Chapter 26
After several days, Lu Dingyun’s account went live again, and fans rushed in.
They were immediately captivated by the sight before them.
The slightly grown cow kitten was perched on Lu Dingyun’s shoulder, wearing a little devil costume, black and purple, with a small purple collar and bat-like wings on its back.
The small, plump wings, however, looked more cute than cool.
[Meow, meow, meow, our Xiao Yuan is getting cuter and cuter!]
[Xiao Yuan’s face is getting chubbier! Auntie can’t handle the cuteness, wuwuwu.]
[Baby is a little devil today, so adorable! Auntie wants to give you kisses!]
In just a short time, Lu Dingyun’s fans had become kitten fans, 90% of the comments directed at the kitten, with barely any attention paid to the movie emperor himself.
Besides the kitten’s undeniable cuteness, this was also because Lu Dingyun was different now.
Previously, he would rarely appear online, so fans would seize every opportunity to interact with him.
But now, he was incredibly active on Weibo, posting daily updates like clockwork.
The aloof and ethereal movie emperor now reported his every move, sharing what he cooked for the kitten, how many animals he treated, when he planned to vaccinate or neuter them…
Over time, the fans’ image of him as an otherworldly being had shattered.
Although they had appreciated his aloofness, they preferred this down-to-earth version, which felt more relatable.
Lu Dingyun, seeing the screen filled with “Auntie,” frowned. “Call me older sister, not auntie.”
Since his parents’ arrival, he had been demoted from “Xiao Yuan’s daddy” to “Xiao Yuan’s older brother.”
If he had been downgraded, his fans should be too. Otherwise, wouldn’t he be at a disadvantage?
The fans knew about this, as he had complained about his parents on Weibo before.
They found it amusing, some rebellious fans continuing to call themselves “Auntie.”
But due to Lu Dingyun’s long-standing authority, most fans obediently complied.
Lu Dingyun was satisfied.
Wei Yuan found this amusing.
The more it interacted with Lu Dingyun, the more interesting it found him. He was usually reliable and mature, but sometimes also childish.
Quite cute, actually.
Wei Yuan chuckled internally, then froze, realizing what it was thinking.
Oh god! What was wrong with it? It actually found Lu Dingyun cute!
Was its brain malfunctioning?!
Someone in the comments asked where they were going, and Lu Dingyun replied, “We’re going to visit the animals’ new home.”
“Meow~” Wei Yuan chimed in, focusing on the livestream to avoid overthinking.
Lu Dingyun answered some of the fans’ curious questions.
“Who else is in the car? Xiao Zheng and Lao Liu.”
Liu Ying, acting as a phone stand, turned the camera towards himself, greeting everyone with a smile, then turned the camera towards the driver’s seat. Xiao Zheng, busy driving, simply smiled and said, “Hello everyone,” without turning his head.
The fans, familiar with Lu Dingyun’s manager and assistant, greeted them enthusiastically.
The camera turned back to Lu Dingyun, and the comments paused, then accelerated.
[Wow, wow, wow, he brought the cat underlings!]
[Oh my god! Big Orange and the two calicos are so chubby! Even chubbier in their fluffy outfits, haha, they look so cuddly!]
[Teacher Lu is drowning in kittens, hahaha.]
Lu Dingyun, with Wei Yuan on his shoulder and three fat cats in his arms, looked like a winner in life.
The underlings didn’t understand what livestreaming was, only knowing, from Wei Yuan’s explanation, that many humans were watching them and praising their strength.
The tabby lifted its chin proudly. It was the second-in-command on Ping’an Street, of course it was strong.
Big Orange wagged its tail happily.
So what if it was a eunuch? Eunuchs could be strong too!
But the calico looked at Wei Yuan with an aggrieved expression. “Boss, did they say I’m strong too?”
Wei Yuan paused, then quickly reassured it. “No, no, they said you’re the most charming cat in the world, super beautiful!”
The calico’s eyes lit up. “Really? These humans have good taste. I thought they only liked those fat British Shorthairs.”
“Of course not,” Wei Yuan lied smoothly. “Calicos are the most exquisite cats, everyone knows that. And you’re a male calico, the most exquisite of the exquisite!”
The calico blushed at the praise, twitching its ears shyly. “Boss, stop praising me, I’ll think you want to mate with me.”
Wei Yuan: “…Never mind.”
It now knew its three underlings’ personalities and preferences inside and out.
The tabby was the smartest and most proud, but also very “straight,” believing itself to be incredibly strong, preferring food and activities that promoted strength and toys like small trucks.
Big Orange was often insecure about being neutered, but it was easygoing and cheerful, its biggest passion being food. It wasn’t picky about toys, as long as it had companions to play with, easily content.
