Chapter 21: Shackled and Exposed

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

After placing Torque by the wall next to his food bowl, Lu Yao added a bit of kibble. The clatter of the dry food hitting the bowl echoed through the room. The snow leopard heard Lu Yao’s footsteps retreat down the hallway, finally disappearing into the distance.

His ears and tail drooped. He didn’t meow. The snow leopard’s hyoid bone wasn’t fully ossified; he couldn’t meow like a domestic cat, nor could he roar like a tiger or lion. All he could do were sounds like awoo, miiu, or houm. Zhou Yunchen usually kept his own roars low, so they didn’t sound too odd.

Did Lu Yao only like soft, meowing kittens? The snow leopard lay on the floor and exhaled a long, low rumble. Suddenly, a ticklish tug ran down his upper back. Startled, the snow leopard shot upright and spun around. His long tail flicked instinctively—and smacked Lu Yao squarely in the face.

“Ugh—!” Lu Yao, who had been walking over to sit beside him, lost his balance and tumbled backward, dropping the wooden comb he had been holding.

Fur from the tail fluttered in the pink sunset light. The snow leopard seemed startled too. He circled, throat rumbling with rapid breaths, attempting to help Lu Yao up—but he only had paws, not hands. His massive paws nearly matched Lu Yao’s face in size. One pad came dangerously close to pressing against Lu Yao’s skin, making his heart skip a beat. Thankfully, the snow leopard stopped just a centimeter short.

With no other limbs to use, he leaned down and pressed his cheek against Lu Yao. The sensitive skin on Lu Yao’s neck tingled under the fur. The floating hair he had inhaled tickled his nose, prompting three sneezes. He thought the snow leopard would be frightened and leap away, but when he sat up, the animal remained, eyes round and focused.

The tail had some force. Though not aggressive, it had left a bright red mark on Lu Yao’s cheek. Another series of sneezes and coughs left his eyes and nose even redder. His skin, usually pale like jade and ice, now showed traces of blood and warmth, with slightly reddened eye rims. His expression softened, like a fire glowing amid snow and frost, warming and captivating.

Shifting his position, Lu Yao moved forward on his knees, approaching the snow leopard. He reached under the neck, grabbing the long fur, picked up the fallen comb, and patted the leopard’s back.

“Sit down.” His voice carried a hint of huskiness, a low, crisp meow—deeper and cooler than Torque’s.

Dizzy, the snow leopard sat. Lu Yao placed the food bowl in front of him. “Eat, and I’ll brush your fur.”

The shedding was more pronounced than usual. Silver fur clung to Lu Yao’s black jacket. Starting from the upper back, he combed carefully. After only a few strokes, he realized the snow leopard still sat upright, showing no interest in the food.

Lu Yao scooped a piece of meat with the spoon and held it near the snow leopard’s mouth. “Want to try? Or don’t you like this kind of meat?”

The snow leopard turned his head to glance at him. Unlike what Lu Yao thought, he hadn’t relied solely on nutrient paste. He ate regular cooked food too, but plain, boiled meat—without seasoning—was new to him. Still, the pink tip of his nose twitched. Even plain boiled meat smelled appealing to his sensitive senses.

Carefully biting the meat, he tried it once, then began lowering his head to eat from the bowl himself. Relaxing, he allowed Lu Yao to brush his fur. In just a few strokes from the upper to lower back, the comb collected enough fur in its teeth to form a small silver fluff ball.

For felines, grooming was a pleasure, especially when someone attended to the hard-to-reach neck fur. Behind him, Lu Yao rolled the fur into balls. The snow leopard purred, chest and throat vibrating with contentment, eyes half-closed.

Torque, having finished the tiny portion in his own bowl, crept over to inspect the snow leopard’s large bowl, still full of meat. He craned his neck, trying to steal a bite. The snow leopard bared his teeth.

“Meow!” Torque squeaked, looking to Lu Yao for help. But Lu Yao just smiled and continued brushing the snow leopard.

