Xie Xiaobao entered his apartment, pulled out his phone, and sent He Yu a WeChat message:
[You said you had something to talk about? Forgot to mention earlier.]
He Yu, still driving, glanced at the message, pulled over, and replied:
[No rush, we’ll talk next time.]
[Free this weekend? I’ll take you to the gym.]
Xie Xiaobao blinked, typing back with a hint of confusion:
[Didn’t you say I don’t need to lose weight? Why the gym?]
He Yu tapped his phone screen, chuckling lightly:
[To stay fit.]
[You in?]
Of course he was in. Xie Xiaobao pictured He Yu’s toned muscles, faintly visible through his shirt, and felt a twinge of envy. Maybe training with He Yu could get him those muscles too.
[I’m in.]
Unaware of Xie Xiaobao’s daydreams, He Yu confirmed a meetup time for the weekend and said he’d pick him up.
Setting down his phone, Xie Xiaobao transformed into his cat form, rolling happily on the floor. Alone at home, he preferred his original shape.
After tumbling on the sofa, he sprang up with a carp flip, checked the time on his phone, and saw the gym trip was set for Saturday. It was only Wednesday—two days to go.
Xie Xiaobao tamped down his excitement, hopped off the sofa, and paced, tail swishing, to calm himself.
By Friday, he was sprawled on the sofa, bored, watching TV.
Song Kewen was tied up with intensive training, nowhere to be found. Old Wang had vanished for days, busy with who-knows-what. As for He Yu… they were meeting tomorrow, so contacting him today felt a bit clingy.
They say friendships should be light as water—too close, and it risks losing its charm. Xie Xiaobao rolled over, his pale yellow belly up, paws curled, tail flicking restlessly.
With nothing to do, he decided to chat in his livestream channel.
Action followed thought. Xie Xiaobao twisted, leapt to the floor, and scampered to the study to boot up his computer. Instead of going live, he first checked his Weibo comments.
He hadn’t posted or streamed lately, and many fans, worried the trolling had upset him, left comforting messages.
Feeling guilty for causing concern, Xie Xiaobao tilted his head, tail flicking, and decided to do something special for his next stream.
He dashed to his room and rummaged through his small box.
The box, a gift from his sister-in-law when he moved out, held trinkets: invisibility talismans, transforming paper figures, and defensive attack talismans.
Xie Xiaobao pulled out a flat paper cat, pictured the form he wanted, recited the incantation, and, following Qu Yanning’s instructions, blew gently on it. The paper cat puffed up, slowly transforming into an orange cat identical to Xie Xiaobao.
The paper cat tilted its head, looked at Xie Xiaobao, then flopped onto its back, exposing its belly and meowing softly.
Xie Xiaobao petted it, marveling at its lifelike feel. His sister-in-law’s paper-crafting skills were incredible.
Beaming, he placed the cat on the table, patted its fuzzy chin, and told it to stay put. Then he scampered to the study, grabbed his streaming gear and computer, and set up in the kitchen.
He positioned the equipment for the perfect angle, dragged a high-backed chair into the kitchen, and set the paper cat on it.
The paper cat curled up, its tail dangling over the chair’s edge, swaying gently.
Everything ready, Xie Xiaobao posted a Weibo announcement, logged into his streaming channel, and started prepping ingredients.
Today’s stream was starry donuts. It was a spur-of-the-moment idea—Xie Xiaobao had never cooked on stream before, preferring crafts, and his cooking skills were average at best.
But the enthusiastic response to Orange Bao’s mukbang gave him confidence, and the donuts would make a perfect gift for He Yu.
Xie Xiaobao’s mental abacus clicked away. The chat exploded.
[Am I seeing things? Wuli Xiaobao and Orange Bao in the same frame?]
[Seeing things +1]
[Have they ever been in the same frame before?]
[Never. I’ve always suspected Xiaobao’s a cat spirit.]
Xie Xiaobao coughed guiltily at the “cat spirit” comments, hugged the paper cat tightly, and gave it a vigorous pet to prove he wasn’t Orange Bao in disguise.
Petting a chubby cat on camera was electrifying. Both the round cat and the round streamer had wide, round eyes, creating a stunning effect.
[Host’s cheating!]
[I’m dying here—someone revive me!]
[Keep going, don’t stop! I’d die under that cat belly and be a happy ghost!!]
Xie Xiaobao showed off the cat for a bit, then washed his hands, donned an apron, and got to work.
Today’s project was starry donuts. He melted butter, mixed in sugar and two eggs, stirring until smooth, then added baking powder and 200 grams of milk, blending with a spatula.
Xie Xiaobao worked carefully, following a recipe he’d studied since it was his first time. He measured every ingredient precisely.
Once the dough was mixed, he piped it into a donut tray, set it in the oven to bake, and turned to the “starry” topping.
He whipped frosting with egg whites and milk, adding food coloring to turn the white frosting into vibrant hues. When the donut bases were baked, he dipped them in the frosting with tongs.
The golden donuts, now coated in starry blue frosting, looked great. He sprinkled white chocolate bits on top, turned the tray to inspect them, and felt satisfied with the look.
Worried he was being too optimistic, he held them up to the camera. “Do they look good? Can I give these as a gift?”
The chat instantly shifted focus, bombarding him with questions about the recipient.
[Jealousy’s tearing me apart—does Xiaobao have a secret partner?!]
[Let’s form a squad to steal his cat while he’s out.]
[Steal-the-cat team, count me in.]
Xie Xiaobao, scratching his cheek, explained shyly, “It’s for a new friend.”
The chat didn’t buy it, already debating how to divide the cat if they stole it.
Xie Xiaobao scratched his head, asked for feedback, but got no clear answers. He decided to stick with his plan.
Ending the stream, he sealed the donuts in a container for the fridge, ready to give to He Yu tomorrow.
He just hoped He Yu would like them.
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