Holding hands?
Yu Tan's brows lowered, and he let out a snort of laughter. "Who do you think you are? From now on, unless I give you permission, stay at least one meter away from me. You're a bodyguard, not a pet I need to cradle in my arms—understand? If you can't do that, you can leave right now."
He cast Hu Xiaoyu a cold glance and turned to walk away.
Yu Tan wasn't worried that Hu Xiaoyu would suddenly quit. Though his appearance was abrupt, his eagerness to get close to him was blatantly obvious. He wouldn't give up easily. Still, Yu Tan couldn't figure out what exactly his motive was.
Hu Xiaoyu bared his little fangs at Yu Tan's back and muttered under his breath, "Why doesn't he hug me anymore? He used to coax me into showing my true form and even loved petting my fur..."
To express his dissatisfaction, he twitched his finger ever so slightly.
A wisp of green spiritual energy, invisible to the human eye, darted past Yu Tan's shoulder and seeped into the car that Ah Jiu had just driven over.
Ah Jiu stopped the car and got out, intending to open the door for his boss. But no matter how hard he pushed, the door wouldn't budge—as if it were jammed.
Hands in his pockets, Hu Xiaoyu strolled up lazily behind Yu Tan, just in time to watch him place his hand on the car handle—and open the door with ease.
The moment Yu Tan touched the handle, the spiritual energy surrounding the door dispersed into glittering particles. Some even playfully circled him before disappearing into his body.
What the...?!
Hu Xiaoyu stared, dumbfounded.
Then it dawned on him. Ah! I forgot—Yu Tan still carries one of my tails! My spiritual energy doesn't work on him.
After that whole display, Hu Xiaoyu wasn't angry anymore. Just a bit drained.
His spiritual power was already limited, and using even a little more left him faint.
Seeing Yu Tan seated in the back, Hu Xiaoyu remembered his earlier warning and obediently settled into the front passenger seat.
Curling up by the window, he rested his cheek against the glass, gazing in fascination at the dazzling modern city lights outside.
He had inherited the original host's memories, but seeing it for himself and experiencing it firsthand were two completely different things.
The world has changed so much. It's so beautiful—like a dream.
Hu Xiaoyu was in awe, then couldn't resist sneaking a glance into the back seat.
Yu Tan, who had been resting with his eyes closed, furrowed his brows and cracked one eye open. The indifference and fatigue in his gaze hinted at a man detached from everything, but the sharpness at the corners of his eyes still made people wary.
Hu Xiaoyu thought, The world became so beautiful... why did Yu Tan turn so cold?
He stared back fiercely, widened his eyes like a fierce kitten—and suddenly made a funny face.
Yu Tan's expression visibly cracked, just as Hu Xiaoyu ducked his head back down quickly.
Ah Jiu caught a glimpse of his boss's strained lips in the rearview mirror and quickly looked away, but couldn't help thinking—maybe Hu Xiaoyu's arrival wasn't a bad thing.
Tonight alone, his boss had shown more emotion than in the past few years combined.
After all, what's the point of having all the riches in the world if you're nothing but a walking corpse?
An hour later, the car pulled into a lush, tree-lined estate.
Hu Xiaoyu sniffed the air filled with the scent of fresh greenery, and instantly felt better.
So this was where Yu Tan lived?
He loved it.
Energized, he followed Yu Tan into the sprawling Yu family manor.
The landscaping was over-the-top, and with minimal lighting, the whole place seemed a little eerie at night.
The main residence was massive, with additional buildings for the staff, plus gardens and a swimming pool. It was practically a private estate.
The main house had three floors above ground and two below, with countless rooms. But with so few people, it gave off an unsettling emptiness at night.
Inside, an elderly man with a kind, round face and white hair was waiting.
When Yu Tan addressed him as "Uncle Hong," Hu Xiaoyu chimed in sweetly, "Hello, Uncle Hong!"
Yu Tan's steps paused briefly before he continued upstairs.
Uncle Hong chuckled, "Young Master brought a friend?"
Still beaming, Hu Xiaoyu nodded, "Yup! A very good friend. Yu Tan said he'd provide food and housing, so I came along."
Ah Jiu had already adapted to Hu Xiaoyu's nonsense. He grabbed a drink from the fridge while overhearing Yu Tan instruct Uncle Hong to arrange the empty first-floor bedroom for Hu Xiaoyu.
