Rat, Rabbit, And Rabbit Transformed Into Humans And Married Their Natural Enemies. Chapter 52

Chapter 52

Bai Zhi’s vision was somewhat blurry. He couldn’t clearly see Xie Yuzhan’s face or expression, which only made the other party’s tone sound even more gentle and pleasant, more seductive than a mermaid’s song.

If he could completely trust the other party, could he eat him?

Definitely not.

Whether it was a human life or a rabbit life, it was the most precious, non-renewable, one-time resource. It wasn’t the same as the grass on the prairie; it wouldn’t grow back two days after being eaten today!

He shook his dizzy head and declared resolutely, “No, absolutely not, unless—”

Xie Yuzhan leaned closer, resting his arms on the edge of the tub, staring intently at Bai Zhi, and pressed, “Unless what?”

Bai Zhi thought backward. Under what circumstances would he be willing to be eaten by Xie Yuzhan? There was one situation, actually, where he would be completely willing.

He pursed his lips and answered truthfully, “Unless my mind is broken, or I’m about to die. Then it’s fine.”

A body without thought was just a walking corpse; continuing to live in a daze had no meaning. And if he was about to die, being eaten could be considered putting his remaining value to use.

Hearing these words, Xie Yuzhan’s expression suddenly darkened.

Bai Zhi spoke with a clarity that bordered on despair. Did he have so little hope for their relationship and their future? Was he so negative and pessimistic about them truly falling in love and truly being together?

To the point of using death as an explanation.

He didn’t like it, nor would he accept such a way of thinking.

He thought he had given the other party enough hints recently, but now it seemed the clever little rabbit was not just a little slow in matters of the heart, but quite slow, completely missing his unspoken words and underlying meaning.

So, he needed to give some clearer signals next.

If Bai Zhi still didn’t catch on, he wouldn’t wait for him to gather the courage to confess. He would be the one to lay bare their feelings and tear down the wall between them.

In any case, there was no way he would divorce after the one-year period was up. He wouldn’t leave, no matter what.

He adjusted his emotions, realizing he had gotten some bubbles on his hand just now. He gently wiped them onto Bai Zhi’s nose tip, his tone returning to its slow and composed pace, offering helpless comfort. “It doesn’t need to come to that.”

Bai Zhi touched his nose; it tickled a bit. But his hands were covered in bubbles, and wiping it only smeared more on. In the end, Xie Yuzhan had to clean it for him.

He stared at the person in front of him for a moment, then cupped a pile of bubbles and smeared them on the other party’s arm.

Then he mumbled softly, “Anyway, your hypothetical situation is bad.”

Xie Yuzhan looked at the pile of bubbles on his suit sleeve, listening to Bai Zhi’s chatter, and couldn’t help but chuckle. The rabbit was clearly unhappy with his words, though he truly hadn’t expected that kind of consideration from him.

But he had started the conversation, so he was responsible.

He softened his voice and said, “Alright, alright, it’s my fault. I said something out of line. I apologize. I’m sorry, Zhi Zhi, can you forgive me?”

Bai Zhi gave a light huff and crooked his finger at Xie Yuzhan. “Then come closer for a second.”

Xie Yuzhan knew Bai Zhi was up to something, but he still complied and moved closer. “What is it?”

Bai Zhi smeared another handful of bubbles on Xie Yuzhan’s cheek. Seeing the usually refined and elegant man also covered in bubbles, he finally felt the distance between them wasn’t so great.

He smiled contentedly. “Now we’re even!”

Looking at Bai Zhi’s radiant smile, what could Xie Yuzhan do but wipe his own face? Then he gave his little ancestor a light, affectionate flick on the forehead.

What a little rascal.

But what could he do? He liked him.

Bai Zhi soaked in the bath. Xie Yuzhan washed his hair, then lifted him out of the tub, rinsed him clean, dried his body, and blew his hair dry.

After tucking the fragrant, soft little rabbit into bed, he quietly let out a sigh of relief.

Tonight’s test was a little too much.

He lightly rubbed his fingers together. Bai Zhi’s body temperature and the feel of his skin were still vividly present on his fingertips, making him yearn. If only the other party were this compliant when he was awake.

He gave the already sleeping person a goodnight kiss on the forehead. Even though the road ahead was long, he had no intention of giving up.

He just needed a little more patience.

