Chapter 24
Yu Yuanzhou had barely finished speaking when his daughter hit him with a flat, deadpan stare.
Shoving him aside, Yu Tianwei snapped, “Get lost! All you ever do is cause trouble instead of helping!”
She yanked the freezer open and scooped out the shivering, puffed-up little hamster. The little creature was clutching his front paws, which had gone stiff from the cold. His coat was remarkably dense; when she gently blew on his fur, it parted to form a tiny dimple, revealing the pale pink skin underneath.
“Hmph! No wonder you didn’t bat an eye when I said Mu Feiyi wanted to sleep with a mouse,” Tianwei scoffed, shooting her father an accusing look. “You two have been scheming behind my back all along, haven’t you?”
Cradling the fuming little hamster, she gently rubbed his belly. “Don’t be mad, sweetie. Your sister will get even with him for you later.”
As her thumb worked over his round, pudgy tummy, the little hamster couldn’t help letting out a string of soft, high-pitched squeaks. They sounded tiny, breathless, and utterly adorable.
Wait—this isn’t intimidating at all!
The little hamster grew even angrier. He wanted his uncle to see that he was genuinely furious, not trying to act cute! Swatting his sister’s thumb away with both paws, he squeaked firmly: No more rubbing!
“All right, all right, no more rubbing,” Tianwei promised soothingly, though she couldn’t resist glaring daggers at the real culprit.
“What utter nonsense!” Yu Yuanzhou hurriedly reached over to cover the hamster’s velvety ears, trying to shield him from his sister’s wild accusations. “The marriage alliance was between you and Mu Feiyi!”
He lifted the hamster into the air and gave him a gentle shake. “This little guy is male, and Mu Feiyi is male too! How on earth would they lay an egg together?!”
Tianwei snatched the hamster right back into her embrace. “Me and Mu Feiyi?! Are you trying to cut my life short?!” Furious, she kicked her father in the shin. “And what do you think you’re doing?!”
Couldn’t he see the poor little creature tucking his tail tightly over his behind and clamping his hind legs together in pure terror? The little hamster was terrified that his uncle was going to launch a sneak attack and flick his little bells!
Her father was really getting older and more shameless by the day. Tianwei could swear that if the little hamster hadn’t guarded himself in time, her father might actually have done it!
“Well, it’s not like I agreed to it, did I?” Yu Yuanzhou grumbled defensively.
Of course he recognized that Mu Feiyi was an exceptional corporate heir who would make an honorable husband on paper, but he simply wasn’t the right match. His temperament, his ruthless edge, and his lifestyle were entirely incompatible with his daughter’s personality.
“Even if the Mu family swapped him for another heir, none of those useless cousins would be worthy of you. But Mu Feiyi’s personality just doesn’t suit you, so I turned them down flat.”
What Yu Yuanzhou didn’t mention was that Old Master Mu still hadn’t completely given up on the idea, hoping the two young people might spend time together and hit it off.
Old Master Mu had a far sharper eye for character than most. He could see at a glance that Tianwei was exceptional in every regard: broad-minded, well-bred, emotionally steady, and capable. Above all, she had a clear sense of propriety and the sharp, decisive instinct required of a true family matriarch. With a woman like her running the household, the chaotic Mu family would never fall into disorder.
Unfortunately, Yu Yuanzhou knew his precious daughter’s worth all too well, and he refused to let her suffer in the snake pit of the Mu family. Besides, the Yu household lacked for nothing and had no need to marry for status. If the two youngsters hadn’t sparked any romantic interest in the past, they certainly wouldn’t now, nor in the future.
Yu Yuanzhou would rather endure a headache himself than make his daughter miserable, so he had shut the proposal down without hesitation.
Tianwei gently lowered the hamster into a clear plastic enclosure she had prepared earlier. The bottom was lined with clean, soft wood shavings, with a cozy nest of fluffy white cotton on one side, a small running wheel, and a ceramic feeding dish.
The little hamster glanced at his sister, then turned toward the food bowl. Pushing off with his hind legs, he scurried over and picked up a crisp carrot slice carved into the shape of a flower.
Clutching the treat in his jaws, he waddled over to the edge of the cage, sat back on his haunches, and looked back and forth between his sister and his uncle. Holding the carrot flower between two pink paws, he nibbled away contentedly: crunch, crunch, crunch.
