“That…” Xia Nuo’s heart was slightly moved. He unconsciously lowered his voice as if afraid of disturbing something.
There was something that suddenly bloomed out of this scenario in this quiet atmosphere, but the sound of a constant ‘bang bang bang’ suddenly was heard, and ruined the mood.
The black cat, Kate, was tapping her paws on the window, her face pressed against the glass. “Meow meow meow~”
He ignored the sharp, knife-like look that Kan Chen’s eyes shot at him and said loudly, “Let me in! Those are my eggs, anyway! Let me have one!”
Kan Chen: “…”
Xia Nuo snapped back to his senses as he recalled the scene just now. He was still a little bit dazed and confused but since he didn’t understand what just happened, he didn’t think about it anymore.
The cry of the black cat sounded so pitiful that he couldn’t bear but suggest, “Why don’t we just let it in? It’s probably very hungry since it’s purring loudly?”
“It won’t die even if it starved for another hundred years.” Though Kan Chen said so, he still opened the window.
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Iyvl fwxrle kd yp pssd yp vbl okdeso srldle, yqayke vbyv kv oswze nzspl ytykd. Fbl iwknjzu dlpvzle kd Dky Lws’p byde yde awccle bla blye ytykdpv vbl cynj sq bkp byde.
Rv oyp schkswp vbyv vbkp twu, Iyd Ubld, byp clld oayrrle yaswde vbl qkdtla sq vbkp zkvvzl rlv. Jwv yp zsdt yp pbl bszep vbl rlv’p vbktb, Iyd Ubld nyd’v es yduvbkdt vs bla.
Ebld pbl vbswtbv zkjl vbkp, pbl nswze dsv blzr cwv plnalvzu pxkaj yv Iyd Ubld cwv vbl xyd eked’v lhld tzydnl yv bla yde oyp ps qsnwple yv vbl nssjcssj. Tl oypble yde nwv vbl hltlvyczlp yde blyvle vbl rsv okvb skz, eskdt lhlauvbkdt pvlr cu pvlr.
Xd vbl svbla byde, Dky Lws qkpble swv vbl lttp okvb y prssd yde psyjle vblx kd nsze oyvla.
Mbl czynj nyv’p lulp vokvnble qsa y xsxldv obld bl pyo psxl talld sdksdp yde tkdtla sd vbl nbsrrkdt csyae, obknb nyxl qasx vbl rwrrlvp’ tyaeld. Jwv vbld pbl alxlxclale ytykd vbl xydsa awzlp vbyv Iyd Ubld xldvksdle yde alxykdle pkzldv.
Fbl bye dsvbkdt lzpl vs es cwv vs oyt bla vykz yde oyvnb vbl vos. Jwv vbl xsal pbl zssjle, vbl xsal pbl qlzv vbyv psxlvbkdt oyp olkae. Mbswtb vbl vos eke dsv prlyj vs lynb svbla, vblal oyp psxl psav sq y vynkv wdelapvydekdt qzsokdt clvolld vblx. Rv oyp yd yvxsprblal obknb pbsole zkjl vbl vos olal hlau qyxkzkya okvb lynb svbla. Jwv ds xyvvla bso byae pbl rsdelale, pbl nswzed’v elpnakcl obyv kv alyzzu oyp.
Mbl xyd pweeldzu prsjl, “Lws Lws, blzr xl olya vbl yrasd rzlypl. Rv’p bydtkdt sd vbl oyzz dlmv vs usw.”
Iyd Ubld nswtble yp vbl rwqq sq talypl yde pxsjl bkv bkp qynl. Xdzu vbld eke bl alxlxcla vs es vbl ralr osaj qsa nssjkdt.
“Nuo-, Nuo Nuo?” Xia Nuo blushed and stammered, “No, don’t call me that!”
“Why not? Isn’t that more intimate?”
The man’s voice was very serious, as if he was really puzzled about it. Xia Nuo opened his mouth but didn’t know how to answer. “I… I don’t know… But… But…”
Xia Nuo grew up pampered. Since he was a child, he had been given by his friends nicknames like sweetie baby, An An, and Chang An.
Chang An was originally his name. Because he was always sick and weak when he was a child, his parents gave him this name, which implied the meaning of having lifelong good health. However, an aunt who lived in the countryside said that it was not good to name a child like that. It would seem like he was too eager to have good health to Buddha, so it was better to change his name.
His brother told him this and that was when Chang An became his nickname. He had used the name Xia Nuo for more than ten years. He asked his parents why they named him ‘Nuo’ but every time he mentioned this, his parents would always have a look of secrecy on their faces. Over time, he stopped asking.
Then again, he recalled his parents never called him ‘Nuo Nuo’. Only his brother did. But after their parents heard his brother call him like that, he was reprimanded. Later, he changed his nickname to An An.
