After a sweet and sound sleep, Su Yu felt completely refreshed—his whole cat-self felt adorable and fluffy.
Happily stretching his limbs, he wandered into the living room looking for Qin Shou.
It was Saturday, so Qin Shou didn’t have to go to work.
After preparing breakfast, he curled up in the hanging chair on the balcony with a book.
The warm morning sunlight streamed in through the glass window, casting a handsome shadow across his face.
Su Yu looked at the man sitting in the sunlight.
He was wearing a silver-gray loungewear set, half his body sunk into the plush hanging chair filled with throw pillows.
One hand supported his cheek, while the other held a book he was reading.
The bright sunlight bathed him in a gentle glow, softening the usually sharp edges of his features.
Gulp.
Su Yu swallowed and felt his heart beat just a little faster.
He padded quietly over to the man’s legs and, with a quick leap, landed on his lap.
The man, distracted by his reading, instinctively reached out to rub the furball now sitting on him and commented curiously, “Zai, why are you up so early today?” Normally, the little guy slept in until noon.
“Meow~”
Su Yu rolled on the man’s lap and settled into a comfortable position to lie down—until he suddenly felt something hard under his butt.
Reflexively, he reached back and pressed down with a paw.
Huh? It got even harder. And warmer.
And it bounced back when pressed.
He pressed again—kind of fun, actually.
But just as he was about to keep going, Qin Shou suddenly picked him up.
Su Yu tilted his head in confusion at the man holding him.
Meow?
Qin Shou cleared his throat awkwardly.
If you looked closely, the tips of his ears were slightly red. Su Yu remained completely clueless, confused about why he had been lifted away mid-play.
He struggled against Qin Shou’s arms, trying to jump back down and continue his “game.”
Qin Shou tightened his grip on the squirming furball, clamped his legs together ever so slightly, and forced a stern expression onto his face, “A-Zai, don’t be naughty. If you keep acting up, Daddy’s gonna spank your butt.”
And he actually gave Su Yu’s round little cat butt a light pat.
Su Yu was stunned.
His ears flattened in protest, and he stared wide-eyed at Qin Shou, letting out a dramatic warning, “Meow meow meow!”
How dare you spank me?!
Looking at the little guy—clearly flustered but trying to act tough—Qin Shou suddenly felt himself get even harder.
What the hell just happened?!
This can’t be real!
I got hard from my own cat’s meowing?!
Qin Shou’s mind raced, filled with galloping horses (and profanities).
He tried to comfort himself, Maybe it’s just been too long.
He’s a man after all—and it is morning.
That kind of thing happens easily.
It has nothing to do with A-Zai.
Just a coincidence.
Still in a daze, he gently set Su Yu into the hanging chair, and—with his shocked expression still plastered on—stumbled back into his bedroom.
Meanwhile, he tried to hypnotize himself, Maybe I just need to get a new toy…
This one hasn’t been doing it for me lately anyway…
Su Yu sat there completely baffled.
Can someone please explain what just happened?!
While Su Yu’s atmosphere was light and silly, things at the Luo family were grim.
In the basement, Luo Jianyuan sat at the head of the table.
Luo Jianyang sat to his left.
Both brothers wore dark, stormy expressions as they glared at the person kneeling before them, hands tied behind her back.
The woman on the ground was in a miserable state.
Her once-neatly styled hair had come loose, covering half her face.
The half that was visible was still pale and delicate. Her almond-shaped eyes were slightly lowered, fixed on the floor, refusing to speak.
Luo Jianyang had the more explosive temper.
Seeing that Qi Zhen still wouldn’t talk, his anger boiled over.
He grabbed the teacup beside him and smashed it on her forehead.
“Are you going to talk or not?!”
The small porcelain cup hit her with a dull thud, and the warm tea trickled down her face.
Qi Zhen trembled, biting the inside of her cheek.
Tears pooled at the corners of her eyes as she choked out, “It really wasn’t me.”
Qi Zhen had a delicate, almost innocent beauty, but her figure was curvaceous.
Now, tied up and kneeling in distress, tear-streaked and disheveled, she didn’t look ugly—on the contrary, she exuded a kind of tragic allure.
Luo Jianyang watched Qi Zhen’s pretentious act, laughing in anger, and mocked, “Who are you putting on this show for? If you don’t explain yourself today, don’t even think about leaving this door.”
As if startled by Luo Jianyang, Qi Zhen trembled even more violently, a fleeting hint of hatred flashing in her slightly downcast eyes.
Luo Jianyang had lost his temper, and his heart felt somewhat less suffocated.
He picked up his cup and poured himself another tea.
The atmosphere was momentarily stagnant, the three people present lost in their own thoughts.
“Qi Zhen, our Luo family has treated you well. Xiaoman grew up with you since childhood. The Luo family believes it has done nothing to wrong you,” Luo Jianyuan broke the silence.
He said, word for word, “I’ll ask you one last time, where is Xiaoman?”
Qi Zhen raised her head, looking at the people in front of her, hatred surging in her heart.
Xiaoman, Xiaoman, Xiaoman!
She was everywhere, everyone only saw her!
“I really don’t know.”
Almost unable to control the hatred in her heart, Qi Zhen lowered her eyes, her body trembling slightly, and replied hoarsely.
Luo Jianyuan’s face darkened, his voice laced with meaning, “I hope you don’t regret the decision you’ve made today.”
After saying that, he dialed the intercom and told the bodyguards at the door to come in.
He gestured with his chin to the bodyguards, saying, “Send her back to Su Qingwen.”
