Chapter 46: Kneading

Xiu stopped at the entrance of the stone building, momentarily lacking the courage to walk forward.

Wen Chu looked Xiu up and down, finally saying softly, “Oh—you changed clothes inside. I thought you’d been gone so long because you didn’t want me anymore.”

“I didn’t.” Xiu spoke, and the hand gripping his hood relaxed.

So Wen Chu was just scared being left at home alone.

Thinking this, the creepy feeling he had earlier vanished when he looked at Wen Chu again. He only felt that the little black ball on the bed looked exceptionally pitiful.

“Sorry,” he said. “I went to logistics to get a new bedsheet. It took some extra time to find the same style you bought.”

“Same style?” Wen Chu listened to Xiu’s explanation, his aggression fading. He blinked his innocent, round eyes at the square-folded sheet in Xiu’s hands.

“En.” Xiu walked into the room, closed the door, and displayed the sheet to Wen Chu. “It’s covered in eggs, just like the one you bought. The previous sheet hasn’t dried after washing. I saw you liked the original one a lot, so I was afraid you wouldn’t sleep happily if I changed it.”

The Rebel Army’s daily necessities were purchased in bulk, so it was inevitable that some out-of-season, slow-moving inventory would get mixed in; the sheet in his hand was one of them.

Xiu had dragged Minnie directly to the storage room and made Minnie and a group of others search for over half an hour before they dug this identical set out of a corner. It hadn’t even been opened.

Wen Chu stretched out a paw and stepped on the eggs on the sheet, then suddenly flopped down onto it with a splat.

“I like this,” Wen Chu said, rubbing vigorously against the bed. “You gave me so many eggs, too.”

So happy. It turns out Xiu wasn’t cheating; he went to find eggs for him.

How was this any different from a confession of love?

Wen Chu solemnly promised, “I will definitely take responsibility for you.”

Xiu looked at the cat in confusion, then at the sheet, not understanding why Wen Chu suddenly wanted to take responsibility for a bedsheet.

“It’s okay,” Xiu said carefully. “You don’t have to cherish it that much. If you want, I can buy all the same styles on the market for you.”

Wen Chu was even more moved. “Xiu, I will definitely be a responsible bird and incubate the eggs properly.”

Xiu: …?

Xiu: “Aren’t you fog?”

Wen Chu: “…Oh.”

Wen Chu suddenly realized that the current Xiu didn’t have the memories of the previous world and didn’t know what eggs represented at all.

The emotion from earlier was instantly doused by a bucket of cold water. Wen Chu listlessly crawled off the sheet. “I wasn’t awake just now, I was talking in my sleep. Just pretend you didn’t hear it.”

Xiu replayed the conversation in his mind three times, still baffled.

It was the third day since meeting Wen Chu. From the shock and anger of the first day, to the nervous fear of the second, and finally deciding to get along well with Wen Chu today—Xiu had encountered a major problem right at the start of “getting along well.”

Without the dynamic of him mocking and Wen Chu chattering in defense, he seemingly couldn’t understand what Wen Chu was talking about.

Xiu spread out the sheet, moving as minimally as possible to make the bed so his unsettled body wouldn’t touch the black robe, while trying to pick up the conversation.

“…If you like eggs that much, I’ll have them use the Steam City feed to raise a hen. When the chicken grows up, it will lay eggs for you to eat.”

Wen Chu lay weakly in the cat nest, which was just a wooden frame. “Oh…”

He did like eating eggs, but he wanted to incubate eggs with Xiu even more.

Wen Chu glanced at the affection level.

[Current Favorability: 60/100]

It had increased by 10 after returning from the vegetable patch, but it had only just reached the passing line.

When will I be able to fill the favorability bar and invite Xiu to be my mate?

Thinking this, Wen Chu suddenly remembered an extremely important question.

He poked the System: [Can Xiu lay eggs in this world?]

System: [No.]

Wen Chu was greatly disappointed: [Why? It wasn’t possible in the last world, why is it still impossible in this one?]

The System was at the end of its patience: [It’s impossible in any world. have you ever seen a male get pregnant?]

Wen Chu felt wronged: [Don’t be so fierce…]
[I just want an egg of my own.]

His original form had wings, too. He hadn’t known birds could lay eggs before, but after Xiu explained the bird egg-laying and hatching mode in the first world, it had become an obsession for Wen Chu.

A happy little bird family should have at least one egg.

The System was silent for a moment. When it spoke again, its tone was still hard, but not as angry as before: [If you want to lay one, lay it yourself.]

Wen Chu’s eyes lit up: [Can I lay one?]

It would be fine if he laid the egg and hatched it together with Xiu.

System: […]

This guy really doesn’t care whether he’s male or if he should be laying eggs.