But he was a bit slow-witted and could not properly explain to the man how he felt. He could only softly refute, “I don’t think it’s a good idea…”
Sensitive little animals easily sense danger but know not how to avoid it.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. Or maybe you don’t like it when I call you like that. Maybe you don’t like me, you don’t want to get close to me?” Kan Chen said so on purpose. Though it was only just a simple name, once he creates connection with the young man, he knew that it would mean something different to him. “And aren’t you always calling me Mr. Kan Chen? It’s like we’re not close at all?”
“Of course not!” Xia Nuo retorted anxiously. “How could I dislike you? The reason why I call you ‘Mr. Kan Chen’ is because it shows more respect.”
“Well, since you won’t mind, can I call you ‘Nuo Nuo’, then?” The man got the answer he wanted and continued to persuade him, as if he unaware of the young man’s embarrassment. “You too, just call me Kan Chen.”
“—I’d like it if you can call me that.” He added meaningfully.
“F-Fine.” Xia Nuo could no longer retort anything back at him and just went along with the man’s words.
“Well then, help me put on the apron.” The man’s voice brimmed with joy.
“…” Xia Nuo was vaguely aware that he had been tricked by the man.
He stepped forward and ‘watched’ the man put on the apron, two slender straps hung over his side.
Xia Nuo reached out, grabbed the two ties and tied them in a crooked knot.
“There,” He said, pretending to be oblivious about the man’s gorgeous waistline outlined by the apron’s ties.
“Tsk, tsk. Truly formidable.” The black cat, Kate, sighed with emotion. He laid on one side and witnessed everything that happened. The little pet didn’t see it, but she clearly saw Kan Chen’s intentions and how he charmed and tricked the boy.
But then again, she had no business meddling with these two legged beasts. She only cares about one thing — “The food in the pot’s going to burn!”
There was no need for such a reminder. Kan Chen knew this too, so he finally stir-fried it a few times. When it was done, he put the vegetables on a plate and served it.
Though the process of cooking was relatively complicated (….), the dish still came out of the pot intact.
The rabbit meat was red and bright, emitting a tempting aroma. The appearance alone made it look very tasty, but it’s uncertain if the same could be said about its taste.
The black cat, Kate, was the first to come over but was slapped by Kan Chen without mercy. He looked at the cat with a smirk and said, “You said that you provided the eggs so we have to share those to you, but this rabbit has nothing to do with you, right?”
Kate shook her head solemnly and eloquently answered, “No. If not for me reminding you to catch rabbits, how would you be able to make this dish? Don’t I also have my share in this?”
“Hmm, you’re right.” She didn’t expect the man to ponder for a while and nod. Then he chucked out a piece of the meat and put it in front of her. “Eat it.”
Then he told Xia Nuo, “Go wash your hands and get ready to eat.”
Kate had not eaten cooked food for a very long time. Now that there was a delicious piece of rabbit meat in front of her, she couldn’t help but feel excited. She bit it off with her teeth and chewed quickly.
“How does it taste?” Kan Chen asked.
“Just so-so.” She pretended and answered indifferently.
It was actually delicious. Probably because Kan Chen had a little talent in cooking, or maybe because the recipe was good, or maybe because it’s just easy to make. Either way, she didn’t want to compliment him so she lied.
“Then that means it tastes good.” Kan Chen nodded in understanding. “Since it tastes good, then Nuo Nuo can eat it.”
“What? So you just used me as a taste-tester?” Only then did the cat realized why he was so generous. It turns out that he had an ulterior motive!
“Right.” Kan Chen answered without hesitation and even answered without showing any trace of guilt. “That’s your only use here.”
Then he took an egg, stuffed it into her arms and said mercilessly, “All right, go away.”
Black cat, Kate: “…”
She got so angry and almost jumped, “Don’t you dare look for me in the future, or else…”
Before she could even finish her sentence, Kan Chen pointed to the window and said, “Bye.”
By the time Xia Nuo came back, the black cat was long gone. He couldn’t help but wonder and asked, “Did the black cat go already?”
“Well, since I fed it already, it left when it was full.” Kan Chen answered without showing any guilt.
Xia Nuo didn’t doubt him. “Is that so.”
Unaware of what just happened, he followed the man out of the kitchen.
On the other hand, Kate walked down the path with eggs in her mouth, still cursing Kan Chen angrily in her heart. When she passed by the garden, a little girl wearing a white dress called her.
“Kate, is it true that my enemies have come to the manor? I’ve been waiting here all day but why haven’t I seen anyone come?” She complained.
“Nana,” Kate called out the little girl’s name and didn’t have the heart to tell her the truth. The girl was foreordained to be someone unable to wait for her enemies, so she could only console her dryly, “Just wait a bit more…”
Why did she have to promise Kan Chen to remain silent about the little pet’s whereabouts? Though Kan Chen is quite exasperating, she still had to keep her promise to him.
“Well, how much longer do I have to wait?” Nana sighed. Then as if remembering something, she added, “By the way, I found that the manor’s fountain has been contaminated. The water flowing out has turned black. Does the manor owner know about this?”
The author has something to say:
Black cat: Today, I was thrown away after being used.
[TL: It’s funny how Kate calls Xia Nuo a pet when she’s…]
RIP rabbit