Back to My Human’s Teenage Years - Chapter 4

Shi Rang was angry again.

Jin Manman lay face down on his desk, letting out a troubled sigh. After he had offered to give the “last place” title back to Shi Rang, the other boy’s face had turned terrifyingly cold, and he had walked away without a single word. Chen Qian, on the other hand, had nearly turned purple trying to hold back his laughter, even giving Jin Manman a thumbs-up before he left.

This is so hard.

The boy’s brow drooped. Why was his master’s temper so much worse ten years ago?

Since Shi Rang was in a foul mood, Jin Manman didn’t dare speak to him further. He could only steal occasional glances, though he was caught by Shi Rang every single time. Shi Rang’s gaze was fierce; after just a second of eye contact, Jin Manman would frantically look away and lower his head in guilt.

However, he couldn’t stay still for long. He would inevitably peek again, only to be caught once more. This game of “guerrilla warfare” persisted throughout the entire afternoon.

As school was about to end and Shi Rang picked up his bag to leave, Jin Manman finally couldn’t hold back any longer. He reached out and tugged on Shi Rang’s sleeve.

“Shi Rang, can we add each other on WeChat?”

Jin Manman pulled out the phone he had been hiding all day. The phone had been given to him by the “Cat-Person Hero” organization. As a newly transformed cat-person, his body was still unstable; he might suddenly turn back into a cat or end up stuck in a half-human, half-cat state. To avoid exposure, they provided him with a phone so he could contact the organization immediately if something went wrong.

The Dean of Students had given him quite a fright, warning him strictly never to take the phone out during school hours, or it would be confiscated.

Jin Manman boldly produced the phone, looking up at Shi Rang with pleading eyes. “Please, Shi Rang, let’s add each other.”

Acting spoiled again!

Shi Rang gritted his teeth. What was with this new student? Why was he always acting so cute and spoiled around him?

Given Shi Rang’s personality, he should have brushed him off and walked away. Yet, for some reason, when he met the boy’s round, earnest eyes, the rejection stuck in his throat. He remained silent for a few seconds before snatching Jin Manman’s phone and typing in his ID. “Don’t bother me unless it’s something important.”

Jin Manman took the phone back with profound gratitude, nodding like a chick pecking at grain. “Mhm, mhm, mhm!”

Although he didn’t want to part, it was clear Shi Rang wasn’t going to take him along. Jin Manman could only wave goodbye reluctantly. “Bye, Shi Rang. See you tomorrow.”

Shi Rang ignored him and quickened his pace out of the classroom.

After school, the Dean of Students took Jin Manman to the dormitory. He had bought some daily necessities for him, which Jin Manman carried with great effort. He nodded at every word the Dean said, looking incredibly well-behaved.

“Since you arrived mid-term, the other dorms are already full. You’ll have to stay in a room by yourself for now.”

The room was at the very end of a corridor on the ground floor. The Dean opened the door and handed the key to Jin Manman. “Even though you’re living alone, you must be careful. Don’t let any humans discover your identity, or you’ll be expelled.”

Expulsion meant leaving Shi Rang.

Alarms blared in Jin Manman’s mind as he nodded vigorously. “I’ll definitely hide my tail and ears well.”

The Dean nodded in satisfaction. “Exactly. A little cat must tuck its tail in. Look at Lu Niannian in our organization—it was because she didn’t hide hers properly that she was caught by a human and taken back to get married.”

What does getting married involve?

Jin Manman tilted his head, but he was wise enough not to ask.

After seeing the Dean off, Jin Manman let out a sigh of relief. He quickly locked the door. A second later, his school uniform fell to the floor, and a little orange tabby emerged from the heap of clothes.

The cat leaped onto the bed, leaving tiny paw prints on the soft mattress. He let out a luxurious stretch and then flopped down, turning into a flat “cat-pancake.”

Being a cat is so much better than being a human!

Cats fall asleep instantly. Before long, the room was filled with the rhythmic sound of a tiny “tractor” engine. It was a good thing he was alone; otherwise, he might have been kicked out for noise complaints.

At the same time, in a villa in the South District, the entire third floor had been converted into a gaming room. Shi Rang leaned back lazily in his chair, holding a controller, yet he was constantly distracted. Every few minutes, he glanced at the phone on the desk.

How surprising. The new student is actually being obedient.

He said he wouldn’t bother me, and he really hasn’t.

Two minutes later, the phone on the desk vibrated. Shi Rang grabbed it instantly, but his voice sounded cold when he answered. “Didn’t I tell you not to bother me unless it’s important?”

However, Chen Qian’s voice came from the other end. “Shi-ge, are you home? Can I come over to play games?”

Shi Rang’s brow furrowed as he checked the caller ID. It was indeed Chen Qian. His voice turned even colder. “Not home. Busy.”

He hung up and tossed the phone aside. Realizing what he had just done, Shi Rang’s face darkened as he picked the controller back up.

