Chapter 7
Lu Dingyun’s sudden kiss stunned Wei Yuan.
The kitten froze, its paws stiff, eyes wide.
With the thick fur on its paws, Wei Yuan hadn’t expected to feel much from a little squeeze or kiss.
However, it clearly felt Lu Dingyun’s warm breath and the soft touch of his lips.
Strangely, it felt like it had been flirted with.
The kitten, single for twenty-five years, felt its face flush, its heart pounding.
The butterflies it had never experienced as a human now fluttered wildly in its chest.
…
No, no, the kitten snapped out of it, shaking its head vigorously.
Oh god! What was it thinking?!
It was just a kitten, not a human. Why would Lu Dingyun flirt with it?
And it was just a kiss on the paw, not on the face, let alone the mouth. Why was it so flustered?!
The three-month-old kitten hadn’t developed chubby cheeks yet, its face still somewhat pointed, its fur not particularly fluffy.
But Lu Dingyun found it irresistibly cute, especially its conflicted expression.
He chuckled, unable to resist kissing the kitten’s paw two more times.
“!!!”
Wei Yuan finally reacted, kicking its paw forcefully.
You scoundrel, let go of my paw!
The kicks landed perfectly, each one hitting Movie Emperor Lu’s handsome face.
Lu Dingyun let the kitten kick him, not only unfazed but looking at it with indulgence, as if he was about to ask, “Baby, want to kick me again?”
So perverse!
Wei Yuan even detected a hint of secret enjoyment in his expression.
Damn it! Even the kitten couldn’t help but curse.
Before the kitten completely exploded, Lu Dingyun released its paw and stood up.
A smile played on his lips, his mood clearly improved.
However, Liu Ying, who had been watching, was startled by the kitten’s kicks.
Those were sharp, untrimmed claws. If they scratched the movie emperor’s million-dollar face, who would he answer to?
But looking at Lu Dingyun’s expression, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything.
Forget it, compared to his face, it was more important for his nephew to maintain a positive attitude.
Liu Ying quickly convinced himself and returned to business. “Director Li’s drama is confirmed. Filming starts next Wednesday, and you’ll need to attend the opening ceremony.”
Lu Dingyun nodded. “Mm. Is the new script out?”
“Yes. I received it early this morning and printed a copy for you.” Liu Ying sat on the sofa, retrieved his bag, and pulled out a stack of paper.
Lu Dingyun sat beside him, pulling the cart with the kitten closer.
Wei Yuan ignored their conversation, still dwelling on the forced kiss.
Its paw still felt slightly numb. The more it thought about it, the more it felt wronged. It should have kicked him harder.
The next time that pervert Lu Dingyun tried to kiss it, it would teach him a lesson.
Of course, that was just wishful thinking. It knew it couldn’t provoke Lu Dingyun yet.
So, it would endure for a while. Once it recovered, it would escape and find a way back to Jing City and its family.
As for Lu Dingyun’s “molestation,” it could be forgiven, considering he had saved its life.
The kitten’s bright eyes were full of calculation, darting around.
“Your role is just a cameo. They cut a lot of your scenes,” Liu Ying said, pouring himself a glass of water. “But the screenwriter and the original author are your fans. After learning you were cast, they added all the deleted scenes back in.”
Director Li was one of the top drama directors in the industry. His dramas were always successful and had one thing in common: they were “satisfying,” not in a mindless way, but with well-developed plots and emotional depth.
This new drama, “I’m a Beast Tamer in a Cultivation Novel,” was no exception. Despite its strange title, the content was excellent.
It was adapted from a popular novel on Xiaolvjiang, incorporating various popular elements like time travel, dual male leads, cute pets, a system, and a counterattack. The original novel had a large fan base.
The drama was a big-budget production, with two popular young actors as the male leads, both possessing both acting skills and a large following.
It had already trended on social media several times before filming even began and was one of the most anticipated dramas of the past two years.
Lu Dingyun had initially planned to focus on resting and had declined Director Li’s invitation.
