Stop Eyeing My Pretty Caretaker - Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Speaking to Yesting about the research institute for the first time made Jian Chen a bit nervous, yet it provided a strange sense of security. It truly felt as though he had someone to depend on.

Jian Chen said: “The Military Second District wants to take away the mermaid from the institute. They’re likely sending it to the Academy of Sciences for experimental research. I heard only the First District has jurisdiction over the Second, so… I came to try my luck.”

He spoke hurriedly, letting out a small sneeze midway. Jian Chen felt he looked a bit disheveled, but compared to his image, the little mermaid was far more important.

Seeing the man remain silent, Jian Chen took a soft breath and asked: “Yesting, can you take me to see the Commander-in-Chief?”

Yesting: “…”

Jian Chen: “?”

Jian Chen suddenly wondered if he was making things too difficult for the man. It made sense; the other party was the Commander-in-Chief, a being whom everyone obeyed. For a subordinate to ask for a meeting with the big boss would surely be a high-pressure request.

Yesting’s calm gaze rested on Jian Chen. His thin lips pursed slightly as he said slowly: “Let’s go to the research institute.”

Jian Chen nodded. Yesting was going to help him! His husband was reliable after all. However, Jian Chen wanted to ask: could such a major issue really be resolved without the Commander-in-Chief showing up?

Well, the man probably had a way. After all, he was Yesting.

Holding the soft little red panda, Jian Chen followed the man to the hall entrance. Before they could get into the car, the man suddenly turned around. Caught off guard by the gaze, Jian Chen looked confused: “?”

“Jian Chen, the First Military District Commander-in-Chief you are looking for,” Yesting said, “is me.”

(First Update)

Jian Chen froze on the spot.

The Commander-in-Chief… is Yesting? Yesting is actually the Commander-in-Chief of the First Military District?!!

His brain couldn’t quite process it. The man had never discussed his profession, and Jian Chen’s only slight understanding came from the background of their video calls. It turned out Yesting wasn’t a civil official, but the supreme boss of the entire military?!

Jian Chen felt his blood pressure rising. He needed to digest this. Furthermore, he guessed that if he asked why Yesting never mentioned it, the man would likely say: “You never asked.”

So, he really did ask. And the man really did answer that way.

Jian Chen: “…”

Yeah, he was gradually getting a handle on his husband’s personality.

Finding out that he himself was the “Commander’s Spouse,” Jian Chen sat in the passenger seat holding Dun Dun, his heart feeling a bit complicated. The road was very quiet. Only the awake red panda was a bit rowdy.

Perhaps because it hadn’t been outside in a long time, it sprawled out in Jian Chen’s arms with its round legs up—a total “old man” sitting posture. It was clear Dun Dun was in a good mood; it yawned, stepped on Jian Chen’s arm for support, and pressed its paw pads against the car window, watching the scenery fly by while making little “ying-ying” sounds.

Jian Chen held the “black sesame glutinous rice ball” tightly, fearing it might fall.

Yesting drove, his eyes glancing at the affectionate pair of man and bear, saying nothing. Then, the man freed one hand, his long fingers brushing past the steering wheel to take a candy out of a hidden compartment. He handed it to Jian Chen.

Jian Chen, obediently accepting the candy: “…?”

What was going on? First the Deputy Executive Officer, and now Yesting why did they always like giving him candy?? Jian Chen seriously suspected these high-ranking officers treated him like a child.

His slender fingers peeled the wrapper, and an orange-flavored fruit candy on a white stick was popped into his mouth. He actually felt the sweetness today was… exceptionally high.

The drive between the Research Institute and the First Military District was quite long, leading Jian Chen to nap for a few dozen minutes. The red panda’s endurance was even more limited; before long, it was sprawled in Jian Chen’s arms, entering a sweet dreamland.

Upon arriving, Jian Chen first took off the military uniform and changed back into his private clothes. As the Commander’s partner, Jian Chen was quite sensible; he was about to meet the officers of the Second District and wanted to keep things professional. He didn’t want them to think he was bringing his husband to work, which would be bad for Yesting’s image.

Thus, on the way into the institute holding the panda, he intentionally kept a distance of more than five people from Yesting.

Yesting: “?”

Seeing his husband appear in the main hall of his research institute still felt strangely magical to Jian Chen. They had promised that the man would come to see his work environment… and now, it felt like that was coming true, even if the circumstances were special.

However, as soon as Yesting entered the institute, Jian Chen noticed that the normally calm animals began to act a bit “off.”

Animals in Zones A through F scurried into corners, huddling together with their legs trembling. The wings of the black-shelled beetles sprouted out, hard as iron, as they flew in neat formations to the glass windows. From the moment they saw the tall, cold man following Jian Chen, their eyes instantly became sharp and alert.

