Rat, Rabbit, And Rabbit Transformed Into Humans And Married Their Natural Enemies. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

With Xie Yuzhan’s arm around his shoulder, Bai Zhi felt that every place the other man touched was burning up. Not crying out loud was already giving his collaborator enough face.

Although he still felt nervous, he took a deep breath and managed to steady his emotions.

His eyes were bright, his voice carried a smile, and he slightly raised his chin, saying, “Hello, President Lu. Hello, President Tang. Honey mentioned you to me. I finally get to meet you today. It’s a pleasure.”

After speaking, he looked at Xie Yuzhan beside him and gave him a look—Wasn’t he good?

Wasn’t he cooperative?

Who wouldn’t say they had a good relationship after hearing and seeing this? He was simply imitating, using the nickname smoothly. If they didn’t use it, they wouldn’t seem like a harmonious newlywed couple. They had to be this clingy!

Xie Yuzhan paused, his expression unchanged, though his eyes deepened slightly. He released his arm and returned a look to the hopping little rabbit—Very good, very cooperative.

Bai Zhi pursed his lips and smiled, also letting out a sigh of relief. Don’t assume a good-tempered little rabbit is easy to manipulate.

Meanwhile, Lu Yunyi and Tang Chen across from them were far less composed than this plastic couple.

They were practically gripping their champagne flutes hard enough to snap them.

Honey?

Calling him so intimately?

Calling him that was one thing, but the key was! Xie Yuzhan’s reaction seemed to accept it without question. Could they believe this? Damn it, something was absolutely, definitely wrong. How could a germaphobe actively pull someone into his embrace and tacitly allow such an utterly boundary-crossing term of address? It was…

Had he truly fallen in love at first sight?

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be acting so bizarrely. This wasn’t what he had told them. The sacrifice for a marriage of convenience seemed far too great!

Lu Yunyi patted Tang Chen’s shoulder, signaling him to calm down, and looked at Bai Zhi, smiling gently, “Seeing is believing. Your relationship is good, and as your friends, we can naturally feel reassured.”

Bai Zhi continued to maintain his obedient smile but didn’t speak, his little heart still fluttering nervously.

How could Xie Yuzhan not know what his friends were thinking? He didn’t say anything more for now, handing the champagne to the little rabbit to calm his nerves.

He reassured him, “They are all our own people, it’s fine. The wine tonight is good, want to try some?”

Bai Zhi lowered his eyes and accepted the glass. The pale golden liquid sparkled under the lights with fine, shimmering reflections, looking very beautiful. He had never drunk alcohol before.

Trying some might be okay.

The few of them chatted for a while. He mostly listened, occasionally responding, sipping the champagne in small mouthfuls. The delicate, fresh, and dense texture soothed his emotions.

It also made him feel a little warm.

When Xie Yuzhan and his friends were about to go talk to the host of the banquet, he gently tugged at the other man’s sleeve.

The other man turned his gaze. Bai Zhi gestured toward the garden in the back, whispering, “I want to go out and get some air. I won’t wander off, just in the small garden out back. You can see me as soon as you step outside.”

Xie Yuzhan looked at Bai Zhi. The other man’s deep coffee-colored eyes reflected the scattered lights, like clear, bright glass under the sun. Looking at him so intently made him seem even more soft and obedient.

He looked very easy to pet.

He quickly composed himself and replied, “Alright. This side will be finished in about half an hour. I’ll come find you. If anything happens during that time, you can message me or call.”

“Mhm, okay.”

Bai Zhi released his hand, said goodbye to the other man’s two friends, and after turning around, patted his chest. Having successfully escaped the encirclement of the wolf + lion + tiger, he needed to go out and catch his breath.

Watching Bai Zhi’s retreating figure, Tang Chen couldn’t hold back first, teasing, “Yuzhan, how is this so different from what you told us? I’ve never seen you this close to anyone.”

Lu Yunyi felt the same way. They knew their friend’s germaphobia all too well. The fact that he would actively reach out and touch someone was more surprising than the term of address.

His acceptance and tolerance toward Bai Zhi were too high.

Xie Yuzhan wouldn’t make such a gesture merely to display a harmonious marriage. It didn’t fit his temperament. Even if he wanted to show off publicly, there was no need for intimate contact; a high-profile, expensive gift could achieve the goal just as quickly and easily.

So, what was the reason for this anomaly?

