Cat O, But Traveling Into The Normal World Chapter 19
byChapter 19: Wrap-Up. What is wrong with wanting to be loved?
Yu You’s eyes lit up, and he asked for confirmation, “Any reward at all?”
A knowing look flashed in Jiang Xunzhou’s eyes.
As expected, he was going to try and climb the ladder.
Yet, he felt he shouldn’t spoil the young man too much, so he reserved a little room in his reply: “Not anything at all. It depends on whether I can do it.”
“You can definitely do it.”
Due to his eagerness, Yu You leaned closer to Jiang Xunzhou, his cat-like eyes shining brightly as he gazed at him.
The young man’s expression was sincere: “After I finish filming this drama, if Auntie cuts up some pineapple for me, don’t fight me for it. Leave it all for me, okay?”
The air was silent for two seconds.
“…Pineapple?”
Jiang Xunzhou repeated the word in disbelief.
Yu You nodded eagerly, his face full of anticipation.
Jiang Xunzhou emphasized, “Are you sure? I said any reward is fine, as long as I can do it.”
For such a huge offer, this was all Yu You wanted?
Yu You was absolutely certain: “Yes, yes.”
Jiang Xunzhou pressed his tongue against his teeth, feeling a sense of absurd amusement.
In Yu You’s eyes, he was less important than a bowl of pineapple?
Jiang Xunzhou squeezed a word out from between his teeth: “…Fine.”
Yu You didn’t understand why Jiang Xunzhou looked a little dark-faced, but hearing him agree, he thanked him without hesitation, cheering happily, “Thank you, Husband!”
The driver drove the car to the Star Sky Entertainment company building, and Yu You accompanied Jiang Xunzhou upstairs.
When they reached the outer office of the CEO’s suite, Assistant Wan came out with documents and greeted Mr. Jiang.
He then adjusted his glasses and greeted Yu You, who was behind Jiang Xunzhou, warmly: “Mr. Yu, are you here to check up on the boss today?”
Yu You suddenly realized: “Ah, so I’m here to check up on him.”
“Check up on what? You just came along to wait.” Jiang Xunzhou said with a cold face, “Play by yourself in my office. If anything happens, find Assistant Wan. I’m going to a meeting.”
Yu You responded enthusiastically: “Okay, okay.”
He had brought his tablet and went straight to the sofa in the reception area of the office, finding a corner to curl up in.
Because of his relationship with Jiang Xunzhou and the recent buzz, some directors had sent him scripts.
But Yu You skimmed through them, felt they weren’t quite right, and after asking Shi Sanlin to decline, he continued to study his own script, not forgetting to ask Assistant Wan for a thin blanket.
As he was reading, there was a sudden commotion outside the door.
“Mr. Jiang, our CEO has gone to a meeting, inside…”
“It’s fine, I’ll just wait in his office—”
The conversation abruptly stopped.
Yu You looked up from his script and met the gaze of a young, handsome man at the doorway who looked astonished.
“You must be Yu You? I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Jiang Zuwen immediately recognized him, his expression showing a hint of interest.
Yu You was a little confused. He put down his tablet, stood up, and said, “Hello.”
Jiang Zuwen turned his head to Assistant Wan, who hadn’t managed to stop him, and smiled: “Assistant Wan, you go ahead and get busy. Just tell Jiang Xunzhou I’m here when he finishes his meeting.”
Assistant Wan’s gaze flickered between the two of them. After a moment of hesitation, he nodded, agreed, and left.
Jiang Zuwen walked over in a few steps, raising an eyebrow: “Do you know who I am?”
Yu You asked sincerely, “You look really handsome. Are you a Minor Celebrity?”
Jiang Zuwen’s mind, full of prepared lines, was completely thrown off by the question, “Are you a Minor Celebrity?” He forgot what he originally intended to say, the corners of his mouth turned up, and he cleared his throat, pretending to be modest: “I’m not a Minor Celebrity, but when I was studying abroad, several talent scouts did approach me.”
Yu You gave a small “Wow”: “I knew it!”
Jiang Zuwen was so flattered he almost floated away, his spirits soaring: “Keep it low-key, low-key. I actually wanted to be a rapper before, but my family disagreed. I had no choice but to be forced to come back and inherit the family business.”
