Chapter 51.3
Even if the relationship is good, two people together will inevitably have arguments. He Yanlü and Ye Yixing are no exception. Of course, most of the time it’s just minor bickering and teasing, a back-and-forth banter of “you bite me, I’ll bite you.”
If the argument escalates, they might give each other the cold shoulder, but during the silent treatment, both of them feel uncomfortable, anxious, but neither is willing to break the ice first and initiate a conversation.
When it doesn’t involve fundamental issues, Ye Yixing usually gives in to He Yanlü.
Midway through a silent treatment, Ye Yixing often softens, especially when he sees He Yanlü sitting alone in a corner, looking pitiful. He Yanlü becomes bored as well, even though they’re living under the same roof, he can’t stand Ye Yixing not talking to him.
So, neither of them knows who reaches out first, but one of them brushes against the other, and within seconds they are back in each other’s embrace!
Of course, this is the usual situation. In more extreme cases, it escalates to a full-blown fight, and occasionally even turns physical! This has happened twice, and the reasons for it are inexplicable.
The first time, He Yanlü, in a fit of anger, mentioned breaking up and moving out. Ye Yixing was so furious that he pinned him down on the bed and they spent a rough night together. He Yanlü was so frightened that he cried and begged, and for the next three days, he wouldn’t even get out of bed. After that, He Yanlü never dared to bring up anything similar again.
Ye Yixing was convinced that in a physical fight, He Yanlü couldn’t win against him. So, when arguments escalated, Ye Yixing would resort to using his physical strength to dominate, dragging him onto the bed, and He Yanlü would calm down after they finished.
However, things couldn’t be solved this way every time. For example, the second time, under Ye Yixing’s dominance, He Yanlü tearfully cried and even said he wanted to break up, get a new cat, and along the way accused Ye Yixing of his long-standing “crime” of not turning into a cat for him to cuddle!
Only then did Ye Yixing soften and comfort him, holding him while soothing and kissing him. Even so, two days later, Ye Yixing received a scolding over the phone from his mother, and Ye’s father came in person to lecture him. It was as if he was about to send He Yanlü back to his hometown…
After some reflection, Ye Yixing was concerned about the balance between them. Despite He Yanlü being older, he often found himself in a weaker position in their relationship. No matter what, he would always compromise a little for He Yanlü. But for some reason, He Yanlü always managed to awaken his desire to conquer in an instant…
Helpless, he turned to his best friend, Yang Qu.
Sitting in a café, Yang Qu tapped his fingers on the table and asked, “What exactly are you two fighting about?”
Sighing, Ye Yixing said, “I can’t even explain it myself. If I could figure out the reason, would I need to ask you?”
Yang Qu asked, “Small quarrels happen in any relationship, and both of you have compatible personalities. It’s not like you’re incompatible or irrational. It escalated to a physical fight. There must be a trigger, right?”
Thinking for a moment, Ye Yixing said, “Now that you mention it, I do recall that whenever He Yanlü says ‘Xiao Hei is much better behaved than you,’ I feel uncomfortable.”
In truth, Ye Yixing’s principle issue is about not transforming into a cat! He Yanlü deeply resents this!
Yang Qu chuckled, “Could you be jealous of yourself?”
Ye Yixing touched his nose, “So what if I am? I treat him so well, yet he’s always thinking about the cat. Is he with me because he loves me or because he loves the cat…”
Yang Qu took a sip of his coffee cup, “No wonder they say people in love are fools. Your IQ of 180 has turned into 18.”
(=皿=)
Yang Qu continued, “Have you ever thought that he might love you because you’re Xiao Hei?”
Ye Yixing nodded.
“However, haven’t you told me that He Yanlü has always admired Luomu?”
“That’s right.”
“So, he loves Xiao Hei because you are Luomu, which makes him love Xiao Hei even more.”
Yang Qu’s words left Ye Yixing stunned.
“Xiao Hei, or Luomu, they are all you, Ye Yixing. Now that he’s living with you, he’s a part of you. What more could you possibly want?”
Thinking about it, that makes sense. Ye Yixing intertwined his fingers and furrowed his brows as he asked, “Have I been too possessive of him? Does he feel restricted?”
“You’ll have to ask yourself that. Find the right balance between letting go and taking control. It’s up to you to manage.”
“Ah, the way you put it, I’m starting to feel sorry for He Yanlü. Whenever I fight with him, he always ends up feeling miserable.”
Yang Qu smiled and analyzed, “When he says ‘Xiao Hei is much better behaved than you,’ it’s easy to understand. He’s a man too, and older than you. He can’t always let you have the upper hand. He also has his male ego, his need for control and leadership. He sees that kind of status in Xiao Hei, but not so much in you. The cat is his possession. If his idol turns into a cat, he can do whatever he wants with his idol. It’s a psychological thing.”