The System helplessly lectured him: [You are also male, you cannot lay eggs either.]

So that meant neither of them could lay one.

Wen Chu looked like he was about to cry: [Then will I never be able to hatch eggs with Xiu in this life?]

System: [.]

Wen Chu: [T^T]

System: […We’ll see. If you perform well, I’ll think of a way.]

Wen Chu instantly stopped being pitiful, his tone cheerful: [Okay!]

Having received a promise from the System, Wen Chu’s mood improved significantly.

By this time, Xiu had finished making the bed. Wen Chu leaped onto the bed and rolled over to Xiu’s leg.

The little fog cat flipped over to show his belly and asked, “Xiu, are there any precedents for males laying eggs in this world?”

Xiu was selecting fabric. Hearing this, he thought for a moment. “There aren’t any in nature, unless it’s in fictional literature or fictional worlds?”

“Fictional?” Wen Chu repeated the unfamiliar word. “What does that mean?”

“It means things that are imagined and don’t exist,” Xiu explained. “For example, if you write a novel, you are the Creator of the novel world. If you set it so that males can lay eggs, then no matter how unreasonable it is, males can lay eggs because that is your setting.”

Wen Chu nodded in confusion. “Oh, so if I become a Creator, I can make males lay eggs?”

Xiu: “…I don’t think there’s a Creator with such bad taste.”

Even he had only given humans the Heart of Steam; he had never thought about making all the males in the world suddenly lay eggs.

“Why ask about this all of a sudden?” Xiu asked.

Wen Chu sighed, speaking deeply, “Because this is every bird’s dream.”

Xiu: …

He really couldn’t understand or follow Wen Chu’s words, so he could only pick up the fabric at hand and ask, “Which one do you like? I’ll sew a cushion for you.”

Wen Chu looked. Xiu had selected entirely small floral print fabrics. He patted the one with yellow flowers with his paw. “This one. What is sewing a cushion?”

Xiu pulled out the yellow fabric and took out a needle and thread. “It’s making a pad for you to put in your nest.”

Wen Chu still didn’t quite understand. Momentarily forgetting his egg dilemma, he poked his head out to watch Xiu’s movements.

To make threading the needle easier, Xiu took off his hood. He lowered his head slightly, his long golden hair cascading down as he skillfully cut and sewed the cloth.

Those hands, surrounded by black mist, holding the gentle fabric, surprisingly didn’t look out of place at all.

There was even a faint sense of…

Wen Chu lay on the pillow thinking: I want to snatch the needle and thread from Xiu’s hand right now and kiss him.

But he only thought about it.

He had to be good, obedient, and maintain his innocent and pitiful image. He absolutely couldn’t reveal too much aggression in front of Xiu.

Only in this way would he not repeat the mistake of the previous world where Xiu hated him.

So far, he had done very well, and Xiu’s affection level was rising continuously.

A trace of cunning inconsistent with his identity flashed through the little black cat’s eyes.

As long as I can become Xiu’s partner, I can continue being this obedient forever.

Xiu was only wearing the black robe, and being stared at by Wen Chu made him feel even more uncomfortable.

He felt like Wen Chu had figured something out. He buried his head in cutting the cloth and said without looking up, “Have you had your oxygen today? Go inhale some oxygen first.”

He wanted to send Wen Chu away.

“Okay.”

Wen Chu obediently jumped off the bed, floated to the oxygen tank, and put the breathing mask on himself.

Then, while inhaling oxygen, he stared at Xiu with burning, round cat eyes.

Xiu: …

Stared at until his wrist shook, Xiu almost cut the fabric crooked.

His face remained calm, but inside he was already debating whether to put his hood back on.

Wen Chu didn’t know what Xiu was conflicted about. He was in a hurry to return to Xiu’s side, so he took several deep breaths, wanting to turn back to white quickly.

The next second, the oxygen stopped.

Wen Chu, who had just turned grey, looked at the oxygen tube in confusion, then looked up to call Xiu. “Xiu, the oxygen is out.”

Hearing this, Xiu got up and walked over. He lifted the oxygen tank to check, and confirming it was indeed empty, said, “It’s fine. I’ll have Minnie bring over all the stock oxygen tanks tomorrow.”

He placed the empty bottle in the corner and carried Wen Chu back to the bed.

Wen Chu felt guilty. “Will that be very expensive?”

Xiu picked up the fabric again, glanced at the guilty fog, and curled his lips. “En, very expensive. Enough for an ordinary person to eat for several lifetimes.”

The poor cat shrank into a ball, mumbling, “Then I’ll pay you back slowly later.”

“Pay me back?” Xiu raised an eyebrow. “How do you plan to pay?”