But the CEO of Shanshui Entertainment owed Director Li a favor, so the request ultimately fell on Lu Dingyun.
Both Lu Dingyun and Liu Ying were loyal to Shanshui Entertainment. The CEO had always treated them well, offering fair terms, far better than many exploitative companies.
Now that the CEO needed their help, they naturally obliged.
So, Lu Dingyun accepted the role.
However, it wasn’t a leading role but a supporting one.
He played the shared white moonlight of the two male leads, and also the white moonlight of the entire cultivation world, a Beast Taming Sect Grandmaster who sacrificed himself to save the world.
His scenes were mostly flashbacks. After the initial cuts, his role was practically a fifth male lead.
But with the restored scenes, he was undoubtedly the third male lead.
And now, the plot revealed that Lu Dingyun’s character wasn’t a flawless white moonlight but the number one villain, the Demon Lord.
He faked his death as the Grandmaster, entered the demonic path, rose to become the Demon Lord, and nearly destroyed the immortal world with his demonic army.
One of the most iconic scenes was him appearing before all the cultivators, holding his spirit beast, smiling gently and saying, “Greetings, everyone. Long time no see.”
The hearts of all the cultivators shattered.
The readers’ hearts almost shattered too, but after recovering, they were ecstatic. This character arc was amazing.
However, the original script had removed his Demon Lord identity, portraying him only as a white moonlight who inspired the two male leads and occasionally caused jealousy between them. A new character was supposed to be created as the main villain.
The reason for this change was the character’s immense popularity.
Fans had even collectively requested the character’s removal, believing it was better to delete him than to ruin him. Even the original author and screenwriter felt no one could portray him accurately.
But after Director Li managed to cast Lu Dingyun, everyone’s worries disappeared.
Because the original author had based the character on Lu Dingyun.
The fans knew this, and various fan-made videos used Lu Dingyun’s face for the Grandmaster. It could be said that Lu Dingyun was the fan-chosen “Grandmaster and Demon Lord.”
So, upon learning that Lu Dingyun would play the role, both fans and the general public were incredibly excited.
Lu Dingyun didn’t react much to Director Li adding his scenes back.
He flipped through the script, finding that the original character setting was indeed more compelling, and the changes benefited the overall story.
“You can look through the script first and contact Director Li directly if you have any questions,” Liu Ying said. “Also, I’ve calculated that based on Director Li’s filming speed and your ability to nail scenes in one take, your scenes should take about a month to film, with breaks in between.”
Since many of Lu Dingyun’s scenes were with his spirit beast, essentially acting without a physical counterpart, there wouldn’t be many delays caused by other actors, so filming would likely be fast.
“By the way, I told you, right? The filming location is at the film studio south of Qing City. We won’t need to travel. If you don’t mind, you can even come home every day.”
Lu Dingyun was a Qing City native, but after entering the industry, he had been traveling all over the world, spending most of his time in Jing City.
However, he had lived in Qing City for eighteen years and owned an apartment here.
After deciding to slow down, he had moved back.
Firstly, life in Qing City was more relaxed, with fewer work-related social obligations, allowing him to recuperate.
Secondly, he could be closer to his parents.
Liu Ying was in Qing City mainly because Lu Dingyun was his only artist now. His director title was mostly nominal, so with Lu Dingyun taking a break, he was also free.
He decided to take a short vacation, returning to Qing City with Lu Dingyun to spend some time and see old friends.
But he would have to return to Jing City eventually, as his wife and children were there.
Lu Dingyun closed the script. “I understand.”
He indeed disliked staying in hotels. Being able to go home was ideal.
And now he wasn’t alone. He had a kitten to care for.
He glanced at the kitten, which was looking back at him with an innocent yet attentive expression, as if trying to understand their conversation but failing.
Lu Dingyun smiled faintly.
Wei Yuan looked at him suspiciously.
What was he smiling about, so smugly?
Liu Ying, seeing their interaction, smiled as well, feeling relieved.
He checked his watch and stood up. “Alright, that’s all. I have a tennis game. I’ll be going now. Take care of yourself, get enough sleep and food, okay?”