His sister was still fuming at his uncle for keeping the marriage proposal a secret. His uncle, on the other hand, was grumbling because half the miniature clothes Tianwei had bought for the hamster were frilly floral dresses, accusing her of dressing his nephew like a little girl.
Perched in the corner, the little hamster chewed his way through the carrot, watching the family drama unfold like a spectator at the theater. Once he finished off the sweet vegetable, he let out a tiny, satisfied burp.
Leaning lazily back into the mound of cotton, he propped up his cheek with one paw while scratching his snow-white belly with the other, watching expectantly. To his surprise, his uncle didn’t retaliate against his sister; instead, the older man quietly took over her chore, methodically packing the sealed water bags into the freezer and stacking them into neat rows.
Just as the little hamster was beginning to doze off, a sudden voice broke the silence.
“Hey, little hamster… tell your sister, what kind of partner do you actually like?”
“Yes, Little Yuan, tell us!” Tianwei chimed in, pressing her face against the transparent acrylic wall.
Nestled in the cotton bedding, the little hamster blinked blankly at the two giant faces looming over him.
Each of them reached a finger into the cage, trying to stroke his fur! Annoyed at having his nap disturbed, the little hamster swatted their hands away with tiny, furious paws. He burrowed his head into his wooden hideout, too tired to deal with them, and flicked his tail dismissively as he tried to get back to sleep.
Unfortunately, his sister simply lifted the wooden roof right off his head.
With an aggrieved squeak, the hamster scrambled into his second shelter—a miniature tunnel shaped like an arched stone bridge.
This time, his uncle reached in and lifted that one away too.
Curled up in the cotton, propping his chubby cheek on his paw, the little hamster felt an eerie resemblance to the little pig in The Three Little Pigs—first his straw house was blown away, and then his wooden house was torn down!
Grumbling under his breath, the chubby furball sat bolt upright, glaring at the two meddlesome humans with a fierce scowl.
“Squeak, squeak, squeak!” He waved his paws in protest.
If you two aren’t going to sleep, at least let the little hamster rest! I’m exhausted!
Tianwei, however, merely reached out and gently tickled the sole of his back foot. “Tell your sister first. What kind of person do you see yourself with?”
“Right,” Yu Yuanzhou added, offering his perspective as an older man. “That girl your father brought along this time—she looked fairly pretty on the outside, didn’t she? Do you not like her at all?”
The little hamster instantly stuck his tongue out in utter disgust. “Gross! She was literally trying to seduce Mu Feiyi this very morning!”
“Ugh, cheap, low-grade phony,” Tianwei scoffed, shaking her head in complete agreement. “She’s even worse than the daughter-in-law over at Second Aunt’s house. At least the one in our extended family has some finesse; this one is practically transparent.”
“Exactly, exactly!” The little hamster nodded vigorously. “Though once she sees more of the world, her methods will become a lot more dangerous.”
As a reincarnated soul with a bit of foresight, he knew that Jiao Yuwan, as the supposed heroine of the original timeline, would eventually evolve from an obvious manipulator into a terrifyingly cunning villain. It was just a tragedy that none of that growth had ever been directed toward doing any good.
“Then does our little hamster prefer boy mice or girl mice?” Tianwei rubbed her palms together eagerly, looking ready to sprint to the nearest pet market. “Just say the word, and your sister will track down the prettiest hamster in the city to share your cage!”
Yu Yuanzhou reflexively raised his hand to smack his silly daughter’s head again, but he couldn’t help glancing at the little creature with quiet curiosity. When it came to his nephew’s personal life… it was hard to say. The boy was so sweet, gentle, and well-behaved that he seemed like he could fit with almost anyone.
A sudden thought crossed Yu Yuanzhou’s mind: Didn’t Old Master Mu mention a marriage alliance? And Mu Feiyi just resigned from the company… wouldn’t that actually be quite convenient?
“What does the little hamster like?”
What kind of partner does the little hamster like?!
The hamster stared blankly into space, his tiny brain visibly short-circuiting under the sheer absurdity of the question.
“Come on, boy mice or girl mice?” Tianwei coaxed playfully. “For instance… do you like someone like Mu Feiyi?”
