Chapter 23
The result of the tug-of-war was obvious. The Gold and Silver duo bit the rope. Despite almost wearing their mouths raw, they couldn't withstand the husky's powerful pull.
As for the two chinchillas, it was needless to say. They stood between the Gold and Silver duo. Their paws barely touched the rope before their entire bodies were lifted into the air, unable to exert any strength at all.
This time, the silver shaded cat didn't try to go back on its words. It even wanted to recruit Yun Juan as its follower.
The fluffies and the two children became friends after their initial fight and soon played together.
Yun Juan was surrounded by the Gold and Silver duo, two chinchillas, and a husky.
Yun Shu was surrounded by a Pomeranian, a pug, a hairless cat, a Ragdoll, and an orange tabby.
Five for each person. It was fair, but their pitiful real owner, Mo Rongwen, had no fluffy pets around.
Mo Rongwen, a highly respected figure in the entertainment industry, known for his rich emotions on screen and cold indifference off screen, was currently huddled in a corner of the sofa, looking resentfully at his furry children like a veritable lemon-spirit reincarnation.
Yun Chuman watched the pile of fluffy creatures with longing. The Pomeranian was rubbing its fluffy head against Yun Shu's neck, while Yun Juan was pinching the silver shaded cat's pink paws.
Her eyes lit up as she watched for a while, wanting to get close to the furry creatures.
So she cautiously approached, tentatively extending her ‘sinister’ hand. Every time she tried to touch one of them, they would recoil warily. Even the chinchillas were no exception. None would let her touch them. In the end, she didn't even touch a single hair.
Yun Chuman slumped back onto the sofa, dejected. Her hands supported her chin as she thought dejectedly, "Am I just someone who gets ignored by dogs and cats?"
"Woof woof!"
The pug swaggered over to her, raising a front paw to pat her trouser leg.
Yun Chuman's eyes lit up. Her nose suddenly felt a little sour. She didn't seem so bad after all!
She reached out to pick up the pug, but the pug was startled, reacting quickly by lying down on the ground and rolling backward twice to avoid her hand. Then it looked relieved, turning back to return Yun Shu's side.
Yun Chuman's outstretched hand hung awkwardly in mid-air, while two chinchillas in the distance clutched their bellies and laughed hysterically.
She subconsciously glanced at the two children and found that Yun Juan and Yun Shu had fallen asleep sometime earlier. The husky and orange cat were obediently serving as their pillows, and the other furry creatures were quietly curled up beside them, dozing with their eyes closed.
The two children's round bellies rose and fell rhythmically. Their rosy faces still bear smiles.
Seeing this scene, Yun Chuman's heart, which had just been stabbed several times by the furry creatures, was instantly healed.
She took two small blankets and went over, gently covering Yun Juan and Yun Shu.
Mo Rongwen had been silently watching his furry children. When Yun Chuman reappeared in his field of vision, he noticed that her eyes were full of tenderness and love when she looked at the two children.
He suddenly felt a sense of familiarity at this moment. His usually anxious heart calmed down for the first time, and his eyelids grew heavy.
Yun Chuman turned her head and saw him curled up in the corner, fast asleep.
She scratched her head, found a blanket and covered him, muttering, "How old is my nephew this year? How come he falls asleep so easily, just like Little Juan and Little Shu?"
Mo Rongwen, still conscious: ...
Who was her nephew! How did he become her nephew?!
He kept his eyes tightly closed, thinking it best not to speak and just pretend to be asleep. He couldn't very well open his eyes and call out "Auntie."
The sun outside was already setting, its orange rays streaming into the living room, bathing the sleeping human cub and the furry body in a warm glow.
Yun Chuman watched for a while, realizing she wasn't sleepy at all, and decided to prepare dinner.
She had just entered the kitchen when the production crew informed her that because today was the first day her family of three had successfully met Mo Rongwen, dinner would be prepared by the production crew. It was the same with the other two groups of guests.
Suddenly finding herself with nothing to do, Yun Chuman paused, stunned. Her only task was gone; what should she do?
