The Gentle Man Next Door is a Rabbit - 25

 

TGMNDIAR - 25

After completing the level, Xu Mu immediately typed "logging out" in the chat box and exited the game.

"Brother Nian, what happened?" he hesitantly asked.

The call of his name just now made him shiver all over.

Bai Nian remained silent, his chest rising and falling with each breath. His gray-blue eyes seemed to be veiled in mist under the lamplight.

Not sure if it was an illusion, Xu Mu felt that his eye sockets were faintly reddened, with a hint of pink at the corners of his eyes.

"You..." Bai Nian's lips moved, wanting to say something, but he choked up.

Xu Mu was a bit nervous. His hands involuntarily reached out to search for the plush rabbit that had fallen earlier, grasping its tail again—

Huh? Why does it feel different?

Bai Nian's voice was hoarse, "The tail..."

"Do you want to touch it too, Brother Nian?" Xu Mu tentatively offered the plush rabbit's tail, "Its texture is very nice. I was touching it just now, it's warm and soft. But, it's a bit strange, it doesn't feel as smooth as before. I feel like..." the texture had changed.

"No difference," Bai Nian immediately interrupted, his nails digging into his palm, "Were the egg tarts delicious?"

—He didn't know.

Bai Nian couldn't quite describe the feeling in his heart—whether it was relief or his slight fading embarrassment.

Xu Mu blinked, feeling a burning sensation on his lower lip. He responded absentmindedly, as if under a spell, "I think they're pretty tasty."

Bai Nian turned his head and saw the plush lop-eared rabbit standing on the pillow.

"When did you buy the plush rabbit in your hand? I remember..." He looked away, "You already have one."

"Oh, this one was actually cut from the big lop-eared rabbit. Nades took the surface fur and some cotton and installed a heating plate inside, and transformed it into a new small lop-eared rabbit," Xu Mu lifted it up to indicate, "I'm prone to feeling cold, so it's for warming my hands."

"I see." Suddenly, Bai Nian stiffened, and his fingertips trembled.

He pressed down on the hem of his clothes, barely covering the base of his tail. But in the unseen space, the tip of his tail seemed to have a will of its own, swaying from side to side. The movement was small, gently scratching his back, spreading an itchiness.

Seeing Bai Nian remain silent, Xu Mu hesitantly asked, "Brother Nian, why did you call out my name just now?"

—It was scary when his name was called out just now.

"I, I have a headache, maybe I caught a cold," Bai Nian's voice sounded a bit faint, "Do you have cold medicine at home? Can you... give it to me?"

"We do," Xu Mu didn't wait for him to finish speaking, immediately stood up and headed straight for the living room.

Bai Nian gritted his teeth and slowly stood up. His tailbone still felt tingly, and his thighs felt a bit weak.

Suddenly, he felt a twitch in his lower abdomen.

His expression froze, and as he moved, he could almost feel a damp sensation.

Just because his tail was touched, he…

…

Living room

"Nades, where's the cold medicine?" Xu Mu rummaged through the cabinets, his brows furrowed, "Why can't I find it?"

"In the top left cabinet, top shelf," Nades responded.

With the cabinet above his head, Xu Mu didn't hesitate. He propped himself up with one hand, his knee against the edge of the table, and reached upward.

When he finally got hold of the medicine and jumped down, he suddenly noticed Bai Nian standing at the entrance, holding his oversized plush lop-eared rabbit, almost completely blocking his view.

Xu Mu: ?

"Ah Mu..." Bai Nian's face turned a bit red, feeling embarrassed to ask, "Can I borrow your plush doll for the night?"

Xu Mu's expression momentarily became strange, "Sure, but—" I often sleep with the plush toy, so you might want to dry clean it first.

"Thank you," Bai Nian quickly said, "I'll leave now."

"Wait, here's the medicine," Xu Mu hurriedly caught up with him.

Bai Nian abruptly took a few steps back. "Don't come any closer!" 

Xu Mu froze. 

"I'm afraid I'll infect you," Bai Nian said, concerned. 

Xu Mu shrugged it off. "Oh, it's okay, it’s just for a moment." 

"Give it to me," Bai Nian's hand reached through the plush rabbit's arm, his voice slightly muffled, "Thank you." 

"Yeah, no problem," Xu Mu reminded him, "Drink plenty of water, wear warm clothes. The weather has been changing a lot lately, so stay warm." 

"Okay..." Bai Nian held the cold medicine tightly, his knuckles turning white.

Click— the automatic door closed.

Xu Mu stood still for a moment, furrowing his brows slightly. "Nades, did you notice anything strange?"

Nades replied, "What do you think?"

After a moment of contemplation, Xu Mu suddenly realized, "Brother Nian just walked out the door backwards!"

"Could it be..." Xu Mu's gaze turned towards Nades.

"Is it because the plush toy is difficult to hold, so he couldn't go forward?" 

Nades: "..."

…

Bedroom

Bai Nian took a deep breath, clasping his elbows with both hands, his back against the door, slowly sliding down.

