Volume 1, Chapter 132: Bringing His Cub to Find the Cub's Mother!

Almost as soon as the doorbell rang, Sang Wan guessed who was outside.

When she opened the door, she was right.

"Mimi! Wow, Mimi, you’re back..."

Lu Xiaomu lunged forward with excitement, wanting to pet 2S, but then remembered their unhappy past. He immediately turned back to ask Sang Wan, "Mom, can I pet it? I promise I’ll be very gentle..."

Sang Wan wasn't sure if it was a good idea. After all, 2S’s reaction to people it didn't like was quite obvious.

"Let’s wait a bit. Once it gets familiar and comes over to play with you, then you can pet it, okay?"

Sang Wan glared at Lou Ye, took 2S from his arms, and set the cat on the floor. 2S dashed away and vanished into the sofa.

Lu Xiaomu ran over and sprawled out on the carpet. One child and one cat, staring at each other with wide eyes.

Lu Xiaomu used his sweet, milky voice, "Mimi, I’m not a bad person... My name is Lu Xiaomu."

"That sounds terrible!"

Lou Ye, who had followed Sang Wan inside, muttered under his breath, "The cat has a name, you know?"

"..."

Sang Wan turned to glare at him. "Why are you here?"

Heh. Why was he here? Obviously, he had brought his cub to find the cub's mother! If Lu Jinnian could do it, why couldn't he? But could he say that out loud? No.

"I missed you!"

Lou Ye leaned in close to Sang Wan and, before she could glare at him, added a promise, "I’ll go upstairs to sleep in a bit. I promise not to bother you!"

Really? Sang Wan looked skeptical.

Lou Ye flashed a brilliant smile: "Cross my heart!"

"Mom!" Lu Xiaomu called out in surprise.

Sang Wan and Lou Ye turned around in unison—one looking pleased, the other annoyed.

Sang Wan smiled and praised him, "That’s wonderful! So, now you know how to treat small animals, don't you?"

"Yes!"

Lu Xiaomu held 2S, gently squeezing its little paw pads, his eyes dark and bright with joy. As for 2S, it had abandoned its previous indifference and was lying obediently in Lu Xiaomu's arms.

Lou Ye strolled over and nudged 2S’s hind leg with his toe. "You have no backbone at all, you ungrateful cat!"

*Meow...*

2S pulled its leg back.

Lou Ye: ...

The sound of running water echoed from the kitchen as Sang Wan washed some fruit. In the living room, Lou Ye chatted with Lu Xiaomu.

"Do you know who I am?"

"...No."

"Alright, let me introduce myself. My name is Lou Ye, 2S's father."

"Hello, brother. My name is Lu Xiaomu, and I am my mother's son."

"...Call me Uncle!"

Seeing Lou Ye acting fierce, Lu Xiaomu whispered, "But Mom said that if I see a pretty lady who is about her age, I should call her 'sister.' And if I see a handsome man, I should call him 'brother.'"

"But I’m not your brother." Lou Ye corrected him sternly, "I am your mother's..."

"Lou Ye!"

Sang Wan walked out of the kitchen with a fruit platter, her gaze clearly warning him.

Lou Ye stood up and took an apple from the platter. *Crunch!* He took a huge bite. He knew it—when she needed something, it was "Ah Ye," and when she didn't, it was "Lou Ye!"

The young man with the moody, furrowed brows looked handsome even while angrily eating an apple. When he met her eyes, still looking indignant, Sang Wan softened her tone to coax him. "Don't tease him! If you make him cry, you’ll be the one to soothe him, okay?"

"Fine, I'll soothe him!" Lou Ye took another bite of the apple. "He’s already five. Do you still think he’s a baby?"

Five wasn't exactly old, but did he have to be an infant to be considered a child? Sang Wan looked amused.

Lu Xiaomu’s crisp, childlike voice chimed in, "Mom, is Uncle Ah Ye your boyfriend?"

???

"No."

"Yes."

The two voices spoke at the same time.

