Mo Yanze clenched his fists in frustration. This was not the development he wanted!
“It’s all because of that damn cat showing up in this situation!”
He absolutely refused to admit that he would feel jealous because of a cat, that he would be provoked by the cat’s existence, and that it would disrupt his plans! He didn’t even want to get involved…
“Xiao Lu…” Mo Yanze stood up and straightened his shirt collar.
He Qianlu took a step back, and Mo Yanze advanced step by step. Although each table was separated by landscape barriers, creating separate spaces, the awkward atmosphere caught the attention of the café’s waitstaff.
He Qianlu supported his weak body and said, “I don’t have that much money with me. I’m sorry I can’t pay for my own expenses, but I’ll pay you back.”
Mo Yanze silently looked at him.
He Qianlu continued, “Please don’t come looking for me in the future, and don’t interfere with my life.” After saying that, he turned to leave. As he turned, his knees went weak and he almost fell. Mo Yanze stepped forward to help him, but he was evaded by He Qianlu. Mo Yanze was left empty-handed, watching He Qianlu’s retreating figure. He furrowed his brows and followed closely behind him, saying, “I’ll take you back.”
While chasing after him, Mo Yanze called the driver downstairs, saying, “Come up and pay the bill! I didn’t bring cash!”
“Um, Young Master, what about the card…” Couldn’t they just use a card in this café?
“Don’t waste time! I don’t have the time for that!”
The driver was puzzled, yelled at, hung up the phone, and reluctantly climbed out of the car. Shortly after, he saw the handsome young man brought by his young master rushing out of the café, followed closely by Mo Yanze.
This… seems to have escalated… (=_=)
Ignore it, ignore it! It’s not something the driver should be curious about… he sighed and obediently went up to clean up the mess.
Suppressing his weak and floating steps, He Qianlu stood on the roadside and hailed a taxi that was approaching a hundred meters away.
As soon as he staggered into the car, the man behind him held the door and got in as well.
Mo Yanze said to the taxi driver, “16 Xingyue Court.”
As the car started moving, He Qianlu leaned against the seat, gasping for breath. He stared at Mo Yanze desperately trying to shrink into the corner, and Mo Yanze’s hand reached out. He had nowhere to escape and was terrified, wanting to call for help…
Why do you treat me like a ferocious beast…
Mo Yanze’s gaze turned cold, and he withdrew his hand, creating a bit of distance between them.
Mo Yanze felt restless and anxious. This feeling was like being the prey that was aware of the danger before the hunter raised his gun, running far away but finding nowhere to hide.
It wasn’t until they got out of the car that He Qianlu suddenly turned his head and said menacingly to Mo Yanze, “I won’t let you see my cat!” His expression was like that of a protective mother hen trying to chase away a weasel that coveted her chicks!
To others, this might sound like a nonsensical joke.
However, it was precisely this statement that provoked Mo Yanze’s anger.
—In his younger brother’s eyes, he was even inferior to a lowly cat. Being compared to a “cat” repeatedly and being unable to achieve anything, Mo Yanze finally snapped.
He Qianlu, with a mind that paid no attention to consequences, continued to get agitated. “I don’t know if you’re a real ‘brother,’ and I have no interest in knowing how you found out about me! Yes, I don’t have any family, but I’m not lonely because I’m not alone. I have Xia Hei…” The effect of alcohol made him slightly excited. “So, please go back!”
He said it all in one breath, and He Qianlu foolishly thought that the other person would have the sense to leave. So, without looking back, he staggered and climbed up the stairs. He didn’t see the terrifying expression on Mo Yanze’s face as he silently followed him half a second later. Mo Yanze’s deep gaze focused on He Qianlu’s back, as if he wanted to bore two holes into him.
×××
Since transforming into a cat on April 1st, this was the first time Ye Yixing had gone out in human form.
It felt like a rebirth. The normal-sized buildings in his field of vision, the passing traffic and crowds, the gazes of girls as he walked down the street—this was the environment he should have been living in.
However, Ye Yixing had no time to spare for this reemergence into the human world. In his mind, there was only He Qianlu. Midway through, he suddenly remembered that his wallet was still with Yang Qu. At the moment, he had no money except for his phone. Ye Yixing called Yang Qu again and said, “Buddy, you still have to come… I don’t have any money.”
“Why do you need money?” Yang Qu asked.
Ye Yixing scratched his head and said, “I’m going to the supermarket, so I thought I could buy some things…”
Yang Qu sighed helplessly. “Wait for me at an ATM. I’ll call the bank and make a withdrawal reservation for you.”