His lower abdomen was convulsing, his tailbone felt numb, his limbs felt weak, almost unable to exert any strength...

Even though his will urged him to move forward, he had no strength at all.

With his knees bent, he struggled to hold onto the large plush toy, barely managing to steady himself and prevent himself from falling further.

His fluffy tail wagged uncontrollably, brushing against his skin and causing a prickling sensation.

The ears on top of his head drooped down, gently trembling on either side of his cheeks.

Bai Nian closed his eyes, his cheeks burning hot, a muffled sound escaping his throat as he buried his face in the plush rabbit.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally managed to get up.

Taking one step at a time, Bai Nian gradually approached the edge of the bed.

Then he allowed himself to collapse onto the blanket.

Accompanying his fall was the giant lop-eared rabbit.

"Whew..." Bai Nian struggled to lift his head, his eyes vacant, fine beads of sweat forming on his forehead, his damp hair sticking messily to it.

He swallowed, gradually calming his breathing.

...

In the bathroom, the sound of running water echoed, steam filling the air.

The mirror was fogged up, with occasional glimpses of reality through the gaps.

Bai Nian finished showering, feeling a bit exhausted. His already weak limbs felt like jelly.

He sluggishly tucked himself into bed, arching his back and curling his legs, wrapping himself up in the blanket. His ears were neatly positioned, while his tail coiled around his waist.

Puff—

The plush rabbit at the head of the bed fell, landing squarely on Bai Nian's face.

Bai Nian hesitated, staring at it for a long time.

In the end, Bai Nian's fair arm reached out and tucked the plush rabbit into his own blanket.

Pressing his face against the plush rabbit's, he couldn't help but think of its owner, causing his steady breath to suddenly become erratic.

But it was just his tail that had been held...

Bai Nian tightly shut his eyes, his legs twisted, his eyelashes dampened by the tears that seeped out.

He remembered that the young man's hand was actually a bit cool, with calluses covering some areas of his fingertips, giving a rough sensation when rubbed. But the palm was slightly warmer, making the contrast clear.

Bai Nian's breathing trembled, feeling a faint suffocation. He clenched the plush rabbit tightly and took a deep breath.

For some reason, he felt like he could smell a familiar yet unfamiliar scent.

A faint soap fragrance.

It was the scent he occasionally caught when he was near Xu Mu.

Not strong, but faint, lingering in his nostrils.

Bai Nian opened his mouth, his tongue gently protruding, trying to absorb more oxygen.

The familiar convulsions returned.

Bai Nian's complexion fluctuated between red and pale, his eyelashes trembling.

He caught a faint hint of a fishy scent.

Unable to bear it, Bai Nian took out a bottle of perfume from the cabinet and sprayed it wildly a few times.

The soft scent of roses gradually covered up the smell, calming Bai Nian down. He twisted his arms, feeling a sense of pain shooting through his nerve endings.

Bai Nian felt a hint of disgust towards his own body.

Nauseating, ugly, flawed, and driven by instinctual animalistic desires due to hormonal imbalances...

It was utterly terrible.

"I really like you... Tutu..."

A voice, almost like a curse, echoed.

Bai Nian curled up even tighter. He thought, perhaps only the young man would find him cute.

Taking a closer look would only make people feel nauseous...

–

"Sob sob sob, my Niannian, I miss you so much!!!"

As soon as the door opened, Shi Lun greeted Bai Nian with an enthusiastic hug.

"Hey, wait a minute." Bai Nian stumbled back a few steps, feeling a bit overwhelmed. "Okay, that's too much."

Shi Lun was slightly smaller in stature compared to Bai Nian, with naturally red hair that matched his fiery personality. He was the complete opposite of Bai Nian in temperament. With delicate features, fair skin, and seductive, alluring eyes, Shi Lun exuded a charming aura—a cheating weapon bestowed by his racial traits.

Shi Lun grabbed Bai Nian's shoulders. "Come on, let me see if you've lost weight. Have you been suffering?"

"No..." Bai Nian chuckled. "Hey, isn't Yuan Ke coming too? Where is he?"

Yuan Ke, Shi Lun's newlywed husband.

"He had some things to take care of and couldn't make it. So, I came alone."

"I see."

Shi Lun suddenly exclaimed, pushing up his glasses and carefully studying Bai Nian. "Wait, why do your eyelids look a bit swollen... Did you cry last night?"

Bai Nian's heart skipped a beat.

"Could it be because you're too excited to see me?!" 

Bai Nian pushed away Shi Lun's hand impatiently. "What are you talking about?"

Shi Lun leaned in with a mischievous smile. "Come on, tell me, you didn't secretly cry because you were sad, did you?"

"No."

"That's good." Shi Lun continued to speculate, "Were you too happy in the middle of the night? Too scared? Overwhelmed with emotions? Feeling happy?..."

Bai Nian interrupted him hastily as Shi Lun's guesses became increasingly absurd. "Enough, stop talking nonsense."

Shi Lun, being his usual eccentric self, said, "Oh come on, being happy could mean good news, being scared could be from watching a movie, overwhelming emotions could be from a specific dramatic moment, as for..."

