Against the Algorithm

Chapter 6: The Guardian and the Claim

The room paused.

Then—

Yue cackled. "Oh my god," he wheezed, wiping a tear from his eye. "Ai Jia? Jinyang? And he likes Sicheng? Oh, this is just too good."

"Damn, he really has standards, huh?" Lao K, grinning, folded his arms.

Pang, still watching Da Bing vibrating with pure contentment, snorted. "Yeah, this cat definitely knows what he's doing."

Ming hummed thoughtfully. "So... what you're saying is, he actively dislikes people you don't like?"

Yao, embarrassed beyond words, nodded quickly, her face turning redder by the second.

Sicheng, still scratching Da Bing's ears, tilted his head slightly, his amber eyes flickering toward her with something slow, something knowing. "...But he likes me."

Yao's entire body tensed as she wilted. "I—I d-don't k-know how to e-explain—"

Yue, grinning far too widely, leaned in. "Oh no, no, no, please explain, Yao."

She whimpered.

But Sicheng?

Sicheng simply let out a slow, pleased exhale, fingers still expertly scratching behind Da Bing's ears, his smirk subtle, but lethal. "Seems clear enough to me," he murmured.

Yao wanted to disappear.

The second Da Bing sensed Yao's increasingly flustered expression, his sharp blue eyes flicked up, immediately locking onto her face. His purring stopped, his massive body shifting as he slowly stood, his thick tail flicking once in a decisive motion. Then, without hesitation, he sauntered back over to Yao, positioning himself firmly in front of her before settling down with all the grace and weight of a royal guardian.

And then—

He growled.

At everyone.

Even Sicheng.

The teasing, the laughter, the relentless prodding—all of it came to a dead halt.

"Whoa, whoa, alright, I get it." Lao K immediately lifted his hands.

Yue, grinning way too hard, leaned back, clearly trying to play innocent. "Hey, hey, we were just having fun—"

Another growl.

Yue snapped his mouth shut.

"Interesting." Ming muttered with his lips twitching as if he was fighting back a laugh.

Even Sicheng, who had been entirely unbothered up until now, paused. His amber gaze flickered down to Da Bing, studying the unapologetic way the cat had stationed himself between him and Yao, the way he sat firmly in place, his presence commanding, his growl carrying a very clear message.

Enough.

Sicheng exhaled slowly, his lips curling just slightly, more amused than anything else. "You're protective." he murmured.

Da Bing stared at him.

Sicheng, still calm, tilted his head slightly. "And possessive."

Da Bing's tail flicked once, as if agreeing.

Yao, still dying of embarrassment, sighed and muttered under her breath, "I—I told you he only likes me..."

Pang, watching this insane display unfold, exhaled sharply. "Man, he just ended teasing time."