You like me too

Gu Cheng bit Ye Ruan again in retaliation, and the two lay cuddled up on the chair, holding each other for a while.

Ren Fei'er stirred on the chair opposite them.

She seemed to be having a nightmare, whimpering for her mother.

Ye Ruan shoved the sly wolf off him and went over to check on Ren Fei'er.

Her face was less pale, but after everything she had been through, the little girl had grown even thinner.

"Don't cry. It's all right."

Ye Ruan gently soothed Ren Fei'er, and the sleeping girl clutched his fingers where his hand rested on the chair.

Gu Cheng complained, "Baby, you're so heartless."

Ye Ruan really couldn't stand that pet name. His cheeks flared scarlet, and he refused to respond.

Gu Cheng had no shame. He strode over in two steps and planted a firm kiss on Ye Ruan's cheek, only then feeling satisfied.

"I'll make you dinner and heat some water for your bath while I'm at it."

"Mm..." Ye Ruan gave a muffled reply, tugging at the rabbit ears he hadn't managed to keep under control.

His ears were hot to the touch, the skin beneath their fur bright red.

As Gu Cheng worked, he glanced back at Ye Ruan.

Those rabbit ears were more honest than their owner. Whenever Gu Cheng made the slightest sound, they perked up to listen closely.

Ye Ruan didn't turn around, but his ears gave him away completely.

For dinner, Gu Cheng cooked a small pot of noodle soup with canned meat and freeze-dried vegetables.

The aroma filled the entire vehicle.

Ye Ruan saw Ren Fei'er open her eyes. She had been unconscious, but now she sniffed hard at the smell of food, her eyes staring blankly with hunger.

He hurriedly tucked away his upright rabbit ears.

"Shall I help you sit up?"

Ye Ruan eased his fingers out of her tight grip. "There's plenty of food, so don't worry. Captain Gu is dishing some up for you."

The little girl's fingers trembled with hunger. Wrapped in a blanket, she looked barely bigger than a cat.

Gu Cheng filled a clean bowl halfway for Ren Fei'er.

The bowls they used as special people were all enormous. One held as much as two ordinary bowls.

Because the bowls were too big, Ye Ruan had even taken to using his own little food tin as his regular bowl.

"Eat slowly, or your stomach will hurt."

Ye Ruan patiently fed Ren Fei'er the noodles.

The rabbit looked like a child himself, but he was careful and attentive in everything he did.

Gu Cheng waited until Ye Ruan finished feeding the little girl, then took the bowl. "Leave it here. I'll wash it later."

"Thank you..." Ren Fei'er's voice was weak. Once she was full, she closed her eyes and fell soundly asleep again.

The two sat on the floor with a folding table between them, making it their little dining room.

"Is it good?" Gu Cheng looked at him expectantly.

Ye Ruan twirled up a chopstickful of noodles and put them in his mouth. His cheeks bulged slightly as he chewed for a while, then swallowed.

"It's good. From now on, you..."

Ye Ruan paused and blinked, then decided to lower his head and keep eating.

Gu Cheng laughed heartily, his tone teasing.

"From now on, I'll do the cooking, wash the dishes, and take care of the housework at home. All you need to do is whatever you enjoy."

Ye Ruan picked up a leafy green and said deliberately, "I haven't said I'd marry you yet."

Gu Cheng didn't mind. "It doesn't matter whether we get married. I'm living with you either way. If you won't come to my wolf den, I'll move into your rabbit burrow."

That reminded Ye Ruan of the question Gu Cheng had dodged earlier.

"Gu Cheng, I want to see your original form."

"Hey, aren't you taking a bath in a bit? Can I help?"

Gu Cheng adored Little Bunny's soft, round body, like a fluffy little mochi.

He could cradle the little rabbit's whole body in one hand and even feel his heartbeat.

Thump, thump, thump.

If circumstances allowed, Gu Cheng really wanted to tuck the rabbit inside his clothes and simply make himself the rabbit's burrow.

With the subject diverted yet again, Ye Ruan shook his head. "No! You're always touching my tail. That's sexual harassment!"

Gu Cheng clicked his tongue and lowered his voice.

"You touched my tail too. We both wanted it, so we're even."