Yu You asked curiously, “Did you meet Mr. Jiang on the way to become a rapper together?”
“No, we didn’t. Jiang Xunzhou and I were classmates; we’ve known each other for over ten years.”
Jiang Zuwen gritted his teeth and said, “Become a rapper together? This guy was the one who snitched on me to my sister, saying I wanted to drop out to be a rapper! My sister flew over that night and gave me a severe beating!”
Half the credit for his broken dreams belonged to Jiang Xunzhou.
Yu You looked sympathetic: “Oh dear, Mr. Jiang is that bad?”
Jiang Zuwen suddenly became energized, his gaze fixed on Yu You, his tone eager: “You think he’s bad too?”
Jiang Xunzhou had just finished his meeting when an assistant came up to him.
The assistant reported in a low voice: “Mr. Jiang, Mr. Jiang Zuwen went to your office and ran into Mr. Yu.”
Jiang Xunzhou frowned.
Why did Jiang Zuwen suddenly show up? He was outspoken and had no filter. What if he made Yu You cry?
Jiang Xunzhou subconsciously quickened his pace toward the office, asking, “How long has Jiang Zuwen been inside?”
He was tall and long-legged, taking large strides, and the assistant next to him had to jog to keep up. The assistant quickly replied, “Mr. Jiang Zuwen has been inside for half an hour. Assistant Wan asked me to wait by the conference room door and tell you immediately.”
Jiang Xunzhou nodded, indicating he understood.
Just as he reached the corridor outside the office, Assistant Wan, who had received the message that the meeting was over, came out. Seeing Jiang Xunzhou, he couldn’t help but show a complicated expression of hesitation: “Mr. Jiang, inside…”
Jiang Xunzhou’s heart sank, feeling the situation was even worse.
Even Assistant Wan found it tricky?
Jiang Xunzhou seemed to anticipate Yu You looking wronged, his eyes red-rimmed, tears about to fall, and his anxiety grew.
He took a deep breath, not having time to ask more, and quickly stepped forward, pushing open the office door—
Laughter, like flowing water, poured out.
Jiang Xunzhou’s steps abruptly halted.
The two people were sitting on the sofa, chatting animatedly over a phone.
Yu You was laughing so hard his eyes curved like crescent moons, the corners of his eyes slightly red, with tears glistening. It was unclear what they were looking at.
Jiang Xunzhou was momentarily stunned, staring at the tears in Yu You’s eyes.
He had indeed cried.
But it seemed… he had cried from laughing.
Yu You heard the movement and looked up, quickly standing up, saying, “Husband, is your meeting over?”
Jiang Xunzhou frowned tightly: “What are you two doing?”
Jiang Zuwen also looked up, confused: “Ah, why are you back so soon? Little Yu and I haven’t finished chatting yet.”
Jiang Xunzhou felt a throbbing in his temples and asked, “What were you talking about?”
“Just all the things you did back in your student days.”
Jiang Zuwen said frankly, “Like climbing over the wall to get into fights, taking out the surveillance cameras beforehand, or that group project we had, where one classmate would automatically disappear during the discussion, and you set up a trap to expose him for buying essays…”
Jiang Xunzhou couldn’t help but interrupt: “Jiang Zuwen, is that how you talk about me behind my back?”
Yu You’s eyes sparkled: “But Husband, you’re so amazing! You can deal with so many bad people.”
Jiang Zuwen stared at Yu You in shock.
Your reaction just now wasn’t like this!
You were agreeing with me that Jiang Xunzhou looks like a cool, disdainful B-king who wouldn’t use petty tricks, but is actually full of dark schemes and secretly wicked!
Is this the professional quality of an actor, to switch so quickly?
Jiang Xunzhou’s expression softened a little after being placated by Yu You. He asked Jiang Zuwen, “What did you come to see me about?”
Jiang Zuwen finally remembered the main purpose: “Oh, right, we hadn’t finished talking about the project we discussed last time. I happened to be free today, so I came over.”
Yu You put away his tablet: “Okay, then you two talk. I won’t disturb you.”
Jiang Xunzhou rubbed his brow and said, “Go play in the Restroom in the back. The door lock password is the same as at home.”
Yu You agreed and walked into the Restroom with light steps.
