Chapter 20: We’re Allowed to Do That?
Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations
Editor: Karai
Lu Yao didn’t know how his snow leopard, who had just been watching the plains from the courtyard, had managed to slip into the living room. For one fleeting moment, however, all he wanted was to sneak up behind him and pinch the tip of that softly swaying tail. The furry black tip of the tail.
The elevator chime broke the thought. With the snow leopard’s keen hearing, he had surely already noticed the human approaching from behind.
When Lu Yao stepped out of the elevator’s blind spot, he saw the snow leopard crouched at the corner of the living room wall, his long tail curled forward around him. The animal neither turned to flee nor came forward—he simply watched, silent and steady. A quiet gravity emanated from him, as though he had been looking at Lu Yao like this for a long, long time, until it had become a habit etched into his very bones.
But some things were not part of his habits. For example, when he saw Lu Yao walking toward him, pulling off his leather riding gloves, and bending down to rub the spot between his ears with warm, gentle palms.
The fur there was thinner than elsewhere, soft and silky beneath Lu Yao’s touch. He rubbed back and forth, with and against the grain, several times. The big cat did not grow angry—he simply lowered his head and eyes, too shy to look up.
The movement carried hints of avoidance, of self-protection. And as Lu Yao stroked him, unwelcome memories surfaced—the scar on the snow leopard’s neck. It had been three years, and his feelings toward Zhou Yunchen had remained neutral, even risen slightly. He hadn’t expected that only after the divorce would they plummet.
A crease formed between his brows, though his voice softened when he spoke. “Hungry? Come on, I’ll cook you some meat.”
He rose and walked toward the open kitchen at the edge of the living room. The snow leopard stood as well, following the beckoning motion of his hand. When Lu Yao’s fingers brushed close, the animal’s sharp sense of smell picked up the warmth of his skin.
It wasn’t the sweet pheromonal scent of estrus, nothing like catnip. It was something else entirely—different from herbs or flowers, but distinctly Lu Yao. A scent tinged with metal and leather, sharp at the edges, yet layered over with a gentle warmth that clung to his skin. So tender. But only noticeable when close enough.
The snow leopard followed him closely, occasionally brushing against Lu Yao’s hand. Lu Yao didn’t mind, and every so often reached back to stroke his head. At the kitchen, Lu Yao retrieved beef, chicken, and some organ meats from cold storage. He filled a pot with water, set it on the stove, and weighed out three catties of meat to boil. Concerned about parasites and bacteria, he preferred feeding the snow leopard cooked meat.
Lu Yao never cooked. He didn’t know how, and he rarely ate anything that resembled a proper meal. But he knew where the heat button was on the stove, and that meat required water and boiling until the color changed. That was enough. Perhaps drawn by the smell, Torque appeared from some unknown corner, leapt onto the prep counter, and meowed softly.
Lu Yao scratched his chin, then offered him one of the gloves he had set aside. “Here. Put it on the table for me.”
Obediently, Torque bit down on the glove, hopped off the counter, and padded to the small round table in the living room. As the meat simmered, Lu Yao opened a vial of nutrient solution and drank. Heat radiated from the electric stove, steam clouding the air, making even the cool summer night feel stifling. He stepped back from the heat, shrugging off his jacket, glancing around for a place to set it. A round, furry snow leopard head appeared at his side.
“Awroo?” The low rumble carried both dignity and a hint of curiosity. Lu Yao blinked, then tossed the jacket. It landed squarely over the animal’s head.
“Aw—!” His second cry was cut short by the weight of the black leather coat. Darkness, warmth, and scent fell over him all at once. A human could never truly imagine what he himself had never experienced. Zhou Yunchen had never conceived of what it would feel like to have Lu Yao’s clothing draped over his head, nor had he ever believed such a moment would happen to him. But it had.
The snow leopard went rigid. The faint trace of Lu Yao’s scent, which had hovered at the edge of his awareness earlier, now enveloped him entirely. It was like a dream, fragile and surreal, in which he stood in a cabin on a frozen plain.
