Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The moment You Nan opened the door, 007—who had just finished stashing all the red envelopes—darted past his feet, slipping through the narrow gap of the barely opened door.

Chubby as a little black piglet, it left several dark cat hairs on You Nan’s pant legs.

You Nan’s hand, still on the doorknob, froze: "…"

What was wrong with this cat? It had been silent a moment ago, and now it was suddenly bursting with energy.

As he pondered, a difficult-to-describe odor suddenly assailed him.

Frowning, You Nan followed the scent to a large litter box placed near the bedroom balcony.

The overpowering smell of cat poop emanated from it.

The litter box had been empty when everyone was inside earlier, so this must be 007’s fresh contribution.

007 raced rapidly down the stairs, its plump physique doing nothing to impede its agility.

It moved like a black silhouette tearing through sunlight, leaping down the last few steps with all four limbs outstretched, slicing through the air like a kite. The instant its paws touched the ground, it executed a perfect kitty power slide.

Its four legs scrambled noisily as it zipped around the sofa, leaving a vivid impression on Yao Xianqing and Shen Zihe, who were waiting in the living room.

Shen Zihe raised an eyebrow. "This cat is really energetic."

Yao Xianqing remained silent, his gaze, like Shen Zihe’s, fixed on the cat as it continued its ceaseless circuit.

007’s ears and tail were held high, brimming with vitality. It absolutely loved this feeling!

Qi Yuwen, of course, also noticed 007’s frantic dash. Seeing that the cat hadn’t collided with anything, moved with remarkable flexibility, and knew to avoid people, he didn’t bother having anyone catch it.

This cat was his wife’s darling—he wouldn't overstep the owner.

"This is my wife You Nan’s cat, his little treasure," Qi Yuwen explained. "This cat is quite clever—it even tricked me into giving it a cat treat this morning."

Shen Zihe chuckled. "Love the owner, love the pet—I understand completely."

As they spoke, You Nan descended from upstairs.

Qi Yuwen took his hand and led him to his friends, introducing his wife in a gentle tone.

"This is my wife, You Nan."

When he uttered the word "wife," Qi Yuwen paused slightly, giving it emphasis.

Yao Xianqing acted as if he hadn’t caught the underlying meaning. With a warm smile, he extended his hand to You Nan. "Hello, I’m Yao Xianqing, a friend of Qi Yuwen."

Shen Zihe stepped forward with an open demeanor. "Shen Zihe."

You Nan, having read the script, already knew their names, but he still feigned a first meeting, a fresh acquaintance.

Standing beside Qi Yuwen, he smiled demurely, but being introverted, he softly uttered, "Nice to meet you."

Shen Zihe and Yao Xianqing were strangers to him. In their eyes, he was merely a random passerby, much like those wealthy young men might encounter on the street. Beyond his identity as Qi Yuwen’s "wife," he would leave no other impression on them.

Qi Yuwen checked the time. It was getting late. "Let’s go, time for dinner."

Qi Yuwen drove himself, with You Nan in the passenger seat and his friends—along with the one who held his heart—in the back. The atmosphere in the car was subtly awkward.

You Nan knew the three of them were acquainted, forming a close-knit group, and he had just joined today with no common topics to discuss. He felt like an outsider.

Quietly holding the cat that had accompanied him, You Nan remained silent, turning his head to gaze out the window at the passing scenery, tuning out the conversations among the men that he couldn’t comprehend.

007 sat between You Nan’s legs, the passenger seat’s seatbelt securing both him and gently pressing against the kitten’s belly.

The pair sat quietly, well-behaved and utterly silent.

You Nan gently stroked the kitten’s soft, millet-sized toes.

Even though Qi Yuwen appeared cool and composed on the surface, still chatting and laughing with his two friends,

You Nan knew that the moment he got married, Qi Yuwen’s heart was likely already riddled with wounds. Yet, even so, he had to grit his teeth and smile, preventing his lingering feelings from being noticed by the one he loved.

Qi Yuwen feared that if Yao Xianqing discovered the truth, he would decisively distance himself, and they would become strangers once more.

"Among our circle, besides Lu Chengwan, you’re the first to get married."

Shen Zihe, wanting to draw You Nan into their conversation, glanced at You Nan’s fair profile, sensing his quiet and reserved nature. "I hadn’t heard any news about you before. Qi Yuwen! Tell us! When did you win over your partner? Be honest."

Qi Yuwen kept his eyes on the road ahead and chuckled, "Why couldn’t it be that my wife pursued me?"

"Oh wow," Shen Zihe exaggeratedly turned to Yao Xianqing beside him, deliberately trying to catch You Nan’s attention. "Look at how proud he is. He’s already calling them 'wife'."

Yao Xianqing sat behind You Nan, less than fifty centimeters away. The car was filled with the fresh, subtle scent of magnolia, a fragrance Yao Xianqing favored.

Yao Xianqing crossed his legs and leaned back against the seat.

His voice was pleasant and articulate, "They say there are three great joys in life: promotion and wealth, acing the imperial exams, and the wedding night."