Xie Yuzhan swirled his wine glass. Behind his glasses, his dark phoenix eyes held a calm yet intrigued depth. “Bai Zhi is not as mediocre and boring as the rumors suggest. He is quite interesting. Since we’ve already taken the step of a marriage alliance, why not have some extra fun?”

Lu Yunyi chuckled lightly, saying, “That’s true, but it really doesn’t seem like your style.”

Tang Chen was more direct, “You haven’t actually developed feelings for him, have you? Like, love at first sight?”

Xie Yuzhan’s hand paused, his expression still composed. He looked at his overly imaginative friend and said flatly, “Love is out of the question, far from it. I just don’t dislike him.”

Lu and Tang exchanged glances. Not disliking that kind of physical contact was extremely, extremely rare. After all, they had only witnessed this one instance in all their years.

Bai Zhi was being treated differently; he was special.

This had no absolute relation to the length of their acquaintance. Many things aren’t measured by the dimension of time. Some people clash constantly after decades of interaction, while others know with just one glance that the other person is different—

Unique.

Xie Yuzhan, being in the middle of it, might not have realized, but the signs were there from the beginning.

Lu Yunyi slightly shrugged his shoulders, regretting, “I thought our ice-sculpted block of wood had finally opened up. Turns out it was a false alarm.”

Tang Chen egged him on, “You can do your work; it doesn’t stop you from dating. Not disliking someone means there’s a possibility! You live together, seeing each other constantly. Do you want me to teach you some dating tips?”

Xie Yuzhan didn’t mind these little jokes among friends. He tilted his wine glass and countered, “Do you think I dare trust a single tip from a playboy like you?

“Besides, instead of worrying about my love life, you should worry about how to handle the new friend Uncle Tang introduced to you. I wouldn’t dare take up the precious time of a busy man like yourself.”

Tang Chen, who was immediately counter-teased, instantly pulled a long face. Why bring that up!

The topic was temporarily dropped there.

Xie Yuzhan had no intention of dating. He was too busy and didn’t want to be distracted. This was just a little fun to spice up life, nothing more, nothing less.

There would be nothing else.

As for Bai Zhi, it was his first time drinking. The champagne tasted quite good, so he carried the glass all the way to the backyard, slightly avoiding the bright lights of the main hall.

This avoidance led him to witness a conflict.

Three tall, burly men were bullying a young man. Although the light was dim, it was clear that the victim had an outstanding appearance.

He frowned slightly. This was clearly bullying and harassment.

He didn’t want to get involved directly, lest he cause trouble for Xie Yuzhan, but since he saw it, he didn’t want to ignore it either. Should he go back to the hall, make up an excuse, and find someone to check it out?

However, before he could act, the situation changed.

The seemingly delicate person actually struck back directly when the three men reached out. Whoa! It was a one-versus-three fight, and he wasn’t losing. Seeing one of the burly men raise his fist, Bai Zhi picked up a stone from the flowerbed and threw it over.

He was happy to help with this small favor.

The three men, unable to gain an advantage even together, scurried away. The young man, who had just finished dealing with the harassers, straightened his clothes and walked straight toward Bai Zhi.

His steps were light, like a small, cute, but incredibly capable black-footed cat.

This was the most efficient assassin among the felines, fierce yet adorable.

However, he had never seen one in his rabbit life. The great prairie was separated from the black-footed cat’s habitat by an entire continent and a strait. Plus, since the cat’s size was similar to his own when he was a rabbit, he didn’t feel afraid.

Carnivores and carnivores were different, after all.

He proactively extended his hand, complimenting and introducing himself, “Well done. Your movements were swift and beautiful. You can’t be soft on people who have no manners like that. My name is Bai Zhi, and it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

He had learned human social etiquette, and here he was, using it perfectly.

The rabbit wanted to make friends.

Lu Qinghe stopped and stared at Bai Zhi for half a minute. He knew who this was without an introduction—the famous pretty vase of the circle, known for having nothing but a face, lacking personality, and being completely controlled by the Bai family. The kind of beauty that was utterly mediocre and boring.

But.

Seeing was believing. He actually thought Bai Zhi had a good demeanor. His eyes were bright, not empty at all.

He shook hands with the other man, flashing a slightly sharp smile, saying, “Thank you just now. I know the young master of the Bai family, recently married to President Xie. To be honest, you are different from the rumors.”