After a moment’s thought, he added, “Make sure to send her back in person.”
“Yes.”
After the bodyguards took her away, Luo Jianyang immediately said anxiously, “Brother, you’re just letting her go? What about Xiaoman? Qi Zhen definitely knows where Xiaoman is being held.”
Sighing, Luo Jianyuan began to explain to his brother, “Qi Zhen is determined not to speak. We can’t use force.”
He then looked at his brother with an exasperated glance, “Why do you think I sent her back?”
Luo Jianyang looked confused, “Why? I say we should make her suffer a bit. She won’t shed a tear until she sees her coffin.”
Shaking his head, his brother completely misunderstood his deeper meaning.
Luo Jianyuan could only answer his own question, “Su Qingwen is inherently suspicious. If we send Qi Zhen back openly, he’ll definitely suspect if Qi Zhen said anything.”
Luo Jianyuan chuckled, “Once he starts to suspect, the place where Xiaoman is currently hidden will become unsafe. Only when he starts to move her, can we take the opportunity to find Xiaoman.”
Luo Jianyang suddenly understood. He clapped his hands and said, “So now we need to send someone to monitor that Su guy?”
Luo Jianyuan nodded and then shook his head, saying, “Send someone to stake out the Su family villa first. For the rest, let Ayu handle it.”
Both of them thought of their nephew, now a fluffy ball, and exchanged a smile.
Monitoring Su Qingwen, there was no one more reliable and less likely to be discovered than Su Yu.
No one would be wary of a cat.
Su Yu squatted by the bedroom door, scratching hard at it, “Meow-ow!”
Open the door quickly!
It had been almost half an hour since Qin Shou locked himself in the bedroom.
Su Yu was a bit anxious.
The human was fine just a moment ago, why did he suddenly go crazy?
How long was he going to stay locked up!
Su Yu continued to scratch at the door persistently, meowing while scratching.
Qin Shou in the bedroom was irritated by the meows, and quietly sped up his movements.
Unfortunately, the more he hurried, the harder it was to finish.
The indescribable object in his hand was already slick with moisture, but it remained stiffly erect.
Qin Shou closed his eyes, panting, trying to recall action movies he had seen.
Just as he was building up the mood, he suddenly heard a drawn-out meow from the door.
His hand, which was rapidly rubbing, trembled, and white ooze stained his hand.
Qin Shou, however, felt no relief after release, only a sense of disarray.
“Son, how can you do this to Dad? Dad loves you so much!”
Pale-faced and distracted, he went to take a shower.
When he opened the door, the cat, who had been squatting by the door, jumped into Qin Shou’s arms with a spring.
He instinctively hugged the cat, but then suddenly remembered what had just happened.
Qin Shou shivered, almost dropping the cat master onto the floor.
Su Yu bit the man’s chest dissatisfiedly, and even gnawed a bit, his eyes full of disdain: “Can’t even hold me properly, what good are you to me?!”
Qin Shou, whose chest was bitten.
His chest felt so strange, and tingly…
With his worldview shaking and his bottom line almost broken, Qin Shou began to avoid Su Yu.
Actually, he wasn’t that obvious about it.
It was just that there were no loving kisses when he left for and returned from work, he wouldn’t rub the fluffy, beautiful, from time to time, and he wouldn’t look for opportunities to nudge the fluffy belly.
Feeling like he was losing favor, Su Yu thought sadly as he lay on the sofa.
However, Su Yu soon had no time for melancholy.
Luo Jianyang sent him a text message, concisely explaining the current situation.
Su Yu couldn’t believe that Aunt Qi, who had always been gentle and had a good relationship with his mother, was actually involved with Su Qingwen.
He bit his lip and continued reading.
Uncle’s plan was good.
If he kept an eye on Su Qingwen for a few days, he would definitely make a move.
Su Yu quickly replied to Luo Jianyang with an email, “Okay, send someone to pick me up tomorrow.”
He put down the iPad, looked at the home he had lived in for over a month, and then thought of Qin Shou’s gentle smile.
Su Yu felt a pang of reluctance.
But remembering his mother, whose whereabouts were still unknown, he forced himself to steel his heart.
Su Yu walked over to the man with a heavy heart, gently rubbing his head against him.
The man, who had been in a daze for a while, came to his senses and reached out to pick up the cat.
Halfway through reaching, he paused, his face conflicted as he looked at the still-flirting cat.
He hardened his heart and ignored him.
Su Yu, who had been rubbing his head for a long time, didn’t get the expected hug.
He looked up at Qin Shou in confusion, “Meow-ow?”
Pretending not to hear, Qin Shou focused on the potted plant in the corner of the wall.
A little disappointed, a little wronged, and a little angry, all these emotions mixed together, Su Yu felt a chaotic mess in his heart.
He irritably shook his head, not wanting to see the culprit who made him unhappy, and hid in the bedroom to sulk.
“Let’s see you ignore me, you’ll regret it later,” Su Yu thought glumly.
He was leaving tomorrow.
He had wanted to say a proper goodbye, but now he was so upset, he didn’t want to bother!
The next day, Qin Shou finished cooking and tidying up the house, then prepared to go out.
A few business friends had arranged a gathering, and Qin Shou couldn’t decline, so he had to show up.
Looking at the still sound asleep cat, Qin Shou gently stroked its head, picked up his coat, and left.
Su Yu, who had been feigning sleep, opened his eyes.
He reluctantly watched the man’s retreating back, then got up, picked up his iPad, and sent an email to his uncle.