"Our Yuwen, still young, has already accomplished two of them, far surpassing the rest of us. It’s only natural for him to want to brag."

Yao Xianqing’s words were carefully measured.

Shen Zihe narrowed his eyes, studying Yao Xianqing’s profile as if searching for some hidden secret. "So, when do you plan to get married? Seeing Yuwen and Lu Chengwan both married makes me want a wife too."

His voice was low, but the car was small, and everyone could still hear.

You Nan’s ears perked up, and he couldn’t help glancing sideways, observing the expression of the man driving.

Shen Zihe’s question to Yao Xianqing plunged another wound into Qi Yuwen’s already withering heart.

Indeed, Qi Yuwen’s smile froze upon hearing it.

Yao Xianqing’s family had arranged a marriage, but neither he nor his partner were in a hurry to marry.

Yao Xianqing brushed Shen Zihe’s hand off his shoulder. "We’ll see. Both of us are quite busy right now."

Noticing Shen Zihe’s wistfulness, he added, "It took Yuwen many years to meet the right person before he could marry so quickly. You hardly interact with women, so it might be a long time before we get to attend your wedding."

You Nan closed his eyes and leaned back against the seat, listening to their conversation as if he were pretending to be asleep.

007 sensed the awkward tension in the car, its ears flattening against its head.

"Nan Nan, was Yao Xianqing’s remark subtly throwing shade at Qi Yuwen?"

007, being a kitten, its big, watery eyes darted alternately at Qi Yuwen and Yao Xianqing.

It wasn’t like a human. People might mind being eavesdropped on or watched, but they would never take it out on a cute, innocent kitten.

007 continued analyzing, "Something about that doesn't sound right. Is Yao Xianqing implying that despite being together for so long, they still have no fate?"

Qi Yuwen heard the kitten's meow and caught a glimpse of the little cat staring at him with round, wide eyes, awaiting his response.

You Nan sat among the higher-status individuals, feeling utterly uncomfortable.

Unlike 007, the lively little kitten, he didn’t have the leisure to enjoy the gossip right in front of the source.

While the kitten was excitedly engrossed in the gossip, You Nan reached out and rubbed its round head, almost toppling the chubby little "piglet" over.

The kitten could talk to him, but he couldn’t communicate with it directly in front of others. Whenever he wanted to say something to 007, he had to find a private moment.

You Nan wasn’t as perceptive as the little kitten; he couldn’t detect the underlying tension between Qi Yuwen and Yao Xianqing.

Especially since Yao Xianqing and Qi Yuwen were both masters of pretense. Their conversations were like coded messages, difficult for others to decipher.

But none of this had anything to do with You Nan himself.

His role in the plot was limited and predetermined. Once he finished his part, it would be over, and he could leave this small world and clock out.

So, You Nan didn’t need to concern himself with the emotional developments between the main characters.

He didn’t need to pay attention to what they said. He just had to focus on doing his own part well.

You Nan didn’t say anything, but the kitten seemed to have found its own answer. It didn’t make another sound afterward.

Shen Zihe found Yao Xianqing’s words quite reasonable, "True, finding someone to marry isn’t easy. It’s better to wait. Rushing into marriage isn’t a good path."

Shen Zihe’s gaze lingered on the kitten, which was looking his way. The refined man twitched his fingers, wanting to pet it but restraining himself.

He sought the cat owner’s permission, "Your kitten is so chubby, really adorable."

You Nan only spoke up when the supporting male character mentioned 007, "Yeah, it’s quite heavy."

"Have you weighed it?" Shen Zihe also had a cat at home and loved felines, especially other people’s plump kittens.

They just looked so pudgy and cute.

You Nan, of course, hadn’t—he’d only met 007 yesterday.

You Nan answered truthfully, "No. Probably around eight pounds or so."

Shen Zihe had already noticed the kitten back at the wedding venue. He rubbed his thumb and forefinger together, restraining himself but ultimately failing.

He asked the kitten’s owner, "Can I hold it?"

Right after speaking, he felt his words might have been ambiguous and calmly clarified.

"I mean, can I hold the cat?"

While Shen Zihe spoke, neither Qi Yuwen nor Yao Xianqing in the back seat said a word.

You Nan, who was used to playing minor roles, had already faced the male lead earlier and was now immediately dealing with an important supporting male character. With the two main characters silent beside him, he felt nervous facing Shen Zihe alone.

You Nan’s bright, beautiful eyes instinctively glanced toward his husband, seeking his opinion.

Qi Yuwen sensed his gaze and responded gently, "It’s up to you. If you don’t want to, he won’t be upset."

The cat wasn’t his—it was You Nan’s, so You Nan should decide.

Shen Zihe feigned offense, "Are we even brothers?"

You Nan laughed, his eyes curving into smiles.

You Nan looked down and met 007’s gaze.

007’s innocent, watery cat eyes stared directly at him, meowing twice.

Its entire body seemed to scream, "I’m so adorable; it’s only natural that he likes me."

You Nan, who surprisingly understood the kitten’s meaning: "..."