The calico was timid and vain, always acting cute and delicate, even more so than female cats, but it was also a fierce fighter, always the first to attack and the loudest to cry after a fight.
Its favorite toys were fluffy plushies.
Wei Yuan had a feeling the calico was gay, just too young and hadn’t found its soulmate yet.
After less than half an hour, the car stopped at the entrance of the old alley.
Lu Dingyun got out, putting on his hood and mask as a precaution.
The three cat underlings, back in familiar territory, jumped out of the car and ran down the alley.
Lu Dingyun, trusting Wei Yuan completely, wasn’t worried about it running away. “Xiao Yuan, do you want to go play with them?”
The three underlings had only run a short distance before turning back, waiting for Wei Yuan.
Wei Yuan meowed at Lu Dingyun and jumped down from his shoulder.
Lu Dingyun had to inspect the houses and sign contracts, which wasn’t suitable for livestreaming, so he was about to end the broadcast.
The fans, already complaining about not seeing the kitten, wailed at the prospect of the livestream ending.
Xiao Zheng suggested, “Brother Yun, Uncle Liu, how about I livestream while following Xiao Yuan and the others? I can run fast and keep up with them.”
Liu Ying looked at Lu Dingyun for his opinion.
Lu Dingyun asked his fans, “What do you think?”
[Give it to Xiao Zheng! We want to see the kittens!]
[See the kittens!]
[Xiao Zheng, you’re our hero!]
Lu Dingyun nodded. “Okay, Xiao Zheng, thank you for the trouble.”
Remembering that Xiao Zheng would be caring for the kitten while he was filming, he added, “Double bonus this month.”
Xiao Zheng’s monthly bonus was already five figures. Double that was a significant amount.
“Woohoo! Brother Yun, you’re the best!” Xiao Zheng jumped up excitedly, taking the phone and chasing after the kittens. “Xiao Yuan, wait for me!”
“Slow down, don’t fall,” Liu Ying couldn’t help but worry.
But before he could finish, Xiao Zheng had already disappeared with the kittens.
The camera was facing the kittens’ backs, and although Xiao Zheng was running fast, his hand was steady, and the image stabilizer was on, so the video wasn’t shaky.
The viewers clearly saw the four kittens running down the alley, like four gusts of wind, leaving blurs in their wake.
The smallest one, in its little devil costume, was leading the way, its plump little wings flapping as if it were flying.
Hearing Xiao Zheng’s calls, Wei Yuan slowed down, turning to look back.
The other cats also stopped, all four turning their heads.
Xiao Zheng, running fast, quickly caught up.
“Meow?” What’s up?
Wei Yuan tilted its head.
Xiao Zheng, seemingly understanding its question, explained, “Xiao Gui Yuan, Brother Yun and Uncle Liu are busy, so I’ll be livestreaming while following you, okay?”
He quickly added, “I’ll just follow you, I won’t cause any trouble.”
Big Orange asked, puzzled, “Boss, what’s he babbling about?”
Wei Yuan explained, then said, “Let him follow us. We’re just patrolling the area today anyway.”
“Okay,” the three cats always followed their boss’s lead.
So, Wei Yuan meowed at Xiao Zheng, then turned and continued running.
Xiao Zheng wasn’t sure if it had understood, but the kittens had slowed down, so he assumed it was a yes.
The fans, watching the silent exchange between the cats and Xiao Zheng, were amazed.
[Wow, as expected of our Xiao Yuan, a true leader, the others clearly follow its instructions.]
[The kittens were meowing at each other earlier. Were they communicating?]
[Definitely, and Xiao Yuan seems to have understood Xiao Zheng. It’s so smart!]
[Our Xiao Yuan is super smart! Teacher Lu, send it to kindergarten!]
Wei Yuan led its underlings through Ping’an Street, encountering many familiar faces.
As they passed the back door of a skewer restaurant, they ran into the owner, who was smoking.
The owner was a man in his fifties who often fed the stray cats and dogs and had developed a fondness for them.
But he hadn’t seen them for several days and had assumed they had been taken away by the city management, feeling quite sad.
Now, seeing Wei Yuan and the others, he was delighted. “Kittens, come here!”
Wei Yuan remembered him. He was the one who had given it some meatballs on its first day as a stray.
“Meow~” Wei Yuan approached him, greeting him.
The owner crouched down, petting its head, and Big Orange and the others also came over, letting him pet them.
Seeing Wei Yuan’s clean outfit, he realized it had been adopted.
And Big Orange and the others were also wearing different colored outfits, all fluffy and made of the same material as Wei Yuan’s, only the styles differed.
“You’ve been adopted?” the owner smiled. “That’s good. I thought you had been caught by the city management. I was worried.”