This time, Yu Yuanzhou didn’t scold her; instead, he watched the little hamster with quiet anticipation.
Fortunately, the little hamster snapped out of his daze in time. Glaring at them with utter contempt, he scooped up a double handful of cotton bedding with both paws and flung it straight into their faces!
“Disrespectful elders!” he squeaked indignantly. “Sister, you’re slacking off! And Uncle, you’re slacking off too! Let me remind you both—once midnight passes, we will have exactly five days left to prepare for the end of the world!”
Fuming with righteous fury, the little hamster chattered rapidly, “Has the livestock feed arrived yet? What about the combine harvesters I asked Uncle to order? And the gasoline, diesel reserves, heavy-duty generators, and overseas expedition gear—have they cleared customs?! If they’re waiting at the docks, I still need to make a run to pick them up!”
“I’m working on it, I’m working on it,” Yu Yuanzhou mumbled, sheepishly wiping bits of cotton fluff from his eyebrows. He turned and retreated toward the stairs, grumbling, “Why do you always throw things at your uncle’s face? Your sister was the one who asked!”
Taking advantage of his sister’s smug grin, the little hamster reached out, seized a fistful of her long hair, and gave it a sharp yank! “Don’t look so smug! The little hamster isn’t letting you off either!”
Yank, tug, pull!
“Ow, ow, ow! little hamster, let go! Gently! Your sister is going to go bald!”
Hmph!
If he didn’t put his foot down, these two would think he was a pushover!
Releasing her hair, the little hamster scrambled up the plastic wall of his cage, hopped down into the fresh bedding, and wedged his head beneath the wooden hideout.
Curling himself into a tight, plush ball, hugging his own soft belly, the exhausted little creature drifted off to sleep within seconds.
Downstairs, his sister quietly resumed packing the ice bags, while his uncle busied himself with logistical calls in the study. The little hamster knew none of it; he was already sleeping like a rock.
The next morning, his head felt heavy and groggy with lingering sleep.
Wriggling toward the entrance of his little wooden house, he poked a small, pink nose into the air.
Sniff, sniff.
He caught the warm, savory aroma of fresh breakfast, and then…
“Squeak?” A stranger’s scent?
The little hamster edged forward, poking his head out just a fraction more.
In the kitchen, Mu Feiyi stood holding a ceramic mug of hot coffee. He watched in quiet amusement as a tiny pink nose emerged from the miniature wooden box, twitching as it sampled the air to the left, then to the right.
Suddenly, the little creature froze, sniffing frantically in his direction.
Mu Feiyi had only stepped into the kitchen to brew a fresh cup to take upstairs. In truth, he was somewhat puzzled by the state of the Yu family villa. There was not a single maid or housekeeper in sight; the flower beds in the courtyard were overgrown with weeds, and the living room wasn’t kept as spotless as it used to be. He had even noticed a faint layer of dust on the leather sofa, alongside towering stacks of delivery boxes.
For a family of their social standing, letting a home fall into such disarray was remarkably unusual. Yet Yu Yuanzhou had simply claimed they were preparing to relocate to another private estate, so there was no need to keep up appearances.
Was that really all there was to it? Could the prestigious Yu Corporation truly be this casual?
Finding no roasted coffee beans at the wet bar, Mu Feiyi had ventured into the main kitchen to search the pantry. That was how he had stumbled upon the little hamster resting on the counter.
The little creature had been sleeping heavily, sniffing the air with a hilariously blank expression before finally popping his round head out into the morning light.
“Good morning,” Mu Feiyi greeted in a low, gentle voice.
The little hamster had only managed to roll half his body out of the opening when the sudden deep voice startled him out of his wits. His four paws flew into the air with a panicked squeak—“Squeak, squeak, squeak!”—and he tumbled backward onto his spine with a soft thud.
He chattered and flailed on the wood shavings in pure terror.
Aaargh! The little hamster was startled half to death!
Mu Feiyi glanced quickly over his shoulder toward the kitchen entrance. Seeing that nobody was around, he set his mug down, leaned over the counter, and gently stroked the hamster’s soft, snow-white belly with his fingertip.
“Don’t be frightened,” he murmured soothingly. “It’s just me.”