Am I sick too?

Why am I waiting for that spoiled brat to call?

Jin Manman didn’t sleep for long before waking up hungry. He transformed back into human form and groggily ate the bread the Dean had given him. It was a bit dry. As he chewed with effort, he found himself missing the “cat-meals” Shi Rang used to make for him.

There were chunks of beef he loved, shredded fish, and carrots carved into the shape of little flowers… He missed Shi Rang so much.

Suddenly, the lights in the dorm went out, plunging the room into darkness. Manman was startled and snapped his head up. He gulped down the rest of the bread and rushed to turn the light back on, but even after several tries, the room remained dark.

It was pitch black. Manman’s heart began to thud. The window wasn’t shut tight, and a gust of wind blew in, knocking something over with a loud thump.

“Wah!”

Jin Manman nearly had his fur stand on end. He jumped up, grabbed his phone, scrambled onto the bed, and hid under the covers. With trembling fingers, he called Shi Rang. In his panic, he accidentally selected a video call.

Having just showered, Shi Rang came out of the bathroom drying his hair with a towel. He casually picked up the phone. He hadn’t checked the screen, assuming it was Chen Qian calling back, but once the call connected, a round, puffy face filled the entire screen.

“Shi Rang!” The boy’s voice sounded both urgent and piteous.

Shi Rang paused. “What’s wrong?”

The boy spoke anxiously, “The power suddenly went out. It’s so dark here.”

Shi Rang could see that everything around the boy was black; only the faint glow from the screen illuminated his face. His golden hair was a mess, with a few tufts sticking straight up on top. His eyes were wide and round, staring expectantly at him.

Shi Rang didn’t realize that his own gaze was glued to the screen. After a few seconds, he forced himself to look away and used a deliberately cold tone. “So stupid. You live in a dorm; didn’t you know the lights go out every night at ten?”

Jin Manman replied earnestly, “I didn’t know.”

It was like punching a bale of cotton. Shi Rang took a deep breath. “Then why did you call me?”

“Because I’m scared.”

The boy’s voice came through the speaker, a bit muffled yet sounding incredibly soft. “You said I should find you if something happened.”

Shi Rang: “???”

He had said not to find him unless it was important! Since when did Jin Manman’s ears start twisting his words?

Shi Rang’s tone was icy. “What’s the use of calling me? Can I go over there and sleep with you?”

The boy didn’t respond this time; he just blinked. Of course he wanted to sleep with Shi Rang. After all, they used to sleep together every single night.

In the evenings, Shi Rang would handle business on his laptop in the living room while the TV played cartoons—those were for the cat. Manman would lie across Shi Rang’s lap, occasionally rolling over to expose his soft white belly. At that point, Shi Rang usually couldn’t help himself; he would toss the laptop aside and bury his face in the fur.

Manman, focused on his cartoons, would usually kick him away in annoyance. Poor President Shi would often end up with red marks on his face, yet he would still catch the cat’s paws and kiss them repeatedly.

Although Shi Rang had much to handle, he was very punctual about bedtime. At exactly ten-thirty, he would turn off the TV; no matter how much the cat whined, he would announce it was time to sleep with a heart of stone. Shi Rang would scoop the cat into his arms and head upstairs. The cat would kick at him, trying to jump down, only to be firmly pinned back.

The cat bed was purely for show; Shi Rang never allowed the cat to sleep there at night. He would shamelessly deceive Manman, saying, “Kittens have to sleep with humans; they can’t sleep alone.” He would tuck the cat into the quilt and then quickly squeeze himself in, holding the cat tight as he closed his eyes. It was a seamless routine.

The boy lowered his eyes, his voice very soft. “Actually, I’ve always liked sleeping with you.”

Every night, he had bothered Shi Rang on purpose. In truth, sleeping with Shi Rang was very comfortable. The human chest was warm, and Shi Rang never crowded him, leaving plenty of space. He would sleep belly-up, purring away.

The boy’s voice was too quiet; Shi Rang didn’t hear him clearly. He frowned, about to ask what he said, when he saw the boy look up at him, the corners of his eyes tinged with red.

Is he going to cry?

Shi Rang’s fingers twitched, and his throat felt tight. No way, is he really that scared? How can someone be so cowardly that a power cut makes them cry?

His Adam’s apple bobbed as his brow furrowed, but in the end, he couldn’t help but soften his voice. “Don’t cry.”

Thinking of his past days with Shi Rang, Jin Manman felt a bit sad, but he soon cheered up. Since he had found Shi Rang again, sleeping together again was surely just around the corner!!

Reinvigorated, Jin Manman didn’t seem so afraid anymore. He let out a small yawn, planning to say goodnight and hang up.

Unexpectedly, before he could speak, he heard Shi Rang’s deep voice from the other side.

“I won’t hang up. Put your phone aside. If you get scared, just call me.”

“And… stop crying.”

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