Chapter 25#

If You See SnowCh25 - Let’s Call the Kitten Baobao#

The Secret Sect’s border capital.

In the secluded palace, Su Gou opened the window. If anyone had been there, they would have noticed that his eyes were glowing with a dazzling blue light. A faint halo shone beneath his porcelain white cheeks as if fireflies were crawling over him in waves.

Su Gou lowered his head, gaze washing over his palm. He slowly smiled, “Lord Shen Tu, can you feel it?”

Behind him was a monstrous shadow, looking up at the direction of the city market.

“Such unfamiliar spiritual energy,” the shadow spoke out.

Their clan possessed the innate ability to resonate with spiritual energy. When injured or weakened, their spiritual energy would leak outward, allowing nearby clan members to sense it and come to their aid. Today, this spiritual energy felt completely unfamiliar. Su Gou had never received such a quiet and deep stream of spiritual energy before. The flow was intermittent, and only their own clansmen could decipher the distress signal hidden behind its state.

“This flow of spiritual energy is so unstable; it seems this child has only just reclaimed his demon core. The core and his body haven’t fully bonded yet. He must have recklessly used some secret arts and caused his spiritual energy to erupt. He can’t even control his own form now.” Su Gou continued, “Unfortunately, we’re too far away to pinpoint his exact location. If only we were closer. His sudden appearance means he must be a newcomer to the border capital. Besides the applicants for the Scout Guard, who else has entered the border capital these past few days?”

“Not that I know of. The border capital has been under martial law the entire time.” The shadow replied.

“Almost all the applicants are dead. Only Su Ruhui and that child by his side are left.” Su Gou suddenly understood. “Looks like Su Ruhui has been keeping things from us. We’ll go see them tomorrow.”

The border capital, South Street in the Shunkang community.

The moment its eyes met Han Ye’s, the kitten’s fur bristled, its once fluffy fur shooting out like spears. It slapped Han Ye’s cheek with one paw, but Han Ye reacted quickly and threw it out. Seeing the kitten about to fall hard to the ground, Su Ruhui hurriedly opened his arms and caught it. He brought the cat to his chest, supporting its bottom and hind legs.

【A weak baby kitty. Poses no threat and is the perfect companion for warming hands, warming feet, and warming beds. Male, not yet in heat. To prevent it from meowing mating calls and spraying pee everywhere, the system recommends the host to promptly schedule for neutering. The system provides a free and complete guide for the entire neutering process.】

Han Ye raised an eyebrow and chuckled: “Your family’s cat is pretty fierce.”

“It’s not mine, I don’t own a cat.” Su Ruhui said.

Looking down at the cat in his arms, he realized it actually wasn’t that small. It was a fluffy ball of fur, and quite heavy to hold. The cat stared intently at Su Ruhui with its round eyes open wide, seemingly in shock. Su Ruhui had never seen such beautiful eyes before, shimmering and clear. It was as if they hid a deep universe of galaxies inside.

The cat, or rather, Sang Chiyu, lay in shock for half a day before he gradually believed what he was seeing—he had turned into a cat, held in the palm of Su Ruhui’s hand. Everything magnified before his eyes, making Su Ruhui appear like a giant. His five senses seemed to have gotten stronger again, and the faint scent of soapberry from Su Ruhui’s embrace invaded his nostrils. Pressed against Su Ruhui’s chest, he could feel the warmth emitting from Su Ruhui’s bosom.

How did it turn out like this? That strange heart core had a far greater impact on him than it had on Su Ruhui before. Was it because his constitution was different from Su Ruhui’s, or was there some other reason? He felt the fluctuations of spiritual energy within his body. It was as if something had changed, but he couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was.

Will his body deteriorate? How much longer can he cling to life? Can he still turn back into a human?

A helpless sorrow welled up inside his heart. Perhaps he already could no longer be considered human.

Su Ruhui lifted it up and asked: “Little furball, where did you come from? How did you end up in my house?”

“A stray cat?” Han Ye sized it up, “Doesn’t look like one, it’s pretty clean.”

“It must’ve ran over from a neighbor’s house,” Su Ruhui patted its little head. The more he looked at it the more he liked it, “This little furball is so lovely. Meeting it was fate— it’s mine now. I’ll go ask around tomorrow to see which house’s pet it is and buy it off them.”

Han Ye let out a laugh and reminded: “Cats aren’t just playthings. If you want to keep one then you have to take care of it. Its fur is so long, you’ll suffer when it gets tangled and sticks all over its butt. You’ve never taken care of a cat before, I think you should send it back. If it’s a clean cat, it’ll even lick its own butt clean. But if it’s a sloppy one and you don’t take care of it, it’ll run around everywhere and smear its poop and pee all over the place. By that time you’ll know how to write out the word regret.”

Sang Chiyu coldly gazed at Han Ye, his azure pupils seemingly covered in a layer of frost.

Why is Han Ye here?

