Rebirth: Using Love as an Excuse for Cruelty - Chapter 8

Since waking up, Wen Cheng had been constantly dealing with Qin Xin and Yu Linfei. He felt like he probably wouldn’t live much longer.

Even though the heater was on in the house, he felt a chill deep in his heart. Having been at Yu Linfei’s home for a day, Wen Cheng discovered something he couldn’t ignore.

There was not a single trace of his past self left in Yu Linfei’s house.

Having lived with Yu Linfei for over three years, he was once extremely familiar with this home. But now, the decorations and furniture made Wen Cheng feel like a total stranger.

He suddenly remembered that when they first started dating, Yu Linfei suggested remodeling his house. At that time, Yu Linfei hadn’t brought Wen Cheng home yet. When Wen Cheng asked to see his place, Yu Linfei said he would take him there only after the house was renovated.

To Wen Cheng, it seemed Yu Linfei specifically liked using home renovations to say goodbye to his old life.

So, what about now? Had he also become a part of the past that Yu Linfei wanted to leave behind?

Thinking of this, Wen Cheng felt a cold shiver. He never imagined that Yu Linfei could wipe away three years of feelings so easily. He even remodeled the house so Wen Cheng would completely disappear from his life.

What a heartless man! Lying on the sofa, Wen Cheng looked at the strange surroundings and sighed softly. To this day, he still didn’t understand why Yu Linfei killed him. And now it seemed his death had no effect on Yu Linfei at all. The man even had the mood to get a pet cat for fun.

But was he okay with this? Was he really okay? Wen Cheng looked at his furry paws and soft body. Now that he was a cat, even if he wasn’t okay with it, what could he do? Could he bite Yu Linfei to death in one go?

Obviously unaware of his cat’s dangerous thoughts, Yu Linfei was happily preparing lunch. Although Qin Xin’s visit had slightly dampened his mood, he generally felt good. For some reason, he felt exceptionally happy whenever he saw Xiao Hei.

Yu Linfei rarely cooked for himself.

He was usually very busy and had no time or reason to force himself into the kitchen, especially since he disliked the smell of cooking oil. But today, Yu Linfei made an exception and did it himself.

Without overthinking what was influencing his mood, Yu Linfei simply fried two dishes and made a soup, planning to make do for lunch.

Deep down, Yu Linfei didn’t like being home alone. An empty house always felt cold and quiet. Turning on the TV only made the silence feel heavier. His parents were far away in another country, and he only had a few good friends, so other people were rarely in his home.

A home that was always empty wasn’t worth returning to.

After putting the finished dishes on the table, Yu Linfei looked at the little cat that had just moved in yesterday.

To be honest, Yu Linfei didn’t like pets. He had very little free time, and these small creatures seemed so fragile, as if they might disappear if he wasn’t careful. He felt there was no need to spend energy on unimportant things. When He Yi asked if he wanted a pet, Yu Linfei’s first reaction was to say no.

But for some strange reason, as if he were possessed, Yu Linfei had agreed. It wasn’t until he hung up the phone that he realized what he had done. Well, it would be rude to call back and cancel. After thinking for a while, Yu Linfei helplessly accepted reality.

However, as it turned out, this might have been the best decision he had made recently. Although Yu Linfei knew some pets were smart, he didn’t expect his own pet to understand him so easily. Yet, from the first moment he saw Xiao Hei, Yu Linfei felt this cat was special because he actually saw disdain in the kitten’s eyes.

Being looked down upon by a cat made Yu Linfei want to laugh and cry at the same time. Because of this, he became very interested in Xiao Hei. A cat that could look down on him must be very smart, right? Everything that followed confirmed this. When he saw Xiao Hei meowing after being teased, with his big round eyes looking like they were full of tears, Yu Linfei found a twisted sense of satisfaction. Truly, he found teasing Xiao Hei until he cried to be very exciting.

Although he knew his “bully” side was coming out a bit too much, Yu Linfei didn’t try to stop it. In his eyes, no matter how smart the cat was, it was still just a toy for his entertainment.

If it could provide some fun and make the house feel more alive, that was enough.

After thinking all this, Yu Linfei came back to reality and was shocked by what he saw.

The kitten, which was supposed to be sitting quietly on the sofa, had somehow climbed up his pant leg and onto his lap. Looking shaky, the cat was trying very hard to reach the food on the table.