Scooping the trembling creature into his broad palm, he stroked him from head to tail. The little furball was remarkably plush, filling his hand with comforting, velvety warmth.
“Let’s see if you’ve been stashing any breakfast in your cheeks,” Mu Feiyi whispered with a conspiratorial smirk.
Glancing toward the doorway once more to confirm the coast was clear, he cradled the little hamster in his left hand and began kneading the chubby cheeks with his right thumb, eager to see what treats might pop out.
Knead, rub, squeeze, knead.
The little hamster squinted in pure disdain, glaring at the human looming over him.
This person really had a few screws loose.
“Squeak, squeak, squeak!” The little hamster just woke up! How on earth could there be food in here?!
“Squeak, squeak, squeak!” Aaaah, why are you still kneading?!
He had been squeezed from left to right this entire time, yet not a single scrap of food had fallen out. A little hamster’s cheek pouches certainly didn’t harbor stolen snacks—well, mostly.
He nervously licked his moist pink nose. To be fair, he had hidden things inside, just not the ordinary treats this dense human was looking for.
Mu Feiyi massaged the chubby cheeks for quite a while before finally conceding, “Huh. There really is nothing in there.”
“Squeak!” There was nothing in the first place!
Protesting with indignant squeaks, the little hamster brandished his tiny paws at the man. Then, sprawling across the broad palm, he tried to roll over onto his belly.
Heave… roll…
Mu Feiyi took a sip of his coffee, casually watching the tiny furball struggle to right himself. Every time the hamster was about to flip over, Mu Feiyi gently pinned him down with his thumb.
“Look at you, little hamster. You’re like an overturned turtle—stuck on your back and unable to flip over.” Setting his mug down, Mu Feiyi reached out and playfully poked the soft tummy again. “You’re useless, little hamster.”
“Squeak, squeak, squeak!!”
If you weren’t pinning me down on purpose, how could the little hamster fail to flip over?!
And how dare you call the little hamster useless?! You’re the one who’s useless! Your whole family is useless! You’ll definitely be useless to your future wife!
This human is absolutely hopeless! Hmph!
Fuming, the little hamster simply gave up. He turned his head away, went completely limp, and lay motionless across Mu Feiyi’s palm.
Fine! The little hamster has resigned himself to fate!
Mu Feiyi drained the rest of his coffee in one long gulp. Setting the empty mug onto the counter, he glanced guiltily toward the kitchen door, peeking into the hallway to ensure Yu Yuanzhou hadn’t come downstairs looking for him. Seeing the coast was clear, he immediately lifted the hamster to his face and took a deep, shameless sniff!
Yes—he, the dignified Second Young Master Mu, was secretly sniffing a hamster!
“Squeak?!”
The little hamster froze in sheer disbelief. Even his sister had never sniffed his bare belly like that!
You… how could you do something so indecent?! Sniffing a little hamster’s tummy?! Aaaah, you shameless human! You actually flipped me over just to sniff my belly?!
Having his soft tummy thoroughly inhaled by a human for the very first time in his life, the little hamster was so flustered he could barely squeak straight.
“Squeak, squeak, squeak?!”
He let out a frantic chorus of protests.
Mu Feiyi couldn’t care less about what the milk-tea-colored furball was chattering on about. All he knew was that this little creature was exceptionally well-raised, sweet-tempered, endlessly adorable, and smelled faintly of warm, fragrant sweet milk.
“Good little guy… I wonder how your owner raised you so well. Will there be others as well-behaved as you in your litter?”
Now that he had stepped down from the corporation, perhaps he had the time to adopt a pet. A small, docile hamster like this—one he could slip into his pocket and take everywhere, with such a sweet, affectionate temperament—would be delightful.
“Squeak, squeak, squeak!” Impossible! Out of the question!
The hamster puffed out his cheeks in outrage and executed a dramatic, mid-air roll! Taking advantage of the distracted human, he spun over with the grace of a great bird spreading its wings, presenting his back to the man in cold rejection.
Still, he couldn’t resist squeaking over his shoulder: Let me tell you, human—there isn’t another mouse in this world as gentle, cute, and considerate as me! I am a one-of-a-kind spirit beast!
