Part 4
Turning back, he happened to meet the big cat’s eyes as he looked back from the front.
Ning Yunyi walked forward calmly with his hands behind his back, as if the previous scene had never happened.
The rabbit on the big cat’s back watched this, looking at the cat and then at Ning Yunyi, lost in thought.
The person and two beasts took a small flyer back to the vicinity of the Ning residence. Ning Yunyi and the big cat applied Invisibility Talismans and returned to the Ning house.
Upon arrival, Ning Yunyi headed straight for the small building in the back.
He had never been away from the cub for this long; he didn’t know if the little guy had gone hungry or gotten thin.
Not seeing him downstairs or in the study, Ning Yunyi guessed he was in the flower room.
He hurried upstairs and opened the glass door of the flower room.
As if sensing something, the kitten looked back. He was holding a small shovel, but seeing his father, his eyes widened, and he burst into tears with a “waa.”
The things in his paws clattered to the floor as he ran forward on his short legs.
Ning Yunyi crouched down and scooped the little fellow into his arms.
Ning Xiaomiao clung to Ning Yunyi with both paws and feet, tears streaming down his face. He was sobbing and couldn’t speak clearly out of excitement and urgency, but it all boiled down to one sentence.
“Cub missed Father so much. Boohoo, Father was gone for so long, I thought you didn’t want Cub anymore…”
“How could I? Father loves his precious baby most. I could abandon anyone, but never you.”
Ning Yunyi’s eyes were also a bit wet as he kissed the little guy’s forehead.
One kiss after another until the little guy giggled. However, his face was a mess of tears and dirt from his paws; he looked like a little calico cat.
Ning Yunyi let out a chuckle. “Tsk tsk, whose dirty cat is this? If no one wants him, I’m taking him away.”
The kitten rubbed himself all over his father’s chest. “I’m not! I’m a white-and-clean cat!”
“Is that so?” Having teased him enough, he picked the little guy up and called out to Mrs. Ning, who was also walking over. “Mother.”
Mrs. Ning wasn’t good at expressing herself, but her eyes were also a bit wet. She said “good” several times and wiped her eyes with her sleeve before looking behind him. “The big cat is back too? And this is?”
The kitten poked his head out and let out a “waa.” “Cousin!”
But looking closer, it wasn’t right. His cousin was a white rabbit, but this one was grey and white.
The grey-white rabbit was also dazed. At first, she thought Mr. Bai and A-Hao’s relationship was very unusual, as it was her first time seeing A-Hao show so much emotion; clearly, he cared about the other.
But now… she didn’t understand.
Was she old? Were A-Hao and Mr. Bai truly just good brothers?
Ning Yunyi patted the little guy’s head. “It’s not Cousin, it’s Cousin’s mother.”
The little guy’s eyes widened. Waa, Father is so amazing! He brought back Cousin’s mother. Will Cousin cry his eyes out with emotion?
The big cat couldn’t speak, so Ning Yunyi explained to the confused rabbit, “This is my son, Cub. We used a fake identity before with the surname Bai. He happened to be the ‘brother’ and ‘uncle’ to City Lord Bai and the Young City Lord, so the little guy considers the Young City Lord his cousin. Tomorrow, I’ll notify them to come over. For tonight, Lady Zong can rest up first.”
The Crown Prince’s people were still monitoring them outside. It was late and not convenient for them to visit.
But there would be no problem if they came to the Ning house during the day.
After all, City Lord Bai was now managing the Underground City shops for him; it was reasonable for him to come to the Ning house to see Mr. Bai.
The rabbit looked down at her grey-white fur. she didn’t want to meet her husband and son looking so dusty.
Thus, Lady Zong stayed at the Ning residence for the time being.
That night, Ning Yunyi treated her again. Perhaps because her mental power wasn’t being extracted and she’d had a good rest, the grey in her fur was gradually decreasing.
He believed it would soon return to its original color.
Ning Yunyi came out of the guest room to find the big cat waiting at the door.
