Chapter 158

Chapter 158

Halfway through washing, the youth in the bathtub hummed softly with eyes closed.

“My little darling?”

Yan Cen’s hand stayed on him, his throat moving slightly.

The youth didn’t wake but pressed his face closer.

Yan Cen cupped the youth’s soft cheek with one hand, the other still supporting his slim waist.

The youth’s hum sounded more like incoherent murmuring; Yan Cen paused for a few seconds, then continued washing him.

After finishing, Yan Cen dressed him in his own clothes.

The clothes hung loose on the youth; the pants legs needed to be rolled up a bit.

“Finished washing him?”

Outside the bathroom, Bai Si sat in a chair, resting his chin on his hand, lazily asking.

Yan Cen changed the sheets and such, then carefully laid the youth back on the bed.

“Finished.”

Yan Cen covered the youth with a blanket, then looked back at Bai Si: “Want to check him?”

“Alright.”

Bai Si stepped forward and thoroughly examined this newly transformed little cat.

“Tsk, really tough.”

While examining, Bai Si told Yan Cen, “Do you know how this transformation happened?”

“The youth’s bones were broken once and after being completely rebuilt, he slowly managed to transform.”

Bai Si didn’t hide the pain the youth had suffered, and after hearing this, Yan Cen’s expression changed repeatedly.

After the checkup, Bai Si left a prescription for Yan Cen.

“Give him this decoction daily; his body will be weak for a while and needs strengthening.”

“Okay.”

Yan Cen took the prescription nervously and asked, “When will my little darling wake up? Is he still in danger now?”

Bai Si glanced at the youth: “As long as you take good care, there’s no danger.”

When Bai Si finally left and the door opened, Mother Yan couldn’t help but squeeze into the room.

“Son.”

As soon as she entered, her eyes immediately scanned the youth on the bed: “Who is this child you brought back? Why have I never heard you mention him before?”

Yan Cen knew his little cat was safe for now, so he had the mood to say a few more words to his mother.

“He’s called Little Darling.”

Yan Cen raised his eyes and introduced to his mother: “From now on, he’ll live with us.”

The meaning behind these words made Mother Yan’s eyes curve with happiness.

“Oh my.”

Mother Yan said happily, “Son, are you in love?”

Yan Cen lowered his gaze, not denying it.

Seeing this, Mother Yan got even more excited, leaning closer to look at the youth on the bed: “He’s quite good-looking. Son, you have good taste.”

“How did you two meet? Can you tell mom?”

Yan Cen pressed his lips and told the truth: “I tricked him back.”

At first, he used stories, food, and patience to slowly coax him back.

Mother Yan: “…”Mother Yan’s smile stiffened: “Son?”

She exclaimed in horror, “We can’t do anything illegal or against the rules!”

What kind of times are these now? Technology is very advanced. If son did something like trafficking, he would definitely get caught!

Though their family is wealthy, they are law-abiding good citizens.

Seeing his mother misunderstand, Yan Cen added, “He came back with me willingly, Mom. When he wakes up, remember not to scare him.”

The mother and son didn’t talk for long. Yan Cen didn’t want to disturb the cat’s rest, so he ended the conversation.

After an unknown amount of time, everything was quiet.

The light in the room was dim, with a nightlight on.

The youth on the bed was embraced in someone’s arms, slowly lifting his eyelids.

“Meow—Yan Cen?”

Just as he was about to meow, the youth’s voice reflexively changed.

The meow turned clearly into the two words “Yan Cen.”

Only his voice was a bit hoarse, as if his throat was too dry.

Having endured the pain of transformation, the black-footed cat tilted his head back, looking at Yan Cen close by.

Yan Cen hadn’t slept well, just resting with eyes closed.

Hearing the name “Yan Cen,” the youth immediately opened his eyes.

Their eyes met.

The black-footed cat blinked, then called again, “Yan Cen?”

“I’m here.”

The black-footed cat moved a bit closer and asked, “Am I still alive?”

Yan Cen’s heart tightened.

He hugged the youth close in his arms, leaving no space between them.

“My little darling.”

He said softly, “You’re not dead, and you won’t die. Even if I die—”

“If you die, I’ll go with you.”

The black-footed cat acted generously: “There are even monsters in this world, maybe ghosts too. I won’t let you become a ghost alone.”

After all, this was the human he tamed and liked; he would take responsibility to the end.

Yan Cen slightly lowered his head, pressing his forehead to the youth’s: “Little darling, don’t take risks for me anymore, okay?”

This life was originally prepared for…

Even if it couldn’t last long, there wasn’t much regret.

But little darling’s appearance gave him more to care about.

The black-footed cat said nothing; he still couldn’t fully promise he could keep that vow.

The two pressed close together, neither wanting to sleep.

Having gotten used to being held by Yan Cen, the black-footed cat felt no discomfort being held after transforming.

He leaned in Yan Cen’s arms, still asking, “Do I look good after transforming?”

“Good.”

Yan Cen kissed his forehead, eyes full of affection: “Little darling’s appearance is the best I’ve ever seen.”

The black-footed cat: “…”

He shook his head.

“Not true at all.”He seriously corrected Yan Cen: “The kitten’s human form is the good-looking one.”

The kitten’s face after transformation was truly stunning.

Yan Cen knew who he meant by “kitten.”