Seeing that the kitten didn’t mind, You Nan also didn't mind.

"Sure, you can hold it." You Nan was very generous.

You Nan held the kitten’s front paws with one hand and supported its round, plump bottom with the other, turning sideways to pass the kitten back.

Shen Zihe, having a cat at home, naturally knew how to hold one properly.

Cats are insecure animals; when holding them, you need to protect their soft bellies and support their hind legs.

The man’s hands were much larger than You Nan’s. As his palm covered the kitten’s belly, 007 instinctively bared its teeth and hissed at him.

When 007 realized who was trying to hold it, it immediately suppressed its reaction, nervously sticking out its pink tongue to lick its lips.

Shen Zihe used his other hand to support the kitten’s hind legs. You Nan let go to allow him to hold it properly. But the chubby kitten was still a bit heavy to hold with one hand, and even with both of them supporting its front legs, it wasn’t enough. The moment You Nan released his grip, the kitten started to slip.

Both men immediately reached out simultaneously to support the kitten’s plump bottom, and their hands ended up overlapping.

You Nan felt as if an electric current ran through him. Before Shen Zihe could even react, he quickly pulled his hand back and turned away.

Shen Zihe held 007 in his arms, his expression calm as if nothing had happened.

Only the lingering smooth sensation in his palm remained vivid.

Shen Zihe was an extremely restrained man who maintained his distance from others. For him, even touching someone’s hand was considered quite bold—excluding handshakes during business deals.

He held the cat, feeling its weight, but his eyes couldn’t help glancing toward his friend also sitting in the back seat, wondering if Yao Xianqing had seen what just happened.

Qi Yuwen, sitting in the front, hadn’t seen it.

Yao Xianqing was holding his phone, messaging someone. The man’s attention was on the screen, seemingly unaware of the accidental contact between You Nan and Shen Zihe that had just occurred right under his nose.

Shen Zihe’s gaze was too intense. Yao Xianqing looked up, a hint of weariness and helplessness in his expression, "What’s wrong?"

Shen Zihe studied his face and, realizing he probably hadn’t seen anything, subtly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Nothing. Look at this cat—it’s so well cared for, its fur is glossy and sleek."

007 flicked its tail, slapping it heavily against his clothes and pants, generously gifting him with plenty of cat fur.

The kitten opened its mouth and yawned, feeling quite pleased with Shen Zihe’s praise.

As expected of a supporting male character with significant screen time—he sure knew how to talk.

Yao Xianqing put down his phone and reached out to pet You Nan’s cat a couple of times, "You Nan really takes good care of this cat."

You Nan hadn't actually taken care of 007 for even a single day.

He felt a little guilty, his voice soft and tinged with nervousness, afraid that the romantic male lead and the male supporting character would see through his lie.

"It’s fine—mostly because he’s pretty smart himself and knows how to eat and take care of himself..." right? he added.

"I'm a bit curious, may I ask how you two met?" Yao Xianqing looked up and explained to You Nan, "It's just that Yuwen's marriage came so suddenly—none of us friends knew he had been secretly dating someone."

Shen Zihe, holding the cat and refusing to let go, immediately joined in criticizing Qi Yuwen. "Yeah, he acted like we were strangers!"

Qi Yuwen, who was driving, wasn't happy hearing this and retorted irritably, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Shen Zihe wasn't afraid of him—what was there to fear from a married man!

The clever Shen Zihe directly turned to You Nan to complain.

"Look at him! I just wanted to know a little gossip, and he’s still being harsh with me. You Nan, get your husband under control. Don’t let it go to his head just because he’s married! Acting like he doesn’t know who his brothers are anymore!"

You Nan: "..."

Y-You mean you want me to control the dominant male lead?

You Nan was terrified.

He subtly glanced at Qi Yuwen’s expression beside him.

The dominant male lead had perfect composure; even after hearing this, he showed no unusual emotions and was genuinely waiting for You Nan to respond.

You Nan hesitated for two seconds before mustering his courage.

He followed Shen Zihe’s lead and said, "Yuwen’s been great—isn’t he still driving for you as your driver?"

Shen Zihe laughed heartily. "True, true! Since Qi Yuwen got married today, I’ll give him a pass today, man!"

After saying this, Shen Zihe repeated Yao Xianqing’s earlier question. This time, You Nan couldn’t avoid it, so he said, "We’re colleagues. After a while, we just... kinda..."

You Nan couldn’t continue making it up and could only rely on the others to use their imagination and fill in the blanks.

Shen Zihe understood and nodded. "Got it—it was a slow burn, right!"

As he said this, he elbowed Yao Xianqing, who had been quietly listening beside him, and winked. "Right?"

Yao Xianqing gave a noncommittal reply.

You Nan glanced out the window and happened to meet Yao Xianqing’s gaze in the rearview mirror beside him. The moment their eyes met, You Nan felt panicked and quickly looked away.

Yao Xianqing caught what You Nan did and frowned.

He raised his hand and touched his own face.

The other had avoided his gaze two or three times already—Do I really seem that scary?

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