No matter how crushed Xiao Yu felt deep within, the lovesick Chairman Yan was an unreasonable man. According to their conversation that day, he came to a conclusion on his own and gave Fish and Hamster – You Can’t Have Both
the death sentence.
However, Yan Jin fulfilled his promise and did not breakup immediately. Instead, he cut down the number of times he sent messages on QQ. Those messages included things like informing when he had taken a meal, when he was sleeping, etc. He no longer took pictures and sent them. They were just like a couple going through a cold war – aside from good morning and goodnight messages, they basically did not talk about anything else.
Perhaps Yan Jin’s methods intended to subtly loosen the reins in order to grasp them better. Maybe he was hoping that Fish and Hamster – You Can’t Have Both
would take the initiative to send messages to him… Regardless of whether he had such thoughts, they would never be fulfilled.
Because for Fish and Hamster – You Can’t Have Both
, which also meant for Xiao Yu, Yan Jin’s sudden drop in passionate love had caught him off-guard. At the same time… it also made him feel relieved.
At least from this outcome, Yan Jin’s change was in fact good news.
There was no need for Xiao Yu to sneak out just to reply to Yan Jin’s messages. He also had more time to cuddle with Yan Jin and watch movies, chit chat, and engage in some human-pet interaction. Basically, they had returned to how it was before, or perhaps even progressed a level further.
Previously, Xiao Yu thought that such a daily routine was simply too boring. However, after experiencing the split-personality experience of ‘My Master, My Boyfriend’, the hamster wholeheartedly felt that such a peaceful daily routine was what made it precious.
In conclusion, Xiao Yu was temporarily supportive of Yan Jin’s change in attitude.
When Chu Ge arrived on Monday for the re-examination, he found out that Yan Jin’s bad cold was more or less cured with Xiao Yu’s relentless motherly-style caring that was filled with blood, sweat and tears. Besides being very surprised, Dr. Chu was very pleased with the situation and gave Xiao Yu an exceptionally precious present –
It was a figurine from a game.
Xiao Yu accepted the figurine with trembling paws. He had been eyeing this figure since his previous life. It was a pity that only a limited amount were on sale in the market. Even if he had the money, he could not buy it. In the end, he could only take pictures to satisfy his craving. Xiao Yu did not expect that he would have such fortune after being reborn.
You like it that much?
Chu Ge pushed his spectacles up as he hid the ugly, scheming merchant image beneath it:
Take good care of Yan Jin and you’ll have more of these in the future.
That figurine was sent to him by a friend from overseas, but Chu Ge had not liked the color, so he decided to try his luck with the hamster.
Squeakk!
Yes, Sir! No problem, Sir!
Xiao Yu saluted with one paw raised up, his little head held high, and his little tummy protruded, making it hard for people to hold back their smiles.
Chu Ge was caught off-guarded by it as he laughed at the hamster’s antics. But when he looked up with his bright, smiling face, he was surprised to find
I’m not happy
written on Yan Jin’s unpleasant face.
Hey, have you heard the expression…
Chu Ge instinctively took half a step back:
Jealousy makes a person ugly?
Yan Jin did not reply, but his expression had visibly darkened even further.
Achoo.
Xiao Yu felt a little cold.
For the sake of preventing his hamster from catching any colds, Chairman Yan suppressed his icy-cold aura. Next, he lifted Xiao Yu, whose eyes was stuck on the figurine, and said emotionlessly:
Our home is too cluttered. There’s no place for such garbage.
Xiao Yu refused to let go:
Squeakkk.
If you plan on joking, then get rid of the mini yellow duckling, mini chick, mini pool ring, and mini swimming float that’s in the bathroom.
The darkened expression that Yan Jin had suppressed with difficulty had signs of returning once again.
Okay, okay. I apologize.
Indeed, in such a situation, only Chu Ge who was at the bottom of the food chain could help to smooth things over:
I shouldn’t have given your pet any presents without permission. I’ll leave you to buy such things in the future, deal?
Yan Jin’s expression was slightly tamed:
How much? I’ll transfer you.
Chu Ge knew that things would turn out this way, so he did not hold back on the offer. He took out a receipt from his pocket and swayed it in front of Yan Jin:
Three thousand seven hundred.
Yan Jin, who had never encountered the 2D world, did not raised any suspicions over such an expensive price. Perhaps in his eyes, the concept of a figurine was similar to a fifty dollar toy from the street market. But when the hamster he kept fell in love with that toy… Well, it’s just three thousand seven hundred. Isn’t that cheap?
Yan Jin fished out his mobile and transferred the money.
It was not his first time being forced to
draw a line
even though they were really closed. Chu Ge was obviously getting used to it as he guiltlessly accepted Yan Jin’s bank transfer and slipped the receipt into Xiao Yu’s embrace.
Xiao Yu carefully tucked the receipt away.
Yan Jin saw that scene with his sharp eyes as he spoke with dissatisfaction:
You may leave?
… Fine. It’s so rare that you actually followed a doctor’s instruction.
Chu Ge commented helplessly:
The present had been given, so I shall take my leave.
Fishy, bye bye, kisses~
Xiao Yu played along and made a heart-shape with his paws to send off Chu Ge.
Good-for-nothing. It’s just a small toy. If you like it, why not buy it yourself?
Yan Jin spoke from above.
Squeak.
You won’t understand.
Xiao Yu hugged his limited-edition figurine, reluctant to let go of it, not even sparing a glance at Yan Jin.
Chu Ge left. You should go back to the room.
Yan Jin tugged on Xiao Yu, but was unsuccessful.
