Rat, Rabbit, And Rabbit Transformed Into Humans And Married Their Natural Enemies. Chapter 37
byChapter 37
Xie Yuzhan had never known he could feel so utterly helpless.
The transition in Bai Zhi’s eyes, from gathering moisture to large, rolling tears, happened in the span of a single breath. Watching the person whose face was now streaked with tears, his mind went blank—a rare occurrence.
How did he make the little rabbit cry?
That was certainly not his intention.
Bai Zhi’s skin, pressed against his palm, was burning hot, and the heat traveled along his veins, searing its way into his heart, making the deep, cold waters of his inner lake boil.
It made it impossible for him to maintain any harshness, either in his heart or his tone.
A treasure should be coaxed and comforted.
He gently wiped the tears from Bai Zhi’s cheeks, cupped the other man’s face, and said softly, “I’m sorry. My attitude was poor just now. I apologize to Zhizhi. Even if it was out of concern, I shouldn’t have spoken like that. Did I scare you? I’ll reflect on this and promise to be more careful in the future.”
Bai Zhi blinked his tear-dampened, sticky eyelashes. He had no idea where all these tears came from. In his previous life as a rabbit, he never had the time or opportunity to cry.
The great prairie did not believe in tears.
The mouths of predators didn’t give rabbits a chance either.
He pursed his lips, his voice thick with a misty dampness. “You don’t need to apologize to me. I knew from the start that we wouldn’t get along…”
“Nonsense,” Xie Yuzhan smoothed the furrow in Bai Zhi’s brow. “It was just a small spat. Why jump to the conclusion that we can’t get along? Baby, throwing out the baby with the bathwater is not a good habit.”
Bai Zhi sniffled, only then noticing the brand-new endearment. He said, “Don’t call me that. I’m an adult.”
“Age and address are not necessarily related. I’m simply expressing how much I care about you.”
Bai Zhi didn’t quite accept this explanation. They were just important business partners. It was probably just the Wolf Lord’s idle, wicked sense of humor, but he didn’t call him out on it.
Having been called Zhizhi, Zhizhi for so long, his tolerance level had been unconsciously raised. Let him call him whatever he wanted; it wouldn’t make him lose a single hair. In any case, he definitely felt comforted.
The knot in his chest finally began to loosen.
He raised a hand and placed it on Xie Yuzhan’s wrist, insisting, “I really am much better than yesterday. Live streaming is just sitting there and chatting; it won’t be tiring. I’ll rest properly after the broadcast.”
Then, remembering Xie Yuzhan’s words, he added, “I’ll obediently go to bed and rest.”
Xie Yuzhan wiped the dampness from the corners of Bai Zhi’s eyes and advised, “Talking non-stop still requires a lot of energy. When you’re sick, you should rest well.
“Zhizhi, there’s plenty of time ahead; there’s no need to rush this moment.
“Besides, your fans wouldn’t want you to stream while sick. Listen to that weak, airy voice. Do you want them to worry about you?”
Bai Zhi blinked, thought about it, and then responded a little listlessly, admitting reluctantly, “You’re right. I shouldn’t stream if my condition isn’t good enough.”
Well, the rabbit’s ears had drooped completely.
Xie Yuzhan sighed softly and offered a compromise. “How about this: for this week, you stream for one hour every other day. After the stream, you obediently take a bath and eat. You’ll recover faster that way.”
“That works!”
Bai Zhi rubbed against Xie Yuzhan’s palm, his ears instantly perking up. “My Yuzhan Gege is the smartest! That’s a great idea. We’ll do as you say.”
Xie Yuzhan, who hadn’t been complimented on his intelligence in years, chuckled and ruffled the little rabbit’s hair a few times. “Rest a little longer. Do you want a fruit tart? I’ll make you one.”
“Yes, yes, I do!”
“Then let’s agree on something first,” Xie Yuzhan glanced at the bedside table. “You can’t eat nuts or similar snacks for the next few days. They cause internal heat and aren’t good for your throat.”
Bai Zhi naturally wanted to recover quickly. Although he felt a little reluctant to give up the snacks, the thought of Xie Yuzhan’s fruit tart made the sacrifice easier.
He rubbed his eyes, held up his index finger, and negotiated, “Then I want one fruit tart a day. Any kind of fruit is fine; I’m not picky.”
“Deal.”
Xie Yuzhan had no reason to refuse. Eating some fruit was good, much better than eating snacks.
Thinking of this, he added, “You can tell Aunt Lin directly what you want to eat. We’ve already discussed nuts and dried fruit, but you should also eat fewer vegetarian canned goods. They don’t compare to fresh ingredients in terms of taste or nutrition.”
Bai Zhi nodded. Recently, he had also felt those canned goods were unnecessary and hadn’t touched them.
After all, this was modern society, not the great prairie. As long as he had money, he could buy as much food as he wanted; it wouldn’t disappear once the season passed.
Moreover, life at the Xie residence was very stable right now, and honestly, he felt quite secure.
