Chapter 36: 036 Love

Su Yuyun had originally been riding with Ming Ruan and the others. After entering the Sanatorium Zone, he was called away by a communication from the Main Control Center to handle some urgent matters.

Worried about Ming Ruan, who had just taken his post and was unfamiliar with interstellar procedures, Su Yuyun quickly wrapped up his tasks and rushed back.

However, he was still a step too late.

Su Yuyun stepped off the flying sedan.

Before him, on the wide-open stretch of empty ground, the Gray Wolf and the Fox heard the noise and immediately looked up, fixing their eyes on him, full of reproach and disapproval.

And surrounded by the Wolf and the Fox in the middle was a little Ming Ruan mushroom.

In the cold wind, Ming Ruan crouched on the ground, hugging his knees in confusion, just like his first day arriving in the interstellar era.

Seeing Su Yuyun return, he said, baffled and dazed: “Boss…”

Ming Ruan was like a little puppy that had gone out to play, only to come home and find its doghouse gone.

The coordinates were right.

How could such a big house just be gone?!

No one notified him to change residences either?

Huh?

The live stream room was going crazy with worry.

“My silly little darling, open your Light Brain, authenticate your gene info, and check under Citizen-Employment Status!”

“The person above, why are you shouting so loud! Wife isn’t from the interstellar era, he doesn’t know! Don’t call him silly!”

“Why didn’t the Adjudicator come help, so mean.”

“Why are Xie Gewen and Shi Huai standing so close, don’t tell me they’re using blocking the wind as an excuse to cuddle with Ruanruan.”

Su Yuyun strode over in a few steps. He didn’t mention that these circumstances were all explained in the contract. He only said, “Sorry, I forgot to inform you.”

He held out his open palm towards the crouching Ming Ruan, simultaneously summoning his Light Brain and tapping a few times in the air.

Ming Ruan: “…”

How did Boss know his legs had fallen asleep and he couldn’t stand up?

Ming Ruan used Su Yuyun’s hand to pull himself up.

Su Yuyun’s palm was chilled by the touch. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. He wanted to close his palm to warm those icy fingertips, but ultimately restrained the impulse.

He plucked the Fox from beside him and stuffed it into Ming Ruan’s hands.

Ming Ruan went along with it, puzzled but blissfully stuffing his hands into the warm fluff.

Shi Huai, who was innocently chilled: “?”

Just as Ming Ruan was exclaiming over the comfort of the fluffy hand warmer, a giant blue cubic wireframe projection completely covered the large empty space before them.

Simultaneously, a virtual 3D model appeared in front of him.

“The house you lived in before was a uniformly assigned residence for Probationary Executors. After regularization, the Sanatorium Zone provides a new official Base,” Su Yuyun pulled at the 3D model, modifying a few things. “You can adjust it here yourself. The building will then be generated according to your settings. You can also modify it anytime later.”

Ming Ruan was once again astounded by a bit of interstellar technology.

Ming Ruan was eager!

Still retaining some intelligence, college-student Ming Ruan quickly got the hang of it and began molding his house.

First, allocate a very large piece of land.

A very large living room, a very large kitchen, separate activity rooms for each fluffy…

“Squeak!” A small paw reached out from his arms and dragged the little Fox room Ming Ruan had set up—with its tiny bed and plentiful natural scenery, clearly a room for a fox—to a new position, placing it right next to Ming Ruan’s bedroom.

Ming Ruan looked down and met Shi Huai’s gaze.

The Fox innocently licked its tiny nose, its steamed-bun-like paws resting on Ming Ruan’s arm, its large ears brushing against Ming Ruan’s chest.

What schemes could a little Fox have? The little Fox just liked this spot.

Ming Ruan instantly lost all principles.

He caught the little Fox’s head and kissed it several times: “Baby wants, baby gets!”

“Shi Huai!! Goddamn it, let go of Ruanruan’s mouth with your head!!”

“You’re actually this kind of person, Shi Huai! Have you forgotten your ‘energetic pure youth’ persona?!”

“What’s this, scheming green tea younger-attacker trope? I’ll take a bite! Another bite! Another bite!”

Ming Ruan continued setting up the Gray Wolf’s room.

