Fu Yuqian held Song Yu quietly for a while, unable to resist planting a gentle kiss on his forehead before leaving in a hurry to arrive on time at the rehearsal.
Yin Lang sighed in relief. “What on earth did you do last night? You didn’t get caught by reporters, did you? You’re really giving me a headache.”
“Sorry, Brother Yin. It won’t happen again.”
Yin Lang could vaguely guess the reason. Aside from Song Yu, no one else could make this young master so reckless. Yin Lang knew quite a bit about Song Yu and recognized his genuine character. Song Yu was one of the rare, upright and wholesome individuals in the entertainment industry. Though his acting skills needed some polish, that was more the company’s fault for neglecting him.
A proud and handsome young nobleman and a beautiful, kind-hearted angel—it seemed like fate destined them to be together. Yin Lang couldn’t help but smile as he indulged in the sweetness of it all.
As he thought this, Yin Lang suddenly smacked his forehead. Spending too much time in Pisces-related supertopics had clearly brainwashed him.
The New Year’s Eve Gala had three rehearsals in total. After today’s session, the remaining two would be held in the three days leading up to the live broadcast. Fu Yuqian’s stage presence was undeniably captivating. Even in simple sweatpants and a hoodie, without any stage makeup, he shone so brightly that no one could take their eyes off him. Many young celebrities who attended the rehearsal found seats to watch him perform.
When Fu Yuqian concluded his monologue, “Take me home,” the female stars enthusiastically responded with loud “Yes!”
Every time Yin Lang watched Fu Yuqian perform, he marveled at how some people seemed born to stand among the clouds. Even though Fu Yuqian’s dream was to become an actor, he could dominate as a top-tier idol if he chose to.
The chief director was all smiles, clearly impressed. After Fu Yuqian finished his rehearsal, the director made a point to speak with him. “Xiao Fu, do you have any plans for the new year? If you do, consider working with us again.”
Fu Yuqian smiled back. “You’re too kind. I’d be happy to collaborate if there’s a chance.”
Despite not sleeping the entire night, Fu Yuqian was still brimming with energy. After ensuring the rehearsal went smoothly, he signed a few autographs and left the TV station, catching an afternoon flight abroad.
Meanwhile, Song Yu was still fast asleep when someone called him. Groggy, he yawned widely, “Meow?” wondering why it was still dark outside.
His mother, smiling, said, “Yiyi, it’s time to wake up.”
“Ma-ow…” Song Yu whined. It’s too early, Mom. I could sleep for two more hours. He was so drowsy that his eyelids drooped shut again. But his mother picked him up and placed him in the litter box. “Yiyi, after breakfast, we’re going to visit Xiao Yu Gege.”
Still half-asleep, Song Yu nodded off again. Last night, his mother had gone to bed promptly at ten, but he hadn’t been sleepy yet. Sneaking her phone under the covers, he scrolled through his Weibo and supertopics. Fans were still eagerly awaiting his return, hoping he would wake up soon. Song Yu wanted to reply that he was fine but ultimately held back.
Then, he checked Star Yue’s official account. The company had already disabled comments, having given up the fight. Fu Yuqian’s damning recording had completely crushed them.
Thinking about Star Yue’s struggles, Song Yu felt a little smug and silently praised Fu Yuqian for a job well done.
Afterward, he logged into Jinjiang Literature City to read the original novel of the drama he was about to shoot, The Tyrant’s Beloved Pet. But as he read the beginning, something felt off—why was the male lead marrying another man? Did he pick the wrong book?
Curious, Song Yu continued reading. Halfway through, he finally realized it was a same-sex romance! And yet, it was categorized under “pure love,” which he assumed meant innocent romance. No wonder Fu Yuqian took this project—he’s gay and probably harbored ulterior motives about his alluring body.
Though unfamiliar with the concept of “selling BL,” Song Yu wasn’t entirely surprised. With the rise of BL culture and the country’s increasing tolerance for homosexuality, there were even rumors every year about the potential passage of a same-sex marriage law. Several popular web dramas with ambiguous same-sex undertones had also been huge hits.
Still, Song Yu believed he preferred soft, cute girls. Maybe he shouldn’t take on this drama? But the author’s writing was compelling, and the story was entirely clean, with no overly intimate scenes. By the end, Song Yu even thought, Two men being together isn’t so bad—they can share honor and hardship, walking side by side.
Shocked by his own thoughts, Song Yu quickly shut off the phone and went to sleep, but it was already past midnight.
The lack of sleep left him groggy this morning. After breakfast, his mother carried him to the hospital room. Song Yu crawled into the cat bed there and took a nap to refresh himself. Waking up, he stretched and jumped down, circling his mother with cheerful meows.
She picked him up and noticed something at the corner of his eye. “Yiyi, why don’t you wash your face or groom yourself? The cats I’ve seen are all so clean.”
Song Yu froze. “…Wash my face? Groom?”
Right—cats wash their faces with their paws and groom themselves.
Looking at his fluffy paws, Song Yu stuck out his tongue but couldn’t bring himself to lick them. He found the idea rather gross.
He had never washed his face at Fu Yuqian’s place before either. Fu Yuqian always personally groomed him and took excellent care of him. Maybe Yiyi had lost many of his feline habits because he had been pampered like this since childhood.
Song Yu gave himself full marks for this deduction.
So, pretending not to understand, he continued to snuggle in his mother’s arms.
Song’s mother also came up with her own reasoning: “Maybe city cats are like this. I even heard some don’t catch mice. Don’t worry, Yiyi, I won’t dislike you.”