For every step he took, the big cat took one.
Ning Yunyi looked back. The cat stopped and squatted there with its head tilted up, its eyes filled with words it couldn’t say.
Knowing he had something to say, Ning Yunyi took him to his own room.
He pulled out a set of clothes. “Want to change back?”
Although he could occasionally understand what the cat meant, a human and a cat were different.
It was better to speak face to face.
Otherwise, they wouldn’t get any sleep tonight trying to guess what he wanted to say.
Zong Hao looked at the clothes, glanced at Ning Yunyi, and hurried into the bathroom. When he came out, he was in human form.
This time he wore a suit without a tie. He likely wasn’t used to these clothes, as he looked quite uneasy.
Ning Yunyi narrowed his eyes, momentarily dazed.
He finally understood why Marshal Zong, after only a few appearances, became the top person the entire Interstellar wanted to marry.
This appearance was indeed top-tier.
Zong Hao’s hair had grown quite a bit. Last time, he hadn’t had time and had just brushed it aside, with half of it covering his face.
Now that they were alone, he likely felt uncomfortable and pulled his front hair back, revealing his entire face.
With his face revealed, even his temperament felt different.
Ning Yunyi gave a low cough. “Sit.”
Zong Hao got straight to the point: “How about I give you all the assets under my name?”
Ning Yunyi hadn’t even recovered from the shock of Zong Hao’s looks when he heard this. “Huh?” What? Had he heard correctly? This guy said the assets under his name?
Wouldn’t that be… half of the Zong family?
Was he crazy?
Zong Hao said, “The ones under my name are separate from my sister’s. What Father left for my sister back then was never changed back, likely because he wanted something to remember her by. Aside from that part, I haven’t had much use for star coins over the years and have saved quite a bit. You saved me, and I don’t have anything else you lack except for this… and you likely lack it.”
The foundation of the Zong family over several generations was truly vast, so even if it wasn’t changed back after his sister’s disappearance, it wouldn’t be spent.
That was why Old Master Zong had kept it as a memento.
It was also the reason why Zong Ling’s biological father and the other two brothers wanted to become the family head at all costs.
Having spent so much time with Ning Yunyi, Zong Hao understood him quite well.
Professor Ning was entirely focused on academia, and Ning Yunfeng hadn’t saved much. That was why, on the trash planet, Ning Yunyi had been so financially strapped that he started livestreaming.
Seeing Ning Yunyi remain silent, Zong Hao feared he would overthink. “I truly want to give these worldly things to you. I have no other intentions.”
Ning Yunyi’s heart was in knots. “I’ll act like I didn’t hear that.”
He had to be joking. They weren’t related, and he wasn’t his… anything. To just open his mouth and offer his entire family fortune…
Who was the crazy one here?
Zong Hao lowered his eyes. “I only have this.”
Ning Yunyi looked at him with a strange expression. “Marshal Zong, your ‘only’ is really infuriating.”
Was that “only”? It was likely an astronomical figure. Why else would the Crown Prince be so hell-bent on killing him?
It was all for those worldly things.
Yet Zong Hao truly thought that way; he genuinely didn’t care.
Ning Yunyi even suspected that if the Crown Prince and Zong Ling had truly been close childhood friends, and he’d been asked to give the Zong family to the Imperial Family, he might have actually done it.
Instead, the Crown Prince took the most complicated path.
“Did I say something wrong?” Zong Hao asked.
“No, nothing.” Should I say I’m worried he’s too generous and will be swindled out of his family fortune in the future?
“Then why don’t you want it? These things should be what you need, and they’re of no use to me. Giving them to you would create value instead.”
“You’re wrong. I do want them. But a gentleman loves wealth and acquires it in the right way. I saved you only because I happened to come across you and wanted you to be a bodyguard for my cub—nothing more. You were lucky to meet me and survive; that’s your own fortune. Besides, if you give your entire fortune away, aren’t you going to get married in the future?”