Lu Dingyun stood up as well, escorting him to the entrance. “I know. Be safe.”
“Okay. You don’t have to see me out. Call me if anything.” Liu Ying put on his shoes and added one last reminder before leaving, “And your Weibo, it hasn’t been updated in two weeks. Remember to post something.”
Lu Dingyun agreed, watching him enter the elevator before closing the door.
Wei Yuan, hearing Liu Ying’s reminders, felt a pang of nostalgia.
When it was human, it had also been a handful. Its dear manager, Comrade Su Da, and his assistant, Xiao Ma, had always fussed over him, taking care of everything.
It had often teased them for being like mother hens, but now it missed their nagging terribly.
It wondered how Su Da and the others were coping after its accident. It was the only artist in the entire studio. Had they disbanded?
Sigh…
Lost in thought, it heard the door close.
Snapping out of its melancholy, it looked towards the door.
It saw Movie Emperor Lu ruffling his hair, exhaling deeply, his entire body visibly relaxing.
“?” Wei Yuan blinked.
Lu Dingyun shuffled over in his slippers, plopping down on the sofa next to Wei Yuan with a casual, almost sloppy posture.
It was more of a collapse than a sit.
His posture was terrible, his hair a mess, with no trace of his usual movie star aura.
Oh?
Wei Yuan’s eyes widened in surprise.
What a contrast! So, the aloof and distant Movie Emperor Lu was an act?
He even kept up the act in front of his manager and uncle, and it seemed to be a long-standing habit. Wasn’t he tired?
Lu Dingyun, noticing the kitten’s stare, glanced over lazily.
The kitten’s curiosity peaked, and it instinctively meowed: “Meow~” Tell me!
What made you so eager to perform?
What made you wear two faces?
A kitten acting cute and making soft meows – what cat owner could resist?
Movie Emperor Lu was instantly energized. He stretched out his long legs and pulled the cart closer.
He adjusted the cart’s height, and Wei Yuan found itself further from the ceiling.
Soon, the cart was at the perfect height, allowing Wei Yuan to meet Lu Dingyun’s gaze.
Lu Dingyun rested his arms on the cart, his chin on his arms, looking at the kitten from close range.
With such a handsome face so close, the kitten suddenly felt a little uncomfortable.
It had always been a little bit gay, although it had no romantic interest in Lu Dingyun and had even disliked him before.
But now, facing such a face at close range, it was normal to feel a little flustered, right?
And the owner of this face had kissed its paw, squeezed its paw pads, and even… even used a thermometer on it…
The kitten glanced at him, almost drowning in the affection and amusement in his eyes.
It looked away again, its little nose twitching involuntarily, catching a faint, almost imperceptible scent beneath the smell of medicine, like shower gel or some niche perfume.
Was this Lu Dingyun’s scent?
It was quite nice.
Wei Yuan thought absentmindedly.
“Xiao Yuan, do you think I’m strange too?” Lu Dingyun suddenly asked, his voice soft, almost a murmur.
Wei Yuan’s heart skipped a beat, and it looked up at him.
Xiao Yuan? Or Xiao Yuan, as in “little round”?
For a moment, it almost thought Lu Dingyun knew who it was, its heart nearly leaping out of its chest.
But it quickly realized.
He was saying “Xiao Yuan,” as in “Programmer”!
Damn homophones, almost gave me a heart attack!
Wei Yuan cursed internally, then recalled Lu Dingyun’s question.
What did he mean by “strange”?
Was Movie Emperor Lu about to have a heart-to-heart with a cat?!
Wei Yuan was instantly alert.
Its eyes shone with anticipation, its tail wagging slightly, eager for some gossip.
Lu Dingyun gently stroked the kitten’s tail, the soft fur tickling his fingers, his gaze drifting off.
The kitten waited excitedly.
And waited.
And waited, its head filled with question marks, but Lu Dingyun’s inner monologue never came.
Wei Yuan frowned, waving its paws to get his attention.
So?
Why are you strange?
Don’t leave me hanging!
