Doctor Gu’s Orange Cat Boyfriend - Chapter 8

In the critical moment, Lin Mucí’s body reacted before his mind could process it.

He clutched his stomach violently, his face contorted in agony as he doubled over.

“Ouch!”

“I… I can’t… My stomach… It suddenly hurts so badly…”

【Sigh~ Guess I have to resort to this!】

【It’s lame, but it works!】

“Probably… the takeout lunch was off… old problem…”

Lin Mucí stood half-bent over, one hand clutching his stomach while the other braced against the doorframe. His voice came out in broken gasps from the “excruciating pain,” looking as if he might collapse any moment.

“Sorry… I need… I need to use the restroom… About the orange… we… we’ll talk another day…”

Without waiting for Gu Chaoyu’s reaction, he mustered every ounce of strength to force a “sorry” expression uglier than crying, then slammed the door shut with a loud bang!

The entire sequence flowed seamlessly, executed in one fluid motion.

Outside, Gu Chaoyu stared at the tightly shut door for a full two seconds.

Then, unable to hold it in any longer, his shoulders twitched slightly, releasing a faint, muffled chuckle.

He knew perfectly well that Lin Mucí was putting on an act.

With his mind-reading ability, the entire process played out like a high-definition, uncensored comedy movie in his mind. From the little guy’s initial panic, to desperately racking his brain for excuses, to finally being cornered and pulling out all the acting stops.

【My acting was decent, right? It’s just the excuse that sucked. He probably, maybe, possibly didn’t notice?】

【Aaaargh, so embarrassing! How am I ever gonna face him again!】

Listening to the almost tangible frustration echoing behind the door, Gu Chaoyu’s smile grew wider.

My husband is just… too adorable.

So adorable it made him want to knock the door down immediately and pull that self-loathing little thing into his arms.

But he knew now wasn’t the time.

A cornered rabbit will bite; a cornered cat… will puff up its fur.

He pulled out his phone, his long fingers tapping out a line of text on the screen at a leisurely pace before hitting send.

Inside the door.

Lin Mucí leaned against the door panel, gasping for breath. His heart pounded so hard it felt like it might leap out of his throat.

The more he thought about it, the more embarrassed he felt. He crouched down, burying his face in his hands, wishing he could dig a hole in the floor and bury himself.

Just then, the phone on the coffee table buzzed softly.

He dragged himself over to pick it up. The screen displayed a message from “Dr. Gu”: “You looked a bit off earlier. Are you okay? Stomachache? I have some stomach medicine here. Should I bring it over?”

He stared blankly at the words.

[He… he didn’t suspect me… he actually cares about me…]

This man… how could he be so kind?

He cradled the phone, feeling his heart begin to flutter wildly again.

He quickly replied: “I’m fine, really! It’s just an old problem. I’ll drink some warm water to settle my stomach and rest for a bit. Thanks, Dr. Gu!”

After sending it, he pressed the phone tightly against his chest.

Soon, the phone vibrated again.

Gu Chaoyu’s second message arrived.

Lin Mucí took a deep breath and tapped it open: “Then rest well. I’ll ask you about Orange tomorrow.”

【Ask me tomorrow?】

【He actually believed me! Or did he deliberately not expose me?】

【Today I managed to fool him, but tomorrow… How will I handle tomorrow? Never mind. I need to transform into Fat Orange and sneak back to Dr. Gu’s place via the balcony first, so he won’t suspect anything if he can’t find me.】

…

That evening, after dinner, Gu Chaoyu said, “Orange, I’m stepping out for a bit. Stay home and behave yourself.”

“Meow~ (Got it!)”

As soon as Gu Chaoyu left, Lin Mucí returned to his own home to prepare for tomorrow’s test.

If he could find an orange cat that looked exactly like his transformed self and keep it at his place, then when Gu Chaoyu issued another invitation, he could swap the cats.

Then he could revert to human form, send the orange cat from his balcony into Gu Chaoyu’s home, and appear alongside it!

【Perfect! An absolutely flawless plan!】

【This way, I can be with Dr. Gu in human form and enjoy his caresses as a cat. Double the happiness!】

Lin Mucí found the idea increasingly brilliant. He dashed to his study, fired up his laptop, and began typing furiously. His fingers danced across the keyboard as he typed several bold words into the search bar— “Excellent Quality Plump Orange Cat for Sale/Adoption.”

As the page refreshed, hundreds of photos of orange cats flooded the screen.

Lin Mucí was instantly overwhelmed by the choices.

【This one… too skinny. Clearly malnourished. Dr. Gu is so attentive, he’d definitely notice something’s off.】

He crossed one off.

[This one’s coat color is off. It’s a dull earthy yellow. When I transform, I’m a vibrant, sunny orange, radiating a touch of sunshine. You can tell I’m purebred!]

He swiped another one away.

[Huh? This one kinda looks like… No, no, the tip of its tail is missing a tuft of white fur! Details make all the difference. I can’t be careless!]

He stared at the screen, frowning one moment, shaking his head the next, like a picky casting director selecting the perfect stunt double for his blockbuster film. He even transformed into a cat, leaping before a mirror to meticulously compare his own markings and fur color, striving to find a one-hundred-percent “duplicate.”

【Goodness, am I really this handsome? These sleek body lines, this perfectly rounded face, these bright, expressive eyes…】

【Finding a cat identical to me is impossible! I truly am a one-of-a-kind, peerless little kitty!】

Just as Lin Mucí was lost in self-admiration and frustration, “Ding-dong—” The doorbell rang unexpectedly.

His fur nearly stood on end, his heart clenching sharply.

【Who?!】

Who could it be this late? Not my editor, right? He threatened to come armed and actually showed up?!

He scrambled to transform back from cat to human, barely adjusting his clothes before tiptoeing to the door. Peering through the peephole,

The motion-activated light in the hallway flickered on, casting a warm yellow glow upon a figure that made his breath catch.

It was Gu Chaoyu.

【Why is he here again?! Didn’t he text saying to rest up and talk tomorrow?!】

【Could it be… he discovered I was faking illness and came specifically to expose me?!】

【What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?! Should I immediately flop on the floor and roll around, pretending to faint from stomach pain?】

A hundred wild ideas flashed through Lin Mucí’s mind, each more absurd than the last. He dashed to the bathroom, dusted on some loose powder to make his face look paler, then tremblingly pulled the door open just a crack.