Zong Hao shook his head seriously. “I won’t marry.”
Ning Yunyi looked at him curiously. “Could it be… you’ve been hurt in love? Had your heart broken?” His soul for gossip blazed to life.
“…No.”
Seeing the disappointed look on the other’s face, Ning Yunyi waved his hand. “If Marshal Zong is only talking about this, then don’t mention it again. I won’t accept it. If you truly want to repay me, then help me look into a few things in the future.”
He might need Marshal Zong in the future. He’d ask if anyone in his family had the black-cat shifter gene.
Now that Lady Zong was back, she might have the answers to the past that Marshal Zong didn’t know.
Ning Yunyi had Zong Hao change back. For the sake of the Marshal’s pride and to avoid scaring the family, the big cat’s identity was still a secret for now.
He had the cat take the clothes back to its own room.
He couldn’t just produce them out of thin air every time something happened.
In case of an emergency, he at least… needed clothes to wear.
The big cat carried a small bundle back to its room with a complicated heart.
Before going to sleep, Ning Yunyi sent a message to City Lord Bai: [Big Brother Bai, bring your nephew to the Ning house tomorrow on the pretext of reporting the accounts. (There’s a surprise)]
City Lord Bai replied almost instantly: [I’ll definitely be there! (Could it be a big feast?)]
[No, but it’s even more surprising than a feast. Remember to wear formal attire. Bring out the best suit you’ve ever had and wear it.]
City Lord Bai was startled: [Is it the cub’s birthday? Or Professor Ning’s?]
[None of those. Don’t overthink it. Just be here before noon.]
[Got it. I’ll be on time.]
Ning Yunyi looked at the message. City Lord Bai still had no idea about tomorrow’s reunion. He closed his eyes. He couldn’t help it; if he said it now, he suspected City Lord Bai would rush over immediately and wouldn’t get any sleep tonight.
The next morning, Ning Yunyi was woken up by a gaze staring at him from beside the bed.
He opened his eyes and sure enough, the kitten was crouching at his bedside.
“Father!” Seeing him wake up, he was very happy.
Ning Yunyi sat up, pulled the little fellow into his arms, and rubbed his head vigorously, making the kitten giggle before taking him to wash up.
The Bai family was coming, so Ning Yunyi didn’t plan to resume livestreaming today. He prepared a table of food; after all, it was a day for a grand reunion.
Before that, Ning Yunyi went to see Lady Zong and treated her again. This time, he channeled a significant amount of spiritual energy, enough to maintain her human form for several hours.
The rabbit was deeply moved. “Squeak squeak.” (Thank you.)
To avoid wasting mental power, Lady Zong didn’t immediately change back.
Ning Yunyi found a set of clothes suitable for her and left them there before going to prepare the family feast.
Since there was no livestream, the kitten followed him the entire time, running around like a little top to help.
Around eleven o’clock, Professor Ning and Ning Yunfeng returned, happening to meet the Bai father and son at the door and bringing them in together.
At the same time, Professor Ning sent a message to Ning Yunyi, informing him of their arrival.
Ning Yunyi asked Professor Ning to wait a moment before bringing them over and went to notify Lady Zong.
City Lord Bai and the Young City Lord were carrying a box of jade. It was cut from the raw stones they’d found recently and brought as a gift.
Noticing Professor Ning looking at him frequently, City Lord Bai immediately rubbed his smooth chin. “Is something different? Mr. Bai told me to wear my best clothes, so I prepared the clothes and cleaned up my face too.”
The Young City Lord’s face had grown more rounded recently, and his spirit was even better. Hearing this, he gave a “hehe” laugh. “Old Bai treats Uncle’s words as an imperial decree. He’s been fussing since early morning. He looks like an old tree in spring; Old Bai, you’re looking your most handsome today.”
After teasing his father, he tugged at his white suit and rubbed his hands impatiently, rushing toward the small building in the back. “Uncle—I’m here!”
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thank you for the chapter!