Ye Yixing suddenly realized, “So that’s how it is. I’m really dense.”
Yang Qu said, “It’s easier to see as an outsider.”
Thinking of Chu Wenxing, since he started dating Yang Qu, he had turned into a submissive housewife-like character. Ye Yixing took this opportunity to ask curiously, “Is it the same with you and Chu Wenxing? I feel like he’s completely tamed by you. How do you manage him?”
The moment Chu Wenxing was mentioned, Yang Qu’s entire expression softened, “Treat him well, fulfill all his requests.”
“Huh? Are you a ‘strict wife’?”
Yang Qu chuckled, “Do you think that’s possible?”
“Then aren’t you afraid of spoiling him by pampering him so much?”
Yang Qu said, “There are things he never says, and sometimes he even says the opposite. What I have to do is guess what he truly wants deep down and fulfill all his needs, including his physical ones.”
“Pfft…” Ye Yixing sprayed his mouthful of tea, “Physical needs? He has such a reserved personality. He definitely wouldn’t mention that.”
Yang Qu methodically sipped his coffee, “Indeed, he’s quite stubborn about it. I have to figure out where his limits are, when he’s telling the truth, and when he’s lying. As long as I have control over the situation, he can fuss over the rest. What’s the harm?”
“Expert! Master! Guru!” Freak!
Just like He Yanlü, in most situations, he was compliant with Ye Yixing’s demands and very cooperative. Ye Yixing knew that he liked it too. Even when he occasionally said “no,” it was just an instinctive reaction that lasted a moment, not a genuine refusal.
That time he burst into tears, it was because Ye Yixing didn’t handle the situation well. Sigh…
Ye Yixing sighed and thought about how to appease his sulking lover when he got back home.
Satisfy his every request, just like Yang Qu said? Did that mean he should turn into Xiao Hei? That’s going too far!
Passing by a pet store on the way home, Ye Yixing, feeling frustrated, suddenly had an idea when he saw the kittens in the shop window.
“Meow… meow…” As soon as he got home, the two kittens were nervous and pacing at the entrance, uneasy in their new surroundings.
Hearing the sounds from the room, He Yanlü’s eyes brightened. His cold expression instantly melted, and he smiled as if the spring had come, “Where did these kittens come from? They’re so cute…”
Ye Yixing chuckled, “You gave birth to them, don’t you remember?”
He Yanlü jumped in surprise, “I… I gave birth…?”
Seeing He Yanlü standing there in a daze, Ye Yixing couldn’t hold back anymore. He went over and playfully flicked his nose, “You silly, do you believe everything I say?”
He Yanlü’s hair stood on end, and he was about to have a breakdown. Ye Yixing leaned in and kissed his cheek, saying, “I bought them for you to play with. Let’s consider them our sons. I gave birth to them, alright?”
Immediately soothed, He Yanlü blushed and smiled, then ran to play with the kittens. He asked Ye Yixing, who was cooking in the kitchen, “Which one is the big brother and which one is the little brother?”
Ye Yixing poured oil into the pan, stir-frying pork and vegetables, “Sizzle—”, he shouted from the kitchen, “Guess!”
He Yanlü touched one, then the other. The one with tiger stripes looked bigger and loved to cuddle. He Yanlü scratched its chin, and it closed its eyes and tilted its head, looking especially content. The smaller gray and white one bit its own tail as if playing alone.
He Yanlü called out to Ye Yixing, “The gray and white one is the little brother!”
Ye Yixing plated the food and continued with the next dish, saying, “You guessed wrong, that one is the big brother.”
He Yanlü grabbed the tiger-striped cat’s front paw and pulled it over, saying, “Let’s call you Xiaohua.” Then he looked at the gray and white cat, pondering for a moment before deciding, “Huihui.” He picked up both cats and went to introduce them to Dabaitu, the big white rabbit: “Let’s meet your big sister.”
Ye Yixing came out carrying the food and saw He Yanlü happily playing with the kittens and rabbit. He had a radiant smile on his face.
Setting the table, Ye Yixing took out the electric rice cooker and said, “Come eat, you can play later.”
He Yanlü asked, “What should we feed them? Did you prepare something?”
Ye Yixing pointed to the cat food by the entrance, “Bought cat food.”
He Yanlü asked again, “But aren’t they not supposed to eat cat food?”
Ye Yixing gave him a stern look, “I’m the one who can’t eat it, regular cats can definitely eat cat food!”
He Yanlü chuckled, “Really?” Ye Yixing scooped a bowl of cat food into a cat bowl from his shopping bag. He also took the litter box to the bathroom and washed his hands before coming to eat.
As they enjoyed their meal, they watched the kittens eat too. Xiaohua finished eating first and then let Huohui eat. He Yanlü commented, “Look at the little brother being naughty and bullying the big brother.”