But if they had been adopted, why were they back? He was puzzled.
He noticed Xiao Zheng, who was following the kittens, and asked curiously, “Young man, did you adopt them?”
He glanced at the phone in Xiao Zheng’s hand, assuming he was filming.
Many young people used video apps these days. He himself used them and guessed the young man might be a pet blogger or something.
Regardless of his intentions, as long as he took good care of the animals, that was all that mattered, so the owner smiled at Xiao Zheng.
Xiao Zheng, seeing the kittens’ affection for the owner, knew he was a good person, so the naturally sociable assistant joined him, crouching down to play with the kittens.
“Uncle, Xiao Yuan is my boss’s cat,” Xiao Zheng squeezed Wei Yuan’s little wing, which made a squeaking sound.
Wei Yuan was surprised. It hadn’t known its wings made noise.
The tabby and calico also looked at its wings in surprise, batting at them with their paws.
The owner asked, “Your boss?”
“Yes,” Xiao Zheng continued. “My boss is a veterinarian. He’s been taking in the stray animals on this street, deworming and vaccinating them. He’ll be spaying/neutering them later.”
Lu Dingyun was indeed a licensed veterinarian and had practiced for a while, so Xiao Zheng wasn’t lying.
The owner sighed. “Your boss is a good man.”
They chatted, the owner sharing anecdotes about the stray animals and their backgrounds, and Xiao Zheng and the kittens listened attentively.
The viewers watched the kittens, listening to the stories, their hearts melting.
Animals were truly the cutest!
And their admiration for Lu Dingyun grew.
Who could resist an idol who was not only talented but also kind and compassionate towards animals?
The owner, called back into the restaurant by his wife, quickly returned with two bags of skewers, one spicy and one not, reminding Xiao Zheng that the non-spicy ones were safe for the kittens.
Xiao Zheng shared the skewers with the kittens while they were still hot.
The camera focused on the kittens eating, making the viewers crave skewers, asking for the restaurant’s address.
Xiao Zheng said, “I’ll have to discuss it with my boss and ask the owner first. You can follow our studio’s official account for updates.”
The fans didn’t press the matter, continuing to watch the livestream.
Wei Yuan, having run around for a while, nimbly climbed a tall wall, using a tree as support.
Its underlings joined it, resting on the wall. Wei Yuan looked at the familiar streets and alleys, smelling the street food, feeling a sense of accomplishment, as if it had conquered this territory.
The livestream lasted for over four hours, Xiao Zheng switching to a second phone when the first one ran out of battery.
Online, the kittens, along with Lu Dingyun, were trending again.
The top trending topic was: #GoodCatsGoodMan
Fan artists drew adorable pictures of the kittens, even creating short comics depicting both the cats and the humans in an unrealistically idyllic setting, like a heartwarming and healing fairy tale.
The most popular image was of Wei Yuan and its underlings sitting on the wall, looking out, their fluffy backs creating a warm and adorable scene.
During those four hours, Lu Dingyun had negotiated prices and signed contracts with several landlords.
Thanks to the smooth negotiations and the workday convenience, the paperwork was processed quickly.
Then the renovation crew arrived.
Lu Dingyun had already had various renovation plans drawn up. He had purchased ten adjacent houses and courtyards in this old, dilapidated area, and the total area after reconstruction would be considerable.
He had a bold idea. Once he reduced his workload, he would return to his veterinary career.
And this place would become his animal hospital.
He would invite some of his former colleagues, hire some caregivers and animal lovers, and turn this place into a multifunctional space, including an animal hospital, a shelter, and a cat/dog cafe.
But this was just a preliminary plan. Obtaining all the necessary licenses and permits would take time.
And the initial investment…
Lu Dingyun suddenly felt he hadn’t earned enough money yet.
It seemed he needed to work harder for another two years. Retirement would have to wait. He would have his uncle look for suitable variety shows.
Variety shows were the quickest way to earn money in the entertainment industry, and although he had avoided them before due to his dislike of social interaction, for the sake of the animals and his future dream, he could do it!
He could have found a business partner, but this was a charitable endeavor, and no one would be willing to invest in such a project.
And he didn’t want any financial entanglements, so partnership wasn’t an option.
By the time he finished, it was already late.
Wei Yuan, exhausted after a day of running around, jumped into Lu Dingyun’s arms.
“Meow!” Carry me!
The kitten didn’t want to walk anymore.
Lu Dingyun, not minding the kitten’s dusty fur or the small paw prints on his chest, gently held it, stroking its fur.
Back at the apartment, Wei Yuan saw that its small bathtub was filled with water.
It glanced at Lu Dingyun.
Ha, men.
He knew it was dirty.