Bai Zhi slept soundly that night. When he woke up the next morning, his mind was fuzzy. He remembered Xie Yuzhan taking care of him while he washed up, but what they had talked about was vague—something about eating or not eating?

He wasn’t too worried. Both of them were very clear on his bottom line.

However…

He huddled under the covers, only his eyes visible, staring blankly at the ceiling. Xie Yuzhan had indeed been very attentive to him lately, extremely thoughtful, and often gentle. He had also done many things he would never have done before.

It was a bit strange.

But he didn’t mind the feeling.

He felt a fear towards the Wolf Lord stemming from their natural enmity, but he was also very aware of how outstanding the other party was. His looks and physique were impeccable, pleasing to the eye enough to stare at all day without getting bored. He was still thinking about the abs he had touched last time… cough, the key was that his abilities were also exceptional!

A person like this…

If only they could truly become friends.

Even though he knew Xie Yuzhan liked him to some extent, he wouldn’t consider that aspect. A relationship that was played with and then discarded was too careless, the safety value too low.

A friendship was a bit distant, but at least it was stable and reliable!

He thought about this and that, and somehow recalled the night he slept cradled in Xie Yuzhan’s arms. His cheeks involuntarily flushed, making the little rabbit’s heart flutter.

He rubbed his cheeks haphazardly. That was purely nervousness!

For the next few days, his training was temporarily halted because his foot hadn’t fully recovered.

He spent his days moving between the study, the bedroom, and the sunroom. He ate his three meals wherever he happened to be at the time, and Xie Yuzhan surprisingly accompanied him for all of them.

After his foot was completely healed, he racked his brain trying to figure out how to thank the other party for his recent care. Giving a gift wasn’t out of the question, but this time he wanted to do something special.

When he chatted with Lu Qinghe about it, after a moment of silence, the other party gave him a suggestion. He thought about it, then thought about it again.

Aha!

Feasible! Interesting enough, and it would definitely leave a deep impression on CEO Xie.

He decided to act immediately. Lu Qinghe, who had provided the suggestion, took charge of the preparation phase, even delivering a large gift box directly to his bedroom and meticulously teaching him how to handle the seemingly complicated items inside.

After the other party left, he furrowed his brows, pinched his chin, and stared at the large gift box for a long time, deep in thought.

Before seeing the actual items, he hadn’t felt anything was wrong. After seeing them, he felt a strange sense of nervousness, and a little… embarrassment, since this was the first time he had done something like this.

He patted his cheeks. Don’t overthink it, don’t overthink it. It’s just repayment!

The arrow was on the string; he just needed to let it fly. No matter what, the Wolf Lord wouldn’t eat him now; he was still useful.

Lu Qinghe happened to run into Xie Yuzhan returning home as he left. He gave CEO Xie a subtle smile, only leaving behind the words, “No need to thank me too much,” before swaggering away.

Xie Yuzhan was slightly surprised, but not without anticipation. Bai Zhi was probably preparing something.

After dinner, Bai Zhi returned to his room, leisurely took a bath, and changed into the outfit Lu Qinghe had designed and made. He looked left and right. It seemed okay? It fit quite well.

Checking the time, it was almost nine o’clock.

He first instructed Aunt Lin to heat the milk and place it in the second-floor lounge. After she went downstairs, he carried the tray up to the study on the third floor. He knocked on the door, took a deep breath, opened it, and walked in—

Xie Yuzhan had just finished work and poured himself a glass of wine to relax. When he heard the knock, he thought it was Zheng Feng or Lin Haiyan bringing him a late-night snack or something else. But as the person walked in, he noticed the unusual sound of the footsteps.

They were leather shoes, with a somewhat thin heel, and the steps were small, seeming a little nervous or expectant?

This wasn’t either of the two elders, and it wasn’t quite like Bai Zhi’s usual steps, but the most likely person was, of course, the little rabbit. He naturally recalled Lu Qinghe’s suggestive words from earlier today.

So, what was he planning to do?

He looked toward the partition. As the person rounded the corner, he tightened his grip on the glass in his hand.

He understood now what Lu Qinghe had meant.

It was indeed Bai Zhi who appeared around the corner, but his attire today was different from usual.

A small decorative hat with long feathers and sparkling accessories, layered gemstone cravat, ruffled sleeves, paired with shorts and long leather boots—a refined but not overly complicated fitted suit, cinching his slender waist. He looked exactly like a little prince from the seventeenth or eighteenth century.

