Yujing Garden—
Gu Ye asked the housekeeper to pack Fa Cai’s favorite toys, cat food, and some of its little clothes.
Aunt Song asked, “Young Master, are you sending Fa Cai to the eldest young lady’s house?”
Fa Cai had just been brought back from Gu Qin Yi a few days ago and hadn’t been home for long.
Gu Ye replied, “No, I’m letting it stay at a friend’s house for a couple of days.”
Aunt Song nodded, “Ah, alright.”
“Are you leaving now? I’ve simmered some pig trotter soup. Have a bowl before you go—there’s no rush.”
Gu Ye paused his hand as he stroked the cat. Pig trotter soup?
Then, without looking up, he said softly, “Aunt Song, pack a portion in a thermal container.”
“Sure thing.”
Aunt Song didn’t think much of it, assuming Gu Ye was taking it to drink on the way.
………
Rong Yi never expected her impulsive words to actually come true. Even as Gu Ye, dressed in a black trench coat, stood at her doorstep, she couldn’t quite process it.
Gu Ye chuckled softly at Rong Yi’s dazed expression. “Aren’t you going to let me in?”
“I can stand outside, but it might not be able to.”
He lifted the cat carrier containing Fa Cai to her eye level. Ever since getting out of the car, Fa Cai, perhaps because it hadn’t been out in a while, had been bouncing excitedly inside the carrier.
Rong Yi snapped back to reality, her fox-like eyes fixed on the adorable little creature in the carrier. A smile curled her lips as she said, “Of course, both you and it should come in.”
“Please come in—”
Gu Ye walked in with a large bag in hand, making quite an entrance.
As he reached the foyer, Gu Ye turned to Rong Yi and asked, “Do I still have to keep my shoes on this time?”
Rong Yi turned around and said coyly, “Of course not. Mr. Gu, take a look at the bottom of the shoe cabinet—isn’t there a pair of men’s slippers?”
Gu Ye placed the cat carrier on the floor, bent down, and opened the nearby shoe cabinet. Sure enough, a pair of dark gray slippers sat alongside the woman’s high heels, creating a surprisingly harmonious picture.
“Hmm, finally showing some awareness as a host.”
Rong Yi crouched down, a smile playing on her lips as she lowered her gaze to tease the cat in the carrier. “Mr. Gu, that’s not very fair of you. I even bought slippers for you, and now I’m getting scolded.”
“Heh.” Gu Ye straightened up, crossed his arms, and leaned against the wall, looking down at her as she played with Fa Cai. “You’re just scratching the surface. Take it out.”
Rong Yi’s fox-like eyes lit up as she looked up at him in surprise. “Really?!”
“Of course.”
Rong Yi unzipped the carrier and lifted Fa Cai out.
The moment Fa Cai nestled into Rong Yi’s arms, it let out an adorable meow, “Meow~~”
Rong Yi, a self-proclaimed cat lover, was utterly charmed. “Hello there, you’re so pretty~!”
“Mr. Gu, what’s its name?”
Gu Ye uttered two words in a low voice, “Fa Cai.”
“Fa… Fa Cai?!” Rong Yi paused her finger as she teased the cat, stunned.
Gu Ye nodded calmly. “Yes.”
It seemed the desire for wealth wasn’t limited to the less fortunate—even someone like Gu Ye, born into an affluent family, wasn’t immune to it.
Rong Yi laughed softly, her voice cheerful. “I never thought someone of Mr. Gu’s stature would be so down-to-earth.”
Gu Ye smiled faintly. “A humble name is easier to raise.”
“Is it a male or female cat?”
“Female.”
Rong Yi stammered, “…Fe… female? A female cat with this name?”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, just think the name is brilliant! It suits Princess Fa Cai’s temperament perfectly.”
Gu Ye’s thin lips curved slightly. “Oh, your foot is better? You can even squat now.”
Rong Yi reached out and placed the struggling Fa Cai on the floor. “Of course not. I’m just forcing myself to hold on since Mr. Gu is here~”
As she finished speaking, she tried to stand up, only to find that one of her feet had gone numb from squatting, causing her to lose her balance and fall straight toward Gu Ye.
“Careful!”
Gu Ye exclaimed, raising his arms to catch Rong Yi in a full embrace.
The softness of the woman and the firmness of the man’s chest pressed tightly together, inseparable.
Rong Yi instinctively looked up, her lips lightly brushing against the prominent, sensual curve of Gu Ye’s Adam’s apple.
It bobbed uncontrollably twice as he spoke in an unusually hoarse voice, “Be careful.”
Rong Yi became aware of her own actions. Instead of feeling shy, she secretly smiled in a place Gu Ye couldn’t see.
She had always liked this man, and taking advantage of him like this only made her secretly delighted.
“Mm-hmm.”
Gu Ye reached out to help Rong Yi up and asked, “Can you walk?”
Rong Yi didn’t want to leave Gu Ye’s embrace and softly whined, “My foot hurts~ It seems like it started hurting again just now. I wonder if it’s from squatting earlier.” After saying this, she nestled back into Gu Ye’s arms.
Gu Ye glanced down at the woman putting on an act in his arms, his lips curling into a silent smile.
This woman really wasn’t reserved at all, yet he found himself enjoying it. How strange.
“Should I carry you to the sofa?”
“Mm.” Rong Yi nodded, wrapping her arms around Gu Ye’s slender, elegant neck.
Fa Cai, “Meow??”
Fa Cai watched as its owner carried the beautiful woman and placed her on the sofa, completely baffled by his behavior. Humans were truly hard to understand. A cat’s life was much better, meow~
“Mr. Gu, what’s in that big bag you brought? And that gray fabric bag?”
If Rong Yi hadn’t mentioned it, Gu Ye would have almost forgotten.
“The gray one is a thermal container. I brought it for you.”
Rong Yi’s fox-like eyes filled with confusion as she asked, “What did you bring for me?”
She really couldn’t imagine what Gu Ye might have brought her.
Gu Ye stood up and walked to the entrance, picking up the thermal container before turning and heading toward the kitchen.
Rong Yi’s kitchen was semi-open, making it clearly visible at a glance.
Rong Yi watched as Gu Ye walked into the kitchen as naturally as if he were in his own home. A smile played on her lips as she twirled her curly hair, lying sideways on the sofa with her head propped up, striking an alluring pose as she watched him.
“Did you bring me something delicious?”
“Mm.” Gu Ye nodded.
Rong Yi, “What is it?”
“They say you should eat what you lack.”
Rong Yi paused her hair-twirling motion. Why did that sound so familiar? It felt like she had heard it somewhere before.
Could it be what she was thinking…
Gu Ye’s cool voice sounded again, “Pig’s trotter soup. To nourish what’s lacking.”
With that, Gu Ye placed a bowl of soup in front of her, containing a few small pieces of pig’s trotter meat.
Rong Yi, “…”
Sure enough, it was exactly what she had thought.
Gu Ye leaned forward, took a tissue, and wiped away a few drops of water from his fingers. “What? Don’t like it?”
How was she supposed to answer this? It felt like a trick question.