Although it was strange, the Gray Wolf’s living habits leaned more towards a domesticated human lifestyle. Ming Ruan put a soft bed in it, and even, for some reason, added a small desk and chair set.

Just as he finished, another paw reached over.

The Gray Wolf’s room was also moved next to Ming Ruan’s bedroom.

“?!”

Everyone’s gazes converged on the Gray Wolf.

Xie Gewen calmly looked around and stared back.

The Fox could, but the Gray Wolf can’t?

Fine, fine.

Ming Ruan scratched his head and continued setting up the White Tiger’s room.

Beside him, Su Yuyun adjusted his hat brim and said, “I’ll take my leave first.”

Ming Ruan: “Okay, okay! Sorry you had to make a special trip for the house, Boss!”

Su Yuyun left.

His steps were still steady, but his speed was noticeably faster.

Very soon.

A large White Tiger strode back.

Just as Ming Ruan had finished setting up the White Tiger’s room and was about to press confirm, a thick, large paw with black and white stripes gently pressed down on Ming Ruan’s hand.

Ming Ruan: “…”

Under Ming Ruan’s bottomless indulgence of fluffballs, the originally decent-looking house turned into something very distinctive.

“Don’t be too funny, I’m saying.”

“Hahahaha sorry but I’m laughing my head off hahaha.”

“Is this the Former Council Speaker, is this the top star of the entertainment industry?”

“My suggestion is to just build it like a beehive.”

“How could that work? In a beehive, the outer ring wouldn’t be able to stick to wife at all. Who would live there? Punishment: you go live there!”

“Is there really no definite word on the White Tiger’s identity?!”

Interstellar technology was quite impressive. Even though the builder created a very strange house, the system ultimately optimized it to look very beautiful.

Ming Ruan hummed a happy little tune he hadn’t sung in a while, wandering around the room like a little animal arriving at a new home, touching and looking here and there.

Taking this chance, the White Tiger gave the Gray Wolf and the Fox a glance.

The three little animals went out the door and walked a short distance away.

Su Yuyun got straight to the point. His voice, transmitted through the Light Brain on the White Tiger’s neck, sounded even icier and more mechanical than usual. “Although current research suggests proximity to the Twelfth District Executor aids Reverse Therianthropy, everyone should observe proper boundaries.”

He didn’t even use the word ‘please’.

Shi Huai understood Su Yuyun’s meaning with just one ear.

He was warning them: Ming Ruan only sees them as ordinary animals. Don’t misunderstand Ming Ruan’s feelings—

Tch.

They hadn’t even—

“I truly cannot agree with such a statement.”

From afar, a voice suddenly cut in.

A flying sedan with an exaggerated design stopped not far away.

A Lion stepped out, making a grand entrance.

It was Fuxi.

This was the urgent matter Su Yuyun had just gone to handle—Fuxi’s zone-entry application.

With a wolf and a tiger already present, now a lion joined them. The three parties stood at separate corners, their imposing presences rising steadily.

“How can it not be agreed upon?” Shi Huai, curled on the ground like a big jujube, fearing the others wouldn’t start a fight, gave Fuxi a cue.

Fuxi: “What does it matter if Ming Ruan doesn’t know we are human? Outside the Alpha Galaxy, the Azure Galaxy has unions between terrestrial and marine species. Gabriel-Beta has love between silicon-based and carbon-based life. In the Star Alliance, among millions of races, love and companionship are all normal. If one can win Ming Ruan’s heart, even if he falls for us while we are temporarily animals, how is that not love?”

“…”

Silence.

Xie Gewen and Su Yuyun, who had originally thought Fuxi was merely being contrarian as a nobleman, were momentarily lost in thought.

Shi Huai, who’d just wanted to watch the drama, was also lost in thought.

Previously, they had believed Ming Ruan knew they were Beastmen and thus thought he was deliberately creating ambiguity.

But since guessing Ming Ruan’s identity as an Outworlder, no one had considered this angle again.

What Fuxi mentioned today sent things hurtling in a bizarre direction.

So there was this way of understanding it!

Right.

Even though Ming Ruan didn’t know they were human.

But if his affection for the human form was liking them, his affection for the beast form was also liking them.

So, were Ming Ruan’s usual hugs and kisses a way of expressing his affection?

Was it… the kind of romantic love?