Her gaze returned to the two children nestled in their furry embrace, and suddenly an idea struck her.
She quickly ran upstairs, soon returning with a sketchbook and a pen. Carefully sitting down beside the children, she adjusted her position and began to draw intently. As she drew, she thought, "It would be a shame not to capture such a heartwarming scene."
The living room was filled only with soft breathing and the scratching of pen on paper.
The viewers in the live stream felt a sense of tranquility at this sight.
—My anxiety these past few days has suddenly lessened considerably. Human babies and furry creatures together are doubly healing.
—I'm getting sleepy too. This is perfect for a hypnotic video.
—Ah, the two sleeping babies are so cute!
—Yun Chuman, you draw is amazing!
—Art students rushed over; I can only say Yun Chuman is very professional…
—Honestly, don't you guys think Mo Rongwen is both pitiful and funny? Yun Chuman is with the two kids and the fluffy creature, while he's just huddled on the sofa.
—Suddenly, I remembered that Mo Rongwen's extreme fans were wary of Yun Chuman before this, but she didn't even give their elder brother a second glance.
—Not only did she not give him a second glance, but Movie Star Mo is now Yun Chuman's nephew!
—When I heard Yun Chuman call him nephew just now, I burst out laughing.
—As expected of you, Yun Chuman, the comedian!
When Yun Chuman finished her drawing, it was already dark. She stretched her aching shoulders and gently patted Yun Juan and Yun Shu's chubby cheeks: "Little Juan, Little Shu, wake up, you won't be able to sleep tonight if you keep sleeping."
Yun Juan frowned. His long eyelashes fluttered rapidly. He slowly opened his eyes, paused for a moment, then suddenly sat up, looking down at the husky sleeping sprawled out beneath him. Only then did he fully wake up.
The little boy, having slept wrapped in fur, was sweating profusely on his nose and forehead and his face flushed.
Yun Chuman gently wiped his sweat. Yun Juan looked up at her, blinked, and leaned lazily against her.
Yun Chuman enjoyed Yun Juan's rare display of affection. After wiping his sweat, she went to wake the still-sleeping Yun Shu.
The little girl hummed heavily through her nose, rubbed her chubby little hands, and struggled to open her eyes a crack. The moment she saw Yun Chuman, she raised her short, chubby arms and said softly, "Mommy, hug me~"
Without a word, Yun Chuman picked her up and hugged her, wiping the sweat from her face as well.
Yun Shu curled up into a small ball, nodding repeatedly with her eyes closed like a chick pecking at rice.
Yun Juan rested his chin on Yun Chuman's knee, smiling as he gently poked his cheek with his finger.
Only after Yun Chuman re-tied Yun Shu's hair did she fully wake up.
Dinner was brought over, and Yun Chuman and the two children went to help carry the food to the table, filling the room with a delicious aroma.
The production team had put a lot of thought into the meal. There were sweet and sour pork ribs and sweet and sour pork with pineapple, which the children loved; there were also boiled pork slices and Mapo tofu, which were spicy and appetizing, perfect for adults; and finally, a plate of blanched bok choy and a bowl of hawthorn soup to aid digestion.
The fluffies, who had woken up almost at the same time as the children, sat in a row near the table, staring longingly at the food. Their tails were practically spinning like fans.
Looking at their eyes, Yun Chuman suddenly remembered herself from her past life.
She stole a glance at the sweet and sour pork ribs on the table, wondering if she could tear off a little bit of meat to feed them.
Yun Juan noticed her gaze and immediately said seriously, "Mommy, you can't feed human food to little dogs, little cats, and little mice."
Yun Shu nodded, saying softly, "They'll shed fur if they eat that."
"I wasn't planning on feeding them, I was just looking."
Yun Chuman quickly shook her head guiltily. She knew small animals couldn't eat heavily oiled or salty food. She had inadvertently projected her own feelings onto them; she knew all too well how bland and tasteless meals felt, making life joyless.