Fifteen minutes later, Ye Yixing successfully withdrew money using his phone number and bank card password. He couldn’t help but sigh, realizing that the information age wasn’t suitable for cats to survive in. Being a cat for too long had clearly lowered his intelligence…
When they arrived at the supermarket, Ye Yixing tripped over the iron bar of the shopping cart at the entrance, nearly falling flat on his face. Fortunately, his body was still agile, and his athletic cells were intact. He managed to stabilize himself after taking a few steps forward.
Someone’s face twitched. After getting used to the body of a black cat, he seemed to be experiencing various forms of discomfort after turning back into a human?
Meanwhile, the Biscuit Girl was lazily organizing the items on the shelves that had been turned upside down. Suddenly, she noticed an extremely eye-catching handsome guy wandering around the supermarket. His rebellious temperament, the messy black hair, the handsome and elegant facial features that exuded a sense of grandeur, the slender figure, and the appropriate height…
The Biscuit Girl’s eyes instantly turned into hearts. Ah! This was the mold of a perfect boyfriend!
As the person kept turning around, seemingly searching for something, the Biscuit Girl was about to gather the courage to approach and strike up a conversation when their gazes met with Ye Yixing’s.
Oh my god! What beautiful eyes!
His emerald green pupils were as deep as a tranquil spring. The lazy, slightly upturned corners of his eyes were just like… a cat!
Cats were the most proud animals, self-proclaimed kings wherever they went!
A man who resembled a cat was undoubtedly the most charming!
The Biscuit Girl was stunned, her mouth wide open in amazement.
It wasn’t until Ye Yixing approached her face to face and politely said, “Hey, miss, can I ask you something…” that the petite Biscuit Girl, upon hearing Ye Yixing’s address, blushed uncontrollably.
The term “miss” was how a prince charming in her fantasies would address her!
This guy… this guy in front of her was definitely a playboy!
“Ah, um! Please go ahead!” But she had absolutely no resistance to this type of man!! (T_T)
Upon closer observation, the Biscuit Girl noticed that the handsome guy’s eyes were actually black. Was the momentary reflection of the green, cat-like pupils a result of the supermarket lights?
“Have you seen a guy around my age in the supermarket?” Ye Yixing gestured near his forehead with his finger to explain, “He’s about this tall and very good-looking.”
The Biscuit Girl immediately thought of the beautiful man who had been wandering around the supermarket pushing an empty cart earlier in the day. Her mind uncontrollably started making connections…
What was their relationship? Why was the handsome guy looking for him? Wait a minute! Could it be the BL that her friends often talked about?
All her friends were hardcore fujoshis, and under the influence of this environment, she had long been corrupted by the meaning of terms like “seme” and “uke”!
Could it be that the daydreaming beauty from earlier wasn’t yearning for spring but rather the handsome guy in front of her? Was wandering around the supermarket lost a form of eloping? A way to escape from the unfulfilled desires of the handsome guy?…
(=皿=) Ah, stop!
2 / 2
Ye Yixing observed the young supermarket employee in front of him, who wore a badge indicating she was an intern.
“These types of girls are usually easy to talk to, but this girl seems a bit different from He Yanlü. Her expressions keep changing, making her seem unsure… (=_=)”
Deciding that if she didn’t respond soon, he would find someone else to ask, the girl finally spoke in a trembling voice, “Is he wearing a low-cut thin sweater?”
Ye Yixing hesitated and replied, “Uh, I don’t know what he wore in the morning, but he tends to daydream a lot.”
The girl vigorously nodded, convinced it was the same person, “He was pushing an empty shopping cart around the supermarket for quite some time, lost in thought! Occasionally, he even chuckled!”
“He chuckled?” Ye Yixing raised an eyebrow, “Do you know what time he left?”
The girl thought for a moment and said, “It was around ten o’clock. I saw him only buy two small things before leaving.”
“Two small things?”
“Yeah, he just bought those and left…” As the girl finished her sentence, she saw the previously smiling handsome guy suddenly darken in expression. She shivered and gathered the courage to ask cautiously, “Is he your younger brother…? Hopefully, he’s your brother! If he is, then there’s still a glimmer of hope!”
Ye Yixing looked down at the girl and said in a deep voice, “He is my father.”
(=口=) What? What, what? She didn’t hear wrong? “Father, father?”
“Yes.” Ye Yixing added, “He left home in the morning and hasn’t returned until now… I’m really worried about him.”
Although he wasn’t inclined to such thoughts! Although he really wanted a handsome guy like the one in front of him to be his boyfriend! But reality, why does it have to be so cruel?! How can his father have such a youthful appearance that defies all logic and makes people feel despair!?
