Chapter 122: The Variety Show in Progress
In front of Shen Xiu, inside the canvas pet carrier, a tiny kitten was diligently pawing at the ventilation holes with its two little pitch-black paws. Accompanied by soft, babyish meows, the little creature was working hard to get attention.
Then, seeing Shen Xiu lower his eyes to gaze coolly at the kitten in the bag, the Xiuologists were nearly shocked out of their minds.
Whenever they imagined what kind of pet Shen Xiu might keep, their first thoughts were always something like a tiger or lion—mighty, imposing beasts.
They never would’ve guessed… that Shen Xiu would raise a kitten.
And not just any kitten, but one so small it could fit in a palm—black all over like a little lump of coal!
If word of this got out… No, more accurately, even seeing it with their own eyes now, they still felt a bizarre sense of dissonance.
To put it simply, even witnessing it firsthand, they could hardly believe their eyes.
[Boss Xiu raising such a soft, cuddly, palm-sized little kitten?! Am I going crazy, or has the world gone mad?]
[A ruthless, cool, and heartless assassin with a cute baby sidekick—who would’ve thought?!]
[This reminds me of that bird sitting on Liu Bei’s head in a certain video game…]
[So tiny—did Boss Xiu pick up a stray kitten? As expected, cold on the outside, warm on the inside.]
[Okay but… what’s the little baby’s name? Doesn’t anyone else think it’s ferociously cute? Those two little paws are energetically clawing at the window trying to get out, and its eyes are all fierce—it’s killing me with cuteness!]
[What if Shen Xiu only adopted the kitten to ride the wave of the variety show’s popularity? Weren’t you fans saying he’s super busy and competitive? How does he have time to care for a baby kitten? This feels a lot like a publicity stunt.]
[Where’s this sour lemon coming from? Ever heard of making time? Sure, Xiu-baby is busy, but he still goes home every day, doesn’t he? And even if he’s too busy to go home at noon, couldn’t he just hire a nanny to take care of the kitten? Stop spreading rumors! I, the God of Internet Justice, will verbally beat you down!]
There were three staff members sent to pick up Shen Xiu:
One was in charge of warming up the atmosphere and acting as a host,
One was the driver,
And the third sat in the car with a laptop, monitoring and managing Shen Xiu’s split-screen livestream.
The staff member monitoring the stream saw the barrage of comments and silently nodded in agreement.
When their production team had first seen the information Shen Xiu submitted, they were also shocked. They’d been holding it in ever since, not daring to reveal it—but it was killing them to keep it quiet.
Since it was Saturday, most people were resting. There weren’t many people out and about, and even those who were mostly went through the underground parking lot, either driving out or entering the community.
So, just like usual, the front gate of Yulin Banxia was pretty empty.
The warm-up host approached:
“Hello, Mr. Shen. I’m from Fluffballs Heal the World, here to pick you up and bring you to the manor. We’re already livestreaming, and it will run until Sunday evening at 6:30 PM.”
Faced with a stranger, Shen Xiu didn’t dare get too close. He stiffened slightly but responded to show he understood.
“Mm. Thank you.”
The host couldn’t hold eye contact under Shen Xiu’s cold and sharp gaze and instinctively lowered their eyes—only to notice the two suitcases by his side.
“You brought two suitcases?”
Since the show only lasted two days and one night, most guests brought just one.
Seeing Shen Xiu with two, the host was visibly surprised.
Shen Xiu replied and then explained:
“Mm. This one’s my clothes. This one’s Lucky’s food.”
The staff member: “……”
Using an entire suitcase just for food for a kitten the size of a palm—was that really… necessary?
Or could it be…
The staff member’s gaze shifted to the little kitten still working hard to paw its way out of the canvas bag.
Could it be… this kitten has the appetite of a gluttonous beast?
After Shen Xiu explained, he noticed the staff staring at Lucky—who was still energetically scratching at the bag—and asked with concern:
“Is there a problem?”
Hearing Shen Xiu’s icy tone, the staff member snapped out of their wild imagination.
“No problem, no problem at all!” he said hurriedly.
That chilly question just now—clearly a displeased response, as if Shen Xiu thought the production team was planning to withhold food from his beloved pet.
Shen Xiu let out a soft breath of relief. Good—seemed like the things he brought were fine.
Even though there weren’t many people outside the complex, it still felt awkward standing at the gate chatting like this in public and blocking the entrance. Shen Xiu quietly suggested:
“Let’s get in the car.”
Though his voice was calm, it carried an unconscious tone of command. The staff member quickly replied:
“Right.”