The two children said this, but they couldn't resist the longing in their furry eyes.
Yun Juan wrinkled his chubby little face and whispered in Yun Shu's ear, "Let's go wake up Elder Brother Mo and ask him where he put the cats, dogs, and mice's dinner."
"Okay! I'll go with Elder Brother!" Yun Shu grabbed his hand and marched proudly towards the living room.
Mo Rongwen had actually woken up when dinner was brought over. He sniffled in his sleep and upon opening his eyes, he unconsciously took another deep breath of the aroma of the food.
He laid half-asleep on the sofa for a while before realizing with surprise that he had actually fallen asleep!
Mo Rongwen carefully sat up, tugging at his hair in annoyance. He hadn't slept so soundly in a long time, especially with strangers present.
Thinking about this, he felt extremely self-conscious. His brain raced, trying to figure out how to get out of this awkward situation.
He decided to wait until Yun Chuman and the two children finished eating and went back to their bedroom before leaving.
Just as Mo Rongwen was thinking this, he looked up and saw Yun Juan and Yun Shu walking towards him hand in hand.
"Mom, Elder Brother Mo is awake!" With her sharp eyes, Yun Shu saw him and excitedly reported to Yun Chuman.
Mo Rongwen: ...
It seemed too late to lie down and pretend to be asleep now...
"Oh, then let him come eat with us."
Yun Chuman gave a perfunctory reply. Her attention was entirely on the fluffy children waiting for food in front of her. Maybe she could pet him a couple of times while she could.
The two children ran hand in hand to Mo Rongwen.
"Elder Brother Mo, let's eat together! The crew brought us lots of delicious food!" Yun Shu exaggeratedly drew a circle in the air with her hands.
Mo Rongwen subconsciously avoided her bright eyes and nodded awkwardly, "Okay..."
Yun Juan pursed his lips and mustered his courage to ask, "Elder Brother Mo, can Little Shu and I feed the cats, dogs, and mice for you?"
Mo Rongwen was stunned for a moment and then remembered that his fluffy children was still hungry.
He stood up and walked to the corner where the furry animals ate and drank. He took out a large suitcase from the back, laid it down, and unzipped it to reveal it full of pet food, all resealed in compressed transparent bags.
"Woof woof!"
"Meow~"
"Squeak~"
Hearing the familiar sounds, the furry animals rushed towards Mo Rongwen.
Yun Chuman followed behind, watching Mo Rongwen and Yun Juan and Yun Shu surrounded by the furry animals. A slight pang of envy showed on her face. She returned to the dining table.
Mo Rongwen skillfully placed the different types of pet food into their respective bowls.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu stood beside him with great interest, watching his actions in silence.
Mo Rongwen glanced at them, secretly relieved. Thankfully, the two children didn't pester him to help, nor did they ask any questions; otherwise, he really wouldn't know how to interact with them.
Finally, after filling the two Chinchilla bowls, he counted the remaining pet food before pulling his suitcase back up.
"Elder Brother Mo, you're so amazing! You remember so clearly what cats, dogs, and mice like to eat!" Yun Shu looked up at him with admiration.
The pet food all looked alike and there were no markings on the bags. She tried to memorize the order, but she started getting confused after the fourth one!
Yun Juan noticed this too, looking up at him with the same expression as Yun Shu.
Mo Rongwen blushed and subconsciously looked away: "You'll remember it eventually."
He hurried to the bathroom: "Wash your hands and eat."
"Okay!" the two children happily replied, glancing back at the furry creatures engrossed in their food before toddling off to wash their hands.
Mo Rongwen wanted to leave after washing his hands, but worried about the children, he could only stand anxiously to the side.
“Elder Brother Mo, let’s go eat. Mommy must be starving.”
Yun Shu smiled at him.
Yun Juan frowned and nodded. “Mommy gets hungry easily.”
Mo Rongwen hummed in agreement, secretly relieved. This torturous feeling was finally coming to an end.