2S seemed startled; it scrambled up from Lu Xiaomu’s arms, leaped over the sofa, and scurried to the top of the cat tree in a few swift motions.

"You kid, you’ve got a sharp eye!" Lou Ye stepped forward and flicked Lu Xiaomu on the forehead. "Come on, tell Uncle Ah Ye, how did you figure that out?"

Seeing his mother’s flustered expression, Lu Xiaomu thought he might have said the wrong thing. But seeing Uncle Ah Ye beaming like a flower, he thought maybe he was right?

Lu Xiaomu glanced at Sang Wan, then at Lou Ye, and pointed cautiously at Sang Wan. "Mom’s eyes are smiling."

Sang Wan froze.

Lu Xiaomu said softly, "Before, Mom’s eyes only smiled at me and Dad. But now, when Mom looks at Uncle Ah Ye, even if the expression on her face is angry, her eyes are smiling."

And that kind of treatment no longer belonged to him and his father.

Clearly not expecting such keen observation from a child, Sang Wan was stunned.

Lou Ye seemed to be in an excellent mood. Grinning like a triumphant big bad wolf, he reached out his hand to Lu Xiaomu. "Lu Xiaomu, nice to meet you! Let me reintroduce myself. I am your mother’s future boyfriend, currently in the trial period, Lou Ye. Please take care of me in the future!"

Lu Xiaomu blinked, reached out, and shook Lou Ye’s hand.

Sang Wan: ...

The expected surprise and tears never happened; the two males, one large and one small, seemed to be getting along famously. By the time Sang Wan had gone to the bedroom to shower and change into loungewear, they had already started playing a board game. She had no idea where they had even found it.

When the game ended, cheers and applause filled the room. Lu Xiaomu looked at Lou Ye with admiration. "Wow, Uncle Ah Ye, you’re so amazing!"

Lou Ye curled his lips. "You little brat!"

In the blink of an eye, it was nine o'clock. When another game concluded, Sang Wan began to usher him out. "Lou Ye, it’s time for you to go home!"

"Oh!" Lou Ye stood up reluctantly. He glanced at the dark night outside the window, then back at Sang Wan, his gaze filled with resentment. When he looked down, he saw 2S following him with sleepy eyes. Lou Ye’s mood improved slightly. He scooped up 2S, gave the cat a good rub, and turned to leave.

Just as Lu Xiaomu was getting into the bathtub, the doorbell rang again.

Sang Wan paused.

Lu Xiaomu’s eyes curved into crescents as he urged, "Mom, Uncle Ah Ye must have forgotten something. Hurry and open the door."

Was that really what he had forgotten? It was clearly his heart that he had left behind.

Sang Wan stood up and walked toward the door. The lights in the living room were already off. As she walked, the door opened just as she reached it.

"You..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Lou Ye stepped inside, pushed her against the wall, and wrapped his arms around her waist.

It was a lingering, passionate kiss, accompanied by his heavy, frustrated breathing. Sang Wan’s attempts to push him away, combined with the sound of splashing water from the bathroom, made the air feel heavy and thick.

She knew Lu Xiaomu wouldn't run out of the bathtub, but her nerves were taut, and she felt an inexplicable sense of worry. Her wrists were firmly held by Lou Ye, and she felt as if her heart might jump out of her mouth the moment she tried to speak.

"Lou Ye..." she managed to say while catching her breath, trying to stop him.

But her voice sounded as if it had been soaked in wine—soft, weak, and carrying a tipsy hook. Before she could finish, Lou Ye blocked her lips again.

"I helped you look after the kid all night, don’t I deserve some compensation?"

His scorching kisses traveled from her lips to her neck, then lingered by her ear. When he finally pulled away, he bit her lightly. "Remember, I’ll be calculating interest on the days you owe me!"

???

What did she owe him?

The door opened, and she saw Lou Ye’s dark eyes illuminated by the hallway light. Realizing what he meant by "interest," Sang Wan’s cheeks flushed a deep, burning red.