At exactly six o'clock the next morning, Hu Xiaoyu began pacing circles around the living room.
Though he hadn't properly meditated, his natural spiritual energy had restored itself to nearly a third of its strength. He no longer felt sluggish.
His early-morning restlessness quickly drew the attention of Uncle Hong.
Not long after, Hu Xiaoyu was happily furnished with both a charging cable and a hearty breakfast.
By seven o'clock, Yu Tan came downstairs.
The once-quiet living room now throbbed with tacky pop music blaring at full volume, its grating refrain: "Just this fabulous!"
Catching sight of the fluffy head bobbing on the couch, Yu Tan's brows knit in disdain.
So, he thought grimly, not only foolish—but narcissistic as well.
Just then, Hu Xiaoyu—his personal anthem declaring him "fabulous"—turned around with sparkling eyes, brimming with unfiltered joy.
"Yu Tan! They had crab roe buns for breakfast. Super tasty!"
Yu Tan plucked the phone from his hand, silenced the music with one tap, and tossed it back.
Finally—peace.
He ignored the buns entirely and issued a cold warning:
"Headphones. Understood?"
Hu Xiaoyu blinked, ears twitching in surprise. "Oh… but I don't have any."
Everything the original Hu Xiaoyu had owned—headphones, charger, all of it—had been cremated.
Uncle Hong quickly interceded with a smile, "Don't worry, I'll get some for him."
Hu Xiaoyu beamed. "Thank you, Uncle Hong!" Then he turned his fox-bright gaze toward Yu Tan, noting the faint dark circles beneath his eyes.
He flicked a finger.
A thread of pale green light crept up Yu Tan's trouser leg, coiled around him, and gently seeped into his temples.
Because Hu Xiaoyu had left a tail bound to Yu Tan, his power could never harm him—instead, it soothed and healed.
The furrow between Yu Tan's brows smoothed. His mind, usually clouded by restless, dark dreams, felt suddenly refreshed—as if swept clean by a spring breeze.
He hadn't felt such clarity in years.
And the only new variable… sat across the table, staring openly at him with his chin propped in his hands.
Always suspicious, Yu Tan narrowed his eyes. "Come here."
"One meter," Hu Xiaoyu chirped cheerfully, proving his memory was impeccable.
"That rule no longer applies."
Patiently, Yu Tan waited until the boy stepped closer. Then he caught him by the waist and drew near, his breath ghosting Hu Xiaoyu's neck.
A clean, earthy fragrance rose from the boy, like rain-washed air in the mountains.
Hu Xiaoyu didn't resist. He was long accustomed to Yu Tan's closeness. In fact, he sniffed lightly in return, catching the faint sandalwood note that had always clung to him in the past.
At the door, Ah Jiu—returning from his morning run—stumbled to a halt.
Was he hallucinating from low blood sugar?
But no. His boss was indeed holding Hu Xiaoyu… measuring his waist?
Yu Tan hadn't expected his "fated one" to prove useful so quickly. This benefit, he admitted, was not unpleasant.
But that waist—so slender he could encircle it with one hand and snap it with the slightest pressure.
Why measure it at all? He didn't know. It was an instinct, as though he had done so before.
That faint familiarity irritated him. His annoyance sharpened his tone. "You didn't change your clothes?"
Hu Xiaoyu looked down at his shorts and tee. They were conjured by spiritual power—clean, dust-repellent—but to Yu Tan's eyes, it looked careless.
Hu Xiaoyu pouted. "…I don't have anything else. But bodyguards get paid, right? Once I'm paid, I can buy clothes."
For a fleeting moment, nostalgia stirred.
In his previous life, he had lived here, closets stuffed with brand-new garments. But now—this was different.
Still, if earning money meant he could buy clothes, fish, even gifts for Yu Tan, he was more than content.
He had always received gifts before. Now it was his turn to give them. The thought made him secretly proud.
"So that's what this is about," Yu Tan muttered, pinching the boy's chin. His pouty lips and bright, guileless face made him resemble a little fish—strangely endearing. "Ten thousand a month. Bonuses depend on performance."
Hu Xiaoyu had no idea what "bonuses" implied. But Ah Jiu did.
That tone—the same tone his boss once used with lovers.
With a face like Hu Xiaoyu's, who could blame him?
Uncle Hong nearly wept with relief when Yu Tan finished a second bowl of porridge. In his heart, he already wanted to set incense before Hu Xiaoyu and worship him.
Later, Ah Jiu, cautious as ever, asked Hu Xiaoyu, "Do you… like the boss?"
After all, Hu Xiaoyu had once fixated on Liu Luanzhou with obsessive fervor, leaving a trail of rumors in his wake. If his feelings toward Yu Tan weren't genuine, things could turn ugly fast.
"I like him," Hu Xiaoyu said without hesitation.
Yu Tan was his favorite human in this life. Perhaps Uncle Hong came second.
Ah Jiu exhaled, relieved. "Good. Keep it that way."
Upstairs, changing his clothes, Yu Tan overheard every word.
His expression did not shift.
Still, a toy that liked its master was far easier to manipulate.
When he left for the office, Hu Xiaoyu naturally trailed after him.
He made for the passenger seat, but Yu Tan stopped him. "Back seat."
Hu Xiaoyu blinked, then understood. Yu Tan wanted the comfort of his spiritual aura.
