Non-Humans Want to Fall in Love Too [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 3

A Sweet and Coy Cry

Because of that delicate, flirtatious cry in the car, Ji Shijin carried a faint smile on his face from the moment he left the vehicle until he entered the house. He appeared to be in a very good mood.

“Sir, you are back,” Hong Yi greeted him at the door.

Seeing Ji Shijin’s relaxed expression and the hint of a smile, her heart skipped a beat in surprise. Soon after, she was so moved that she nearly shed tears. She had not seen him this happy in a very long time.

“Hong Yi,” Ji Shijin gestured toward the little fox following behind him. “Prepare a room for him to stay in.”

“What?” Hong Yi looked behind Ji Shijin but saw no one. Following the assistant’s hand gesture, she lowered her gaze and finally saw the tiny red fluffball.

Shi Yan was stubborn about his dignity and refused to let the assistant carry him. He had been consciously walking behind Ji Shijin’s wheelchair. Now, he looked up to observe this silver-haired, kind-looking elderly woman.

“Oh my, Sir, where did you bring this cat from?” Hong Yi’s eyesight was failing due to her age, and she did not look closely. She instinctively assumed Shi Yan was a cat.

The assistant suppressed a laugh and explained, “No, this is a fox, not a cat. The Boss bought him at the auction. He really likes him.”

The Boss had reached out to touch the fox the moment they met and had even let the fox sit on the car seat because he thought the cage was dirty. Were the fox’s paws not dirty too? Although the Boss had kept his eyes closed to rest as usual, the assistant could tell he was secretly observing the little fellow because he was afraid the animal would not adjust. For his cold and detached Boss, if this was not “liking” something, nothing was.

“Oh, it really is a fox.” Hong Yi crouched halfway to get a closer look, and her expression softened. “This little guy is so handsome. His fur is incredibly fluffy.”

“Sir, are you going to keep him? I will go prepare the room right now. But has this fox had a medical checkup? I hope he is not carrying any diseases,” Hong Yi said as she turned to leave, then suddenly looked back to remind him.

Ji Shijin paused while wiping his hands with a hot towel. “We will make do for tonight. Tomorrow, I will take him to the hospital for an exam.”

“Right, right. If the doctor says it is okay to bathe him, remember to give him a wash.”

Hong Yi had raised cats and dogs before and was very experienced. To her, a little fox was just another small animal, and they were all the same. Ji Shijin nodded. Hong Yi had cared for him in the Ji family since he was a child. To him, she was no different from a family elder, so he naturally took her words to heart.

Putting down the towel, Ji Shijin’s cold, pale skin seemed to glow under the indoor lights. He turned to his assistant and told him to cancel his schedule for the following day.

“Understood, Boss.” An excellent assistant does not talk too much. He crossed out every single item on the schedule for tomorrow. Then, remembering something, he spoke up. “By the way, Boss, the police have raided the location where the animal pelts were being sold. No one escaped. Captain Liu said this was all thanks to your cooperation, and the police department wishes to express their gratitude.”

The assistant had received this news while in the car, but since the Boss had his eyes closed and did not seem inclined to ask, the assistant had not mentioned it then. Ji Shijin listened to the report but said nothing, offering only a faint “Mm” in response.

Shi Yan was circling near Ji Shijin’s wheelchair. He paused his steps almost imperceptibly upon hearing their conversation.

“It turns out the mission target is a great person! Was his appearance there today actually to help the police?” System 61’s round body spun several times in the void like a shiny disco ball.

“Yes, it sounds that way,” Shi Yan replied. He slowly sat down in front of Ji Shijin and extended a front paw to pat the man’s trouser leg.

“What is it?” Ji Shijin’s expression remained calm, but a trace of a smile flickered in his eyes when he looked at Shi Yan.

Hong Yi watched the cute little red fox from the side and guessed, “Is he hungry? He knows you are his master, so he is asking you for food.”

Ji Shijin’s hand hesitated for a moment before he casually placed it on Shi Yan’s head and stroked him twice. “Hong Yi, boil some chicken for him first. Tomorrow, I will ask the doctor what foxes are allowed to eat.”

Consequently, Shi Yan’s first meal at the Ji residence consisted of tasteless, plain boiled chicken. 61 was a system, but it could still sense the smell. It circled the plate and voiced its doubt. “Host, this smells terrible! Are they not using any seasoning at all?”

Even though a fox might cultivate into a demon, it was still a fox at its core. Thus, Shi Yan found the smell acceptable and even somewhat fragrant. “It is fine. I have the sense of taste of a fox right now.”

Because of this, he ate the plain chicken with great relish. Ji Shijin sat at the dining table and watched the little fox on the opposite side gorging himself. He felt a strange urge to set the fox up as a food vlogger. How could he eat plain boiled chicken with such gusto?

Ji Shijin became so mesmerized watching the fox eat that by the time he put down his own chopsticks, he realized with a start that he had actually eaten until he was quite full.

“Oh, Sir ate quite a lot today. That is wonderful,” Hong Yi remarked as the servants cleared the table.