“…Xiao Hei…” Holding the cat tightly so he wouldn’t fall, Yu Linfei tapped Wen Cheng’s little nose. “What are you doing?”

“Meow.” I haven’t eaten enough. Attracted by the smell of the delicious food, Wen Cheng was very unhappy. Those two cans of food were meat, but the portion was clearly not enough. Plus, he was currently growing and got hungry very fast.

Sitting on the sofa, Wen Cheng saw Yu Linfei put the food on the table and then start daydreaming. Unable to resist the temptation, Wen Cheng decided to take action.

But after meowing at Yu Linfei’s feet for a long time without the man noticing, Wen Cheng gave up. He decided to try harder, so he began the difficult climb up Yu Linfei’s pant leg. Finally reaching the peak—Yu Linfei’s lap.

He stretched his body to reach the table, but that was when Yu Linfei finally snapped out of his daze.

“Oh, does Xiao Hei want to eat the food I made?” With a look of surprise, Yu Linfei teased him. “Didn’t you just eat canned food? Can cats just eat meat like this?”

Of course, I can!!! He wasn’t a normal cat! Very annoyed by the teasing, Wen Cheng gave a loud meow.

Even though he felt his cat was looking down on him again, Yu Linfei kept smiling. He kept Wen Cheng on his lap and rubbed his head. “No way. He Yi said cats can’t eat things that are too salty. If you get kidney stones, you won’t be able to pee…”

…You didn’t have to be that blunt, really. Crushed by Yu Linfei’s plain words, Wen Cheng’s ears drooped sadly… he really didn’t want to eat cat food.

“Haha… Xiao Hei, you’re a cat. Why are you drooping your ears like a dog? Are you going to start wagging your tail next?” Amused and slightly annoyed by the reaction, Yu Linfei said, “I just finished your canned food, so how about I compensate you later?”

What compensation? Looking up at Yu Linfei, Wen Cheng blinked his eyes.

“Hmm, how about I give Xiao Hei some fish?” Seeing the sparkle in Wen Cheng’s eyes, Yu Linfei kept the cat on his lap and served himself a bowl of rice.

“Now, be good, Xiao Hei. Don’t cause trouble.” As he ate his own food, Yu Linfei looked very smug. He ate without any guilt, even though Wen Cheng was staring at him with pure envy and a bit of hate.

…Yu Linfei, you are such a jerk!! Truly!! Silently grinding his teeth, Wen Cheng began to seriously think about the possibility of biting Yu Linfei to death.

“Alright, alright…” Knowing that Xiao Hei would get angry if he teased him anymore, Yu Linfei pulled out a bag of dried fish snacks for cats from somewhere. He tore it open, put it on the table, and lifted Wen Cheng up to it.

Finally able to eat, Wen Cheng gobbled up the dried fish in a few bites. He licked his paws and wiped his face. Then, he turned his gaze back to the two dishes Yu Linfei had made.

To be honest, Yu Linfei’s cooking looked average—just a plate of tomato and eggs, some shredded pork, and cucumber soup. But why did he want to eat it so badly? Was it a side effect of only having milk and cat food?

“Hey, don’t tell me you still want more?” Feeling a bit nervous under Wen Cheng’s gaze, Yu Linfei put down his bowl. “Can that tiny belly of yours even hold that much?”

Yes, it really can! He tried to use his eyes to tell Yu Linfei he could still eat!! He wasn’t full yet!!

But reality was cruel. Yu Linfei reached out and gently poked Wen Cheng’s soft belly. The round, full feeling clearly told him that Xiao Hei absolutely could not eat any more.

“If you eat until you die, He Yi will definitely kill me.” Resisting Wen Cheng’s “cute” act, Yu Linfei sighed. “So, let’s eat again tonight, okay?”

No!!!! Wen Cheng wanted to throw a tantrum! Meow, he could still eat!! He really could!! Just one bite…

“…Not even one bite.” As if he knew what Wen Cheng wanted, Yu Linfei said seriously, “Eating yourself to death is the stupidest way to die, period!”

…Fine, basically you’re just not going to feed me… Realizing Yu Linfei wouldn’t change his mind, Wen Cheng felt depressed and wanted to jump down to go back to his basket.

“Wait…” Yu Linfei suddenly spoke.

Did he change his mind?? Wen Cheng looked up with hope.

“The table is too high. Let me carry you down.” Wen Cheng had clearly underestimated how stubborn Yu Linfei could be.