When they started talking about work, both men became serious. After discussing business, Jiang Xunzhou arranged for Assistant Wan to see Jiang Zuwen downstairs.
He was about to go to the Restroom to find Yu You when his phone on the desk chimed with a notification, and the screen lit up.
Jiang Zuwen: [Seriously, you rushed me out too quickly. I forgot to tell you something.]
Jiang Zuwen: [Didn’t you say Little Yu has been deeply in love with you for a long time, and that he deliberately approached you that night because he was drugged? I don’t think that’s right.]
Jiang Zuwen: [When I was telling him about your past deeds and how bad you were, he was laughing so happily. He didn’t look like he liked you.]
Jiang Xunzhou finished reading the messages, scoffed disdainfully, and replied with three words.
[Impossible.]
He put away his phone, not taking Jiang Zuwen’s words to heart at all, and walked toward the Restroom.
Yu You didn’t like him?
How could that be?
Jiang Zuwen better go see an ophthalmologist soon.
The password lock beeped, and the Restroom door opened.
Inside was the room Jiang Xunzhou used for his lunch break, divided into a bathroom and a bedroom, with deep gray silk sheets on the large bed.
Yu You made himself completely at home, taking off his shoes and socks, and lying on the bed to continue reading his script. His slender waist curved inward, his hips were slightly raised like a hill, and his straight legs were encased in long pants. He looked thin, almost sinking into the bed.
His shirt hem had ridden up slightly with his movement, revealing a sliver of pale skin.
Jiang Xunzhou’s gaze darkened. He walked over, sat on the edge of the bed, and reached out to pull Yu You’s shirt hem down, asking casually, “What bad things did Jiang Zuwen tell you about me?”
“Not all bad things. He told me quite a lot.”
Yu You propped his chin on his hand, completely unaware of Jiang Xunzhou’s action, and recalled: “He said you were sickly when you were little, and your parents consulted a master, so they sent you to Old Master Jiang’s place for recuperation. Everyone in the family spoiled you, not asking for wealth and status, only for you to be safe and sound.”
He smiled: “He also said you hold grudges. You two even fought over a toy when you first met as kids, and it took several years for that to pass.”
Jiang Xunzhou smiled: “Those things did happen.”
Yu You turned his head to look at Jiang Xunzhou and said very seriously, “Your family and friends care about you a lot. I know they talked to me because they wanted to know what kind of person I am, afraid you might be taken advantage of.”
Jiang Xunzhou saw the loneliness and envy in Yu You’s eyes, and his heart was pricked. He suddenly remembered that Yu You was an abandoned child.
His background information also showed that Yu You rarely interacted with people and didn’t have many friends.
Jiang Xunzhou reached out and touched Yu You’s face, whispering, “When you become famous, many, many fans will discover how wonderful you are and will care about you and cherish you.”
The corners of Yu You’s lips curved up: “Of course!”
Jiang Xunzhou asked again, “Are you going to an outside location for filming soon?”
Yu You nodded: “Later, the filming will be split into A and B teams. I’ll join the B team in the neighboring city for half a month. After that, my scenes will be wrapped up.”
Jiang Xunzhou said, “Do you want me to visit the set?”
Yu You’s eyes lit up, and his tone became cheerful: “Really? When will you come?”
“Really.” Jiang Xunzhou’s lips curled into a slight smile, “I can’t confirm the time yet; I need to check my schedule first, but I will come.”
Yu You sat up, anticipating: “You are my only sugar daddy fan, so you must come.”
Jiang Xunzhou’s expression softened, and he gave a soft “Mm.”
Yu You gathered his courage: “Before I leave, can you give me a temporary mark?”
Jiang Xunzhou was confused: “A temporary mark?”
Yu You knew his request might not be understood, his eyes filled with apprehension, and he whispered, “Just… can you bite me here?”
He tilted his head slightly, and his beautiful fingers gently pulled down the collar of his shirt, exposing a section of his fair, slender neck, like a white swan with its neck bowed.
After an Omega’s Heat Period ends, although they won’t have overly strong needs for a short time, they can’t help but develop a sense of dependence on their Alpha and feel some resistance to separation.
A temporary mark can last for about a week. Although brief, it can provide some comfort during the time apart.