Bai Zhi returned a candid smile, calmly saying, “Rumors are unreliable.”

Lu Qinghe understood. Outsiders praised him for being sweet and cool, but how many knew he could fight?

He pointed toward the villa behind Bai Zhi, introducing himself, “Lu Qinghe. This is my home. My older brother manages the family company. I am in fashion design.”

So, it was the second young master of the Lu family. Bai Zhi had heard a general introduction from Zheng Feng on the way to Xie Yuzhan’s company.

The Lu family was genuinely harmonious. Lu Qinghe wasn’t interested in the family business and had started his own fashion design studio, covering both men’s and women’s wear, with an excellent reputation and public opinion.

It was said that the second young master was a sweet little bean, but seeing him in person today, well—he was the black-footed cat in the flesh, very deceptive.

He couldn’t help but chuckle, saying, “You can’t choose your background, but you can decide what you do. It’s very fortunate to be able to dedicate yourself to something you truly love.”

Lu Qinghe admitted this point. He was indeed lucky. If it weren’t for his older brother, would he be able to freely pursue what he loved?

He raised an eyebrow and asked a slightly pointed question, “Then what do you want to do? Just be a pretty canary, only for show, as everyone assumes?”

Bai Zhi understood the meaning of a canary. His time spent browsing the internet hadn’t been wasted.

He took a sip of champagne, feeling a little dizzy but still quite clear-headed, and in excellent spirits. His speaking speed even quickened slightly. “I do like staying at home, but I don’t plan on being just a pretty little bird, even though I am indeed used for decoration.

“I want to do things I like, and President Xie doesn’t interfere.

“I’m very interested in flowers and plants. I plan to cultivate some. I just settled down these past two days and have bought all the supplies. Once they arrive, I can start setting things up. I’ll send you some then. You can put them anywhere; they are a vibrant cluster of green.”

Lu Qinghe listened and watched, not without surprise.

Bai Zhi was genuinely interested in flora and fauna. He could tell the sincerity of the passion in his expression. His eyes were bright and sparkling, making his already delicate face shine even more. Even the brilliant lights of the hall behind him seemed dull in comparison.

He was full of vitality and enthusiasm.

He admitted he was infected by it. A mediocre vase? No, no, he clearly had his own ideas and a genuine passion for life. Perhaps he had been suppressed by his parents and older brother in the Bai family before.

He took out his phone. “Add me as a friend? It’ll be easier to contact each other. If you ever need any clothes, you can find me. I’ll give you a friend’s discount.”

Bai Zhi happily agreed.

After adding each other, the two found a long bench and sat down, chatting for a while longer.

Lu Qinghe hadn’t felt this talkative in a long time. The two got along very well, feeling like they had met too late. The only thing was that the other man had poor alcohol tolerance. After finishing one glass of champagne, he was already leaning back in the chair, feeling woozy.

They continued to chat intermittently until Lu Qinghe saw the figure of the other man’s nominal husband in the distance.

After finishing his conversation with the Lu family chairman and president, Xie Yuzhan separated from his two friends. The main purpose of coming tonight was to show Bai Zhi off. The goal had been achieved, and they could leave.

As he approached, he spotted the second young master of the Lu family. The look in Lu Qinghe’s eyes was teasing. When his gaze shifted and he saw Bai Zhi, Xie Yuzhan’s eyes flickered.

He was clearly drunk.

In the slightly dim light, Bai Zhi’s fluffy, tea-brown hair had a halo of light. A faint, tipsy blush of pale peach appeared on his warm white cheeks. The clear, deep coffee-colored eyes were misty, like a pool of shimmering water, tempting one to dive straight in.

And his petal-like, slightly parted lips were a deeper color than usual, moist and soft.

He looked hazy and suggestive.

It was all caused by that one glass of champagne.

Lu Qinghe leaned on the armrest of the chair, looking at Xie Yuzhan, the smile on his lips carrying a hint of provocative mischief, enjoying the spectacle. “President Xie, everyone says you two are a soft persimmon paired with a pretty vase and a good-for-nothing, a perfect match. But—

“I don’t think that’s the case, do you?

“I quite like this little canary you’ve hidden away. He appeals to me.”

As the words fell, he suddenly felt Xie Yuzhan’s demeanor change, becoming much colder and even carrying a hint of intimidating gloom.

Huh?

He bore absolutely no resemblance to the rumored good-tempered and gentle man!