After pulling himself together, while the boss was still asleep, Jian Xun recorded his second gaming video—Xiaoxiaole (a match-3 puzzle game).
If the first try didn’t work, then he’d do it a second time.
This time, the little white paws tapped swiftly and decisively, without a trace of hesitation. Very quickly, the identical pieces were lined up and cleared.
The stage was cleared in no time. Jian Xun felt it was perfect. He uploaded the video again, happily looking forward to that evening’s view count.
A noise came from the bedroom. The little white cat’s ears instantly perked up. He hurriedly ran over and sat properly at the door, ears twitching.
Not long after, Shang Xuci came out. He was wearing black pajamas, his expression carrying a faint weariness. The dark circles under his eyes were obvious—it seemed he hadn’t slept well the night before.
As usual, Jian Xun trailed closely behind his steps. After Shang Xuci finished his meal, Jian Xun followed him to the bedroom, squatting at the doorway. Lowering his head, he glanced at the “boundary line,” then quickly pulled back one paw, raising his head to watch the man change clothes. As expected, the boss once again chose a black shirt. He had secretly peeked into the man’s wardrobe before—everything inside was either black or white, all dark tones. Jian Xun couldn’t imagine what the man would look like if he wore something with bright patterns.
Seeing the boss’s handsome face, he thought to himself: With this face and this figure, he’d look good in anything!
Jian Xun licked his mouth, then trotted off to continue being a little shadow.
Of course, he didn’t follow twenty-four hours a day. When nature called, he’d head to the litter box. Recently, those bathroom breaks hadn’t been very smooth—it always took some time to build up.
When the little white cat came out again, there was already another figure in the living room. The cat stopped in his tracks, then quickly snuck onto a different path.
He didn’t forget to peek at who it was. From his hiding spot, he could only see a man leaning back against the sofa, posture upright, fingers curled around a teacup, lips curved as he spoke leisurely.
The other man looked noticeably older.
This man was none other than Shang Xuci’s grandfather, Shang Jue. From the moment he stepped inside, he had been glancing all around, examining the place where his eldest grandson lived.
The apartment was small, but very tidy.
In the living room were many things that clearly didn’t belong to a person. Looking closer, Shang Jue realized they were cat items.
But there was no trace of a cat anywhere in sight. Just as he was about to wonder, Shang Xuci spoke up:
“Grandfather, what brings you here so suddenly?”
“You make it sound like I can’t come see you unless I have a reason.”
Shang Xuci poured him a cup of tea and said calmly, “It’s been over ten years. Turns out Grandfather was never too busy after all.”
Shang Jue: “…”
The words were sharp, but what Shang Xuci said was true. The old man felt a twinge of guilt, but when he thought of what happened at the banquet, his breath steadied again.
“The banquet that day—that was your doing, wasn’t it?”
Shang Xuci replied, “So Grandfather came to accuse me?”
“No.” Shang Jue replied without hesitation. On the contrary, he admired Shang Xuci, who carried a trace of his own youthful vigor.
“You’re grown now, and your studies are nearly finished.” Shang Jue paused slightly before continuing, “Do you still remember what I said at the banquet that day?”
“I remember.”
“Then? Isn’t it time you officially joined the Shang Group to help your father?”
There had been many people at the banquet that day. Shang Xuci hadn’t bothered to contradict the old man in public. When Shang Jue announced on his own that he would be going to the headquarters, Shang Xuci had remained silent.
But this time was different.
He rejected him right to his face.
“No, I’m not going.” Shang Xuci held his teacup, his expression indifferent.
Because of what he had experienced in his previous life, he knew the Shang family’s situation like the back of his hand. He genuinely wanted to see what would happen to the Group under Shang Ye and Shang Wei’s reckless decisions. If he didn’t step in to turn the tide, what would the old man do? Come out of retirement again? Or replace them with someone else?
Replace them? Too bad—none of Xu Rong’s children were reliable.
In truth, he didn’t need to waste much effort on the Shang Group at all.
