Chu Duxiu stared at Xie Shenci with eager anticipation. Even though she hadn’t forced the cat ears onto him, the intensity of her enthusiasm was impossible to ignore.
Xie Shenci hesitated, words caught on his tongue. “Are you sure you want me to perform this at the company?”
Chu Duxiu thought for a moment. “Hmm…”
In her mind she pictured the annual company party, and of course she knew it wasn’t appropriate – it would be like putting him through public humiliation. She held the cat-ear headband in her hand, wavering, but still a little unwilling to give up just like that.
He pressed his advantage, “Could you really bear it?”
“…”
That hit her right in the soul. No, she really couldn’t bear it. There was no way she could let other people see him like that.
“Not at the company,” she quickly corrected herself. “But since we’re already here, let’s at least try it once.”
If it couldn’t be used at the company, then at least they could test it in private.
Xie Shenci: “?”
This was a whole new definition of “since we’re already here.” Clearly, it meant: “Since she came all the way here, he should at least try it.”
Xie Shenci stayed silent, stiff and unmoving like a wooden statue.
Chu Duxiu circled around him, her eyes shining brightly, her voice soft and coaxing. She was only a step away from grabbing his arm and shaking it, pestering him with half-pleading, half-coaxing insistence.
“Please.”
“Please.”
“Please.”
Over and over, like a broken recorder, showing an astonishing persistence.
Hearing her, the words floated over like feathers, tickling his ears until they went numb. Yet his facial features stayed tight with restraint, while inside he was locked in battle – on the one hand rejecting those furry cat ears, on the other hand savoring the rare moment of her acting so coquettish. He sighed inwardly: why did blessings and curses always come as a pair?
“Mr. Meow, please,” Chu Duxiu pressed her palms together, eyes almost glistening with tears, her tone devout. “As long as you grant me this tiny wish, I’ll gain such immense happiness.”
“…Why is this the kind of thing that makes you happy?”
This was nothing like what he had imagined.
In the end, Xie Shenci couldn’t withstand her clinging persistence. With a long sigh, he lowered his head in resignation, silently surrendering to her whimsical idea.
Seeing this, Chu Duxiu let out a cheer, jumping up with excitement as she hurried to put the headband on him.
Black cat ears with pointed tips, lined inside with a touch of white fur, stood out against his dark short hair, creating a striking contrast that suited him surprisingly well.
Xie Shenci, dressed in light casual clothes, now had a pair of cat ears on his head. Lounging cross-legged in the living room with his back against the dark-gray sofa, he sat motionless, letting her fuss over him. His expression carried both awkwardness and helplessness, and he only cast her a sidelong glance with those pitch-black eyes.
When Chu Duxiu met his gaze, her heart skipped a beat for no reason at all, and she felt her face heating up in confusion. This wasn’t how she’d imagined it at all.
Why did it suddenly feel… a little seductive?
On him, the cat ears didn’t look childish in the least. Instead, they softened his sharp aura, blending wildness with mystery, giving rise to an uncanny allure – like some half-human, half-demon being from an ancient myth.
A fusion of wildness and elegance – less like a cat, more like a god of demons.
Xie Shenci noticed she suddenly went quiet and mistakenly thought it was because the ears didn’t look good on him. He immediately raised a hand, intending to take off the headband. “I told you it doesn’t suit me…”
“No – it’s cute!” Chu Duxiu, too embarrassed to admit the wild thoughts racing through her mind, found herself breathless under the weight of his unusual, striking beauty. Flustered, she hurried to straighten the cat ears, then, seeing his lips pressed tight, leaned in and gave him a quick kiss. “It’s cute!”
“…”
After being bombarded with her relentless sweet talk, Xie Shenci lost the will to resist -even with the cat ears on.
He could only sit there as she alternated between patting him, adjusting the ears, whipping out her phone to snap pictures, and then suddenly wrapping her arms around him to bury her face in his neck with a deep inhale. At last, he understood what it felt like to be a rare animal – like working in a zoo.
Xie Shenci felt her soft cheek rubbing insistently against him, her warm breath even slipping into the crook of his ear. His Adam’s apple moved slightly as he muttered in a low voice, “Have you hugged enough?”