They were in a total combat-ready state.

As Jian Chen passed the beetle zone window, he noticed the beetles seemed to show a look of anxiety. They began striking the glass with their hard forearms. Before long, cracks began to appear on the thickened, hardened glass, a sight that made one’s heart skip a beat. If Chen Qiu saw this, he’d definitely blow a fuse.

Jian Chen paused in front of the window. He gently made a “shh” gesture with his finger, his voice soft as if to soothe them. The beetles paused. Slowly, they stopped trying to break the window, their golden eyes looking at the youth with confusion but absolute seriousness.

If this was the situation in the beetle zone, the other species in the New Species Zone were even worse. Jian Chen suddenly worried about the little dragon; had the floor of the dragon lab burned through by now?

He suddenly remembered that this situation was quite similar to the previous riot—perhaps even more intense. It was as if no barrier existed, and a sudden pressure and threat had closed in, making these creatures restless. During the last riot, even when experts gathered for an on-site investigation, they couldn’t figure out where the abnormal magnetic fluctuations came from.

Jian Chen had a bit of a headache. Troublesome things were all happening at once.

Compared to the abnormal magnetic pressure, Jian Chen felt the mermaid’s situation was more urgent. So, he led the way for Yesting, bringing his Commander husband to the Mermaid Zone.

In the process, as Jian Chen struggled to open the heavy door to the New Species Zone, Yesting reached out, intending to rest a hand on the youth’s shoulder and help open the door. Unexpectedly, Jian Chen dodged away quickly.

As soon as the door opened a crack, Jian Chen slipped inside with abnormal agility, leaving the tall man staring at the sliver of a doorway in silence.

Yesting: “…”

Why was Jian Chen avoiding him? For once, the man showed a look of confusion.

Just after entering the Mermaid Zone, a sharp and coarse shouting match broke out nearby. The argument was so loud it was almost deafening. As soon as Jian Chen entered, he covered the red panda’s ears.

“Deputy Yu, you’re just a Deputy Executive Officer. What right do you have to order us around?”

“Even if Commander Cole speaks up, we’d have to consider whether to give him face. You’re just a dog who obeys the leader’s every word, and now you dare to order our Second District??”

“We are searching this institute today, and that’s final!”

…

“Save those words for when the Commander-in-Chief arrives in person.”

It was the voice of Deputy Executive Yu, calm and even carrying a hint of a cold sneer.

Jian Chen was stunned. Deputy Yu was already here? Was it on the man’s orders? He had arrived even earlier than they had.

The officer opposite him sneered: “Bullshit. Would the Commander-in-Chief come to the institute for such a trivial matter?”

“If it weren’t for the Academy of Sciences and our Second District, these two mermaids wouldn’t even exist! The institute just helped us raise them for a couple of days, and now you dare to disobey orders?”

“No matter what you say today, I’m going to drag out that reckless person who hid the mermaid! Whether they’re handed to the Police Department or the Military for punishment… humph, they won’t have a good ending.”

Jian Chen felt a complex wave of speechlessness; it seemed they were talking about him.

“…What did you just say?”

Yesting’s voice suddenly rang out from behind him, accompanied by steady footsteps. Like a freezing mist entering the room, the voice was cold and deadly quiet:

“Who are you going to hand over to the Police Department?”

…

The air suddenly went silent. “Silent” wasn’t quite accurate; rather, the breathing and movements of everyone present gradually froze, leaving only the sound of rising heartbeats.

The Chief Executive of the Second District froze. He turned around slowly, as if in slow motion, his hands already beginning to tremble. The moment he saw the owner of the voice, his eyes widened in total disbelief. Cold sweat soaked his entire body instantly as he gasped in terror:

“Comm… Commander-in-Chief…”

As a bystander, Jian Chen’s heart was also beating a bit fast. After all, he had never seen Yesting like this. An ordinary person would probably want to kneel, but Jian Chen had been through a lot and was somewhat immune. Still, he silently critiqued: His husband’s oppressive aura is truly something else.

“Military Second District, Chief Executive He Liang.”

Yesting looked down at him expressionlessly, his eyes flashing with an icy light. His expression was even colder than usual as he repeated: “Answer my question.”

“This… reporting to the Commander-in-Chief, we… we are going to submit the institute personnel who privately hid the mermaid to the Police Department.”

For some reason, the Second District Chief Executive felt that after saying this, the Commander-in-Chief’s expression… seemed even colder? It was almost to the point of wanting to swallow him alive.

He Liang suddenly felt like his name might become a literal description of his fate (chilly/dead).

