Chapter 30: Royal Secrets

Step one of petting a cat: Reach out a hand to probe, wait for the kitten to come over and sniff, and let it get used to your scent and lower its guard.

Nian Tu skillfully crouched down near the swing and extended a hand toward the kitten. Over the years, she had petted countless cats, and not a single one had ever been able to resist her charm. She was confident that this little cotton ball before her would be no exception.

Sure enough, the kitten tilted its head, looked at Nian Tu, hopped lightly off the swing, and trotted over in a few steps to circle her hand and sniff.

It was that familiar scent. It was the scent that had haunted its dreams, the one it had pursued relentlessly after catching a whiff of it in the Imperial Garden.

In an instant, the little white cat shed its aloofness. It let out a sweet, high-pitched, and coquettish meow, threw itself into Nian Tu’s soft and fragrant embrace, and was so comfortable that it even rolled over to expose its belly.

No one would ever guess that such a clingy, spoiled little creature had been a powerful and majestic white tiger just moments ago.

The beast form of the Imperial males is the tiger. As a rare SS-rank male, the Crown Prince’s beast form is the white tiger—not a common albino tiger, but an atavistic divine beast. Beastmen who awaken the bloodline of a divine beast can revert to their juvenile form, similar to a machine’s energy-saving mode; this form helps them avoid danger and conserve energy.

Unlike a regular tiger, the juvenile form of a white tiger does not look like a tiger cub, but rather like a little white cat, with only the "King" marking on its forehead revealing its true identity. This was an absolute secret of the Royal Family, known to no one outside the direct bloodline.

Nian Tu had no idea that the creature rolling around in her arms was the legendary Imperial Crown Prince. She watched in surprise as the kitten dove into her lap. Judging by its appearance, she had expected it to be a cold, aloof cat; she never imagined it would be so affectionate! In all her years of petting cats, this was the most approachable one she had ever encountered, bar none.

The little white cat clearly adored Nian Tu. It gazed into her face with watery eyes, enticing her to pet its soft belly, and its paws rhythmically kneaded the air—a sign of pure relaxation and joy. Its cries were dainty and persistent, one after another, all to capture her attention.

Nian Tu felt her heart itch with affection, and a happy curve tugged at the corner of her lips. She cradled the kitten’s chubby cheeks in both hands and gave them a gentle tickle, causing the kitten to squint its eyes, tilt its head back, and start purring. After a while, Nian Tu switched tactics, scratching the kitten’s chin with one hand. She would scratch and then intentionally pull away, only for the kitten to hurriedly reach out with its tiny paws to grab her wrist, begging her to continue without stopping.

The kitten’s sweet, clumsy behavior made Nian Tu’s heart melt, and she lowered her head to shower its fluffy little head with frantic kisses.

If it had been any other cat, it would certainly have dodged with an air of haughtiness. While it might have let her kiss it, it would never have enjoyed her affection quite like this little cotton ball.

Such a clingy, spoiled little thing, and it turned out to be a male. Nian Tu’s gaze accidentally swept over a certain area, and she tutted. She didn’t have the twisted hobby of touching a cat’s "bells," so she let the little flirt off the hook. The kitten remained completely innocent, unaware that its chastity had just narrowly escaped a crisis.

With the surprise arrival of the kitten for company, the two hours Nian Tu spent waiting for her tutor felt incredibly fulfilling. She thought the kitten looked like a marshmallow, and its personality was just as sticky and sweet, so she simply named it "Cotton Candy," with "Candy" as its nickname. If people knew that the majestic Imperial Crown Prince had acquired the nickname "Cotton Candy," their jaws would surely drop.

But at that moment, both the human and the cat were having a wonderful time. Nian Tu would softly call out "Little Cotton Candy," and the kitten would give a dainty response; she would call out "Candy," and the kitten would dutifully reply.

Nian Tu broke off a flexible twig and tied a bright little flower to the end, using it as a makeshift cat teaser. The toy was as crude as could be, but Cotton Candy played with it with endless delight, its tail held high as it jumped back and forth following Nian Tu’s movements. The kitten was full of vitality, seemingly possessing infinite energy. Nian Tu, however, grew tired before it did. She set aside the twig and rubbed Cotton Candy’s fluffy head. "I’m going to go get you something to eat."

There was no cat food in the house, but felines were carnivores and could eat meat. Nian Tu rummaged through the kitchen and found a small piece of chicken breast and an egg. She hesitated for a moment before deciding to cook it for the kitten rather than serving it raw.

Seeing her about to prepare it herself, Lu Zhan intervened. "I’ll do it. How do you want it made?"

"Mince the meat, add an egg yolk, and steam it until cooked," Nian Tu explained, noticing Lu Zhan’s surprised look. "It’s not for me; it’s for the kitten."

Because of that, no seasoning was needed, and the preparation was simple. Lu Zhan paused. "What kitten?"

Nian Tu smiled brightly. "I found a kitten in the yard just now. It’s as white as you, with markings on its forehead like a little tiger. It’s super cute."

Nian Tu was radiant with joy, but Lu Zhan couldn't bring himself to smile. He took a deep breath, determined to have Xion strengthen the security system of this villa. The lion that had gone out of control previously had been able to break in because it was Xion himself, allowing him to pass the villa’s biometric authentication without triggering the alarms or defensive measures. But this time, it was some random stray cat or dog.

What if it were a male beastman with malicious intent? If they could sneak in so easily to get close to Nian Tu, wouldn't that be incredibly dangerous?

At Lu Zhan’s insistence, Nian Tu had to accompany him back to the swing to find Cotton Candy. The kitten was nowhere to be seen. Nian Tu, refusing to give up, searched everywhere, but even after touring the entire courtyard, she couldn't find the cat, and the makeshift teaser made from a branch had disappeared as well.

Lu Zhan felt the creature was clearly avoiding him and said coldly, "There are no wild animals on the Central Planet, and there are specialized agencies to rescue stray pets. This cat’s origins are unknown; it was likely a beastman who snuck in."

Nian Tu shook her head in denial. "It’s just a regular kitten."

As for her reasoning, she explained that she judged based on whether or not there was "black mist" on them. Male beastmen had black mist, while the kitten did not. Lu Zhan felt she hadn't seen enough male beast forms to have a sufficient sample size, so he didn’t agree with her method of judgment.

However, he knew there was some truth to Nian Tu’s observations regarding the black mist. That special black mist, which only she could see, was closely linked to a male beastman’s loss of control. Since any male beastman carried a certain risk of losing control—even underage males had a non-zero, albeit usually low, loss-of-control rating—it was possible that it really was just an ordinary cat.

Lu Zhan’s vigilance eased slightly, and he decided to let the matter drop for now.

With the cat gone, the plan to cook for it was abandoned, leaving Nian Tu feeling a sense of loss. Fortunately, it was almost three o’clock, and her tutor, Coleman, arrived early. Her enthusiasm for learning washed away the lingering disappointment.

She quickly changed into a proper dress and joined Lu Zhan to welcome the tutor. Unlike the static photo on his resume, the real Coleman was a gentleman with an elegant air. The fine lines at the corners of his eyes only added to his charm, giving him a mature appeal, and every gesture he made was filled with a refined attraction. Countless young males would have paled in comparison to him.

Lu Zhan couldn't help but tense up.