20 – Wolf Cub and Cat, Gentle and Tireless
There were too many similarities between Jin Zhi and a wolf. Sometimes, Fu Yao truly felt he was a wolf cub who had gained sentience.
For instance, right now, his extraordinary sensitivity and sharpness allowed him to cast his gaze over almost the moment Fu Yao accidentally made a sound, filled with vigilance and caution, as if trying to scare off an intruder.
However, what he saw was Fu Yao. His mind buzzed incessantly for a moment, flooded with many questions.
Why was Fu Yao here?
What was she doing here?
What had she seen?
All of this left him dazed, so much so that Fu Yao ended up falling to the ground.
Fu Yao: “…”
Wolf Cub: “…”
Fu Yao lay on the ground, her face buried, while the wolf cub did nothing, feeling utterly embarrassed. She hadn’t expected to slip up over such a small detail.
She had been peeking earlier. If Jin Zhi didn’t help her up, she’d be really embarrassed.
Jin Zhi: (?Confused face?)
Fu Yao: (??_??)
Great, they were at a stalemate. Fu Yao was already so embarrassed she could dig herself a Barbie Dream Castle.
Finally, Fu Yao extended her uninjured left hand: “Give me a hand, thanks.”
Jin Zhi stared at that fair skin, delicate as if it could break at a touch, with faint blue veins faintly visible, interwoven like a work of art.
His entire body stiffened, unmoving once again.
Fu Yao felt suffocated but immediately remembered that Jin Zhi avoided contact. She quickly tucked her pretty little hand into her sleeve and offered the sleeve to Jin Zhi: “Now you can pull.”
Seeing Fu Yao’s gesture, Jin Zhi knew she was accommodating him. A strange feeling welled up in his heart, making him slightly embarrassed. A faint pink flush appeared on his pale skin as he grabbed the sleeve and pulled Fu Yao up.
Fu Yao was touched. This kid was really considerate.
She sat up, staring at Jin Zhi, who was now very nervous, fidgeting uneasily.
He was shrouded in confusion but didn’t know how to speak up.
Fu Yao simply took the initiative to steer away from the awkward truth: “Do you often feed these kittens here?”
Jin Zhi was stunned for a moment, then nodded.
Fu Yao smiled softly, extending a finger from her sleeve to stroke the head of a kitten busily eating, and asked, “Where did they come from?”
Jin Zhi answered word by word: “School… stray cat… had kittens.”
So they were born to a stray cat.
Fu Yao asked again, “What about that stray cat?”
Jin Zhi: “…died.”
Fu Yao looked up in surprise, her gaze falling on Jin Zhi, her curiosity piqued.
Jin Zhi received Fu Yao’s gaze. Her eyes were too beautiful and lively, often shimmering with a watery light, making them exceptionally vivid, as if possessing a magical charm that made anyone feel her deep affection.
Such deep affection was conveyed directly through her eyes—the best silent seduction. It was hard for anyone to keep their composure.
Jin Zhi stared blankly but soon turned away with reddened ears, not daring to look directly at Fu Yao.
Fu Yao: “?”
Sweetie, your sudden shyness is adorable, but Mom doesn’t understand what she did to make you shy. Do you know?
To cover his embarrassment, Jin Zhi coughed dryly and said:
“Cat… stole takeout… got beaten to death.”
Fu Yao was stunned, then looked at the kittens again.
One of the kittens, having eaten its fill, began playing along Fu Yao’s hand, showing not a hint of sadness.
Fu Yao couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy.
It seemed nice not to understand anything.
Her eyes softened, tinged with self-mockery: “How pitiful.”
Jin Zhi stared at Fu Yao, watching her intently. He could tell she was sad, but not for the cat—for herself.
His mind raced, wondering if he had said something wrong, making him extremely nervous.
He said, “Not… pitiful.”
Fu Yao looked up in surprise, staring intently at Jin Zhi again.
Jin Zhi tensed up all over, unable to resist turning away: (?ò?ó?).
Fu Yao: “Then what counts as pitiful?”
Jin Zhi: “No one… likes… is pitiful.”
Fu Yao: “…”
Sweetie, do you hear how heartbreaking that sounds?
Though heartbreaking, she couldn’t help but find it amusing, making Fu Yao laugh out loud—a rare occurrence.
“True, being unloved is pitiful.”
She lowered her head to look at the kitten by her hand: “Can I pet it?”
Jin Zhi nodded: “Yes.”
If it was just a cat, he could handle it.
He just couldn’t handle contact with people.
The next moment, Fu Yao lifted the kitten by its two front legs and brought it before Jin Zhi.
The kitten’s lively, large eyes stared intently at Jin Zhi, its little head filled with big confusion.
But Jin Zhi wasn’t looking at the kitten anymore. His gaze was drawn to the smiling girl, her eyes curved like crescent moons, her lips slightly upturned, sketching a beautiful arc.
The girl opened her mouth and softly meowed, “Meow~”
That sound was explosively adorable!!
And coincidentally, the kitten extended its pink tongue and lightly licked Jin Zhi’s face.
“!!!”
A peach-pink flush rapidly spread from his neck to his entire face. Jin Zhi even felt steam rising from his head, overwhelmed by the scene, his entire body tensing up!
Fu Yao’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she laughed, “Jin Zhi, your face is so red.”
Jin Zhi acted as if a secret had been exposed, completely stunned. He silently turned around and buried his face.
Fu Yao was utterly charmed by Jin Zhi’s reaction.
She couldn’t help but let out a silvery laugh: “Hahahaha… Are you shy? How can you get shy so easily?”
Jin Zhi now just wanted to escape this planet immediately.
He stood up, ready to run.
“Wait—”
Fu Yao instinctively reached out to grab his hand.
The moment they made contact, Jin Zhi’s entire body trembled. Almost as if by instinct, he forcefully shook off Fu Yao’s hand.
“Don’t touch me!!”
This time, the veins on his neck bulged prominently, and his entire face flushed red.
“…”
The scene suddenly fell silent.
Fu Yao withdrew her hand, staring at Jin Zhi.
Jin Zhi also turned his back, then looked over his shoulder at Fu Yao. Heavy breathing made his whole body tremble. He lowered his head to look at his hand, his mind momentarily blank.
“They… were right.”
“You… should… stay away from me… better.”
A freak like him shouldn’t come into contact with others.
He clenched his fists, gritting his teeth so hard they might shatter, his eyes reddened, and tears of grievance threatened to spill.
The color Fu Yao saw wasn’t anger.
It was something intense, overwhelming.
Like an ocean covering everything, suffocating.
Sorrow.
Jin Zhi was about to leave again.
Fu Yao chuckled softly: “What nonsense are you talking? My hand is still injured. Who’ll take responsibility if I stay away from you? Haven’t eaten, right? Treat me to a meal?”
The girl’s gentle voice smoothed over all the intensity.
Gentleness is always the nemesis of brutality.
—Author’s Note—
Sneaking in a lazy break, making it an even-numbered chapter. Also, hoping everyone can give this book a five-star review, hehehe.