Another tug, still unsuccessful.
In the end, Chairman Yan gave in and brought the figurine along as they returned to the bedroom. He watched coldly as Xiao Yu dragged the figure with difficulty into his cage and even rejected his help.
Chairman Yan began to consider the possibilities of entering the 2D business market.
On the same day, Yan Jin was supposed to rest at home. However, because he needed to complete the pile of unfinished work, aside from the time he used to entertain Chu Ge, Yan Jin had spent morning to night working at his desk.
At night, when Xiao Yu noticed that Yan Jin had not finished his work, he decided to offer his help.
Naturally, Xiao Yu could not help with the documents that only the company’s higher-ups would understand. But Xiao Yu had noticed earlier that there was a pile of drawings beside Yan Jin’s hand. Obviously, it was the new jewelry release that YL had been preparing for the new year. Xiao Yu was experienced with those – when he was at SI, he had been in charge of all sorts of new product releases.
Seeing how enthusiastic Xiao Yu was, Yan Jin did not give him the cold shoulder and cooperatively pushed the drawings over.
Speaking of which…
Yan Jin recalled:
You once did something similar, didn’t you? Back then, I was still unaware of your identity, so I thought you were just messing around.
Xiao Yu remembered that incident as well. It was the time when he had chosen the drawings for the Autumn Release Conference, sticking his little paw into the black ink bottle and endorsing the drawings that he found suitable.
Ah, he almost forgot that the ink stain could only be removed after several days.
Yan Jin watched as his hamster held his paw up with a pitiful look. He immediately guessed what was on Xiao Yu’s mind. As if performing magic, he took out an ink pad from his drawer.
Here, use this.
Yan Jin flipped open the cover, exposing the red and blue ink.
Squeak!
This is great!
And so, the human and hamster – one on the computer, the other on the drawings – began busying themselves cautiously and conscientiously.
Squeak.
I’m done~
The first one to complete his work was Xiao Yu. He was done with selecting the drawings as he happily let out a squeak. However, Yan Jin was devoted to his work had not noticed him at all.
Xiao Yu felt bored when he did not receive any response. The sense of achievement after finishing his work instantly disappeared. Just when he thought of going to a corner to play alone, he suddenly felt his evil side emerging as a splendid idea flashed through his mind.
Squish, squish.
Xiao Yu snuck up silently as he got close to Yan Jin. One step, two steps.
Yan Jin, whose focus was concentrated on his computer, did not realize a certain hamster was preparing to create trouble.
Bloop.
Sssss…
When Yan Jin noticed, it was already too late. Even though he had lifted the hamster up, the two blue and red inked paw prints were each distinctively stamped onto his white sleeve cuff.
The main culprit, who was held up by the hand, had an innocent look and even started squeaking his protest.
Squeakk.
I called out for you. You ignored me.
The adorable little eyes blinked like they were the most pitiful thing ever. In comparison, Yan Jin was clearly the reprehensible villain.
Thus, the roles of the victim and assailant were completely reversed. Not only had Yan Jin lost his right to be angry, he even had to it tone down and ask for forgiveness:
I’m sorry.
Squeak.
Alright then, I’ll forgive you.
I’m almost done. We’ll take a shower later and watch a movie together.
Squeakk?
What movie are we watching?
That… that movie we watched previously about the little animals…
Squeak.
Okay then.
Hn, I’ve watched that movie a long time ago. But since it’s you, I shall accompany you to watch it again.
……
The temperature began to drop in the middle of December.
Xiao Yu stood on the window ledge as he stretched out his paw against the glass window that was covered with white mist.
Writing words on the winter glass window – that was something he played only when he was young.
Xiao Yu had a rare moment in which he reminisced about his childhood days as he enjoyed himself. He did not even realize that Yan Jin had entered the room.
Not only that, he even wrote a whole stretch of
Yan Jin
on the glass window.
Yan Jin raised his eyebrow as he grabbed Xiao Yu and raised him to eye level:
If you missed me, why don’t you call me?
Squeakkk!
I don’t miss you. I’m just practicing my writing.
Xiao Yu insisted.
Yan Jin curled his lips:
Compared to a little demon, sometimes I feel that you’re more like a human.
Xiao Yu looked at Yan Jin calmly.
If Yan Jin had said that a few months ago, it might have make him panic. But now, he hoped that Yan Jin would continue to guess and discover more things. Maybe he would even find out about everything and straight away give him a judgement call.
Yes, he was a human. He may even be a person that Yan Jin was planning to deal with right now. He was SI’s chief designer who had hindered YL from taking over the throne. He had suspected that Yan Jin allowed his employees to plagiarize his designs. He even had ulterior motives when he was taken in by Yan Jin. He was a bad hamster who had thought of destroying Yan Jin’s company.
However, he was that Mr. Mystery that Yan Jin had been pondering about for seven years as well. He was that mystery designer who had no regrets helping out YL for the past six months. He was that nobody who had accidentally understood the other side of Yan Jin and hoped to accompany Yan Jin for the rest of his life.
It was a pity that no matter how much Xiao Yu thought, Yan Jin had no plans to continue guessing.
He pressed a soft, gentle kiss on the hamster as he tapped on Xiao Yu’s little nose:
You don’t look so energetic recently. Is it because the weather’s too cold?
Xiao Yu shook his head. The heating system had been running in the villa. No matter how cold it was outside, it would not have affected him.
Then is it because you’re feeling too bored?
Yan Jin continued guessing.
… Squeak.
Maybe.
Then, shall I bring you to the Four Seasons Manor at the end of this month?