Once in the car, the staffer finally realized—wait a minute. ‘Wasn’t I supposed to be the one managing the scene and warming things up? How did I end up being completely led around by Shen Xiu?’
He snuck a glance at him. After Shen Xiu removed his mask, the intensity of his aura only grew more overwhelming. He wasn’t just someone who naturally drew attention like a glowing beacon—he gave off the unmistakable air of a born leader, someone people instinctively obeyed.
Realizing that, the staff member figured—being unconsciously led by Shen Xiu just now didn’t seem like such a problem after all.
After all, whether in knowledge or capability, Shen Xiu was too powerful. Letting him take the lead… wasn’t that perfectly natural?
“This is the livestream camera, and here is the live chat feed.”
The staff member composed himself and pointed to the livestream setup on the front passenger seat, which was aimed at Shen Xiu. Then, he handed the program’s phone to Shen Xiu.
“You can interact with the livestream audience now.”
“Thank you.”
Shen Xiu took the phone. Since this was his first time officially introducing Lucky, he felt a bit nervous. He set the phone aside without checking the live chat, and looked straight at the camera that was filming him and Lucky.
Nervously, he said:
“Hello everyone, I’m Shen Xiu.”
As he spoke, he carefully unzipped the canvas backpack at his side and gently lifted Lucky out, placing the kitten in his lap and buckling his own seatbelt.
Originally, Shen Xiu had planned to make a formal introduction right after, but things didn’t go as planned. Lucky ignored everyone else in the car, showed no fear of the unfamiliar environment or people, and simply tilted his head up to look at Shen Xiu—then launched into an aggressive meowing rant.
Meow-AO!
Meow-WU!
Mee…ow…
Lucky had completely lost all sense of voice control, unleashing a barrage of fierce (but babyish) meows at Shen Xiu.
This kind of outburst—Shen Xiu had only encountered it twice before: once when taking Lucky to the vet for a checkup and deworming, and again for vaccinations.
Having survived those previous episodes, Shen Xiu calmly reached into the side of the canvas bag and pulled out a travel-size 5g pack of freeze-dried food. He poured out one piece into his palm and held it in front of the meowing Lucky.
As soon as Lucky saw the treat, his nonstop meowing paused for a beat. Then, silently, he lowered his head and began purring and munching on the freeze-dried morsel.
Shen Xiu let out a relieved sigh. With his other hand, he gently stroked Lucky’s head, expertly smoothing down the fur of the cranky little kitten.
At the same time, Shen Xiu silently deducted one freeze-dried treat from Lucky’s daily allowance in his mind. Before Lucky could notice, he swiftly used the hand that had been petting the kitten’s head to tuck the bag of freeze-dried snacks behind his back.
Completely absorbed in munching on the treat, Lucky had no idea that there were only three pieces left for the day.
Meanwhile, viewers in the livestream were stunned by the sight of Lucky fiercely meowing at Shen Xiu. In this world, there was actually someone—no, some cat—who dared to sass Shen Xiu!
What shocked them even more was that, though Shen Xiu remained stone-faced and cold as ever, his hands moved with practiced ease as he coaxed the angry kitten with a freeze-dried treat.
[Don’t be fooled by that tiny body—this kitty’s got a big temper! Boss Xiu, cool and aloof as ever, just sat there and let the kitten yell at him. Not only did he not get mad, he even calmly pulled out a treat to coax it! If Lin Jiashi saw this, he’d die from jealousy. Even a kitten ranks higher than him—LOL!]
[Lin Jiashi is trash anyway. No way he’s cuter than a kitten. Little coal ball, mwah mwah~ (puckers lips)]
[Fierce little kitten vs. high-cold big boss who patiently pampers it… this contrast is too much. Are they trying to kill me with cuteness?!]
[The way he pulled out that treat so smoothly—Shen Xiu totally saw this coming. He even had the treats hidden ahead of time!]
[My cat came over when it heard Lucky meowing. Where’s my Royal Cat-to-Human language translator?!]
[From my many years of cat parenting experience, that meow is either Lucky tattling about being locked up or just grumbling angrily. LOL!]
[Fierce, sure—but one treat and he’s back to purring~]
[The way Xiu-baby coaxed Lucky and stashed the treats… so smooth it’s hilarious, hahaha.]
[Little Coal Ball: Master is full of tricks, wuwuwu…]
“Mew~”
Lucky was easy to coax. After eating one freeze-dried treat, it immediately turned into a clingy kitten, meowing sweetly while tilting its chin toward Shen Xiu for attention.
Shen Xiu reached out and expertly scratched Lucky’s little chin. Lucky, satisfied, squinted its eyes and flattened its ears in contentment.
