Lu Mingjin closed his eyes, then opened them again.
Then closed them, and opened them once more.
It really was a tail.
Not an illusion.
A furry, indistinct tail tip was sneakily poking out from the edge of Bai Ruonian’s waistband. As the omega cautiously backed away, it gave a slight sway, then abruptly shrank back a little.
…What was that?
“Bai Ruonian.” Lu Mingjin’s voice dropped an octave, laced with inquiry.
The omega, called by name, was completely oblivious. Still highly vigilant, he flashed several meters away, hugging his crystal ball protectively. He was genuinely afraid Lu Mingjin would snatch it again.
Seeing the little omega refuse to come closer, Lu Mingjin spoke again, his eyes fixed on his pants. “Bai Ruonian, come here.”
Lu Mingjin’s first reaction was that Bai Ruonian had bought some weird thing outside and put it on.
Sensing the shift in Lu Mingjin’s tone, Bai Ruonian wrinkled his nose. He eventually shuffled over, still clutching his crystal ball, only to be grabbed and pulled straight onto a lap.
Holding his crystal ball, Bai Ruonian was restless even when sitting down, wriggling and squirming until Lu Mingjin felt his patience fray. He instinctively pressed down on the fidgeting little body, and his hand slid down the omega’s lower back to investigate—
He didn’t feel the hard object he expected.
And the person in his arms was soft, not at all bony.
Bai Ruonian, on the other hand, jumped at the touch of his master’s icy hand! The sensation slid across his lower back like a snake, startling him so much he dove deeper into Lu Mingjin’s embrace, seeking shelter. When he realized the source of this “danger” was his master himself, he felt both embarrassed and annoyed, flailing his limbs to climb out, only to be firmly trapped by Lu Mingjin’s arm.
“Woo…!” In his panic and frustration, Bai Ruonian chomped down on Lu Mingjin’s neck in retaliation.
The latter grunted, but his hand didn’t stop moving. He carefully felt around once more; indeed, there was nothing there.
Lu Mingjin looked up, meeting Bai Ruonian’s tear-filled, accusatory sapphire eyes. “Ma… what are you doing…?!”
He was scared from the groping, curling into a tight little ball in Lu Mingjin’s arms, yet still not forgetting the bag in his hand, full of trinkets.
Bai Ruonian felt utterly wronged and sniffled.
“Even if I really did something wrong, this isn’t right.”
And he’d even bought his master a gift.
Wuwuwu.
Lu Mingjin was speechless at the sight of Bai Ruonian’s red-rimmed eyes.
He didn’t quite know what to do with this omega.
He’d felt around and found nothing, but he absolutely would not doubt his eyesight.
Judging by Bai Ruonian’s reaction, the omega clearly wasn’t aware either.
If it were just some kind of little toy, fine, at least it could be explained.
Strange.
Bai Ruonian was now glaring at Lu Mingjin with reddened eyes, as if he were some kind of pervert.
Lu Mingjin stopped his hand’s movement. With a perfectly composed face, he picked up where Bai Ruonian left off, as if nothing had happened.
“I didn’t say you did wrong,” he began, reaching up to smooth Bai Ruonian’s ruffled silver hair as a placating gesture. “Who says you’re wrong—”
He paused, cutting himself off. “Of course, it’s not entirely right. For instance, you can’t just sneak away. A hard-of-hearing omega running around in the big streets can easily be lured away.”
Bai Ruonian’s sapphire eyes blinked, the stubbornness inside quickly overriding that faint trace of grievance. Like a kitten whose funny bone was poked, he straightened his neck and sat up properly in Lu Mingjin’s lap, a small beast defending its territory, earnestly justifying himself: “Exactly, I wasn’t running around! They were cheating people out of money! Cheating that… that Light Affliction patient!”
Besides, when Bai Ruonian was just a cat, he hadn’t noticed, because Master’s house was big anyway. But now, though the house was huge, it was empty. Master came back very late every day, never played with him, never cuddled. He was lonely too, okay?
Lu Mingjin paused, gazing at the omega before him.
Right now, Bai Ruonian’s hair was sticking up messily from poor sleeping posture, a few stubborn cowlicks standing upright on his head. He was still clutching that glittering crystal ball like a treasure. This sight, paired with his utterly serious expression, formed a peculiar, stubborn, innocent cuteness. That black-market store—most people, seeing that councilor’s seal, would normally back off and not dare do more. Only he was determined to demand justice on someone else’s behalf.
