SLLBTT Chapter 63
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
⋇⊶⊰Chapter 63⊱⊷⋇
Liu Jiao tried to explain to Bai Lingling, "It's like this, the Ragdoll Fairy is actually a Linqing lion cat..."
"Linqing... lion cat?" Bai Lingling was confused.
Liu Jiao nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, yes! He even speaks with a Shandong accent!"
Bai Lingling shook his head. "How is that possible? His speech is clearly a soft and cute Southern Min accent."
Liu Jiao added, "It's true! And his ragdoll's focal colors are all dyed!"
Bai Lingling frowned deeply. "Dyed?!"
"Yes! Yes!" Liu Jiao reassured, patting his chest. "He's truly a fake ragdoll! The colors even fade during baths!"
Bai Lingling shook his head decisively. "Nonsense!"
Seeing Bai Lingling's disbelief, Liu Jiao felt somewhat defeated. "I'm telling the truth. Why don't you believe me?"
"How can I believe such absurd talk?"
"But..."
Bai Lingling said, "I'm not foolish!"
"That's hard to say," evaluated the Snow Wolf King.
Bai Lingling glared at the Snow Wolf King. "Are you also going to tell me that the ragdoll cat is a Shandong-accented cat disguised and dyed?"
"Yes," the Snow Wolf King replied, "That's the truth I discovered."
Though Liu Jiao's words were suspicious, since the Snow Wolf King confirmed it...
Bai Lingling thought for a moment, still shook his head and said, "It's just too unbelievable."
"I thought the same, that's why I planned to bring the lion cat here for you to see in person," the Snow Wolf King, aware of the absurdity, explained, "Unexpectedly, we encountered vulture robbery halfway."
"This..." Bai Lingling remained skeptical.
"Whether he's a lion cat or a ragdoll cat is secondary, but I mainly feel he's not the cat you're looking for."
"So, you mean this ragdoll demon isn't my ragdoll boy. He's deceiving me?"
The Snow Wolf King nodded. "That's what I think."
"Then, tell me, how did he get the jade pendant?"
The Snow Wolf King was also puzzled. "That's something we need to investigate."
"He has our token, and he can recount details from our past together. If we treat this as a case, it's like having both 'eyewitness and physical evidence,'" Bai Lingling maintained a calm yet stubborn tone, "I won't abandon him based solely on your testimony!"
The Snow Wolf King nodded. "I understand your perspective."
"Really?" Bai Lingling looked at his rarely affirmative elder brother with confusion.
"Yes, I understand your perspective," the Snow Wolf King affirmed, "but still can't help but think you're a bit foolish."
"......"
This was why Bai Lingling disliked Bai Xiaoxiao the most.
Bai Lingling snorted, "You're always self-righteous, arrogant, and aloof, making people irritated. I don't want to waste more words with you. It's late now. I need to rest. Take your cat and leave."
Since Bai Lingling had given the eviction order, the Snow Wolf King and Liu Jiao left Bai Lingling's room. Liu Jiao then asked the Snow Wolf King, "What should we do now?"
The Snow Wolf King said, "I think the cat ending up in the Bai family estate is no coincidence. We can search the interior of the manor. We might find something."
"Searching the Bai family estate without permission?" Liu Jiao frowned. "Wouldn't that be illegal?"
"I am the law," the Snow Wolf King once again made a dubious statement.
Liu Jiao nodded but added, "Even if you are the law and we set aside legality, won't your brother be upset if we secretly search his place?"
"Have you ever seen him happy?"
"Hmm, I guess not..." Liu Jiao thought for a moment and was somewhat surprised. "Why is Lord Bai always unhappy?"
"Because he doesn't have a cat like I do," the Snow Wolf King answered with a smile, patting Liu Jiao's large tail.
The Snow Wolf King and Liu Jiao happily roamed around the Bai family estate. Liu Jiao couldn't resist playfully swatting a few bird guards. The head bird guard had enough and led a group of large birds to surround Liu Jiao. Outnumbered, the cat Liu Jiao couldn't beat the birds. Though the Snow Wolf King could intervene, doing so would reveal his identity as a divine snow wolf. Instead, he resorted to offering breadcrumbs to distract the birds.
A bird guard shouted, "We've received professional training! We won't accept handouts unless it's really delicious."
The Snow Wolf King had no choice but to bring out caviar, truffles, and foie gras to entertain the bird guards. Enticed by the aroma, the bird guards started eating. The head bird guard then said, "We heard from the attendants that you're friends of Lord Bai, so we won't hold it against you. Munch, munch..."
