Curled up half-asleep in the corner, Hu Xiaoyu thought he was dreaming when a familiar figure appeared before him.
Why would Yu Tan be here?
Two seconds later, reality struck. His first instinct was to cover his face. But when Yu Tan's cold fingers clasped his wrist, Hu Xiaoyu let him pull his hand away without resistance.
He sighed inwardly—there went ten thousand yuan.
Still... Yu Tan had taken the initiative to hold his hand...
His heart ached at the loss, yet swelled with joy. Obediently, he let Yu Tan lead him out of the police station.
It wasn't until they were seated in the car that Yu Tan finally spoke.
"Where are you hurt?"
Hu Xiaoyu shook his head.
Yu Tan's tone sharpened.
"Getting into fights now? Feeling capable, are you?"
Hu Xiaoyu met his gaze with perfect justification.
"They started it."
He had only been eating barbecue with Jin Bao—what was wrong with that? That filthy man had insisted on approaching him, even trying to touch his face.
He was a nine-tailed celestial fox, a once-in-millennia existence. If anyone were allowed to stroke his fur, it could only be Yu Tan.
That man had not only tried to touch his face—he'd said vile things as well. But for certain reasons, Hu Xiaoyu chose not to tell Yu Tan that part.
Yu Tan caught the way. He blinked, instantly sensing that the little fool was hiding something.
He wanted to press further. But he knew this kid—dumb as he was, he could be stubborn. If he didn't want to speak, no amount of coaxing would get it out of him. And truthfully, Yu Tan didn't want to resort to harsher means.
Still, the irritation lingered.
Especially when he thought of the way his chest had clenched as he rushed to the police station—that suffocating panic had curdled into frustration now.
"Why didn't you call me?" he demanded.
Hu Xiaoyu looked sheepish, unwilling to lie. He mumbled, "Saving... saving money."
There had been a whole group of them, but he'd handled them all—some even ended up in the hospital.
Now his options were: pay compensation, spend time in detention, or be bailed out by a family member or friend.
Time meant little to a yao. Detention? He could endure.
But money? Absolutely not.
In the past, he would've called Yu Tan immediately—after all, staying by Yu Tan's side mattered more than anything.
But Yu Tan had warned him: if he appeared within three days, there'd be fines.
All things considered, squatting in the station for a few days seemed like the most cost-effective plan. Poverty forced the fox to be frugal.
Seeing Yu Tan confused, Hu Xiaoyu explained earnestly, "You said not to see you, or there'd be fines."
Yu Tan didn't reply. His chest felt as though it had been dunked in vinegar—tight and sour.
The feeling vanished almost instantly, like a fleeting illusion.
He smoothed Hu Xiaoyu's hair and said evenly, "Stay away from that so-called friend of yours from now on."
"You mean Jin Bao? He's a good person—he even treated me to barbecue..."
"A good person who left you in the station after a fight?" Yu Tan sneered.
"I told him to go. I said you'd come pick me up."
That part... wasn't entirely true.
Hu Xiaoyu had indeed told Jin Bao to leave with his agent. But Jin Bao had refused, saying he'd call Shi Jingyang for help.
Shi Jingyang was Yu Tan's friend. If he got involved, Yu Tan would know everything.
So Hu Xiaoyu had discreetly used a thread of spiritual power to muddle Jin Bao's senses and sent him away.
Somehow, though, Yu Tan had still found out and come.
Yu Tan's expression chilled. "You're not allowed to associate with him anymore!"
Hu Xiaoyu frowned. "No. He's my friend."
During detention, he asked Jin Bao's birthdate and read his fortune. The man had lived a rough life and was currently entangled in a doomed romance—perilously close to disaster.
Jin Bao was kind and warmhearted, just unlucky.
Even if it was only for that piece of candy he'd given him in the beginning, Hu Xiaoyu wanted to help him when he could—even if he couldn't change his fate.
To Hu Xiaoyu, Jin Bao and Yu Tan were somewhat alike.
Both were humans who had shown him kindness in this world.
Though their weight in his heart wasn't equal—if both were in danger, he'd save Yu Tan first—he had his own principles and would not bend them easily.
Once he called someone, a friend, that was final.
Seeing the boy's resolute expression, Yu Tan snapped, "Stubborn!"
Hu Xiaoyu thought smugly: I am the pinnacle of spiritual beings. Thank you very much.
Still, considering Yu Tan had come all this way to get him—and hadn't mentioned deducting his pay—he decided to let it drop.
The car lapsed into silence.
After a day of fighting and fortune-telling, Hu Xiaoyu was exhausted. His head kept nodding forward until it nearly struck the window.
Through the rearview mirror, Ah Jiu caught sight of the boss's annoyed expression—and the hand that gently guided Hu Xiaoyu's head to rest against his shoulder.
It was... surprisingly tender.
He had witnessed too much of Yu Tan's ruthlessness to miss the obvious: Hu Xiaoyu was an anomaly.
The man, who could not be swayed by threats or bribes, was strangely tolerant when it came to this quirky little fox.
Alright, Ah Jiu had to admit—Hu Xiaoyu truly was something else.
Most of all, he was real.
Those who clawed their way up from the dark were always calculating, forever guarded. In their dead, silent world, someone like Hu Xiaoyu was a jarring burst of color—lively, bold, impossible to ignore.
Half-asleep, Hu Xiaoyu smelled that familiar scent.
He didn't even need to think: Yu Tan was near.
Without opening his eyes, his hands instinctively wrapped around Yu Tan's waist. He leaned over and rested his head on the man's lap, sinking into a deeper sleep.
Yu Tan: "..."
He sighed. How could anyone stay angry at this little fool?
Pinching Hu Xiaoyu's soft cheeks, he muttered, "Stupid to death."
The next morning, Hu Xiaoyu woke in his own bed.
It was already mid-morning; Yu Tan had left for work.
His last memory was falling asleep in the car… so…
He hurried to find Uncle Hong, who confirmed with a smile that yes—it had been Yu Tan who carried him into the room himself.
Hu Xiaoyu's heart practically bubbled with joy.
After all these years, he had finally gotten to snuggle in Yu Tan's arms again.
Next time he felt drowsy, he resolved to stay close so he could fall asleep beside him.
Meanwhile, Yu Tan was not at the office.
Among his many properties, some were reserved for special purposes—like interrogation.
The moment Shi Jingyang brought Jin Bao to him, the man's legs nearly gave out.
Shi Jingyang, who had been keeping Jin Bao as a lover for two years, tried to reassure him gently:
"Don't worry. Yu-ge just wants to ask a few questions. For my sake, he won't lay a finger on you."
Of course, if Jin Bao truly angered Yu Tan, Shi Jingyang would be the first to throw him under the bus.
A kept toy could never compare to a brother.
After dropping Jin Bao off, Shi Jingyang slipped away, unwilling to linger.
Jin Bao had heard countless rumors about Yu Tan while working at Nightshade Club.
Cold, ruthless, untouchable—he often visited, but never allowed anyone to get close, as though he were merely there for the show.
Now, even without looking up, Jin Bao felt Yu Tan's presence bearing down like a predator's gaze—sharp enough to flay him alive.
Half an hour later, Jin Bao stumbled out like a deflated balloon.
Simply sitting across from Yu Tan had left his spine bowed, his soul shaken. He couldn't fathom how Hu Xiaoyu could ever speak of Yu Tan with such a sweet, carefree smile.
Inside the room, Yu Tan was still replaying Jin Bao's words in his mind—words that struck like a thunderclap:
"Xiaoyu asked me what it felt like… to sleep with a man."