“Very clever, very brave.”
He was very different from what he had imagined.
In his preconception, this would be a greedy, insidious, unfathomable omega.
But looking at him now.
So naive, to the point of being a little foolish. Severe lack of social awareness, yet a penchant for meddling. Could very well get beaten up.
Lu Mingjin pulled out a Portable Spatial Box that emanated a warm, gentle luster and held it out to Bai Ruonian. “Open it and see,” his tone was indifferent.
Bai Ruonian blinked curiously, took the box, and carefully opened it. Inside lay a single… ice-blue, bizarrely shaped “flower”? Or rather, it looked more like a cluster of solidified, starlight-flowing blue ice crystals, emitting a pure, chilling aura and vibrant vitality.
“Wow… so pretty…” Bai Ruonian marveled, his fingers wanting to touch but not daring.
“Eat it,” Lu Mingjin stated succinctly.
“Huh?” Bai Ruonian looked up in surprise. “But… it’s so beautiful…”
“Delicious,” Lu Mingjin added, his tone brooking no argument.
Bai Ruonian knew his master wouldn’t trick him. He hesitated for a moment but ultimately picked up the icy, crystalline “flower” and carefully put it in his mouth. The “flower” dissolved on his tongue, and a cooling, sweet warmth instantly surged through his limbs and bones. He had never felt so clear-headed, so light. It was as if a tremendous weight had been lifted, his very soul becoming transparent and clear, as though… he had turned back into that carefree little kitty.
“So magical… what is this?” Bai Ruonian asked, pleasantly surprised, feeling completely refreshed.
Lu Mingjin looked into his clear eyes and revealed the answer: “The Blue Snowflake you’ve been looking for.”
Bai Ruonian’s sapphire pupils dilated dramatically, his mouth fell open, and his entire body froze.
Wha… what?
Wait…
Blue Snowflake???
He… he just ate it??? Bai Ruonian’s first instinct was to stick a finger down his throat.
If he ate it, then what about those Light Affliction patients???
How could he have eaten it…
Lu Mingjin could tell at a glance what this little omega was worrying about and let out a scoff at the little guy. “Worrying over nothing.”
So young, yet his heart held so many people.
“The guy you dragged out today is the Planetary Governor’s brother-in-law. Following the vine to the melon, the people it led to—” He laughed. “When the time comes, who knows how much Blue Snowflake they’ll unearth from his home.”
Hearing this, Bai Ruonian finally relaxed a little, but he still felt a bit guilty. He wasn’t sick or suffering, and he’d just eaten a flower for free.
“This thing can elevate your Mental Power Domain Value, raising its upper limit. The way you go charging around recklessly, you’re liable to get beaten up. You deserved to eat one.” Lu Mingjin glanced at him. His system of rewards and punishments was always clear. “However—”
Chewing the flower, Bai Ruonian heard the word take a turn. He stopped chewing, his blue eyes unblinking. “However what?”
“However,” Lu Mingjin said, “in the future, some things need to be done when you’re confident of success.”
“You are my confidence,” Bai Ruonian chewed a couple more times, swallowed the flower, and said seriously.
Lu Mingjin paused.
Bai Ruonian’s eyes reflected his image.
Utterly earnest, truly filled with him and only him.
In his twenty-some years, Lu Mingjin had seen all kinds of looks.
Fear, dread, disgust, flattery, indifference. But this kind of completely pure and clean look, he had only seen in his cat’s eyes.
He smirked inwardly, suppressing the stirring in his heart, and changed the subject.
“Not the time to be looking for ‘Ji-other-people’ anymore.”
Bai Ruonian hadn’t noticed the odd look in his master’s eyes at all. He wondered internally why Master was always hung up on Ji Shiyu, but seeing him smile and bring a gift, he knew he wasn’t angry anymore. His eyes swiveled cunningly as he nimbly changed the subject.
“I was afraid you’d be busy.”
Bai Ruonian smiled ingratiatingly, then suddenly remembered something. “Oh, right! I also bought you a gift!!”
He said this, and Lu Mingjin froze. “What?”
“A gift, a gift,” Bai Ruonian said, a little puzzled. Was his pronunciation off? He repeated, “A gift for you. Have you ever received a gift before?”
Lu Mingjin said flatly, “Bribes, yes. Gifts, no.”
Bai Ruonian’s eyes curved into a smile. “Good then!”