Yesting lowered his gaze and said slowly: “Who gave you the authority?”

“it was authority granted by the Commander of the Second District,” the man stammered.

“State your purpose for taking the mermaid.”

Yesting’s question was direct, with virtually no wasted words.

He Liang was dripping with cold sweat. He didn’t understand why the First Military District was suddenly questioning their actions, or why the Commander-in-Chief would personally appear in a place like this. He explained tremblingly: “We are handing the mermaid to the Academy of Sciences for experimental research… of course! If this one dies, we will continue to cooperate with the Academy to create a new mermaid.”

Jian Chen slowly clenched his palms. He had always known that no one viewed these animals as lives—if one died, they would just create another. But hearing it personally from a military officer was a first for him.

Anger surged in his heart, but everyone knew that as long as these people held power, their thoughts and intentions would never change. It was a deeply rooted situation that couldn’t be solved by fists or war.

“The Commander of the Military Second District is no longer qualified to grant authority,” Yesting said suddenly.

Jian Chen looked up, his eyes widening.

“Starting today, the management authority of the Endangered Species Research Institute is handed over to Deputy Executive Yu of the First Military District.” The man’s gaze shifted to Deputy Yu, who quickly stepped forward and nodded.

He Liang: “?!!!”

What did that sentence mean? It meant the Commander of the Second Military District was no longer the Commander! Simultaneously, the Chief Executive would likely no longer be the Chief Executive.

He Liang felt his voice go faint: “Wh… when does this take effect?”

The man: “Now.”

Good grief. Dismissed in an instant.

At this moment, the Director poked his head in from the door, let out an “oh my,” and shouted about how the Commander-in-Chief had arrived and he hadn’t personally welcomed him. He arrived late, followed by Yu Lili and Chen Qiu. They breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Jian Chen standing there safely.

At the same time, hearing the Director use the title “Commander-in-Chief,” they stood slack-jawed. They sneaked over to Jian Chen and whispered: “Commander-in-Chief? Mr. Jian, does he mean the Commander-in-Chief of the First Military District? That man is the Commander-in-Chief?!”

Jian Chen glanced at Yesting and nodded silently. Hmm… better not pretend to know Yesting too well? After all, business is business and personal is personal. Besides, as a literal heavyweight figure, Yesting probably didn’t want it public that his spouse worked at the institute, right?

Jian Chen made up his mind and stepped back. The two students, not understanding why, followed suit and stepped back as well.

 “by what right” He Liang’s voice shook: “It’s just a fish. Even if the experiment fails, so what if it’s killed? Is it because I want to investigate that brat who hid the mermaid?”

 I won’t waste military force on the investigation, alright? …I’ll go straight to the professor in charge of the mermaid zone!!” He Liang felt he had caught a life-saving straw and continued: “Yes! Catch him and make him take full responsibility. For losing a mermaid, he should be thrown into the Interrogation Department to suffer a bit of torture!”

“…” Jian Chen felt a chill hearing this. He had never had room to escape this matter. Even if He Liang didn’t investigate who hid the little mermaid, he would eventually take away the professor-in-chief of the New Species Zone—Jian Chen himself.

“Who is the Professor-in-Chief of the mermaid zone?” Yesting asked indifferently.

“?!”

Jian Chen was a bit surprised. He wondered if he had misheard. But those were indeed the words the man had just spoken. Does… does he not know that the New Species Zone is under my jurisdiction? Did I forget to mention it? But… why would Yesting…

Just as Jian Chen was about to step forward, he was pulled back by Chen Qiu and Yu Lili.

“Don’t go,” Yu Lili whispered. “Going there is a dead end! No one will tell. We’ll just say multiple professors and keepers manage the zone together.”

Jian Chen shook his head. Just as he was about to move, the Director suddenly blocked him. He rubbed his hands with a smile and said to Yesting: “Haha, Commander, please calm down. It’s just a mermaid. Leave it to us to find. Would you like a cup of tea? We just got a batch of top-tier tea leaves…”

“I am asking,” Yesting interrupted the Director. His expression didn’t change, but to others, he looked terrifyingly cold. The man asked: “Who is the Professor-in-Chief of the mermaid zone?”

“…”

Jian Chen bit his lip. “It’s me.” He moved past the Director and stepped out from the crowd.

“It’s you?” Yesting’s voice was deep. Although he asked this, there was no surprise in his eyes. Instead, in those eyes, there seemed to be a flicker of a smile deep within. But it was only for a second. Jian Chen wondered if he had seen it wrong.

Yesting: “I see.”

He Liang, like a drowning man finding a piece of driftwood, quickly pointed at Jian Chen: “That’s right!! Arrest him! He’s the one we’re looking for!”