Wen Chu opened his mouth to say he would ask Minnie for it, but suddenly remembered he couldn’t tell Xiu. So, after opening his mouth for a long time without saying a word, he closed it again.

In Xiu’s eyes, this looked like he was speechless.

Xiu found it funny. “You don’t need to pay me back. I’ll raise you; you just need to live well.”

Wen Chu whispered, “No, I should be the one raising you.”

Because he had no money, he said this with very little confidence.

Xiu said “Mn-hm” twice and patted the little fog cat’s head, obviously not taking his words seriously.

Wen Chu got anxious. “Really, I’ll really raise you.”

Xiu extended his slender, pale hand in front of him. “Where’s the money?”

Wen Chu said weakly, “…Don’t have it right now.”

Wait until I finish working for Minnie tonight, then I’ll have it.

Xiu didn’t retract his hand; he simply tapped Wen Chu’s head. “Dummy—alright, come try the new cushion.”

His movements were skilled; he had sewn the soft cushion in no time and placed it into the cat nest.

Wen Chu was picked up by Xiu and placed on the cushion.

The cushion was stuffed full of cotton and felt great under his paws. Wen Chu stepped on it a few times, then collapsed entirely onto the soft pad. Looking up, he saw words stitched in brown thread on the corner of the yellow floral cushion.

“Wen Chu Exclusive,” Wen Chu read out loud.

Xiu was somewhat surprised. “You can read?”

“I’m not illiterate,” Wen Chu muttered. “I can write, too.”

It’s just a bit ugly.

Xiu chuckled softly. “Okay, not illiterate. Do you like it?”

Wen Chu stretched out his claws to hug the cushion. “I like it.”

This was his new little nest. When he left, he would take it with him.

Xiu put the black hood back on. “I’m glad you like it. I’ll sew a few more new ones for you later, so you can switch them out.”

“Okay.”

Wen Chu agreed. Looking at Xiu, who had covered himself up tightly again, he couldn’t help but say, “Xiu, we are inside now, you can take off your outer robe.”

Xiu’s movement of pulling the hood froze, and he skipped over the topic. “Are you sleepy? Do you want a nap?”

Wen Chu had just said it casually, but Xiu’s deliberate avoidance caught his attention.

He stared at Xiu. “Will you sleep with me?”

Xiu got into bed wearing the black robe. “I can.”

Not even taking off the coat to sleep? Even more suspicious.

Wen Chu stared at Xiu’s black robe for a while, but eventually, before Xiu could get creeped out by the staring, he looked away first. “Alright.”

The little black cat yawned. “Let’s sleep then.”

He had woken up too early today and experienced so many things; Wen Chu was a bit sleepy too.

Tonight, while Xiu is asleep, I’ll check what exactly he’s hiding in his clothes.

If Xiu is secretly hiding a person, I will…

Thinking this, Wen Chu fell asleep in his new nest.

Xiu turned his head to look at the kitten sleeping in the bedding.

The little fog cat slept curled up, like a soft little ball of fur, making his already round head look even rounder.

Soft, harmless. Such a ball of newfound, fluffy life, sleeping trustingly on his bed.

A stupid cat with no vigilance.

Xiu wanted to raise his hand to stroke Wen Chu’s head, but afraid of waking him, he withdrew his hand.

Xiu wasn’t sleepy yet. He picked up the needle, thread, and fabric again, preparing to sew a few more cushions for Wen Chu.

It wasn’t just about the ninety-nine years of life span; he also wanted to leave the kitten with sufficient supplies, enough daily necessities, and a comfortable home.

He could disregard anyone, including himself, and destroy this world.

But he couldn’t bring himself not to care about this wisp of fog that had crashed recklessly into his life.

.

When Wen Chu woke up again, it was already night.

Upon opening his eyes, he was startled by the scene before him.

The originally dim stone building was brightly lit. Not only were the few lamps he had bought on, but new wall lamps had been installed on the stone walls. There was also a nightstand by the bed with a candlestick on it.

And there was a huge pile of things in the corner.

Wen Chu looked closely and realized it was thousands of oxygen tanks.

“Ah…?” Wen Chu voiced his confusion.

Xiu was sitting by the bed. Hearing his voice, he turned around. “You’re awake? I had Minnie deliver some things this afternoon. Most of it is outside the door. We’ll organize it slowly tomorrow morning.”

“—By the way, I sewed a few more cushions for you. They are all here.”

As Xiu spoke, he opened the nightstand and took out a thick stack of cushions, spreading them out in front of Wen Chu.

Red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, purple small floral soft cushions. Beside each cushion, the words “Wen Chu Exclusive” were embroidered.

Wen Chu was stunned. “So many?”

“You can use a different one every day,” Xiu chuckled.