…
Ye Yixing thanked the petrified girl, his mind filled with worries and emotions.
He Yanlü left the supermarket before eleven, so theoretically, he should have been home by eleven-thirty at the latest! Then where did these three hours go? Did something happen on the way?!
He prayed to the heavens, begging that He Yanlü would not encounter any life-threatening danger!
No!… He would be safe; maybe some unforeseen event delayed him!
While trying to console himself, Ye Yixing walked to the “special” section of the supermarket. Squinting, he scanned the shelves and picked the most expensive lubricant, a 200ml bottle, wondering if it would be enough for the night (= =)…
If he used it up, he could buy more next time… Holding the chosen bottle of special liquid, he found condoms in his size. When he saw there were different flavors of Durex on the shelf, his eyes lit up at “chocolate flavor” – the guy in question seemed to enjoy sweet treats (= =)!
Even though he didn’t know if they would be needed, he decided to keep them just in case…
Ye Yixing glanced around the area, confirming there was no one nearby. Without hesitation, he grabbed a handful of items, calmly paid for them, and went back home.
…
Some people say they dare not have expectations because the higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment.
Reality often leaves you disheartened.
Even so, why do so many people still foolishly hold onto expectations?
At this moment, Ye Yixing finally grasped the reason. Expectations can temporarily soothe the feeling of despair and make people feel hopeful again.
But, what if reality couldn’t meet those expectations?
Ye Yixing took a deep breath and walked home, feeling the weight of uncertainty pressing down on his heart.
Here’s the English translation of the text you provided:
…
Some people say that they are afraid to have expectations because the higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment. Reality often leaves you feeling lost.
If that’s the case, why do so many people still foolishly hold onto their expectations?
At this moment, Ye Yixing finally understands a little. Expectations can temporarily soothe the heart’s despair; it can be such a beautiful thing.
For a moment, he even fantasizes that he is the one who went to the supermarket in the morning, while He Yanlu stayed at home. If he goes back, he can see him, just like before, leaning on each other, accompanying each other.
No one will be missing, no one will disappear, and no one will leave and never return.
Indulge in such fantasies, leave all the unease and confusion behind. By thinking like this, he feels much happier.
Ye Yixing buys some food from a convenience store on the way to ease his hunger after a day without eating. He looks at the special items in the bag and smiles, thinking that he needs strength to be in a good state of mind to deal with things.
He wonders if his stupid father has eaten anything today…
He buys a few egg tarts for He Yanlu from a dessert shop, carefully packing them, and then goes to the adjacent flower shop to buy three roses, tying them into a simple bouquet and placing them in the bag, revealing the petals’ enchanting beauty.
…
On the way back, his phone hasn’t been ringing the entire time. The screen only shows the silently ticking electronic clock seconds, without any other response.
It’s almost four o’clock. This is the most agonizing day Ye Yixing has ever experienced.
Waiting, disappointment, anticipation, the unpredictable next moment—longing becomes an illness.
×××
Up and down the stairs, searching everywhere, He Yanlu stands in the empty living room, calling for Xiao Hei. His voice starts with excitement, then becomes hesitant, and finally weakens.
His panic becomes a reality—once it’s past midnight, the magic of the black cat will disappear.
His Xiao Hei hasn’t appeared, and he can’t even find any signs of its existence, except for the silver collar he holds in his hand at this moment.
The last time it was clearly the prop Xiao Hei used to play hide-and-seek with him, but now it lies pitifully on the carpet, just like himself, abandoned—a true reflection.
Mo Yanze stands at the entrance, watching He Yanlu running up and down, calling out “Xiao Hei.” Is that the cat’s name?
But once again, he has been abandoned.
The companionship of a cat? Haha! How laughable.
Watching his pale face and despairing expression, Mo Yanze feels a sense of vindictive pleasure, and sharp mockery slips out: “Are you dreaming? You wouldn’t happen to have delusions, right?”
Head dizzy and brain aching, He Yanlu tries to laugh at himself, but he realizes that his face is stiff and unable to make any expression. Perhaps this is how facial paralysis is supposed to be, just as Chu Wenxing described, where there should be no expression at all.
Is it so? Perhaps he truly only had a dream, and his Xiao Hei never existed.
If thinking like this could make him feel a little better, he would tell himself that it was just a dream.
He woke up, but he’s still alone.
Just like every fairy tale story he has written, the story always remains just a story.
But even though he has told himself all this, why does his heart still ache in waves?
It’s like the sharpest sword piercing his heart, stirring it slowly, one after another…
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