Jian Chen felt the veins in his neck throbbing. How was this situation going to end?

“Arrest?” Yesting repeated.

He Liang nodded hurriedly: “Yes! Please give the order.”

“What should I do? I can’t give that order.” Yesting lowered his gaze. His voice was still cold, but it wasn’t the tone of someone being made difficult.

“W.what?” He Liang was stunned, his pale face looking at the man, his mind confused. The Commander… what is he saying?

Yesting reached out and grabbed Jian Chen. His long fingers slid from his shoulder down to Jian Chen’s waist. Then, his palm tightened, and Jian Chen was pulled into Yesting’s embrace. The man was very tall; rather than standing side-by-side, it felt more like Jian Chen was being enveloped.

Jian Chen’s pupils quivered, and he felt his heart leap.

Yesting said slowly, word by word: “The person you want to arrest is my spouse.”

Evening

The family of three finally returned home. It took Jian Chen a long time to recover from the earlier situation. Having his identity revealed like that didn’t matter to Jian Chen, but… his cheeks were burning like crazy.

Yesting could have at least given me some mental preparation… Jian Chen looked away, feeling like he couldn’t look Yesting in the eye right now. It was too sudden; his heart couldn’t take it. Yesting always seemed to inadvertently touch him in various small ways.

Jian Chen had just put on his down jacket when he remembered that he had left his white lab coat at the guardhouse when he took the little mermaid away this morning. He had to go back.

Dun Dun was awake. Jian Chen paused, lifted the red panda from his arms, and handed it steadily to Yesting.

Yesting: “?” Little Red Panda: “?”

Jian Chen instructed: “Hold Dun Dun for a while, I’ll be right back.” After saying that, the youth turned and walked toward the guardhouse, leaving only a hurried back.

Dun Dun: ????

The red panda’s chubby body was held in a pair of large palms. The long fingers were just enough to wrap around the little bear. Dun Dun’s small eyes within its dark circles looked confused. It stared at the vast sky, then at the distant ground, and stopped moving. It didn’t even coo or act spoiled. It was as if it had turned into a toy bear.

Yesting watched Jian Chen’s back, then silently withdrew his gaze and looked at the little panda trapped in his hands. Then slowly, with slightly stiff fingers, he turned the panda around to face him.

Dun Dun, suddenly being stared at by Papa: “…” It kicked its legs awkwardly, licked its chin with its pink tongue, and then quickly withdrew it, remaining motionless. If Jian Chen were there, he would recognize a brand-new… restrained version of the little bear.

Papa’s gaze remained on the cub, calm and unmoving. Dun Dun’s chubby round legs began to tremble imperceptibly again.

Yesting said suddenly: “Cold?”

Dun Dun, who couldn’t understand, was affected by that cold, magnetic voice. —The leg trembling grew even worse.

“…”

Yesting paused for a moment, withdrew his hands, and tucked the red panda into his jacket collar.

Dun Dun: ?

The soft cub was wrapped in the thick fabric of the clothes, which indeed blocked a lot of the chill. Thus, when Jian Chen came out of the guardhouse, he saw this scene:

The little panda the man had been holding had disappeared. Instead, Yesting’s hands were at his sides, his expression calm. However, his usual dark overcoat now had a mysterious lump at the collar. Jian Chen looked up in surprise… and saw a little panda head sticking out.

The whole panda looked a bit bewildered.

Jian Chen: “…” Well, there was no rule saying Papa couldn’t carry the cub like that. At the same time, he couldn’t help but chuckle. Who knew the father and son were getting along so harmoniously?

After the “neck-lock” incident and the “milk facial” incident, Jian Chen had long-held deep doubts about whether Yesting’s parenting would end in tragedy. But now it seemed he had been overthinking it. Jian Chen’s lips curled into a smile.

Then, he saw: the little red panda fell vertically out of the man’s collar.

Jian Chen: “!!!!”

The lump that was near the collar started free-falling inside the overcoat, the round lump sliding all the way to the hem of the jacket. Jian Chen was startled and was about to run over to save the free-falling panda, only to see Yesting show no emotional shift. He lowered his eyes and unhurriedly moved one hand to the hem of his coat.

At the perfect moment, he caught Dun Dun’s butt.

Dun Dun, who had been forced into a rope-less bungee jump by Papa, sat in the man’s palm, dazed. If he heard correctly, Jian Chen heard a “pa-ji” sound at the moment the panda’s butt was caught.

Verification complete: he’s solid.

