After Death, I Became My Childhood Friend’s Cat 68

Chapter 68

Jiang Heng had some experience with being petted, but this was his first time petting someone.

His first attempt was naturally clumsy, his touch uncertain, sometimes too light, sometimes too heavy, relying solely on instinct.

He sat in Lu Yichuan’s lap, the man’s warm chest against his back, his head buried in the crook of his neck, his breath hot against his ear, sending shivers down his spine.

Jiang Heng appeared to be in control, but he was trapped, his movements restricted, only his hands free to explore, guided by another, grasping something that didn’t belong to him.

“Rongrong…”

Lu Yichuan’s lips grazed his earlobe, his voice clear and precise, as if instructing him in some important academic research, if one ignored his ragged breathing.

“Harder,” he said.

Whether from the heat or something else, sweat trickled down Jiang Heng’s forehead. He closed his eyes, burying his face against Lu Yichuan’s chest, not daring to look, not daring to listen, his hands moving clumsily at his command.

A few seconds later, another hand covered his.

Calloused fingertips, rough from years of holding a pen, gripped his hand firmly, and Jiang Heng felt like a sandwich filling.

His palm was damp and sticky, like a sudden rain.

The rain stopped half an hour later. Little Jiang Heng, his eyes slightly flushed, was wrapped in a small blanket, letting Lu Yichuan wipe his hands with a tissue.

A yao’s skin was more delicate than a human’s. He extended his hand, showing it to Lu Yichuan. “Look, it’s all red.”

Lu Yichuan looked at the redness on his pale fingertips, his eyes filled with satisfaction, his voice unusually gentle. “My fault.”

Jiang Heng said, “My hands are sore too.”

“Also my fault.”

Jiang Heng pulled his hand back, burrowed deeper into the blanket, and looked at Lu Yichuan with wide eyes. “You bullied me. I’m very upset.”

Lu Yichuan tossed the tissue into the trash can, the faint scent lingering in the air. He was now wearing clean pants, looking perfectly respectable, almost like…a scumbag. “Really? I apologize.”

He looked down at Jiang Heng, watching as he mentally prepared his next move.

“Don’t you have anything to…offer as compensation?”

The hidden agenda revealed.

“Like…treating me to a bowl of luosifen?”

The man squatted down, looked at the bundled-up cat, and poked his forehead. “Is that all you think about?”

Jiang Heng was indignant. “I did so much for you, what’s wrong with wanting a bowl of luosifen?”

“It stinks, Jiang Heng.”

“It doesn’t stink! There’s something wrong with your nose!”

Lu Yichuan didn’t argue, just looked at him.

Jiang Heng extended his hand again. “Look, we’re not just kissing now, isn’t our…’hand-holding’ relationship worth a bowl of luosifen?”

Lu Yichuan said, “At this rate, if we sleep together, are you going to open a junk food stand in the house?”

Jiang Heng’s eyes lit up. “Can I?”

Lu Yichuan pinched his ear. “So if I say yes, you’ll do it?”

Little Jiang Heng hesitated for a couple of seconds. “I’ll…think about it.” He said with a deceptively innocent expression, “You’re too big, I’m a little scared.”

Lu Yichuan: “…”

He didn’t know whether to be happy or worried.

…

The rain intensified at night, drumming against the window. Lu Yichuan, his face expressionless, stood by the stove, cooking luosifen.

Jiang Heng, wearing fluffy slippers, circled him. “Pour all the chili oil in! I want it extra spicy!”

The water in the pot bubbled merrily, and Lu Yichuan added the noodles.

He leaned against the counter and beckoned Jiang Heng closer. “Come here.”

Jiang Heng, confused, but obedient, padded over to him. “What?”

He wrapped an arm around the boy’s slender shoulders and lowered his head, capturing his lips. “A kiss. I won’t kiss you again after you finish your luosifen, not until tomorrow.”

His blatant disgust was so… endearing, that Jiang Heng, his tongue entangled with Lu Yichuan’s, didn’t even register it.

After a while, Lu Yichuan finally released him.

Jiang Heng, his lips red and slightly swollen, complained, “You think I’m…stinky?”

“No, I think the luosifen is stinky.”

