Chapter 22: Step Back to Advance
Mu Mu saw the painter fall into endless silence and immediately knew that the suggestion he had made wasn’t exactly feasible.
“Alright…”
Mu Mu said softly, “I’ve only ever seen humans disappear when they’re doing magic tricks.”
“Otherwise… maybe there’s a secret passage in the room!”
Fu Heqing looked at the little ghost in front of him, who was clearly doing his best to come up with ways to cover up his identity. Unfortunately, he really didn’t have much worldly experience.
Smiling, Fu Heqing said, “Whose house has a secret passage in the bathroom?”
Seeing that excuse fail too, Mu Mu grew anxious and began floating back and forth in midair, as if constantly changing positions might somehow help him think of an answer.
They had already stayed in the bathroom for nearly ten minutes. Seeing Mu Mu still drifting in the air, looking utterly dejected, Fu Heqing couldn’t bear it.
He reached out, trying to catch the wandering Mu Mu—but the soul-body passed right through his fingertips.
Noticing Fu Heqing’s movement, Mu Mu stopped on his own and stretched out his hand as well, pretending he had been caught. “Did Mr. Painter want to say something?”
Looking at the hand Mu Mu had offered on his own initiative, Fu Heqing felt rather pleased. He comforted him gently, “Let’s wait a little longer. Don’t worry.”
“Wait?” Mu Mu looked confused. He was just about to ask something when a burst of commotion suddenly came from the courtyard again.
Outside the door, Li Yiyi and Li Xunyang immediately stood up and walked out.
“What’s going on?”
Mu Mu turned to look at the painter beside him and saw that Fu Heqing also seemed ready to step out of the bathroom.
“It’s the auction house. They’ll be delivering some items in three batches today,” Fu Heqing said, explaining everything he knew to the transparent little ghost in front of him.
“So Mu Mu might go through two or three changes today.”
“But we haven’t figured out how long each one lasts yet, so you’ll have to pay attention to that yourself.”
Fu Heqing said in a low, steady voice, “Last time it lasted nearly two hours. This time it was only ten minutes. As for the next two, it’s hard to say.”
“Sorry to make you stay here by yourself for a while. If you turn human again and want to come out, remember to put your clothes on.”
After Fu Heqing finished speaking, he saw Mu Mu looking at him with a bewildered yet admiring expression. Those beautiful, clear eyes sparkled—and then a storm of flattery came crashing down.
“Wow! Mr. Painter, you’re amazing!”
Mu Mu’s eyes were full of shock and amazement. “It’s only the second day, and you’ve already figured out the pattern?”
“Oh my gosh, Mr. Painter, you’re way too smart!!!”
His face was written all over with disbelief.
Even though he was the ghost himself, Mu Mu had never really known what he was. He only knew he was a wandering spirit—not some vengeful ghost. The fact that his soul-body could turn transparent, or condense and briefly take on a human form, was something he was experiencing for the first time.
Fu Heqing smiled, reached out to pat Mu Mu’s head in midair, and then turned to leave.
The small bathroom was suddenly left with only Mu Mu inside.
From the living room outside came intermittent sounds of conversation. Mu Mu’s eyes shifted slightly as a mischievous thought crossed his mind. He wanted to eavesdrop. He quietly crouched by the door—but accidentally let his head pass right through it.
Outside in the living room, just like before, there were several tall bodyguards in suits. Each of them carried a case, presenting them one by one for Fu Heqing’s inspection.
Every time the painter unlocked a case with his fingerprint, Mu Mu felt a warm current flow through his body. Another case opened—another wave of warmth.
But strangely, the warmth from each case was different. Some currents were faint; others weren’t warm enough. Rarely did any compare to that New Year’s Eve painting the painter had given him—when the warmth from the artwork had surged through his limbs and bones, filling his entire being with a deep, blissful comfort…
Moreover, the painting the painter had given him—there seemed to be something different mixed into that warm current. It almost tasted… sweet?
How should he describe it? It was that kind of warmth—piping hot, fresh out of the oven, with a faint hint of sweetness. Compared to what he was feeling today, he suddenly thought the two paintings the painter had given him before were so precious they almost burned his hands.
Mu Mu continued observing in secret and noticed that when some of the safes were opened, all he could sense was the equivalent of leftovers.
His eyes widened at once. He hurriedly floated out and hovered beside Fu Heqing, whispering a reminder, “Are you going to buy this? That’s such a loss.”
He drifted to Fu Heqing’s left side. Seeing that the painter didn’t seem to notice him, he floated to his right, saying anxiously, “These things only have a tiny bit of energy. Are you really going to buy all of them?”
Taking advantage of the fact that no one could see him, Mu Mu examined each item Fu Heqing had purchased today one by one. The first few were all paintings. Each one was beautiful—some were clearly antiques passed down from ancient times—but Mu Mu didn’t understand any of that. He only knew that the “leftover scraps” feeling he sensed was coming from here.