“…” Jian Chen didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He walked over and picked up the red panda. Dun Dun took the opportunity to wrap its front paws around Jian Chen’s neck and its hind legs around him too, hugging so tightly that ten grown men couldn’t pull him away. It was the feeling of surviving a disaster.

The family of three drove back to the villa. Jian Chen stood before the door watching Yesting open it when he suddenly remembered the little mermaid soaking in the bathtub. Oh right, he hadn’t had a chance to tell Yesting! This was the man’s villa, after all, and he hadn’t asked permission before bringing the little guest home.

They entered the foyer. Yesting took off his overcoat and untied his tie. Jian Chen followed suit, taking off his jacket and putting on slippers.

“Um, Yesting…” Jian Chen held the red panda and spoke carefully. “The mermaid from the institute… I actually hid it.”

The man’s reaction was calm, as if he had already anticipated this. He untied his tie and nodded expressionlessly.

Jian Chen continued step-by-step: “It’s not at the institute.”

“?” Yesting raised an eyebrow slightly, expressing confusion.

Jian Chen braced himself: “The mermaid is in our bathtub.”

(Second Update)

In Jian Chen’s impression, the man did everything expressionlessly. He ate bread expressionlessly, put on his military uniform expressionlessly, handled business expressionlessly, and said earth-shattering things to him expressionlessly.

The only time was… that time. From Jian Chen’s perspective, the man had an indescribable expression, completely different from usual… Jian Chen felt he couldn’t think back to that night, or his face would burn.

In short, Jian Chen concluded that Yesting, compared to an average human, was more like an AI lacking human expressions—emotionless. But now, Jian Chen clearly sensed a rare emotion from the man’s expression.

It wasn’t the expected calmness, or a hint of displeasure, or anger at his lack of communication. It was more like a “depressed” expression. As if he was saying: “Why did you bring back another one?”

Jian Chen was a bit embarrassed and explained: “Um… Yesting, it’s just a temporary stay. Once things at the institute stabilize, I’ll send Javier back.”

“Javier.” The man paused, his voice calm and deep. He suddenly asked: “A female mermaid?”

“?” Jian Chen didn’t understand why Yesting suddenly asked about the mermaid’s gender. He thought about it and explained: “It’s a male, and a cub.”

Yesting’s expression went from a slight frown upon hearing “male” to relaxing once he heard “cub.”

A ridiculous thought suddenly occurred to Jian Chen. Yesting couldn’t be.jealous because the mermaid is male, could he? No! How could that be? The other party is a mer-maid. Would someone really be jealous of a fish across species?

Jian Chen quickly dismissed the idea. Yesting didn’t even like him, so the idea of jealousy was absurd. It was likely that male mermaids were more aggressive, and Yesting was worried about the safety of the household members.

Understanding Yesting’s concerns, Jian Chen comforted him: “He’s very good, don’t worry.” Although Yesting remained silent, he nodded. Jian Chen felt relieved that his partner seemed… easier and easier to coax.

Since there was a temporary new member in the house, a meeting between Yesting and the mermaid was inevitable. Jian Chen wasn’t afraid of the man’s reaction; in his eyes, Yesting wasn’t afraid of any species. He was more worried about the little mermaid. Javier was so small; would he be scared by Yesting’s large frame? Especially since the man’s aura was so cold and formidable.

So, a slightly anxious Jian Chen led his partner into the warm bathroom.

The moment Yesting entered the bathroom, the atmosphere went a bit “off.” The little mermaid had apparently been napping. Upon sensing the spatial intrusion of a stranger, Javier’s sleepy eyes suddenly snapped open. The tail resting on the edge of the tub fell back into the water as he sat up, staring fixedly at the bathroom door.

Jian Chen entered first. The mermaid’s expression softened upon seeing Jian Chen, but then he looked past him to see the tall man following behind. The little mermaid had always been well-behaved, pitiable yet cute, and even fragile in Jian Chen’s eyes.

But now… the cub-sized mermaid tensed his body, not retreating an inch, not even hiding beneath the water. He remained where he was, his aqua-blue eyes becoming sharp and carrying a terrifying aura—as if it were a clash of species, a dominance etched into his DNA and a combat instinct. The mermaid showed a state Jian Chen had never seen before.

He’s not scared at all. The phrase popped into Jian Chen’s mind. But Javier was only a four-month-old cub, which shocked Jian Chen. He had a similar premonition: when he brought Yesting to the institute today and passed the beetle zone, the beetles’ reaction was exactly the same as Javier’s now!

Is Yesting really that disliked by small animals?

The man narrowed his eyes slightly, observing the mermaid who was several times smaller than him, but he showed no sign of mockery. On the contrary, Yesting was also very displeased. His gaze met Jian Chen’s, as if asking: “You call this ‘good’?”