At his words, Chu Duxiu finally realized she had been clinging to him far too long, nearly pressing him completely into the sofa.
The sofa was already soft, and with Xie Shenci sitting cross-legged, his arms naturally resting at her sides, he had no way to stop her from squirming endlessly in his embrace. Forced to lean backward under the onslaught of her endless hugs, it looked almost as if she had pushed him down.
His dark hair was tousled, his body reclined, and the loose loungewear he wore exposed half his collarbone – making him look thoroughly bullied.
Startled at her own impropriety, Chu Duxiu quickly straightened up, reluctantly saying, “That’s about enough…”
Though in truth, she hadn’t had nearly enough of admiring him.
But she couldn’t take advantage of his good temper and push him too far.
When Xie Shenci saw her stand up, he stayed silent for a few seconds before suddenly saying, “Then it’s my turn to hold you.”
The next moment, he raised a hand, pulling her back down into his arms, returning everything she had just done to him in kind.
“Don’t you have ears too?”
His voice was low.
Chu Duxiu fell into his warm, familiar embrace, and then she felt something soft and damp brush against her ear. A breath traced along her skin, spreading a sultry warmth, followed by a firmer touch – her earlobe was being kissed, lightly bitten.
It was like both punishment and payback, his mouth deliberately lingering on her ear, sometimes letting the tip of his teeth graze it slowly. The heat radiated across every point of contact, like mist rising after rain – hazy, blurred, suffused with unspoken intimacy.
For some reason, she felt her ears especially sensitive, every warm breath seeping in until her whole body went weak. It was even more intoxicating than an ordinary kiss, making her wish she could completely drown in his scent.
Chu Duxiu’s heartbeat exploded in her chest, and she stammered in panic, “I didn’t…” bite your ear.
But just as she opened her mouth, a kiss descended.
He was still wearing the cat ears, one hand lightly supporting her back as he tilted his head, gently capturing her lips.
She looked at his clearly defined eyelashes, and it was as if she’d been bewitched by some ancient spirit, suddenly stripped of her usual words, closing her eyes involuntarily instead.
Beside them, the television screen flickered with shifting light and shadow. Desire surged forth in that instant, and they kissed deeply, lingering until their breaths burned hot, before slowly parting at last.
Chu Duxiu still had his arm draped around her waist. Noticing the subtle way he avoided her, she immediately understood what had happened. Suppressing the upward curve of her lips, she sneaked a gleeful glance at him.
Catching her look of mischief, Xie Shenci shot her a glare, then quickly shifted his gaze away, turning his face to the side as if to hide something, struggling to calm himself down.
They were no longer at an age of complete innocence; with the intimacy of lovers’ touch, it was inevitable to be swept up in passion.
Yet he was always restrained, seldom expressing the raw intensity of adult desire, more often ending things with self-control.
For a long time, she had found it hard to put their relationship into words. She might admit to others that she was in love, but she would never bring up the little details of being with him, always dodging the question if asked.
She harbored a strong, selfish instinct: some secrets belonged only to the two of them, not to be revealed to anyone else, nor in need of anyone else’s understanding.
She didn’t believe that the world’s notion of “love” could define what existed between them.
Long before their bodies had touched, their souls had already fused.
Just as now, she knew exactly what he was thinking – that he wanted to keep his promise from before, that the two of them, inexperienced in love, would walk through each stage slowly and carefully. Perhaps he was afraid of frightening her, or of making her dislike him, so he always stopped just short, step by step.
But she was not so timid or fearful. Instead, she pressed her warm face against the side of his neck, wanting only to be closer to him.
Xie Shenci sensed her affection and seemed to guess her intentions. His heart gave a small jolt as he lifted her slightly in his arms, his throat dry as he said, “No.”
She blinked. “Why not?”
“…No reason.”
She pressed on with doubt, “How is that no reason? You obviously already…”
Xie Shenci fixed his gaze on her for a long moment. “I meant something else. Nothing at all.”
“…Oh.”
Their conversation was a tangle – scattered words, vague and muddled – yet both of their ears burned as they grasped the unspoken meaning behind each line.