Didn’t Su Ruhui want to kill Han Ye? Yet now these two were chatting it up and laughing, quite familiar with each other. Sang Chiyu slowly frowned.

Han Ye asked in surprise: “Is it glaring at me?”

Su Ruhui lifted its big tail to check if its butt was clean. Looking down, beneath its messy white fur lay a tiny pink butthole, with two round and furry balls dangling below. Su Ruhui chuckled: “It’s a clean cat.”

Sang Chiyu felt a breeze on his bottom, and the entire cat shuddered.

Su Ruhui, this lecher!

Sang Chiyu struggled violently, trying to escape Su Ruhui’s embrace. Sang Chiyu had fought battles, suffered wounds, and even faced death. He had endured all kinds of hardship, but he had never suffered such humiliation. His tail was pulled away and his butt was examined by the person he hated most!

Su Ruhui grabbed its two front legs with one hand and its two hind legs with the other, holding it tightly in his arms. Sang Chiyu was unable to move. After becoming a cat, his strength was far inferior to that of a human who was many times larger than it, and Sang Chiyu was powerless to resist.

Su Ruhui said: “Don’t move. You’ll freeze to death if you run out in this freezing weather, you know? Be good and stay. I’ll take you as my son.”

Sang Chiyu despaired.

“You gotta spank the cat,” Han Ye taught him. “If it doesn’t listen, you gotta smack its butt so it knows you’re the boss. Otherwise, it’ll step all over your face and treat you like its little brother.”

As soon as Han Ye finished speaking, he felt a bone chilling gaze. Lowering his head, he met the kitten’s icy blue eyes. Han Ye found it strange that a cat’s expression could be so cold. He also felt an inexplicable familiarity with those eyes, as if he had encountered them somewhere before.

Sang Chiyu thought coldly, If Su Ruhui dares spank him, he’ll… he’ll… WCbZVK

He sadly realized that there was nothing he could do right now.

His ears drooped, his entire being looking weak and powerless. He would rather be a homeless stray cat and freeze to death on the streets than suffer such humiliation at the hands of Su Ruhui.

Su Ruhui couldn’t bear to hit it, cradling it like a baby. Its soft body was warm and toasty, like a little heater. Su Ruhui happily thought that he could use it to warm his feet at night.

Han Ye looked up at the sky and said, “Don’t leave the city for now. Stay in the Secret Sect. You don’t need to worry about those things in the snowy mountains. I will send someone else to investigate. Your primary task is to find out where the Secret Sect’s treasure is.”

He had Su Ruhui take out his communication compass and left his seal on it so that Su Ruhui could connect to his compass. The snowy mountains had strange creatures, and being in the Secret Sect was also akin to being in a dragon’s pool or tiger’s lair. Although A-Qi was clever, he was still not entirely at ease about this kid’s safety.

After spending these days with him, he had figured out a bit about A-Qi’s temperament. He seemed like a smooth talker, but was actually stubborn, not like one of those degenerate brats from the Underworld willing to do anything to climb the ladder. His earlier incident of offering himself up as a bedmate was probably just a ploy cooked up by those social climbing scum. This kid looked clean-cut and bore a resemblance to Su Ruhui, so he was sent to him.

He was a little worried about A-Qi, but only a little. His primary goal was to get Su Ruhui out of the Secret Sect. So the words of concern that had been on the tip of his tongue turned into: “Make sure you carry your compass with you at all times. I don’t like being unable to find people.”

Su Ruhui gave him a perfunctory reply, saying yes.

Sang Chiyu looked up at the two of them, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

Why does Han Ye call Su Ruhui A-Qi? What exactly is the relationship between those two?

Sang Chiyu suddenly recalled that Su Ruhui’s birthday fell on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month.

A-Qi… was his nickname?

Han Ye took a step to leave, then turned back and asked casually: “Has Sang Chiyu looked for you?”

Alarm bells rang in Su Ruhui’s mind. Back then, he had persuaded Han Ye to spare his life by arguing that Sang Chiyu harbored feelings for him and that he could be used to control Sang Chiyu. Regardless of whether there was any news about Sang Chiyu, he had to fabricate a lie to deceive Han Ye.

Su Ruhui decided to lie, claiming they were still exchanging goose-borne letters and whatnot. However, before he could speak, Han Ye laughed first, “Don’t try to fool me, do you think I’m stupid? Sang Chiyu definitely didn’t come looking for you.” He was in a good mood, and his tone relaxed, “You’ve cut ties with Sang Chiyu. There’s no need to keep in touch with him from now on. I don’t need you to find out anything from Sang Chiyu anymore.”

“Ah?” Su Ruhui was a bit shocked.

“You’re unwilling?” Han Ye narrowed his eyes, his gaze turning a few points more dangerous.

He took two steps forward, cornering Su Ruhui against the wall. Su Ruhui held the cat, which growled threateningly and revealed its sharp little fangs. Sensing the kitten’s tension, Su Ruhui felt deeply moved. He had just become its father, and it already knew to protect him from bad guys—truly his good son!