Jian Chen was a bit embarrassed and immediately tried to play peacemaker. He walked over to the mermaid, crouched down, and asked softly: “Javier, were you lonely today? Did you eat your fish on time?”

Knowing the little fellow couldn’t understand yet, Jian Chen used his habits from the institute to soothe him: “This is my partner, his name is Yesting. Um. although he looks a bit scary, you don’t need to be afraid.”

When Jian Chen said the word “partner,” the man’s gaze suddenly froze and rested on the youth, lingering for a long time. The mermaid’s brow twitched. His youthful expression went from dazed to irrepressible anger.

Suddenly, Jian Chen felt his wrist being grabbed. Looking down, it was Javier’s hand.

Jian Chen: “?” Yesting’s gaze sharpened, and he moved toward them.

Jian Chen hadn’t known a tiny mermaid could have such strength. So much so that when little Javier pulled him and brought him behind himself, Jian Chen didn’t even have time to resist before he was pulled into the bathtub. It happened in an instant; the water in the tub quickly soaked Jian Chen’s entire body.

!!!

Cool, salty seawater enveloped him. His sweater, trousers, and one of his slippers were completely drenched. Only his head and shoulders were spared, though a few strands of hair were splashed.

Jian Chen coughed: “???” Submerged in water and at a loss. Why did I suddenly fall into the tub? And… how is Javier’s strength so great!?

Jian Chen wiped the water from his face. Looking up, he saw that the mermaid had moved so that Jian Chen was behind him, facing Yesting. It felt… like the mermaid was protecting him. Like a declaration of sovereignty.

Never expecting their first meeting to turn into this, Jian Chen thought he’d better climb out first. He grabbed the edge of the tub with one hand and pushed with the other, but his foot slipped on the smooth bottom of the tub, and he fell back into the water with a splash. This caused the mermaid to turn back and look at him, confused.

“…” Jian Chen’s face turned bright red; it was a bit embarrassing.

Before he could try a second time, he heard rapid footsteps. Then, the sound of the mermaid’s warning hiss reached his ears, though it was still very high-pitched. Jian Chen felt a large hand slip under his knees and another around his waist.

The next second, Jian Chen was lifted out of the water by Yesting. Water flowed down Jian Chen’s legs, his socks were soaked, and his drenched sweater dripped. Because the man held him like this, the clothes on the man’s chest and waist were also soaked by the water on Jian Chen. But the man didn’t seem to care at all, carrying him out of the bathtub and toward the door.

The little robot entered at the perfect time, its head down, busily cleaning up the water on the floor. At the same time, it didn’t forget to care for the mermaid, taking out a few beautiful fish from its pouch and handing them to Javier. Javier blinked, his eyelashes trembling, and his expression actually became sadder. The robot’s face turned to a confused “What’s wrong?.jpg”

Jian Chen was placed on the sofa. He was afraid of wetting the neat sofa cushions, so he planned to take off his sweater and pants, take a shower, and change into clean pajamas.

Yesting suddenly turned his back to him, no longer looking. He also didn’t go to tidy up his own dampened shirt.

Jian Chen: “?” Isn’t Yesting going to change?

What Jian Chen didn’t notice was that as Yesting turned away, his Adam’s apple bobbed once.

The Next Day, Night

Jian Chen accidentally discovered that Dun Dun was out of milk powder. He remembered that on the night he first brought Dun Dun home, he had bought a full month’s supply at the pet supermarket, fearing the red panda wouldn’t have enough.

However, looking at the empty milk powder container, Jian Chen fell into thought. “…” Where did all the milk powder go?

The red panda was sprawling on the sofa. Noticing “Little Papa” was looking at him, he raised his head and tilted it slightly, his dark-circled eyes dazed yet serious. Jian Chen scratched the soft fur on the cub’s neck, silently packed up the milk container, and threw it away.

Dun Dun, as a high-aesthetic red panda cub, had beautiful fur and a soft, round body, yet was incredibly timid. But as a cub who had only recently turned one month old, he was also a very heavy eater. While relieved, a hint of worry surfaced for Little Papa. Drinking this much, will he get sick? Although Dun Dun’s size wasn’t over the limit, he was the same as other cubs of his age. It seemed the staff members were right: Dun Dun drank milk more fiercely than any other red panda cub. He certainly lived up to his name (Chubby).

So, to keep the red panda well-fed, Jian Chen decided to go to the pet supermarket tonight. The neighborhood where the villa was located was very convenient; he didn’t even have to leave the compound. Just a three-hundred-meter walk downstairs was a large, comprehensive chain supermarket. It was well-stocked, and the basement level had a pet section. Jian Chen hadn’t been there before and planned to try his luck, as not every supermarket sold panda-related goods.