Having soothed Lucky, Shen Xiu let out a quiet sigh of relief. Thinking about how the livestream had barely started and already gone off-script, he turned to the camera and offered a sincere apology to the viewers.
“Sorry… Lucky’s a little timid.”
Upon hearing those calm, understated words:
The staff: “…”
The viewers: […]
Did Shen Xiu… have a fundamental misunderstanding of the word timid?
Who else’s kitten, upon seeing strangers, gives them a brief glance, then completely ignores them to snuggle in its owner’s lap—meowing in complaint while happily eating snacks, and then purring while offering up its chin for pets?
More importantly, all this was directed at Shen Xiu, the famously cold and ruthless “Demon King”!
This wasn’t a timid kitten—it was a fearless little tyrant in disguise!
So just how thick is Shen Xiu’s filter when it comes to his cat?
[I hereby declare: this currently-unnamed kitten is today’s MVP—aka the true winner of cat life.]
[The last time I saw Shen Xiu being this much of a double-standard softie was with the members of The Galaxy…]
After apologizing, Shen Xiu followed the pet introduction template he’d looked up online the night before. Facing the camera, he gave a formal introduction.
“Hello everyone, this is my kitten.”
Feeling a bit embarrassed by his own pride and the hint of showing-off in his tone, Shen Xiu paused awkwardly for two seconds, then pushed through the cringe and continued.
“His name is Lucky. He likes freeze-dried snacks and canned food. He enjoys playing with colorful bouncy balls, caterpillar feather toys, and the motorized hamster ball…”
After solemnly introducing the basic details of his family member, Lucky, Shen Xiu secretly gave himself a mental thumbs-up for making it through without any more unexpected incidents.
But… would everyone like Lucky?
Shen Xiu lowered his gaze to look at Lucky, who was clinging to his hand and kicking it gently in his arms—and his momentary worry vanished.
Lucky was so amazing—an independent little kitten who could find toys and entertain herself. Who wouldn’t like him?!
System: [……]
If that isn’t a filter 108 layers thick, then its database must be corrupted!
[Usually cold and silent, Shen Xiu just spoke ten full sentences in five minutes because of Lucky. I declare once again: Lucky easily snags the MVP title.]
[Even though his expression stayed calm and indifferent, his tone was flat, and his eyes didn’t show much emotion—somehow, I could still feel that Shen Xiu treats Lucky differently. That contrast is devastatingly touching!]
[Anyone who sees this has to admit: that little black fluffball is living up to his name—Lucky really is lucky! Did he save the galaxy in a past life?!]
[Shen Xiu clearly knows Lucky so well—this has to be a cat he raised himself. Where are the people who said he was faking it for clout? Come out and say that again, if you dare. I’ll rip your slanderous mouths apart!]
[Case closed: Demon King Xiu’s only warmth is reserved for Lucky. It’s unimaginable—Lucky kicks at Shen Xiu’s hands with no restraint, and Shen Xiu doesn’t even look the slightest bit annoyed…]
By the time Shen Xiu got in the car, it had already pulled away from Yulin Banxia
After introducing Lucky, the vehicle still had a long way to go before reaching the main filming location of “Fluffballs Heal the World”, a countryside estate in the suburbs.
Shen Xiu feared nothing more than the sudden silence in the air. One hand played with Lucky, who was sitting on his lap, while the other quietly picked up the phone he’d left on the seat beside him.
Recalling what the staff had said when he got in the car, and thinking of his own past livestream experiences where he tried to avoid awkward silences, Shen Xiu asked, “Can I talk to the viewers in the chat?”
The viewers were all kind people, always full of questions to ask him—never letting things get awkward.
The staff member nodded. “Yes, you can.”
“Thank you.”
With permission granted, Shen Xiu began reading the messages in the livestream chat.
“Lucky is cute? Thank you for the compliment.”
“Let Lucky meow for the e-e’s?” Shen Xiu lowered his gaze to see Lucky biting at his T-shirt and coaxed him gently, “Lucky, the ee’s want to hear you meow.”
Lucky was busy, but at the sound of Shen Xiu’s voice, he squeezed out a response despite his busyness.
“Meow~”
Shen Xiu looked back at the chat. “Lucky meowed.”
“Pet Lucky’s little belly? He might bite.”
After a pause, Shen Xiu added a clarification: “But it doesn’t hurt.”
“Is he fierce? No, not at all. Lucky is very gentle.”
“Neutering? Lucky’s still young. The vet said to wait until he’s eight months old.”
“Paw pads? They’re pink—same color as his little nose.”
