The Villain Saves The Male Lead

"What do you want to name her?" Ren asked Fang.

"Snow," Fang replied immediately.

Ren laughed. "Good one," he told Fang. "Now let's take Snow shopping. We can get new toys for our little boys, too. They did well today, didn't they?"

Fang nodded and patted the two puppies and the kitten. The three fur babies nuzzled his hand for a while and then jumped at Ren, nestling comfortably in his arms.

Ren and Fang exchanged a helpless look. Then Fang quickly pulled out his mobile phone and took a picture of Ren. Without his jacket and tie, in his shirtsleeves, with messy hair (thanks to the puppies' earlier activities) and holding three little furballs in his arms with a doting parent expression - Ren was a feast for Fang's eyes. Determination rose within Fang to protect this precious man who had not only saved him, but also given him a new life and a love he could have only imagined in his dreams.

Ren pouted. "I'm a mess," he said. "Don't send that picture to anyone."

Fang, who had already sent it to Pax, replied innocently, "All right, I won't." He leaned in and kissed Ren's cheek. "You look delectable."

Ren flushed. This was the power of the Male Lead, perhaps, he thought. Wasn't it just a few days ago that this boy was so shy?! And now he was already flirting with him! This heaven defying talent and speed of learning was totally unfair.

The couple and their fur babies went shopping. Smoke, Shadow and Snow clung to Ren and looked around the pet store with their sparkling eyes. Fang picked up the essential items and things the vet's assistant had written down, while Ren went straight to the toys section.

Many pairs of eyes watched Ren with interest as he indulged the two puppies and the kitten to his heart's content. Many toys piled up in the shopping cart... until Fang turned up and ruthlessly eliminated half of them.

Four pairs of pitiful eyes gazed at Fang with complaint and the teenager felt like a despicable villain.

"We already have those toys at home," Fang told Ren.

"But..." Ren began.

Fang raised an eyebrow, as if daring him to continue.

Ren closed his eyes in defeat. "Yes, dear," he replied obediently.

The furballs also maintained a tactful silence.

In the car, Ren inadvertently fell asleep, and the three furballs also cuddled up with him and slept peacefully.

Fang eyed the dark shadows under Ren's eyes and his wan face worriedly. He was sure there was something wrong with Ren, although the latter kept dismissing it as simple fatigue. But then, Fang was quite aware of the saying that doctors made the worst patients, and he worried that Ren was the same. Fang made up his mind and texted Dr. Gordon, and then asked the driver to take them to Dr. Gordon's clinic.

Ren was shaken awake sometime later by Fang.

"We're home?" Ren asked sleepily.

"No, I brought you to Dr. Gordon," Fang told him. "I want him to examine you properly."

Ren was too sleep-muddled to protest. Fang put the sleeping puppies and the kitten in their basket and led Ren into the clinic.

Dr. Gordon quickly checked Ren, but he, too, couldn't find anything wrong with him. His vitals were quite normal, and except his general lack of energy and weakness, there was nothing physically wrong with him. He echoed Ren's diagnosis of fatigue and sent them back, promising to drop by a few days later.

At home, Steward Paul had already made space for the kitten's belongings. Fang sent Ren to take a bath and went to help Steward Paul himself, relaying the instructions from the vet, and introducing Snow to the rest of the family.

The little kitten stole hearts like an expert thief steals gold, and by the time Ren appeared, she had everyone in the house wrapped around her little claw already.

Snow was even more clingy towards Ren than the puppies. She was well behaved when Fang held her and took her around the house and introduced her to everyone. The puppies trailed behind them, occasionally trying to climb up Fang's legs, much to everyone's amusement.

However, as soon as Ren appeared, the little kitten leaped out of Fang's arms without a warning, startling him. Snow landed neatly on the floor and then, to everyone's astonishment, climbed up Ren's trouser legs expertly and settled in the crook of his arm. She meowed at him once.

Ren smiled and rubbed her head with gentle fingers.

Smoke and Shadow weren't too far behind - the two puppies rushed to him and clung to his legs until he picked them up and set them on his shoulders again.

Fang frowned. "Snow, Smoke, Shadow, behave," he said sternly.

The furballs pretended not to hear him.

"Our little Smoke and Shadow like the view from my shoulder, I suppose," Ren said with a helpless chuckle, rubbing the puppies' heads one by one. "And our Snow probably just finds me warmer."

Fang was immediately concerned and placed a hand on Ren's forehead. "Warmer? Are you running a fever?"

Ren shook his head. "You know that my body temperature is naturally higher than most people," he reminded Fang.

Fang nodded and withdrew his hand.

Ren smiled and pulled Fang into a hug with one arm. "Don't worry so much, my little darling," he said softly. Comforting Fang was part of his duty as his partner, he thought to himself - and a warm and cosy feeling rose up in his heart at the thought.

Fang blushed. "I love you too much not to worry," he murmured under his breath.

Ren heard him, though, since they were so close, and turned red.

"No more flirting in front of our babies," Ren said firmly.

Two short barks and a meow followed his words.

Ren laughed. "Look, Fang! Our babies agree with their Daddy."

Fang couldn't help his giggle. "What am I if you're their Daddy?" he demanded.

Ren blinked.. "You're their Papa, of course."