Rat, Rabbit, And Rabbit Transformed Into Humans And Married Their Natural Enemies. Chapter 80

Extra Story Four

When Bai Zhi heard the news about the arranged marriage, he had just finished a live stream.

He read the message Bai Jishan sent him over and over again, finally understanding what his cheap father meant. Excellent. Less than half a year after his eighteenth birthday, this man was already scrambling to find him a suitable marriage partner.

Selling his son so efficiently.

In reality, he didn’t need to pay attention to this message at all.

He had been in boarding school since elementary school, and after entering university, he rarely went home, sometimes not for months. The so-called family and home were all nominal, and only his relationship with his second sister was decent.

Although he was only in the second semester of his first year of university, he could support himself through live streaming and running an online shop. Since the Bai family held no leverage over him, he didn’t need to accept this manipulation.

However.

He had an impression of this potential marriage partner. He had seen him once during the school anniversary celebration. Although they hadn’t spoken, that kind of presence was unforgettable.

Perhaps taking this opportunity to meet again wouldn’t be bad?

On the appointed day, he went to the meeting in high spirits. He didn’t refute his friend’s teasing; he genuinely wanted to see what the rumored Xie family head, the one who supposedly ate people without spitting out the bones, was planning.

Bai Jishan always told outsiders that he was obedient and sensible. So, what did this powerful Mr. Xie, who supposedly valued his sensibility, truly mean?

Did he really think of him as just a pretty vase?

If so, he would be sorely disappointed.

No matter what he thought, he still wanted to meet again. Even if the man was truly after his looks, he wanted to know the truth clearly. Don’t step into a trap, but don’t miss a possibility either.

He arrived at the private room a few minutes early, only to find that both parties were already there.

The moment Bai Jishan saw his youngest son, who was late and hadn’t even dressed up properly, his temper flared. How many times had he told him!

He grabbed Bai Zhi and pulled him to the table, signaling his wife to bring the liquor. He apologized to Xie Yuzhan, “The child is insensible, being late on such an important day. Mr. Xie, please be lenient. Let him offer you a toast. You are a man of great generosity, please don’t hold it against him.”

Bai Zhi twisted his wrist, breaking free from Bai Jishan’s grip. He disdainfully wiped his hand with a disinfectant wipe and corrected, “I wasn’t late.”

“How dare you talk back—”

“Mr. Bai.”

A leisurely voice interrupted Bai Jishan’s words, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

Bai Zhi paused, then crossed his arms and sat down, looking over with the others. He was genuinely curious about what the other party would say.

Xie Yuzhan’s gaze swept over Bai Zhi, glanced at the bottle of liquor, and finally settled on Bai Jishan, whose face was plastered with smiles. His eyes were slightly cold. “He is correct. We simply arrived early. Also, how about replacing the liquor with juice?”

Bai Zhi’s eyebrows lifted slightly. He was surprised that Xie Yuzhan would directly speak up for him.

It seemed coming here today wasn’t a mistake?

Bai Jishan’s smile froze, but he quickly recovered, agreeing repeatedly, “Yes, yes, yes, drinking less alcohol is good. Whether this works out or not, we are all family now. A little juice is enough to show sincerity.”

Xie Yuzhan glanced at Bai Jishan and said no more.

He looked at Bai Zhi. Today, the young man was wearing a loose hoodie with long Pikachu ears, paired with light blue jeans—fresh, clean, and possessing the pure aura of youth.

And he looked free and unrestrained at a glance.

He didn’t resemble the Bai couple at all.

Bai Zhi was also silently, yet openly, sizing up the powerful Mr. Xie across the table. This distance was much closer than their first meeting. The man was truly a noble young master who had stepped out of an oil painting.

Cultured and elegant, reserved yet distinguished.

His appearance was pleasing to the eye, and his temperament was highly distinctive.

Speaking of which, he wasn’t interested in the dishes Bai Jishan had ordered, and his father clearly didn’t care what he liked.

He rested his elbow on the table, propping up his cheek, and looked at Xie Yuzhan. “Mr. Xie—I probably know what my good father told you about me. If you are interested in the person he described, then there’s no need to eat this meal.”

The dark light in Xie Yuzhan’s eyes deepened slightly. Bai Zhi was definitely not the cute, sensible, and docile person Bai Jishan had described. On the contrary, he was opinionated, thoughtful, and had obvious edges.

