Free Web NovelChapter 263: Chapter 263: Show Your Ears
Yuan Shimo didn’t say anything, but he didn’t deny it either.
For a prideful, standoffish cat like him, this was a very direct way of admitting it.
Jiang Qingli was already used to this Cat Teacher’s awkwardness. But wanting to tease him, she deliberately asked, "Is that a yes? If you don’t say anything, I won’t know what you mean."
"You know." Yuan Shimo leaned in slightly, softly saying her name. "Qingli."
His beautiful turquoise eyes gazed at her, a glimmer within them.
While tacitly agreeing, he was also silently seducing her.
Jiang Qingli raised a hand to scratch his chin and softly commanded him, "Let your ears out. I’m going to pet you."
Yuan Shimo took off his gold-rimmed glasses with one hand. As he reached to press the button that would raise the partition, he glanced toward the driver’s seat out of the corner of his eye, his brow slightly furrowed.
The Gray Wolf Butler, who was usually silent and acted like he wasn’t even there, had his fluffy wolf ears perked up on his head.
They were trembling slightly, as if in anticipation of something.
Yuan Shimo narrowed his eyes.
The girl beside him noticed her Beast Husband’s body stiffen. Just as she was about to lean forward for a curious look, Yuan Shimo cupped her face, tilted his head, and kissed her.
At the same time, the partition rose, blocking out all sound.
The last image in the rearview mirror was of the girl reaching for her Beast Husband’s ears, smiling and saying, "Such a good boy."
Yi Nuo retracted his gaze and stared at the road ahead.
A moment later, the beast ears on the young man’s head slowly retracted, as if they had never appeared at all.
-
Just a few minutes later, the scene in the back seat was completely different.
Jiang Qingli had been lifted onto the male’s lap, where he held the back of her head, kissing her face-to-face.
His long, slender fingers gripped her leg, pushing up along the hem of her skirt.
The ruffled hem had only moved a few inches when he suddenly felt a slight resistance.
Yuan Shimo opened his eyes. Looking down, he discovered the little kitten was hanging off the hem of Jiang Qingli’s skirt, pulling it downward.
He pushed up a little more; the kitten pulled down even harder.
Jiang Qingli followed his gaze and started shaking with laughter. She slapped Yuan Shimo’s hand away. "Forget it, forget it. It means well, just worried I’ll catch a cold."
Yuan Shimo: "..."
’It’s clearly doing this just to spite me.’
He was just about to have his shadow play with the cat so he and his female master could continue, but Jiang Qingli had already lost interest. She picked up the cat and went back to petting it.
Yuan Shimo watched the girl and the cat in her arms, his own fluffy white cat tail flicking against the seat in displeasure.
Jiang Qingli held up the kitten, examining it from all angles. "What do you think we should name it?"
Yuan Shimo said seriously, "Names are usually decided by the mother."
Jiang Qingli thought for a moment, then asked, "How about Xiao Xue?"
Yuan Shimo asked, "Why?"
"Because its fur is all black, except for this little bit of white on its belly. It’s like a light snowfall." Jiang Qingli pointed to the kitten’s stomach.
Yuan Shimo’s lips curved into a smile. "Whatever the child’s mother says, goes."
’He’s really getting into the role of the child’s father.’
Xiao Xue, now with a new name, let out two little meows, jumped onto Yuan Shimo’s lap, and started kneading him with its front paws.
Jiang Qingli suddenly leaned in, blinked, and asked earnestly, "Cat Teacher, answer a question for me honestly."
"Hm?"
"This little kitten... did you secretly have it behind my back?" Jiang Qingli grabbed his cat tail, twirling it between her fingers. "Otherwise, why is it so clingy with you?"
’Teasing her teacher has become... second nature to her now; she’s so practiced at it.’
Yuan Shimo had just put his glasses back on. His fingers trembled, but he said sternly, "Don’t talk nonsense."
"I’m not talking nonsense. You’re both the same species, you both have ears and a tail," Jiang Qingli said, deliberately spouting nonsense.