The man had called earlier to say he’d be back late, without specifying what he was doing. Jian Chen didn’t ask. He went to the second floor and found the small hiking backpack he had used when he first moved in—it was large enough to hold plenty of stock.

Before leaving, he checked on the mermaid in the bathroom. Javier only seemed to go into combat mode when he saw Yesting. So, Jian Chen tried to avoid contact between the man and the mermaid as much as possible. Besides, neither he nor Yesting usually used that bathtub.

Over the past two days, the mermaid had adapted well to the new home and his appetite had increased. He ate six small fish this morning, which made Jian Chen clutch his chest in relief. Jian Chen leaned over and told the mermaid: “I’m going to the supermarket, I’ll be back soon.” The mermaid rested his hands on the edge of the tub, his tail twitching slightly, creating ripples in the water. He lowered his long eyelashes and nodded.

Jian Chen’s heart fluttered at the little fellow’s cuteness. How can there be such a good child? He leaned over and kissed the mermaid on the forehead, praising him openly: “Our Javier is so good.” The mermaid froze, his aqua eyes widening slightly. From the spot on his forehead where Jian Chen kissed him, a blush began to spread until the whole little fish was red. He didn’t seem to want Jian Chen to notice, quickly flicking his tail and diving beneath the water. A few seconds later, small bubbles rose to the surface.

Jian Chen: “?” Is Javier resisting his kiss? Jian Chen paused. Since the mermaid lived in his house and was brought back by him, Jian Chen silently positioned himself as the mermaid’s temporary guardian. Now, he suddenly felt the bittersweet feeling of a father being shunned by a growing child. But at least the mermaid’s mood seemed much better. On the first day he arrived, he wouldn’t eat anything all day, let alone throw a tantrum like this.

Jian Chen went downstairs and picked up the newly-woken red panda. Dun Dun seemed to love these moments; he yawned, revealing a pink tongue, and stretched lazily in Little Papa’s arms. He smelled the fresh scent on Jian Chen and then wrapped his paw pads around Jian Chen’s neck, refusing to let go. After preparing the carrier, Jian Chen gently pulled the little bear off and put him in the pouch.

“Dun Dun, we’re going shopping!” Jian Chen put on his coat, strapped on his bag, and squeezed Dun Dun’s paw.

With Christmas Eve approaching, many residents in the neighborhood had begun decorating. Christmas tree stickers were on windows, snowmen stood at doors wearing Santa hats, and Jian Chen even saw a resident walking a dog dressed as a reindeer. Jian Chen thought about his and Yesting’s home. Far from decorations, even the scent of ordinary life wasn’t very strong. Jian Chen thought: On the way to restock Dun Dun’s food, why not buy some Christmas ornaments? And… should I order a Christmas tree?

Jian Chen had no resistance to this kind of holiday atmosphere and detail; he even enjoyed it quite a bit. Decorating a home bit by bit to reflect a festive atmosphere was a warm and romantic process that gave him a great sense of achievement. Although Yesting didn’t seem like the type to be interested in these things. But he probably wouldn’t object, right?

Jian Chen decided to start decorating as soon as he got home tonight!

He hurried to the basement pet section of the large supermarket. After asking around, he indeed found the panda section at the far end. Although there weren’t as many varieties as last time, Dun Dun’s favorite milk powder was there. Jian Chen stocked up on a half-month supply and also bought some bamboo shoots and leaves. The texture was very tender. Ever since getting his favorite yellow duck toy, Jian Chen had tried to attract the little fellow’s attention with other toys, only to find Dun Dun indifferent. What a devoted little bear. Jian Chen was very pleased.

He skipped the toy section and chose a few food bowls, a special panda bathing basin, and cleaning soap. There was a reason the panda’s fur was so white and clean. Usually, panda cubs a few months old are pure white and black, looking brand new. Gradually, as they grow into giant pandas and live in forests and mud, the white fur turns brownish-yellow, like an old bear. Jian Chen hoped he could still carry Dun Dun before he became an “old bear.”

Grow up slowly, little one. This was probably the shared wish of all guardians.

After buying the panda supplies, Jian Chen went from the basement to the main hall. The first floor was a large supermarket for residents, with vegetables, fruits, flowers, birds, fish, insects, and various household items. It had everything, including the Christmas decorations Jian Chen was looking for. Among the dazzling array of small parts, he picked out some golden bells, Christmas tree stickers, candy packaging, and gift boxes. He also found a few clusters of small fireworks at the edge of the section. He couldn’t help but take a few maybe he could set them off with Yesting.

