Part 5
[Zong: Do you think I eat too much? I can eat just a small bowl in the future.]
Ning Yunyi’s feelings were complex as he shook his head. “That’s not it; you’re overthinking.”
[Zong: But even a replacement like Eustace has appeared.]
Ning Yunyi: “What replacement? Even if he were to replace the big cat, it would be a body double cat. Eustace isn’t even a shifter.”
[Zong: Then what about what I asked beforeāhow have you considered it? Why not choose me? We’ve always coordinated very well.]
Ning Yunyi took a deep breath. “Anyone else would be fine, but not you.”
[Zong: Why can’t it be me? Since it’s about acting, I can act too.]
Ning Yunyi simply couldn’t say that if they acted and Zong Hao found out the cub was his child, and since Zong Hao was the only one left in the Zong family, he might develop feelings and be unwilling to let the child go.
Even if it were half and half, Ning Yunyi didn’t want it.
Clearly, the current situation was very good; the little guy was also used to having only one father. If another one suddenly popped up, how would he explain? And how would he let the little guy be torn between two families?
Furthermore, in the future, if Marshal Zong were to marry and have children, would it cause the cub to be caught in the Zong family’s power struggle again? He could give the cub everything; he didn’t need the Zong familyās things to embellish his life.
However, he had indeed been too hasty, and his attitude had changed too quickly, causing the Marshal to notice that something wasn’t quite right.
Ning Yunyi spoke slowly, “Itās not a matter of acting or not, but a matter of the person. The Crown Prince wants the Herman family to win me over. If Iām involved with the Herman family, he will be very much at ease. But youāre different. If I get engaged to you, it would be a strong-strong alliance. If two people heās not at ease with are together, what do you think the Crown Prince will think? Besides, Iām only acting with Eustace. Marshal, why do you insist on fighting for this spot? You said it yourselfāsince it’s acting, why can’t it be you? Well, conversely, why can’t it be Eustace? Why does it have to be you? I think compared to your status as the Head of the Zong family, Eustace is safer and more capable of lowering the Prince’s guard. Another thing: Eustace has already received half of the management rights from the Herman Family Head, and I can follow Eustace into the palace at any time.”
Zong Hao was stunned, clearly unaware of these things. But he still felt strange insideāa feeling he had never experienced before, very unfamiliar. He just took it as being unhappy that his position had been replaced so quickly.
He lowered his eyes, and his paw didn’t move for a long time.
Finally, he asked.
[Zong: Did I do something wrong? You wouldn’t add my ID or reply to my messages.]
Ning Yunyi: “Don’t you come back whenever you want anyway?”
[Zong: Is that so? Are you really not hiding anything from me?]
Ning Yunyi: “We are allies; the relationship is closer than a so-called engagement. Allies don’t go their separate ways or break up. But an engagement is different. If someone develops true feelings after marriage and turns hostile, it leads to a mess of trouble. How could that be more reliable than a pure alliance like this?”
Ning Yunyi had originally wanted to soothe the other by highlighting the advantages, but after saying it, he saw that the big cat opposite him was shocked.
[Zong: Developing true feelings? You really have taken an interest in Eustace, haven’t you? When did you suddenly start liking men? How come I didn’t know?]
Ning Yunyi was choked. Good heavens, as expected, one lie needs countless others to cover it up. “What do you mean ‘suddenly’? I’ve always liked men.”
He lied without blinking. “Did I not mention it? The cub’s biological father was a shifter, and the cub was… personally born by his biological father.”
Zong Hao was completely stunned. “?? Can shifters… give birth too?”
His identity had always been hidden. Because the old Master Zong passed away soon after his sister “had an accident,” he had never dared to reveal his identity.
He knew very little about shifters.
Thus, hearing Ning Yunyiās words, Zong Hao didn’t doubt them at all. He was immensely shocked, feeling as though a door to a new world had been opened.
He had always thought the cubās biological mother was a woman. It turned out… it was a man?
Could male shifters actually get pregnant too?
Ning Yunyi took in the big catās expression and continued to bluff. Why hadn’t he thought of this method before? This way, Zong Hao likely wouldn’t associate himself with the cub even if he racked his brain.
Then what was there to worry about?
After all, whether or not he had an intimate encounter with someone was a matter of one night, but whether or not he gave birth to a child was a matter of ten months.
As for the rumors that the original owner had been pregnant and taken a leave of absence, not many people knew. Plus, with the original owner “dead,” no one would mention the past of an insignificant person to Marshal Zong.
Even if they did, he could say it was just a cover-up to hide the fact that the cubās “biological father” was a shifter.
Thus, Ning Yunyi hammered this knowledge into the big catās brain in a deafening manner. “Furthermore, the cubās biological father was also a black shifter cat. When I saw you recover that day, it reminded me of him. He died in childbirth… He was the person I loved most. At the time, you reminded me of the saddest thing, and I didn’t want to recall the grief of losing my lover, so I couldn’t help but take it out on you. Can you understand my feelings?”
Zong Hao nodded in a daze and gave a reply. So that was it? No wonder his reaction was indeed off at the time.
Ning Yunyi took in this reaction and continued with a sigh. “So from start to finish, this was never as simple as just acting. Eustace could agree to cooperate because he wanted to eat delicious food; even if it became real, it wouldn’t be a problem, and he was even willing to be ‘Mrs. Bai.’ But Marshal, do you even know what it means to be a husband and wife? If it’s really acting, how are you going to perform as the one on the bottom? Eustace, on the other hand, said heās fine with either.”
Zong Hao understood. So his insistence on having Ning Yunyi choose him was actually an insistence on being his wife?
He felt like his big head wasn’t enough to process this. Putting himself in Ning Yunyiās shoes, he likely only felt troubled.
Ning Yunyi looked at the big cat, who was slowly lying there in a daze, and couldn’t help but have a smile in his eyes. “So… do you still want me to choose you?”
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