Chapter Index

    Chapter 30

    Bai Zhi pursed his lips and gave a sweet, obedient smile, tacitly agreeing.

    How could acting cute not be a practical method or strategy? As long as it works. Meow Meow gets canned food, freeze-dried treats, and cat strips by being cute; a little bunny should be able to get what he wants by being cute too.

    Plan achieved!

    Xie Yuzhan understood Bai Zhi’s silence.

    And he definitely fell for it.

    Being forceful wouldn’t work on him, nor would whining or throwing a tantrum, but the person in front of him was different. The other party was acting cute and charming like a kitten, asking him to go out with him, and only if he accompanied him—

    The trust and reliance were completely exposed.

    What else could this be but a secret crush? He was just shy of explicitly saying the word “like.” It must be because he was afraid of him, cautious because he didn’t hold any expectations, and thus didn’t dare to speak up.

    But how could he easily let go of such a cute, self-delivered treasure?

    He squeezed Bai Zhi’s chin slightly harder, his eyes fixed on the person still pressed against him, and asked, “Does Zhizhi act this cute when asking others for help too?”

    Bai Zhi the rabbit immediately sensed something was wrong.

    Although he didn’t know what Xie Yuzhan was thinking, the other party’s jealous attitude was obvious.

    He replied quickly, “Of course not. I don’t interact with others like this. I’ve only acted cute toward you. I wouldn’t be like this with anyone else. I don’t like it.”

    This was the truth.

    Perhaps because of Xie Yuzhan’s predator identity, he felt less burdened facing the man. One thing was certain: this was the person he had spent the most time with since transmigrating, and CEO Xie usually presented a gentle and refined side.

    Elegant, composed, and effortlessly capable.

    Very reliable.

    If he weren’t a natural enemy, he would likely develop feelings for someone like this easily.

    Xie Yuzhan’s fingers slowly relaxed their grip. Bai Zhi’s words were almost an implicit confession, yet the other party remained oblivious, seemingly just throwing a casual straight ball.

    The seemingly honest little rabbit was terribly slow in certain aspects.

    He wanted Bai Zhi to say the word “like” out loud, or even “love.” Only when it was truly spoken could it prove that he had given the other party enough feedback.

    It was better to have confidence.

    He released his fingers and instead stroked Bai Zhi’s cheek, drawing him closer until their noses were almost touching. He whispered, “Zhizhi is so good, and you’ve shown such sincerity. How could I bear to refuse your invitation?”

    Bai Zhi paused, then suddenly smiled, “Then it’s settled!”

    “Good.”

    With his goal achieved, Bai Zhi scrambled off Xie Yuzhan using his hands and feet. He bent down, reached out a hand, and said with a beaming smile, “I’m afraid of you, but that doesn’t stop me from thinking you’re a good person!”

    Xie Yuzhan, who was unexpectedly given a “good person card,” froze awkwardly for a full ten seconds.

    He sighed slightly, took Bai Zhi’s hand, and symbolically used a little of the other party’s strength to stand up. “Skip that part. Zhizhi, you should say less about praising others as good people when you’re outside.”

    Bai Zhi watched Xie Yuzhan raise his hand to smooth out the wrinkles in his clothes. The other party was fastidious and particular, and the action itself was pleasing to the eye.

    Very handsome.

    Given that he was responsible for the wrinkles, he squeezed Xie Yuzhan’s hand, indicating that he would take over. As he smoothed the creases, he asked curiously, “Why should I say it less? It’s a compliment.”

    Xie Yuzhan didn’t refuse. Bai Zhi’s slightly lowered eyes were still bright and lively, blinking in a way more captivating than the fluttering of a butterfly’s wings.

    The other party indeed possessed an overly exquisite appearance.

    But even more precious was this vibrant, pure, and radiant soul.

    When Bai Zhi finished tidying his clothes and looked up, Xie Yuzhan maintained a calm and composed expression. He said, “The extended meaning of that phrase implies rejection.”

    Bai Zhi didn’t quite understand but didn’t delve deeper. He nodded, “Got it. I won’t say it, so I don’t cause unnecessary misunderstandings. I don’t want trouble either.”

    He picked up Pikachu and asked with a smile, “Can we go eat the steamed egg now?”

    “Of course. Let’s go.”

    Bai Zhi put Pikachu back on the bed. Xie Yuzhan helped him turn off the documentary that was still playing. Downstairs, he finally got to eat the steamed egg he wanted.

    He felt the taste seemed even better than last night.

    He couldn’t quite say why.

    Adhering to the rabbit’s usual principle of “if you can’t figure it out, let it go” and never self-consuming, he didn’t dwell on the question. What he needed to know would eventually be revealed.

    He went to bed early that night to conserve energy for the next day’s daring adventure at the zoo. Although he dreamed again, this time the Wolf Lord descended from the sky to protect him, so it was a night of peaceful sleep, safe from danger.

    The outfit for going out was chosen by Xie Yuzhan. Bai Zhi didn’t care much about clothes, and since the other party was willing to take the trouble, there was no need to refuse. After all, CEO Xie’s aesthetic sense was always on point.