He wasn’t too unfamiliar with Bai Li; he had seen Bai Li’s appearance before, and Bai Li looked quite compatible with Xie Chen.

“Little darling.”

Yan Cen pinched his cat’s cheek: “You two have different styles. Maybe I’m wearing filters, but in my eyes, only you are the best-looking.”

Besides little darling, how others looked didn’t matter to him at all.

The black-footed cat wasn’t happy being praised.

Because he really liked the kitten; he thought the kitten was especially, especially good-looking!

Yan Cen understood his cat’s feelings best; he smiled and started stroking the fur to comfort him.

It didn’t take long before the black-footed cat was smiling brightly.

Time passed and it was nearly midnight.

The black-footed cat glanced at the time, unwilling to stay up late with Yan Cen anymore.

“I want to sleep.”

He hugged Yan Cen’s waist, pressing his face against his neck.

Yan Cen couldn’t really fall asleep, holding his beloved cat in his arms, his mood still unsettled.

While they lingered, a trace of confusion suddenly flashed in the black-footed cat’s eyes.

“Yan Cen, you, you…”

The last few words dissolved into the night, making Yan Cen unusually blush.

“Little darling, sorry.”

He loosened his hold on the person in his arms, not daring to hug so tightly anymore.

The night before, his mother had brought him a bowl of soup. At the time, he was only thinking of little darling, so he didn’t notice that the soup had nourishing ingredients, maybe even a little too strong.

The black-footed cat grew up in the Outer Continent, living in a very primitive place.

At his core, he still had the simplest beastly instincts. Regarding Yan Cen’s reaction, he wasn’t shy at all. Not only was he not shy, he was curious.

“Do you want to mate with me?” the black-footed cat asked straightforwardly.

Yan Cen was a little embarrassed: “Little darling, I…”

Facing the cat’s clear eyes, Yan Cen was at a loss for words for a long time and in the end didn’t say any insincere or perfunctory lies.

The black-footed cat’s eyes curved like a small crescent moon, strangely sweet.

“I’m willing.”

He said, “I like you, so I can protect you—”

Those two words were blocked by the lips Yan Cen pressed against his.

The night was long.

The straightforward cat would have to pay a price for his boldness.

Early the next morning.

Mother Yan deliberately didn’t have anyone wake Yan Cen too early to eat.

She felt a bit guilty but didn’t seem very sincere about it.

“I was careless last night and gave something problematic to Little Cen. Let’s not disturb them now.”

Mother Yan whispered to Father Yan: “Otherwise, our son will get grumpy when he wakes up.”

Father Yan twitched at the corner of his mouth, resigned to his wife’s unreliability.

In the room, the just-awakened cat rubbed his eyes and nosed around Yan Cen restlessly.Their relationship had broken through a barrier, and Yan Cen now couldn’t get enough of looking at the cat.

“Darling, do you want to get up and eat something?”

“Yes.”

The black-footed cat sat up. The clothes he wore before sleeping were already dirty, and there were small red marks on his collarbone and other places.

Yan Cen’s eyes darkened slightly as he wrapped him back in the blanket.

“I’ll find you some clothes, wait a moment.”

After tidying up the cat, Yan Cen finally took him to the dining room.

Wearing Yan Cen’s clothes, the young man’s hair was short, his face long and handsome, but his aura was cold. At first glance, he looked like a cool guy, but the cool guy had crescent-shaped eyes, and when he smiled, he instantly turned into a little sweet bean.

Yan Cen formally introduced the little sweet bean to his parents. Mother Yan adored this little sweet bean endlessly.

“Little darling.”

Mother Yan held the young man’s hand and brought him close.

“Don’t feel awkward here. Your father Yan and I both really like you.”

Yan Cen had explained to them that little darling had no family and was all alone.

Moreover, this kid was coaxed back by their son. Mother Yan was afraid he might run away, and if that happened, their son would be heartbroken.

So she was incredibly considerate toward him.

At the same dining table was Yan Hua, who looked at the black-footed cat very displeased.

He was hostile to anyone close to Yan Cen.

The black-footed cat sensed this hostility sensitively, narrowed his eyes, and planned to settle the score with this jerk.

“Mom.”

The black-footed cat didn’t know how to call her properly, so he followed Yan Cen and said it together.

That “Mom” made Mother Yan extremely happy.

“Oh, little darling, you’re so obedient.”

Mother Yan looked at her son: “Son, where did you coax this treasure back from?”

Yan Cen smiled but didn’t answer.

The black-footed cat had only said “Mom” once and hadn’t had the chance to do more before Mother Yan hugged him.

He was confused and bewildered, not understanding why Mother Yan was so happy.

“Little darling.”

Seeing how close he was with Yan Cen, Mother Yan asked him, “Do you… want to marry Yan Cen?”

Here it comes—the cat brother’s awaited marriage to bring joy.

The reason he risked turning human was because he didn’t want Yan Cen to marry someone else to bring luck.

Yan Cen belonged to him alone. The cat brother’s territory was inviolable.

“Mom,” the cat brother said firmly, “I want to marry Yan Cen!”

“Yan Cen’s health isn’t good; even if you marry, maybe—”

“I’m not afraid.”

The black-footed cat understood her meaning but remained resolute: “No matter what happens to Yan Cen, I want to marry him.”

Once married, the cat brother thought, Yan Cen would definitely get better.