“Why?” Shang Jue frowned tightly.
“I still need to continue my studies.” Shang Xuci casually found an excuse.
“Work doesn’t interfere with study.”
Shang Xuci slowly raised the teacup and took an unhurried sip.
“The Shang Group also carries your mother’s share. Its future belongs to you. You should be well aware of other people’s intentions. Are you really going to just hand it over to them?”
Outside the apartment window, the lights glowed dimly, their warm hue pushing back the darkness. Thin branches swayed in the cold night wind, rustling softly.
Half of his face was hidden in shadow, the other half sharp and defined. His eyes were cool and detached, his whole demeanor careless, clearly showing he hadn’t taken the old man’s words to heart.
In his previous life, Shang Jue had never spoken with such patience. He had relied entirely on himself to fight for everything. He had no idea what had gotten into the old man in this life, coming in person to urge him to take over the Shang Group. He didn’t believe for a second that what happened at the banquet alone could have changed Shang Jue’s original stance.
Seeing his thoughts clearly weren’t on the matter, even drifting off in a daze, Shang Jue said in a deep voice: “Are you truly willing to hand over what belongs to you to someone else?”
“I’m just not going to the company.” Shang Xuci locked eyes with the old man, his tone firm: “I want the shares.”
The Shang Group’s shares were divided as follows: the old man held 40%, Shang Wei 20%, Shang Ye 10%, and he himself 10%. The remaining 20% belonged to Shen Yanran. Without a doubt, that portion should have been his inheritance. But after his mother’s death, his father had used his status as a minor to openly occupy those shares.
Shang Jue took a sip of tea and said, “As long as you return to the Group, that portion of shares will be yours.”
Over the years, Shang Jue had seen Shang Wei’s abilities firsthand—they were mediocre at best. Shang Ye was somewhat better than Shang Wei, but in business and decision-making, he was indecisive, hesitant, and lacked boldness. He always missed opportunities, and his private life was a mess—far from what Shang Jue expected.
As for the child in Xu Rong’s belly, no one even knew whether it was a boy or a girl. The timeline was too long; Shang Jue didn’t even know if he would live to see that day. From this perspective, Shang Xuci was clearly the most suitable choice.
Shang Xuci took a step back and said, “I can go to the company—but not to headquarters.”
“That works too.” Shang Jue’s expression eased slightly. As long as he was in the family company, it didn’t matter where he started—he could slowly work his way up.
“Ssshhh—thunk!”
A sharp noise drew both their attention.
Shang Jue instinctively glanced toward the window. The curtains swayed gently, and a snow-white paw clutched the fabric, climbing upward. The little cat had just taken two steps when he heard a light cough. The cat turned his head.
Both Shang Xuci and Shang Jue were staring at him!
Especially the latter—his scrutinizing gaze made Jian Xun feel as though he were standing there with no clothes on.
No, more like… he felt like a hairless cat.
He immediately changed his motion into tugging the curtain, then quickly hid himself behind it.
Pretending nothing had happened—trying to cover the awkwardness.
Then he crouched to one side, secretly peeking at the two men’s expressions.
“So you really did raise a cat.” Shang Jue looked at the little fellow sneaking around behind the curtain, staring back at him furtively. “It seems quite well-behaved.”
“He is very well-behaved.”
“Have you named it yet? What’s it called?”
“Sui Sui.”
“Sui Sui,” Shang Jue repeated the name twice under his breath. His gaze swept around the apartment again, and he asked, “You don’t even have a cat bed—where does it sleep at night?”
Shang Xuci didn’t bother to explain that the cardboard box earlier was where the cat usually curled up. He simply answered evenly: “At night, he sleeps in the bedroom with me.”
“In the bedroom?!” Shang Jue couldn’t help raising his voice. Realizing his loss of composure, he quickly toned it down, speaking more seriously: “I remember you have a cleanliness obsession. You never let anyone touch your sheets or quilt. And now you sleep with a cat? You don’t find it dirty?”
