I’ve known him for fifteen years. I’ve had a crush on him for nine years… or longer. He…”
“Y-you… how can you like…”
Xia Lening’s voice was filled with shock and a hint of panic. Gu Yucheng froze.
Xia Lening slowly clutched his head. He thought he had figured out who Gu Yucheng liked.
Even though he and Gu Yucheng didn’t get along, their social circles had overlapped for years.
Someone Gu Yucheng had known for fifteen years, someone who could play truth-or-dare together—there was no way he hadn’t met them.
They had been classmates in elementary school, middle school, and high school. Almost every round of truth-or-dare, they were all together.
A chill spread through Xia Lening’s heart.
Who else could it be? Who else could it possibly be?!
He himself had known Gu Yucheng for fifteen years!
Xia Xiaoyao was his family—she must have known Gu Yucheng for just as long.
Oh my god.
If he remembered correctly, Wei Yun had once been Gu Yucheng’s love rival. So they had both wanted to become his brother-in-law? No wonder they had both kept it from him.
Xia Lening recalled the rare occasions when Wei Yun appeared awkward in front of Xia Xiaoyao and clicked his tongue internally. Xia Xiaoyao was so fierce—what was there to like about her?
Do they like that she can kick me down the stairs with one foot?
Even knowing that Gu Yucheng couldn’t understand him, he still spoke tactfully, “Then this isn’t your problem. She doesn’t like men.”
The faint hope hidden in Gu Yucheng’s heart sank to the bottom.
Xia Lening had actually guessed it—and even comforted him carefully, saying it wasn’t his fault.
Xia Lening muttered softly, “I seriously treated you as my archenemy, and you actually wanted to become my…”
His mouth was suddenly covered. He looked up in confusion.
Gu Yucheng’s palm trembled slightly as he pressed his forehead gently against the cat’s ear.
“Sleep, Pai Pai.”
Xia Lening blinked and responded with an “Oh.”
Gu Yucheng let go and turned over, his back facing him.
Xia Lening glanced at him, puzzled, feeling a little unaccustomed.
These past few days, they had always slept face to face. Every time he opened his eyes, he would meet Gu Yucheng’s gaze.
Sometimes Xia Lening even admired his own ability to sleep under such an intense stare.
Without realizing it, his ears drooped.
His cheeks puffed slightly as he turned over too, back to back with Gu Yucheng.
“Whatever. Who cares.”
“……”
“I hate you.”
“……”
Xia Lening muttered under his breath, “Even if Xia Xiaoyao liked men, I still wouldn’t acknowledge you as my brother-in-law!”
Suddenly, the person behind him moved. In the next moment, he was flipped over.
A hopeful voice spoke, “Pai Pai, what did you just say?”
Xia Lening rolled his eyes. “I said you’re sick. Can’t even sleep properly—flipping around like a pancake. And your heartbeat is too loud. Stop it.”
A kiss landed between his ears.
Xia Lening let out a sharp, explosive cry.
“Are you insane?! I’m going back to my own bed!”
“Don’t go, Pai Pai.”
“You’re calling Pai Pai—what does that have to do with me, the Feral Cat Prince?!”
Gu Yucheng tried to soothe him. “There’s a flat spot on a cat’s head, and I just happen to have a mouth. Isn’t it fate? Cats must have been created so humans could kiss them.”
Xia Lening had never seen anyone so shameless.
He tried to run. “Humans have flat spots all over their bodies, and I just happen to have claws. Isn’t that fate too? Humans must have been created so cats can scratch them.”
Gu Yucheng didn’t let him escape. “I was feeling sad just now. Then I suddenly figured something out, got excited, and kissed you. I’m sorry.”
But he had no intention of changing.
Xia Lening scoffed. “Don’t think pretending to be pitiful to a cat will get you forgiven.”
Gu Yucheng pretended to sniffle.
Xia Lening was utterly disgusted.
“If it weren’t for me being understanding, you’d be secretly crying tonight, you crybaby!”
He bit Gu Yucheng’s finger hard, only to leave shallow teeth marks without breaking the skin. Confused, he said, “Gu Yucheng, buy me some chew sticks.”
Gu Yucheng claimed his finger hurt.
Xia Lening nodded. Good. That was the point.
He stopped insisting on going back to his own bed and quickly fell asleep on Gu Yucheng’s bed.
Gu Yucheng watched his sleeping face and once again felt grateful that he hadn’t skimped when buying the bed—it was soft, just the way Xia Lening liked it.
Relying on sheer shamelessness, he managed to keep Xia Lening on his bed night after night. Only when Xia Lening eventually returned to his own nest did he realize something was wrong—he had developed a preference for the bed.
And it was Gu Yucheng’s bed.
At that moment, Gu Yucheng was holding dried fish, coaxing him. “I was wrong, Pai Pai. You can pick your own outfit, okay?”
Using “winter is peak season for cats catching colds” as an excuse, Gu Yucheng had bought several sets of clothes for the cat.
Xia Lening couldn’t understand why there were so many dresses.
Wasn’t he a male cat?
One of the dresses was a ballet skirt that barely covered his rear—completely useless for warmth.
The truth was obvious.
Gu Yucheng had a terrible sense of humor. He forced him to wear them and took countless photos.
After struggling in vain, Xia Lening finally escaped back to his nest at the first opportunity, contemplating life as a cat.
He had even more leverage against him now. What should he do?
“Pai Pai?” Gu Yucheng called from outside. “It’s snowing. Do you want to go play in the snow?”
Xia Lening wanted to play in the snow—but didn’t want to see Gu Yucheng.
“Pick your own clothes, okay?”
“Delete the photos.”
“Weren’t you asking to play in the snow this morning?”
“The photos.”
“The snow’s going to melt.”
“I hate you!”
Xia Lening stormed out angrily, jumped onto the bed, and arrogantly ordered Gu Yucheng to lay out the clothes.
He examined them one by one.
What were these? Gu Yucheng’s taste was terrible.
Suddenly, Xia Lening’s eyes lit up. With a swipe of his paw, he declared, “That one!”
Gu Yucheng fell silent for a moment, thinking he had been careless to include that piece.
“That one was a freebie from the seller. The quality must be bad. How about this little bee outfit?”
Xia Lening glared at him. “I want that one!”
“……”
Ten minutes later, Gu Yucheng stepped outside with a giant cockroach cat beside him.
Gu Yucheng whispered, “Pai Pai, your twin ponytails are poking me.”
Xia Lening was fully immersed in his artistic vision. “Shut up.”