“…” Jian Chen’s thoughts came to a halt. He realized he couldn’t imagine that scene at all. Oh well. He could show them to Dun Dun. Jian Chen made up his mind, put all the items into the shopping cart, slowly held the red panda, pushed the cart, and went to the checkout area.

He had gathered a lot tonight. Jian Chen was in a very happy mood. Since there weren’t many customers, he didn’t have to wait in line. Many areas now had self-service checkout with small robots organizing the receipts. But because Dun Dun had been scared into a limp state by robots before, Jian Chen always looked for a human cashier. Since Yesting’s home had a well-behaved robot, the red panda had gradually adapted and could now sit cross-legged with an unfazed expression, waiting for the robot to bring him milk.

So, Jian Chen pushed the cart to the first robot before the exit. Dun Dun didn’t see the difference between this robot and the one at home and was surprised that his “companion” had appeared in the supermarket. He reached out a paw and poked the robot’s head. The stranger robot looked up, its face turning to a “confused.jpg.”

“Pfft.” Jian Chen was amused yet slightly embarrassed. He silently reached out and pulled Dun Dun’s paw back: “Sorry, please continue.” The robot nodded and continued scanning items.

After checking out, Jian Chen wore the long backpack, held Dun Dun in his arms, and carried a paper bag with the milk powder. Passing the mall’s mirrors, he happened to see himself. It felt a bit magical like a hardworking young “milk papa.” Jian Chen couldn’t help but smile, shifting the red panda higher, gripping the paper bag, and starting the journey home.

Before he could walk out of the mall, he suddenly heard a conversation nearby. Normally, Jian Chen wouldn’t pay much attention, but for some reason, he froze, and his footsteps involuntarily stopped.

“What exactly is the matter?” a man’s voice asked with a hint of impatience. “I’m in a hurry.”

Jian Chen would never mistake that beautiful voice. It was Yesting.

“Oh, I can’t look for you unless there’s something wrong? You keep running home every day. What exactly is in that house that attracts you so much?” It was a woman’s voice, filled with complaint.

Yesting didn’t respond. Jian Chen felt his breathing tighten. For some reason, he felt like he didn’t want to keep listening. He raised his gaze and saw Yesting and the woman who had been speaking. The lady appeared to be in her thirties or forties, with black wavy hair, wearing stylish long clothes. She was tall and looked very elegant. She seemed well-maintained, as the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes were very faint, almost non-existent.

“You have more than one home, you know. Come back and visit more often.” The woman took Yesting’s arm, and to Jian Chen’s surprise, the man didn’t pull away, only frowning slightly.

“How about I go over to your place today and cook a meal for you? It’s been a long time since you had my meatball vermicelli soup, hasn’t it?”

Yesting: “No need.”

“Sigh, you’re becoming more and more like your father. I could still manage you when you were little, but now that you’re grown, you don’t listen to me anymore.”

Yesting said: “I won’t eat it.”

Woman: “…”

Jian Chen’s footsteps stopped. He gathered several pieces of information from this: childhood friends, knowing each other’s parents, frequently cooking for Yesting and they had another “home.”

Jian Chen didn’t walk out of the mall. He found a bench in a quiet corner, sat down, and started to daze. Time passed bit by bit. The red panda woke up from its nap. Finding itself still in the unfamiliar mall, Dun Dun looked up at Little Papa in confusion, as if asking: Why aren’t we home yet?

Just as it looked up, the little bear felt a drop of water hit its head.

Dun Dun: “?” It continued to look up at Little Papa and suddenly noticed something was wrong.

Jian Chen realized Dun Dun was awake and immediately wiped away his tears. He didn’t know why he was crying. He thought: That’s right, it’s only been nine days. Why am I crying? I clearly don’t know anything about Yesting.

He didn’t even know that Yesting liked women. But if so, why match with him? Why get married? Was it really for Dun Dun?

Jian Chen’s vision blurred. He wondered if the law had rules if a matched partner cheated, would the red panda be confiscated in the subsequent divorce?

He couldn’t lose Dun Dun too.

The red panda cub suddenly gave two anxious cries. Its soft belly was facing outward, its back leaning against Jian Chen’s chest, so when Jian Chen cried, it had to lift its head very high to look at Little Papa. Jian Chen finally realized Dun Dun was calling him.

Pitter-patter, another tear fell onto the little fellow’s neck. Jian Chen sniffed, slowly curled his body into a ball, and held the red panda against his neck. This way, only Dun Dun could see him crying. His fingertips were cold, but he didn’t care about the chill, gently holding Dun Dun tight. His voice trembled slightly:

“Dun Dun Papa was ‘cheated on’ only nine days after getting married.”