The Gentle Man Next Door is a Rabbit - 36

 

TGMNDIAR - 36

It was late at night, the room was quiet.

The crescent moon of three o'clock in the evening was still bright, casting a shimmering glow on the floor.

Xu Mu lay on his side, eyes closed, tucked warmly under the covers.

But his mind was clear, devoid of any sleepiness.

"Ye Ye is not my child..."

Xu Mu suddenly opened his eyes. Damn it, why did Bai Nian have to compromise like this!

He thought of the other's pale face, feeling a sense of discomfort in his heart.

Clearly, he had been so miserably let down, yet because of his affection for Ye Ye, he had earnestly raised him. And now, because of a single sentence from the other...

Xu Mu let out a sigh. Any trace of sleepiness that he might have had vanished completely.

That night, he almost stayed awake until dawn.

…

The next day...

"My dear master, what happened to you last night? It's like you've been drained of all your energy, like a fairy drained of its essence!" Nades exclaimed in utter shock.

Xu Mu: "...Stop downloading weird speech packs."

"Alright, master. Did you have trouble sleeping last night?" Nades resumed his usual mechanical tone.

Xu Mu replied listlessly, "No." He didn't want to say much to the robot and left directly.

"...Ye Ye, let's go." Xu Mu waved to Ye Ye.

Ye Ye ran into Xu Mu's arms and gave him a sticky kiss.

"Ah Mu," Bai Nian walked out, "If someone approaches you on the way claiming to be related to Ye Ye and wants to take him away, ignore them."

"Okay," Xu Mu lowered his gaze and replied softly, "I'm leaving, Nian ."

"Did you not sleep well last night?" Bai Nian noticed the dark circles under Xu Mu's eyes and asked with concern, "What happened?"

Xu Mu hesitated for a moment, then said, "I drank too much coffee, couldn't sleep, and started drawing to pass the time. I didn't pay attention to the time."

Bai Nian furrowed his brows, sensing Xu Mu's discomfort as he averted his gaze awkwardly.

"Alright, make sure to get some rest at noon," Bai Nian sighed.

He felt guilty for causing Xu Mu to worry and was simultaneously happy for his concern. But he didn't want Xu Mu to be upset because of this.

"Don't think too much," Bai Nian smiled gently, brushing his fingertips lightly over Xu Mu's forehead.

"Okay..." Xu Mu's eyelashes fluttered rapidly, his throat seemed to be choked with something.

Another problem arose.

After experiencing numbness in his arm for no reason, staying up late added fuel to the fire of his deteriorating health—

The familiar accelerated heart rate.

He didn't pay attention before he died suddenly in his previous life, but this time he couldn't afford to repeat the same mistakes.

---

In the study room,

Xu Mu and Nian Yueyue and a few others gathered again for group assignments.

Before starting, they had already discussed and assigned tasks to each member.

Buzz—his light brain vibrated.

Xu Mu glanced at it—it was a call from the Muw Association. He gestured to his classmates and stepped out to take the call.

"... Sigh... Sigh..." Nian Yueue her brows furrowed, sighing every few minutes, looking dispirited as she rested her head on the desk.

Luo Haoyu was cutting model materials and couldn't stand it anymore. He asked, "What are you sighing about? If you have difficulties, just say it. Although we've known each other for only a few years, I'm not the kind of person who stands idly by."

Nian Yueyue raised her eyelids, "You wouldn't understand... sigh."

Luo Haoyu's mouth twitched, "Speak in human language."

"It’s alright, Yueyue, it's not a big deal anyway," Zou Ning lazily patted her head, "Whether I perform or not, I'll find a place to hang around. If you really want to see me hanging from a tree, I'll go back and hang on one for you."

Nian Yueyue exclaimed excitedly, "How is this not a big deal? Have you forgotten how long you've been rehearsing?"

"... It's okay, I just hang from a tree every afternoon as scheduled."

"No, you've been going for ten consecutive days, and suddenly losing the chance to perform because of some idiot, aren't you angry?" Zou Ning sipped her water slowly with a straw, speaking leisurely. "It's not just me losing the opportunity. Without the lead role, the whole club can't perform."

Nian Yueyue choked up, "That's still very frustrating!"

Zou Ning rested her head on Nian Yue Yue's shoulder. "Come on, it's not a big deal. Don't be angry. I'll treat you to bubble tea later."

