Married a Big Cat After Transmigrating to the Interstellar Era – CH3

Chapter 3

“Ah, it’s not that serious. Just kids fooling around, that’s all—come on, get up, get up…”

The uncle, acting as peacemaker, hurried over with a forced smile, trying to pull Shi Xiaowang up. But before his hand could reach, Uncle Ye stepped forward protectively and helped Shi Xiaowang stand instead.

The man’s hand awkwardly froze mid-air before he pulled it back, embarrassed.

“There must be some misunderstanding here. Those two boys are usually very close, they’ve never even argued before—right, Xiaowang?”

The man gave him a sharp warning glance as he spoke.

“That’s right.”

Shi Xiaowang flinched slightly but nodded obediently.

“My cousin must have misunderstood me. I never said I wanted you to replace me in the marriage alliance. When I suddenly heard you say that during the live broadcast, I was just surprised and asked a question. I didn’t expect you to get so angry…”

Shi Xiaowang bit his lip, his lashes trembling, eyes slightly lowered and misty with tears.

Wang Huanhuan couldn’t stand that expression—the more fragile and pitiful Shi Xiaowang looked, the more disgusted he felt.

Looks, wealth, status—why did he get everything just by being born?

“Stop pretending! It was just a joke. If you didn’t take it seriously, then why did you mention the Marshal’s butler? Deep down, you’re dying for me to take your place and suffer!”

“Huanhuan! That’s enough!”

The man barked sharply.

Shi Xiaowang raised his head in surprise.

“No, I just meant that I came back with Uncle Butler because I’m moving out today.”

“It seems the duke’s household doesn’t think too highly of our Marshal.”

Uncle Ye’s gaze swept calmly over the family of three.

“In that case, the young duke’s guardianship will be fully transferred to the Marshal’s residence. All future expenses will be managed by the Marshal’s household. There will be no further need for frequent contact between the two sides.”

The air instantly went cold.

Not only the couple—but even Wang Huanhuan froze in shock.

As the heir of a duke whose parents had died in service, and possessing mental power himself, Shi Xiaowang’s yearly stipend was enormous. Everything they owned over the years came from his money.

But because of who they were dealing with, the man could only suppress his anger and laugh awkwardly.

“The Marshal is young and capable—we admire him greatly, no complaints at all! The child just spoke out of turn. I’ll educate him later. The Marshal has enough on his plate; no need to trouble him with this. And we’ve managed Xiaowang’s assets for years—we’re experienced, so it’d be better if we continued to—”

“But Uncle, didn’t you always say that whoever raises me should have my money? That it’s my duty? Isn’t that what you told me?”

Shi Xiaowang interrupted with innocent-sounding confusion.

“Besides, I’ve already agreed to this.”

The man nearly fainted from fury.

He’d originally thought marrying Shi Xiaowang off to the Marshal was a win-win—the Marshal was richer and more powerful than a mere orphan, surely he wouldn’t care about the duke’s estate. But who could’ve guessed it would cut off their financial lifeline entirely?

In truth, Jian Mo really didn’t care about the duke’s wealth. The guardianship transfer was something Shi Xiaowang himself requested.

After leaving the Marshal’s mansion, Shi Xiaowang received a reply from Jian Mo, saying he wouldn’t be home for a while and that Xiaowang should stay comfortably, seeking Uncle Ye for anything he needed.

Though he didn’t know what the Marshal had experienced on the battlefield, since the man had provided him with convenience, he naturally wanted to repay it. Rather than let the couple who ruined the original owner keep spending his money, it was better to transfer it all to the Marshal’s house. At least he could live safely there and prepare for an independent future.

The wealth stolen from the original owner—he would reclaim it all, little by little.

Understanding his plan, Jian Mo didn’t question him, and immediately opened a new account under Shi Xiaowang’s name, submitting the guardianship transfer to the Federation.

Once all was settled, Jian Mo also messaged Uncle Ye: Protect him well.

“How could you make such a huge decision on your own?!”

The man gritted his teeth in rage, then suddenly barked,

“No! Your promise doesn’t count—I’m your guardian! If I don’t agree, it’s invalid!”

“Perhaps you’ve forgotten,” Uncle Ye said coolly, “the marriage agreement between the young duke and the Marshal has already taken effect. Legally, the Marshal is his guardian. Moreover, though the young master has not yet inherited his title, he’s already an adult.”

Uncle Ye projected two documents from his light-brain—a marriage contract and a guardianship transfer.

Both had been officially approved.

“If you still wish to appeal, you may apply to the Federation for arbitration. Just remember to bring the full financial records of the past decade of ‘raising’ the young master.”

Years of scheming, gone in a flash. The man’s fury boiled over. His expression twisted as he glared at Shi Xiaowang, hand raised to strike.

“Ungrateful brat! After all I’ve done for you!”

Uncle Ye caught his wrist, spun him over his shoulder, and slammed him to the floor. Adjusting his sleeves, he looked down icily at the stunned family.

“Please mind yourself.”

Wow.

Shi Xiaowang looked at the elegant, cold Uncle Ye and couldn’t help applauding inwardly.

Beautifully done!

Under Uncle Ye’s quiet pressure, the family didn’t dare make another move. They could only glare hatefully as Shi Xiaowang packed his few things and left the mansion.

Aside from a few clothes, he took almost nothing—only a small, ornate wooden box left by his mother.

Inside were not jewels, but plant seeds from different planets, and a diary.