“No,” Wen Chu refused decisively.

Xiu’s hand paused. His face, which originally held a hint of a smile, went pale, though hidden in the hood, Wen Chu couldn’t see it.

Wen Chu jumped out of the cat nest to protest. “I don’t want to sleep in the cat nest by myself. I want to sleep in the bed with you.”

Sleeping alone occasionally was fine, but the cat nest wasn’t like the seashell house where nothing could be seen once closed. Being on Xiu’s pillow meant he could see Xiu as soon as he opened his eyes.

But if he had to sleep by himself from now on—

Absolutely not!

Not even with cushions hand-sewn by Xiu!

Just as Wen Chu was preparing to protest to the end, he heard Xiu chuckle softly.

“Is that so? I thought…” I thought you didn’t like the cushions.

Xiu didn’t say the rest.

He put the cushions away again. “I’m not making you sleep in the cat nest forever. Just sleep there when you want to.”

Wen Chu rolled from the nest onto the bed in one go. “I don’t want to sleep there right now.”

Xiu laughed again. He pointed to the newly placed wall clock. “But it’s eleven o’clock now. If you don’t rest, you won’t be able to get up tomorrow morning.”

He couldn’t really let Wen Chu become a nocturnal cat.

Eleven o’clock?

Wen Chu looked at the clock in surprise. He didn’t understand it.

But Xiu wouldn’t lie to him. Wen Chu remembered his agreement with Minnie and immediately said, “I’ll sleep, I’ll sleep right now.”

He looked at Xiu and added, “You have to sleep with me too.”

Don’t sit on the bed alone in the middle of the night like before; it’s very cold and tiring.

Xiu gave a soft “En” and didn’t refuse, sitting onto the bed.

Wen Chu looked at Xiu, who was still wearing the black robe. “Are you going to sleep wearing the black robe?”

Xiu: “…”

Xiu didn’t speak; he just pulled up the quilt.

Wen Chu had no choice. Since Xiu wouldn’t talk and he couldn’t pry Xiu’s mouth open, he could only climb onto Xiu’s body, wanting to continue sleeping on Xiu’s chest.

However, as soon as his cat paws touched Xiu’s chest through the black robe and the quilt, Wen Chu felt the person beneath him tremble violently.

Wen Chu: ?

Wen Chu looked at his paws in confusion, then at Xiu, whose expression was completely invisible.

I didn’t get heavier, right?

What exactly is wrong with Xiu?

The suspicion deepened, but Xiu hadn’t fallen asleep yet, so Wen Chu couldn’t sneak inside to see what was going on. Plus, he had an appointment with Minnie, so Wen Chu could only suppress his curiosity for now.

He separated a wisp of black fog to help Xiu turn off the lights in the room, leaving only a small bedside lamp. “Okay, let’s sleep.”

Beneath him, Xiu’s muscles were tense, as if enduring something, and he didn’t answer.

Wen Chu lay on Xiu’s chest, took one last look at Xiu, and controlled the wisp of black fog he had just separated to sneakily slip out through the crack in the door.

As soon as he slipped out the door, Wen Chu was stunned by the scene before him.

There were three whole trucks parked at the entrance. The cargo bed of every truck was filled with all kinds of furniture, from a shower stall to carpets—everything one could need. Wen Chu even saw a set of porcelain afternoon tea sets.

This is what Xiu meant by “Minnie delivered some things”?

Forget organizing for a day; they wouldn’t finish organizing in three days.

Wen Chu was even more distressed.

The oxygen tanks were already expensive enough, and now Xiu had gotten so much furniture. He owed Xiu even more money.

How am I supposed to raise Xiu now?

A fist-sized ball of black fog floated away, deciding that while helping Minnie, he would ask for their opinion.

Meanwhile, inside the stone building.

Xiu opened his eyes and looked at the little black cat on his body.

Under the pressure of the little black cat, the quilt and loose outer robe pressed against his chest. He had been so busy choosing furniture for Wen Chu all afternoon that he forgot to change into a silk black robe for himself.

…But changing wouldn’t have helped much.

It wasn’t a problem with the fabric; it was a problem with his body.

Xiu reached out and stroked the little cat’s head.

The little cat smacked its lips and hummed a note.

Sleeping as if it were real.

Xiu lowered his eyes.

After Wen Chu turned off the lights just now, that wisp of black gas hadn’t returned. Even now, the cat was still in a state of missing a piece.

Even after furnishing the house and treating Wen Chu more gently, I still can’t gain Wen Chu’s trust?

Should I follow him and see?

---

Author’s Note: Xiu, right now you should be most worried about your own butt.
PS: Chapter 44 has been revised. Some plot was added, and some plot was moved to this chapter. Please check the pinned comment for details orz.