Chapter 25
Wei Yuan shifted in Lu Dingyun’s arms, finding a comfortable position, then looked at the tablet leisurely.
The headline immediately caught its attention.
“Meow?” It tilted its head.
What did “Lu Dingyun likes Wei Yuan’s sexy stage performance” mean?
It understood all the words individually, but together, they made no sense.
Lu Dingyun had been showering. When had he liked…
Wei Yuan: “…”
It slowly looked up at Lu Dingyun.
Lu Dingyun also happened to look down at it. They met each other’s gaze, speechless.
Oops.
Wei Yuan regretted liking that video.
But it wasn’t entirely its fault. How could it have known Lu Dingyun was logged into his main account?
Which celebrity would let their kitten play with their phone logged into their main account? Blaming it on a “misclick” wouldn’t be convincing.
The kitten blamed Lu Dingyun internally, but it guiltily lowered its head.
Lu Dingyun, looking at the kitten’s fluffy round head, was smitten.
He gently poked its head. “Caused some trouble, haven’t you?”
The kitten immediately bristled.
It glared at Lu Dingyun. “Meow!” It’s your fault!
Lu Dingyun misunderstood, thinking it didn’t want to be petted.
So, he asserted his dominance, kissing the kitten’s head. “I’ll kiss you anyway.”
“?” Wei Yuan froze.
Lu Dingyun showered its face with kisses, leaving it no chance to retaliate.
Wei Yuan’s face burned, and it cursed Lu Dingyun countless times in its mind.
Lu Dingyun, satisfied, opened the trending topic, completely unfazed, in stark contrast to the kitten’s racing heart.
Wei Yuan was annoyed. It wasn’t blushing!
It didn’t care about being kissed by Lu Dingyun. It would browse Weibo calmly!
They both focused on the trending topic, and the top post, unsurprisingly, was from Leaky Cotton Jacket.
[@YoungMaster’sLeakyCottonJacket]: Ahhh, sisters, who understands?! It’s my lucky day!!! Teacher Lu liked Young Master’s stage performance video late at night! Not just once, but three times! Three times! Wuwuwu, I’m going crazy, don’t stop me, I’m going to lose it!
Surprisingly, many fellow shippers joined her in the comments, echoing her excitement.
Clearly, they were all on the same wavelength.
Of course, they were a minority. Most of the comments were from solo stans of either Wei Yuan or Lu Dingyun.
[Holy moly, you actually got your wish? Did Movie Emperor Lu finally discover our Young Master’s beauty?]
[I’ve always said Young Master’s charm is irresistible. See, even his rival has fallen, hahaha.]
[So satisfying, sisters, Movie Emperor Lu has finally bowed down!]
These were, of course, comments from Wei Yuan’s fans.
[No way! Teacher Lu, you must have misclicked!]
[Brother, my dear brother! I’m not against you dating, but the other person is still in a coma. Isn’t this just unrequited love?!]
[Wuwuwu, Teacher Lu, don’t tell me you’ve finally realized his worth. My heart aches for you.]
These were from Lu Dingyun’s fans.
The two fandoms had always been at odds, constantly bickering.
Wei Yuan’s fans were usually more aggressive, and Wei Yuan himself, with his sharp tongue, had offended many people, so neither he nor his fans had a good reputation in the industry.
But since his accident, he could no longer offend anyone, and his fans, now mostly praying for his recovery, had stopped picking fights, which had actually improved his public image.
Now, not even his anti-fans or Lu Dingyun’s fans were criticizing him.
And Lu Dingyun’s fans, following their idol’s example, were usually low-key and peaceful, only becoming combative when facing Wei Yuan’s fans. But now, with Wei Yuan in a coma, they couldn’t bring themselves to criticize him.
Besides, with Wei Yuan’s fans acting so strangely, they were afraid of being cursed.
So, Leaky Cotton Jacket’s comment section was filled with these three distinct types of comments, all expressing varying degrees of distress.
Leaky Cotton Jacket, adhering to the principle of “shipping in peace,” ignored the solo stans, only replying to familiar fellow shippers.