“Uncle Ye, I’m sorry to trouble you,” Shi Xiaowang murmured, frowning slightly as he held the box.

“Nonsense,” Uncle Ye said warmly. “You’re now part of the Marshal’s household. Protecting you is my duty—and also the Marshal’s command.”

“The Marshal’s command?” Shi Xiaowang blinked.

“He expected those two would turn hostile once the guardianship was transferred. He specifically told me that if they ever tried to harm you, I didn’t need to hold back.”

Uncle Ye smiled faintly.

“If it were the Marshal himself, I doubt it would’ve stopped at one throw. So, don’t blame yourself.”

Shi Xiaowang pursed his lips, suddenly feeling sorry for the original owner.

If the other Shi Xiaowang had agreed to the marriage—if the Marshal had learned of his suffering sooner—perhaps things would’ve turned out differently.

He sighed softly, then pulled up his light-brain and sent Uncle Ye a video file.

“I actually expected things might get ugly, so I started recording when I went in. They’ll probably try to contact the media to pressure us with public opinion. If they do, we can release this video—it should at least clear my name a little.”

Though he said clear his name, Shi Xiaowang knew that an impression built over ten years couldn’t be changed by one clip. But at least it would stir doubt, and once people began questioning, he could start tearing apart the couple’s fake image piece by piece.

Uncle Ye looked at him with mild surprise but said nothing, only nodded in approval.

After sending his thanks, Shi Xiaowang also forwarded their conversation to Jian Mo, adding tentatively:

[Sir, do you think I went too far?]

The reply came quickly:

[And letting yourself be bullied wouldn’t be “too far”? You did well. Don’t worry about what comes next—I’ll handle it.]

Warm sunlight spilled into the car.

Shi Xiaowang smiled at the message.

[Okay, thank you, sir]

Jian Mo didn’t reply again. Resting his heavy paws under his head, he watched the sun sink behind the forested hills.

To him, Shi Xiaowang’s actions weren’t excessive in the slightest. On the contrary, he was pleased to see the cub beginning to learn how to hunt for himself.

Given his own deteriorating condition, he might only last until the young duke officially inherited his title. Once the berserk state set in, he’d lose all sanity—death was already close.

Shi Xiaowang’s life, however, was just beginning. Rather than clear every obstacle for him, Jian Mo preferred he learn to protect himself.

When Shi Xiaowang returned to the Marshal’s mansion, he immediately saw the lion asleep on the sofa.

Seeing him pause, Uncle Ye adjusted his glasses and said gently, “I’ll go prepare your room. Please, wait here for a moment.”

Shi Xiaowang looked up eagerly.

“Can I live closer to the lion?”

Uncle Ye chuckled. “Of course.”

Their voices woke the sleeping lion. Jian Mo opened his eyes, and his vision was instantly filled with the sight of the smiling boy leaning close—so bright it almost hurt to look at. In those eyes, he could see his own reflection.

The lion’s ears tilted back slightly, but he didn’t show hostility. Shi Xiaowang beamed in delight.

“I’m back! Did you miss me?”

Maybe it was his imagination, but the lion’s eyes seemed to carry a touch of helplessness before he lay back down and closed them again.

“Don’t sleep! The moon’s already shining on your butt! Play with me a bit!”

Shi Xiaowang crouched beside the sofa, poked a paw with one finger.

No reaction—just a lazy flick of the tail.

So he traced his finger down, sliding between the paw and the cushion, tickling the thick pads like a caterpillar.

The lion reflexively pulled his paw back, finally cracking an eye open to glare—and extended razor-sharp claws.

“Whoa!”

Shi Xiaowang yanked his hand back and scolded seriously, pressing the paw down.

“No doing that! You’ll scratch the sofa! When Sir gets back, he’ll scold you!”

Jian Mo: “…”

The lion stared at him for a long moment, then sighed, retracting his claws. He flipped his paw over, pinning Shi Xiaowang’s hand gently beneath it, and rested his head on top.

Shi Xiaowang couldn’t help laughing, reaching up to rub the lion’s head.

“Alright, alright—you caught me.”

The paw wasn’t heavy; just warm. He didn’t pull away, instead sitting down beside the lion.

The lion stiffened again at the closeness, subtly edging away.

Seeing no protest, Shi Xiaowang almost blurted out “Good boy!” but remembered what happened last time the lion ran off, so he held it in—and rewarded him with a few gentle strokes instead.

When Uncle Ye came downstairs after tidying the room, he saw the peaceful scene and smiled.

“Are you hungry? I’ll prepare dinner.”

“I’ll help!” Shi Xiaowang said cheerfully, following him despite his protests.

Before leaving, he called back to the lion:

“Wait for me, okay? I’ll make you something tasty!”

As the footsteps faded, Jian Mo opened his eyes, stretched, and eased his tense muscles. Glancing toward the kitchen, he flicked his tail and padded lazily to the dining room.

In the kitchen, Shi Xiaowang looked at the neatly arranged dishes of nutrient paste, feeling conflicted.

If there was one piece of futuristic tech he could never get used to in this interstellar world—it was this. Even during the apocalypse, he could still eat real food! How did technology advance so far that it eliminated good cuisine altogether? Without delicious food, life was at least half as joyful.

And besides—

“Uncle Ye, does the lion only eat nutrient paste too?”

No wonder he was always so sluggish—how could anyone have energy eating this stuff with no meat at all!

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