They both demonstrated the role of the emperor who is not anxious but the eunuch who is anxious.

Nian Yueyue whimpered and hugged Zou Ning, "My poor Xiao Ning, you've been through a lot these days..."

Zou Ning calmly returned the hug, "It's alright, it's alright."

Nian Yueyue asked, "Is there really no way to save it?"

Zou Ning, "You just want to take pictures of me wearing a white hat."

Nian Yueyue defended herself, "Oh come on, what's wrong with taking a few pictures? Even if the lead is missing, there are still five days left. Your plot isn't that complicated, just pull in someone temporarily."

Zou Ning replied, "That's true, but it depends on whether the club president can find someone willing to play the role or if they can revise the script and report it to the school. The club is still in rehearsals, so I guess they'll try the latter."

"Now that the weather is getting colder, there are very few snakes mimicry—" Nian Yueyue paused suddenly and straightened up.

Zou Ning was puzzled, "What's wrong?"

Nian Yueue's eyes darted around. "I seem to know someone who has a snake mimicry..."

"Who?" Zou Ning asked.

Luo Haoyu chimed in, "Oh, who is it? We have such a close relationship, why don't I know?"

Nian Yueyue cleared her throat. "I think that someone is Xu Mu, but I don't know the specific species."

Luo Haoyu: !!!

"How do you know about his mimicry?" Zou Ning inquired.

Nian Yueyue waved her hand impatiently. "Stop with your gossiping eyes. I was organizing class information at the beginning of the school year, so I know everyone’s mimicry."

Luo Haoyu pondered for a moment. "Ah, that's why he always looks like he's wearing so many layers and sits in front of the heater."

Zou Ning added, "Snakes are afraid of the cold. The club president searched for a long time but couldn't find anyone, and nobody wants to come out in this weather... Plus, Xu Mu might not want to reveal his mimicry."

Nian Yueyue propped her chin up. "How about we ask Xu Mu first?"

...

After finishing the call, Xu Mu returned to the study room, where the three of them looked at him in unison.

Xu Mu: ?

"Is there something wrong with me?" he lowered his head to glance at his clothes, which were fine and neatly buttoned.

Luo Haoyu slung his arm around Xu Mu. "Come on, Brother Mu, have a seat."

When Xu Mu heard this call, his brow furrowed, sensing something was amiss.

Nian Yueyue also pulled her chair closer, smiling warmly. "Brother Mu, have some water." She handed him a cup of warm water.

Xu Mu took it. "Um, thank you."

Zou Ning slowly approached from behind, offered with a strange smile on her lips. "Brother Mu, would you like some candy?"

Xu Mu, puzzled, replied, "...Thank you." 

He looked at the three smiling faces, feeling a bit uneasy. "Are you trying to tell me something?"

Luo Haoyu said earnestly, "What do you mean? Can't we be nice to you?"

Xu Mu calmly responded, "There’s no need to be overly polite unless there’s an ulterior motive." 

Nian Yueyue nervously touched her face and smiled sheepishly. "Um, you know, Zou Ning's club is preparing for a performance at the Snow God Festival, and she's participating too."

Xu Mu nodded, "Yes, I know." He had overheard their conversation but wasn't sure if he had missed something.

Nian Yueyue and Luo Haoyu exchanged a glance, indicating that the scene was set.

Luo Haoyu cleared his throat. "But just yesterday, the performance fell through. Do you know why?"

Xu Mu asked, "Why?"

Nian Yueyue took over, her voice passionate. "Because their lead actor bailed! They couldn't find a suitable replacement in time. Poor Zou Ning wasted ten days rehearsing for nothing. It's really unfortunate!"

Xu Mu nodded, "Ah, I see."

"However," Nian Yueyue, well-versed in the art of dramatic twists, continued, "the heavens have not forsaken us; they have sent us someone capable."

Xu Mu remained silent.

"You're not suggesting that someone capable is me, are you?" 

Nian Yueyue pretended to wipe her tears and replied, "Exactly. It's fate from above. Besides you, I can't think of anyone else suitable for the role."

Xu Mu stayed silent.

Nian Yueyue intensified her act, leaning on Zou Ning and loudly fake crying, "Oh, my poor Zou Ning. All your hard work every day, waking up at six in the morning, returning at eight in the evening, all for naught just to play a role. That damn Chen Yihui…"

She sneaked a glance at Xu Mu, making her fake crying even more convincing.