[Why three likes? Because it’s their bond!]
[The movie emperor is three years older than Young Master and debuted three years earlier. They were both in the industry for three years. And Young Master had his accident in his third year, so the movie emperor liked three of his videos to express his longing! Who dares say this isn’t fate?!]
Fellow shippers: Wow!
Solo stans: …You should be a writer, you’re so good at making things up!
Leaky Cotton Jacket continued:
[And, everyone should have seen those three videos! They’re Young Master’s most iconic performances and outfits!]
[And why are they so iconic? Because they feature Young Master in a suit, a see-through shirt, and a fishnet top!]
Wei Yuan’s fans: T_T Speechless.jpg
She was right. Those were indeed Wei Yuan’s sexiest outfits.
And the stage performances with those outfits were incredibly captivating, the songs and vocals slightly seductive.
Fans had called them “midnight benefits,” and many NSFW fan videos were based on those performances.
One of Wei Yuan’s fans wailed: [So, why did Movie Emperor Lu like these videos?! It’s midnight!]
Lu Dingyun’s fans also wailed: [Teacher Lu, please say something!]
The trending topic was filled with similar sentiments: no arguments, no fights, just three distinct groups all in distress.
The solo stans were genuinely distressed, the shippers were ecstatic, and the passersby were confused.
And the most speechless of all was Wei Yuan, the cat, watching everything unfold.
What was going on?
Lu Dingyun’s phone rang. It was Liu Ying.
Wei Yuan listened intently but couldn’t hear what Liu Ying was saying, only hearing Lu Dingyun’s reply: “It’s fine, there’s no conflict between us.”
Wei Yuan’s heart skipped a beat, and it looked up at him.
Was he saying there was no conflict between them?
So, how would this be handled?
If he needed to clarify, it would cooperate.
“Xiao Yuan liked the videos,” Lu Dingyun said. “Okay, I understand.”
After hanging up, Lu Dingyun petted the kitten’s head and continued browsing Weibo.
Wei Yuan glanced at him repeatedly.
Wasn’t he going to clarify?
Wei Yuan didn’t understand until a while later, when it saw Lu Dingyun open the video app.
It must have liked so many videos that the app’s homepage was now filled with “Wei Yuan” related recommendations.
But this time, it wasn’t stage performances, but a compilation of Wei Yuan’s interviews.
The young man in the video had delicate and handsome features, his eyes clear and innocent, a smile on his lips, seemingly untainted by hardship.
Despite his gentle appearance, his striking features and the pride in his eyes made him seem unapproachable.
Of course, even if he didn’t look like that, his words alone were enough to polarize opinions.
In the video, he was sitting on a sofa, surrounded by people, at a film awards ceremony.
Before the ceremony, reporters were interviewing the nominees.
Unlike the other nominees for Best Newcomer, who were all humble, Wei Yuan smiled confidently. “I’m here to win. If I don’t, it’s definitely not my fault.”
Incredibly arrogant and easy to hate.
But many also found him refreshingly honest and outspoken, the most authentic person in the entertainment industry.
And since his acting skills were undeniable, and he did win the award, most people thought he was simply confident and not being pretentious, which made him even more likable.
It was a compilation of Wei Yuan’s “classic quotes,” edited by a fan.
The video continued, Wei Yuan’s outfits and the interview locations changing, but his arrogance remained constant.
“So what if I have many anti-fans? I have even more fans.”
“What do my fans like about me? Too many things to list. I don’t know what’s not to like about me.”
“People say I outshine actresses on the red carpet?” Wei Yuan scoffed. “Maybe because I’ve overshadowed all the male celebrities.”
“Lu Dingyun?” Wei Yuan’s expression finally changed. “Didn’t the interview guidelines tell you not to mention him?”
Reporter: “…”
The kitten watching the video twitched its lips. What outrageous statements were those?
It hadn’t thought there was anything wrong with its words before, and it still didn’t, except for the last part, which made it cringe.
