Xiu Jun stood tall and imposing, his muscular frame reminiscent of a mighty oak tree. His presence commanded respect, befitting his status as a Marshal in the Sinthos Empire's military. Years of rigorous training and countless battles had honed his body into a weapon, every movement precise and controlled.

In stark contrast, Yue'an, even in his human form, appeared as a delicate youth. To Xiu Jun, Yue'an was small enough to be completely enveloped in his strong arms. At this moment, the young man's soft, pale arms were wrapped tightly around Xiu Jun's sturdy waist, clinging to him with surprising strength.

Yue'an's white head nuzzled against Xiu Jun's broad chest, his actions reminiscent of a kitten seeking affection. The Marshal felt the tickle of silky hair against his exposed neck, some strands even brushing teasingly over his Adam's apple. The sensation sent an unexpected shiver down his spine.

The youth in his arms was completely naked, his beauty undeniable. Objectively speaking, Yue'an's human form was exquisite. His body was a perfect blend of lean muscle and graceful lines, his back curving elegantly down to a small dimple just above his pert buttocks. His skin was so fair it was almost translucent, smooth as polished jade and just as cool to the touch. To call this body a work of art would not be an exaggeration.

However, the artistry of the moment was lost on Xiu Jun, who was struggling to maintain his composure. As a man with extremely rare and valuable genes, he had always avoided taking sexual partners, channeling his excess energy into training and combat instead. Now, with Yue'an squirming in his lap, the usually stoic Marshal felt like he was about to combust.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Xiu Jun swiftly removed his military jacket and wrapped it around Yue'an's bare form. With gentle but firm hands, he pushed the persistent youth away, adjusting his sitting position before restraining Yue'an's movements with a practiced hold.

"Change back," Xiu Jun commanded, his voice low and strained.

Yue'an froze, turning his head to look at the Marshal with wide, shocked eyes. His expression was the very picture of hurt and betrayal. You're being mean to me! his face seemed to say. You've never been mean to me before.

Sniffling slightly, Yue'an complied with the order. Under Xiu Jun's steady gaze, the beautiful youth shimmered and transformed back into a small, fluffy ball of fur.

Xiu Jun looked at the tiny creature now bundled in his jacket, allowing himself a moment to regain his composure. Once he felt his body returning to a state of calm, he reached out and flipped open the jacket, unable to resist the urge to ruffle the soft fur of the cat that had caused him such distress.

"Meow!" Yue'an protested loudly, his tiny paws batting at Xiu Jun's large hand. He opened his mouth and gently bit down on the Marshal's thick skin, more of a warning than an actual attack.

Xiu Jun had never worried about Yue'an causing him harm. Just as the cat would pretend to scratch him but only pat him gently with velvet paws, even now with teeth bared, Yue'an's bite was more of a gentle press than a true bite.

The Marshal remained unperturbed, secure in his knowledge of Yue'an's affection for him. This only served to frustrate Yue'an further, his tail thumping against the jacket in clear annoyance.

You're only acting this way because you know I adore you! Yue'an thought, glaring up at the impassive human. Taking advantage of my love! He let out a series of indignant meows, trying to convey his displeasure.

Xiu Jun, of course, failed to grasp the nuances of feline communication. He was still trying to understand why Yue'an had suddenly jumped into his lap in the first place. Returning to their previous conversation, he said, "Transforming into a human could get you captured."

In truth, Xiu Jun wasn't particularly worried about Yue'an being caught. Given the cat's combat abilities, anyone attempting to capture him would likely come off worse. What concerned the Marshal was Yue'an's unfamiliarity with human society. He feared that in defending himself or trying to escape, Yue'an might use too much of his innate power, drawing unwanted attention.

As an SS-class gene carrier, Xiu Jun himself was constantly pursued by various factions, all eager to recruit him to their cause. He could only imagine the fervor that would surround Yue'an, an ancient Earth relic and possibly the only surviving mystical being in a world dominated by technology.

Problems, Xiu Jun knew, had a tendency to snowball if left unaddressed. The best approach was to avoid trouble from the outset. This meant concealing the fact that Yue'an possessed power equivalent to that of a Marshal-class battleship.

As time passed and Xiu Jun learned more about Yue'an, he became increasingly aware of just how precious his feline companion was. If the information he had gathered were to become public knowledge, the Marshal had no doubt it would reignite the interstellar wars that had been dormant for centuries.