    A hoodie with Pikachu ears, a light-colored denim jacket, and a pair of cool, comfortable combat boots. Xie Yuzhan understood his preferences well.

    The other party himself was still dressed in a casual shirt and suit jacket.

    He gently nudged Xie Yuzhan’s arm with his elbow and teased, “Are you planning to weld that suit onto yourself? Though you do look very handsome in a suit.”

    Looking at the cool, trendy, and adorable Bai Zhi, Xie Yuzhan said indifferently, “The suit is just a personal habit.”

    Then, he naturally took the other party’s hand and pulled out an item. “This is for you.”

    Bai Zhi watched as Xie Yuzhan fastened a red chain onto his wrist. Once the other party adjusted it, he raised his hand to examine it closely. “What is this? It’s quite pretty.”

    It was a uniform, rich vermillion color, slightly deep, with excellent luster and fine texture. It wasn’t flashy, but small, cute, and very appealing. Crucially!

    It had a tiny flying rabbit of the same material!

    Xie Yuzhan explained, “Cinnabar. It wards off evil, prevents misfortune, and protects against fright. We’re going to the zoo today, so wear this to bolster your courage. I also hope you remain free from illness and disaster in the future.”

    Bai Zhi liked the bracelet more and more the longer he looked at it. He accepted the beautiful blessing and smiled, “Thank you, I love it. I’ll wear it well.”

    “You won’t take it off even after returning from the zoo?”

    “Nope, I’ll wear it all the time!”

    A sudden pang of tenderness rose in Xie Yuzhan’s heart. Bai Zhi’s affection and appreciation for this gift were obvious. He hadn’t been properly loved or valued in the Bai family, and his feelings for him were unspoken.

    He rubbed Bai Zhi’s hair. “One bracelet is nothing. You’ll get more and better ones in the future. You can switch them out.”

    Moreover, he liked leaving a trace of himself on the other person.

    Like putting a leash on him.

    Bai Zhi shook the hand wearing the bracelet and smiled, “This one is already great.”

    Xie Yuzhan didn’t insist further. Because he hadn’t received kindness from others, he was easily satisfied. However, Xie Yuzhan thought a little spoiled temper was fine.

    It was better to be spoiled by favor than to be overly cautious.

    They didn’t bring a driver for their outing; Xie Yuzhan drove.

    Bai Zhi sat in the passenger seat and checked his belongings. The small pocket-sized figurine was there, along with his phone and dried fruits and vegetables. Everything was ready.

    Xie Yuzhan kept an eye on Bai Zhi in his peripheral vision. The other party had been munching on dried fruits and vegetables since getting into the car. Just watching him made Xie Yuzhan feel relaxed and happy.

    He had a strange infectious quality.

    Seeing that he was eating healthy snacks, Xie Yuzhan didn’t stop him. Only a handful of people were qualified to ride in his car, and only this one dared to eat openly inside.

    Since he had already set a precedent, he didn’t mind doing more.

    While waiting at a traffic light, he leaned over and opened the storage compartment in front of the passenger seat. “I prepared this for you. Just take what you want to eat.”

    Whoa!

    Bai Zhi was currently chewing on a piece of okra. When he saw the dazzling array of items inside, his eyes instantly sparkled with little stars.

    He rummaged through it—good heavens! There were candies, dried vegetables, preserved fruits, small biscuits, nuts, chocolates, small jerky pieces, and even miniature yogurts and probiotic drinks, plus a few small bags of chips, fries, and veggie rings!

    It was a bunny’s box of happiness!

    He crunched down the okra in his mouth and couldn’t help but laugh. “Are all of these for me?”

    Xie Yuzhan glanced at Bai Zhi. “Otherwise, do you think I like eating snacks this much?”

    Bai Zhi carefully considered Xie Yuzhan’s look and chuckled. Aiya~ The Wolf Lord was so thoughtful. He was truly putting in a lot of effort to ensure Bai Zhi cooperated well.

    He appreciated it.

    He chattered, “I like it, I like it,” and opened a box of mixed fruit candies. He fed one to CEO Xie’s mouth first. “Want to try?”

    Xie Yuzhan didn’t refuse. It was cherry-flavored.

    Bai Zhi also ate two, pear and orange. They were sweet and refreshing, not cloying at all, and perfectly soothed his already nervous mood.

    Xie Yuzhan felt slightly relieved. He savored the cherry-flavored candy. To be honest, the taste was rather unremarkable, not delicious enough.

    Far inferior to the kiss that day.

    Bai Zhi didn’t pay much attention to the person beside him. Although he looked relatively calm on the surface, he was actually quite nervous. He was about to come face-to-face with his natural enemies!

    He was definitely the bravest bunny in history.

    When they got out of the car, he tucked the small candy box into his pocket. Appropriately supplementing sugar could help people relax. He just hoped he wouldn’t scream loudly in the crowd today or faint outright.

    That would be too embarrassing for a rabbit.

    After receiving the zoo map, he focused entirely on the task, quickly located the lions and tigers, and pulled Xie Yuzhan toward the enclosures. It was just a test of courage, wasn’t it? Let the storm rage even fiercer!