Finally finding a topic about the cat that allowed him to say a few more words to his grandson, Shang Jue had seized the chance—only to end up hearing this.
From the moment the old man had asked his name, Jian Xun felt just like a schoolboy being singled out by the headmaster from outside the classroom window—nervous and frozen in place, waiting for judgment.
But when he heard the second half of the old man’s words, his cat eyes widened.
What did he mean, not dirty?!
He’s saying I’m dirty?!
He was the cleanest little cat in the whole world, okay?!
Every time before going into the boss’s bedroom, he would lick himself spotless from head to tail. And before that, he even used wet wipes to clean his little paws!
Shang Jue, completely unaware that the little lion-cat was pouting at him so aggrievedly, went on talking: “Cats, once they get into a bedroom, forget about keeping the bed neat. The sheets, the quilt cover—dragged around, scratched at will, and they shed fur everywhere. Cleaning up every day is such a hassle. And also—”
“Meow! Meow! Meow! Meow!!!!”
Jian Xun couldn’t take it anymore and let out an indignant yowl straight at the old man.
That’s not true!
I’m not like that!
Apart from shedding fur, I’m not troublesome at all!
Stupid old man, I hate you!!
Shang Jue swallowed the rest of his words. He hadn’t expected the little cat to cry out at him as if it actually understood, and he was even more surprised when Shang Xuci, in his usual calm tone, simply said, “It’s fine.”
He didn’t refute his grandfather’s words, but neither did he show any hint of dislike.
As for the lion-cat—after scolding, he had already dashed into the bathroom.
Shang Xuci had seen it too and said, “You scared Sui Sui.”
Shang Jue frowned. His voice had only gotten a little heated—was that really enough for the cat to hate him?
Thinking back to the purpose he’d been building up to for so long, Shang Jue stole a glance at his grandson, who was once again silent toward him. Unwilling to give up, he leaned closer and said, “Raising a cat is troublesome. But since you’ve taken one in, you need to be responsible. If the day ever comes when you can’t stand it anymore, hand Suisui over to me. This old man would be more than happy to take care of him.”
“So all this talk, Grandpa, was really because you’ve got your eye on my cat?”
Ah—so that’s the real point.
“Ahem.” Shang Jue’s old face flushed. He forced himself to stay composed as he argued, “Nonsense. I’m not short on money to raise a cat.”
Shang Xuci stared straight at him. It had been a long time since they’d lived together, and now it seemed that with age, the old man’s skin had only grown thicker.
He remembered well that his grandfather was secretly a fluff lover. He had liked dogs, and he liked cats too. Unfortunately, cats had never liked him. The moment they saw Shang Jue, they bolted—as if a single touch from him would cost them their lives.
“No need to trouble Grandpa.” Shang Xuci lowered his head, glanced at his watch, and reminded him, “It’s getting late. You should go home and rest.”
Shang Jue had already seen photos and posts from Shen Huan. This cat was incredibly obedient and clingy. And if even Shang Xuci—who was notorious for his cleanliness obsession—could accept it, then… then maybe he could too?
A small hope flickered in Shang Jue’s heart. He knew Shang Xuci would never deliberately bring the cat to the ancestral home, but whenever he scrolled through cat photos before bed, the itch in his heart grew unbearable…
No matter what, he had to give it a try.
Who would have thought—he actually failed.
Now, hearing Shang Xuci’s clear intention to send him off, Shang Jue said unhappily, “You’re really in such a hurry to kick me out? I haven’t even greeted Sui Sui yet.”
Shang Xuci called Sui Sui over in a low voice.
At that moment, Sui Sui was busy washing his little paws with the leftover water on the sink. He twisted his body, jumped to the floor, and wiggled his way into the living room.
Shang Jue’s heart melted on the spot, though his face remained stern. He pulled out a red envelope he had long prepared from his pocket, leaned forward, and crooked a finger as he called, “Sui Sui, come here. Grandpa has something good for you.”
