The Beautiful Top Being Pursued Relentlessly [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 31

A brazier stood on the sedan chair, the charcoal burning brightly and filling the small, curtained space with a cozy warmth. The chill dissipated slightly, and Xie Cheng’s frozen fingers regained their feeling. He leaned back against the soft cushions, picking up a book of miscellany and flipping through it at leisure.

He was reading so intently that he didn’t notice a pair of eyes in the corner staring at him without blinking.

The “kitten” tiger was huddled warily in a corner of the curtains, curling its tiny body into a ball, its nose twitching unconsciously. Seeing that Xie Cheng still gave no reaction, it grew bold enough to stretch out its injured hind leg. The charcoal was plentiful, and being close to the heat, the cub felt its flattened fur become fluffy again. It lowered its head, pillowed it on its paws, and fell asleep with a soft, steady purr.

“There are rumors in the streets that a residence at the West Gate is haunted. Who lives there?” Xie Cheng asked.

Outside the sedan, Jiang Shui thought for a moment and replied, “That should be the hostel where the hostages from other kingdoms reside.”

“Hostages from which kingdoms?”

“Your Highness, there are quite a few,” Jiang Shui chuckled. “But since it’s a haunting, the Hostel Master should be able to handle it. It shouldn’t cause a major stir.”

“Be that as it may,” Xie Cheng nodded slightly, closing his book. “They are hostages of other nations, guests in our Eastern Li. If they are truly frightened and a scandal arises, it won’t look good for us. Send someone to look into it.”

“Your Highness is compassionate. I shall have men investigate immediately.”

“Mm.”

“Your Highness, it is late. Leaving the palace now means enduring the night chill for a long journey. Why not stay in the palace tonight?” Jiang Shui asked tentatively.

Xie Cheng let out a slow sigh. “So talkative. Was it the Empress who asked you to be her lobbyist?”

Jiang Shui scratched his head. “Uh”

“Fine. We’ll stay one night and leave tomorrow.”

“Heck yeah!” Jiang Shui immediately ordered the eunuchs to change direction. “Since you moved out to your own manor, you haven’t visited Her Majesty in ages. It was hard enough getting you to the Mid-Autumn banquet, but Her Majesty caught a cold and is confined to the Fengyi Palace.”

Xie Cheng tapped the wooden frame of the sedan. “Enough. You’re being noisy.”

“I’ll shut up, then.”

Suddenly.

Purr… purr… purr…

What was that sound?

Xie Cheng followed the noise and saw a fluffy bundle in the shadows. Huddled near the brazier, it was sleeping soundly, its body rising and falling with every breath. The warm yellow light reflected off its soft fur, outlining it with a gentle halo.

Xie Cheng studied it for a moment, let out a cold snort, and extended his right foot to give the cub a light nudge on the forehead.

This fellow has it good. Sleeping and snoring just because he’s covered in fur, while his master is freezing in the sedan? Even if a decent hand-warmer can’t be found, he should at least be curled at my feet like a loyal heater.

If it weren’t for Xie Cheng, the Minister’s eldest son who was hell-bent on venting his anger for his beloved “brother” would have definitely shaved this creature bare and tossed its carcass into the back hills, regardless of whether it was a kitten or a tiger.

Therefore, no sleeping allowed.

Purr… purr…

The nudged cub stretched lazily, then suddenly realized its situation. Its body tensed instantly into a wild, defensive stance, baring its teeth at Xie Cheng.

“You’re awake,” Xie Cheng said flatly.

The growls from the cub’s throat grew louder, its fur standing on end as it tried to make itself look larger and more terrifying. Seeing this hollow bravado, the chill in Xie Cheng’s eyes actually softened a little.

“Growl again.” Xie Cheng extended his foot again, resting his toe on the furry head. “Make it sound nicer.”

“Roar! Roar!” The “milk tiger” barked.

“In the deep palace, a death is nothing, let alone the death of a wild little kitten.”

I’m not a kitten! I’m a BIG TIGER!!!

The cub grew angry, gathering its strength to lunge forward and repeatedly headbutt the sole of Xie Cheng’s foot. However, Xie Cheng’s foot remained unmoving.

“Don’t come closer. I don’t need you now.”

Xie Cheng suddenly retracted his foot. The dorky cub didn’t realize it in time and tumbled forward, face-planting on the floor. A piteous “gulu” sound emerged from its throat. The sound grew louder, its presence impossible to ignore.

Yet, in the cub’s eyes, the beautiful Prince gave no further reaction, simply returning to that broken book. Flip, flip, flip. What’s so good about a raggedy book?

The cub began to pace around Xie Cheng’s feet, swaying its head and letting out an occasional “awoo.”

Ignoring me? Ignoring me for real?

The cub rolled over on the floor of the sedan. Xie Cheng still ignored it. The cub wrinkled its nose, lifted its injured hind leg, lowered its body, and suddenly leaped into Xie Cheng’s lap.

Tiger-tiger is coming!

“Roar, roar!”

The cub trotted over his lap with soft paws, being quite a nuisance. Xie Cheng could no longer focus on his book. He leaned forward slightly, extended two slender fingers, and pinched the cub by the scruff of the neck, hoisting him up to dangle in mid-air.

“Awoo… roar…”

Suddenly weightless, the cub’s four paws paddled uselessly in the air. Those bright, brown eyes, which didn’t look like a tiger’s at all were filled with confusion and a hidden flicker of ferocity. It was hidden well; he looked very much like a kitten now.