The two of them stared at each other, neither willing to part just yet. So they stayed where they were, nestled together, waiting for the haze of intimacy to slowly ebb away.
Xie Shenci said nothing, but kept his arms wrapped around her, unwilling to let go. He wanted to wait until everything calmed down, but with her hair brushing against him and her faintly sweet scent surrounding him, it was clearly not so easy.
Seeing his lips pressed tight, Chu Duxiu found the whole scene even funnier. With perfect self-assurance she declared, “It’s all your fault. Yours, not mine.”
At that, he deliberately tapped her nose with his own, a little act of playful revenge.
After lingering close like that for quite a while in the living room, the moment eventually drifted into afternoon tea time.
Xie Shenci came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of fruit. Seeing that she still hadn’t moved from her spot, he asked, “Are you going to keep playing your game?”
Chu Duxiu’s eyes stayed locked on the TV screen. “Mm, just a little longer, I’ll stop soon…”
“Alright.”
After a moment of thought, Xie Shenci set the fruit plate on the table. Casually, he picked up the cat ears beside him and, while she was completely absorbed in her game, tried slipping them onto his head. Maybe it was like anything else – the first time felt unbearably embarrassing, but by the second, it became easier, almost natural, nothing special at all.
He only tried them on for a couple of seconds before taking them off again.
But who would have thought – out of the corner of her eye, Chu Duxiu caught his little action. She instantly let out a wail.
Why was he wearing cat ears behind her back? Did he actually think of her as an outsider?
Her focus vanished in an instant. She didn’t even bother to save her game, hurriedly tossing down the controller. “Let me see!”
Watching her charge toward him without pause, Xie Shenci: “?”
He absently twirled the cat-ear headband in his hand, realizing too late that this thing was nothing less than a trap designed to lure in a cat addict.
*
After the busy workdays, Shanle welcomed its annual grand gathering – an occasion when everyone finally came together for a rare day of celebration.
Bei He, serving as the general director of the event, coordinated preparations with all departments, jointly designing the award categories, program schedule, and raffle prizes. Of course, the most anticipated part of the evening was undoubtedly the performance by the three founders themselves.
Inside the bright, spacious hall, round tables were filled with Shanle employees. At the very center, the stage had long since been set up. Seating at each table was arranged by department: the actors and screenwriters sat together, with Chu Duxiu, Scallion, and Wang Nali sharing one table.
Scallion rubbed his hands together in excitement. “Fortunes really do turn – can’t believe we finally get to be the audience for once, instead of filming a show!”
Wang Nali looked around curiously. “Strange, I don’t see the three of them.”
Mr. Xie, Mr. Shang, and Director Shang hadn’t shown up, their seats still completely empty – no one knew where they’d gone.
Lu Fan frowned. “Don’t tell me Mr. Shang’s planning to just drop out, skip the company’s annual gala altogether?”
“You’ve got to trust Mr. Shang.” Bei He, hearing this, thumped his chest in assurance. “This is a company assignment. You know what kind of person our Mr. Shang is – there’s no way he’d dodge his work!”
Lu Fan’s eyebrow twitched. “So you’re really going to rank the programs?”
To this day, she thought Bei He must have nerves of steel. It was one thing to make the bosses perform, but to go as far as ranking their acts live on stage? That was practically dancing on the edge of danger. Offend any one of them, and it wouldn’t end well. He was practically submitting his resignation in disguise.
“Of course! All our shows are competitive – why shouldn’t the leaders’ acts be too?” Bei He declared. “We’ll just go by the volume of applause – judge the results by the live audience reaction!”
“…Will I still see you in the company after the Spring Festival?”
Surely by the time the holiday was over, Bei He would already be dismissed by Mr. Shang – terminated the moment his left foot stepped back inside the company.
Before long, the stage inside lit up, dazzling beams of light sweeping across the room and drawing everyone’s attention. The house lights dimmed, making the dining employees pause mid-bite as they curiously turned their eyes to the stage.
Wang Nali looked around. “It’s starting? Who is it?”
The next second, Shang Xiaomei stepped onstage with a microphone in hand. Dressed in a bright, energetic outfit with stylish tapered pants, she raised her voice to the crowd: “Everyone ready?”