After staying with his mom for a few days, Song Yu began to miss living with Fu Yuqian.
At Fu Yuqian’s, he was rudely awakened every morning, but at least Fu Yuqian knew how to brush his teeth. When Song Yu reminded his mom to brush his teeth for the first time, she was stunned before reacting. Even though he opened his mouth wide in full cooperation, she still poked his throat several times.
The most awkward part was that he couldn’t bring himself to ask his mom to clean around his cat bell. After all, he was an adult male. While close to his mom, it was still inappropriate to ask her to wash that area.
As a result, he felt like he smelled a bit off. Even Song’s mom, consciously or not, began to cuddle him less.
During these days, Fu Yuqian video-called Song’s mom every day. Initially, Song Yu avoided the camera, but later he would reach out a paw to tap the lens and meow incessantly as if to say, You scoundrel! When are you coming back? Hurry and bathe me, your young master needs you!
“Xiao Fu, Yiyi seems to miss you,” Song’s mom said with a smile. “The cat you raised is so smart.”
Fu Yuqian could fully guess why Song Yu was willing to interact with him. With no one else helping him clean or bathe, and too embarrassed to ask Song’s mom for help, Song Yu must have been extremely uncomfortable.
“Auntie, I miss Yiyi too. I’ll speed up my work and return to the country as soon as possible,” Fu Yuqian said warmly, his expression softening. “Yiyi, be good. I’ll be back soon.”
Song Yu let out a long meow.
True to his word, Fu Yuqian sped up his work and returned a day earlier than planned. The moment he got off the plane, he went straight to the hospital to visit Song Yu. As soon as he opened the door, an orange cat launched itself at him like a small cannonball. Fu Yuqian quickly caught him. Song Yu meowed incessantly, his enthusiasm a stark contrast to his earlier aloofness.
Seeing Fu Yuqian’s travel-worn appearance, Song’s mom remarked with concern, “Xiao Fu, you must be tired from the journey. Go home and rest well.”
“Alright, Auntie. I’ll take Yiyi with me for now and come see you tomorrow,” Fu Yuqian replied. After glancing at the figure of Song Yu lying on the bed, he left with the cat in his arms.
Watching Fu Yuqian walk away with Yiyi, Song’s mom suddenly felt like she was marrying off her son. She quickly turned back to check—thankfully, her son was still lying on the bed.
Once home, Song Yu darted straight for the bathroom. After a few steps, he turned back to meow at Fu Yuqian, as if urging him to follow. Afraid Fu Yuqian wouldn’t understand his hints, Song Yu’s behavior was so endearing that Fu Yuqian, unable to resist, followed him into the bathroom with a smile.
Song Yu jumped directly into his small bathtub, wagging his tail and meowing, Servant, quickly prepare my bath.
Feigning surprise, Fu Yuqian asked, “Does Yiyi want a bath?”
“Meow!” Less talk, more action.
Fu Yuqian crouched down to pick him up. Song Yu grabbed his arm, meowing with confusion as if to say, I want a bath, didn’t you understand?
“Don’t worry, Yiyi. I need to adjust the water first,” Fu Yuqian reassured him.
Satisfied, Song Yu patted Fu Yuqian’s hand with his paw, as if saying, Good job. You’ll be rewarded.
Once the water was ready, Song Yu leapt into the tub, immediately closing his eyes in bliss. He hadn’t realized bathing could feel so heavenly.
Fu Yuqian’s skilled hands made the experience even better. When he washed sensitive areas, he was quick but thorough. Song Yu, however, felt it wasn’t clean enough and hooked his tail around Fu Yuqian’s wrist, signaling for him to continue. Suppressing a laugh, Fu Yuqian also felt a pang of sympathy for the cat, realizing how uncomfortable Song Yu must have been over the past few days.
After carefully finishing the job, Song Yu emerged from the bath as a clean, handsome cat once more. Looking quite pleased, he strutted out of the bathroom. Meanwhile, Fu Yuqian quickly rinsed himself off, changed into a bathrobe, and walked out to find Song Yu still nearby. Smiling, he scooped him up and placed him on the bed.
“Yiyi, I’m really tired. Let’s sleep for a while. When I wake up, I’ll make you a delicious cat meal,” Fu Yuqian said, his voice tinged with exhaustion.
Indeed, there were dark circles under his eyes. Song Yu’s heart softened. This man truly treated his cat well—picking him up right after returning and bathing him with such care despite being tired. With this in mind, Song Yu didn’t resist and lay down obediently beside him.
Feeling the warmth from Fu Yuqian’s embrace, Song Yu started to feel drowsy too.
Just as he was about to drift off, he heard Fu Yuqian murmur, “Yiyi, someone from Xingyue contacted Huacan to see if they were interested in poaching Song Yu. Do you think he wants to leave Xingyue?”
Author’s Note: The previous chapter has been updated—make sure to check it out, cuties!
Thank you to everyone who supported me between 2020-02-16 20:57:33 and 2020-02-17 20:39:39 by voting or nourishing me with nutrient solution!
Special thanks to:
- Five Elements Lacking Money for Many Years: 20 bottles
- YZ.107: 2 bottles
- Xi Lan: 1 bottle
I’ll keep working hard, everyone!
[mfn]If you enjoy my translations, you can show your support by leaving a comment or donating to my Ko-fi. It will be much appreciated. Thank you! -TL: YSIAD
⚠️ Do not copy or repost my translations. Please read exclusively on knoxt.space[/mfn]