"I promise I won't tease you anymore if you don't like it."

Ye Ruan's cheeks were red. "If it were anyone else, he'd already be dead."

Gu Cheng rested his arm on the table, his eyes filled with warmth.

"But I'm still alive and well. Doesn't that prove you like me too?"

After waiting a while without another word from Ye Ruan, Gu Cheng knew something was weighing on his mind. He was probably worried about something, which was why he wouldn't make a promise lightly.

Gu Cheng didn't press him. He gently ruffled Ye Ruan's hair. "Eat some more. Want more greens? I've got some in my bowl."

Ye Ruan said quietly, "I want some cabbage."

"You can have it all." Gu Cheng picked out all his cabbage and put it in Ye Ruan's bowl.

"I'm a pretty decent cook. I can also make those alfalfa and timothy hay biscuits they sell at the camp's supermarket for special people."

"And the First Team pays well. I'll hand over my whole salary from now on, so you can buy whatever you want."

When it came to food, Ye Ruan agreed without hesitation.

Gu Cheng felt a little wounded. In Little Bunny's heart, this wolf ranked below grass.

Late that night, Gu Cheng stood watch on the vehicle's roof. Their surroundings were silent, like a deserted country road, with weed-covered fields on either side.

Gu Cheng quietly climbed down and rummaged around for a while, actually digging up a pile of sweet potatoes.

With no one weeding the field, the sweet potatoes hadn't grown very large. They were about three fingers thick and a palm long.

Once he was back on the roof, Ye Ruan heard him and climbed up.

"What did you go do?"

Gu Cheng opened his jacket. "I dug up some sweet potatoes in the field beside us. I can make you sweet soup or roast them."

Ye Ruan picked up the smallest one. "There's even one this tiny."

"No one weeded them, so they couldn't grow big."

Gu Cheng put the sweet potatoes away, washed his hands, and came over.

A thick blanket had already been spread across the roof. Ye Ruan lay on it in wool socks, still examining the tiny sweet potato.

Gu Cheng lay down beside Ye Ruan and dried his hair with the towel in his hand.

"It's soaking wet. If you don't dry it, you'll get migraines when you're old, Little Bunny."

Ye Ruan swung his feet twice. "That's still ages away. It's fine."

Gu Cheng laughed. "Not sleepy? Want to sleep up here with me tonight?"

Ye Ruan turned over, rolling straight into Gu Cheng's arms, and held up the little sweet potato. "I remembered something."

Gu Cheng gave his rabbit ears a squeeze. "What?"

"My mother used to buy sweet potatoes this small. She'd wash them and steam them for me."

Ye Ruan licked his slightly dry lips. "They were really sweet. We all loved them."

Gu Cheng extended his arm, and Ye Ruan naturally settled his head on it, the top of his head brushing against the hollow of Gu Cheng's shoulder.

Gu Cheng took a thick quilt from his Storage Wristband. Both of them were wearing sweaters, and snuggling together made them even warmer.

Gu Cheng's chest vibrated slightly as he spoke. "Auntie Man was incredible. Every special person respected her. It's a shame she left the team so early."

"One year, my mother was injured on a mission. After that, she couldn't do any strenuous exercise. And every spring and autumn, she'd get sick and have a hard time recovering."

Ye Ruan's voice was full of worry. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arm around Gu Cheng, his fingers clutching his clothes.

"When we get back, we'll take Auntie Man to see a doctor. I know a doctor the First Team members go to when they're sick. They're better before they've even finished their medicine."

Gu Cheng lowered his head and pinched Little Bunny's cheek.

"Don't be sad anymore, hmm?"

"Such a pretty face, but you always look so hurt. It makes my heart ache."

Ye Ruan took the opportunity to bite the man's hard knuckle. "I'm not... Even if I smiled now, could you see it clearly?"

Gu Cheng let him bite, his thumb resting gently against Ye Ruan's cheek. "Then smile for me. I'll be able to feel it."

"Did you mean what you said earlier?" Ye Ruan suddenly released his finger and asked.

Gu Cheng didn't understand. "What did I say?"

Ye Ruan tilted his head up and said softly:

"Come here. I'll give you a kiss, and you change back into your original form so I can see."