And this entire outfit was primarily Pikachu-colored: black, yellow, with a touch of well-placed white.

The soft yellow, which wasn’t highly saturated, made the young man look even fairer, his skin almost translucent under the light. His entire presence was full of youthful vigor.

But most importantly!

Bai Zhi had a pair of Pikachu’s long ears sticking up on his head, and a fluffy, lightning-shaped tail swaying behind him.

Bai Zhi walked quickly to the desk, put down the tray, and took the wine glass from Xie Yuzhan’s hand—it was the one he had given him, which further improved his already good mood.

He leaned against the desk, curving his eyes as he looked at the person close by. “I think… I’m guessing, you seem to really like fluffy things. Would you like to pet Pikachu’s ears and tail?”

Xie Yuzhan neither confirmed nor denied, gently rubbing the long ear on Bai Zhi’s head. It was very realistic and felt nice, but the other party’s hair was clearly more irresistible.

He corrected him, “I don’t just like fluffy things.”

Bai Zhi blinked. Though surprised, he followed up, “Is it because of me? Is my hair better to pet?”

Xie Yuzhan tacitly agreed and countered, “Don’t you also find it comfortable when I pet you? In this regard, we are the same.”

Bai Zhi thought about it and nodded. It was true. He wouldn’t let anyone else pet him; only Xie Yuzhan, only him. They were just right together.

A strange kind of understanding.

Thinking this, he started taking off the Pikachu ears and the small hat, explaining, “You took care of me a lot during the competition recently, and I wanted to thank you. This is more interesting than giving a gift, right?”

Watching Bai Zhi place the long ears and hat on the desk, Xie Yuzhan ruffled his hair. This was the texture he preferred.

When Bai Zhi instinctively leaned into his palm, the curve of his lips could no longer be suppressed.

After a good while, he reluctantly stopped petting for the moment, withdrew his hand, and asked, “So, you’re presenting yourself to me as a gift?”

Bai Zhi nodded. “Yes. Is Brother Yuzhan satisfied?”

“Of course, very satisfied.”

Xie Yuzhan’s satisfaction came from two levels. First, this exquisite little prince was a sight rarely seen. Bai Zhi usually wore casual clothes and seldom wore such formal attire, let alone a retro style.

Second, it was naturally because of the other party’s intention.

Bai Zhi placed the milk in Xie Yuzhan’s hand and smiled. “I’m glad you’re satisfied. It makes all this effort worthwhile. Here, it’s nighttime, drinking some milk is good for sleeping.”

Xie Yuzhan glanced at the milk in his hand. “I actually don’t have the habit of drinking this before bed.”

Bai Zhi picked up his own cup, clinked it against Xie Yuzhan’s, gave a wink, and said crisply, “That’s okay. I’ll drink mine first. You do as you please. If you really don’t drink it, I can drink both, no need to waste it anyway.”

With that, he finished his cup in one go, licked his lips, and then shook the empty cup at the other party.

Xie Yuzhan’s gaze dropped from Bai Zhi’s slightly moistened lips to his stomach. He raised a hand and touched it, asking with a smile, “Let me see if the little rabbit is full, and if he can drink any more?”

Bai Zhi was amused by Xie Yuzhan’s coaxing tone, like he was talking to a child. He didn’t pull away, marveling at how bold he had become, daring to let the Wolf Lord touch his belly.

This was the pika exposing its belly in front of its natural enemy.

That was a very high level of trust.

He couldn’t help but chuckle. “I can, yes, I’ll just treat it like water.”

Xie Yuzhan’s hand shifted, pressing against Bai Zhi’s lower back, right at the base of his tail. He gently rubbed it. “It’s better not to drink so much ‘water’ before bed. Don’t worry, since Zhi Zhi personally brought it, I’ll drink it later.”

“Mhm, mhm.”

Bai Zhi nodded repeatedly, slightly confused by his own reaction right now.

Xie Yuzhan’s hand felt like it carried an electric current. Otherwise, why would a surge of tingling electricity rush up his spine the moment the other party pressed there?

It felt strange, but not unpleasant.

It was quite comfortable; his toes even relaxed and spread out.

He couldn’t help but lean his upper body slightly, moving closer to Xie Yuzhan. He simply spread his arms and gave him a goodnight hug. “Then rest early. Don’t stay up too late.”

“Alright, goodnight.”