This grumpy, fierce big cat didn’t even need to beg—Lu Yao still brushed him. Torque, unaccustomed to such unfairness, puffed up instantly, a tiny ball of fur streaking away in protest. Lu Yao shook his head with a smile, leaving Torque alone for the moment, and resumed brushing the snow leopard.

It was a major task. Lu Yao estimated it would take at least another half hour. He found a comfortable position, summoned a floating control panel, and reviewed recent progress reports from various research bases, letting it play as background noise.

After finishing the snow leopard’s back, Lu Yao moved to the long fur on his neck and chest, where the spots gradually gave way to soft, white fur. Noticing the snow leopard had finished the meat in his bowl, Lu Yao moved it aside, patted his front legs, and said, “Lie down.”

Following his movement, the snow leopard rolled onto his side. Lu Yao grabbed his front legs, spreading them apart to expose the entire fluffy white belly. Clumps of long fur gleamed invitingly—just looking at it was enough to feel its softness and warmth.

Although he was covered in leopard fur, Zhou Yunchen’s human consciousness still felt entirely naked. Walking around was fine normally, but now, with Lu Yao flipping him onto his back and exposing his belly, a surge of shame instantly flooded his mind. What made it worse was that Lu Yao thought he was dealing with a big cat—but Zhou Yunchen was, in fact, a human.

Lu Yao extended a leg across the snow leopard’s hind legs, pinning the struggling beast down, and began brushing with the wooden comb. The strange sensation made Zhou Yunchen’s scalp tingle. He felt utterly exposed, as if Lu Yao had shackled his wrists and ankles, stretched him into a star shape, leaving him entirely vulnerable.

With a sudden twist, the snow leopard broke free from Lu Yao’s grasp, scrambling and leaping behind the sofa. From there, he glared wide-eyed at Lu Yao, his mind a whirlwind of confusion.

Lu Yao didn’t get angry. Instead, he waved the comb again. A shiver ran through the snow leopard’s belly. It felt like Lu Yao was beckoning to a completely naked Zhou Yunchen. The thought was too much; the snow leopard bolted, vanishing from Lu Yao’s sight in an instant.

Watching the silver-white blur disappear, Lu Yao felt a twinge of disappointment—he hadn’t even gotten to touch the cat’s belly—but he didn’t chase. The abdomen is the most vulnerable and vital part of a wild animal, housing all the essential organs. Clearly, he would need more time to bond with the snow leopard.

While listening to the intelligence department’s report, Lu Yao gathered the shed fur into a single mass, rolling it into a fist-sized clump. He suspected the high summer temperatures on New Blue Star were causing the snow leopard, an animal naturally protected by thick fur, to shed excessively.

Lu Yao lowered the indoor thermostat from 73°F to 61°F. He reopened a shopping website, browsing the pet supplies section. The wooden comb had been too small; his hands were sore after brushing. He searched for a few large, flat combs to try on the snow leopard next time. After placing the order, the recommended page for cat hair care products caught his attention.

Lu Yao squinted. The snow leopard’s fur wasn’t as smooth as Torque’s—it even felt a little dry. He didn’t know why. This big cat could use the toilet and operate the quick-clean function in the shower, but he didn’t groom himself.

Torque, after finishing a meal, would spend ten to fifteen minutes meticulously washing his face with his paws. The snow leopard, however, would simply walk into the shower and run the quick-clean system: nano-wash, dry, all in one. Cleaning once or twice a day was astonishing for a feline.

Lu Yao worried because grooming wasn’t just about cleanliness—it coated the fur with a protective layer. The snow leopard avoided self-grooming, overused mechanical cleaning, and his fur was becoming increasingly dry, losing much of its natural sheen.

Lu Yao opened the care product pages, selecting over a dozen feline hair care items and placed them in a single order.

Author’s note:

Zhou Yunchen: (gets brushed, purrs with pleasure, and then immediately gets spread out and exposed)!

 

 

This Title is available for faster chapter releases through paid Patreon membership. Any proceeds go to keeping the website running. Check it out HERE.