“What’s good about that…”
Lu Mingjin raised an eyebrow. He suspected Bai Ruonian had no idea what “bribe” even meant.
Before Lu Mingjin could react, Bai Ruonian had already jumped off his lap and was dashing towards that pile of shopping bags.
Lu Mingjin had a sudden premonition that Bai Ruonian was about to gift him a mountain of crystal balls.
His lap still held the residual warmth of the omega, along with the lily-of-the-valley pheromones that had just barely begun to be triggered.
Bai Ruonian’s scent.
The crease left by Bai Ruonian on his pants.
Lu Mingjin looked down at his black military uniform. A strand—
He pinched it between his fingers. The same color as Bai Ruonian’s hair. No, slightly whiter, slightly softer.
Holding it up to the light, Lu Mingjin studied it carefully.
Cat fur???
The tail he had just seen… he was sure it wasn’t a hallucination now.
Not only sure, he even knew the type of tail.
A cat tail.
Lu Mingjin narrowed his eyes, watching the silver-haired omega rummaging and bustling about on the side. He put the strand of cat fur into his personal spatial box, his expression contemplative.
Bai Ruonian constantly felt a gaze roaming and observing him.
Drawing on his instincts from being a stray cat, boosted by the enhanced mental power from the Blue Snowflake he’d just eaten, he instantly went on alert. He turned his head back, only to meet Lu Mingjin’s placid face.
An illusion?
Bai Ruonian scratched his hair, making the cowlicks stick up even more, and buried himself back in his search.
He’d bought too many toys. Which bag was the clothes in again?
He rummaged for who knows how long; fortunately, Lu Mingjin didn’t rush him. When he finally found the right bag, Bai Ruonian excitedly ran back and clambered onto Lu Mingjin, all hands and feet.
A grunt escaped Lu Mingjin, followed by a low curse. “Damn…”
By now, Bai Ruonian was fully immersed in his artistic endeavor. He first pulled out a deep blue tie, cheerfully starting to measure.
He had seen on TV that when a wife bought a tie for her husband, she had to hold it up against him to compare. So he copied the gesture faithfully.
His soft paws climbed onto Lu Mingjin’s neck; the silk tie and his soft fingertips brushed against the other man’s throat.
Lu Mingjin’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he stared darkly.
The latter looked back at Lu Mingjin, puzzled, instinctively shivering slightly.
That “staring at a sausage” look was back again.
A jolt ran through Bai Ruonian, a strange tingling in his tailbone. But fortunately, the other man quickly reined in his gaze, reverting to the cold, detached master he knew.
Master wouldn’t do anything to him.
Bai Ruonian thought his body’s reaction was too weird.
Maybe after his rebirth, his spirit and body weren’t quite in sync… Was it because he was originally a cat?
He couldn’t figure it out. Shaking his head, he continued.
Lu Mingjin watched the omega before him.
He took in every single expression—the confusion, the bewilderment, the vigilance—but still, Bai Ruonian was completely and utterly focused on him.
Lu Mingjin could even see his own reflection in those clear eyes.
Something seemed to pluck at his heartstrings.
Like a small cat’s paw, gently scratching, leaving a faint white mark that quickly disappeared. Looking closely, it was Bai Ruonian’s paws.
“And there’s more…” Bai Ruonian whispered, kneeling in Lu Mingjin’s lap. He opened his hands mysteriously, revealing a pair of exquisite diamond cufflinks sparkling in his palm.
He liked shiny things; he was sure Master would too.
“Do you like them? Bling-bling.”
The little omega’s sapphire eyes sparkled. Lu Mingjin looked into his eyes and paused. “They are quite bling-bling.”
Bai Ruonian’s eyes curved, and he insisted on asking. “Do you like them?”
“Pretty good.” Lu Mingjin’s lips were pressed into a tight line.
“There’s more.”
Unaware of the change in Lu Mingjin’s reaction, Bai Ruonian simply continued offering his treasures, bustling off hurriedly again. He came back with a trench coat, then a belt, followed by a dress shirt. His paws compared and measured endlessly against Lu Mingjin’s body.
The comparing was exhausting to the heart.
Agitating.
Distracting.
Lu Mingjin grabbed Bai Ruonian’s wrist, his voice a little hoarse. “Stop comparing. What’s the point of comparing?”
“You’re right!” Bai Ruonian suddenly understood. “How can we know if it fits without trying it on?”