Jiang Heng: “…”

The man leaned against the counter, looking down at him, his hair falling over his forehead, his eyes soft, the light accentuating his sharp features.

“Want another kiss, Rongrong?”

Jiang Heng touched his neck with his foot. “Can I have a one-minute kiss?”

And so, the sound of more…intimate activities…was masked by the bubbling of the hot pot.

One minute was short, and the noodles weren’t cooked yet. Lu Yichuan stirred the pot with his chopsticks and pinched the back of the kitten’s neck.

“What do you think our relationship is now?”

Jiang Heng, nestled against him, said instinctively, “A kissing relationship.”

“Besides kissing?”

He hesitated. “Hand-hold…”

His scruff was pinched again.

Jiang Heng looked up at Lu Yichuan, his neck shrinking slightly.

The rain outside continued to fall, the noodles bubbled in the pot, they were wearing comfortable home clothes, an ordinary, everyday scene.

Lu Yichuan said slowly, “According to the online tutorials I’ve seen, I should have prepared flowers, balloons, and a reservation at an expensive, quiet restaurant. Perhaps good weather too. We would sit facing each other, I would create a romantic atmosphere, and then confess my feelings.”

Jiang Heng’s fingers twitched, his expression blank.

“But I don’t want to wait anymore.”

“I should have said this the first time I kissed you, when you didn’t refuse, even though we both knew.”

Lu Yichuan looked at him intently.

“I like you, Jiang Heng. I don’t want to just have a ‘kissing’ relationship with you, I want a closer, more intimate relationship, a lifetime commitment, just between the two of us.”

“To put it more bluntly – can I be your boyfriend?”

He chuckled. “No flowers, no balloons, no romantic candlelit dinner, but there’s your favorite luosifen, and perhaps we can add some fried eggs and sausages.”

The kitten in front of him flattened his ears, his tail swishing back and forth, the pink on his ears spreading to his cheeks, his eyes glistening with unshed tears, his gaze fixed on the bubbling pot. After a long moment, he stammered, “C-can I have two eggs?”

He added, “Boy…boyfriend…”

Lu Yichuan, his mood lifting, playfully tugged his boyfriend’s tail, successfully eliciting a startled yelp.

…

The luosifen was delicious, and the man who had claimed he wouldn’t kiss him after he ate it was proven wrong that night.

Jiang Heng’s petting technique was still lacking, but he was expertly petted in return.

Their activities continued until late at night, and Jiang Heng slept soundly until noon the next day.

Lu Yichuan, showing a sliver of conscience, gave him the day off.

Jiang Heng rolled around in bed, stretching his arms and legs, then got up, his hair a mess.

For some reason, the housekeeper had been replaced. The new housekeeper seemed kinder than the previous one and even greeted Jiang Heng, smiling when she saw him come downstairs.

“Young Master, you’re awake. Lunch will be ready soon.”

Jiang Heng peeked into the kitchen. The dishes looked balanced and nutritious, the aroma of last night’s luosifen still lingering in the air.

Well…luosifen smelled better.

It wasn’t raining today, but the weather was cold and gloomy. Two cats were squatting outside the villa.

Jiang Heng opened the door and let them in. “You can come in through the small door next time. I’ve talked to the housekeeper, she won’t mind. It’s cold outside.”

The black cat was firm. “No, that would be rude.”

The white cat was staring intently at the kitchen.

Jiang Heng opened a bag of snacks and shared them with the two cats. The white cat, munching on dried pork, shared its good news with Jiang Heng. “We got paid today! I’m treating you to a meal!”

The black cat nodded seriously. “You’ve always treated us, now it’s our turn.”

A meal…

Jiang Heng’s eyes darted around, and he leaned closer to the two cats. “Have you heard of Crazy Thursday?”

Big White shook its head blankly.

“It doesn’t matter if you haven’t…” Jiang Heng said. “Just give me fifty yuan each, and we’ll have Crazy Thursday.”

Little Black said, “But today’s Monday.”

Jiang Heng ruffled Big White’s fur. “With our power combined, we can have Crazy Monday.”

The two cats looked at him, half-understanding.

“Just follow my lead.”

It wasn’t that Jiang Heng wanted to take their money, but he didn’t have a bank card or an ID; he had to rely on Lu Yichuan, and the man was very strict about his junk food intake. If he went to KFC on Crazy Thursday, all that awaited him was a miserable Friday.

