MY COSTAR ESTABLISHES SOME BOUNDARIES

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Yao Shen watches Heimao's path across the house in amusement, as he walks past them all, with his tail swinging high in the air. He returns moments later wearing a pair of boxer briefs, with another in his hand which he throws at Jincan's face.

"Those are mine," Xin Hulei says, stating the obvious.

Heimao ignores him and takes a seat on the sofa, crossing his legs and inspecting his long nails. "You must have questions."

Yao Shen can't help it and lets out a snort.

Heimao's eyelashes flicker upwards, his red eyes flashing. He smiles warmly, and pats the spot next to him on the sofa. "Sit here, I want to curl up on your lap."

Amused, Yao Shen is about to do as he says, just to see the look on Xin Hulei's face, when an arm shoots out and stops him.

"Stay where you are," Xin Hulei says, his own dark gazed fixed on Heimao's smirking lips.

Yao Shen doesn't move, his heart fluttering a little at the subtle show of possessiveness. Something to add to his spreadsheet, perhaps.

Now dressed in the pair of boxers, Jincan clears his throat. "Is Master still going to kick out Jincan?"

With a sigh, Xin Hulei rubs his temples. "Sit down."

Jincan does as he's told and dashes towards the couch, sitting down next to Heimao, his hands folded nervously over his joined knees.

"How long have you two had human forms?"

Jincan glances at Heimao as if looking for guidance, but Heimao just continues to inspect his nails distractedly.

Swallowing dryly, Jincan admits, "A couple of years."

That's a lot more than Yao Shen expected, but when he looks up at Xin Hulei's eyes to gauge his reaction, he doesn't look particularly surprised.

Jincan must think he's in big trouble though, because he hurries to add, "It was Heimao's idea! The day I finally cultivated a human form I was really happy and wanted to tell Master, but Heimao said Master would get rid of me because I could now fend for myself in the human world."

His clear eyes fill up with tears at the mere thought, and Yao Shen is almost moved by the pitiful display. Despite his terrible temper, and literal prickly attitude in animal form, Jincan's human form is very endearing. He's the polar opposite of the spiky caterpillar Yao Shen met.

Jincan's eyes are subtly upturned and filled with feeling, his golden hair falls in fluffy waves around his smooth features, making him look even more charming. His pouty pink lips tremble with barely restrained emotion.

Some people would work tirelessly to cultivate an appearance of such seductive innocence, and yet -- Yao Shen nips that thought in the bud -- that's exactly what Jincan did, too!

Who's to say his current appearance isn't the result of a carefully calculated effort to become Xin Hulei's ideal type?

Yao Shen is self-aware enough to know Xin Hulei has a thing for starry-eyed ingenues, although it pains him to refer to himself as such.

Just like that, all his compassion for Jincan evaporates.

"Do you always do as Heimao says?" Xin Hulei asks, his tone stern.

Jincan lowers his head. "Yes."

Heimao laughs, and runs his fingers through his messy black hair, disheveling it even more. "What can I say? I'm a natural leader." He winks at Yao Shen, as if he expects him to agree.

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