President 17
Tang Xi was still completely unaware that his cover had been blown. After racking his brain to subtly praise Shen Chensi in front of Ye Qian with little effect, he finally made it to the end of the school day.
Ye Qian asked, “Do you need me to walk you home?”
In his eyes, Tang Xi was just a poor little creature—bullied yet still foolishly defending the very person who had dragged him into trouble.
“Thank you, but there’s no need. The subway gets me home pretty quickly,” Tang Xi replied with a well-behaved smile.
If I let you walk me home and you realize I live in the big villain’s house, wouldn’t that shock you to death?
However, his evasiveness only deepened Ye Qian’s misunderstanding.
His little deskmate had barely eaten cake before, never had money on him, and didn’t even own a smartphone. If he refused a ride home, it must be because he didn’t want anyone to know about his financial situation.
So resilient.
With that thought, Ye Qian’s gaze toward Tang Xi softened even further, almost overflowing with tenderness.
Unaware of the elaborate narrative playing out in Ye Qian’s mind, Tang Xi happily went home.
“Meow.”
As soon as He Wang arrived, he obediently ran downstairs to wait at the front door.
The moment He Wang stepped inside, Tang Xi immediately clung to him, stretching out his little paws for a hug.
But he was completely ignored.
“Meow?”
Tang Xi blinked in confusion as He Wang walked right past him without even sparing him a glance.
Not even a single look.
Shocked Cat.jpg
Unwilling to accept this injustice, Tang Xi hurriedly trotted after him on his tiny legs. Struggling to keep up, he reached out and smacked He Wang’s heel with his paw.
Still, the man didn’t stop. He walked straight to the dining table.
Left behind, Tang Xi let out a pitiful whimper.
“Meow… meow?”
Feeling utterly wronged, he turned to his system for help.
[Tang Xi: What’s wrong with the villain today? Why is he ignoring me?]
1551 pretending to be deep and mysterious: [Perhaps… his exhaustion phase has begun.]
Tang Xi froze as if struck by lightning.
It wasn’t until the tempting aroma of food drifted into his nose that he snapped out of his daze.
“Meow!” Impossible!
He bolted to He Wang’s side and started climbing up his pant leg.
By now, the little kitten had been spoiled beyond measure. Even if his owner was mad at him, nothing could stop him from eating.
He Wang merely glanced at the kitten clinging to him before returning to his meal.
Though he had every intention of punishing this little liar, he couldn’t bring himself to actually let him go hungry.
Perched on He Wang’s shoulder, Tang Xi spotted the dining table—still filled with all his favorite dishes. Overjoyed, he used the villain as a stepping stone and launched himself straight toward the feast.
Tonight’s main course for the little kitten was New Zealand venison and Australian beef brisket. To ensure the kitten wouldn’t be picky, various nutritional powders were sprinkled on top, along with a small piece of salmon carved into the shape of a carrot.
Tang Xi happily lifted his tail high, letting out little whimpers as he ate.
He looked absolutely famished.
For a brief moment, He Wang felt a pang of heartache.
He had spent the entire day trying to process the shocking revelation that his kitten could turn into a human. The delay had pushed back his work, and as a result, dinner was served late for the little one as well.
Watching the little kitten eat messily, his face covered in food, He Wang clenched his fists tightly, afraid he wouldn’t be able to resist wiping it off for him. Instead, he quickly averted his gaze and went upstairs.
By the time Tang Xi finally lifted his head from his meal—reminded by the system—the man had already left.
“Meow?” Did he really stop liking me?
Tang Xi panicked, the piece of salmon in his mouth dropping to the floor with a soft plop. He wasn’t sure why he was so anxious.
He Wang was the first person to take care of him for this long, the first to cherish him like a precious treasure, and the first human to know that he was more than just an ordinary cat.
Living on Earth, he had always been cautious. Since his original form had been frozen in size from the moment he gained intelligence, he had never dared to dream of having a long-term caretaker.
He was the first little animal He Wang had ever been so close to. But to Tang Xi, He Wang was also the first human he had ever been close to.
Watching He Wang disappear upstairs, Tang Xi’s small ears drooped, his lake-green eyes filled with grievance and confusion.
The butler, who had been watching from the side, felt his heart ache. He was just about to pick up the kitten and comfort him when he noticed a shadow appear on the second floor. Instantly, he retracted his steps and fell silent.
A sense of relief washed over him—so the gentleman still cared about the little kitten, after all.
He Wang hadn’t gone back to his room. Instead, he had hidden just outside Tang Xi’s line of sight, watching him.
Seeing the kitten so anxious that he had stopped eating, a dull ache surfaced in He Wang’s heart.
Forget it. I’ve really fallen this time.
If he couldn’t bear to push him away, then he would just have to lure him in another way.
A dark glint flashed across his eyes as he stepped back downstairs.
“Meow?”
Tang Xi looked up, his view blocked by a familiar figure. The man who had supposedly left had returned.
Before he could react, he was scooped up into the villain’s arms, nestled in his embrace, stunned.
He Wang carried him back to the bedroom and patiently soothed the uneasy little kitten.
He fabricated a story about his company being maliciously targeted, leaving him in a terrible mood.
His tone was so natural that even the system was fooled.
“I was so overwhelmed today that I couldn’t even leave work on time. I was afraid my anger would affect you, so I didn’t dare come to you until I had calmed down. Can you forgive me?” As he spoke, a carefully measured hint of vulnerability appeared in his eyes.
Tang Xi didn’t doubt him at all. He let out a soft meow and nuzzled He Wang’s chin with his fluffy cheek, trying to comfort him.
This was right around the time in the plot when the villain, after being falsely accused by the Xu family in a business war, started descending into madness.
Even without his leg injury, being framed was miserable enough.