Now that the two cats were offering to treat him, and he had the day off, how could he refuse?

He took out his phone and texted the man:

[Big White and Little Black are here to play. I’m going out this afternoon.]

Lu Yichuan was probably busy because he didn’t reply for ten minutes.

[Dress warmly, the temperature will drop tonight. Wear your hat and hide your ears. I’ll send you the driver’s number.]

He texted back slyly,

[Then I won’t be back for dinner.]

Lu Yichuan, oblivious to his hidden agenda, replied,

[Your card is in the bedside table. You can also use your phone to pay. I have a business dinner tonight. I’ll bring you back a small cake.]

Yay!

Jiang Heng put away his phone and announced, “Let’s go have Crazy Monday!”

Crazy Monday naturally required them to be in human form. The three cats spent a while transforming and changing their clothes.

A white-haired middle-aged man, a silver-haired teenager, and a black-haired, green-eyed teenager left the villa.

After days of practice, Jiang Heng could now control his tail, but his ears still popped out occasionally, so he wore his fluffy hat from the other night.

He got into the car and, with a slap on his thigh, decided on their itinerary. “Crazy Monday first, then we can go to the pet store.”

He continued excitedly, “They have toy mice, toy cockroaches, toy grasshoppers, and even giant caterpillars!”

The two cats’ eyes lit up. “Wow…”

“I want a big rat!”

“I want a caterpillar!”

The driver, glancing back at them through the rearview mirror, thought their hobbies were rather…peculiar.

The car stopped in front of KFC, and Jiang Heng was the first to jump out.

The villa wasn’t far from the university district, so the nearest KFC was nearby, surrounded by students.

Their unusual hair and eye colors immediately attracted attention, but unconventional hairstyles were common among young people, and their striking appearances only drew more admiring glances.

Jiang Heng, oblivious, went to the counter. “Hello, we’d like to order.”

The cashier was momentarily stunned by his beauty, then quickly recovered. “What would you like to order?”

The three cat heads huddled together.

Jiang Heng: “I want this, with extra chili powder! Extra spicy!”

Big White: “Wow…this one looks like it has a lot of meat. A big drumstick!”

Little Black: “I want to gnaw on bones.”

Jiang Heng: “When I was in school, my classmates told me to order the combo meals, they’re the cheapest.”

Big White and Little Black: “Ooh…”

Jiang Heng smiled brightly. “Let’s order all the combo meals!”

“Okay! We’re treating you!”

“Hee hee!”

They found a table and sat down.

Jiang Heng touched his head, then his ears. He hadn’t transformed in a while and was feeling a little self-conscious.

The restaurant was crowded, and many people were looking at them, some discreetly, some openly.

Big White scratched his head. “Why do I feel like everyone is staring at us?”

Jiang Heng said, “Probably because of our hair. If anyone asks why your hair is white, just say you’re into cosplay.”

He touched his own silver-gray hair, also feeling a bit self-conscious. But if he dyed it black, would he become a black cat?

Jiang Heng didn’t dare to try, so he looked at Big White’s head instead.

Thankfully, their order number was called, saving Big White from further scrutiny.

They had ordered a lot, and the first few items arrived.

Jiang Heng took a large gulp of cola and burped loudly.

“Wah~”

Big White imitated him.

“Wah~”

Little Black burped but refused to “wah.”

Jiang Heng munched on his fries and saw a group of people enter the restaurant.

The young man in the center of the group looked a little pale, but his spirits seemed high. He wrinkled his nose at the smell of fried chicken. “What’s so good about this stuff? So greasy and unhealthy.”

“Come on…” his friend chuckled and nudged him, “We know Young Master doesn’t like this kind of food, but Xiao Ya wanted to eat it.”

Hearing this, Jiang Xingbai’s frown eased slightly. Although he didn’t like this kind of food, he still ordered a glass of orange juice and some fries.

“Whoa…” A girl beside him gasped. “I just saw a super hot guy!”

“Where?”

“Left, three o’clock direction.”

Jiang Xingbai instinctively looked in the direction she indicated, his eyes meeting a pair of amber-colored eyes.