But Lu Dingyun showed no intention of continuing, simply kneading the kitten’s tail, then… then yawning.
“Sleepy.” He stood up, pulling the cart towards his bedroom. “Baby, I’m going to sleep for a bit. I’ll change your bandages when I wake up.”
Wei Yuan: “…”
Are you kidding me?!
How could he just stop mid-sentence?
Leaving a pure and innocent kitten hanging like this, how could he have any conscience?! How could he even sleep?!
Oblivious to the kitten’s inner turmoil, Lu Dingyun settled the cart beside his bed, gently turning the kitten onto its back before entering the bathroom.
Wei Yuan’s chest heaved, almost sitting up in its weakened state.
Lu! Playing these games, are we?!
This isn’t over!
The movement pulled at its chest wound, and it let out a soft cry.
It carefully lifted its left paw to avoid straining the wound, but the position was tiring.
It was about to curse Lu Dingyun when he emerged from the bathroom with a soft, new towel.
Lu Dingyun walked to the cart and carefully wrapped the towel around the kitten, supporting its limbs and head, before petting it again and returning to the bathroom.
With its limbs supported, it didn’t have to lie flat, which was both less tiring and less painful.
Wei Yuan felt too guilty to curse now.
It thought sheepishly, Movie Emperor Lu was actually quite considerate.
The sound of running water from the bathroom stopped quickly. It didn’t sound like he was showering, probably just washing his face and hands, and maybe gargling.
Was he gargling because he had kissed a cat?
If he knew it would bother him so much, he shouldn’t have kissed it in the first place.
Wei Yuan felt a twinge of schadenfreude.
Did he know how a goose honked?
Serves you right—
The man who “deserved to gargle” quickly emerged from the bathroom, and the kitten’s internal monologue abruptly ceased.
Wei Yuan stared, dumbfounded, as the shirtless man approached.
Healthy, honey-toned skin, broad shoulders, a narrow waist, perfectly sculpted pecs, and defined abs!
What a physique!
The kitten averted its gaze, its paws clenching, swallowing hard.
This wasn’t fair.
Was this a honey trap? It wasn’t falling for it.
“Baby,” a deep, pleasant voice sounded above it.
The kitten trembled, looking up timidly.
The man was leaning over it, his handsome face and perfect torso filling its vision, the impactful image causing its mind to short-circuit.
“Be good, I’ll just sleep for a bit.” Lu Dingyun coaxed softly.
He really wanted to kiss the kitten again, but he had just washed his hands and gargled, so he forced himself to resist.
The kitten was right there. He could cuddle it after his nap.
So, Movie Emperor Lu, after teasing the kitten, climbed into bed and quickly fell asleep.
The doctor had told him that due to his irregular sleep patterns, he should sleep whenever he felt tired, without delay.
Listening to the man’s gradually even breathing, Wei Yuan’s tense body finally relaxed, its paws spreading out, its eyes unfocused.
The pain in its chest and hind leg returned, probably aggravated by its earlier outburst.
However, Wei Yuan was too preoccupied to care, still trying to calm its racing heart.
A minute later, the kitten, which had been motionless like a beautiful doll, suddenly bristled, its expression crumpling in despair.
Someone needed to control Lu Dingyun!
Who walked around shirtless in front of a kitten?
And calling it “baby” like that, Wei Yuan felt like it was being seduced!
Meow, meow, meow!
Wei Yuan was on the verge of tears.
It began to reflect, was it really that innocent?
If it couldn’t handle this little scene, how would it ever manage a real relationship?
Wait, it was just a kitten now.
Relationships were a distant concern.
Wei Yuan felt a wave of sadness, silently choking back sobs as it stared at the ceiling.
After two seconds of silent sobbing—
Wait!
Wei Yuan’s eyes widened, fixated on a reflective strip on the ceiling.
It reflected the kitten’s current appearance.
Ignoring the bandages and its pathetic state, it saw the bald patch on its head, glaringly obvious!
Oh god! It was bald!
No wonder he called it Programmer, wuwuwu!
That damn Lu Dingyun!
This cat would never forgive him!
