Only Chi Yan and Zhou Jia still looked relaxed.
For Chi Yan, ever since his father passed away, his mother, who couldn’t stand him, had moved back to her parents’ home without even giving him living expenses, let alone cooking for him.
Whenever he had the means, he basically cooked for himself. Of course, most of the time he didn’t have the means, and in those cases he would work for kindly neighbors in exchange for a meal.
Zhou Jia, on the other hand, had cooked for himself back when he was still a trainee. Besides, his family’s pet, Yueya, was a bunny. Unlike cats or dogs, a rabbit didn’t need special ‘cat food’ or ‘dog food.’
The production team gave him a different task: behind the villa there was a patch of grass rabbits liked to eat. All he had to do was cut some, wash it clean, and give it to Yueya.
Li Wan, always quick to read the room, hopped right over to today’s ‘provider of food and shelter.’
Chi Yan lowered his gaze to look at her, a fleeting smile flashing in those dark, peach-blossom eyes. He reached out and flicked her forehead.
*Meow meow!*
—“So mean, so mean!”
The director announced the start. The production crew, at least somewhat humane, returned their phones so everyone could look up tutorials on how to make cat or dog food.
Fortunately the recipes online were simple. For example, for cat food you just put all the ingredients together in set proportions, blend them, and steam them—then it’s ready for the kitty to eat.
The guests finally relaxed and began preparing ingredients according to what they found online.
Li Wan craned her neck to peek at her human’s phone. Spotting a recipe with lots of meat, she couldn’t help but tap the screen with her paw.
Chi Yan raised an eyebrow. “Want to eat this one?”
Li Wan licked her tongue and nodded. *Meow meow!*
—“Looks so tasty, *slurp slurp*!”
The smile in Chi Yan’s peach-blossom eyes deepened. He didn’t refuse. “Alright, this one it is.”
Li Wan was delighted. Her fluffy little head rubbed against his hand twice.
The kitten’s head felt so soft that Chi Yan paused, then couldn’t resist scratching her chin.
【Family, I’m dying!! I don’t even know which one to be jealous of right now!!】
【Who said our Brother Chi doesn’t like kittens? Look how gentle he is with her!!】
Once Chi Yan had chosen the ingredients, he started preparing them. Everything went smoothly, until he began adding the vegetables. Then the little kitten stretched out a paw in weak protest.
*Meow meow~*
She tilted her tiny head back, those heterochromatic eyes wet and pleading, as innocent as could be, trying to stir a trace of pity in her human.
But Chi Yan simply moved her paw away and, heartlessly, said, “No. You have to eat it.”
Li Wan : “……”
—Waaahhh!
The kitten, unhappy, flicked her tail against her human’s wrist and turned to head over to Du Qingqing.
Du Qingqing was clumsily chopping vegetables.
Her family wasn’t especially wealthy, but they had always spoiled her, so she had rarely cooked before.
Even now, the way she held the knife was something she had just learned on the spot.
Xixi sat crouched on top of the cupboard, looking down from on high.
When it saw Li Wan approaching, it turned its head away with a look that said it couldn’t bear to watch. “Why do you always go to her?”
Li Wan rubbed against the hem of Du Qingqing’s skirt. *Meow meow.*
—“Because Mama Qingqing is so nice! I like being with her!”
Xixi sounded a little angry. “She’s not even your owner! Your owner’s over there!!”
Li Wan blinked and stared at it. “Are you jealous?”
“……”
Xixi puffed up with indignation, turned its head again and said stiffly, “Of course not!!”
This time it moved a little too abruptly and accidentally bumped the pot hanging on the wall. The iron pot wobbled and looked as though it was about to fall!
Startled, Xixi leapt from the top of the cupboard to the other side, while Li Wan reacted even faster. Pushing off with her hind legs, she jumped up and used her head to nudge the iron pot back the other way!
*Whoosh*
*Clang!!*
Du Qingqing jumped in fright, and the knife in her hand slipped and nicked her finger. She hissed in pain.
The noise drew everyone’s attention. “What happened?!”
Fu Shilin arrived first, striding over and reaching out to grab her hand to check. “Are you okay, Qingqing? Did you get hurt?!”
Du Qingqing instinctively stepped back to keep her distance. “I’m fine, just a small cut.”
Chi Yan also came over, handing her a band-aid and speaking gently: “It’s bleeding. Here, put this on.”
Du Qingqing took it and murmured her thanks. “Thank you, Brother Chi.”
That different treatment made Fu Shilin’s fingers clench tight in irritation.
—Damn it. Again, it’s you, Chi Yan.
【I remember yesterday Qingqing was still calling him “Movie Emperor Chi” or “Teacher Chi,” right? And today it’s suddenly “Brother Chi,” wuwuwu】
【Honestly, these two are way more fun to ship than Qingqing and ‘someone else’】
【Even Wanwan really likes Qingqing. Get together, get together, get together!】
【Can we not randomly ship people? This isn’t a dating show, we came to see cute animals. Stop spamming.】
【Gross.】
【If you don’t like it, then leave. I’m gonna spam, spam, spam, hehehehehehe】
Li Xiaoyun and Zhou Jia came over. “How are you, Sister Qingqing?”