“Sang Chiyu is a hypocrite from head to toe. Don’t have anything to do with him anymore.” Han Ye said, “Just do what I asked you to do, understand?”

Su Ruhui solemnly responded: “This little one understands!”

Han Ye was satisfied and flicked his forehead with his finger. “A face full of foolishness.” He glanced at the cat in Su Ruhui’s arms, “Have you decided what to name it yet?”

“Replying to House Head,” Su Ruhui said, “I’ve decided to name it Jiang Baobao.”

Sang Chiyu: “…”

Another colorful chapter was added to his record of humiliations.

“Change the surname,” Han Ye hooked his lips into a smile, “Name it Han Baobao.”

Su Ruhui: “…”

Sang Chiyu: “…”

Han Ye squinted at him, his eyes filled with threat, “What, you don’t agree?”

Su Ruhui shamefully yielded, “Agree, agree, let’s call it Han Baobao.”

Su Ruhui finally saw Han Ye, that big shot, off. Once the little bastard was far away, he cursed inwardly. Han Baobao your fucking grandfather. Determined to go against Han Ye, he named his cat Sang Baobao. Whether Sang Chiyu agreed or not, Su Ruhui being the cat’s father was a done deal. Su Ruhui looked down at his darling son, pure white, like a big and fluffy steamed bun. Quiet and unassuming, his silent and proud demeanor really did resemble Sang Chiyu.

It looked utterly dejected: ears drooping, tail limp and hanging over Su Ruhui’s arm, a rather dispirited appearance. It’s probably cold, Su Ruhui thought. He picked up the torn robe from the ground. Besides the garment, a saber lay nearby. He recognized it as Su Yu’s and couldn’t help but feel a bit puzzled. Why would Su Yu throw his saber here? He went around the side door and found that Su Yu’s quarters were quiet, with no light in sight. He must be fast asleep. Not wanting to disturb him, he placed the robe and saber in the main hall.

Carrying Sang Baobao under his arm, Su Ruhui returned to his room. He lit a candle and placed Sang Baobao on the bed. Sang Baobao nestled in the blankets and faced its butt towards Su Ruhui, unwilling to see his face. Do cats have emotions too? Su Ruhui sensed a flavor of sadness and grievance from its back.

This little kitten looked as if a heavy black cloud was weighing on its head.

Was it not used to being in a new home? Su Ruhui guessed while rustling out of his clothes.

He put out the lights, burrowed into bed, and pulled Sang Baobao into his arms. Sang Chiyu struggled a couple of times, but Su Ruhui wouldn’t let him go, holding him tightly in his embrace. Helpless, he gave up, slumping softly and resignedly nestling in Su Ruhui’s arms. This guy was only wearing an underrobe, and he and Su Ruhui were pressed extremely close, separated only by a thin layer of silk. He could even feel Su Ruhui’s shallow and warm breath, brushing against the top of his head with each exhale.

In the darkness, the tips of his ears slowly turned red.

Su Ruhui’s grip on him loosened, and he realized Su Ruhui had already fallen into deep sleep. This was the perfect opportunity for him to escape. He had soft pads on his feet and could walk without a sound; Su Ruhui wouldn’t notice his departure. Yet, perhaps drawn by the warmth of the blankets, he inexplicably remained curled up without moving. His eyesight had become excellent with his transformation. Even in complete darkness, he could clearly see Su Ruhui’s face. The peaceful expression on his sleeping face, the delicate lines of his brows and eyes—Su Ruhui was only this quiet when he was asleep, not quite so annoying.

He also was feeling tired, and sleepiness weighed over him. He closed his eyes and drifted into a deep and sweet sleep.

Time flowed like a river, the night gradually thinning into a hazy pale blue. The world seemed to sink into dreary ripples. It was unknown how much time had passed, perhaps several hours, when Sang Chiyu awoke from his dreams. The first thing he saw was his own brilliant white hair, draped like silk across Su Ruhui’s arm. He sat up dazedly, his mind foggy and muddled from sleep. After a moment of blankness, the chill against his skin made him realize something was wrong. He looked down, and his naked, white body came into view.

He had changed back into a human.

And he wasn’t wearing any clothes.

His pupils suddenly shrank to the size of a needle.

Dawn had broken, and the sky was gradually brightening. He heard Su Ruhui’s low groan. This guy had also woken up, rubbing his eyes as he sat up. A thin string snapped in Sang Chiyu’s mind. Without enough time to think, he delivered a swift chop to Su Ruhui’s neck the instant Su Ruhui lifted his head. Still groggy from sleep, Su Ruhui seemed to glimpse a naked, white-haired man sitting before him. Before he could feel surprise or horror, a sharp pain shot through the back of his neck, and he slumped backward, falling into the man’s arms.

Sang Chiyu held the unconscious Su Ruhui, listening to his heart pounding like a drum.

He was so close, so close to being seen by Su Ruhui.