Seeing so many messages saying they liked Lucky, Shen Xiu sat up straighter, and with a reserved tone, said, “Thank you all for liking him. I like Lucky too.”
Hearing Shen Xiu chatting happily with the livestream viewers, the staff member: “……”
Shen Xiu was truly so polite. Even though his politeness carried a chill of aloofness and distance, it was still far better than people who lacked boundaries and manners. There was no denying it—his upbringing was truly excellent.
[Ahhh who would’ve thought there’d come a day when Xiu-baby would actually say the word ‘meow meow’!]
[Ahem, let’s be precise (pushes up glasses), the mighty Boss Xiu also said ‘paw paws’.]
[Thanks for the emotional damage, I’ve been utterly charmed by the Big Boss Xiu and the little coal ball Lucky.]
[Little Lucky has no idea he’s getting his balls snipped at eight months old hahaha]
[Xiu-baby’s hand is all red from getting kicked by little Lucky’s tiny jiojio (paws), and he still says Lucky is gentle—wuwu—who would’ve thought the one being so pampered by Xiu-baby would be a little kitty?!]
…
Amid Shen Xiu’s interaction with the chat, time passed unnoticed, and the program team’s car finally arrived at the main livestream location—a villa rented by the Fluffballs Heal the World production crew in the suburbs.
Since each guest had a different starting point, their arrival times varied.
Shen Xiu was the second guest to arrive at the livestream location. The first guest was a second-tier celebrity—actor Xu Qingchen.
Xu Qingchen had brought along a black-and-white tuxedo cat named Wang Cai.
Because Xu Qingchen often posted about Wang Cai on his personal social media, he didn’t even need to introduce the cat to his fans in the livestream. They already knew that Wang Cai was a former stray he had adopted three years ago.
When Shen Xiu arrived at the villa, Xu Qingchen was still in the room assigned to him by the production team, organizing his things. The two didn’t cross paths.
Shen Xiu was also guided by staff to his temporary room arranged by the production team.
Upon arriving in the room, the staff explained the situation to Shen Xiu.
“All the bedding, toothbrushes, cups, towels, and other supplies are brand new. Please feel free to use them. This villa is equipped with live-stream cameras everywhere. You can unpack your luggage first. At 10 a.m., all the guests will gather at the pavilion beside the swimming pool.”
Shen Xiu nodded. “Got it, thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Goodbye.”
“Goodbye.”
After seeing the staff off, Shen Xiu looked around and indeed spotted several live-stream cameras inside the room.
Having experienced the live broadcast of Youth Unstoppable, Shen Xiu had become somewhat desensitized to cameras. He quickly shifted his attention to Lucky, who was meowing in protest inside the canvas pet carrier. He crouched down, unzipped the bag, and let Lucky out.
In a completely unfamiliar place, once released, Lucky busily meowed nonstop while exploring the new surroundings, marking his scent to claim the territory, paying no attention to Shen Xiu.
Shen Xiu gently closed the door, listened to Lucky’s meowing, and reassured, opened two suitcases and began unpacking.
After more than ten minutes, Shen Xiu finished unpacking. Lucky had finished exploring the entire room and now meowed as he approached Shen Xiu, acting coquettishly.
While being affectionate, Lucky’s eyes clearly fixed on the freeze-dried treat bag that Shen Xiu had placed on the table.
Shen Xiu: “…”
He suspected that Lucky was meowing at him because he wanted to eat the freeze-dried treats, but he had no proof!
Shen Xiu couldn’t refuse Lucky’s innocent eyes at all. Resigned, he took out one freeze-dried piece, then rolled up the treat bag and tucked it inside the drawer so Lucky wouldn’t see it anymore.
“Here, eat.” Shen Xiu crouched down and opened his palm to Lucky.
Just as Lucky lowered his head to eat the treat, Shen Xiu heard the sound of the door being pushed open. He turned his head and saw a strange man standing at the doorway.
Shen Xiu: “?”
Who was this person, and why did he open someone else’s door without knocking?
Just as Shen Xiu was puzzled, the man spoke: “Hello, I’m Xu Qingchen.”
Shen Xiu: “…Hello, I’m Shen Xiu.”
Because of the man’s behavior of entering without knocking, Shen Xiu wasn’t very keen on talking to him.
Xu Qingchen noticed the folded bag with the words “freeze-dried” written on it and looked at Shen Xiu with a surprised expression. “Huh? Don’t you know? The cat is still too young; you can’t feed it too many snacks. Cats raised like that will become picky eaters, which isn’t good for them.”
**TN
Oh. I thought Lucky was a girl. LOL