The Snow Wolf King continued chatting with them, "Indeed... when Lord Bai traveled outside, he befriended us. At that time, we had no idea how noble his identity was!"
The head bird guard responded, "Absolutely! I can tell you folks are more like stray dogs and cats. If it weren't for Lord Bai traveling to those rural villages for a while, you probably wouldn't have ever seen such nobility in your lifetime."
The Snow Wolf King then asked, "Why did Lord Bai travel to rural villages?"
"Hmm, seems like he was searching for someone."
During that period, Bai Lingling had just matured, and with stable demonic powers, his parents couldn't restrain him. He went out to find his ragdoll boy. He believed he had encountered the ragdoll boy in a village by the cliff in the past, so he wandered in those areas, hoping for a chance from fate to find his love. Unfortunately, it only led to disappointment each time.
This time, Bai Lingling found the lion cat but was hesitant to believe, perhaps afraid of another letdown?
The Snow Wolf King then asked the bird guards, "I remember Lord Bai had a servant accompanying him back then. Why haven't I seen him in the estate now?"
"You mean Yujiao?" the head bird guard pondered and said, "He left a while ago."
"Why did he leave?"
"Seems like he earned enough money and wanted to return to his hometown. Lord Bai approved, saying there's no reason to make someone serve him for a lifetime. He even sent him off with quite a bit of wealth."
The Snow Wolf King nodded. "Lord Bai is truly benevolent and compassionate."
After chatting with the bird guards for a while, the Snow Wolf King got all the basic information about Yujiao. With things settled, he looked at Liu Jiao and noticed that Liu Jiao seemed a bit tired. He smiled, "It's quite late now. Want to go back and rest?"
However, Liu Jiao said, "I have to go to work in a few hours. No time to find a place to sleep. Just going to the little woods next to the Bai family estate to lie down for a bit."
Liu Jiao wasn't picky. He didn't insist on having a bed or blankets, or a roof over his head to sleep. He could sleep well on the mountain. The Snow Wolf King agreed with Liu Jiao's suggestion, considering that he had to go back to work in a few hours.
They climbed over the wall, leaving the Bai family estate and heading to the nearby small woods.
It was now three in the morning, moonlight hanging high in the sky, casting an eerie darkness over the small woods. Liu Jiao and the Snow Wolf King walked hand in hand through the woods, hearing rustling in the grass.
The two of them scrutinized the surroundings. "Who's there?"
Two figures jumped out of the bushes, both with bare bottoms, "Ah!" They seemed startled.
"Ah!" Liu Jiao was startled too. If it weren't for the Snow Wolf King holding him, he might have leaped twenty feet away.
The people from the bushes, embarrassed, covered themselves with clothes and shone a flashlight on the Snow Wolf King and Liu Jiao. Seeing that they seemed like a couple, they relaxed and said, "Oh, you guys are here for a rendezvous too?"
"Huh?" Liu Jiao looked puzzled. "Rendezvous?"
The person in the grass said, "We've claimed this spot. Go somewhere else!"
Saying this, the two individuals lay back in the bushes and resumed their activities.
The Snow Wolf King led Liu Jiao away, navigating through a scene where every few steps were a couple and every five steps were a group making rhythmic, moist sounds.
The sounds continued, a constant background in the damp surroundings.
The Snow Wolf King couldn't help but show a concerned expression on his face.
Liu Jiao, with good vision even in the darkness, noticed the Snow Wolf King's worried look and asked, "Xiao Baizi, what's wrong? What are you concerned about?"
"Naturally, I'm concerned for the country and the people. Is the economy here so bad that no one can afford a hotel?"
Touched by his words, Liu Jiao said, "The Great King truly worries for the world first. So admirable!"
Finally finding an empty spot, the two lay down. However, the rhythmic sounds persisted nearby, disturbing the mood.
The Snow Wolf King gradually grasped what was happening – perhaps the reason people weren't getting hotel rooms wasn't economic.
Embracing the return to nature in this impromptu outdoor setting, it seemed like a philosophical return and a collision of both human and animal instincts.
The Snow Wolf King gently hugged Liu Jiao, intending to engage in some exciting activity, only to discover that Liu Jiao was already sound asleep.
The Snow Wolf King couldn't help but smile wryly, kissed Liu Jiao's forehead, and, looking at the moonlight, whispered a "good night" to him.