His refined appearance was secondary; the key was his rare, vibrant aura. Even amidst the clamor and chaos of a crowd, he would quickly stand out.

Moreover.

Bai Zhi’s frankness and initiative were hard not to like—a highly scarce quality.

He said with interest, “Seeing is believing.”

Hearing this, Bai Zhi frowned. The statement was somewhat ambiguous, making him instinctively feel something was off. But the tone of Xie Yuzhan’s voice made him feel a little… how to describe it? Like he was being lightly scratched.

A tingling, hard-to-ignore itch.

And he wasn’t going to force himself to eat a tasteless dinner with his so-called family.

He didn’t spare Bai Jishan another glance. He stood up and gestured toward the door to Xie Yuzhan, throwing a direct curveball. “I’m not interested in the alliance between the Xie and Bai families, but I am very interested in you, Mr. Xie.

“I’d like to talk to you again, not as Bai Jishan’s son, but as Bai Zhi. What do you think, Mr. Xie?”

This was an invitation with complex implications.

To Bai Jishan, it sounded like blatant provocation. But to Xie Yuzhan, the meaning was vastly different. He greatly appreciated this side of Bai Zhi, and he hadn’t come for the Bai family in the first place.

He stood up, slowly buttoning his suit jacket, and accepted the direct challenge.

Bai Zhi’s eyes lit up. This meant yes. He couldn’t help but chuckle and walked out first. Staying with the Bai family for another second was a waste of time.

Xie Yuzhan ignored the anxious Bai Jishan. The Bai family had never been worthy of his attention.

Naturally, there was no need to waste words.

After the protagonists of the arranged marriage left one after the other, the private room fell into a deathly silence. Bai Jishan’s face was as dark as a pot bottom. He clearly understood Xie Yuzhan’s rejection. He couldn’t figure out why the man would agree to talk to Bai Zhi alone.

What special appeal did his useless youngest son, who only had a face to offer, possess?!

The two left the private room one after the other. Bai Zhi paused and tilted his head, gesturing toward the nearby stairwell to Xie Yuzhan, who had waited for him. “A quick chat first?”

Xie Yuzhan naturally agreed readily.

After entering the stairwell, Bai Zhi closed the door behind him.

In the dim, relatively enclosed space, he observed the man two steps away, feeling both satisfied and puzzled.

Undoubtedly, the young head of the Xie Corporation had a handsome appearance and outstanding presence, which made countless people flock to him. But Xie Yuzhan’s firm control over the Xie Corporation wasn’t based on looks or charisma.

It was based on decisive, thunderous methods and meticulous, watertight planning.

In short, he was not someone easy to manipulate.

He got straight to the point. “Mr. Xie, honestly, I’m very curious, and I came today to ask you: the Xie family and the Bai family are mismatched. Even if Bai Jishan was rushing to sell his son, why did you agree?

“If you say he has some leverage over you, or you’re after something from the Bai family, it’s better not to say it.”

There was no pretense or false courtesy.

Xie Yuzhan appreciated such directness, and the way he phrased it was rather endearing.

His tone was calm as he replied, “I did not agree to anything with Bai Jishan. I merely agreed to meet once. Evidently, I did not come to the wrong place today.”

Hearing this, Bai Zhi took a step closer and pressed, “So, you came for the ‘obedient, sensible, and docile’ me?”

“Of course not,” Xie Yuzhan lowered his eyes slightly to meet Bai Zhi’s gaze. “Do you think my source of information is limited to listening to Bai Jishan’s self-serving descriptions?

“Someone who can make a success of live streaming and an online shop is no mediocrity.”

Bai Zhi thought for a moment and accepted this explanation.

He relaxed further, smiling. “I’ve only seen you once before, at the school anniversary last year. Mr. Xie, standing there, it was hard not to notice you, but we didn’t get to talk.

“I mainly came today because I wanted to see you again. It’s great that we can chat.”

That was remarkably honest. Xie Yuzhan leaned slightly closer. Bai Zhi’s eyes sparkled even in the dim light. He was a small sun that shone by himself, not relying on anyone else’s light.

He liked this kind of unrestrained boldness.

He slowed his tone. “The feeling is mutual. Shall I arrange dinner tonight? Do you have any dietary restrictions or preferences? We can talk while we eat. It’s still early.”

Bai Zhi fell silent.