He deliberately slowed his pace, waiting until the two children had walked a short distance hand-in-hand towards the dining table before following them.
At the table, Yun Chuman had already served them rice. Seeing Yun Juan and Yun Shu return, she got up and carried them to chairs.
Turning to Mo Rongwen, who was standing some distance away, she smiled politely. “Mr. Mo, I’ve served you your rice. Come and eat with us.”
Mo Rongwen paused, his heart pounding as he looked at the three similar faces.
He lowered his head, quickly walked to the table, picked up a bowl of rice, and casually clipped a few dishes. “Apologies, you don’t need to worry about me. I can eat in my room by myself.”
With that, he turned and hurried away. Yun Chuman, Yun Juan, and Yun Shu stared blankly at his tightly closed bedroom door.
"Mommy, does Elder Brother Mo not like us?" Yun Shu asked sadly.
Yun Juan pursed her lips, trying hard to control herself, but her expression mirrored Yun Shu's.
"No, little Juan and little Shu are so cute, who wouldn't like you? Mr. Mo is just a little shy."
Yun Chuman patted their heads and placed a piece of sweet and sour pork rib on each of their plates. "Try the dinner the production crew prepared for you."
The two children devoured the ribs. The salty and sweet flavor infused with the aroma of meat. Their faces lit up with joy, and they swung their short legs in unison, instantly forgetting their earlier question.
Yun Chuman secretly rejoiced that the children were forgetful. She hadn't yet figured out how to explain the earlier question.
She sat down opposite them, took a bite of the tofu she'd been eyeing—spicy and numbing, so satisfying!
The two children and one adult were very satisfied with dinner, eating until they were stuffed. Yun Shu thought the sweet and sour pork ribs were delicious and kept piling them onto Yun Chuman's plate, resulting in the sweet and sour pork ribs being completely devoured.
After dinner, the two children played with the fluffies for a while.
Seeing that it was almost eight o'clock, Yun Chuman stood up from the sofa, turned off the TV, and waved, saying, "Little Juan and Little Shu, it's time for bed."
The two children lifted their heads from the husky's back. Their faces, hair, and bodies were covered in dog fur.
Yun Chuman chuckled and went over to remove the fur from their bodies, but she quickly realized she couldn't get it all off. She couldn't help but sigh, "These kittens and puppies really lose a lot of hair. They should probably take a bath later."
The two children covered their mouths, grinning and nodding.
As the two children and one adult walked upstairs, the furry creatures followed behind them, seemingly intending to go back to their bedroom.
Yun Chuman didn't seem to mind, but Yun Juan and Yun Shu stopped after going up one flight of stairs. Their eyes constantly glanced towards Mo Rongwen's bedroom.
"Little Juan, Little Shu, what's wrong?" Yun Chuman asked, puzzled.
Being mysterious, the two children beckoned to her. Yun Chuman crouched down and they tiptoed close to her ears.
With her chubby little hands covering Yun Chuman's ears, Yun Shu whispered, "Mommy, I just saw Elder Brother Mo peeking at us through the crack in the door!"
"Elder Brother Mo is so strange," Yun Juan said, frowning slightly.
Yun Chuman instinctively looked over, her eyes meeting Mo Rongwen's through the crack in the door. Even though she was prepared, she was still startled.
But the other party was clearly more frightened, frantically trying to close the door and almost pinching his finger.
Yun Chuman stroked her chin, her gaze shifting to the furry creatures in front of her. Mo Rongwen must have been looking at them.
She thought for a moment and then said truthfully, "Little Juan, Little Shu, listen to me, Mr. Mo isn't strange. He's just a little socially awkward."
"What's socially awkward?" Yun Juan and Yun Shu asked, puzzled.
“Social anxiety is…” Yun Chuman pondered for a moment, “not knowing how to make friends, feeling uncomfortable around strangers, but that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with them. It’s just their personality, maybe they’re too introverted or too easily shy.”
The two children looked enlightened.
Yun Juan frowned: “So Elder Brother Mo doesn’t dislike us. He just doesn’t know how to play with us.”
