Count Me In for Seafood

Ruanruan didn't know what had happened on his phone, but she could tell that Lu Linyuan was in a good mood. He even smiled more when he looked at her, making him look like a crooked merchant.

"All right, playtime's over. I still have things to deal with, so go play by yourself for a while." Lu Linyuan set Ruanruan on the bottom platform of the cat tree. If he put her too high up, he was afraid she might get groggy and tumble off. She was so tiny-if she fell, wouldn't she turn straight into a flat little cat pancake?

Lu Linyuan had barely settled back into his office chair when Ruanruan, thoroughly unimpressed at being placed at the bottom of the cat tree, climbed down and scampered over to the floor-to-ceiling window.

Staying on the cat tree was so boring. She might as well look at the scenery outside. They were high up, and traffic flowed endlessly below.

The sun slanted westward, and other colors slowly began to tint the golden clouds.

Seen from up high, the scenery outside was always more beautiful and dazzling than it was from the ground. When she used to work in an office building nearby, she had deliberately chosen a cubicle by the window. Whenever work tired her out, she could look outside and always find a lovely view. It swept away her fatigue and made her feel she could hold out a little longer.

The air in Yunlan City had always been good. Great, fluffy white clouds were always drifting slowly across the sky with the wind. Its evening skies were especially famous for their brilliance, often making the trending searches.

She loved looking at the scenery outside, losing herself in its beauty.

Looking down from such a height, she saw pedestrians moving along the road, tiny as ants and insignificant as specks of dust, just like herself now.

No matter what, it was good to be alive.

No matter how hard and exhausting life had been before, even when she had been so poor at school that she could only eat plain rice and pickles, she had never entertained any dark thoughts. Her life now was more than ten thousand times better than before, so what did she have to be dissatisfied with?

Besides, she was a super-cute little kitten, okay?!

No matter what circumstances she found herself in, she would cherish life. That was Ruanruan's attitude toward living.

The little kitten had now accepted her fate. Although her boss was difficult to cater to, he at least treated her fairly well. She had caused trouble several times, and he hadn't gotten angry with her. He had really been decent to her, so she couldn't keep messing around.

She might as well be the kind of cat owners liked best: occasionally mischievous but well-behaved most of the time.

Rich people's money was easy to earn, but after work, Su Qingzhi and Chen Xiao came charging straight over.

Apparently, the two had talked it over afterward and realized Lu Linyuan was a crooked merchant. What was the fun in watching videos? They had to hold and rua her in person to get their money's worth. They were also going to make Lu Linyuan treat them to a meal; no matter what, they couldn't let him make money so easily.

It was obvious at a glance that Su Qingzhi and Chen Xiao had arranged to come together. As soon as they entered the office, they headed straight for Ruanruan, their eyes sweeping around.

"Where's Ruanruan?!"

"Where's Ruanruan?!"

Little Ruanruan was pressed against the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the evening sky outside and marveling to herself that this was indeed a CEO's office. That enormous panoramic window made the view a real treat.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and two men called her name one after the other. Ruanruan, who had been lying on the floor, was so startled that she jumped up and went straight to Lu Linyuan. With her bottom pressed against his leather shoe, she poked her head out to look at them, but she was too short and could only see four legs!

Her head was full of question marks. For a moment, she even wondered if she had left debts unpaid in her previous life, and her creditors had come charging into the CEO's office to collect from her after she'd been reincarnated!

I don't owe anyone money, do I?!

Why are these people acting like debt collectors?!

Seeing the two men hollering as soon as they came in, Lu Linyuan reached down and picked up the kitten, whose body was trembling slightly with fright. He frowned at them and said in a displeased tone, "Why are you being so loud? You scared her."

When Su Qingzhi saw that Ruanruan was still trembling slightly in Lu Linyuan's arms, he immediately felt a little sorry. He gave Chen Xiao a shove and said, "It's all your fault, shouting so loudly. Look how you scared the little one!"

Chen Xiao's head was full of question marks. He opened his mouth, then decided not to bother explaining. Instead, he strode over, reached out, and lifted Ruanruan from Lu Linyuan's arms to hold her himself.

"I already paid, so holding her for a while isn't too much to ask, is it?"

He was just that self-assured.

Su Qingzhi also came over and stroked Ruanruan's soft fur. "Of course it isn't!" he told Lu Linyuan. He had transferred five thousand, and Chen Xiao had transferred ten thousand. Lu Linyuan had made a killing.

Lu Linyuan hadn't held on to Ruanruan and refused to let go because he was afraid Chen Xiao might accidentally tug on her and hurt the little one.

Ruanruan was thoroughly confused by what she'd heard, but that didn't stop her from studying the man holding her.

Wow, wow, wow! I can feel his firm pecs even through his shirt, and look at the muscle definition in his arms. He's obviously a man who loves fitness and pumping iron. Paired with that handsome, striking face, he's got a sporty look. So handsome guys' friends are handsome too! Each has a different air about him, but they're all appealing in their own way.

Looking at Chen Xiao and Su Qingzhi, she couldn't help thinking of all the BL comics and novels she had read. One was tall and striking, a hunk whose tan skin showed at a glance that he loved outdoor sports, while the other was refined and delicate...