Tang Xi suddenly felt guilty for forgetting about it entirely.
He Wang lowered his gaze, looking at the obedient little kitten, concealing the emotions flickering in his eyes.
. . . . .
Late at night.
“Don’t push the Xu family too hard just yet. Keep them alive—I still have use for them.”
In the darkness, a deep, magnetic voice resonated.
Like a predator in the natural order, he ensured his prey served its purpose before striking the final blow.
He Wang’s expression was unreadable, devoid of the gentleness he had shown the little kitten.
Standing on the balcony, he waited for the night breeze to carry away the lingering scent of tobacco before returning to bed.
His body carried a slight chill, but he warmed up quickly. In his sleep, Tang Xi instinctively inched closer to the heat source.
A long arm wrapped around him, pulling him into an embrace.
Still dreaming, the little paws kneaded gently against the warmth, followed by the soft sound of a contented purr.
. . . . .
“President He, here is the information you requested.”
Assistant Wang wasn’t sure why his boss wanted him to investigate a group of high school students, but he still did his job diligently, gathering every detail he could find.
Among them were the Shen family heir, Shen Chensi, and the student he was sponsoring, Ye Qian.
The report also specifically highlighted the past few days, detailing Shen Chensi’s interactions with a teenager named Tang Xi.
He Wang extinguished his cigarette, his tone indifferent. “Bring it here.”
After flipping past the first few pages of unnecessary details, his gaze settled on the last page of Shen Chensi’s report.
It contained a detailed account of the day he and Tang Xi were surrounded by thugs.
Skipping class, eating desserts…
How impressive.
Assistant Wang heard a quiet scoff from his boss and instinctively lowered his head even further.
Even though he knew the disdain wasn’t directed at him, the oppressive atmosphere still made his heart race.
He Wang paid no attention to his assistant, who looked as if he wished he could disappear. Instead, he turned to Tang Xi’s file.
When he saw the line stating that Tang Xi lived with a “poor uncle,” the dangerous curve of his lips deepened.
How very clean of a background.
Assistant Wang glanced up and caught sight of his boss’s cold, mocking smile. A chill ran down his spine, and he braced himself as he reported, “Regarding Tang Xi, after conducting an in-depth investigation as you instructed, I discovered that most of his records are fabricated. We were unable to trace any real information about him.”
He Wang’s gaze darkened as he fixated on the word “uncle.” He remained silent for a long moment before finally speaking.
“Do I look old to you?”
Caught completely off guard, Assistant Wang’s face froze in shock. He felt like he had just encountered the most difficult question of his entire career.
He carefully chose his words. “President He, you are young and accomplished. To achieve so much in your twenties is nothing short of extraordinary—you practically reached the finish line just as your race began.”
His flattering words sounded oddly hollow.
But despite that, he wasn’t lying. In this industry, reaching He Wang’s level at twenty-eight was nothing short of legendary.
Fortunately, He Wang didn’t dwell on the question. Instead, he shifted topics.
“Do I have any social engagements on my schedule today?”
Assistant Wang’s professionalism was top-notch. His brain instantly processed the information at high speed, and he responded seamlessly, “Originally, Mr. Wang from the Da Group had invited you for drinks, but you declined.”
In other words—there were no social engagements tonight.
Mr. Wang was one of the most infamous nouveau riche figures in the industry. He had a reputation for forcing drinks on others at business gatherings, making him less than well-regarded in social circles.
Surprisingly, after recalling who this person was, He Wang actually changed his mind and agreed to attend the gathering that night.
Assistant Wang suppressed his surprise and immediately picked up his phone to confirm the appointment. His polite words were flawlessly professional.
Despite having been rejected once, when Mr. Wang learned that He Wang had now accepted, he eagerly arranged the banquet without a hint of hesitation.
And so, on the night Tang Xi had been eagerly waiting for, what he received instead was a villain who reeked of alcohol.
“Meow?” Did you drink?
The little kitten paced back and forth, wanting to get closer but too hesitant to do so.
The drunk villain wasn’t just covered in the scent of alcohol—his entire presence exuded a heavy, oppressive aura.
He Wang dismissed the butler with a wave of his hand and made his way upstairs alone, a little kitten trotting closely behind him.
Tang Xi watched as he sat down on the sofa in his room, pressing his fingers against his forehead. From this angle, all Tang Xi could see was his tense jawline.
He looked… uncomfortable.
[1551, what did the villain do tonight?]
1551 checked the records: [He was drinking with a nouveau riche businessman.]
A great villain actually fell to the point of being forced to drink by others.
Though he appeared composed, the plot at this point had him under heavy pressure from the Xu family’s schemes.
Tang Xi, seeing him curled up on the sofa looking so pitiful, suddenly felt a sense of responsibility.
He had watched TV before—he knew that drunk people usually didn’t remember what happened after they got drunk.
Tentatively, he reached out a small paw and scratched at the man’s pant leg. No response.
He Wang’s lips moved slightly, letting out a faint, pained hum. A sheen of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.
He was definitely drunk.
If he wasn’t moved to the bed, he would feel terrible in the morning.
He might even get a fever.
Hearing the low sounds of discomfort, Tang Xi grew more anxious. After a brief internal struggle, he made up his mind to help.
If 1551 had known what he was thinking, it would have stopped him immediately.
But by the time it realized, its host had already transformed into his human form.
And was now struggling to lift the man onto the bed.
1551’s voice cracked in panic: [What are you doing?!]
Tang Xi froze for a second, unable to answer before he suddenly felt his wrist being firmly grasped.
A slender, well-defined hand wrapped tightly around his pale wrist.
He looked up in a daze—only to meet a pair of clear, sober eyes staring straight at him.
The man who was supposedly dead drunk… was fully awake.
And there was a hint of amusement flickering in his gaze.