Then, she watched with satisfaction as the young man’s cool, aloof face grew redder and redder. She leaned against his chest, laughing so hard that tears nearly came to her eyes.
Yuan Shimo helplessly pinched the tip of her ear, but inwardly he was thinking, ’It would be great if I was the one who gave birth to it.’
’Throughout history, a Beast Husband’s status has always risen with his children.’
’Even if it’s just because of this cat, my female master won’t abandon me...’
-
「That evening」
Jiang Qingli, fresh from her shower, slipped into Qin Muye’s room.
She placed the kitten beside her, wrapped herself in her little puppy’s blanket, and glanced at the time.
They were supposed to have a video call a few nights ago, but Qin Muye had suddenly said he was caught in a surprise attack, and then she hadn’t heard from him.
The messages he’d sent over the past few days had also been sporadic.
Jiang Qingli was afraid of disturbing him, so she didn’t dare send too many messages herself.
But today, Qin Muye had sent a message at noon promising he would definitely finish early in the evening to have a video call with her.
He, a magnificent Prince, absolutely would not allow his female master to go to someone else on his day! A video call was a must! He had to keep an eye on her!
Jiang Qingli just found his childishness incredibly cute, and she loved it.
After scrolling on her phone for a while, it was the agreed-upon time of eight o’clock. Jiang Qingli placed a video call to him.
Her terminal vibrated for more than ten seconds, but no one answered.
Just as Jiang Qingli was wondering if she should hang up and try again later, the call connected.
The network connection on the border of the Ninth District wasn’t great, so they weren’t using a holographic projection, just a standard video call.
On Qin Muye’s end of the screen, his choppy silver hair and half of his face appeared.
The young man’s gray-blue eyes were filled with surprise and delight. He stared at her for a few seconds, his mouth opening and closing.
He clearly missed her so much, but now that they were actually on a video call, his old habit of being clumsy with words kicked in. Not knowing what to say, he could only ask dryly, "What are you doing?"
"Video calling with my little puppy, of course." Jiang Qingli propped her head on her hand, a wide smile on her face as she looked at him. "What were you just doing?"
"Um, I just finished..." Qin Muye paused, pushing his hair back. "I just got back from finishing something."
He seemed a bit hesitant and guilty. Jiang Qingli assumed it was some confidential matter that couldn’t be disclosed, so she didn’t press him, just nodded. "Do you have more missions tonight? Should you get some rest first?"
Over the last few days, Qin Muye had been messaging her at irregular times—sometimes in the early morning, sometimes in the middle of the night. She was a little worried.
"For the rest of today, my time is all yours." Qin Muye raised an eyebrow, starting to act cool again.
Looking at his familiar expression, Jiang Qingli couldn’t help but reach out, her fingertips gently touching the young man’s half-visible face on the screen.
She had been busy these past few days, too, and thought she wouldn’t miss him.
But seeing him now, she realized that more than just meeting through a screen, she wanted to hug him and squeeze his tail.
The light and shadows played across his face, and the tips of his hair moved slightly. He must have been walking outside.
Jiang Qingli was about to tease him for being so impatient, but then she noticed a faint mark near the corner of his eye. Her brow instantly furrowed.
"Qin Muye, are you hurt?"
"I..." Qin Muye’s eyes darted away. "It’s not really an injury."
"Let me see," Jiang Qingli demanded.
Qin Muye scratched his hair, looking a bit awkward and embarrassed.
"Hurry up." Jiang Qingli held up her fingers. "Three, two, one—"
This was the trick Qin Muye feared most, so he obediently held the terminal further away, revealing his whole face.
Under the night light, Jiang Qingli could clearly see the purple bruise on his face. Her heart instantly clenched, a sour and numb feeling spreading through her.
The girl’s eyes were filled with heartache. Qin Muye’s heart melted, and he quickly blurted out, "It’s not from the battlefield—"
Before he could finish, he was cut off by a familiar young man’s voice.
"Muye, who are you video calling?"
Footsteps approached from a distance.
Soon, a familiar tuft of red hair appeared in the frame.
Que Feiling leaned in and asked, "Is that Miss Jiang?"
