Let Me Ruffle Your Fur a Little

Chapter 37.1

To Pet Fur

Translated by boilpoil
Edited by boilpoil

Bai Yao goes back into the kitchen to wash an apple for Mu Mu'er while lunch is cooking, and peels it for him.

Mu Mu’er is now in a good mood after playing with bubbles, and his feet dangle joyfully while he sits on the chair close to the kitchen.

He would chuckle whenever he remembers the whole garden of bubbles dancing around. He wishes the jatropha curcas would grow some more leaves quickly, that he can play with more bubbles.

Bai Yao hands him the apple, and Mu Mu’er thanks him politely, “thank you Yaoyao.”

When he eats, Mu Mu’er still habitually holds his food with both hands, like a sea otter, or a hamster hugging seeds. He makes eating look sacrosanct, though his cheeks puffing up as he chews and swallows make him much softer and cuter.

Bai Yao enjoys watching him eat. It’s like having a cute chipmunk.

He watches Mu Mu’er closely, and is relieved to conclude that he is not saddened anymore.

“Mu’er, if you are ever scared in the future, you can come hold my hand, got it?” Bai Yao says, using a tissue to clean Mu’er’s hands, “if Mu’er knows Yaoyao is right by your side, holding your hands, you will not be scared, right?”

Mu Mu’er is currently busy licking his fingers, and he lifts his head, wondering, “… not, scared?”

“Yes. If Mu’er comes to hold Yaoyao’s hand, you will not be afraid.”

He trusts Bai Yao a lot, so Mu Mu’er smiles and replies, “Mu’er has Yaoyao’s hands!”

Bai Yao caresses the boy on the head, “yes. Both hands are Mu’er’s.”

Customers are few today. The storm last night was probably to blame, as the town is still quite wet and the cobblestone path slippery. Most tourists either left beforehand or are staying in today.

Bai Yao did his prep work in time to open the restaurant at 4:30, half an hour later for usual, when he flips the sign from ‘Closed’ to ‘Open.’

Around 5:30, a sea otter slowly saunters down the stairs, wobbling his way through the restaurant.

Bai Yao has made sure to drill into Mu Mu’er’s head that, even if he wants to walk around in his animal form, he can never let anyone see it happen. Mu Mu’er doesn’t understand why, but he was convinced when he was told that he has to transform without clothes on, and he should not show anyone his naked form.

The soft, furry sea otter in the restaurant was quite surprising to the customers, who start taking photographs instead of eating.

Thanks to Bai Yao’s very prominent warning of [No Feeding Sea Otters], the customers do not attempt to give their meals to Mu Mu’er.

Ignoring how he’s being called ‘cute’ or being photographed, Mu Mu’er walks around at his own pace.

Mu Mu’er can smell something nice. He sniffs the air, and wobbles about, ending up next to a table of four gals. One of them used fruit-scented perfume for the day, and so she almost smells edible.

Mu Mu’er sniffs close to her, and pats her legs with his little paw meekly.

He knows he cannot eat her. Unfortunate.

Coincidentally, Bai Yao is coming to this table with the cream-stewed lobster they ordered. Mu Mu’er responds enthusiastically to his approach, wanting to tell him about how she smells nice, like fruit!

Though his sea otter form only allows him to make a big ‘woop’ sound instead of being the plea for fruit to eat like he wanted it to be.

The ladies are swooned beyond words. Oh, the pain of having to choose between looking at the cute little sea otter and the manly and handsome big guy.

“Enjoy your meal,” Bai Yao leaves the plate on the table to return, giving the sea otter a cursory pat on the head when he does so.

Not letting the chance for a chat go, one of the braver gals raises her phone to ask, “mister chef! Can we take a photograph with your pet?”

Bai Yao turns his head around, glances at Mu Mu’er, who is currently busy grooming himself with his paws, and smiles, “ask him. If he’s ok with it, then by all means.”

The girl’s face blushes, like she’s being teased. Her friends keep winking at her. Finally, she steels her resolve to ask, “um, uh, you know… WeChat… Can I add yours?”

Hearing that, Bai Yao finally looks away from Mu Mu’er to give an apologetic smile to her, “sorry, I don’t have an account.”

The gal isn’t unhappy at all, though. Even back in the kitchen Bai Yao can hear her excited opinion, “I used to think handsome guys and cute cats were the match made in heaven, but this doesn’t even compare! A handsome guy and cute sea otter! Holy moly!”

Mu Mu’er does not transform the whole night. He wobbles from here to there, and soon there. He greets Bai Yao whenever he passes by in his duties by patting him on the leg.

Finally, the day is over, and Bai Yao puts their dinner on the table. Mu Mu’er remains the plump, round little sea otter, looking up at the plate on the table.

Bai Yao holds his head in defeat.

He shouldn’t allow Mu Mu’er to make it a habit of eating on the ground, so he pokes his little fluffy butt, and when he looks back up at him from the table, he raises his brow, and tells him, “no meal if you don’t turn back human,” he shows a canine on purpose to look tougher, “now turn back human so we can eat dinner.”

Mu Mu’er looks up at him, and brushes his little paws together, seemingly weighing the conditions on whether they’re attractive enough.

Finally, he turns around, leaving only a determined silhouette for him.

“?”

The little food-loving sea otter plans to give up on eating?

Bai Yao, mystified, continues to watch to see what Mu Mu’er is going to do next.