Jiang Xunzhou’s fingers lightly pressed onto the spot. His rough fingertip traced the delicate skin on the side of the young man’s neck, leaving a burning sensation where it touched.
He looked up and asked, “Here?”
A fine electric current seemed to shoot through him. Yu You trembled slightly, unable to bear it, and his ears turned faintly red from embarrassment. He answered in a very soft voice: “…Mm.”
Jiang Xunzhou didn’t miss his reaction. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and he felt a hot, dry restlessness again. He asked in a husky voice, “Because we’re going to be separated, you want me to leave a mark on you?”
Yu You didn’t dare look at him, lowered his eyes, and answered yes, his voice slightly shaky. He then added, “Can the mark… be a little harder?”
Jiang Xunzhou asked, “How hard?”
Yu You lifted his long lashes and instinctively glanced at Jiang Xunzhou, startled by the dark emotions swirling in the man’s eyes. He stammered, “Just… hard enough to leave a mark.”
“Yu You.”
Jiang Xunzhou stared intently at him, his voice slow and carrying a strange hoarseness: “Do you think I will satisfy all your requests?”
Yu You was stunned: “I—I didn’t. If you don’t want to, I…”
The next moment, the light was blocked by the man leaning over, and his vision turned dim.
A weight pressed down. Yu You fell backward onto the soft bed. Amidst the spinning dizziness, Jiang Xunzhou leaned into his neck, and the soft skin was viciously bitten, a sharp sting accompanied by a sense of satisfied invasion.
“Ugh…”
Yu You’s fingers curled. Under the intense stimulation, his eyes shimmered with moisture, and he grabbed Jiang Xunzhou’s neat shirt, pulling it into messy wrinkles.
His clear, round pupils became hazy and unfocused from the excessive stimulation, veiled in a thin layer of mist.
Tears clung to the young man’s dark, long lashes, like a fragile butterfly. A seductive red bloomed around his eyes, and his slightly parted, beautiful lips let out broken whimpers, utterly tempting.
Jiang Xunzhou looked up and saw Yu You’s dazed appearance. His mind went blank for a moment, and the veins on his flushed neck pulsed.
The suppressed, restless thoughts surged back with overwhelming force at this moment.
Jiang Xunzhou closed his eyes, unable to bear it any longer. He cupped Yu You’s face and kissed him with a ferocity that was almost savage.
His warm, wet tongue pried open the pale teeth, tangling with the small tongue hidden inside. As if he had been holding back for a long time, he licked and sucked with exceptional force, kissing heavily and urgently, as if he wanted to devour him whole.
Sticky, ambiguous sounds echoed between their joined lips and tongues until a phone ringtone suddenly sounded, startling the two apart.
Two buttons of Jiang Xunzhou’s shirt had come undone, wrinkled and messy. His breathing hadn’t completely calmed down, his solid chest rising and falling as he picked up his phone.
The voice call connected, and Assistant Wan’s polite reminder came from the other end: “Mr. Jiang, Mr. Wang from Guangyu Pictures has arrived to discuss next quarter’s cooperation.”
Jiang Xunzhou’s voice was abnormally hoarse: “I know. Ask Mr. Wang to go to the conference room first. I’ll be there shortly.”
The person on the other end paused: “Understood, Mr. Jiang. I’ll give the materials to Mr. Wang and have the team give a brief introduction.”
The call ended. Jiang Xunzhou lowered his eyes, rubbing the bite mark on Yu You’s neck, and asked, “Was that hard enough?”
“E-enough.”
Yu You panted softly, his waist weak, as he struggled to sit up.
He lifted his face, his eyes moist and glistening. Despite looking thoroughly bullied, he gazed at Jiang Xunzhou gratefully, his voice soft and obedient: “Thank you, Husband.”
Jiang Xunzhou’s Adam’s apple slowly rolled up and down. He chastised in a low voice: “I agreed to you just now because you behaved very well coming home with me today, so I made an exception. It doesn’t mean I will agree to every request you make—don’t make requests like this in the company next time.”
He still had work to do. What would it look like if he was held up by a Minor Celebrity in his office Restroom?
Yu You blinked: “Oh…”
Jiang Xunzhou said coldly: “Alright, clean yourself up. I’ll have the driver take you back later.”
