The Tsundere Cat and His Doglike Ex-Boyfriend

[The cover was commissioned from Nan Xu. This is not a crime-investigation story; it mainly follows the everyday lives of the two leads.]

Gentle, roguish, shameless, talkative, doting dog-type seme × cold-faced, soft-hearted, sharp-witted, tsundere cat-type uke

Nan Xu has delicate features, but grew up with a frosty disposition. Nobody dared approach him, and he couldn’t be bothered to interact with anyone.

He taught himself computer science and became an expert. Nan Xu often helped the police track down leads with his technical skills. During one outdoor assignment, someone set him up, and when he woke, he found himself being held in a man’s arms.

Embarrassed and furious, Nan Xu knocked the man off the bed on the spot. He never expected the guy to cling to him afterward, and somehow he ended up in a first love that lasted less than half a month...

Several months later, while on a mission, he accidentally hacked his ex-boyfriend’s cybersecurity company. His ex-boyfriend, however, warmly invited him to come work there.

Luo Yichu’s grin nearly stretched from ear to ear. “I only came to poach someone from your company. I never expected the bonus of getting to live with you.”

Nan Xu: “...Get a grip on your expression. I’m nearsighted, not blind.”

Seeing no way to keep his ex-boyfriend at arm’s length, Nan Xu moved into Luo Yichu’s home and immediately laid down five rules, thinking they could live in peace that way.

When Nan Xu got a fever and stubbornly refused to rest, Luo Yichu tried threats and bribes to no avail, so he replaced Nan Xu’s coffee with fruit-flavored fever medicine.

When Nan Xu tried to do housework to repay him, Luo Yichu’s many attempts to stop him failed, so he simply developed a whole set of smart-home devices made just for Nan Xu and installed them in the house.

Whether at home or at work, Luo Yichu always had some outrageous trick up his sleeve, leaving Nan Xu at a loss.

What Nan Xu never expected was that, with one little incident after another, their relationship had long since gone beyond the bounds of their five rules.

“I was born in darkness. How could I dare hope for the light?”

“In this darkness where the light can’t reach, you have me.”

*

When Luo Yichu went to report on the leads, he ran into a young man with black hair.

The young man was small and slender. His well-behaved, delicate features paired with his cold aura made it hard not to turn and look.

Whose little kitten, bristling with hedgehog spines, had gotten lost?

When they met again, the young man responded to the cyber police captain’s praise with polite humility.

His slightly upturned brows and eyes looked softer than they had before.

Luo Yichu was deeply surprised, and couldn’t take his eyes off the young man for a moment.

He hadn’t had his fill of that faint smile, but the young man’s expression was back to normal by the time he turned and headed for the door.

Curious, Luo Yichu went over to ask what was going on.

“He’s here to collect a reward. He’s just as capable as you are. Maybe you’ll even become partners someday.”

Luo Yichu raised an eyebrow and looked out the window.

Not far away, the young man crouched beside a white cat, took some cat food out of his pocket, and set it on the ground before leaving.

“What’s that guy’s name?”

“I think... Nan Xu.”

A few things to know before you dive in:

1. The story begins with the reunion and uses flashbacks. The seme grew up in a loving family and a good environment, so he dotes on the uke in all sorts of ways because the uke lacks a sense of security.

2. The seme and uke are equally skilled in their fields, and there’s a five-year age gap.

3. Because of his personality and family background, the uke doesn’t trust love and is somewhat insecure.

4. This is a sweet romance overall, with just a little angst.

5. You don’t need to know how to code to enjoy this~~~ Romance is the focus, and the author isn’t an expert either! Sorry in advance if you want to scrutinize the technical details!

6. This is a modern AU. Both leads are computer experts and ordinary citizens who secretly help the police find leads. The characters and events aren’t based on real people or incidents, so please don’t associate them with real life~

7. Definitely a one-on-one romance, with a guaranteed happy ending.

Theme: No matter how dark the night, light will always come