Inside, metal walls, a leather sofa, a roaring fireplace, and a small bouquet blooming in winter. No matter the storm howling outside, the cabin brimmed with warmth and fragrance. Then, the cabin vanished. The jacket slid from his head and fell to the floor.
It looked like nothing more than an ordinary coat. The snow leopard reached out a paw to retrieve it. But his heavy claws only scraped the ground—pushing the jacket away, dragging it back, until it was a crumpled mess he still couldn’t lift. He dared not use his claws in earnest. That might lift it, yes, but it would reduce it to a tattered ruin.
So he lowered his head, pressing against the coat, trying to wedge an opening and push his way under, to lift it up from beneath. He crouched low, rubbing against the ground like a kitten. A short laugh escaped behind him.
The snow leopard’s ears shot upright. He had heard it clearly. There was only one human here—Lu Yao.
When Zhou Yunchen lifted his head from under Lu Yao’s jacket, he saw only Lu Yao, expression still neutral, scooping away the foam from the pot with a spoon. The snow leopard’s gaze seemed to cling to his cheek like soft fur. Lu Yao couldn’t resist; he turned his head just enough to meet those pale gray, jade-like eyes.
His lips threatened to betray the smile he was trying to suppress. Hastily, he bent down and picked up the jacket from the floor, using the motion to compose himself. He held the coat near the snow leopard’s mouth, just as he had done with Torque earlier.
“Carry it over and put it on the sofa.” The snow leopard obeyed, clamping down gently on the jacket. Lu Yao ruffled his ears and pointed him in the right direction.
The snow leopard trotted over, set the jacket down, and returned to crouch near Lu Yao. Lu Yao nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. But like sunlight on a glacier, it flickered and vanished in an instant.
Before Zhou Yunchen could savor the moment, Lu Yao turned toward the cabinets, searching for a slotted spoon and a bowl to scoop out the cooked meat. At first, he served only one bowl. Torque, drawn by the aroma, leapt onto the kitchen island and let out a soft, coaxing meow.
Lu Yao tapped Torque’s forehead with his index finger, changing the tone of his meow. Torque raised a front paw and pawed at Lu Yao’s arm. “Meow~”
The snow leopard, watching the little white cat’s shameless behavior, gradually widened his eyes. When Lu Yao shook his head with a sigh but still took out a second bowl for Torque, placing some meat inside, the snow leopard’s eyes grew to their largest arc.
Was that even allowed?
Carrying the two bowls toward the sofa, Lu Yao had Torque following at his feet, tail held high, occasionally brushing against his calves. The snow leopard let out a few engine-like breaths.
The threat of a large predator immediately sharpened Torque’s voice, stripping away elegance and grace. The tiny cat trembled as it tried to hide behind Lu Yao, desperate to stay far from the snow leopard.
Useless little thing. The snow leopard exhaled several hot breaths through his nose.
“Don’t be aggressive.” Lu Yao’s cold, sharp voice froze him in place. Lu Yao glared at the snow leopard. Once the predator retracted his exposed teeth, he placed his bowl down and picked up the timid Torque, comforting him as he clung to Lu Yao’s pant leg.
The snow leopard lowered himself to the ground, front legs stretched, but Lu Yao didn’t look at him anymore. He held the meowing Torque, soothing him gently. A wave of unshed frustration rose in the snow leopard’s chest. He rested his head on his paws, eyes fixed only on the white porcelain bowl and the mound of meat within it.
Lu Yao placed the other bowl against the wall, separating Torque and the snow leopard. The bowl was small, holding only a little meat. Just like Torque, small but alive. Though the long-haired cat had a fluff of its own, it was still dwarfed by the snow leopard, adapted to life on frozen highlands.
Yet the little cat would reach with tiny paws for Lu Yao’s hand, tilting its head back to mew sweetly at him. Lu Yao indulged it without complaint.
Author’s Note:
General Zhou, still needs to learn a thing or two.
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