The two chatted for a few more minutes. While Xie Yuzhan went to make the fruit tart, Bai Zhi took a nap. He woke up just in time for lunch, though he ate the tart before the meal.
For the next few days, he was very obedient: one fruit tart a day, one hour of streaming every other day, eating on time, drinking plenty of water, minimizing snacks, and maximizing rest. Once he was completely recovered, he rewarded himself with a massive pile of snacks!
He even dragged Xie Yuzhan into sharing some. CEO Xie said he was very well-behaved and was kind enough to humor him.
That evening, he got carried away during his stream and finished quite late. Midway through, he snuck out to find Xie Yuzhan for a hug—the promised goodnight hug that couldn’t be missed for a single day.
The next day, as expected, he overslept.
Since he had already missed breakfast, he felt justified in lingering in bed and didn’t see Xie Yuzhan. He planned to chat with him during dinner about the new grasses he had received from his elders recently. But.
But!
Around six in the evening, he received a message from Xie Yuzhan saying he wouldn’t be back for dinner and that Bai Zhi shouldn’t wait up.
That was fine. The other man didn’t have the same freedom with his time; he had work, overtime, socializing, or other private matters—all understandable. But, but!
At ten o’clock, he messaged Xie Yuzhan asking when he would be back, and reminding him about the goodnight hug.
CEO Xie replied that he wouldn’t be returning tonight, telling Bai Zhi to go to bed early and promising to make up for the hug tomorrow. Bai Zhi instantly bristled!
Why should he put up with this?!
The big-tailed wolf was being flagrantly hypocritical! He wouldn’t let Bai Zhi stay out, yet he was breaking the rule himself. Wasn’t this just tricking a simple little bunny like him? Was he taking advantage of his lack of experience in human society? Absolutely not!
He could come back or not; he didn’t care.
But when they met tomorrow, he was going to have a serious talk with Xie Yuzhan about this. It couldn’t be swept under the rug. Rabbits have principles!
He finished his ablutions, changed into his rabbit-eared pajamas, lay down in bed, and hugged Pikachu. Just as he was about to dim the bedside lamp, his phone vibrated a few times.
He glanced at it. Hey, it was Xie Yuzhan again!
He pouted, reluctantly unlocking the phone. He wanted to see how the other man would try to justify himself!
The moment he saw the message, he froze.
The message was from Xie Yuzhan’s childhood friend, Lu Yunyi. They had met twice before. Lu Yunyi identified himself at the start, then said Xie Yuzhan was drunk and asked Bai Zhi to pick him up.
Huh?
What?
He furiously tapped the screen, nearly sparking fire on the glass. Why, why, why?! He wasn’t going! Not only was Xie Yuzhan staying out overnight, but he had forbidden Bai Zhi from going to bars, yet he went and got drunk himself. Such blatant hypocrisy!
They hadn’t settled the score yet, and now he was being asked to pick him up?
Dream on!
No, he wouldn’t go, no matter what!
If he wasn’t coming home tonight, why bother picking him up? Let him sleep outside!
But Lu Yunyi insisted he go. Bai Zhi, of course, refused, saying that if Xie Yuzhan really wanted to come back, he should have Zheng Feng pick him up. He was going to sleep. Why should he have to go out at this hour? What kind of relationship did they even have?!
After sending the final message, he gripped his phone, staring intently at the screen, sparks practically flying from his eyes. Not only was he not going, but he was going to settle accounts with Xie Yuzhan tomorrow.
From now on, if he went out to have fun, Xie Yuzhan had better not tell him he couldn’t stay out overnight.
He waited two minutes and received no reply. Thinking Lu Yunyi had given up trying to rope him in, he put down his phone, lay back, and stared blankly at the ceiling.
He felt very uncomfortable.
Not just because of Xie Yuzhan’s hypocrisy, but because he vaguely felt something was wrong.
When his phone vibrated twice again, he snatched it up instantly. Seeing the new message pop up, his eyes trembled.
Today was the anniversary of Xie Yuzhan’s parents’ death.
He glanced at the date, December 8th. This suddenly made his heart feel heavy. Xie Yuzhan hadn’t talked much about his parents. Bai Zhi only knew they had passed away early and that Xie Yuzhan’s uncle was involved, but he didn’t know the details.
He thought for a moment, then sent a brief reply, asking Lu Yunyi to send the address.
It was a private wine club.
He quickly got out of bed and messaged Zheng Feng. By the time he was dressed and downstairs, Zheng Feng was already waiting for him.
On the way to the club, he looked at the elder in the driver’s seat and spoke softly, “Today… you and Aunt Lin must know about it too.”
Zheng Feng glanced at Bai Zhi in the rearview mirror. The other man’s expression was slightly cold and serious, unlike his usual demeanor.
He responded, “We know, but since Yuzhan doesn’t bring it up, we usually don’t mention anything proactively. Frankly, I didn’t expect Mr. Lu to ask you to pick him up directly, but upon reflection, I can understand.”
Bai Zhi frowned. “I don’t understand.”