Jian Xun understood his words but didn’t dare approach. His tail flicked back and forth, his ears flattened like airplane wings, and his eyes were fixed on the bulging object in the old man’s hand. He had no idea what was inside, but he hadn’t forgotten what this person had said just moments ago.
When Shang Xuci saw what Shang Jue was holding, the corner of his mouth twitched.
“Sui Sui is just a cat. Even if you give him a red envelope, he can’t use it. Grandpa should just keep that money for himself.”
What?!
Money?
That was a red envelope?!
The little cat’s brain buzzed, still processing, when he heard the boss tell the old man to take it back.
No way!!
That was meant for him!
“I see… You’re right.” Shang Jue sighed, ready to pull his hand back. But just then, the lion-cat slid across the floor like a little soccer player and landed right in front of him, placing one paw on his palm.
“Meow.”
Jian Xun cautiously patted the thick red envelope, his brain working at lightning speed to figure out how to snatch away this heavy gift without being too obvious.
Shang Xuci: “…”
Shang Jue froze, then slowly reached out to touch the little paw pads.
So… so soft…
Inside, Shang Jue’s soul was practically ascending to heaven.
His excited hand trembled slightly.
“Meow?”
Jian Xun tilted his head at the old man.
What did that mean? Wasn’t this for him? Why wasn’t he letting go?
And what was with that strange expression?
“If you don’t want the cat to think you’re a pervert, you’d better let go.”
Shang Jue shot Shang Xuci a glare, then reluctantly released his hand.
The cat immediately snatched up the red envelope in his mouth and dashed into his cardboard box.
Hehehe.
Sui Sui’s money.
So much money.
Jian Xun couldn’t wait to tear open the red envelope and count it, but remembering that a guest was still outside, he forced himself to hold back. He pawed at the blanket, stuffed the envelope underneath, then plopped down on top of it and pressed it firmly in place.
Lifting his head, he narrowed his eyes in satisfaction and began to purr.
After the old man left, Shang Xuci’s thin lips remained tightly closed, his face showing no trace of emotion. He flexed his fingers, unfastened the watch on his right wrist, set it on the coffee table, and, still in his slippers, got up and went to the bathroom.
The bathroom, with its black marble tiles, wasn’t large but was spacious enough. As the shower ran, steam slowly filled the space. Beneath the cascading water stood a tall, well-built man. The mist veiled the key parts of his body, yet his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and perfectly toned muscles were still clearly outlined.
Shang Xuci kept his eyes closed as the water flowed from his hair, down his face, across his chest. After a final rinse, he reached back, running his fingers through the damp strands on his forehead, revealing striking, handsome features.
With a flick of his hand, he turned off the shower. The rushing water stopped abruptly, leaving only the lingering patter of droplets falling from the walls, the showerhead, and his body onto the floor.
Hearing the sound of water die down, Jian Xun’s furry ears twitched. He quickly set aside his tablet, dashed into the bedroom, and happily leapt onto the bed. This time, the sheets were black—just as soft as ever. He bounced with all four paws in the air before diligently grabbing the quilt cover with his mouth and tugging it into place.
Hmph. He, Sui Sui, was different from ordinary cats!
He would prove that the old man’s words were wrong!!
He would not mess up the sheets. He was a capable little kitty who could help make the bed and smooth out the blanket!
Jian Xun worked earnestly and carefully, white paws pushing forward again and again to straighten the sheets, determined to make them lie flat and neat. Finally, he gave two firm pats with his paws, as if that sealed the tidiness in place.
Once the bed was properly made, he could proudly lie there, waiting openly for the boss to come sleep with him.
Five minutes later, Shang Xuci pushed open the bedroom door. He was wearing black pajamas, the collar unbuttoned to reveal a wide stretch of pale chest. His sleeves were rolled up to his wrists, exposing long, powerful arms. Draped casually over his shoulders was a towel, while his other hand rubbed at his damp hair.
His gaze swept across the bed—where his cat, rump stuck high in the air and wiggling side to side, was busily making his sheets.