Then he went to look at the other paintings. Some looked quite new, but without even needing to sense them, Mu Mu knew they obviously weren’t painted as well as the painter’s own works!
Since no one else could hear him, Mu Mu grumbled loudly in midair.
Fu Heqing turned his head, glanced at Mu Mu, smiled slightly, but said nothing as he continued signing his name.
Seeing that the painter seemed ready to pay, Mu Mu panicked. He suddenly felt that he could turn human again. He rushed back to the bathroom, quickly put on his clothes, and then hurried out in a fluster.
But it was too late.
Mu Mu stared blankly at the several additional cases that had appeared in the living room. Unable to hold back, he grabbed the painter by the collar, forcing him to bend down and tilt his head so Mu Mu could whisper secretly in his ear.
Li Yiyi was still seeing the guests off. When she saw Mu Mu come out, her gaze instantly flicked toward his lips.
Not red. Not swollen.
They didn’t look like they had been secretly kissing in the bathroom.
Then she noticed Fu Heqing lowering his eyes, listening as Mu Mu whispered something softly in his ear. In that instant, she understood.
He didn’t even dare to look at him openly.
Got it. He hasn’t succeeded yet.
Li Yiyi had just started to walk over when she saw Mu Mu’s expression suddenly change. He turned and ran toward the bathroom once again.
“Mu Mu, are you okay?”
Li Yiyi sounded concerned. “Why is it happening so often? Did you eat something bad?”
“No.”
Mu Mu watched as this time his transformation slowed noticeably. Starting from his palms, he gradually turned transparent, shifting back into soul form. Stammering, not very skilled at lying, he said, “I—I just feel a little uncomfortable. I’ll be fine if I stay by myself for a while.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he fully reverted to his wandering ghost form.
Although Li Yiyi was worried, with Fu Heqing here, nothing major should happen.
“Brother Fu, is Mu Mu feeling unwell today?”
Fu Heqing glanced toward the bathroom and gave a slight nod. “Urge the third batch to arrive. We won’t be keeping guests any longer today.”
Li Yiyi nodded, understanding his meaning. When the third batch of items arrived, she walked over and knocked on the bathroom door, speaking to Mu Mu inside.
“Mu Mu, we’ve delivered all of Brother Fu’s things. If you’re not feeling well today, we won’t stay any longer. Let’s get together another day—I’ll treat you to some little cakes.”
After she finished speaking, there was no response from the bathroom for a long while.
“Mu Mu?”
Clearly puzzled, Li Yiyi knocked again.
A few seconds passed. Still no answer.
“Mu Mu, are you okay—”
“Wuwuwu, stop calling Mu Mu. Mu Mu didn’t turn back. Even if I talk, Kitty can’t hear me.”
Inside the bathroom, the little ghost was so frightened he darted around in a panic, terrified that she might burst in. Every knock on the door made Mu Mu’s heart—if he even had one—clench sharply.
As he heard Li Yiyi’s voice outside grow increasingly anxious, repeatedly asking if something had happened inside, Mu Mu only grew more afraid.
“I didn’t fall,” Mu Mu answered honestly, even though he knew she couldn’t hear him.
“I didn’t faint either.”
He prayed frantically. Please don’t come in, Kitty. If you come in, who faints might be a different story.
In those few short seconds, Mu Mu remembered the maids and servants he had frightened away before—the helplessness of being unable to communicate, the cautiousness that constantly shadowed him. That feeling surged back over him again.
Suddenly, he heard movement at the doorknob.
Mu Mu felt as if his nonexistent heart had leapt into his throat. Without warning, he transformed back into a human and landed solidly on the floor.
He looked down at his bare self—and at the clothes still lying on the ground—
Mu Mu: QAQ
Maybe… maybe it would’ve been better not to turn back.
“D-Don’t come in!”
His voice was flustered as he scrambled to pull on his clothes, hands flying, mind completely blank.
“It’s okay if Kitty goes back first! I remember! I’ll definitely come find you for cake later!” He didn’t even bother putting on the silk inner layer this time—he just yanked on his outer coat and pants. If it chafed, it chafed.
But when Mu Mu finished dressing and turned around, the person standing there wasn’t Li Yiyi.
It was the painter, smiling faintly.
Fu Heqing looked at the dazed Mu Mu—who had even put his sweater on inside out—and deliberately asked with a smile, “Mm? What’s wrong?”
“How did you even manage to put your clothes on backwards?”
…
Mu Mu was about to explode from embarrassment.
He had been so scared—and when the painter came in, he hadn’t even said a word! That was exactly why he’d put his clothes on backwards!
Mu Mu thought the whole thing through, from beginning to end, and came to a firm conclusion: he was doing it on purpose—he was deliberately setting himself up to be laughed at!