But Wei Yuan also wanted a bath. Although the blow-drying process was tedious, the feeling of cleanliness afterwards was worth it.
Lu Dingyun, as usual, undressed in front of the kitten.
The kitten’s gaze flickered, but it couldn’t help but admire the movie emperor’s well-defined back.
Wow, those back muscles, that waist, those legs…
He looked very capable.
Wei Yuan: “…”
Wait a minute.
Had it just thought something inappropriate?
Lost in thought, Wei Yuan saw Lu Dingyun walk past it and enter the bathtub.
“!!!” Oh my god, what had it just seen?!
As Lu Dingyun walked past, it had accidentally caught a glimpse of something it shouldn’t have.
That image would be etched in its memory forever!
Wei Yuan’s face burned, its mind a jumbled mess.
Help! How could it erase that image from its mind?!
Lu Dingyun had prepared a sweet strawberry bath bomb for the kitten, and several cute rubber duckies floated in its small pool.
He himself used a refreshing lemon scent.
He picked up his tablet, intending to watch some videos, then glanced at the kitten, which was happily playing with the duckies.
Lu Dingyun smiled, petting the kitten’s head before turning his attention back to the tablet.
Wei Yuan’s mind was in turmoil, thinking, it wasn’t its fault for peeking, Lu Dingyun had practically put it right in front of its face.
Then it felt like a pervert. Just because it was a kitten now, it could peek at people?
After a while, it snapped out of its thoughts.
Wait, why was Lu Dingyun so quiet?
Usually, he would poke and prod it, even trying to wash its butt, although it always managed to escape. It had grown accustomed to his touch.
But now, after twenty minutes, he hadn’t moved. Something was definitely up!
It glanced at Lu Dingyun.
The movie emperor wasn’t asleep. He was leaning back in the tub, his arms spread out, a tablet playing a video on the small table in front of him.
He was wearing headphones, so Wei Yuan couldn’t hear the sound, and due to the angle, it couldn’t see the screen either.
But there was something strange about Lu Dingyun’s expression.
He seemed both aloof and subtly excited, his eyes holding a hint of something almost predatory, quite unnerving.
“Meow~” it called out cautiously.
Lu Dingyun, wearing headphones, didn’t react.
Wei Yuan patted the water, then waved its wet paw at him.
Water droplets splashed on his face, and Lu Dingyun seemed to snap out of it, looking at Wei Yuan in surprise.
Their eyes met, the kitten’s face full of innocence and curiosity.
Lu Dingyun suddenly felt a twinge of guilt. He quickly turned off the tablet, removed his headphones, and sat up straight in the tub.
“Baby, are you done?” He regained his composure, quickly washing the kitten’s face and wrapping it in a towel.
He got out of the tub, wrapping a bathrobe around himself, then carried the kitten to the bedroom to dry its fur.
Wei Yuan, completely at his mercy, was expertly dried and placed in the warm bed. “Baby, sleep first. I’ll clean the bathroom and be right back.”
“Meow~” Wei Yuan replied.
Lu Dingyun returned to the bathroom, closing and locking the door.
Wei Yuan: “?”
He never locked the door before. And it was just cleaning the bathroom, why lock the door?
One minute, two minutes…
Usually, Lu Dingyun would immediately start cleaning, making all sorts of noises, but now, after so long, there was only the initial sound of running water, then silence.
Had he decided to soak in the tub again?
Wei Yuan yawned.
Whatever.
It lay down beside Lu Dingyun’s pillow, half its body under the covers.
The small cat bed that used to be on the nightstand was gone. Wei Yuan had grown accustomed to sleeping with Lu Dingyun.
And its excellent sense of smell allowed it to clearly distinguish Lu Dingyun’s unique scent beneath the fragrance of shower gel and shampoo.
Warm and clean, like basking in the afternoon sun.
Wei Yuan turned over, finding a comfortable position, its face buried in Lu Dingyun’s pillow, inhaling his scent, and drifted off to sleep.
Meanwhile, in the bathroom, Lu Dingyun had settled back into the tub.
The warm water enveloped his body.
He put on his headphones, opened his tablet, and a NSFW fan-made video started playing for the thirteenth time.
The familiar suit, the slightly damp shirt, the abs faintly visible beneath the fishnet top, the round, perky butt encased in dress pants…
The stage lights were dim and hazy, and the close-up shots, enhanced by filters, assaulted the viewer’s senses.
Through his headphones, the young man’s low, husky voice hummed a seductive melody, like a whisper in his ear.
Movie Emperor Lu’s eyes darkened. He clenched his fists, then slowly relaxed them, his long fingers disappearing beneath the water.
Oh, oh my… O///O Thank you for the chapter!