Xu Mu couldn't help but find it amusing, but he relented, "What role are you playing? Are there a lot of lines? And how much time is left?"

"Your real form will appear, so there’s not many lines. There is probably about five days left, which is enough time."

Xu Mu was puzzled, "What do you mean by playing it your real form?"

Nian Yueyue correctly guessed that Xu Mu didn't know about the need for mimicry and decided to lure him in first to feel the atmosphere.

As the saying goes, a harmonious environment encourages bold decisions.

“Shall we go take a look?" 

Xu Mu: "... Class monitor, don't cheat me."

Nian Yueyue immediately said, "How could I?"

Lou Haoyu received her signal and promptly got up and supported Xu Mu, "Let's go, let's go, we'll go take a look."

Xu Mu was half reluctant, half persuaded, as he was pulled by them to the club's rehearsal room.

The training room was extremely spacious, surrounded by mirrors on all sides. Looking around, it seemed endless, as if one could hear an echo with just one shout.

"Hey, Xiao Ning?" The club president, obviously just finished practicing, was a muscular man, bare-chested, with sweat pouring down his face. "Why are you here?"

Zou Ning said, "President, have you found a replacement?"

The president sighed instantly, "No one wants to come. I've mobilized all my relatives and friends, and there are quite a few who meet the criteria, but as soon as they hear they have to stay out in the cold for twenty minutes in the dead of winter, they refuse."

"We don't even need to move much. Just find a bush to hide in, all the lines can be dubbed later. They just need to sway a few times, twist a little, and that's it."

Xu Mu felt something was off about what was said later and was about to say something, but Nian Yueyue beat him to it.

"President, we're here to recommend someone to you." She pushed Xu Mu out, "However, my friend isn't very familiar with the role yet, and is undecided yet, so he's here to get a feel out the atmosphere."

Xu Mu: "..."

The president was puzzled at first, then suddenly realized.

"Oh, are you still undecided? Ah, it's okay. Times are changing, shifting into your mimicry is quite trendy, it's a form of expressing yourself."

"Take a look at our rehearsal. Once you've seen enough, you'll be able to decide." He clapped his hands and walked towards the center of the training room, "Have you all rested? If so, let's rehearse the seventh scene again."

Xu Mu hesitated, wondering what "mimicry" was.

“Xu Mu, let's sit and watch."

"Mm... okay." Xu Mu suppressed his confusion and walked to the side.

Nian Yueyue asked, "Xiao Ning, are you going on stage?"

Zou Ning nodded, "Can you hold onto my storage compartment for me?"

"Sure."

Zou Ning yawned, slowly sitting down and curling up into a ball.

Xu Mu was puzzled, not understanding Zou Ning's actions, staring without blinking.

A few seconds later, the light clothes fell lightly, and a sloth crawled out from the clothes.

She pressed the storage compartment, and all the clothes disappeared.

Nian Yueyue squatted down to pick up the storage compartment, casually patting the sloth's head.

"Off you go."

The sloth moved very slowly towards the fake tree opposite.

Bang—

Nian Yueyue heard a noise, turned her head, and exclaimed in surprise, "Hey, are you okay? How did you fall down?"

She went to help Xu Mu, but Lou Haoyu was closer and helped him up first.

Xu Mu stiffly raised his head, like an old TV, flickering.

"What was that just now..."

Nian Yueyue didn't hear clearly, so she leaned in, "Huh? What did you say?"

Xu Mu sat on the plastic chair, swaying, his voice weak, "Zou Ning... turned into a sloth?"

"Yeah, what's wrong?" Nian Yueyue nodded, "Isn't it rare to see a sloth's mimicry? It's cute."

Xu Mu's pupils dilated, repeating incredulously, "She... she turned into a sloth?"

Nian Yueyue jokingly said, "Come on, Xu Mu, are you that conservative? In this day and age, are you still concerned about mimicry—"

A roar sounded, followed by a tremor in the entire training room.

Xu Mu watched as a gray elephant appeared, his expression crumbling.

His mouth opened and closed, feeling a surreal dizziness.

Then, a cheetah and two wolves swiftly emerged from the bushes.

Xu Mu remembered, there were three people standing in the bushes just now...

