ITOTIABSAM | Interstellar Orcs | 128
Feeling both annoyed and amused, Gu Cong took a deep breath, calming himself down. In a swift motion, he bent his knees and quickly scooped up a certain little kitty that was trying to escape.
"Did Mr. Xie forget that I also have a beast form?"
The silver-white cat froze for a moment.
Then, in contrast to its arrogance and provocation seconds ago, it shook its soft little ears and took full advantage of its particularly sweet features after transforming. Affectionately, it rubbed against the back of the man's finger, and its tail, now like a vine, wrapped around the man's arm.
—Even though subconsciously, Gu Cong didn't think he would do something so beastly, as an excellent prospective boyfriend, he could be flexible. Besides, after adapting for so many days, he no longer minded his own small and harmless beast form.
Being affectionately cuddled and cooed at by a cat that was usually aloof and not in a daze, even if it wasn't quite trying to please, was enough to make one feel elated.
Trying hard to keep his thin lips from forming a smile but failing, Gu Cong lifted the front paws of the silver-white cat, pressed his nose against its gradually fluffed-up little head, and took a deep breath.
As Xie Ye, who could only be reached by standing on tiptoes, felt his face heating up, he thought to himself, This is too much.
"All right, let's listen to Mr. Xie," Gu Cong relented just before the silver-white cat's claws were about to come out. With a little effort, the small white bundle flew into his arms like a feather. "Let's go, time for dinner."
With the world spinning around him, Xie Ye's cheek pressed against the warmth that was both soft and firm. Realizing what it was, he immediately perked up his ears and used his paw pads to push against the man's chest, which was completely uncovered:
Hurry up and put on some clothes!
How can you go to the kitchen like this?
"I wanted to change clothes, but Mr. Xie was just too enthusiastic," Gu Cong said, tilting his head slightly to show off a series of barely visible kiss marks on the side of his neck. "Evidence, hmm?"
In the next instant, the skin just below his collarbone, near his heart, suddenly felt itchy and painful as it bore the unmistakable imprint of a cat's tooth.
Shaking his tail, Xie Ye asserted confidently, Yes, I did it. So what?
However, realizing that the spot was indeed quite sensitive, he immediately stepped on Gu Cong's arm to show off his authority, leaped onto Gu Cong's shoulder, and stood firmly. Then, using his drooping tail, he patted the man's back to urge him on.
Hurry up. I'm hungry.
What else could Gu Cong do with such an adorable little cat besides pampering it? Opening the cabinet again, he took out his pajamas and gently pulled the sleeve of his shirt. True to form, the white bundle on his shoulder cooperated by lifting its paw, allowing him to release the fabric that had been stepped on.
With only three simple buttons on the pajamas, Gu Cong casually fastened them and asked, "Why did you wake up so early today?"
According to the routine he had figured out over the past month, the other party would sleep for at least twenty-four hours in a comfortable and safe environment.
Xie Ye pondered for a moment. Being woken up by a prince's kiss was not a character he wanted to admit to.
Having accidentally transformed into a real cat when he crossed over, Xie Ye was not used to speaking in his beast form. He shook his head slightly in response, displaying an innocent expression of ignorance.
"After we settle the Xie family's affairs, let's go to the hospital together for a check-up," Gu Cong said naturally, adding himself to Xie Ye's future, as he gently rubbed the silver-white cat's head in his palm. "Don't be afraid."
Actually, Xie Ye wasn't afraid at all. But that didn't stop him from snuggling against the warm palm of the man's hand.
As the evening fell, tens of kilometers away, Xie Haiguo had no appetite for dinner at all. In fact, he was visibly upset, unable to contain his anger. "Wang Li, what do you mean by this?"
"It's just a bidding process, and naturally, the highest bidder wins," Wang Li replied with a seemingly apologetic smile, but there was no hint of remorse in his eyes. Pouring himself a cup of tea, the portly Wang Li continued, "There's nothing we can do. The other party was so generous and straightforward with their offer, signing the contract online and making the payment directly. Given your current situation..."
Keeping a way out for oneself, to meet again in the future, Wang Li didn't say the harsh words outright. But this kind of tactful "consideration" felt like a slap in the face to Xie Haiguo, telling him, "You can't afford this."
Children are indeed a burden. If it weren't for Xie Tianhua's consecutive mistakes after taking over the management of the company, trying to save face by deceiving even his own father, who had worked hard all his life without having to do anything, Xie Haiguo wouldn't be sitting here, enduring the sight of a minor shareholder's disdain.
"But I never expected that the one so eager to acquire shares of Ark Technology was actually Mr. Xie's father," Wang Li said, now that he had settled his accounts and had no further involvement with Ark Technology. Stepping out of the game, he could see things more clearly.
Not getting a response from Xie Haiguo, Wang Li took a sip of tea and ventured, "So the rumors are true, Mr. Xie is really in trouble?"
"It's none of your concern," Xie Haiguo replied, burdened with the pressure of high-interest loans mortgaged against the company's property and vehicles, yet unable to make any use of it.
With an unexpected loss of tens of millions, Xie Haiguo left with a grim expression.
