Chapter 16: Come to My Home

Chapter 16: Come to My Place

The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in a blaze of fiery red.

Song Ji placed the rabbit meat can in front of Pearl. The kitten buried his head and quickly gobbled up the can, then snuggled up to him, all clingy and affectionate.

Pearl’s tail stood high in the air as he used his soft head to nudge Song Ji’s leg, eagerly guiding him toward a nearby bench.

Once on his lap, the kitten’s throat rumbled with a contented purr as he kneaded his paws in a steady rhythm, with unsteady steps.

Tired from his kneading, he rolled over to expose his belly, his innocent eyes wide open, meowing enthusiastically to invite Song Ji’s cuddles.

Was the rabbit meat can really that powerful?

Song Ji broke into a silent smile, reaching his hand under Pearl’s belly to rub the fuzzy pouch.

The kitten’s soft, plush belly melted like warm mochi under his palm, and once he touched it, he couldn’t bear to let go.

He buried his face in it, rubbing gently, and couldn’t help but murmur, "Baby, you're so good today, so soft."

Fei Yu kept in mind that he had to make it up to Song Ji today.

Even when Song Ji’s slightly cool fingers traced from the base of his tail all the way to the tip, rubbing and pinching along the way.

He just lifted his body up obediently, staying still without a single protest.

Today’s Pearl was unusually cooperative. Song Ji pinched the kitten’s soft paw pads, and suddenly recalled Fei Yu’s words.

He looked into Pearl’s shimmering golden eyes, tentatively moved his lips, and whispered, "Pearl, baby, do you like it when I do this to you?"

Fei Yu blinked his eyes innocently, pretending not to understand, and responded with a meow.

Song Ji couldn’t help but chuckle. In that moment, he even wished he could understand what Pearl said.

He looked down at the kitten and gently touched his pink nose, his deep voice serious as he explained.

"Baby, Fei Yu was supposed to come see you with me, but he has to work tonight and can’t make it."

Caught off guard by hearing his own name in cat form, Fei Yu’s back stiffened and he blinked guiltily.

Song Ji was indeed a bit regretful that Fei Yu was busy with work and couldn’t join him in feeding Pearl.

But it didn’t matter. He rubbed the kitten’s head, thinking to himself, there were still ten days before he could take Pearl home.

Then he could bring the kitten to the coffee shop without having to wait.

*

The next day after class, Song Ji had just walked out of the teaching building when a cow cat blocked his path.

The cow cat hopped in front of him, meowing a long string of meows, its black-and-white face looking very serious.

Behind it were a crowd of other cats, all with tails sticking straight up, their round eyes fixed intently on him.

The scene was spectacular; anyone would think he was being robbed by a gang of cats.

Surrounded by so many kittens, the tall, upright young man remained calm and composed, not flustered at all.

He calmly took out his phone and pulled up the hospital surveillance footage, crouched down, and held it in front of the cats.

Not caring whether the cats understood, he patiently explained the orange cat’s condition to them in detail.

After the cats confirmed the orange cat was fine, they mewed among themselves, then finally left, satisfied. Song Ji’s brow relaxed as he let out a barely noticeable sigh of relief.

He went to the coffee shop and told Fei Yu everything that had happened.

"Really?" Fei Yu’s lips pursed to form a small dimple, his eyes brimming with soft laughter.

The coffee shop was busy today, so he hadn’t had a chance yet to tell Dun Dun how Chicken Leg was doing.

But the cat couldn’t wait—Dun Dun had come looking for Song Ji, bringing the other cats along.

What a brave cow cat sheriff!

Fei Yu’s eyes crinkled at the corners as his clear, soft voice said, "Sorry for the trouble. I’ll talk to Dun Dun and make sure the cats don’t bother you during class."

The boy’s eyes were full of laughter, bright and clear, like the luster of some precious gem.

Song Ji’s throat went tight. He dropped his gaze, unable to meet those bright eyes for some reason, and answered hoarsely, "It’s fine."

After Fei Yu left, he glanced at the tabby cat sleeping on the counter, an awkward flicker crossing his face.

Given that Fei Yu could talk to cats, the tabby cat’s unnervingly human-like stare made sense.

Song Ji lowered his eyes and pressed his thin lips together, feeling an unfamiliar uncertainty for the first time.

Did the tabby cat… dislike him?

*

Saturday evening.

The doctor confirmed that Chicken Leg had finally recovered and was cleared for discharge.

But unfortunately, Zhou Qian was having yet another allergic reaction at home and couldn’t come get him.

Song Ji fed Pearl, then met up with Fei Yu after his shift, and together they went to bring Chicken Leg back to school.

