At precisely six o'clock the next morning, Hu Xiaoyu began wandering around the living room.
Though he hadn't properly meditated to restore his energy, his natural spiritual power had recovered to about thirty percent. He no longer felt sluggish.
His early-morning pacing quickly drew the attention of Uncle Hong.
Soon after, he received not only a charging cable but also a hearty breakfast.
Around 7 AM, Yu Tan came downstairs.
The once quiet living room was now blaring with loud, tacky music. The lyrics seemed to be "Just this fabulous."
Seeing that furry head of hair on the couch, Yu Tan's brow furrowed.
So he's not only dumb—but also a narcissist?
Just then, Hu Xiaoyu—"Just this fabulous"—turned around to look at him.
Those fox-like eyes sparkled as usual, full of unfiltered joy. He was clearly eager to share:
"Yu Tan! They had crab roe buns for breakfast. Super tasty!"
Yu Tan grabbed the phone from his hand, silenced the music with one tap, and tossed it back to him.
Finally, peace and quiet.
He didn't acknowledge the crab roe buns at all. Instead, he issued a cold warning:
"Wear headphones. Understand?"
Hu Xiaoyu blinked. "Oh… but I don't have any…"
Other than the phone, all of the original Hu Xiaoyu's belongings had been cremated—including the headphones and charger.
Uncle Hong, ever the peacekeeper, quickly interjected, "Don't worry, I'll get some for him."
Hu Xiaoyu thanked him sweetly, then turned his curious gaze to Yu Tan's faint dark circles.
He flicked his finger.
A thin stream of pale green spiritual light slithered up Yu Tan's pant leg, wrapped around his body, and gently seeped into his temples.
Because Hu Xiaoyu had left a tail bound to Yu Tan, his spiritual power couldn't harm him—in fact, it actually benefitted him.
As the creases between Yu Tan's brows relaxed, Hu Xiaoyu casually wandered over and sat at the dining table.
He didn't touch his food again. He just rested his chin on his hands and stared unabashedly at Yu Tan.
Yu Tan had often suffered from strange, dark dreams. Last night had been no exception—hence his foul mood this morning.
But not anymore. It was as if his mind had been swept clean by a soft spring breeze.
He hadn't felt this clear-headed in years.
And the only new factor…
Yu Tan, always suspicious by nature, stared at the boy across from him. "Come here."
"One meter," Hu Xiaoyu reminded cheerfully. He had an excellent memory.
"That rule no longer applies." Yu Tan, unusually patient, waited for the boy to come closer. Then he reached out and grabbed Hu Xiaoyu's waist, standing up to lean in toward his neck.
A refreshing, earthy scent enveloped him, like the air after rain.
Hu Xiaoyu didn't flinch. He'd long grown used to Yu Tan's closeness. In fact, he sniffed lightly and caught the familiar sandalwood scent that Yu Tan had always carried in his past life.
Ah Jiu, returning from his morning run, stumbled at the door.
He seriously wondered if he was hallucinating from low blood sugar.
But no—his boss was indeed holding Hu Xiaoyu and… measuring his waist?
Yu Tan hadn't expected his so-called "fated one" to be this useful so quickly.
He rather liked this benefit.
But the waist—far too slender. He could wrap a hand around it and probably snap it with a bit of pressure.
Why was he gauging the boy's waist? He had no idea. It was a subconscious impulse—like he'd done it before.
That nagging sense of familiarity annoyed him.
His irritation made him even more critical. "Didn't change your clothes?"
Hu Xiaoyu was still wearing the same shorts and tee from yesterday.
Of course, he had conjured them with his spiritual power—they were clean and dust-repellent. But to Yu Tan, it looked unhygienic.
Hu Xiaoyu pouted. "…I don't have anything else to wear. But bodyguards get paid, right? Once I get paid, I can buy clothes."
That sparked a bit of nostalgia.
Back before he fell into deep sleep, he had lived in Yu Tan's home, with boxes and boxes of new clothes.
Though he kept forgetting that Yu Tan no longer remembered him, when it came to money, he suddenly became very clear-headed.
This Yu Tan wasn't quite like the one from before.
Still, if he could earn money being a bodyguard, he could buy clothes, and fish, and even gifts for Yu Tan.
He had always received gifts before. Now, it was his turn to give them. That felt pretty nice.
"So that's what this is about," Yu Tan muttered, pinching his chin. The boy's pouty mouth and bright face really did resemble a delicate little fish—strangely adorable. "Ten thousand a month. Bonuses depend on performance."
Hu Xiaoyu had no clue what "bonuses" might imply. But Ah Jiu did.
That tone? It was how the boss used to talk to his lovers.
Then again, with a face like Hu Xiaoyu's, who could blame him?
Uncle Hong practically beamed when Yu Tan finished a second bowl of porridge. He wanted to offer Hu Xiaoyu incense and worship him.
Ah Jiu, meanwhile, waited for a moment and then cautiously asked Hu Xiaoyu, "Do you like the boss?"
After all, Hu Xiaoyu had once been obsessed with Liu Luanzhou, and rumors of his antics had become legendary in their circles.
Now that the boss seemed to take an interest in Hu Xiaoyu, Ah Jiu wanted to get ahead of any drama. If the feelings weren't mutual… well, fists might start flying.
And while Yu Tan was skilled, Hu Xiaoyu's strange powers made Ah Jiu uneasy.
"I like him," Hu Xiaoyu replied without hesitation.
Yu Tan was his favorite human in this life. Maybe he liked Uncle Hong a little too.
Ah Jiu exhaled in relief. "Good. Keep it that way."
Upstairs, Yu Tan, now changing clothes, heard every word.
His expression remained neutral.
Still, it was easier to manipulate a little toy that liked you.