"Shi Lun!" Bai Nian cut him off with a firm tone.

Shi Lun raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, my bad, I'll stop."

He thought his friend was being serious and didn't appreciate his playful banter.

Unaware of Bai Nian's dodging gaze and the hint of embarrassment in his eyes, Shi Lun continued, "Oh, look who we have here, our little Ye Ye!"

Ye Ye was sitting in the stroller, holding the "Sword of Courage," and tilted his head to look at Shi Lun.

Approaching them, Shi Lun squatted down and said with a grin, "Do you remember me?"

Ye Ye quietly looked at him for a few seconds before nodding.

Shi Lun was delighted. "Wow, you still remember!"

He continued, "Come on, say 'brother' now."

Ye Ye remained silent.

Shi Lun didn't insist, knowing that Ye Ye didn't like being pressured into things. At most, he would call "dadsy" when prompted by Bai Nian.

He patted Ye Ye's head and prepared to stand up.

"Brother..." It was very soft, almost inaudible if you didn't listen closely.

Shi Lun was shocked. "Niannian, come quick! He called me brother! I'm finally not his daddy anymore!"

Bai Nian was surprised. "He called you brother?"

"Yes! Ye Ye, come on, say it again."

Ye Ye glanced at him quickly. "Brother."

"You see, Niannian, he called me brother!" Shi Lun exclaimed immediately.

Bai Nian had a suspicion in his mind.

Shi Lun stroked his chin and asked again, "Baby, why aren't you calling daddy anymore? Does someone else have this exclusive title?"

Ye Ye muttered, "Daddy is daddy... you're not..."

"You really hit the nail on the head," Shi Lun marveled. "Niannian, who does he call daddy now?"

Bai Nian pressed his lips together. "A new neighbor next door."

"Neighbor? Do you guys interact often?"

"Yeah."

"Is it a guy or a girl? How old? What's their mimicry form? What's their personality like..." Shi Lun bombarded him with questions.

Bai Nian couldn't take it. "Are you checking his household registration? And who talks about their mimicry forms casually?"

Shi Lun narrowed his eyes. His intuition told him that something was up.

The expression on his friend's face... there must be some deep connection with the other person.

"Whether it's a guy or a girl, you should at least know their age, right?"

"Male, he’s currently studying his second year in college. Are you satisfied?"

Shi Lun whistled, "Wow, a young college guy, a diamond in the rough!"

Bai Nian: "..."

He didn't respond, instead, he handed him a cup of tea to shut him up.

Shi Lun chuckled, bouncing around on the sofa. "Niannian, why are you still so shy?"

"It's because you're not behaving properly."

"Alright, alright, serious question time." Shi Lun's playful demeanor shifted to seriousness. "Are you getting used to living here?"

"I am."

"And what about Ye Ye?"

"He's doing fine."

"How's the work environment?"

"It's pretty good."

"No annoying colleagues?"

"Nope, everyone is friendly."

"Hey, how's your health been lately? What did the doctor say during your check-up?"

...

The two of them sat down and relaxed, engaging in casual conversation.

The aroma of tea filled the air, carrying a subtle warmth.

Suddenly, shouts and cries came from the balcony.

"Daddy!!! Daddy!!! Daddy!!!"

Shi Lun's hand holding the cup paused, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips as he said, "Oh! It's your neighbor, the college guy."

"Should I go check?" 

Bai Nian calmly responded, "You have legs, can I stop you?"

Shi Lun chuckled and dashed towards the balcony, with Bai Nian following behind.

"Little one, which one is Daddy?" Shi Lun asked with interest, placing a hand on Ye Ye's shoulder.

Ye Ye extended his chubby little hand, pointing, "The one in black... Daddy!"

Shi Lun squinted, trying to get a clear view of the mysterious neighbor next door.

"He’s a bit far, his face is quite blurry. But—"

"Bai Nian, the college guy is pretty tall, with long legs, fair skin, just a bit on the thin side. But he's probably exercising, with a good foundation like that, he's fine," Shi Lun commented.

Bai Nian: “...”.

Shi Lun stood up, "The most important thing is, he's young. Being young is an asset, easy on the eyes and tender. What do people call it... what, a 'little milk dog'?"

Bai Nian felt a headache coming on, "Are you misunderstanding something?"

Shi Lun glanced over, "Hey! Even Ye Ye is calling him 'Daddy.' You guys must get along pretty well, huh?"

"And whenever I mention him, do you know what your expression looks like?" 

Bai Nian asked, "What does it look like?"

Shi Lun snorted, "You look guilty as hell, are you afraid of being interrogated by me?"

Bai Nian remained silent.

...

Just after finishing his run, Xu Mu was about to head back. As he walked along the tree-lined path, he couldn't shake the feeling that he heard Ye Ye's voice, calling out "Daddy."

He wasn't sure, so he looked up towards the direction of the balcony.

Well, he couldn't see anything.

But it seemed like there were a few shadows standing nearby.

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