The orange cat had been cooped up at the vet for so long that as soon as he was let out of the carrier, he flopped onto the ground and rolled around like a caterpillar, frolicking joyfully.

After the cow cat gave him a couple of bops, he obediently scurried back over to Song Ji and Fei Yu.

First, he rubbed affectionately against Fei Yu, then turned to Song Ji—for the first time in his life, he didn’t avoid the big, scary human. Instead, he nudged his head against the young man’s pants and meowed in a soft, whiny voice.

The aloof cow cat hesitated a moment, then also came over, meowing something softly.

Aside from Pearl, Song Ji had never been so warmly received by the school cats.

At that moment, with two cats rubbing against his legs in turn, the young man looked a bit at a loss, not even sure how to walk.

Fei Yu couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

Since no one else was around, he had no reservations and explained earnestly, "Chicken Leg and Dun Dun are thanking you."

"Chicken Leg said he was sorry for hating you because of the neutering, and from now on, he’ll clear your name in the cat circle."

Song Ji politely touched the orange cat’s head with his fingertip and said with a smile, "Thank you."

The two good cat friends nuzzled and pushed each other for a while, then scampered off, affectionate and close.

"What good cat friends," Fei Yu sighed as he watched them disappear into the grass.

He stood up from the grass, but a drop of water suddenly struck his face.

Cold droplets slid down his face, and Fei Yu's hairs stood on end, a shiver racing up his back.

He frantically wiped away the drop of water and looked up to find it had started raining.

The rain came down fast and furious; in just a few breaths, the ground was drenched by the dense raindrops.

There were no buildings nearby, but luckily a school bus stop was not far away. Fei Yu and Song Ji trotted over and took shelter under the awning just before the downpour.

Soon, the torrential rain poured down, a fine, dense silver curtain spreading before their eyes.

The sky darkened, the wind rustling the bushes opposite as water cascaded off the edge of the awning with a fierce, muffled sound.

A cold gust swept through, and Fei Yu hugged his arms for warmth, staring worriedly ahead.

The school bus had long stopped running, and this place was too far from the commercial street—how was he supposed to get back?

A sudden warmth touched his shoulder. Fei Yu blinked, dazed, and turned to look at the person beside him.

Song Ji had taken off his jacket and draped it over him, wearing only a black short-sleeved T-shirt underneath.

The shirt was stretched tight, revealing the young man's smooth muscle lines, and even the faint outline of a few abs.

Catching his surprised gaze, Song Ji dropped his hand back to his side and unconsciously rubbed his fingers together, saying in a low voice, "The wind's a bit strong. Be careful not to catch cold."

The jacket still carried the young man's warm body heat, and a faint, distinctive clean scent of him washed over Fei Yu.

Fei Yu gathered the jacket tighter, his ears turned red.

His heart softened, and he spoke softly, "I remember you have an umbrella. Why don't you go back first? I'll wait for the rain to stop."

Song Ji frowned slightly and said, "I'll stay with you."

Fei Yu: "It's fine. This rain looks heavy, but I know how this goes—it should stop soon—"

As soon as the words left his mouth, a few rumbles of thunder sounded in the distance, and the already loud rain grew even stronger.

Fei Yu: "..."

Fei Yu frowned in chagrin.

He muttered to himself, 'Why is my mouth so jinxed—whatever I'm afraid of shows up right away?'

Seeing the young man flinch at the thunder, his brow furrowing, Song Ji's heart tightened as if something had gripped it.

Without thinking, he blurted out, "My place is nearby. Want to come to my place to get out of the rain?"

Fei Yu's eyes went wide.

"Huh?" He looked up dazedly, his eyes wide, his pretty face full of dazed astonishment.

The moment the words were out, Song Ji was also a little stunned.

Late at night, suddenly inviting him to his home...

Although he would never have any dirty thoughts, wouldn't Fei Yu think he was being rude?

Even though he very much wanted the young man to visit, it should have been a more suitable, sunnier day.

He frowned, annoyed with himself, about to remedy his words, when he saw Fei Yu's eyes curve into crescents, and the confusion on his face instantly melted into delight.

His eyes sparkled, astonishingly bright even in the night, and he replied happily, "Okay!"

Fei Yu's heart pounded wildly, as if hit by a sudden stroke of luck. The rain and bad weather no longer bothered him.

He felt dizzy, his excitement impossible to hide.

Was this really what he thought it meant?

Inviting him to his home... Was Song Ji hinting that they would hook up tonight?

Fei Yu licked his lips in anticipation, his face flushed red. Was he finally going to get through his heat cycle tonight?!

Author's note:

----------------------

Little horny cat.