Doctor Gu’s Orange Cat Boyfriend - Chapter 13

“Meow~”

It tentatively extended a paw, brushing against the feather.

[Got it hooked!]

Lin Mucí felt a surge of delight, yet his movements remained deliberate and unhurried.

He played with the cat for a while, waiting until it completely let down its guard before slowly retracting the cat teaser. He tentatively reached out, gently scratching its chin.

The orange cat closed its eyes in bliss, purring contentedly. It even rubbed its head against his palm.

【Got it! Just like me—no cat can resist my charm!】

Lin Mucí beamed with pride, lifting his head to show off his accomplishment to Gu Chaoyu.

But the moment he looked up, he found Gu Chaoyu standing right behind him, incredibly close.

He could even smell Gu Chaoyu’s unique scent.

“It… it’s not afraid of me anymore.” Lin Mucí’s heart skipped a beat, his words stumbling slightly.

“Hmm, I can see that,” Gu Chaoyu’s voice was low and tinged with amusement. “You’re quite good at winning cats over. Truly a ‘cat-raising expert’.”

【Is he complimenting me?】

【But why do I always feel like there’s more to his words…】

“I bought some cat treats, but I don’t know how to feed them,” Gu Chaoyu said, picking up a cat stick from nearby. He tore open the packaging and held it out to Lin Mucí. “Could you help me feed it?”

“Huh? Oh, sure.”

Lin Mucí took the treat, crouched down, and held it near the orange cat’s mouth.

The orange cat immediately extended its pink tongue and began licking happily.

Just then, Lin Mucí felt a weight press against his back.

A warm palm pressed against his waist.

Lin Mucí’s body froze instantly, even forgetting to breathe.

“Sorry, I lost my balance.”

Gu Chaoyu’s voice sounded almost right against his ear. Warm breath brushed his earlobe, tickling him.

For a moment, Lin Mucí was at a loss.

He could clearly feel that Gu Chaoyu’s hand didn’t immediately withdraw. Instead, it slowly crept upward, settling on his back in a supporting position.

【He… his hand…】

【He touched me…】

【What do I do? What do I do? What do I do? My heart is racing…】

【Did he do that on purpose?】

【Probably not. Maybe he really just lost his balance.】

【I feigned stomach pain and Dr. Gu didn’t suspect me—I shouldn’t doubt him either!】

【Right, absolutely right. That’s how it is.】

An ambiguous atmosphere began to permeate between them,

while the clueless orange cat remained focused on licking its cat treat, making satisfying “slurp slurp” sounds.

Gu Chaoyu held that position, gazing down at the petite figure before him, his back tense.

【My husband’s waist is so slender.】

【It feels so good.】

【My husband is adorably clueless. I’ll have to keep a close eye on him from now on. I can’t let some other guy sweep him off his feet!】

He tightened his grip slightly, leaning closer to whisper in Lin Mucí’s ear at a volume only they could hear.

“He’s so good~”

Those three words carried a subtle electric current, tracing the curve of Lin Mucí’s ear, sliding down his spine, and exploding at his tailbone.

It wasn’t the first time he’d heard Gu Chaoyu speak, but it was definitely the first time he’d heard that deep, slightly hoarse voice whispering against his ear.

Lin Mucí felt tingly all over.

Worse still, the hand resting on his back not only remained there but seemed to have found a comfortable spot, pressing tightly against him.

The heat radiating from that palm seeped through the thin layer of his sweater, relentlessly permeating his skin…

【He… he… he… he… was he calling the cat good, or was he calling me good?】

【This position is way too suggestive! Is this really okay?】

【His hands are so big… so hot…】

【I feel like my back is about to burn through…】

【Is he doing this on purpose? He absolutely is! Who needs to hold on this long just because they lost their balance?】

【But… what if he genuinely just lost his balance? If I overreact now, won’t it make me look like I’m imagining things?】

【No, no, no, Lin Mucí, stay composed! You’re a professional actor! This little scene is nothing!】

Time seemed to stretch infinitely, each second filled with agony and… a hint of secret, illicit delight.

Just as Lin Mucí felt his brain was about to shut down from oxygen deprivation, the heat behind him finally vanished.

Gu Chaoyu straightened up, his voice returning to its usual gentle tone, as if the earlier suggestive moment had been nothing but Lin Mucí’s imagination.

“Seems it really loves this brand of cat treats. I’ll buy more tomorrow.”

Lin Mucí: “…”

Slowly, vertebra by vertebra, he straightened his stiff spine and rose to his feet. His legs tingled from crouching too long.

He dared not glance back at Gu Chaoyu, keeping his head down and pretending to focus intently on the orange cat feasting at his feet.

“Uh… yeah… it really does like it.” His voice sounded dry and raspy, making him cringe at the sound of his own words.

【He just walked away like that? Just like that?!】

【Not even a single explanation? Even a polite excuse like “Sorry, I just strained my back and needed to rest a bit longer” would’ve been fine!】

【So he really did it on purpose! This guy is too clever! He must be a hidden high-level player!】

【My heart’s still pounding like a drum… thump thump thump… He can’t hear it, right?】

Gu Chaoyu couldn’t hear his heartbeat, but he could “hear” the clamor of thoughts in his mind.

【My husband’s reaction is so adorable, his face flushed all the way to his neck.】

【Keep teasing him, and he’ll probably explode.】

【Need to change the subject and help him relax.】

Gu Chaoyu cleared his throat, walked to the water dispenser, filled a cup, and handed it to Lin Mucí.

“Have some water. Your face is all red—is it too hot in here?”

Lin Mucí looked up nervously. The moment his eyes met Gu Chaoyu’s smiling gaze, he flinched as if scalded. He snatched the cup and gulped down a large mouthful.

The cool liquid slid down his throat, finally cooling his overheated brain a little.

“N-no… maybe… maybe I squatted too long and my blood circulation stopped.” He fumbled for an excuse.

“Is that so?” Gu Chaoyu’s gaze fell on his light camel-colored sweater, thoughtful. “This sweater looks very nice on you. It suits you well.”

【!!!】

Lin Mucí’s heartbeat, which had just calmed down a bit, went wild again.

【He complimented my sweater! He noticed I made an effort to dress up today!】

【Oh my god, that hour of agonizing over what to wear wasn’t wasted! Zhou Yang, I was wrong about you. This sweater was totally worth the money!】

【Does he like me? He must like me! All this physical contact and verbal compliments!】

【Calm down! Lin Mucí! Keep it together! Maybe he’s just being polite! Yes! It’s just politeness!】

“Th-thank you. Just throwing something on,” Lin Mucí replied modestly, though a faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

Orange (No. 2) finished its cat treats, licked its lips contentedly, then padded off to inspect its new territory. It leapt down from the sofa, circled the living room once, then wandered curiously toward the study.