Yun Shu nodded and glanced at the fluffy creature: “No wonder Elder Brother Mo keeps so many cats, dogs, and mice.”
Yun Chuman patted their heads: “That’s right, little Juan and little Shu are so smart.”
The two children smiled at her, got close to the stair railing, and gripped it with both hands. Their cheeks pressed against it, staring intently in the direction of Mo Rongwen’s bedroom.
Yun Juan frowned worriedly, "Mommy, Elder Brother Mo is so lonely."
Yun Shu blinked, her face showing sympathy, "If the dogs, cats, and mice don't keep him company, he'll be so pitiful."
"Then tonight, little Juan and little Shu, can you separate from the furry creatures for a while and let them go back to keep Mr. Mo company?" Yun Chuman asked.
The two children exchanged a glance and readily agreed.
At this time Xiao Xi walked in from outside, holding a task card: "Tomorrow's task."
"Elder Sister Xiao Xi!" Yun Juan and Yun Shu cheerfully greeted her.
Xiao Xi pinched their cheeks, glanced at the furry creatures beside the stairs, and whispered to Yun Chuman, "Mo Rongwen often has insomnia at night, you should give the furry creatures back to him."
Insomnia? Who slept on the sofa all afternoon!
Yun Chuman muttered to herself, looked at Xiao Xi, and said, "You're too late. Little Juan and little Shu have already decided to let the fluffy kids keep Mr. Mo company."
She frowned, pointing at the task card. "What does this mean?"
"It means exactly what it says. Mo Rongwen's birthday is tomorrow. As his partners this term, it's only reasonable for you to help him celebrate," Xiao Xi smiled and waved. "I'm leaving now that I delivered the task. Bye, little Juan and little Shu!"
The two children said goodbye to her and turned to look at Yun Chuman.
Seeing their faces scrunched up, Yun Chuman assumed they were worried about tomorrow. She smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'll celebrate Mr. Mo's birthday with you tomorrow."
"Mom, we're not worried," Yun Juan shook his head.
"Will Elder Brother Mo have insomnia?" Yunshu asked cautiously.
They knew what insomnia was. They had secretly drunk their mother's coffee before and hadn't slept all night. It was so uncomfortable.
Yun Chuman was clearly taken aback by their question.
“Mommy, do you know how to stop having insomnia?” Yun Juan didn’t understand it and instinctively asked Yun Chuman, but quickly realized he'd asked the wrong person. Mommy was unreliable. She always had to rely on them. He should have asked Elder Sister Xiao Xi earlier.
“Let’s help Elder Brother Mo,” Yun Shu said. Her little brows drooping, she pleadingly tugged at Yun Chuman’s sleeve.
Yun Chuman disagreed. “Have you forgotten that Mr. Mo isn’t comfortable interacting with others? We’ve only known each other for a day. Although little Juan and little Shu mean well, rushing in now will only bother Mr. Mo.”
The two children lowered their heads dejectedly.
Yun Chuman hesitated. Then her eyes lit up when she saw the fluffy children beside her. She smiled and said, “How about this, you do as I say.”
“What?”
Yun Juan and Shu blinked in confusion, instinctively bringing their ears close to Yun Chuman’s mouth. One big and two small whispered amongst themselves and eventually giggled together. The live stream couldn't hear them, but the viewers were so curious they practically wanted to hear it through the speakers.
Meanwhile, on the other side,
Mo Rongwen was used to sleeping with his furry friends at night. After finishing dinner and washing up in his room, he waited for them to return, but it was almost eight o'clock and he hadn't seen a single one.
He peeked anxiously through the crack in the door and just happened to see his furry friends about to go upstairs with Yun Juan and Yun Shu!
His anger flared instantly, mixed with a sense of injustice. These guys were so heartless! He fed and pampered them, and now, in less than a day, they'd run off with someone else!
That wasn't all; he'd originally planned to see if his furry friends would have a change of heart and come back to him.
