Xia Lening felt as if he had been nailed in place. A chilling sensation crawled up his spine, and absurd, bizarre thoughts kept swirling in his head without stopping.
Had Gu Yucheng started practicing some kind of dark sorcery?
Or had he switched careers and become an actor in a horror film?
No—no way. Whatever it was, he absolutely could not use him as some kind of mystical vessel!
Was Gu Yucheng planning to lock his soul inside that doll and humiliate him forever?
Xia Lening was determined to protect his soul to the death. Silently, he moved around Gu Yucheng, carefully climbed onto the table, and before Gu Yucheng could react—
He lunged at the eerie doll with all his strength.
Under Gu Yucheng’s startled exclamation, he and the doll tumbled to the floor together.
He clamped his teeth onto the doll—now twice his size—and ran for his life.
But a cat’s strength was far too weak, and its legs too short.
Before he even managed two steps, the doll was snatched back by Gu Yucheng.
Xia Lening bit down harder, claws digging in, his whole body clinging to it.
For the first time, Gu Yucheng’s voice turned icy and frightening.
“Move aside. That’s not your toy.”
Still biting the doll, Xia Lening muttered indistinctly through clenched teeth:
“It has my name on it—it’s mine!”
Just as Gu Yucheng was about to pull it away, Xia Lening kicked hard with his hind legs and threw himself onto Gu Yucheng’s hand. His claws scraped across the back of his hand—blood instantly splattered.
At the same moment, something pale flew out and landed on the floor.
Drip. Drip.
On the doll they had been fighting over, a few drops of glaring blood appeared.
Gu Yucheng ignored his bleeding hand and, with a dark expression, took the doll back and placed it into a mountaineering backpack.
Only then did Xia Lening notice his claw.
One of his nails had broken.
The nail bed was torn, and thin streaks of blood kept seeping out.
It hurt like hell.
Gu Yucheng—this sinister, scheming, cold-blooded bastard!
This was abuse! At the funeral today, he was going to leave with Xia Xiaoyao!
He glared fiercely at Gu Yucheng.
Only then did Gu Yucheng look back and notice the teary-eyed cat glaring at him.
His gaze dropped to the raised paw that was trembling slightly in pain, and then to the faintly gleaming blood on the floor.
“…Did your nail break?” Gu Yucheng’s voice turned slightly hoarse.
Xia Lening turned his head away and refused to respond.
With a soft sigh, Gu Yucheng carefully picked him up, placed him on the living room table, and retrieved a medical kit from the cabinet to treat the wound.
Sitting coldly on the table, Xia Lening looked down at his bandaged paw. His ears and tail drooped.
He decided to go on a full cold war with Gu Yucheng.
Today, he would definitely leave with Xia Xiaoyao’s return ride.
“I’m sorry,” Gu Yucheng said. “I didn’t mean it. But you can’t take that thing.”
Xia Lening covered his ears.
He wouldn’t listen. Not listening. Not listening.
If Gu Yucheng didn’t explain what that doll was, he would never forgive him.
Gu Yucheng patted his head, glanced at his phone, and stood up to leave.
Seeing this, Xia Lening awkwardly jumped down and followed behind him.
Gu Yucheng turned back. “You’re coming too?”
Xia Lening looked up at him silently, very serious.
After a moment of thought, Gu Yucheng opened the cat carrier.
“Fine. After all, you’re his cat. He probably wants to see you.”
He paused.
“And you can file a complaint for your nail.”
Xia Lening walked into the carrier with reluctant dignity.
On the way, he refused to make a single sound.
A cold war meant no meowing today, not even once.
Just like when he was a child—after being scolded by his parents, he would swear to become a cold, emotionless study machine.
When they arrived at the farewell ceremony, Gu Yucheng received a white flower.
His black suit made the flower especially striking.
The Xia family was powerful and influential, and the funeral was crowded—many people Xia Lening couldn’t even recognize.