"Xu Mu, actually, showing your mimicry has become a new social currency nowadays. Using more primitive, instinctual intuition to make friends is the current trend..." Nian Yueyue rambled on, looking at Xu Mu with the most sincere eyes.

"So, think about it, the snake-shaped male protagonist in this mythological play is perfect for you!"

Xu Mu slowly moved his eyes, "Snake-shaped... male protagonist?"

Nian Yueyue realized something and hurriedly explained, "Oh, I didn't mean to peek at your mimicry information. It's just that at the beginning of freshman year, the counselor called a few class leaders to the archive room to organize documents, and I happened to get your file. I saw your mimicry while inputting the data."

"Crack," Xu Mu felt a moment of daze, as if something had exploded in his ears.

Oh, it was his worldview.

—-He can actually turn into a snake???

---

"Daddy, slow down... my legs are tired..." Ye Ye pouted, stumbling behind Xu Mu, trying to grab his pants with his small hands.

Xu Mu stopped without a word, bending down to pick up Ye Ye.

Ye Ye obediently wrapped his arms around his neck, sticking close, and called out, "Daddy, Daddy... why aren't you smiling... smile..."

Xu Mu remained silent, only patting the boy's head, waiting for the elevator.

After handing Ye Ye safely to Kadou, he prepared to go home.

"Ah Mu!" Bai Nian came out of the kitchen, "Dinner is almost ready, you can just come over."

The warm yellow light illuminated his face, with a gentle smile in his eyes, like water so clear it showed no aggression.

The aroma of cooking wafted through the air, and the sound of simmering soup was clear.

Xu Mu stood in the doorway, lost in thought.

Bai Nian got off work early today. After returning home he hurriedly took off his coat, prepared dinner, and waited for Ye Ye and Xu Mu.

When he heard the sound of the door opening, he was instantly filled with excitement and ran out without thinking.

"Ah Mu?" Bai Nian felt strange, taking a step forward, "You—"

"I have something tonight, so I won't eat with Brother Nian." Xu Mu lowered his eyes, speaking softly.

Bai Nian furrowed his brows slightly, "Is there something wrong?"

"No, nothing is wrong." Xu Mu shook his head.

Bai Nian wanted to say something else, but Xu Mu had already turned to leave.

“Goodbye, Brother Nian,” Xu Mu said as he turned away. 

Bai Nian withdrew his hand mid-air, curling his fingertips and pressing them against his palm. He said softly, "Don't forget to drink some nutrient solution, your health is the most important."

"Okay."

---

"Welcome home master," Nades bowed politely.

"Hmm," Xu Mu responded, heading straight to his room.

Suddenly, he stopped. "Nades, do you know what kind of snake I am?"

"Of course, my dear master, you are the most handsome, generous..."

"I mean the species," Xu Mu interrupted.

"White-lipped green bamboo snake."

Xu Mu took a deep breath, feeling his temples throb.

"Master, is there a problem?"

Xu Mu's expression was blank. "Oh, I was just testing you to see if you still remember."

"Master, you're so naughty~"

"...Download fewer strange vocabularies and voice packs."

"Yes! Master!" Nades responded in a deep, hearty voice.

---

In the room, Xu Mu collapsed backward onto the fluffy duvet, his eyes vacant.

On the way home, he frantically searched online to determine the nature of the world he was in. 

--- Orcs. 

Xu Mu wiped his face, realizing that in his second life, he had even changed species. 

No, not entirely. 

There was still "human" behind "orc."

“White-lipped green bamboo snake…” Xu Mu hesitated, his fingertip hovering over the light brain, unsure whether he should search for images. 

Because he was afraid of snakes.

Xu Mu mentally prepared himself, then pressed firmly. The first page that popped up was a snake photo.

He fought back the nausea, forcing himself to look at the photo before immediately closing it.

So ugly.

It made him feel a little sick.

Xu Mu couldn't shake the impulse to go crazy at the thought of himself being turned into a cold, green snake.

Why a snake?

He wouldn't mind being any other animal, even a pig—

Xu Mu sat up abruptly, continuing his search on the StarNet.

[Do people have mimicry of pigs, fish, chickens, and other animals?]

Best answer: Yes.

Xu Mu frowned. Then what did he usually eat?

[Where does the meat on the dining table come from?]

Best answer: Except for pigs, fish, chickens, ducks, and sheep, which are mass-produced through artificial farming, the use of other meat products is not allowed, especially those involving natural endangered species, all of which are illegal meats.