Having received the temporary mark, Yu You was obedient and docile, his eyes flushed with satisfied pleasure: “Mm-hmm, I’ll listen to Husband.”
Jiang Xunzhou’s heart softened for a moment, then he looked away.
No, he couldn’t keep being nice to the Minor Celebrity; he had to give him the cold shoulder for a while.
Otherwise, if this continued, Yu You would act spoiled whenever he wanted, tempting him to the point where he could barely control himself. This would only make Yu You more arrogant and unaware of his place.
Yu You had no idea what he was thinking and happily followed the driver home.
Even when Jiang Xunzhou said he was busy and would sleep in the office Restroom that night, Yu You didn’t mind at all, sleeping comfortably and soundly alone in the large bed.
After a brief two-day rest, Yu You packed his luggage and left the villa, taking Shi Sanlin and a bodyguard to the outside set for the subsequent filming.
In between work, Jiang Xunzhou would occasionally receive messages from Yu You.
[Brother Shi keeps making me eat fat-loss meals every day. I feel sick just looking at broccoli now. When will this end? I even crave the boxed lunches from the set [crying]]
[A fan sent me a letter today!! Super happy!! I asked Brother Shi to treat them to milk tea!!]
[I ran into a beautiful sunset when we wrapped up today. It’s so pretty, look!]
[Filming stopped because of the rain. Sister Mingyan dragged me out shopping. Her friends were so enthusiastic, they asked for my signature and a photo, hehe, happy]
[I worked for eleven hours straight today. So tired. Brother Shi fell asleep waiting next to me. He looks kind of funny sitting in the chair with his mouth open.]
[A little cat ran onto the set while we were filming. I couldn’t help but laugh! Ahhh, this is the first time I’ve broken character! …]
Jiang Xunzhou didn’t reply much, occasionally sending reserved and restrained words like [Mm], [Got it], [Okay], which conveyed a sense of indifference.
However, he checked his phone more and more frequently. The first thing he did after leaving a meeting was often to open his phone and check for new messages.
[Jiang Xunzhou, when are you coming to see me?]
A new message lay quietly in the dialogue box.
The tone was pitiful, like a child forgotten by their parents at kindergarten, who waited obediently with their backpack for a long time, but finally couldn’t help but complain softly when it got dark, revealing a hint of grievance.
Jiang Xunzhou’s steps slowed. He opened the calendar on his phone and suddenly realized that tomorrow was the day Yu You wrapped up filming.
And the set visit he had promised had never materialized.
Jiang Xunzhou replied without thinking: [I’ll come tomorrow.]
Assistant Wan next to him said, “Mr. Jiang, I have sent the necessary documents for tomorrow’s international meeting to your email.”
Jiang Xunzhou interrupted: “Have the Vice President go.”
Assistant Wan was stunned: “Ah? The Vice President? But this international meeting…”
Jiang Xunzhou walked forward, his tone flat: “I have other plans tomorrow.”
His phone chimed with a notification. Jiang Xunzhou looked down, and Assistant Wan immediately understood and shut up.
On the dialogue page, Yu You’s tone was excited: [Really?]
Jiang Xunzhou: [Really.]
Yu You: [Liar is a puppy!]
Jiang Xunzhou: [I’m not lying. I’ll have Assistant Wan make arrangements right away.]
Yu You: [You’ve been so busy lately. I sent you so many messages, and you didn’t reply. I thought you had forgotten about visiting the set.]
Jiang Xunzhou: [I didn’t forget.]
Jiang Xunzhou: [I have been quite busy with work lately.]
Yu You: [I guessed that.]
Yu You: [But it’s okay. I wrap up tomorrow. You are my only sugar daddy fan, so you must come [happy] [happy]]
Jiang Xunzhou stared at that sentence for a long time, his finger hovering over the screen. In the end, he only replied with an [Mm].
On the day Yu You wrapped up filming, the set was filled with warm teasing before the shoot began.
“Little Yu is wrapping up today, congratulations!”
“It’s finally over, are you especially happy?”
“Don’t forget about us when you become famous!”
Yu You’s eyes curved into crescents, and he responded to the staff greeting him along the way.
“Yes, I’m finishing today.”
“Happy! I can go back and rest after filming.”
“I won’t forget!”