Sitting in Gu Yucheng’s palm, he looked around.
Then he met his own portrait.
“….”
Good photo.
Cool. Handsome. Absolutely dominant.
Definitely chosen by Xia Xiaoyao—she understood him too well.
Li Zheng walked over carrying large funeral wreaths.
“My dear son! In the next life we’ll still be father and son—”
Halfway through, Xia Xiaoyao appeared.
Li Zheng choked mid-sentence, quickly shifting tone:
“…Ahem. Lening, in the next life we’ll still be brothers. Don’t worry, I’ll burn your game console for you. And money. Lots of it. You’ll be the richest man down there.”
Xia Xiaoyao glanced at him.
“Burn him a four-wheeled bicycle. The slow kind.”
Xia Lening thought bitterly: I’ve said it a hundred times—it was the truck’s fault! The truck flipped! I wasn’t speeding!
When I get my body back, I’ll clear my name.
Drip.
A drop of water landed on his head.
He instinctively ducked.
Rain?
Impossible. The sun was bright, people were even using umbrellas for shade.
He looked up suspiciously.
Was Gu Yucheng drooling again?
Another drop fell.
This time, he saw clearly.
It came from Gu Yucheng’s eyes.
His cold war plan collapsed instantly.
“…He’s crying?” Xia Lening muttered. “Sigh, I guess my charm is just too strong. I’ll reluctantly forgive you.”
The moment he said it, he felt the hand beneath him stiffen.
Gu Yucheng slowly turned his head.
“…Did you hear—”
A loud buzzing from the speakers cut him off.
“Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend my funeral.”
Xia Lening’s lazy voice echoed through the entire venue.
“To be honest, I originally wanted to keep freeloading for a few more decades, but heaven probably thought I was too troublesome and gave me an early vacation. Genius is always envied, no choice. But don’t be too sad for me—I’m living well wherever I am.”
“Stop looking so gloomy! This isn’t a wasted trip—cheer up!”
Immediately after, the cheerful song Good Luck Comes played, catching everyone off guard.
Xia Lening: “…”
Gu Yucheng: “…”
Xia Xiaoyao calmly explained:
“This was something Xia Lening randomly said on a whim while lying in bed. I recorded it back then. I didn’t expect it to actually be used at his funeral. But this is probably what he would’ve wanted.”
“…Mm.” Gu Yucheng replied softly.
The crowd reacted in stunned silence. Young people were already clinking champagne in front of the portrait.
Li Zheng poured wine in front of the ashes.
“Come on, Lening. Whoever drinks slowest loses five hundred.”
Nearby chatter and laughter filled the space, as if he were only temporarily gone.
But a few steps away, Gu Yucheng stood in the shadows.
Ash from incense drifted down into his hair like endless snow.
After a long time, when everyone had left, he finally stepped forward.
Xia Lening hopped beside him, hands on his hips.
He thought: If you have something to say, say it. If you behave well, I might forgive the sorcery thing.
But then—
Gu Yucheng looked around, confirmed no one was watching, and opened the urn.
“!!?”
Xia Lening screamed.
He leapt onto Gu Yucheng’s arm, claws and teeth flying.
“You’re not human, Gu Yucheng! Using sorcery wasn’t enough—you’re messing with my ashes too?! When I turn back, I’m going to curse you every day!”
Gu Yucheng abruptly pulled his hand back.
Scratch marks appeared across the back of it.
He stared at the furious cat, then cautiously asked:
“You…”
Before he could finish—
A voice exploded in his mind.
The voice he had longed for, day and night, echoed once again:
“What ‘you’? You’re done for, Gu Yucheng! I’m telling Xia Xiaoyao on you! You didn’t even bring me alcohol, and now you’re trying to curse me? I’m leaving today—I’m going back with Xia Xiaoyao! Whatever ‘family inheritance drama,’ I’m out. It’s better than staying at your place—black, boring, lifeless!”