Back when I worked at the pet boutique, I was the undisputed star! Countless celebrities and wealthy tycoons begged to adopt me, and I turned them all down! Humans adore me, but this little hamster has very high standards.
Sure, you’re reasonably rich, remarkably handsome, have a decent temper, and possess rather striking eyes. You’re even quite skilled at giving cheek massages. But this little hamster…
The hamster turned his head, fully intending to convey that he wasn’t someone an ordinary human could easily win over.
Instead, he froze.
The strange man had actually reached into the acrylic cage and fished out the tiny outfit the hamster had discarded the night before.
Mu Feiyi had vaguely noticed the garments earlier. Now, he picked up each miniature piece, shaking the tiny fabric out between his fingers. “The stitching is surprisingly refined.”
Stroking his chin, Mu Feiyi looked down at the hamster, holding the miniature clothes up against the tiny body to measure the fit. “You actually wear these?”
“Squeak~” Yes! I took them off before going to bed!
The little hamster tilted his round head, his dark eyes brimming with genuine confusion.
“So pet hamsters need clothes now too, do they?” Mu Feiyi murmured thoughtfully. Then, with an entirely serious expression, he asked, “In that case, little guy… if you aren’t wearing your clothes right now, doesn’t that mean you’re streaking?”
“Squeak?!”
The little hamster stood bolt upright on his hind legs in pure shock, his front paws dangling limp against his chest. His dark eyes were wide with utter disbelief, staring at the man as if he had grown a second head.
“Squeak, squeak, squeak?!!”
Is that something a sane human would ever say?!
Is my fur just an illusion to you?! Does a little hamster have to wear human clothes to count as dressed?! Otherwise I’m streaking?!
Has this man completely lost his mind?!
Yet, even as the hamster chattered and squeaked in outrage, Mu Feiyi casually carried on with his own deductions: “So, by showing up completely bare like this, you’re clearly trying to seduce me.”
little hamster: “…”
The hamster awkwardly licked his moist little nose. And then, just as expected, he was scooped right back up and subjected to another vigorous cuddle-sniff.
Hah! This human really is something else. He actually invented such a preposterous excuse just to sniff a little hamster!
Mu Feiyi felt his reasoning was completely airtight. “You’re the one running around without your clothes on, so it’s only natural that I’d want to pet you, isn’t it?”
The little hamster tilted his head with deep disdain, turned away, and decided to save his breath. From his experience, whenever this man set his mind on petting him, he would fabricate whatever nonsense popped into his head. The excuses were wild and varied, but the outcome was always the same: shameless cuddling.
The little hamster didn’t even want to listen anymore.
“Squeak.” Whatever.
Mu Feiyi stroked the milk-tea-colored head. The creature was soft, plush, and well-behaved, though after a couple of strokes, the little hamster gently pushed at his fingers with his tiny paws, trying to shoo the hand away.
Mu Feiyi didn’t mind in the slightest. In fact, he found the hamster’s mild protests remarkably charming. Later, when he went upstairs to talk with Yu Yuanzhou, he would definitely ask where they had bought this little fellow. He would love to have such an intelligent, gentle, and exquisite companion of his own—provided he had the good fortune to find one.
“Feiyi? Did you track down the coffee beans?”
Yu Yuanzhou’s apologetic voice drifted down from the hallway. Having waited upstairs for quite some time, he had finally come down to check on his guest.
Stepping into the kitchen, he was greeted by the sight of the little hamster turning his back in an obvious huff, while Mu Feiyi stood beside the counter, petting the creature with rapt attention.
Seeing the empty mug, Yu Yuanzhou realized his guest had already finished his drink long ago.
Amused and slightly exasperated, Yu Yuanzhou scooped the hamster up by the scruff of his neck and dropped him gently back into his acrylic habitat. “Come on upstairs. Let’s talk in the study.” Stop staring at my nephew and petting him all morning.
“Did Old Master Mu actually accept your resignation?” Yu Yuanzhou asked, pulling two chilled bottles of mineral water from the refrigerator and handing one over. “You’ve had coffee; drink some water to balance it out.”
“Thanks.” Mu Feiyi twisted the cap open. “He seems determined to let me realize that I am nothing without the backing of the Mu family.” He spoke with complete nonchalance, showing not a trace of dejection; in fact, he seemed thoroughly liberated.