Zheng Feng paused, then said, “Perhaps it’s because you are different.”
Bai Zhi didn’t feel that way. What was his relationship with Xie Yuzhan? How was he different? They were just a contractual plastic couple, at best getting along reasonably well, but ultimately, they were natural enemies.
Seeing Bai Zhi silent, Zheng Feng asked, “Then why did you agree to go?”
This question made Bai Zhi feel a little awkward.
He couldn’t quite explain it. Maybe he was worried to some extent. As a decent cohabitant, he really shouldn’t stand idly by on a day like this. That would be too cold-hearted.
After a long moment, he said, “This is a special circumstance.”
Zheng Feng understood and didn’t press further. He changed the subject. “Yuzhan’s relationship with Xie Minghong’s family is actually quite poor. You know this, but—
“The positions of Chairman and CEO that Xie Minghong currently holds should both belong to Yuzhan.”
Bai Zhi hadn’t expected Zheng Feng to bring this up suddenly. He instinctively acknowledged it. He had generally guessed this, but hadn’t investigated further.
Zheng Feng continued, “The Xie family truly entered the top tier because of Yuzhan’s father, Xie Minghong’s older brother. He and his wife built the Xie Corporation as it is today.
“Xie Minghong joined the group later. The older brother only gave him a position because the younger brother pleaded pitifully, but he didn’t expect it to be like inviting a wolf into the house.
“When Yuzhan’s parents passed away, he was only twelve. Xie Minghong naturally became his guardian and also gathered people to seize control of the Xie Corporation.
“Of course, Xie Minghong cared about appearances, so he promised he was only temporarily managing the company for Yuzhan and would return everything once his nephew was capable of standing on his own.
“But who gets to define ‘capable of standing on his own’?”
After hearing this, Bai Zhi felt only disgust for a person like Xie Minghong. “He enjoys the fruits of others’ labor, occupies the magpie’s nest, is shameless, and loves to glorify himself.”
Zheng Feng chuckled. “That is a very fair and apt assessment.”
With that remark, the car fell silent. Zheng Feng had said all he could. The rest depended on Xie Yuzhan himself.
Bai Zhi looked out at the cold, desolate night. His feelings were complicated. Xie Yuzhan had certainly had a difficult path. To have reached this point and made those plans, he was truly formidable.
Wolves are extremely patient and very vengeful; they won’t give up until they achieve their goal.
When they arrived at the club, Lu Yunyi was waiting in the lobby, his expression carrying a hint of emotion that Bai Zhi couldn’t quite decipher.
On the way upstairs, Lu Yunyi glanced at Bai Zhi and smiled softly. “Thank you for coming, regardless of the circumstances.”
Bai Zhi shook his head, his tone serious. He asked, “He said he wasn’t coming back tonight, so… was sending me a message to pick him up your and Mr. Tang’s decision?”
Lu Yunyi tacitly confirmed Bai Zhi’s suspicion. “As friends, there’s not much we can do.”
“Aren’t you worried he’ll blame you when he sobers up? He doesn’t like people making arrangements for him.”
The smile on Lu Yunyi’s lips was open and philosophical. “If he blames us, he blames us. It’s fine. I suspect… he probably wanted to spend some time with you, too. If I’m wrong, I’ll take the consequences myself.”
Bai Zhi muttered softly that he was definitely wrong.
What Xie Yuzhan needed right now was a good night’s sleep. What use was Bai Zhi? Sleeping anywhere was sleeping; there was no need to insist on coming home.
When they reached the private room door, Tang Chen was standing guard outside. After exchanging a look with Lu Yunyi, he opened the door for Bai Zhi and said, “No matter what you think, I bet Yuzhan will be happy to see you.”
Bai Zhi shook his head but didn’t say anything. He was here now.
He slowly took a breath and stepped into the room. The smell of alcohol hit him immediately. The moment the door closed behind him, he frowned. How much had he drunk?!
Walking around the screen, he immediately saw the person leaning back on the sofa, a rare, overly relaxed posture.
He slowly approached and stopped beside Xie Yuzhan. He leaned in slightly. The other man had his eyes closed, perhaps dozing? CEO Xie must be one of those people who didn’t show alcohol on his face; his complexion was the same as usual, but his brow was tightly furrowed.
He looked burdened with worries.
Bai Zhi wondered if he was asleep.
He pursed his lips and tentatively spoke. “Yuzhan?”
The response was half a minute of silence. He reached out to pat the other man’s shoulder, but his wrist was suddenly seized, and then his waist was pulled forward.
Caught off guard, he lost his balance. By the time he reacted, one leg was braced on the floor, and the other was kneeling directly on Xie Yuzhan’s lap, which helped him stabilize himself.
The other man’s arm was still wrapped around his waist.
They were too close, practically pressed against each other. Bai Zhi felt like he was about to fall into Xie Yuzhan’s dark eyes!
Those phoenix eyes were beautiful, but they were also truly dangerous.
The Wolf Lord hadn’t been asleep at all!
Was this a trap set for the little rabbit?!