Xu Mu leaned back on his bed, closed his eyes, feeling immensely relieved.

Great, there are normal animals to eat in this world.

Wait a minute, something's not right.

He sat up instantly, his expression grave.

So, that floppy-eared rabbit... Is it an animal or an orc?

If it's the latter—

Xu Mu tremblingly opened the search bar.

[Are there rabbits that don't transform into humans?]

The search results didn't yield relevant questions but automatically generated new ones to answer.

For instance, the first one was: How many years can one get sentenced for harming precious endangered rabbit species?

Xu Mu: ???

He had a vague feeling that things weren't simple and attempted a new search.

[How many rare and endangered rabbits are there in the world?]

Best answer: Who asked such a stupid question? Apart from the five major categories of artificially farmed animals, all remaining purebred natural animals are precious endangered species.

Xu Mu: ... Is this for real?

[How many precious endangered rabbits are there in the world?]

Best answer: According to statistics, there are less than one hundred, and most of them are hybrids rather than purebred.

Xu Mu: ... This is bad.

Unwilling to give up, he continued searching.

[Where can you usually see precious endangered rabbits?]

Best answer: Natural Animal Center (requires purchasing tickets).

Xu Mu gritted his teeth and typed another line.

[Is it possible for precious endangered rabbits to be raised freely in residential areas?]

Best answer: The possibility is one in a billion. According to known data, billionaire Doniel once purchased the dwarf rabbit "Kangxi" at a sky-high price and placed it in his villa on the back mountain... The conditions for adopting precious endangered animals are very strict. In addition to the adopter's own affluent material conditions, they also need to obtain relevant qualification certificates and undergo annual assessments by the Natural Conservation Center for Endangered Species Protection. Failure to pass the assessment will result in certificate revocation...

Xu Mu sat there blankly, feeling utterly hopeless.

So, the floppy-eared rabbit he always saw—either it's the sky-high priced rabbit of some super rich person, or it's an orc.

The possibility of a wealthy person living in a residential area was very slim, and as for the latter...

Impossible!!!

What he did to that floppy-eared rabbit, what normal orc could tolerate that?

Isn't that blatant sexual harassment!!!

Xu Mu hugged his head in agony, his expression twisted to the extreme.

He rolled from the foot of the bed to the head and back again, his inner turmoil screaming madly.

He wanted to die.

He wished for death.

Death would be better than this.

...

On the other side, Bai Nian couldn't eat his dinner.

He was worried about Xu Mu's condition and really wanted to go check on him.

But evidently, the young man didn't want to see him.

Bai Nian clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white with tension, until his nails dug into his flesh, and only then did he slowly regain his senses.

He decided to take a peek... Just a discreet peek from the balcony using his mimicry.

...

Xu Mu went crazy on the bed, limbs splayed out in an "大" shape, staring numbly at the ceiling.

Perhaps... there really was a wealthy person here who kept rabbits?

He painfully got up, wiped his face, and leaned his elbows on his knees, feeling incredibly depressed.

No, he felt like he was suffocating again.

Xu Mu paced back and forth in the room, anxiously pacing.

He yanked open the curtains, wanting to breathe in some fresh air. He looked up, and his pupils dilated.

!!!

Xu Mu swiftly closed the curtains with a "whoosh" and silently repeated to himself: Illusion, illusion, it's all just an illusion, the floppy-eared rabbit isn't here, the floppy-eared rabbit isn't here...

After numbing himself, he opened the curtains again.

The breeze brushed against his face, the balcony railing felt cool to the touch, illuminated by the moonlight.

Xu Mu hesitated. So... was it really just his imagination earlier?

...

Bai Nian hopped back from several balconies, landing quickly but a bit unsteadily.

He didn't stop for a moment along the way, not even when his legs bumped against the railing, showing no sign of concern.

Bai Nian listened to the wind rushing past his ears, feeling increasingly agitated inside:

What exactly happened... that he wouldn't even acknowledge seeing his favorite mimicry?

Bai Nian's mood was utterly miserable, and the scene from earlier kept replaying in his mind.

The young man was shockingly indifferent. He thought, at the very least he would—

Say something, right?

But he didn't.

Perhaps he was being too sentimental, bothering someone for no reason.

Or perhaps, he never understood the young man's heart.

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