Hip-hop music blasted out as she slid on a pair of black sunglasses, spitting rhymes nonstop, her words firing in rhythm with the beat, instantly setting off a roar of cheers from the audience!
Pounding drumbeats, effortless confidence, a dazzling stage presence.
With just one rap performance, Shang Xiaomei sent the annual gala into a frenzy, heating up the atmosphere in a flash and driving the audience to scream with excitement.
Chu Duxiu stared at the stylish, charismatic Director Shang and exclaimed, “That’s fire!”
Not only did Shang Xiaomei rap with ease, she even jumped off the stage, weaving freely among the round tables, casually high-fiving people as she went. She carried herself with full-on Rapstar swagger, and compared to professional entertainers, her command of the stage was every bit as good.
Lu Fan sighed. “I almost forgot Director Shang used to work on music programs.”
Wang Nali exclaimed, “She’s incredible – who could top that!”
After such a powerful opening, Shang Liang took the stage next – carrying a violin, no less. Dressed as usual in a formal suit, he played with utmost seriousness. Yet under the soft lighting, some of his usual rigidity melted away, and the neat, lively tune he performed actually fit the festive mood of the gala.
If Director Shang’s strength lay in the quality of her music, then Mr. Shang’s draw was the sheer shock of contrast.
He was always so meticulous at work, and now he seemed more like an awkward kid at a New Year’s party, forced by his parents to perform. It was the ultimate act of devotion to Shanle – so novel that it overshadowed the program itself!
Who even cared what piece he was playing?
What mattered was that Mr. Shang had set aside his pride – for them!
Everyone was stunned, and when the violin piece finally ended, they still gave him a round of enthusiastic applause, shouting: “Encore!”
Shang Liang’s face was stiff, his sense of shame already maxed out. He bowed to the crowd in thanks, then bolted from the stage at top speed, vanishing from the hall like a whirlwind.
Chu Duxiu said, “…The company really ought to compensate Mr. Shang for emotional damages after this.”
“Mr. Shang was confused – this is a comedy company, why’d he choose the wrong instrument?” Bei He lamented, pounding his chest. “If only he’d played the erhu today, he might’ve pulled it off!”
Scallion said, “This is too much, way too much – even instruments are in play now. What’s Mr. Xie supposed to do?”
They had all assumed Mr. Shang would take it easy, but who knew he had a hidden skill that caught everyone completely off guard.
Hearing this, Chu Duxiu, having just watched the first two acts, realized it was almost Xie Shenci’s turn. She instantly grew restless, standing up to pour water for everyone at the table while pleading sweetly. “Friends, please do me a favor – remember, he’s one of our own.”
She couldn’t let Xie Shenci’s performance fall flat.
He hadn’t even gone on stage yet, and she was more anxious than him – deciding to openly bribe the audience into clapping.
Others quickly caught the subtext in her words and of course wouldn’t pass up the chance to tease her. “But aren’t all three of them technically insiders?”
Scallion chimed in, egging her on. “Exactly, exactly! If the head screenwriter wants to grease the wheels, then she’s got to give us some benefits first!”
Bei He winked at Chu Duxiu. “Come on, relationships have levels. If Mr. Xie goes up to perform, that’s about the same as the other two. But if it’s the actor’s family member going up to perform, well – that makes him one step closer to us actors, doesn’t it? Totally different!”
Everyone already knew about Chu Duxiu and Xie Shenci’s relationship, though the two usually kept things low-key, rarely showing it at work, limiting themselves to subtle little interactions.
But the annual gala was a day for relaxing, and this was one of those rare chances to joke around, so naturally the teasing came out. Especially since Chu Duxiu often flushed with embarrassment – she almost never mentioned him in her routines – which only made teasing her all the more fun.
Yet with the competition about to begin, nothing could be allowed to weaken his momentum. Too flustered to care about her own embarrassment, she resolved to hype up the room on his behalf.
Facing their mischievous looks, Chu Duxiu clasped her hands together in mock salute and blurted out, “Yes, yes, yes – I’m family! I beg you all, fellow townsfolk, give the actor’s family member a bit of face, and support my partner’s performance!”