    After two hours of grueling experience, he finally survived the ordeal, successfully completing his goal for the day: no screaming, no fainting.

    This was a phased great victory for the timid little rabbit!

    Congratulations were in order.

    And this was inseparable from the Wolf Lord’s constant protection.

    Exiting the tiger enclosure, they chose a restaurant for lunch. Bai Zhi looked at Xie Yuzhan’s left hand, his eyes full of guilt, gratitude, and apology. He had dug a handful of nail marks into the man’s hand, some almost breaking the skin.

    Yet the other party hadn’t shaken his hand off or even mentioned it. He only noticed when he felt something was wrong himself.

    Xie Yuzhan had been stared at by Bai Zhi’s wet eyes for a while now.

    The other party was indeed badly frightened—his breathing was rapid, his body tense, and his face was utterly pale—but he hadn’t avoided it. Once he decided to look, he genuinely looked carefully.

    Recalling Bai Zhi’s past experiences, Xie Yuzhan didn’t think he should have this kind of psychological trauma. This level of fear toward so-called natural enemies was somewhat strange.

    But regardless, he would cherish the person in front of him.

    He wouldn’t let go.

    He gently comforted him, “Zhizhi was very brave today. You did very well. Don’t worry about the rest; it doesn’t matter.”

    Bai Zhi nodded, agreeing with the first half of Xie Yuzhan’s statement. The bunny had indeed summoned all his life’s courage today. After the morning visit, maybe, perhaps, he wasn’t so afraid anymore?

    Then he shook his head, denying the second half. Even the pudding Xie Yuzhan ordered for him tasted bland. He frowned. “You’re lying. It must hurt a lot.”

    He had pinched himself when nervous before, so he knew how much it hurt.

    Xie Yuzhan smiled slightly helplessly, offering his hand to Bai Zhi. “Then will Zhizhi blow on it? Blowing on it makes the pain go away.”

    Bai Zhi stared at the cluster of nail marks in Xie Yuzhan’s palm, some of which were close to breaking the skin. He pursed his lips, hesitant. “Really?”

    “Really. It’s a very effective method.”

    Bai Zhi was still somewhat unconvinced. Although Xie Yuzhan looked very sincere, he felt like he was being treated like a child.

    He thought for a moment, then gently took the other party’s hand, leaned in, and carefully blew on it.

    Xie Yuzhan watched Bai Zhi intently. The other party was frowning, his expression serious, his eyes showing obvious concern. His eyelashes fluttered, and his eyes were slightly red-rimmed.

    Xie Yuzhan felt a pang of heartache.

    When the person in front of him asked how he felt, Xie Yuzhan curved his lips. “Much better. It really works.”

    Bai Zhi sighed in relief. “That’s good. Why didn’t you tell me when I hurt you?”

    Xie Yuzhan withdrew his hand, his fingers slightly curled. Bai Zhi’s warmth and scent still lingered in his palm, warm and moist. His tone lifted slightly. “Your willingness to try is commendable. It’s just a trivial matter, don’t worry about it.”

    Bai Zhi shook his head, unsure how to describe his current mood—a little lost, a little happy, and also worried because he couldn’t quite grasp Xie Yuzhan’s intentions.

    The other party didn’t need to do these things, yet he did.

    Why?

    Was he really just playing a game?

    Sensing Bai Zhi’s slightly low mood, Xie Yuzhan changed the subject promptly. He suggested, “There are many other animals worth seeing in the park. Shall we look around this afternoon?”

    The memories of this trip shouldn’t be entirely filled with fright.

    He preferred the sight of the other party laughing heartily, his eyes sparkling with warm sunshine, moonlight, and starlight—and he was the kind of sunshine Xie Yuzhan didn’t dislike, but actually enjoyed.

    Bai Zhi was always good at not making things difficult for himself. As long as his personal safety wasn’t compromised, whether it was a game or something else didn’t matter.

    He shook his head, tossing out irrelevant thoughts, and quickly recovered his mood, focusing on the present. He responded, “Okay! I want to see the giant pandas first!”

    “No problem.”

    In the afternoon, they first saw the giant pandas, followed by red pandas, capybaras, squirrels, long-eared jerboas, guinea pigs… and beavers and dolphins.

    At five o’clock, they arrived at their final stop for the day—

    The Peacock Garden.

    Bai Zhi stared intently at the white, green, and blue peacocks not far away for almost half an hour, finishing all the dried fruits and vegetables in his pocket.

    Fortunately, the peacocks were cooperative. Not disappointing their long wait, one, two, then three peacocks clustered together and fanned their tails. The brilliant tail feathers shimmered, causing Bai Zhi to let out a small gasp of surprise.

    Truly beautiful!

    As he watched, some random thought crossed his mind. He suddenly turned to the person beside him and asked, “Has anyone ever told you that you sometimes look quite like a peacock? Especially a peacock displaying its feathers.”

    Hmm?

    Xie Yuzhan paused, the corners of his mouth curving slightly, but his eyes darkened. “What did Zhizhi just say?”

    Peacock?

    Or a dis-play-ing peacock?

    Note