Wang Li, who had nothing to lose, clearly wanted to take advantage of the rumors and sell his shares for a profit. But it was too late, and there was no point in continuing to haggle.
Online trading meant that the other party had to keep their identity secret. After years of ups and downs in the business world, Xie Haiguo's consecutive failures made him feel like he had fallen into someone's trap, perhaps the Huo family's, or maybe anyone who coveted Ark Technology.
However, there was no turning back for him now. The only way out of the company's collapse and his own overwhelming debt was to get the shares into Xie Ye's hands.
Fortunately, Wang Li's reaction indirectly confirmed the anxiety within Ark Technology. Opportunistic fence-sitters are always the most sensitive to changes in the wind.
Xie Ye's disappearance was already a done deal. He had to claim the "body" of the former before Wang Li leaked any information. Otherwise, if caught in the wrong place by the media, his plan would have a hard time proceeding smoothly.
Taking out a vintage backup communicator, Xie Haiguo sat in the back seat of the car and sent a message.
Two days later, on Saturday, when most people were on vacation and it was convenient for gossip, a terrifying image resembling a crime scene suddenly began circulating widely on the internet.
Despite being heavily pixelated, upon careful examination, it was still apparent that the body was highly decomposed, with a pathetic shape resembling that of a carcass torn apart by stray cats and dogs.
Accompanying it was the rapidly rising hot search term:
#Xie Ye Confirmed Dead#
As if to affirm the authenticity of the news, below the search term, a quick scroll revealed short videos and photos of Xie Haiguo and Xie Tianhua appearing at the police station.
Furthermore, a suspected insider used a pseudonym to disclose information: "They were invited to the scene, and were shocked to see the body. At the time, they never thought it would be Xie Ye."
【Who would have known? Early this morning, the scumbag father and brother were called in to identify the person. Can't go into detail about the investigation and examination, but apart from the damaged eyeballs, all other biological information matches perfectly.】
【Although reluctant to admit it, I still hope everyone can help find clues about the murderer. Heard there were various signs of violation left on the body, it's hard to imagine what he went through before his death.】
While seemingly advocating for justice and standing on Xie Ye's side, these statements actually divulged various privacy matters thoroughly. The nature of the internet meant it was destined to accommodate various emotions, including the curiosity of certain individuals.
【Used software to restore it a bit, indeed, the clothing fragments on top look a lot like the high-end clothing Xie Ye wore in interviews. (Pictures) (Pictures)】
【So tragic, even the eyeballs popped out.】
【What about those fans who were infatuated with this face before? Why aren't they coming to see it? Is your love so shallow?】
【Various signs? It couldn't be... cough cough, auto-censorship, don't ban me.】
【It's a makeup fan, look, Xie Ye's eyes are black, do you really believe such outrageous rumors?】
【Black? Haven't you seen the video of Xie Haiguo's interview yet? (Link) (Link)】
Clicking on the link, it was a media message released five minutes ago. In the footage, Xie Haiguo and the figure behind him, Xie Tianhua, were both dressed in black, especially Xie Haiguo, with red eyes and an undeniable fatigue.
"I never thought that someone would dare to commit such a heinous crime in the capital city."
Reporters swarmed in, bringing back the joy of being surrounded by microphones and flashing lights that had long been missed. Xie Haiguo steadied himself, casting aside distractions and reciting the prepared lines with solemnity and strength. "Despite the misunderstandings between me and Xie Ye, as a father, I must uncover the truth and bring him home."
"Mr. Xie Haiguo! Mr. Xie Haiguo! What is your opinion on the multiple reposts of the corpse photos on the Star Network?"
"That is indeed... Xie Ye," feigning a choked voice, Xie Haiguo spoke firmly, "the deceased deserves respect. I hope everyone can stop spreading them. The source that first circulated the photos will also be personally sued by me."
Even though he was the one who hired someone to send out the photos.
"After all, Xie Ye has been suffering from severe degeneration since birth," avoiding any mention of Xie Tianhua's bullying of the alternate persona, Xie Haiguo continued, "he hated his weak animal form, so he made many disguises. In the end, he probably didn't want too many people to see his true self."
In the midst of the crowded scene, as if by coincidence, the documents in Xie Haiguo's hands were knocked aside, scattering paper files all over the ground. The swaying camera happened to focus on a silver-white cat with emerald eyes among the scattered papers.
"Xie Ye?"
"The colors match exactly. It's really him in the photo!"
"Is it an illusion? Xie Haiguo's words were quite moving."
"What a naive comment. That's billions of inheritance; anyone would want a piece of it."
"So how did Xie Ye die?"
"Maybe he overdosed. He seemed to be having a good time, and besides, the company didn't even report the boss missing for so long. There's definitely something fishy going on."
A stone cast into the water stirred up a thousand waves. Xie Haiguo's statement had pushed "Xie Ye's death" to the pinnacle of public opinion. Countless comments, whether well-intentioned or malicious, flooded in until a bold, eye-catching, money-laden message floated by in bold font:
"Hmm, is nobody paying attention to the official account of Ark Technology? They just released a video of Xie Ye in the hospital room."
"A corpse can still talk?"
"And with such a nice voice."
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Thanks for the update
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