Can't think about it, can't think about it. If I keep going, I'll start shipping them in my own head.

Lu Linyuan said, "It's rare for you two to speak in unison. What, have you formed a united front against me? I didn't rob you. You gave me the money yourselves."

For all his tough-guy looks, Chen Xiao didn't hold back when it came to rua-ing a cat. He even held Ruanruan close and rubbed his cheek against her back.

"Who's forming a united front with him?"

"Who's forming a united front with him?!"

Once again, the two spoke in unison.

Lu Linyuan raised an eyebrow, clearly not looking very convinced.

Su Qingzhi was a little quicker with his tongue. He gave a cold chuckle and said, "You Zhou Bapi, you really don't hold back when you're ripping off your brothers. Treat me to dinner tonight. I want king crab. One probably won't be enough for the three of us, so at least two."

Chen Xiao didn't waste words either. He seized the chance to say, "At least one Boston lobster per person, right? I heard there's a discount if you buy five Boston lobsters at the Moria Hotel. We might as well get five. It's not like we can't finish them."

"Exactly, exactly."

Goodness, the moment they opened their mouths, it was Boston lobster and king crab. Just listening to them made Ruanruan's mouth water; the little one was practically drooling.

Is this how rich people live? King crab and giant lobsters, just like that? Never mind, I'm definitely tagging along for dinner tonight!

Seafood had to be eaten fresh, so it was generally steamed. Since it was steamed, there was nothing a little kitten like her couldn't eat. That only strengthened Ruanruan's resolve to follow them and sponge a meal.

"Meow-" Right, five is a better deal. The four of us should be able to finish two king crabs!

She looked thoroughly interested in the subject.

Seeing that Chen Xiao had held her for so long, Su Qingzhi took her from him and said, "All right, you've held her long enough. Let me hold her for a while. I paid five thousand yuan for videos of Ruanruan. Surely it's not too much to ask to pet the real star."

"You paid five thousand, but I paid ten thousand. Is there a problem with me holding her longer than you?" Chen Xiao refused to concede verbally, but he didn't snatch her back.

Holding Ruanruan, Su Qingzhi jeered, "That's just because you're a fool with too much money. He asked for ten thousand, and you gave him ten thousand."

Chen Xiao shot back, "And you were still the first one to rush off and make a transfer. The moment I said I wouldn't transfer him money or pay, you couldn't sit still and came running to ask me. I wonder who the fool is. If I'd kept quiet, let's see who would've died of suspense."

Not to be outdone, Su Qingzhi said, "You still transferred more than I did. You're the biggest fool!"

"At worst, I'll just eat more tonight." The hunk shrugged.

With those two gentlemen in the office, the place suddenly became extraordinarily lively, as though eight hundred people were arguing.

Lu Linyuan rubbed his forehead and continued dealing with the last of his work. Only when he was nearly finished did he say unhurriedly, "Did I say I'd treat you to dinner? The money and goods have changed hands. I don't owe you anything."

"Damn, seriously? You made fifteen thousand in one day, and you're not even willing to treat your brothers to a seafood dinner?"

"Exactly. If you won't treat us, I'm kidnapping this little kitten." Chen Xiao had already taken Ruanruan back into his arms. After speaking, he held up Ruanruan, who was obediently letting him rua her, for Lu Linyuan to see. His expression said, I have a hostage, so you'd better listen to me.

Ruanruan immediately joined forces with Chen Xiao and Su Qingzhi, meowing at Lu Linyuan.

Are you treating us or not? You made fifteen thousand in one day, and you still won't buy us dinner!

Treat us!

I want to eat!

"Meow-" Treat us!

"Meow-" Treat us!

By the end of her outburst, Ruanruan realized that everyone else had gone quiet, leaving only her meowing away in righteous indignation. After one last, feeble meow, she looked at Su Qingzhi and Chen Xiao, her expression saying, How can you be so disloyal? I'm helping you denounce the capitalist, so why are you all staring at me?

Keep denouncing him with me!

Su Qingzhi pinched his chin and said thoughtfully, "Does anyone else get the feeling this cat is denouncing Lu Linyuan along with us?"

Chen Xiao stroked Ruanruan's back and said, "I thought her tone sounded like she was saying, 'Treat us-' Look at that, Lu Linyuan. Even your cat is more generous than you!"

Lu Linyuan also looked at Ruanruan. A moment later, he said one thing.

"Whose side are you on, anyway?" With that, he took her back from the crook of Chen Xiao's arm.

The moment Lu Linyuan held Ruanruan, it was as though she had been sealed. She was as meek as a rabbit, without making a peep, as if the cat who had just joined the other two in denouncing him wasn't her at all, but some other cat.

"You look like a thief with a guilty conscience."

Hearing this, Su Qingzhi clicked his tongue and said, "How can you say that? I think Ruanruan is very clever. If she knew we were going out for seafood, she'd definitely be as excited as she was just now."

Ruanruan looked excitedly at Su Qingzhi and shouted in her heart, Brother, you took the words right out of my mouth! Yes, that's exactly what I mean!

I want to go feast on seafood with you!