“Hah! That stubborn old fossil.” Yu Yuanzhou glanced back at him with an incredulous scoff. “Does he honestly not see what kind of useless freeloaders he’s raised?”
“Who knows?” Mu Feiyi shrugged. As they began walking toward the stairs, he couldn’t help asking, “By the way, who bought that hamster? Little Yuan, or your daughter?”
“Little Yuan did.” Yu Yuanzhou paused on the landing, casting a sharp, meaningful glance at the younger man. “Since when did you and Little Yuan become so close?”
Wait… could my silly daughter actually be right?
“He’s rather unique, isn’t he?” Mu Feiyi hadn’t considered the question from that angle at all. Thinking of the boy’s guileless nature, a faint smile touched his lips. “Talking to him is remarkably easy—completely stress-free, much like that little hamster.” Completely free of complicated schemes.
“Hmph.” Yu Yuanzhou let out a dry laugh. He could tell the man was subtly implying his nephew wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed.
Then again, compared to Mu Feiyi, who possessed eight hundred calculating schemes in his head at any given moment, the little fellow at home was indeed…
Yu Yuanzhou’s gaze naturally drifted back toward the open kitchen doorway—only to freeze.
Inside the glass cage, the little hamster was clumsily, stealthily wriggling into his tiny clothes all by himself.
It was a baffling sight. What was wrong with this little rascal? He had thrown a fit refusing to wear those clothes last night, so why on earth was he putting them on now? Had he forgotten that an outsider was standing right in the house?
Mu Feiyi followed his gaze, and his eyes instantly lit up.
Abandoning the stairs, he carried his water bottle and strode right back into the kitchen. Lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper, he leaned over the enclosure: “Look at you, little guy. You actually dressed yourself?”
“Are you trying to seduce me into petting you by acting this cute?” he teased, reaching in to gently pinch the velvety tip of the hamster’s ear.
In Mu Feiyi’s mind, the conclusion was obvious: he had just used the lack of clothing as an excuse to cuddle the creature, driving the little fellow into a squeaking frenzy. Seeing the hamster diligently dress himself only proved his point!
The little hamster, who had just managed to fasten his miniature tunic, froze completely.
He stood there in stunned silence, his jaw practically dropping to the floorboard as he stared at the man in utter shock.
It took a full minute for his brain to reboot, and when it did, he began stomping his tiny hind feet in sheer, unadulterated fury!
“Squeak, squeak, squeak!!”
Who is trying to seduce you?! I’m not! You’re making things up! That’s outright slander!!
“Squeak, squeak, squeak!!”
Aaaah! What is wrong with your head, human?!
When the little hamster doesn’t wear clothes, you claim I’m trying to seduce you into sniffing me! And when I finally put clothes on, you STILL claim I’m trying to seduce you into sniffing me!
Humans really will stoop to any shameless lie just to rub a fluffy belly!
“Squeak, squeak, squeak!”
Stop petting my ear! Aaaah! No matter how heavenly your strokes feel, the little hamster… the little hamster will NEVER let you sniff me again!!
Overcome with indignation, the hamster flopped flat onto the bottom of the cage, melting into an absolute pancake.
He lay spread out like a thin layer of fur against the shavings. Crouching down, Mu Feiyi noticed that while the creature’s entire body had flattened out completely, his cheeks still bulged plumply on either side.
The young chairman was genuinely perplexed. “Do you really not have any food stashed in those pouches?”
If they were completely empty, why did the little guy’s cheeks always look so round and swollen? Even when flattened into a pancake, that plush little face remained adorably plump.
Mu Feiyi reached in, lightly pinching the puffy cheeks and kneading them once more. “Come on, open wide. Let me see for myself.”
He refused to believe it; he had to conduct a thorough dental inspection to be certain.
Standing in the doorway, Yu Yuanzhou watched the bizarre spectacle in silence.
Did this man come over to discuss his corporate fallout with me, or did he just use that as a flimsy excuse to sneak into my house and pet my nephew’s hamster?
Then again, it seemed his daughter had been worrying over nothing.
Mu Feiyi was clearly far more obsessed with the hamster than with her brother.
Tsk.