If they were willing, could they use the time during therianthropy to get closer to him…

Su Yuyun, Xie Gewen, Fuxi, and Shi Huai exchanged a strange, mutual glance.

Something had quietly changed.

Only Su Yuyun suddenly frowned.

The tip of his tail tapped the ground twice.

He remembered just now, proactively picking up the Fox and putting it into Ming Ruan’s arms to warm his hands.

Su Yuyun: “…”

Su Yuyun was about to say something.

Eight fluffy ears simultaneously twitched.

Ming Ruan pulled open the door and poked his head out, seeing several fluffballs huddled in a circle. “What are you guys doing?”

Do fluffballs have group meetings too?!

So cute!

Another day blessed by cuteness!

Even more delightful for Ming Ruan was that through the gap between the Gray Wolf and the White Tiger, he saw the familiar Lion.

“Oh heavens, Baby, you really came!!” Ming Ruan used an exaggerated tone and gesture to give the Lion full fanfare.

Unfortunately, although Ming Ruan really wanted to immediately welcome the Lion and get everything settled, the first assignment after formally becoming Executor was extremely urgent. The client hoped he could go to the designated location to start teaching the very next day.

Ming Ruan had to temporarily restrain his hand reaching for fluffballs and prepare his ‘lesson plan’ first.

Just…

While slacking off, Ming Ruan looked up several times, glancing at the fluffballs scattered in different spots around the room.

He felt the fluffballs seemed… a bit different.

Different how?

Ming Ruan reached out towards the Gray Wolf sitting at a moderate distance from him and flicked its ear.

The Gray Wolf’s gaze was directed straight at a corner of the room. Sensing something approaching, its ear automatically flattened backward defensively.

Ming Ruan tried several times but couldn’t even touch it!

He played for a good while before looking up, only to find the Gray Wolf, which had just been spacing out, had been gazing at him with those clear, icy blue eyes for a long time.

Oh dear.

“Hehe.” Ming Ruan felt embarrassed.

Xie Gewen was in deep thought over the possibilities Fuxi had raised today.

He was discerning his own feelings.

And trying to understand his own thoughts.

He thought, not just himself, but Shi Huai, Fuxi, and probably even that Adjudicator, would all spend today thinking it over carefully.

However.

The Gray Wolf closed its eyes and gently tilted its head, pressing its sleek, beautifully shaped muzzle into Ming Ruan’s suspended palm.

Even though they hadn’t figured it out yet, in this room, no one would reject Ming Ruan.

Touch if you want.

…

Accompanied by the fluffballs, Ming Ruan happily crammed until late at night. Early the next morning, he took his freshly made lesson plan and materials and boarded the flying sedan heading to the Sanatorium Zone Research Institute.

On the way, Ming Ruan constantly rehearsed mentally.

Ming Ruan guessed, although it was called ‘teaching,’ its nature was probably similar to training new employees at a pet store. Since it was related to caring for and accompanying little animals, the audience should be young people like himself, or maybe even younger.

Ming Ruan had prepared many witty, humorous topics to capture young people’s interest and liven up the atmosphere.

Even the communication style he’d preset was full of meme-energy and interjections.

Don’t be nervous, tone should be friendly, attitude gentle, speech humorous. Just treat it as a happy petting-fluffballs exchange among enthusiasts!

Under guidance, Ming Ruan arrived outside the meeting room door.

After giving himself one last mental pep talk, he put on a bright, sunny smile and confidently pushed the door open, walking in.

Inside the meeting room, rows upon rows of people, stretching out of sight, lifted their heads in unison, casting their gazes towards Ming Ruan.

Among them, the first two or three rows were seated with a group of white-haired elders—some stern, some easygoing—their deep eyes seeming to perceive all, appearing to be absolute top experts in their field.

Further back, middle-aged people in white coats were discussing something in small groups, their surrounding Light Brain screens filled with astronomical data Ming Ruan couldn’t understand.

Submerged at the very back of the crowd were young people, busily taking notes for those in front.

Ming Ruan even spotted the Official Executor of the Eleventh District, Zhuo Yunqi, waving discreetly at him from a corner of the last row, along with those other Executors who had previously given him trouble.

Ming Ruan.

Ming Ruan and his sunny, cheerful smile both cracked simultaneously.