CH 73.2

Time passes quickly when busy. It’s already half-past-seven. The restaurant will close in half an hour.

There are only three tables of customers left, and most of the work is done. Bai Yao gives the remaining orders on his tablet a look – one seafood fried rice, a Borscht, and two desserts. Simple meals he can make in his sleep.

Of course, that’s when unexpected things happen.

A panicking Mu Mu’er hurries into the kitchen after delivering a plate, then hesitates before deciding to tug the clothes of a busy Bai Yao anyway.

Bai Yao puts down his work for now, and turns to ask, “what is it?”

“They, they want tissues.”

“Mmhm,” Bai Yao brings Mu Mu’er to the cabinet in the corner of the kitchen, taking out a spare pack from the neatly ordered rows in the drawer. He turns, almost going to go outside directly by habit, only to see Mu Mu’er standing right behind him, rubbing his hands in front of his tummy, his face reading ‘my work has been taken from me.’

Bai Yao does his best not to chuckle and ask, “Mu’er, want to take these to them?”

“Yes! Mu’er will do!” Mu Mu’er grabs the tissue from Bai Yao’s hands and hops back out.

Bai Yao needs to plate the seafood fried rice immediately, and so does not leave the stove to follow, but keeps an eye on Mu Mu’er heading towards the table.

However, it seems they have become impatient of the perceived tardiness in this waiter retrieving the tissue, so they simply grab the tissues from him without a word, spooking Mu Mu’er.

Mu Mu’er, stunned, stands in place without leaving immediately.

Possibly annoyed, one of those at the table says something to him with a dour expression. Bai Yao couldn’t make out the words from the sounds of the kitchen, but he was able to read the lips clearly.

It was not exactly polite language.

Bai Yao himself couldn’t hold back from rude expletives himself, and leaves his spatula behind to hurry outside. As soon as he opens the kitchen door, he sees Mu Mu’er heading back from the table with his head hanging low.

Bai Yao’s little beloved sea otter looks like a flower drenched by cold water, all shrunk and unable to straighten up again.

Mu Mu’er is doing his best to walk like he’s fine, keeping his sadness and shock to himself. His steps are rather slow, however.

Bai Yao glares at the customer. His fists tighten, but loosens again. He can’t possibly just punch him here.

There is perhaps a delay to sadness. Only when Mu Mu’er enters the kitchen, does he look up at Bai Yao with pitiful eyes. Water is welling up in his tear ducts.

Bai Yao walks over to give Mu Mu’er a gentle pinch on the cheeks, raising his head, while watching his eyes closely. He sighs, and gives the boy a big bear hug, patting him a little on the back.

Mu Mu’er is no longer tensed up now, and he whimpers into Bai Yao’s chest, “they were scary… Mu’er was good.”

He then starts mumbling to cheer himself up, “Mu’er must be better next time.”

Being yelled at by strangers is bad enough, not to mention Mu Mu’er is more easily spooked than a kitten.

Bai Yao also shares the boy’s pain. He wants to soothe him, but doesn’t know how.

Eh. Then don’t. He’ll go at it another way.

“You can ignore him. If someone is mistreating Mu’er again, Mu’er can act tough against them. See who’s tougher,” Bai Yao bares his sharp canines a little at the boy, while narrowing his eyes a little, “like this.”

Mu Mu’er has already become quite used to Bai Yao’s presence, so the rather hostile and dangerous look Bai Yao is putting up simply amuses him, drawing a chuckle.

A big cat might look fierce, but their paws are always soft.

Mu Mu’er is distracted. Yaoyao really looks handsome. Very handsome when he is tough. And it’s not tough to him, but reassuring. To him, Bai Yao is like the shell he finally found again after wandering for ages as a hermit crab.

“Mu’er, can you do it?” Bai Yao sees Mu Mu’er all quiet and pinches his face again lightly with his thumb and index fingers, near the corner of his lips, until he has squeezed the boy’s mouth into a ducky.

“Yes, Mu’er can!” Mu Mu’er tries to bare his teeth like Bai Yao, while his eyes are… smiling. He shows two far less sharp canines.

Tch.

Really, just a kitty.

Bai Yao is holding back a chuckle again seeing his silly face trying to look tough. Heavens know if he does try to ‘act tough’ people might assume he’s trying to look cute instead.

Still, fun aside, he must still talk to Mu Mu’er about this, so that he can understand as much as possible.

“Mu’er, you don’t have to be scared. Most people are friends, even if they might look a little tough,” Bai Yao’s tone turns serious, “but, if someone is scolding you – using very angry words at you – then you can act tough against them. You don’t need to run away or apologise.”

Mu Mu’er has never really interacted with others since thirteen. Bai Yao doesn’t know how he sees other people around right now.

People are complicated. There are those that appear bad, while some are cretins dressed in nice suits. Some who treat others well on the surface might not be the angel they appear to be, while some who are frankly rude are actually the ones that would do everything to help out in trouble.

There is no answer for whether there are more good people in the world or bad people. Bai Yao thinks he might be able to teach the boy these complicated and subjective morality issues over time.

Mu Mu’er has listened to him, understood, and nods, “Mu’er is not unhappy now. Yaoyao doesn’t have to worry.”

The good boy is now comforting him in turn. Where else can you find such a dearie in the entire world?

“Of course. Yaoyao is not worried,” Bai Yao is relieved to see his mood improve so quickly, and heads to the fridge for eggs needed in the fried rice.

Though the egg tray is already empty. He has to head to the storage in the back for more. After a while, when he comes back out, Mu Mu’er is not waiting for him at the door.

Looking around, Bai Yao sees Mu Mu’er standing next to his big rock in the corner of the kitchen… undressing. Seeing Bai Yao, he greets him excitedly.

The boy is already down to his underwear, his clothes and pants all down at his legs already.

Bai Yao “?!”

“Oh holy, what are you doing?!”

Mu Mu’er, excited, is hopping in place a little, “Mu’er just thought. Mu’er will be sea otter, and they will like sea otter, and they will not be angry anymore. Mu’er will be a good little sea otter.”

He says, pointing to the door. He’s trying to transform and serve meals as a sea otter.

Bai Yao hurries over and picks up the clothes to cover the boy before he can remove his underwear, burying him in his own clothes.

Even if his Golden Seashell Seafood Restaurant might have the potential to become the very first restaurant boasting a sea otter-only waitstaff, still, no way.

Mu Mu’er blinks a few times, confused, while slowly removing the T-shirt Bai Yao just threw onto his head.

He knows that he cannot wear clothes while transforming, especially his underwear, because they are very likely to tear. They will have to buy new ones if they tear. So Mu Mu’er puts the clothes down, and tries to sneakily remove his underwear again. He needs to undress.

Bai Yao, though, quickly senses the movement, and immediately spots Mu Mu’er’s little scheme. The boy, busted, makes a disappointed ‘woop.’

“Let Mu’er be a sea otter,” he says, while sitting down onto the ground, possibly to prevent Bai Yao from dressing him up again, before adding a little “please?”

Bai Yao’s forehead is twitching.

… He’s not sure that’s a good idea, to put it simply.