Lynn Yee couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth. Compassionate? He really had no idea how this young lady saw that in him!
The steward, afraid those young men would say something even more out of line and make things difficult to resolve, hurriedly interjected and introduced, "Miss, this is the Dark Lord."
"Dark Lord?" The beauty's eyes sparkled, looking at Ethan Gray with naked admiration. She happily introduced herself, "I am Cynthia Qi. I have long heard of the Dark Lord's great reputation, and now that I see you, the rumors are truly justified."
Lynn Yee grumbled inwardly, jealous much! Now he finally understood why Ethan Gray had ended up falling for a cat. He hadn't noticed it before, but now he realized these women were really boring. The little kitty might be silly, but she was definitely much cuter than these women.
Ethan Gray responded with a faint acknowledgment, giving enough respect, then walked into the painted boat and sat by the window, ignoring everyone else.
He thought he was being quite polite, but in the eyes of others, he was putting on airs. A group of people felt resentful, but dared not act out because of his status. Especially the one who had mocked him earlier, who now tried to minimize his presence, hoping Ethan Gray wouldn't notice him. Everyone knew the Divine Beast ultimately belonged to the Dark Lord. Now it seemed that so-called pet was clearly the Divine Beast.
At this moment, that person only blamed himself for speaking too quickly. If the Dark Lord pursued the matter, even his powerful family couldn't protect him. However, it was clear he wasn't even worthy of Ethan Gray's attention.
Cynthia Qi, on the other hand, wasn't the least bit displeased by the neglect. Smiling, she sat at the same table as Ethan Gray and personally poured him a cup of tea, placing it in front of him.
But Ethan Gray showed no intention of moving. He had never cared for courtesy, not even with Damien Gray, let alone with anyone else.
Cynthia Qi didn't mind. She was about to speak when she saw Ethan Gray suddenly signal to Lynn Yee. Lynn Yee, understanding perfectly, brought over a plate of pastries from an empty table. They were still warm, clearly just served. Several tables had pastries and tea, but because these young men wanted to impress the beauty with their literary flair, the pastries had been placed on the empty table.
Ethan Gray accepted the plate of pastries, the cold detachment on his face suddenly melting away. The corners of his lips lifted ever so slightly, and a hint of amusement flickered in his eyes.
Cynthia Qi looked on, puzzled, unsure of what was happening. Just then, Yuna suddenly popped out, meowing and calling out, "I can smell the osmanthus cake with red bean paste!"
Although everyone already knew the Divine Beast could speak, seeing a little white cat actually open its mouth and talk still drew curious glances. Yet Yuna remained unfazed by the stares, perhaps too used to them by now, showing no reaction to eyes that weren’t particularly warm.
The amusement in Ethan Gray's eyes deepened as he placed the pastry back on the table and smiled. "Little cat, you really ought to cut back. Haven’t you noticed you’re getting heavier?" It was true—ever since Yuna began following Ethan Gray, she’d spent her days eating, drinking, and sleeping well. Though Ethan always threatened to starve her, he never actually did, and she was honestly happier than when she was human.
Hearing Ethan Gray’s words, Yuna’s ears drooped, making her look even more pitiful. She lowered her head to glance at her round belly and asked in a plaintive voice, "Am I really that chubby?" She started to reflect on herself—it did seem like she’d been eating a lot more lately.
Ethan Gray picked up a piece of osmanthus cake and held it to her mouth, saying, "A little plumpness makes you easier to cuddle." His tone was perfectly serious, but in his mind, he pictured the petite beauty Yuna could become. Yuna wasn’t vain, but she truly was a little beauty—at least, Ethan Gray always wanted to scoop her up at first sight.
Though the little cat was getting chubby, her human form didn’t have any extra flesh at all—curves where they should be, slender where they shouldn’t, and perfectly soft to the touch.
Yuna might have a touch of vanity, but she’d never let her belly get in the way. No matter what Ethan Gray said, she happily hugged his hand, squinting as she nibbled on the osmanthus cake, completely unaware that, in Ethan Gray’s mind, she was the sweetest treat of all.
Only after finishing the piece of cake did Yuna realize that Ethan Gray’s gaze on her was a little too intense.
Swallowing nervously, Yuna shifted away from him just a little and said in a small voice, "Big Bad, I’m really not that tasty. If you’re hungry, you should eat the osmanthus cake instead!" Ethan Gray’s current look truly made her worry he might pounce and bite her at any moment.
Ethan Gray raised an eyebrow, reached out, and pulled her back, poking her belly with a soft hum. "If I’m going to eat, I should fatten you up first."
"I..." Yuna was about to protest that she was already fat enough, but suddenly realized that wasn’t something she should admit. She obediently closed her mouth, then swiftly snatched a piece of pastry and stuffed it into Ethan Gray’s mouth, wiping the crumbs from her paw onto his face.
Standing atop the table, Yuna sized him up from side to side, then suddenly collapsed onto the tabletop, bursting into laughter.
With pastry crumbs stuck to Ethan Gray’s cold, handsome face, it was truly a comical sight. Cynthia Qi couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh as well.
But as soon as she heard Cynthia Qi’s laughter, Yuna instantly stopped laughing, scrambled upright, and pulled a handkerchief from Ethan Gray’s arms to wipe his face clean. Puffing up her cheeks, she declared, "I still want to eat."
Ethan Gray gazed at her thoughtfully, then suddenly leaned close to her ear and whispered with a laugh, "Are you jealous?"
The warm breath tickled Yuna, making her tiny ears flick. She gave a soft hum, turned around and pointed her backside at him, her tail swiping just right to fill Ethan Gray’s mouth with cat fur.
Yuna was deliberately teasing Ethan Gray. Just because she was napping didn’t mean she hadn’t noticed that woman’s intentions toward him. That direct, hungry gaze was far too obvious—so unrestrained, so shameless!
Ethan Gray had deliberately lowered his voice, so Cynthia Qi, busy instructing the maids to bring more pastries, hadn’t heard him. When she saw Yuna throwing a little tantrum, Ethan Gray was unexpectedly patient, not angry at all, and seemed even more amused. He couldn’t help but glance at Yuna several more times—it was clear he truly adored this little cat.