Ji Shijin pursed his lips and said nothing. He simply beckoned the little fox over. Hong Yi followed behind to wipe the fox’s mouth with a hot towel. She looked at the obedient little fluffball up close, and her eyes crinkled into slits from her smile. She murmured to herself, “Oh, you truly are a little lucky star. Seeing you eat made the Master eat more himself. It is good to eat more because only then can your body stay healthy.”

Shi Yan blinked his large, clear eyes and obediently let Hong Yi finish wiping his mouth. Then, he rubbed against her hand as a sign of thanks. Hong Yi was overjoyed by the gesture. “He is just so adorable!”

System 61 was already numb to the sight. “If it were not for this emergency situation, I probably would not see this side of the Host in a lifetime! Host, where is your dignity? How can you act so spoiled so naturally?”

If Shi Yan could hear the system’s thoughts, he would have told it that in the face of survival and completing a mission, dignity is worthless.

After dinner, Ji Shijin usually went to his study to work for a few more hours until 10:00 PM, which was the time his doctor mandated he go to bed. However, with a new little fellow in the house today, Ji Shijin hesitated because he was unsure of what to do.

During his brief moment of hesitation, Shi Yan saw his chance. He trotted up to the man, tilted his head back, and let out a sweet, coy cry.

Ji Shijin’s pupils contracted for a split second. He was stunned for a moment, which gave the little guy enough time to successfully leap up. The fox sat squarely on his lap and tilted his head to look at him.

“Oh!” Hong Yi had failed to keep watch and allowed the fox to jump onto Ji Shijin. The servants and Hong Yi all rushed forward to pick the fox up. They all knew that Ji Shijin’s legs were a forbidden topic in this house. They were worried about his legs and feared that the little fox might irritate him.

“It is fine,” Ji Shijin said, raising his hand to stop the servants. He clumsily touched the front paw of the little creature sitting on his lap. “Get down.”

Shi Yan tilted his head and did not budge. He was a little fox, after all. How could a fox understand human speech? Ji Shijin looked like he really wanted to push him off, but for some reason, he did not do so in the end. He kept one hand behind the fox’s back to protect him and used the other to steer the wheelchair.

His voice carried a hint of helplessness and indulgence. “Hong Yi, I am taking him to the study. Bring some water up in a while.”

Hong Yi blinked in surprise before quickly replying, “Yes, of course.”

Shi Yan sat on Ji Shijin’s lap and looked up curiously. Likely for Ji Shijin’s convenience, the villa was equipped with barrier-free passages everywhere and several elevators. Ji Shijin led him into one of them. He saw Ji Shijin press the button for the third floor.

As they stepped out of the elevator, the entirety of the third floor came into Shi Yan’s view. His first impression was that it was very empty. The third floor was indeed very vacant. The overall decoration was minimalist, and there was very little furniture. Ornaments and green plants were scarce. The vast space was left open enough for Ji Shijin to move freely. While there were few items, it did not feel cold. The limited decorations provided warmth to the space, showing that the layout had been designed with great care.

Ji Shijin did not know what was going on in the fox’s little brain. He only noticed that the fox was looking around with curiosity as if he were familiarizing himself with the environment, yet he remained obediently in place.

Ji Shijin entered the study, sat behind his large desk, and opened a file. When he looked down, he met a pair of round, bead-like eyes. He suddenly realized that his little fox was incredibly well-behaved.

“You,” Ji Shijin said. He found himself in a dilemma regarding where to put the fox. Although the little guy was not heavy, he could not stay on Ji Shijin’s lap forever. Not only would it interfere with work, but the fox would likely be uncomfortable as well.

Shi Yan tilted his head up and gently rubbed his head against the back of Ji Shijin’s hand. The soft fur brushed against the skin, and in the next second, the little fox proactively jumped down. Ji Shijin raised an eyebrow.

Taking advantage of his fox form, Shi Yan wandered leisurely around the study. He poked his nose here and there, occasionally finding something interesting and tapping it with his paw. Initially, Ji Shijin was worried, and his gaze followed the fox everywhere. Later, he realized this was a timid fox who would only look and not cause trouble. Feeling at ease, he let the fox move freely and lowered his head to focus on his work.

Halfway through, Hong Yi came up to deliver fruit and tea. She gave the little fox two pieces of fruit and received an affectionate rub in return, which left her beaming with joy. Watching the person and the fox get along so well, the tightness in Ji Shijin’s lips relaxed into a slight curve. He was in an excellent mood.

However, this good mood lasted only until bedtime.

“No. Go sleep in the living room outside. This is my bedroom.”

Ji Shijin looked down at the little fox who was following him closely and pressed his fingers against his temple. The little fox let out a couple of aggrieved whimpers. He trotted into Ji Shijin’s bedroom, circled the bed, and found a corner to lie down in. The meaning was clear: I will just take up this tiny corner and I will not get in your way.

Ji Shijin and the fox stared at each other. After a brief stalemate, he finally gave in. He let out a long sigh. “Hong Yi, bring the little bed we prepared into my room.”

Hong Yi complied. Ji Shijin looked at the small ball of red fur by the bed, and his heart suddenly softened.