If soothing him counted as repaying his debt, Hu Xiaoyu was happy to oblige.
He made a private vow: half his energy would go to cultivating spiritual power for Yu Tan's sake, and the other half… to his phone.
At the office, Hu Xiaoyu was wide-eyed with curiosity, yet never gauche. Instead, it was others who lost composure—men and women alike tripping over desks, dropping files, gawking at the delicate boy.
Soon, the secretary delivered several changes of clothing—down to the underwear. Ah Jiu escorted him to the private shower.
Hu Xiaoyu loathed bathing. A cleansing spell was far simpler. But not wanting to be found out, he turned on the water, sat in the corner playing on his phone until the steam rose, then changed into fresh clothes.
But this Yu Tan was sharper than the one in his memories.
A ruffle of his hair afterward, and Yu Tan sent him back into the shower.
This time, Hu Xiaoyu had no choice but to truly bathe, wincing all the while. Even in human form, he could almost feel his beloved fur clumping wet. The indignity of it!
When he emerged, clean at last, he sulked at a distance from Yu Tan.
That lasted all of three minutes.
As soon as Yu Tan mentioned a contract and salary, Hu Xiaoyu perked up, bounding over eagerly.
"Where do I sign?"
"No rush." Yu Tan set down his pen, drew him close, and pressed his face to the boy's neck. "This is nice. Be obedient, and you can stay with me forever."
Hu Xiaoyu wasn't sure how long "forever" was for humans. Only a few decades, perhaps. But he liked being close to Yu Tan.
He did regret not being able to curl up in his arms in true form. That would surely terrify him.
Still, he answered brightly, "Mm-hm! I'll stay with you for the rest of this life."
Yu Tan's lips curved in a sneer. For life? Wishful thinking.
He didn't say it aloud. Instead, he let the boy linger a while longer in his arms—surprised at how much calmer he felt afterward—before finally returning to his work.
First order of business: Hu Xiaoyu's contract. One hundred thousand a month. Eight days off.
Hu Xiaoyu agreed happily, even asked for an advance.
The original Hu Xiaoyu had once had money, but after breaking with his family, every cent had been frozen. He hadn't even owned a proper belt in the end—forced to hang himself with the waistband of his trousers.
At lunch, Hu Xiaoyu ordered fish.
It was disappointing—not nearly as delicious as the night before. He ate two bites and stopped.
Yu Tan didn't even glance at it.
For someone who had once lived rough, he was impossibly picky.
Afterward, Yu Tan didn't invite him into the bedroom for the customary nap. He liked the boy's scent—it soothed him—but rules were rules. No one in the bed. Not anymore.
Once was enough for betrayal.
So Hu Xiaoyu napped on the couch instead.
Quietly, he sent a wisp of spiritual energy drifting across to brush Yu Tan's cheek.
When he was certain Yu Tan was asleep, he slipped out to explore.
A century ago, the world had been neither so peaceful nor so prosperous.
Now, he wandered a nearby mall in delight. A few girls even pulled him aside for photos, marveling at his delicate features.
More astonishing still—when they told him they liked him, he felt his spiritual power surge.
From twenty-five percent… to twenty-seven.
So—human affection could restore his energy?
Intrigued, he roamed further, raising it to thirty percent. Any more would require tens of thousands of admirers. A daunting thought.
By three o'clock, he returned to the office with a 50-yuan milk tea, bought on the girls' recommendation—especially for Yu Tan.
And was promptly fined 100 yuan for skipping work.
Yu Tan didn't spare the drink a glance.
"You're not going to drink it?" Hu Xiaoyu asked hopefully.
"Take it away," Yu Tan said flatly, eyes fixed on his computer.
Hu Xiaoyu carried it out with drooping ears and handed it to Ah Jiu.
"Boss doesn't like milk," Ah Jiu explained, sipping mid-game.
"Why not?" Hu Xiaoyu asked in confusion. In his memories, Yu Tan had drunk milk with him often—one big bowl, one small.
Ah Jiu hesitated. "Some things are better left unasked."
He had seen his boss at his darkest. If Hu Xiaoyu hadn't been so capable, he would never have been allowed near.
For the first time, Hu Xiaoyu truly recognized how much Yu Tan had changed.
Yes, this was the same man.
But colder now. Altered tastes. Perhaps no fondness left for small, furry things.
Still, Hu Xiaoyu brightened quickly.
None of that mattered.
No matter what he had become—he was still the one who had once saved him.
After work, Hu Xiaoyu lifted his chin and declared earnestly, "I want to treat you to dinner."
Yu Tan's lids rose lazily. "Oh?"
Hu Xiaoyu's chest swelled with pride. "I have money now."
Ah Jiu, waiting nearby, nearly choked on laughter.
Yu Tan was in a good mood—and thought of a way to make it better. Slowly, a smile curved his lips.
"Very well. But I'll choose the place."
He was rarely generous with his expressions, let alone a smile.
But this smile rose like the moon over a dark horizon—shadowed still, yet luminous enough to dazzle.
Ah Jiu stared, momentarily dazed.
Hu Xiaoyu, who hadn't seen Yu Tan smile in so long, felt his fox-bright eyes curve in delight.
What he didn't know was that, shortly after, Yu Tan had someone look into Liu Luanzhou's whereabouts for the evening.
For after all—what joy could surpass happiness built upon an enemy's misery?
That was the sweetest kind of pleasure.