Xie Cheng placed him back on his lap and reached out to scratch under his chin. Seeing the cub squint its eyes in enjoyment, Xie Cheng retracted his hand and patted its head. “Good little kitten. Let me hear a nice sound.”

“Roar?”

“Something soft. Like you’re acting spoiled,” Xie Cheng said, his gaze lingering on the creature.

The cub acted quite human, raising two paws to scratch at its own throat. “Roar”

“Softer,” Xie Cheng commanded.

“R-rawr” The cub squeezed its throat.

“Good kitten.”

After the cub let out a few more pleasing, soft sounds, Xie Cheng rested his palm on its head and rubbed it back and forth. “How about I call you ‘Xiao Nu’ Little Slave Kitten from now on?”

The fur on its head was being rubbed so comfortably that the cub started wagging its tail, but upon hearing the name, its eyes went wide. It let out a series of “roar, roar, roar” sounds to protest. I, the majestic, powerful, Great Tiger, am no ‘little baby’!

“Roar! Roar!”

“You don’t like that name?” Xie Cheng tapped the cub’s forehead. “We’ll talk about the name later. I’m a bit weary; don’t bother me.”

The cub lowered its voice. “Roar” I wasn’t bothering you.

****

At night, the full moon hung high, its clear light stretching the shadows of the vermillion palace walls. Although the inner palace was technically off-limits even to princes, the rules were non-existent for Xie Cheng.

He stayed in the Changning Palace, where he had lived as a child. The window was half-open, letting in a few stray drafts. A candle stood by the bed, casting a blurry glow through the curtains that fell softly on the sleeping Xie Cheng’s face.

In truth, he wasn’t sleeping well. With the “Cold Poison” in his system, even bundled in blankets, a bone-chilling cold seeped into his joints, making him frown in pain. He slept fitfully, his head throbbing.

During this light sleep, a rustling sound came from the window. A faint noise landed on the desk, then dropped from the height to stand steadily on the floor.

An assassin? Xie Cheng thought. To dare attempt an assassination in the palace, they were bold indeed. Even with his eyes closed, his consciousness was alert. He forced his frozen, aching arm to move, reaching for the sword beneath the bed frame.

A soft thud.

The “assassin” was exceptionally daring, seemingly convinced he was fast asleep and defenseless. Within moments, the intruder had climbed onto the bed.

Good. The palace hasn’t seen blood in a while; these people have grown too ambitious. I’ll use this chance to suppress them.

Xie Cheng’s hand was already on the hilt. In the darkness, he slowly opened his eyes, searching for the shadow of the assassin.

He saw nothing.

But he felt a distinct weight pressing on him, burrowing into the duvet bit by bit, moving along his leg and pressing against his body. It wasn’t cold or metallic like a blade. What is it?

Soon, the sensation on his abdomen became clear. The “assassin’s” fur wasn’t prickly; it was soft, fluffy, and dense. It felt smooth to the touch and radiated heat—acting like a perfect, living heater.

It was his little kitten.

Though he called it a kitten, the cub’s weight was much more substantial. Xie Cheng let go of the sword. Just as he was wondering what the cub was doing in the middle of the night, a tingle of warm, moist sensation licked across his skin.

His abdomen. And even further down. It was wet, licking him stroke after stroke.

Xie Cheng pulled the blanket back to look. The cub was lying on the bed, using its barbed tongue to lick haphazardly, sending waves of ticklish stinging through him. Gradually, it let out a low, satisfied “roar-roar” sound from its throat, as if it had a piece of meat in its mouth.

Hungry? Is it treating me as food?

Xie Cheng narrowed his eyes, studying the rascal in his arms, and let out a cold snort. “Want to eat?”

“Roar-wu?”

The cub snapped its head up, hitting the blanket. In its embarrassment, it buried its head in Xie Cheng’s chest and began to let out muffled “wu-wu” sounds to plead its case.

Xie Cheng pinched its ear. “I didn’t realize you were so bold.”

The cub, having a small brain, thought Xie Cheng was praising it and lifted its head proudly.

Xie Cheng hoisted the cub up, his voice cold. “The Master.  is that something you can eat?”

Eat in a literal sense.

The cub realized it had been misunderstood. Unable to process it, it sat up on the bed like a person, its paws cautiously touching Xie Cheng’s hand. “Roar-wu, roar-roar, wu-wu…”

The cub tried to communicate in “Tiger-ish.” Xie Cheng couldn’t understand it, but that didn’t stop him from grasping the intent. He held the two furry ears. “You weren’t trying to eat your master?”

The cub let out a long sigh. “Roar, roar.” I am a Good Great Tiger. I don’t eat people.

“Then what are you doing here?”

“Roar!” I am a Good Great Tiger. I saw you were cold, so I came.

A hint of a smile touched Xie Cheng’s voice. “You came to warm your master’s bed?”

“Roar.”

“I see.” Xie Cheng lay back down, pulling the bed-warming cub on top of him. “Then do your job well. No slacking.”

After all, he did seem to be useful. The cub simply lay there motionless, but a steady stream of thick warmth emanated from its body, passing through his thin night-robes and slowly seeping into his frozen limbs. The heat didn’t dissipate instantly; it flowed through his meridians, melting away the stagnant, icy chill bit by bit.

It was a very comfortable feeling. Xie Cheng instinctively pulled the heat source closer. His hand, icy from the poison, buried itself deep into the warm fur on the cub’s back, stroking it again and again.

“Good kitten.”

“Roar.” I’m not a kitten.

Support