Uncle Hong's smile stiffened. "Young Master, that's not appropriate—"
Yu Tan tapped the staircase railing with his fingers. "It's settled." He looked at Hu Xiaoyu and added, "Don't go upstairs. If you need anything, ask Uncle Hong."
Ah Jiu turned and saw Hu Xiaoyu craning his neck to look up the stairs. "Fine, I won't. Stingy."
He grabbed another bottle of water from the fridge and handed it to Hu Xiaoyu before heading to his own room.
The room Yu Tan assigned was next to Ah Jiu's—it was a servant's room, half the size of the others, and though cleaned regularly, it still felt a bit musty from disuse.
Although Yu Tan had said Hu Xiaoyu was just a bodyguard, Uncle Hong didn't quite believe it. Maybe the two had had a falling out?
He explained gently, "Young Master is soft-hearted despite his sharp tongue. Don't take it personally. He's not used to having guests at home."
Despite his reservations, Uncle Hong dared not defy Yu Tan and instructed the maids to give the room another thorough cleaning.
Hu Xiaoyu, bribed with a cold drink, didn't mind Yu Tan's indifference at all.
He'd lived among many elders in the fox clan and quickly charmed Uncle Hong into smiling ear to ear. After chatting for a while, he retired to his room.
The room size didn't matter to him—he was far more interested in the modern amenities.
Using the original host's memories as a guide, he fumbled through turning things on and off, even playing with the showerhead several times before finally lying on the bed with a satisfied sigh.
Before successfully finding and getting close to Yu Tan, Hu Xiaoyu had been constantly on the move.
Now, for the first time, he could truly relax.
This was Yu Tan's home, and Yu Tan once said that his home would always be Hu Xiaoyu's. Nowhere else made him feel more at peace—even if Yu Tan no longer remembered those words.
He rolled around on the bed, then his phone rang.
Caller ID: "Li Yu."
Hu Xiaoyu answered, and the voice on the other end sounded anxious and frustrated: "Where are you?!"
"Where are you?" Hu Xiaoyu mimicked.
"Hu Xiaoyu! I'm asking where you are—it's so late and you're still not home. Don't you know Aunt and Uncle are worried sick?" Li Yu had him on speaker and turned to the concerned couple beside him.
Hu Xiaoyu recalled rejecting their calls earlier that day.
But the original Hu Xiaoyu—same name and all—was already dead. And based on his memories, the original had poor impressions of the so-called parents and this cousin, Li Yu. He'd been too busy getting close to Yu Tan to bother returning calls.
Still, some things had to be dealt with.
He sighed, piecing together the original host's feelings with his own clever fox brain. Calmly, he replied, "Li Yu, all you ever do is mock and belittle me. Now you care—just because you're in front of my 'parents'?"
Li Yu froze and instinctively glanced at the adults, his face turning red.
He was the son of Hu Xiaoyu's mother's brother and had become the golden child after Hu Xiaoyu was lost. To say he was the real young master of the Hu family wouldn't be far off. So for Hu Xiaoyu to say this now...
Mrs. Hu took the phone, her tone warning, "Jiajia—"
She still insisted on calling him by the name she gave him, "Hu Jia," hoping he'd one day accept it and fully return.
But Hu Xiaoyu—now the fox spirit with the same memories—wasn't interested in this forced sentiment.
To him, his only true family was Yu Tan.
He wasn't about to waste breath on awkward conversations. "Mom, I'm staying at a friend's place for a few days. Just clearing my head. I'll be back in a couple of days."
And with that, he hung up.
Mrs. Hu stared at the phone in disbelief. "Was that really Jiajia?"
Everyone knew Hu Xiaoyu had depression and rarely expressed himself so clearly. This was completely out of character.
Mr. Hu recognized his son's voice, but he also recalled that pointed line to Li Yu. He exhaled slowly. "It's him. We'll talk more when he comes back."
Not wanting to face Li Yu right now, he headed upstairs.
Mrs. Hu remained flustered, continuing to fuss at Li Yu.
Back in his room, Li Yu immediately messaged Hu Xiaoyu: "Are you at Yu Tan's place?"
News of the Hu family's little prince cozying up to Yu Tan had already made waves in elite circles.
Meanwhile, upstairs, Yu Tan was also on a call.
He stared at the prayer bead bracelet on his wrist and said casually, "Old man, the fated one you talked about... he's finally appeared. Now tell me—should I boil, fry, roast, or stew him?"