Their current distance was actually too close, closer than normal social distance. The dark eyes hidden behind Xie Yuzhan’s glasses seemed to stir with a silent vortex, pulling him in until he drowned in it.

Moreover, the end of the man’s last sentence somehow felt subtly seductive.

But he didn’t dislike it; on the contrary, he was very interested.

He didn’t think love was a necessity, but it was the icing on the cake, something you couldn’t seek but might encounter. If he really met it, he wouldn’t reject it. It would certainly be better to have it. Who wouldn’t want a soulmate who could touch the strings of their heart?

In this regard, he firmly believed in quality over quantity.

Walking down the stairs side by side, he looked straight ahead and confessed, “I like vegetarian food, especially all kinds of sweets. I occasionally eat a little meat, but I don’t like heavily seasoned food.”

“Understood. I’ll arrange it.”

Bai Zhi rode in Xie Yuzhan’s car to a new restaurant. Along the way, they chatted casually, and the overall atmosphere was very relaxed, completely different from the private room earlier.

He began to feel lucky that he had come today.

Seeing the dishes the other party ordered, he couldn’t help but curl his lips into a smile. It was mainly vegetarian, with some light meat dishes—just right. Crucially, there were two appetizers for dessert: berry cheesecake and crème brûlée.

Both were his favorites.

He was very satisfied with the dinner, and chatting with Xie Yuzhan was also pleasant. The man wasn’t just listening seriously; he understood what Bai Zhi was saying and could always keep the conversation flowing back and forth.

In short, they were very compatible.

It felt like they had met too late.

Mr. Xie’s cultured elegance wasn’t a superficial facade; this calm composure was his essence. Of course, some of his words were also very direct and unforgiving. The ruthlessness hidden in his eyes fully indicated that he was a dangerous character.

Yet, he was incredibly attractive.

When the man offered to drive him back, he didn’t refuse. Before getting out of the car, he unexpectedly received a meeting gift: several small cookies, ranging from shortbread to sliced biscuits, and two boxes of candy.

He pursed his lips, a rare blush of embarrassment on his face, and drew out his words. “Mr. Xie—

“You’re making me feel quite awkward, you know. I didn’t prepare anything for you.”

The corner of Xie Yuzhan’s eye held a hint of pleased amusement. Bai Zhi probably didn’t realize that the way he said this was no different from pouting—soft, sweet, and not cloying. What if this person used this tone to call him something more intimate?

It would certainly sound wonderful.

He temporarily reined in his thoughts and suggested, “How about making up for it next time we meet?”

Bai Zhi’s eyebrows lifted. He quickly agreed. “Sure. Are you free this weekend, Mr. Xie? I’ll invite you to visit my studio. There are lots of little things.”

“Good. See you then.”

“Mhm!”

Getting out of the car, Bai Zhi waved goodbye to Xie Yuzhan. He only turned back after the car disappeared from sight. His light steps and flying hair spoke volumes about his good mood.

When his friend joked that his blind date was a success, he nodded seriously. It was indeed a successful blind date. He had a good impression of Xie Yuzhan, so they could start seeing each other.

An arranged marriage was out of the question, and marriage itself was something to consider later.

He was only eighteen; there was no rush. Just enjoy the present.

And he was indeed quite discerning. In every way, Xie Yuzhan was an excellent partner. Yes, starting from the “blind date”—

They were essentially dating.

Their frequency of chatting and video calls was very high; not a day went by without talking. They regularly met for meals and exhibitions, seeing each other at least five or six times a week. His friends even said they were overly clingy.

Especially since one party in the relationship was the boss of such a large corporation.

In fact, Xie Yuzhan seemed to have a lot of free time. He often came to Bai Zhi’s studio to watch his live streams and even brought him meals—breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night snacks.

He invested a lot in Bai Zhi.

So much so that when Bai Zhi realized it, he already had a pile of Xie Yuzhan’s things there, including various coffee beans, hardcover books, and even a dedicated single sofa!

He also visited the Xie Corporation quite often, becoming familiar with the employees up and down the company. Yu Fei, the presidential assistant who always helped Mr. Xie book restaurants and prepare things, was perfectly clear about all of Bai Zhi’s preferences.

That clearly meant the boss had given detailed instructions, and the practice had been frequent.

Unknowingly, their lives had significantly overlapped. So much so that a day without talking felt like something was missing.

However.