Yue'an's value was immeasurable, in every conceivable aspect. He was valuable enough to make national leaders disregard the fragile peace that currently existed, marred only by minor skirmishes. Everyone wanted to possess such strength, and countless others yearned to become strong themselves.

For those lacking innate talent but desperate to stand at the pinnacle of humanity, individuals with extraordinary abilities or special talents held immense value throughout their lives. As someone constantly watched by various powers, always ready to pry him away from the Sinthos Empire, Xiu Jun understood all too well the desires of contemporary human leadership.

Currently, only Xiu Jun himself and three other Corps Commanders had witnessed Yue'an's true power. Those three had wisely kept silent about the incident, not breathing a word even to their closest colleagues. They all understood the implications of such power and, to avoid complications, maintained their silence.

Their discretion allowed the outside world to believe that Yue'an was simply physically strong, nothing more. Xiu Jun preferred to keep it that way, hoping there would never be another occasion requiring Yue'an to reveal his true abilities. Let him be a carefree little cat, the Marshal thought.

"Don't let anyone see you in human form," Xiu Jun advised, stroking Yue'an's fur. "Wear a disguise brooch when you go out."

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Yue'an poked his head out from under Xiu Jun's hand, fixing him with a piercing stare. The Marshal, as usual, was at a loss to interpret its meaning. When it came to his cat, Xiu Jun often found himself in a state of confusion, only able to guess at Yue'an's intentions when the feline displayed obvious emotional reactions.

They engaged in a brief staring contest before Yue'an huffily turned away. Xiu Jun then reached out, expertly rubbing the cat's soft belly. While he might not understand cat language, the Marshal was at least adept at keeping his feline companion comfortable.

Yue'an's eyes narrowed in pleasure, a soft purr rumbling from his throat. He seemed to have forgotten his earlier indignation at Xiu Jun's perceived slight.

The Marshal continued, "However, being able to move about in human society in human form would indeed be more convenient."

Yue'an's ears twitched, and he opened his bright blue eyes. The clever cat quickly deduced that his ever-diligent caretaker was likely planning another educational endeavor.

"I'll make time to teach you about human ways of life," Xiu Jun stated.

At the very least, he thought, Yue'an should learn the basics - walking upright, speaking, and other fundamental skills.

Once language barriers were overcome, Xiu Jun reasoned, many issues could be easily resolved. Despite Yue'an's unique nature as a cat, there were indeed some matters that required a human form to navigate effectively. Although in this era of home-centric living, where one could remain indoors for an entire year, such occasions were rare, they weren't entirely non-existent.

Yue'an watched as Xiu Jun, having finished speaking, opened a shopping interface and began adding clothes to the cart without so much as blinking. The cat's eyes widened in disbelief as he observed the Marshal's selections - a sea of black and white combinations. Yue'an couldn't help but feel a profound disappointment in the aesthetic sensibilities of this grown man, which seemed to be stuck in a perpetual state of bachelor simplicity.

Why couldn't you have inherited even a smidgen of Madam Ellie's fashion sense? Yue'an lamented internally, recalling his first owner's impeccable taste.

Unable to bear it any longer, Yue'an placed his paw on Xiu Jun's hand, halting the impending payment. He clambered onto the Marshal's lap and expertly manipulated the shopping interface to face him. Xiu Jun watched with mild amusement as the small cat, perched on his thighs, began to seriously peruse the clothing options with an expression of utmost gravity.

As Yue'an selected the first item and paused at the size input field, Xiu Jun calmly recited a string of numbers. The cat froze, turning his head to look at the Marshal, his azure eyes filled with confusion. Isn't that size too small? he seemed to ask.

Meeting Yue'an's gaze, Xiu Jun appeared to understand the unspoken question. "Those are your measurements," he explained. "I'm buying these for you."

Yue'an's mind reeled. Wait, what? How? You only held my human form for a moment! How do you know my sizes? I don't even know my own human measurements! Why are you so... practiced at this?

The cat's mood became increasingly complex as he eyed the Marshal suspiciously. Who would have thought that you, with your stern brows and honest eyes, were actually such an experienced beast?

Oblivious to his feline companion's internal turmoil, Xiu Jun, noticing Yue'an's hesitation, simply reached out and input the sizes himself, adding the items to the cart. "Is there anything else you like?" he asked casually.