The crew members were initially worried that Yu You, as the CEO’s new young boyfriend, would be arrogant and difficult to get along with, but within half a month, that worry quickly disappeared.
Yu You was well-behaved and gentle, and when he smiled, the whole world seemed to brighten.
His work ability was impeccable. He seemed to be a natural favorite of the camera, filming quickly and smoothly, and he could help his co-stars get into character. He was popular wherever he went.
On the day of the wrap-up, the crew was reluctant to see him go. Even the director, known for his strict style, couldn’t help but speak gently, saying they could cooperate again if there was a chance.
With a click, the clapperboard snapped, and filming began.
Jiang Xunzhou arrived at this moment, standing quietly, watching the young man surrounded by three layers of crew members from a distance.
Shi Sanlin rushed over in a panic: “Mr. Jiang, you’re here? Little Yu is still filming…”
Jiang Xunzhou’s gaze followed the young man in the center of the camera without moving. His voice was somewhat strained as he asked, “Why is he… so thin?”
In just half a month, the young man’s figure had become noticeably thinner, as if he were as thin as paper.
The golden sunlight sprinkled down from the sky. The pure white shirt hung loosely on his body, swaying around his narrow waist. When the wind blew, he looked light, as if he might be blown away.
Jiang Xunzhou was lost in thought.
When Yu You sent him messages, he would send many random photos.
—Interesting props on the set, the magnificent sunset in the sky, a cute kitten that wandered into the shot, a piece of candy Jiang Mingyan secretly gave him…
But standing here, Jiang Xunzhou realized that Yu You had never sent a photo of himself.
The environment was noisy, buzzing in his ears.
Jiang Xunzhou’s heart felt squeezed by a hand, suffocating him.
“It can’t be helped. It’s what the role requires. The third male lead is the fake young master who contrasts with the male lead. When he’s exposed later, he won’t have a good ending. The ending needs to contrast with the pampered young master he was in the beginning; he has to look as down-and-out as possible.”
Shi Sanlin sighed: “Now, Little Yu’s pants need the costume teacher to pin them with several safety pins, or they’ll fall down after a few steps.”
He couldn’t help but feel happy for Yu You, his tone proud: “But the director said that our Little Yu handled it exceptionally well, bringing layers to the villain role—although his identity is fake and he did many wrong things, he is just a child who longs to be loved and has no one to save him. So people find the character both hateful and pitiful. When this drama airs, Little Yu will definitely be remembered by the audience.”
A clap from the crew announced the end of the final scene.
Applause erupted on the set. The crew prepared flowers and arranged for staff to present them.
Yu You accepted them with a beaming smile and thanked them softly.
Jiang Mingyan hadn’t wrapped up, but she looked even more excited than Yu You. She rushed over and hugged him, enthusiastically directing her assistant to take photos of the two of them.
Someone passed the news that Jiang Xunzhou had arrived on set.
“Ah? My brother is here too? Where?”
Jiang Mingyan looked shocked, glancing around.
A staff member pointed in the direction.
Yu You subconsciously looked up, meeting Jiang Xunzhou’s gaze from across the crowd.
Jiang Xunzhou stood still, his heart skipping a beat in his chest, suddenly feeling a sense of nervousness.
The young man curved his eyes, smiling gently. Holding the vibrant sea-blue bouquet, he walked through the crowd and came before him.
“You came!”
Yu You’s eyes were sparkling, as if filled with countless stars. His tone was cheerful: “Hey, sugar daddy fan, do you want to take a wrap-up photo with your idol?”
Jiang Xunzhou had always disliked taking photos, but at this moment, he nodded as if possessed, his voice hoarse: “…Okay.”
[He is just a child who longs to be loved and has no one to save him.]
This sentence echoed in Jiang Xunzhou’s ears again, making his heart feel warm and swollen.
What is wrong with wanting to be loved?
Shi Sanlin held up his phone, aiming the camera at them.
Yu You held the bouquet, looking at the camera. He took a small step closer to Jiang Xunzhou, a bright smile on his face.
Jiang Xunzhou reached out his arm and gently embraced Yu You’s shoulder.
Click, the photo was captured.
The golden sunlight was perfect. Yu You smiled at the camera, and Jiang Xunzhou looked slightly down, his dark eyes reflecting the light, gazing intently at the young man beside him.