The Young Master's Stand-in Little White Rabbit Ran Away - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Unable to Learn

“I-I’m sorry, sir. Nian Nian is too stupid and still can’t learn to play the piano…”

The early autumn sunlight shone through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating Shen Nian’s profile. He lowered his long eyelashes slightly, timidly twitching his rabbit ears. His soft white fingers gently fidgeted with the hem of his clothes. His voice was so small and light that by the end, it was almost inaudible.

For a long time, the air was eerily quiet except for the sound of fingers tapping on a computer keyboard. After an unknown period, he finally looked up at the man working not far away.

The man had cold, stern features. In the dappled tree shadows, the intervals of light cast his sharp features in half-light, half-shadow. Even in the simplest of home clothes, he was impeccably neat. His entire presence was so frigid that one unconsciously softened their breathing.

Shen Nian bit his lip as if he had made a decision. He shakily stood up and walked to the man. “Sir…”

The man seemed to have just heard him and lazily raised his eyelids to look at him.
“Continue practicing.”

Shen Nian rubbed his eyes, his eye sockets inexplicably dry. His voice was soft and weak, “But sir, I’m hungry… Nian Nian didn’t eat breakfast or lunch. I’m hungry…”

“Do you know how long you’ve been practicing this ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’?” Qi Jinnan’s tone was cold. He reached up to adjust his glasses, his narrow eyes naturally carrying a sense of austerity. He stared at Shen Nian with a somewhat serious expression. “Even if you’re mentally deficient, you shouldn’t be so stupid that you can’t play a simple song like ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’. Aren’t you quite skilled at making cakes?”

Shen Nian began counting on his fingers. He didn’t know exactly how long he had been practicing. He only remembered that when he was being chased out of the beastman laboratory that day, it was the sir who saved him and then brought him home, taking care of him attentively.

But later, for some unknown reason, the sir started to have demands for him, wanting him to learn piano and practice calligraphy.

It wasn’t that he didn’t study hard, but the piano teacher always pricked him with needles when he didn’t perform well. He wanted to tell the sir, but the piano teacher had said that if he told the sir about this, no teacher would ever teach him piano again.

This was because the piano teacher specially hired by the sir was famous in the industry, a young prodigy with great influence. If he were to post negative comments online, it would more or less affect the sir’s company.

Although he couldn’t understand all the intricacies, he could understand if something was detrimental to the sir.

Today, his playing had been particularly poor, and he hadn’t eaten. He was already dizzy with hunger…

He drooped his little rabbit ears, looking at Qi Jinnan pitifully. “I’m sorry, sir. Nian Nian can’t remember clearly.”

Qi Jinnan took a deep breath, his fingers lightly tapping on the armrest. In the end, he let Shen Nian off, considering the face that resembled that person.

There’s no rush, he thought. As long as Shen Nian learns slowly, and is willing to learn, with years of piano practice, he can surely become just like that person.

By then, with a similar appearance, piano skills as good as that person, and well-practiced calligraphy, such a substitute would be perfect.

He had all the patience in the world.

“Go eat,” Qi Jinnan said, putting on the wristwatch from the small table before standing up.

Hearing this, Shen Nian’s rabbit ears perked up, his eyes bright. Being a beastman, and a silly rabbit at that, he couldn’t control his joyful emotions. He stood on tiptoes and kissed Qi Jinnan’s cheek. “Thank you, sir!”

Qi Jinnan gave a faint “mm” in response. Smelling the faint milky scent on Shen Nian, he knew the rabbit had been fiddling with those little cakes again. His brows furrowed. “Make something for yourself at home. I have a banquet to attend. Practice more piano instead of always making cakes.”

Shen Nian knew Qi Jinnan’s work was very tiring, sometimes even busy late into the night. He helped Qi Jinnan put on his coat with a somewhat worried expression. “Alright, I’ll listen to sir. Is there anything sir would like to eat tonight? I can make it.”

Qi Jinnan paused. “If there’s anything I want to eat, I’ll call and tell you.”

As if suddenly remembering something, he added, “By the way, can you make phone calls now?”

“I can!” Shen Nian took out his phone from his overalls and tapped on the screen a few times, and Qi Jinnan’s phone started vibrating.

Shen Nian looked like he was seeking praise, his big wet eyes expectantly watching Qi Jinnan’s thin lips. But after waiting for a while, he only saw Qi Jinnan nod before leaving the villa with his assistant.

He watched the tall figure disappear from sight with some disappointment, wishing the sir would praise him, even if just with one word…

After Qi Jinnan left, Shen Nian began preparing food on the kitchen island. He wore a strawberry bear apron, and as he walked, the pretty pink checkered pattern would occasionally catch on the handles under the cabinets. He first opened the refrigerator door to take out beef brisket to thaw, then blanched tomatoes in hot water. When the time was right, he started heating oil in the pan.

Tomato beef brisket was Qi Jinnan’s favorite food. He always remembered these little details clearly. While the ingredients were cooking, he would occasionally look up at the quartz clock hanging on the wall.

It was too dark outside, and he was alone in the big house. He felt a bit scared.

After he had cooked all the dishes, he sat alone at the dining table. The food was very tempting, and his stomach had already started growling. He was about to eat but then thought that if he ate now, the sir would be hungry later. So he could only sit idly in the chair and wait.

After waiting for who knows how long, the smart electronic lock outside the door sounded. He stood up immediately as if he were a robot that had been pressed.

Qi Jinnan’s figure was somewhat unsteady, only supported by his assistant to avoid falling to the ground.

Shen Nian hurriedly ran to Qi Jinnan and took over from the assistant.

The assistant instructed Shen Nian: “You should make some sobering soup for Mr. Qi later. He drank too much at the social gathering tonight.”

Shen Nian quickly nodded, “Okay…”

After giving the relevant instructions, the assistant left the villa.

Shen Nian struggled to support Qi Jinnan, who was nearly 1.9 meters tall. Even his rabbit ears turned red from the strain. Just as he was about to lay him on the sofa, he slipped and nearly had an intimate encounter with the floor, but a pair of large hands caught him around the waist.

“Nian Nian…” Qi Jinnan pressed Shen Nian against the wall, nuzzling affectionately at his neck before placing warm kisses there.

Shen Nian couldn’t help but sniff. He wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but he always felt that when the sir called his name, it seemed like he was calling someone else. The tone was too gentle as if he couldn’t help but shower all his affection on him.

This was something he had never experienced when he first came to the villa. Although he was silly and didn’t understand much, he could feel that the gentleness the sir gave him then seemed to be separated by a thin membrane, as if he could never truly reach the sir’s heart.

Shen Nian’s stomach growled rather inappropriately. He suddenly realized he hadn’t eaten yet. He stared blankly at the tomato beef brisket in the distance, which had already developed a layer of oil, then looked at the sir gently kissing his lips with lowered brows and eyes.

His heart inexplicably ached a little…