Still reeling from this unexpected revelation about his caretaker, Yue'an continued to select clothes, his mood a mix of confusion and grudging admiration.

While Yue'an's perception of human faces was somewhat skewed, his taste in fashion was impeccable - a legacy of countless hours spent with his first owner, watching runway shows. As he browsed, he not only chose items for himself but also picked out a few pieces suitable for Xiu Jun, hoping to rescue the older man from his fashion wasteland.

Yue'an was well aware that the Marshal's wardrobe consisted of nothing but military uniforms and an array of nearly identical black outfits - the quintessential bachelor's closet. He turned, intending to ask Xiu Jun for his measurements, only to find the man browsing bed frames.

Yue'an froze for two seconds before his fur suddenly stood on end, bristling with indignation.

Xiu Jun's thought process was simple. Sharing a bed with Yue'an as a cat was one thing - he was small, well-behaved, and delightfully warm. But Yue'an's ability to transform into a human changed the equation entirely. Who knew when the cat might decide to shift forms in the middle of the night? That would be... problematic. For both of them. And for certain parts of his anatomy.

Thus, the Marshal had decided they should sleep in separate rooms. After all, there were several unused guest rooms in the house, maintained by the dust-free mode. Once the furniture arrived, they'd be ready for immediate occupancy.

Yue'an, however, was having none of it. He felt that trusting Xiu Jun and transforming into a human form was possibly the stupidest thing he had ever done. Look at the consequences! Because his human form was supposedly unattractive, he was now being shunned! Evicted from their shared bedroom!

The cat leaped up, swatting away Xiu Jun's hand from the bed selection screen. He meowed loudly, a mixture of anger and hurt evident in his voice. How could you do this to me? Am I no longer your little darling?

Xiu Jun looked down at the small ball of fur before him, meowing pitifully and looking utterly dejected. He paused for a moment before gently scooping Yue'an into his arms. While he might not fully understand what was going on in the cat's mind, he couldn't bear to see him so miserable.

Yue'an, now elevated, kicked his legs and waved his paws, unleashing a barrage of soft paw-pad attacks on Xiu Jun's hands.

"If it upsets you this much, we won't buy the bed," Xiu Jun said, hazarding a guess at the source of Yue'an's distress.

Yue'an's legs instantly stilled. The Marshal, it seemed, had stumbled upon the root of the problem.

"But you must promise me," he continued, "that you won't suddenly transform into your human form while we're sleeping."

Yue'an's ears twitched as he fixed Xiu Jun with a piercing stare. Fine! Who wants to change anyway?

The cat's shape-shifting abilities were learned from the elder cats of his clan, primarily because, in a human-dominated society, it was safer and more convenient to move about in human form. But in this era, his original feline form was far more welcome. A relic of ancient Earth! The last cat in the entire universe! The supremely adorable little Yue'an! Who else could compare?

Why on earth would he want to venture out in human form when being a cat was so much better? Soft, fluffy, with little paw pads and the ability to meow cutely. What more could one want?

Consoling himself with these thoughts, Yue'an huffily turned away, refusing to look at the human who had upset him so.

Xiu Jun, feeling he had finally grasped the reason for Yue'an's unusual behavior, carefully considered his next words. "I'm not trying to distance myself from you," he explained calmly.

Yue'an's little ears twitched, but he didn't turn back.

"Your human form..." the Marshal paused, struggling to find the right words to describe Yue'an's appearance. After a long moment, he concluded simply, "It's too attractive."

Huh? Wait, what?

Yue'an whipped his head around, excited. He reached out with all four paws, grasping Xiu Jun's hand, his eyes shining brightly as he gazed up at the man.

Ah, so he wanted compliments, Xiu Jun realized. The hand Yue'an was clutching gently scratched under the cat's chin.

"You're very beautiful, Yue'an," Xiu Jun stated matter-of-factly, seeing no reason for reticence. "And I am a normal, adult human male. So please don't transform into a human while in my bed, especially since you transform without clothes."

Looking down at Yue'an's bewildered expression, he added, "Of course, you shouldn't transform in front of others either. And especially not in anyone else's bed."

"..."

Holy catnip! Yue'an thought, his mind reeling. Are you saying you want to... with a cat?

The feline stared at Xiu Jun, his face a perfect picture of shock, eyes as round as saucers.

With all due respect, Marshal, Yue'an thought incredulously, you're quite the beast yourself!