Ye Yixing placed a piece of meat in He Yanlü’s bowl and said, “Actually, it’s the big brother letting the little brother have it.”
He Yanlü asked, “How do you know that Huohui is the big brother? He looks smaller.”
Ye Yixing smiled, “I’m shorter than you, but I’m older too.”
The term “older,” is it about height or something else? Ye Yixing’s smile became ambiguous. He Yanlü glared at him and didn’t say anything.
“The shop owner told me. She said that the gray cat is one year old, and the tiger-striped one is only eight months old.”
“Oh… I see, Huihui is more affectionate.”
“Really?” Ye Yixing took a bite of rice, “On the way home, the gray one kept licking my fingers, it didn’t stop. But the tiger-striped one was quiet.”
“Huh? Xiaohua is closer to me?”
“That’s quite unusual. One gets close to you, the other to me…”
Before going to bed that night, Ye Yixing placed blankets in a box for the kittens to sleep in. When they tried to climb out and continue playing with “Daddy,” Ye Yixing shot them a warning look that made them shrink back. He said, “Daddies are going to sleep now. Be good, no disturbances, understand?”
After He Yanlü finished showering and came out of the bathroom, he asked Ye Yixing, “What were you telling them?”
Ye Yixing laughed, “I was telling them to love each other and keep each other warm when they sleep at night.”
He Yanlü gave him another glare, “Stop making things up. Don’t teach our sons bad things!”
What’s wrong with keeping each other warm? It’s just sleeping close together, right? But Ye Yixing responded gently, “Understood.” He pushed He Yanlü into the bedroom. It’s adult time now, not suitable for the kids!
…
After a couple of months of raising the kittens, they had become accustomed to the home environment. With two of them, they played together and fought together, creating a lively atmosphere.
He Yanlü still enjoyed playing fetch with them. Every time he saw the kittens using their paws to play with the ball of yarn, he’d sigh and say, “You used to be like this too…”
Ye Yixing was in a dilemma; he firmly denied any history of such foolish behavior!
With two humans and two cats, their household became more vibrant and energetic. Xiaohua and Huohui grew mischievous and playful under the care of their “daddies,” thriving and developing.
Shredding tissues into pieces became a common occurrence in the household. Ye Yixing was frustrated, reflecting on how when he was a cat, he never did these “inhumane” and “outrageous” things! Even He Yanlü often complained, “Your daddies are much more well-behaved than you…”
Whenever He Yanlü was writing, the kittens loved to disturb him. At the beginning, He Yanlü teased, “Even if I write stories related to cats, I won’t turn you guys into humans. If you want to change, go find your daddies…”
But the kittens were persistent, surrounding He Yanlü’s feet, mewing incessantly, tugging on his pants, and scratching at his slippers… He Yanlü was driven to frustration, wondering why none of them learned from Xiao Hei, who was so well-behaved and would just lie quietly on his lap!
Ye Yixing watched He Yanlü’s expression from a distance, his heart aching. In an instant, he transformed into a big black cat and pounced over, carrying the two kittens to the balcony. He looked down at them sternly, scolding, “Mommy can’t be disturbed while working! Got it? If you don’t behave, you’ll stay on the balcony, and you won’t get any food!”
Ye Yixing’s emerald green eyes gleamed, and his fierce gaze made the kittens shiver and tremble in fear.
Daddy was indeed a daddy! No, wait! Daddy was indeed a cat! Once the kittens snapped out of their fear, they became even more affectionate towards Ye Yixing, nuzzling him with their necks and licking him…
“You know how to flatter…” Ye Yixing chuckled as he stroked them.
The strange thing was, Huohui, the big brother, still liked being close to Ye Yixing, while Xiaohua, the little brother, loved to tease He Yanlü! When Ye Yixing wasn’t around, Huohui would sleep alone on the couch; when He Yanlü was absent, Xiaohua would cuddle with Huohui and pester Ye Yixing.
Ever since they got the cats, the number of arguments between He Yanlü and Ye Yixing drastically decreased. What used to be a big fight every week turned into a small disagreement every two weeks, and eventually transformed into a harmonious family. Ye Yixing deeply felt that maintaining a good household required raising kids!
One day after an argument, He Yanlü lay on the bed, his voice soft and tender, “You looked so handsome when you became Xiao Hei, training the babies…” His eyes shimmered with love as he gazed at Ye Yixing, “You had such an authoritative presence as a father… I was so dumbstruck that day.”
Ye Yixing looked down at his lover beneath him, a smug expression on his face, “Well, I am a cat demon, after all!”
Looking up, He Yanlü kissed him, “You’re mine.”
Ye Yixing returned the kiss, “Mhmm, we’re all yours.”