During the recent Qixi Festival, his friend jokingly asked him how far things had progressed with Mr. Xie, which left him stunned. How far? Just normal interaction, what “how far”?

He frowned and thought carefully. They had held hands, hugged, and kissed. But further intimate acts…

There truly hadn’t been any.

But what normal couple in love could resist wanting more?!

Was he that unattractive?!

Therefore, when Xie Yuzhan skillfully walked in carrying a small cake, he saw Bai Zhi sitting on his dedicated sofa, face taut, deep in thought, or perhaps just spacing out.

He looked very serious.

Xie Yuzhan put down the cake and ruffled Bai Zhi’s hair. The fine, soft, and fluffy strands were irresistible; he could never get enough of running his hands through them.

He asked softly, “What are you thinking about?”

Bai Zhi, for once, didn’t ask about the cake Xie Yuzhan brought. Instead, he stood up, pressed the man down onto the sofa, and then—

He straddled Xie Yuzhan’s lap.

Their eyes met, and a pin-drop silence spread between them.

Bai Zhi cupped Xie Yuzhan’s cheeks and asked seriously, “Mr. Xie! You’re not planning on having a platonic relationship with me, are you? I feel like you’re quite… quite ascetic. People say you have that ‘high-mountain flower’ aura, and they’re not entirely wrong.”

Xie Yuzhan paused slightly, then raised his hand to wrap around Bai Zhi’s waist, supporting him. His expression was relatively calm. He countered, “You were fine when we chatted this morning. Why the sudden question? Did someone say something to you?”

Bai Zhi pursed his lips, kissed Xie Yuzhan soundly on the cheek, and said with some distress, “Qinghe asked casually how far we’ve progressed, and it stumped me.

“Yuzhan, Brother Yuzhan, don’t you think we’re progressing too slowly?”

The light in Xie Yuzhan’s eyes flickered. He said calmly, “The speed of progression varies from person to person. Perhaps we belong to the type that accumulates enough to achieve a qualitative change directly.”

Bai Zhi thought for half a minute and decided Xie Yuzhan’s words made sense. Gradual progress and rapid advancement were just different choices; they weren’t necessarily related to the depth of feeling, right?

But!

He curved his eyebrows, placed his hands on Xie Yuzhan’s shoulders, leaned in close to the man’s ear, and whispered, “Then how far do you think we are from this ‘qualitative change’?”

After speaking, he blew a breath onto the man’s earlobe.

The intention to flirt was obvious, and both of them were well aware of it.

The hand Xie Yuzhan had on Bai Zhi’s waist trembled slightly, then pressed firmly against his lower back. His voice deepened. “We are only missing one sentence from Zhi Zhi.”

“What?”

“I love you.”

Huh? Bai Zhi’s eyelashes fluttered. He pulled back slightly and looked at Xie Yuzhan. This was the first time the man had said those three words to him.

He took a breath and said, “You say I’m missing that sentence, but what about you?”

Xie Yuzhan took Bai Zhi’s left hand, threading his fingers through the gaps, clasping their hands together, and bringing it to his lips for a light, solemn kiss.

He said slowly, “I love you.

“From the moment we first met, I knew that you are unique to me. No one can compare to you. Zhi Zhi, I do owe you a formal confession.

“I like you, I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Bai Zhi opened his mouth. He hadn’t expected to hear words like this today!

Feeling the heat in his fingers, he didn’t pull his hand away. He stammered slightly, “Is this a confession or a proposal? Isn’t it… isn’t it too hasty!”

“It’s both,” Xie Yuzhan curved his lips. “Telling you directly like this is quite hasty, not formal enough, but every word in these statements has nothing to do with hastiness.

“It is a choice and a decision I made after deep consideration, following my true heart. They are the words I have always wanted to tell you.”

Xie Yuzhan’s pace was unhurried, and Bai Zhi heard every word clearly.

Indeed.

After the initial embarrassment, he slowly came to his senses. Every word the man spoke was filled with certainty and seriousness—the kind of conviction that meant he had been chosen, that only he would do.

It wasn’t just talk.

After a moment of silence, Xie Yuzhan stroked Bai Zhi’s cheek and gently pressed, “So, what is Zhi Zhi’s answer? Are you willing to spend your life with me?”

Bai Zhi stared blankly at Xie Yuzhan. The man’s dark, deep eyes were now glowing with a soft light, filled with lingering affection and a suppressed, restrained possessiveness.