After Li Yiyi called out with no response from Mu Mu, she told Fu Heqing what had happened.
When Fu Heqing didn’t show a trace of worry, Li Yiyi knew she didn’t need to fuss over it and quickly excused herself, leaving the space to this not-quite-yet couple.
She was smart—there was no way she’d foolishly become part of a little couple’s play!
Mu Mu, once he learned what had happened, got even angrier.
“He did it on purpose! He did it on purpose! I’m not happy, I won’t be cheered up!” Mu Mu sat on the sofa, arms crossed over his chest, wearing a scowling little-cat expression.
Though if his face weren’t smeared with cream, he might’ve been even more intimidating.
“I’m not laughing at you, Mu Mu.”
Fu Heqing sat next to him, holding a piece of cake as a peace offering, trying to lure the little greedy cat. But even after Mu Mu had eaten two flavors, he kept insisting he wasn’t cheered up.
He spoke with righteous indignation—but his eyes couldn’t leave the cake.
“You are.” Mu Mu instinctively retorted, then paused for two seconds, before suddenly asking, “What flavor is this?”
“Chocolate,” Fu Heqing replied.
“Chocolate?”
“And what does chocolate taste like?” Mu Mu asked next.
“Special. A little bitter,” Fu Heqing said, deliberately choosing the word “special.” Mu Mu’s eyes brightened, seeming to burn even more intensely.
“Hmm.”
Mu Mu continued to cross his arms, maintaining a dignified composure, but in his mind, he was frantically recalling all the tricks Kitty had taught him, scheming about how he could get this little piece of cake into his own hands.
“I—I’ve already eaten two little cakes. This trick doesn’t tempt me anymore,” Mu Mu mumbled, trying to play a “step back to advance” strategy.
But Fu Heqing didn’t respond at all, just smiled and said, “Is that so? Then I guess there’s no choice.”
“Coincidentally, I also like this flavor, so I’ll just—”
Before Fu Heqing could finish, Mu Mu interrupted, “No!”
“Why not?” Fu Heqing asked, amused, looking at him.
“You—you came to apologize, didn’t you?! Your heart isn’t sincere!” Mu Mu shot back, flipping the blame.
Fu Heqing lowered his gaze, hiding a laugh he could no longer suppress, and imitated Mu Mu’s tone teasingly: “But today, Mu Mu won’t accept the apology. I’ll come back tomorrow instead.”
With that, he slowly stood up.
Seeing Fu Heqing about to leave with the little cake, Mu Mu suddenly pounced, tackling the painter onto the arm of the sofa. He straddled him directly, grabbed Fu Heqing’s hand, and aimed straight for the cake with a triumphant “Awooo!”
At the moment he was knocked down, a clear look of surprise flashed in Fu Heqing’s eyes. Mu Mu saw it—and felt incredibly proud.
“Hmph, a tiger doesn’t show its claws for nothing…” Mu Mu mumbled around the cake.
Fu Heqing had never expected Mu Mu to be so bold over a small cake. Being pinned, he immediately tensed, his gaze darkening slightly.
“Get off first,” Fu Heqing said in a low, restrained tone, trying to soothe him gently.
“No.”
Mu Mu tightened his hold, shifting his body—hands and feet working together—to pin Fu Heqing even more firmly, aiming to leave him unable to move at all.
Their bodies pressed closely together, warmth blending, hearts gradually syncing, even feeling each other’s breathing fall across them.
Yet Mu Mu felt no sense that this close contact, over such a large area, was in any way inappropriate.
“Here, you can eat it, just get down first, okay?”
As Mu Mu moved, Fu Heqing’s expression shifted slightly. He didn’t dare move a muscle, as if afraid Mu Mu might notice something.
But Mu Mu paid him no mind, burying himself in the cake.
Fu Heqing suddenly felt that the saying “evil meets its punishment” wasn’t just words, every single second right now was pure torment.
“I’m done! Chocolate is so good!”
Mu Mu finally finished the small, palm-sized cake. He straightened up and climbed off Fu Heqing’s body.
But in the shuffle of getting up, Mu Mu’s foot landed unevenly on the edge of the sofa. When he fell back, he—just perfectly—ended up sitting right on it, inevitably discovering something.
Mu Mu froze for a moment, feeling his bottom press against… something unknown. Instinctively, he reached out to move it away.
Fu Heqing’s hand shot out, grabbing Mu Mu’s wrist. Their eyes met.
Fu Heqing’s grip was strong—almost enough to leave a red mark around Mu Mu’s wrist.
He took a deep breath, recalling Mu Mu’s actions during the four times he had turned human over the past two days, and nearly through gritted teeth, he asked:
“Does the little ghost really not understand anything?”
Mu Mu’s expression grew even more bewildered.