Xie Yuzhan agreed, but held him for a good while before letting go. He wanted to embed this body in his embrace, ideally taking it everywhere he went, yet he was also acutely aware of Bai Zhi’s love for freedom.

That was one of the qualities that fascinated him.

Therefore, he had to become the one and only “haven” that the other party would always keep in his heart.

Bai Zhi left the study in an excellent mood, his tail twitching. If gravity wasn’t diligently doing its job, he felt like he might just fly away!

He was simply very happy.

After returning to his room and taking off the outfit, he reported his success to Lu Qinghe. The idea was excellent; he could sense Xie Yuzhan’s good mood. Was he still holding back a little, though?

He didn’t understand what the other party was restraining. He had let him pet and rub him vigorously! He hadn’t refused, and he even let him touch his belly!

He should have petted him to his heart’s content.

Lu Qinghe said he would understand later. He shook his head, not dwelling on the riddle. If he would know later, then he would worry about it then. It didn’t stop him from enjoying the present moment.

He looked out the window. As the severe winter receded, the scent of spring grew stronger each day. Even the night sky felt softer. March was moving toward the bright spring when plants and trees would flourish.

It was the pika’s happy season!

Back on the prairie, this was the season when flowers and grass began to grow, perfect for foraging and storing provisions. Now, as a human, he also needed to start working hard. There were many things to do.

He was mainly busy with shop updates. The new year brought new prospects, and the vegetarian restaurant was still in the conceptual and planning stage. He would implement it fully after spring truly arrived. Xie Yuzhan’s advice to look three steps ahead while taking one step definitely helped him feel prepared.

In addition, there was the routine live streaming.

“Zhi Zhi’s Herb Garden” was now one of the top shops in the industry. Although his live streams were extremely laid-back and casual, the sales volume was high, and the shop and streaming data were industry leaders.

As the saying goes, fame brings trouble. He hadn’t felt it before, but if you walk by the river, you can’t avoid getting your shoes wet. Some things were bound to happen sooner or later.

For example, accidentally showing his face during a live stream.

He had simply stood up to grab something, and without realizing it, his face entered the frame. Although it was only for a few seconds, his identity was quickly dug up by the resourceful netizens, including the details of the vegetarian cuisine competition he had just won.

The saying that the average internet user is Sherlock Holmes was true.

With the exposure of his identity, various discussions and accusations erupted almost overnight. People called him a useless rich second generation with only a pretty face, claimed his gold medal must have involved insider dealings, and accused him of cheating…

The theories were varied and highly imaginative.

He didn’t actually care much about what netizens said. First, the previous events concerned the original owner, not him, so he wouldn’t internalize the negativity.

Secondly, he simply didn’t want to bother with thankless self-justification. People who didn’t believe him wouldn’t believe him even if the evidence was shoved in their faces. Why fall into that trap?

His plan was to continue doing what he was doing.

As long as the quality of the items in his shop was good, and as long as the live streams were engaging enough, he would let the gossip run its course. Traffic comes and goes quickly. He couldn’t keep the people who chased traffic, and those who stayed wouldn’t care about those superficial discussions.

If he let these things ruin his mindset, it would only satisfy certain troublemakers.

Instead of wasting time entangled in disputes, he preferred to learn about one more plant.

However!

CEO Xie clearly didn’t intend to let the matter pass without clarification. He said he would handle it. Bai Zhi said it wasn’t necessary, but the Wolf Lord insisted it was very important. They… couldn’t agree, and dinner was a bit strained.

He didn’t want to trouble Xie Yuzhan too much. The more involved they became, the harder the division would be when they divorced.

Debts of gratitude were the hardest to repay.

After dinner, he streamed as usual. Xie Yuzhan said he would accompany him. Bai Zhi didn’t refuse, only cautioning him not to appear on camera, waiting for the heat to naturally subside.

However, things quickly spiraled out of control.

The comments section scrolled so fast he couldn’t keep up. There were defenses from fans, but also some doubts, even attacks, and some profanity that the assistant couldn’t filter out fast enough.

He was considering whether to temporarily close the comments when Xie Yuzhan, sitting to the side, spoke—

“The internet is not beyond the reach of the law. Everyone, watch your words.”

Bai Zhi glared at him, meeting Xie Yuzhan’s rather serious gaze, and swallowed the words, “You’re just adding fuel to the fire.”

The other party was angry.