After all, the “Lu Dingyun” it had told the reporter not to mention was right beside it.
More accurately, it was in his arms.
And its words made it seem like Lu Dingyun was incredibly important to it, so much so that it had to be specifically mentioned in the interview guidelines…
The more the kitten thought about it, the more embarrassed it became, curling its tail between its legs.
But as the person in the video, after complaining about the interview guidelines, called its manager over to complain, Wei Yuan heard a chuckle above it.
It looked up, seeing the lingering amusement on Lu Dingyun’s face.
Lu Dingyun looked down at the kitten, smiling. “Do you like him a lot too?”
“Meow?” Wei Yuan was confused.
What did he mean by “too”? Was there someone else here who liked “Wei Yuan”?
But it was just it and Lu Dingyun…
Wait!
Wei Yuan was momentarily shocked, then quickly shook its head.
No, no, Lu Dingyun, this strange human who only showed kindness to animals, couldn’t possibly like another human!
And definitely not Wei Yuan!
Lu Dingyun didn’t elaborate, continuing to browse videos, but this time, he was using a different account, liking videos without hesitation.
After he liked three of “Wei Yuan’s” videos, the kitten finally relaxed.
So, Lu Dingyun had intended to like the videos all along. No wonder he hadn’t clarified.
Later that night, as Lu Dingyun put away the tablet and went to bed, Wei Yuan couldn’t sleep.
It lay in Lu Dingyun’s arms, looking up at him.
The darkness amplified all emotions, including curiosity and certain hidden feelings.
Wei Yuan reached out, carefully touching the man’s stubbled chin, then quickly retracted its paw.
It snuggled closer to Lu Dingyun, its heart pounding.
So, Lu Dingyun did pay attention to it, right?
And he had said there was no conflict between them, so once it turned back into a human, they could still interact, right?
Perhaps they could even remain friends.
Yes, friends, nothing more.
The kitten’s tail twitched as it drifted off to sleep, its mind filled with confusing thoughts and a lingering image of a certain someone.
==
For the next few days, Lu Dingyun had no filming but was still busy.
He examined all the animals, vaccinating those who needed it.
After the vaccinations, he could proceed with spaying/neutering.
Relieved that their “balls” were safe for now, the animals planned to escape once the vaccinations were done, so Lu Dingyun couldn’t catch them and turn them into eunuchs like Big Orange.
Big Orange: “…”
It jumped onto the giant cat tree in the living room, complaining to Wei Yuan. “Boss, they’re all making fun of me for being a eunuch! I can’t show my face on Ping’an Street anymore, wuwuwu.”
Wei Yuan, swaying gently in the hammock, soothed it. “Don’t worry, Big Orange, once they’re like you, you can make fun of them.”
“Why?” Big Orange didn’t understand.
If they were all eunuchs, wouldn’t making fun of them be like making fun of itself?
Wei Yuan explained, “Did you wear that cone thing after your surgery?”
“The cone of shame!” Big Orange shuddered at the memory.
Wei Yuan nodded. “That’s the one. Soon, they’ll all be wearing it, and you won’t. You’ll be so cool.”
Big Orange’s eyes lit up. “Oh, right! Boss, you’re so smart!”
Wei Yuan nodded smugly, continuing to bask in the sun.
“Xiao Bao,” Lu’s mother approached cheerfully, picking up Wei Yuan and petting Big Orange’s head. “Mommy made some cat food, come and try it.”
Wei Yuan, used to Lu Dingyun’s delicious cooking, hadn’t expected Lu’s mother’s food to be even better.
It immediately meowed at her, eager to eat.
Big Orange also jumped into her arms happily.
Lu’s mother carried the two kittens to the kitchen.
Lu’s parents had been staying at his apartment, caring for him and the animals. They had initially been apprehensive about so many animals in the house.
But they quickly grew fond of the strays, cooking delicious meals for them and caring for them diligently.
Many of the strays wanted to be adopted, like A’Wang, which, after experiencing such care, was even more eager to stay.