An undercurrent surged, threatening to engulf him.

At this moment, in such peaceful tranquility, he had a flash of inspiration, feeling as if he had suddenly understood everything, a sudden enlightenment.

He chuckled, relaxing, and hooked his finger around Xie Yuzhan’s tie. He asked, “Good brother~ Let me guess. You haven’t actively taken the next step because you were waiting for me, right?

“You’ve been holding back for a long time. Am I right?”

Xie Yuzhan didn’t deny it.

They had a seven-year age gap, after all. Bai Zhi was very proactive, but he truly lacked experience in relationships. Xie Yuzhan didn’t want him to fall too deeply before he had fully considered it. Of course, this didn’t mean he was willing to let go.

He just wanted to give Bai Zhi more time to think about their relationship.

To move forward only after he was sure.

Once he gave himself to him, there would be no room for regret.

Bai Zhi read this in Xie Yuzhan’s eyes. His eyelashes trembled. His heart was filled with complex emotions—a subtle, needle-prickling sourness, but more so, a surging flood of what was called “love.”

Xie Yuzhan had given him sufficient respect and freedom, and he had laid this profound affection openly before him. In other words, he had handed over the choice and the decision to Bai Zhi.

This was rare for someone accustomed to holding power.

The man had perhaps waited long enough for this answer.

Thinking this, he loosened Xie Yuzhan’s tie, staring intently into those bottomless eyes. His voice was light and firm. “I like you too, I love you too, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.

“I want to be the closest, most special person by your side. I want to tell everyone who covets you, openly and honestly, that you are mine.

“You can only be, and will only be, mine.”

The hand Xie Yuzhan had on Bai Zhi’s lower back tightened slightly. His voice dropped, and he confirmed one last time, “Are you sure?”

Bai Zhi blinked. “I’ve made myself very clear.”

Xie Yuzhan chuckled softly. He hadn’t taken the next step because he was worried that once the beast in his heart tasted sweetness, it would be difficult to lock it back up.

Now.

Bai Zhi had given him the best answer.

Telling him there was no need to restrain himself, no need to suppress. The person was right here, within his reach. Why hesitate?

He responded to Bai Zhi’s frankness and sincerity with a deep kiss.

When Bai Zhi was kissed into oxygen deprivation and dizziness, he instinctively clenched Xie Yuzhan’s tie, then slowly relaxed, completely surrendering his trust.

And it was only at this moment that he discovered his own desire.

What Xie Yuzhan had suppressed was exactly what he had vaguely wanted but hadn’t realized. Their hopes of possessing each other were the same.

…

Xie Yuzhan knew clearly that some underlying feelings weren’t insufficient; they just lacked a catalyst to bring them to the surface. Once clarified, things would naturally fall into place, like the clouds parting to reveal the moon.

However.

He didn’t go all the way tonight.

Under the cover of night, he held the deeply sleeping Bai Zhi and placed a precious, light kiss on his forehead. Although there was no time like the present, for the first time, he still wanted to give the other person something better.

Better arrangements and setting, better atmosphere and experience.

The proposal, too, should be more formal. Bai Zhi deserved the most thoughtful treatment, he deserved the best of everything. He didn’t want to associate words like “making do” or “settling” with him.

This was not only because he was inherently discerning, but because this was the person he loved and cherished.

From the first time they met on the school anniversary, he knew Bai Zhi was different. Even though it was only a fleeting glance, in that instant, spring light melted the ice, and a bright spring rushed in.

That kind of clean, pure vitality was hard not to notice. The concept of “a thousand years in one glance” that his parents had once mentioned finally took concrete form at that moment.

In the surging crowd, he only saw the other person.

The Bai family didn’t understand Bai Zhi’s worth and didn’t cherish him; the Bai family were blind and heartless. Even if Bai Jishan hadn’t approached him, after handling his company affairs, he would have taken action himself. When a ready opportunity was handed to him, there was no reason to let it go.

The so-called arranged marriage was merely a long-planned scheme based on love.

He wanted Bai Zhi’s clean, pure, and flawless affection; he wanted his willingness. And they had not disappointed each other’s expectations.

He gently stroked his lover’s hair, his eyes filled with overflowing affection and love, and the deepest possessiveness. They had a long future ahead.

They would watch many springs together.

And taste much sweetness.

[Never End]