The girls had barely taken a few steps away when Chen suddenly called out—
"Umm… wait!"
They both turned.
Chen shifted Yun Hu in his arms, slightly awkward but sincere. "Would you like to come to my place? I'd like to thank you properly. At least… for tea."
Ari raised a brow, clearly amused. She crossed her arms lightly.
"Mister, if you have any other ideas, you should probably find someone else."
Chen blinked.
"What? No— I didn't mean—"
But before he could even properly process her teasing tone, hurried footsteps echoed across the pavement.
Xu Jin appeared, slightly out of breath, hair messy from rushing over. His usually composed expression had cracks in it.
"Chen!"
Chen immediately lifted Yun Hu a little higher like evidence. "I found him."
Xu Jin stopped in front of him, eyes scanning Yun Hu quickly to make sure he was unharmed. Only after confirming did he speak—
"Why didn't you call me?"
"I just found him," Chen replied, still a little shaken. "I was about to."
Xu Jin exhaled slowly, trying to calm his heartbeat. Then his gaze shifted to the two girls standing nearby.
He paused.
Recognition flickered in his eyes.
These were the same girls who had once wished him "good luck" when he was nervously planning to apologize to Chen.
The memory made his ears heat slightly, but he kept his composure.
Chen, unaware of the silent exchange, explained quickly, "They guarded him. So no one would take him away."
Xu Jin's gaze softened just a little.
Chen added with a helpless sigh, "Apparently, Yun Hu was sunbathing here."
Xu Jin looked at the cat, who blinked lazily at him as if he hadn't caused a full-blown crisis.
"That little devil…" Xu Jin muttered.
The girls couldn't hold back their smiles.
Xu Jin straightened and gave them a proper nod this time. "Thank you. Really. We appreciate it."
His tone was calm, sincere— very different from his earlier rushed state.
Ari waved her hand lightly. "It's fine. He looked like he was living his best life."
Rina added, "Just close your windows better next time."
Chen coughed awkwardly. "I will."
Xu Jin stepped a little closer to Chen unconsciously, as if making sure both he and Yun Hu were actually there. Safe.
"Let's go back," Xu Jin said quietly.
Chen nodded.
Xu Jin had just said quietly, "Let's go back," when Chen suddenly remembered.
"Oh—wait," Chen said, shifting Yun Hu in his arms. "I invited them to come over. To thank them properly."
Xu Jin paused.
He looked at the two girls.
Then at Chen.
Then nodded once. "Okay. I'll go buy some snacks."
The decision was made so smoothly that the girls blinked.
Ari tilted her head, amused. "We haven't even agreed yet and you're already planning ahead?"
Rina crossed her arms dramatically. "Wow. So confident."
Chen immediately straightened, professor-mode activating.
"I'm a professor," he said flatly. "I have no interest in you small girls. It's just a gesture of thanks."
There was a brief silence.
Then Rina burst out laughing.
"Brother, we were joking."
Ari added with a grin, "Relax. We'd love to come. I mean—who says no to free snacks?"
"And," Rina leaned forward slightly, eyes on Yun Hu, "we want to play with this little sunbathing prince more."
Yun Hu, hearing the attention shift back to him, blinked innocently and tucked his paws comfortably against Chen's chest.
"Let's go back," Xu Jin said quietly.
Chen nodded.
As they turned to leave, Yun Hu peeked over Chen's shoulder toward the bench one last time— as if already planning his next escape.
Xu Jin narrowed his eyes at him.
"Try it again," he murmured softly, "and you're grounded."
Yun Hu purred in response.
The girls laughed behind them as the two men walked back together— one still slightly shaken, the other pretending to be calm but walking just a little too close.
Xu jin went to buy the snacks nearby. Chen led the girls to his apartment with yun hi in his hands.