Chapter 39: First Lick!
Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations
Editor: Karai
The snow leopard’s paws had nowhere to rest, wobbling as he slid downward. Lu Yao reached out and lifted both of his front paws, placing them gently on his shoulders. Torque, lying by the pillow, almost got pinned by one paw and shuffled aside with soft protest. Lu Yao pressed his fingers against the rough yet soft chocolate-colored pads and whispered, “Do you remember this name? Zhou Yunchen.”
“Meow…” Zhou Yunchen didn’t know how to respond. Watching the snow leopard’s reaction, Lu Yao guessed and asked, “You remember, right? You think… oh, he tamed you—it must have hurt. You probably don’t like him.”
A heavy accusation landed squarely on Zhou Yunchen’s head. But what could he do? He could only purr contentedly as Lu Yao stroked the fur on the back of his neck, rubbing his cheek against the inside of Lu Yao’s wrist.
“But I didn’t… hmm. If it doesn’t count with that, I don’t dislike him.”
The snow leopard froze, lifting his head to stare straight into Lu Yao’s eyes. In the night’s light, those eyes seemed as deep as the ocean—not sharp or untouchable, yet far more profound and unfathomable.
Zhou Yunchen always tried to guess Lu Yao’s thoughts but could never be certain. He could only infer from Lu Yao’s reactions that his actions didn’t provoke disgust. As for affection? He had no way of knowing.
Lu Yao was not the type to confide in others or seek emotional guidance. But Zhou Yunchen was no longer human—he was a snow leopard. He could lie atop Lu Yao, listening to the rhythm of his heartbeat.
“And him? What does he want?” Lu Yao asked himself. The snow leopard, sensing Lu Yao’s increasingly furrowed brow, nudged his head forward a little. Lu Yao continued thinking, letting the snow leopard move as he stroked his fur. Suddenly, something wet, warm, and rough slid across his jaw. Lu Yao blinked.
He looked at the snow leopard withdrawing its head, the pink tongue not fully back in his mouth. Lu Yao raised an eyebrow. “Baby… you’ve learned to lick me instead of just cleaning yourself?”
There was a faint smile in Lu Yao’s eyes—he didn’t seem to mind. Encouraged, the snow leopard leaned forward again, extending his slightly barbed tongue to lick Lu Yao’s jaw once more. Lu Yao pressed his nose gently. “Alright, baby, that’s enough. My face is all wet now.”
Ah, so he wasn’t supposed to enjoy this. The snow leopard lowered his head in disappointment. Lu Yao wiped the moisture from his face, then turned the snow leopard to lie beside him. Has Lu Yao gotten annoyed? The snow leopard lowered his breathing almost to nothing, trying to disappear into himself.
Moments later, the room went dark, leaving only moonlight and starlight spilling in through the window. Lu Yao slipped under the covers, looping an arm over the snow leopard’s head. “Sleep now. No more licking me, and don’t run around making noise. Got it?”
The snow leopard buried his head into Lu Yao’s shoulder, silently bearing the weight of his arm, calm and obedient. His long, thick tail draped over Lu Yao’s legs, the thin blanket between them seemingly sealing Lu Yao in place. Soon, Lu Yao’s breathing softened, and he drifted into a fluffy, cozy dream.
Over the next few days, Lu Yao juggled FL03’s testing at the base and inspecting the mental core device. His return home grew progressively later each day. Even at home, he busied himself drafting the NTL concept design, leaving little time to play with the two cats except for the nightly ritual of bringing them onto the bed.
Meanwhile, Zhou Yunchen continued handling Silver Halberd Fleet’s return remotely. News of his arrival on New Blue Star had already spread, so no further cover was necessary. He had prepared four or five backup reasons for the military and council, but surprisingly, both sides barely questioned him. They showed understanding despite his absence at meetings.
Zhao Minghe reported that the senior military and council members appeared unusually sympathetic, which he suspected had been orchestrated by someone on Lu Yao’s side. Qian Shan dug up some insider info suggesting Lu Yao’s network may have influenced the matter.
These communications didn’t take long, making the afternoons drag interminably for Zhou Yunchen. He hadn’t expected asking Lu Yao to inspect the mental core would reduce the time he could spend with him. Thus, once again, Lu Yao was blocked by the snow leopard in the early morning.
The snow leopard darted into the elevator the moment the doors opened. By the time the doors reopened, Lu Yao hadn’t yet stepped out. The snow leopard had already bounded past him into the underground garage, stopping beside Lu Yao’s motorcycle, curling his tail around himself while waiting. His leash was still clutched in his mouth.
Lu Yao walked over. The snow leopard blinked at him. “You want to come to work with me again?”
“Ah-woo.” The snow leopard stood and shoved the leash into Lu Yao’s hand. Lu Yao fastened the leash and collar together. “My office isn’t as big as home.” The snow leopard ignored that and leapt onto the motorcycle seat, his long tail brushing the ground.
“All right, all right,” Lu Yao said, helplessly conceding to the snow leopard’s clinginess. “You’re coming with me.”
He swung onto the motorcycle, put on gloves and a helmet, and shifted the snow leopard slightly forward. That way, as Lu Yao leaned to grip the handlebars, the snow leopard’s head peeked between his arms, ears rubbing against Lu Yao’s cheek.
He looped the leash around his arm to prevent the snow leopard from darting off, then picked up the tail trailing on the ground and folded it a few times in front of him.
Lu Yao twisted the throttle. The engine roared. In an instant, the motorcycle surged forward, the wind whipping the snow leopard’s fur backward. They sped down the mountain road, then across the plains, racing through the morning breeze under the rising sun—man and leopard, flying together.
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