“How did that pot suddenly fall down?”
Li Wan’s head was still aching. She gave a soft little *meow~*, instinctively wanting to explain, then realized no one could understand her cat talk.
A bit deflated, she flicked her ears awkwardly. Then, the next moment, a warm big hand rested gently on her head.
Li Wan froze and looked up into a pair of deep, peach-blossom eyes. “Are you okay?”
—Ah.
Li Wan went even more blank.
Just now everyone’s attention had been on the female lead, yet right now she was just a little kitten…
Her throat bobbed slowly, and her heart felt as if something soft had poked it. Her head hadn’t really hurt that much, but the instant her own butler asked, somehow it suddenly did.
The little kitten blinked and slowly snuggled toward the man’s hand. *Meow meow~*
—“I’m fine~”
Everyone’s gaze followed, landing on Li Wan.
Li Xiaoyun added with concern, “She must’ve been scared. Kittens are timid by nature.”
Only Fu Shilin kept replaying that earlier moment in his mind. Hearing this, he immediately seized on a chance to blame Chi Yan and sneered, “Why didn’t you watch your cat properly! If it weren’t for that cat, Qingqing wouldn’t have gotten hurt!!”
【Exactly, that cat’s such a troublemaker】
【Qingqing treats her so well and she still got Qingqing hurt】
【Ungrateful little beast】
Chi Yan’s eyes instantly cooled. He scooped the little kitten off the stove and was about to speak when Du Qingqing’s voice came from the other side.
“What are you talking about, Fu Shilin?” Du Qingqing looked utterly baffled. “You don’t know a thing.
“It was Xixi who accidentally bumped the iron pot so it nearly fell on me. Wanwan helped me push it aside.”
Li Wan, who’d been stunned by the accusation, finally came back to her senses and huffed, *Meow meow!!*
—”I really hate the original novel’s male lead!!”
Du Qingqing didn’t bother with him anymore. She turned to Li Wan. “Thanks, Wanwan.”
Li Wan enjoyed the chin-scratching service and felt the bump on her head wasn’t so bad anymore. She purred, *Prrrr~*
“But this cat—” Fu Shilin started again, only to meet Chi Yan’s gaze.
The man holding the kitten still smiled as warmly as a spring breeze, but his words were sharp: “Mr. Fu, perhaps pay more attention to your own dog, Qiu Tian. Wanwan may be playful, but she’s never chased anyone to bite them.”
The moment those words fell, everyone’s expression turned a little…interesting.
Fu Shilin’s face went pale, then flushed, and finally he had nothing to say. He turned back to continue preparing the dog food.
【Waaah, Brother Chi hardly ever speaks so sharply!】
【Is it hard to understand? That ‘gentle as jade’ act of his has always been just that—an act, hehe】
【I agree. The way Chi Yan shows himself on this show is nothing like the persona he marketed】
【Ah yes yes yes, unlike your beloved A’Lin. He was a natural furry magnet, so the moment he’s on a variety show, every furry creature adores him~】
【Hahahahahaha, the shade upstairs is next-level, I bow to you hahahaha】
【I seriously don’t get why Fu Shilin joined this show. Talk about a slap in the face】
【Maybe…for love?】
【Can people stop tying our Qingqing to him already? It’s honestly disgusting, seriously, does he even deserve it?】
That matter was considered settled.
Du Qingqing kept chopping vegetables. Xixi, still startled, slowly realized it’d caused trouble. Feeling guilty, it rubbed against Du Qingqing.
—Sorry.
Du Qingqing smiled and petted the little cat’s head. “It’s okay, baby, Mama’s fine.”
Xixi gave a soft *meow,* then refrained from jumping back on the counter and instead went to sit on a chair, watching her from a distance.
Chi Yan worked deftly, quickly finishing the cat food, enough for Li Wan to eat for about a week.
After setting aside today’s portion to steam, he brought Li Wan over. “Need any help?”
【Wuwuwu, I’m shipping this so hard!!】
【See, told you Chi Yan must like our Qingqing a bit, right?! Li Xiaoyun isn’t done either, why isn’t he helping her?!】
【…Uh, maybe because Zhou Jia is already helping Li Xiaoyun?】
【Hahahaha, look at what Wanwan is doing!!】
Du Qingqing shook her head. “No need, Brother Chi, I’ll be done in a moment.”
She reached for the last bit of pumpkin, but her hand came up empty. Turning, she spotted a certain little kitten holding that small chunk in her mouth as if planning to hide it.
Chi Yan, of course, saw it too: “…”
He clicked his tongue softly and picked the kitten up. “What are you doing?”
Li Wan blinked, flicked her big fluffy tail innocently. *Meow meow.*
—”Nothing at all.”
—Heehee, Xixi, don’t say your big sis never helped you. You’ll have to eat lots and lots of yucky pumpkin!
Sensing something, Xixi looked over as well and gave a ‘can’t even look’ expression again.
—Stupid cat.