But instead of seeing what he wanted, he was caught peeking by Yun Chuman's family!
Mo Rongwen felt utterly hopeless. He staggered to the bedside, plopped down on it, and laid motionless like a salted fish.
He gave a dry laugh. This was the epitome of social stagnation. He was probably already being treated like a pervert.
After what seemed like an eternity, there was a sudden knock on the bedroom door.
Mo Rongwen sat up weakly, guessing it was Yun Chuman and the two children outside. Even the hairs on his head resisted opening the door. He didn't know how to face their questioning and suspicious expressions.
Just as he was about to continue playing dead, he heard a bark outside the door.
"It's Haha!"
Mo Rongwen's eyes lit up, instantly revived. He strode over, clicked open the door, and a husky, tongue lolling out, peeked in.
His eyes welled up with tears. He whispered, "At least you have a conscience."
The husky nimbly darted inside, its tail wagging happily.
Mo Rongwen stroked the dog's head, about to close the door, when he heard it bark.
"What's wrong?" He turned around, puzzled.
The husky raised its chin high.
"Why are you copying Xiaomei?" Mo Rongwen almost laughed. His Pomeranian loved this gesture.
He crouched down, intending to rub its big head, when he suddenly noticed a small, transparent bag hanging around its neck.
"What's this?"
Mo Rongwen took the bag down in puzzlement. Inside was a palm-sized rabbit plush toy and a note.
The note read: "Elder Brother Mo, this is a little rabbit I'm giving you. With it, you won't be lonely at night. [Yun Shu said, written by Yun Chuman]."
Mo Rongwen paused, looking at the signature, and suddenly felt a little amused. He examined the rabbit plush toy in his palm; it was cute, but an old item, probably Yun Shu's toy.
The husky, tongue lolling out, grunted at his expression and then barked twice more towards the outside.
The chubby orange cat nimbly slipped in. A small bag was hanging around its neck.
Mo Rongwen scratched its chin, expertly taking down the bag. Inside was an apple and a note: "Elder Brother Mo, I heard that putting an apple next to your pillow will make you sleep very well at night." [Yun Juan said, written by Yun Chuman]
His eyes welled up with tears. How did the two children know about his insomnia? Did Yun Chuman tell them? Or was it the production team?
The orange cat licked his fingers, meowed twice towards the door, and then the little Pomeranian darted in.
Mo Rongwen eagerly removed the bag from its neck. Inside was a packet of beef jerky, accompanied by a note that read: "Elder Brother Mo, this beef jerky is delicious! You ate so little for dinner. You can have this if you get hungry tonight. [Yun Shu said, written by Yun Chuman]."
This time, after "written by Yun Chuman," a lemon was drawn. Mo Rongwen didn't quite understand the meaning, but he was vaguely happy.
One after another, his furry friends came in, each carrying something.
From small bottles of milk candy-scented perfume to hot water bottles to storybooks. There was everything and each was accompanied by a note written by Yun Chuman.
Finally, the pug brought in a bottle of warm milk. This time, the accompanying note read: "Mr. Mo, I hope the two children haven't caused you any trouble. Please accept their kindness. Goodnight and sweet dreams to you and your furry friends. [Yun Chuman]"
Mo Rongwen's eyelashes trembled. This was the gentlest and most considerate kindness he had ever received. There was no awkwardness of having to face people, nor the need to explain that he was just socially awkward and not mentally ill.
He casually stroked the head of the hairless cat beside him, sipped his warm milk, and whispered, "No wonder you like them."
In the living room, one adult and two children nervously watched the direction of Mo Rongwen's bedroom.
Only when an empty milk bottle was pushed out with a note that read "Thank you, goodnight" did Yun Chuman and Yun Juan and Yun Shu breathe a sigh of relief, exchange smiles, and go upstairs to their bedroom hand in hand.
Author's Note:
Mo Rongwen is not the male lead, and there is no romantic storyline between him and Yun Chuman. They are just friends, maybe with a bit of an aunt-niece relationship (not really)~