But Lu Dingyun couldn’t adopt them all, so he was considering buying more houses on Ping’an Street to create an animal shelter and hiring staff to manage it.
The animals were grateful and no longer as resistant to the idea of being spayed/neutered.
Of course, Big Orange’s persuasive efforts also played a role.
Wei Yuan and Big Orange were eating when the tabby and calico, having just used the litter box, joined them.
Only the four of them could roam freely in the apartment. The other animals were confined to specific rooms, as even with Wei Yuan and the others supervising, they could still cause mischief.
The animals didn’t complain, especially knowing that with Lu Dingyun’s help, they wouldn’t have to endure the cold winter outside.
The four cats ate together, Lu’s parents watching them with affection.
“Lao Lu,” Lu’s mother suddenly sighed. “Look at how plump Xiao Ju and the others are. Why isn’t our Xiao Yuan gaining any weight?”
Wei Yuan had actually gained quite a bit of weight and height these past few days, but compared to the other three cats, it still looked small and thin, almost malnourished.
Lu’s father said, “Indeed, we need to give Xiao Yuan more nutritious food. Otherwise, it can’t even get vaccinated.”
Wei Yuan’s health wasn’t robust yet, so Lu Dingyun had decided to wait until it was a bit older before vaccinating it, and the neutering had also been postponed.
This was excellent news for Wei Yuan. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been able to tease Big Orange so lightheartedly earlier.
Lu Dingyun had to return to the film set tomorrow, so he planned to visit Ping’an Street again today.
He had negotiated prices with several landlords and was going there to finalize the purchases and sign the contracts.
Wei Yuan and the three cats also wanted to go out.
Wei Yuan was bored at home, and the other cats, used to roaming freely, were restless and eager for some adventure.
And they were worried that with all the animals from Ping’an Street now sheltered, strays from other areas might try to take over their territory. They needed to patrol the area.
So, after breakfast, Lu Dingyun prepared to leave with the four kittens.
But just as he reached the door, Liu Ying and Xiao Zheng arrived.
Since they had to leave early tomorrow morning, they were planning to stay the night.
Learning about Lu Dingyun’s plans, Liu Ying immediately decided to join him, after greeting Lu’s parents.
In the car, Xiao Zheng took the driver’s seat, and Lu Dingyun and Liu Ying sat in the back, the three fat cats between them.
Wei Yuan, as usual, sat in its designated pet car seat, glancing at Lu Dingyun and Liu Ying.
Something must be up. Otherwise, Liu Ying wouldn’t have come.
As expected, as soon as the car started, Liu Ying spoke. “Dingyun, your fans really want to see another livestream with you and Xiao Gui Yuan. The weather is so nice today, why not do one?”
Wei Yuan’s eyes lit up.
It loved being a celebrity. That was why it had pursued a career in the entertainment industry instead of inheriting the family business.
Even as a cat, it still craved the spotlight.
During the previous livestream, seeing so many people adore it, its vanity had been immensely satisfied, even more so than when it was human!
It was like, “See? A top star is a top star, even as a kitten, I can conquer the entertainment industry and become a top cat!”
So, hearing about the possibility of another livestream, Wei Yuan was thrilled, eagerly looking at Lu Dingyun, urging him to agree.
Lu Dingyun disliked livestreaming, and he was already posting daily updates on Weibo, showing off his kitten, even sharing about his efforts to rescue other animals, with photos and updates.
He was interacting with his fans more than 90% of his colleagues, so there was no need for another livestream.
He was about to refuse his uncle’s suggestion when he met the kitten’s pleading gaze.
“Meow~” Wei Yuan jumped into Lu Dingyun’s arms, nuzzling its head against his chest.
Whenever it did this, Lu Dingyun would give in without hesitation, and Wei Yuan had unconsciously developed the habit.
Initially, it had felt embarrassed acting cute, but now it did it without a second thought.
As expected, Lu Dingyun, swayed by the kitten’s purrs, changed his mind. “Alright, let’s do it.”
“Meow, meow!”
Yay!