When Yu Tan left for work, Hu Xiaoyu naturally followed.
He headed for the front passenger seat but was stopped. "Back seat."
Hu Xiaoyu blinked, then quickly understood—Yu Tan liked the effects of his spiritual energy.
If making Yu Tan feel good counted as repaying his kindness, then he was happy to oblige.
He decided: half his time would go to cultivating spiritual power for Yu Tan's comfort, and the other half to playing with his phone.
Once they reached the office, Hu Xiaoyu was dazzled by everything he saw.
But while he was wide-eyed with curiosity, he didn't come off as gauche. It was the others who lost their composure—men and women alike—bumping into desks, tripping over their own feet.
In the CEO's office, Hu Xiaoyu watched Yu Tan make a few calls. Soon, the secretary arrived with several sets of clothes—down to the underwear.
Then, Ah Jiu escorted him to the private shower room.
Hu Xiaoyu hated bathing. He preferred a magical cleansing spell.
Skilled in the art of pretending, especially with Yu Tan, he simply turned on the shower for show, sat in the corner playing with his phone until the room steamed up, then changed into fresh clothes.
But this Yu Tan wasn't as easy to fool as the one in his memories.
Afterward, Yu Tan casually ruffled his hair—and then sent him back to the shower.
This time, Hu Xiaoyu truly bathed. Miserably.
Though in human form, he could almost feel his lovely fur clumping together from the water. It was awful.
When he finally came out, dressed and clean, he sat far from Yu Tan.
That lasted three minutes.
As soon as Yu Tan mentioned signing a contract and receiving a salary, Hu Xiaoyu perked up and bounced right over.
"Where do I sign?"
"No rush." Yu Tan put down his pen and pulled him in close, resting his face against Hu Xiaoyu's neck. "This is nice. Be obedient, and you can stay with me forever."
Hu Xiaoyu didn't know how long "forever" really was—humans only lived a few decades.
But he loved being close to Yu Tan.
He did regret not being able to curl up in his arms in his true form. That would probably scare him half to death.
Still, he responded cheerfully, "Mm-hmm! I'll stay with you for the rest of this life."
Yu Tan thought to himself: For life? Wishful thinking.
He sneered inwardly but held the boy for a little longer—feeling surprisingly better afterward—before finally getting to work.
First task: sign Hu Xiaoyu's bodyguard contract. 100,000 a month. Eight days off.
Hu Xiaoyu didn't mind. He even asked for an advance.
The original had money once, but after falling out with his parents, everything had been frozen. He didn't even have a belt—had to hang himself with his own waistband.
At lunch, Hu Xiaoyu ordered fish.
It was disappointing—not nearly as good as last night's at the club. He ate two bites and stopped.
Yu Tan barely spared it a glance.
For someone who used to work construction, he sure was picky.
Yu Tan didn't invite him to nap in the bedroom afterward.
He liked the boy's scent—it soothed him—but he had rules. No one in the bed. Not anymore.
Once was enough for betrayal.
Hu Xiaoyu napped on the office couch. He quietly sent a wisp of spiritual energy to brush Yu Tan's cheek.
When he confirmed he was asleep, he slipped out to explore.
A hundred years ago, the world hadn't been this peaceful or prosperous.
He wandered the nearby mall. A few girls even pulled him aside for photos—they were so friendly!
Even more amazing—when they said they liked him, his spiritual power increased.
From twenty-five percent to twenty-seven.
So… human affection helped restore energy?
Intrigued, he wandered more, until he hit thirty percent. Any higher would be much harder—probably would take tens of thousands of fans. That felt daunting.
When he returned at 3 p.m., he carried a 50-yuan milk tea recommended by the girls—for Yu Tan.
Then, he was fined 100 yuan for skipping work.
Yu Tan didn't even glance at the milk tea. "You're not drinking it?" Hu Xiaoyu asked hopefully.
"Take it away," Yu Tan said flatly, eyes on his computer.
Hu Xiaoyu sadly carried it out and gave it to Ah Jiu.
Ah Jiu, mid-game, accepted it and explained, "Boss doesn't like milk."
"Why not?" Hu Xiaoyu asked, confused. That didn't fit his memory.
In the past, Yu Tan used to drink milk with him all the time—one big bowl, one little bowl.
Ah Jiu hesitated. "Some things… are better left unasked."
He'd seen Yu Tan at his lowest. If Hu Xiaoyu weren't so capable and even-tempered, Ah Jiu would've never gotten involved.
For the first time, Hu Xiaoyu began to truly recognize how much Yu Tan had changed.
He was sure this was still the same man.
But in this life, Yu Tan was colder, his tastes altered—and perhaps, he no longer liked small animals.
Still, Hu Xiaoyu quickly cheered up.
That didn't matter.
No matter what Yu Tan had become—he was still the one who saved him.
After work, Hu Xiaoyu looked at Yu Tan and said earnestly, "I want to treat you to dinner."
Yu Tan lifted his eyelids lazily. "Oh?"
Hu Xiaoyu straightened his back and replied proudly, "I have money now."
Ah Jiu, who had been waiting nearby, couldn't help but chuckle.
Yu Tan was in a decent mood—and suddenly thought of a way to make it even better. He smiled slowly and said, "Sure. But I'll choose the place."
He was usually stingy with his expressions, let alone a smile.
But this time, his smile rose like the moon into the night sky—still shadowed by traces of gloom, yet enough to make Ah Jiu momentarily dazed.
Hu Xiaoyu hadn't seen Yu Tan smile like that in a long time. His fox-like eyes curved with delight.
What he didn't know was that shortly afterward, Yu Tan instructed someone to find out where Liu Luanzhou would be going that night.
Because happiness built on the misery of your enemies?
Well, that was the best kind of joy.