There are several cat stores near the community gate, so Xu Ye didn’t think it was a stray. The cat looked clean, just like a typical house cat.
At first, Xu Ye thought it belonged to one of the shop owners. But then, she realized the cat had been staring at her for so long because it wanted food!
Xu Ye put down her phone and took a pair of long gloves like those used by the fishmongers at the supermarket.
She remembered Huo Shuyan’s advice: Don’t casually touch unfamiliar stray cats. Although the kitten looked clean and cute, it would be better to send it for a checkup before petting it.
Feeling thoughtful, Xu Ye figured she could handle this small matter herself, so she wouldn’t bother Liu Shuo. She could take the cat to the shop herself.
Holding the gloves, Xu Ye walked to the community entrance and spotted the kitten and a young man standing beside it.
The cat was completely hidden behind the tree, only its head showing, while the man held half a sausage and made soft “meow-meow” sounds, smiling kindly, trying to feed it.
Xu Ye draped the gloves over her shoulder and observed from a distance.
The kitten’s alertness was both high and low. Earlier, when Xu Ye was eating shrimp, it had boldly sprawled on the door. But now, with food right in front of it, it just stared longingly without taking a step forward.
Xu Ye had an inexplicable sense of confidence, thinking that if she had offered it some food at that moment, it wouldn’t have run away but would’ve eaten it right away.
She didn’t leave, instead crouching in front of the fish shop, refreshing the post on her phone. Her demeanor, combined with the black gloves, even prompted a customer to ask her to fish out a carp.
【11F: Hey, OP, I live next door. I saw her too. My human keeps the window closed tight, can’t open it. Otherwise, I’d bring down my “new version” cat food.】
【12F: Someone came over with a sausage. I took a photo, luckily, I still had some shots left.】
【13F: There are still good people in this world, but why isn’t she eating? The sausage tastes pretty good.】
【14F: Yeah, why isn’t she eating? I’m really worried about her.】
OP, from the twelfth floor, posted a photo showing the man trying to feed the kitten with the sausage, but the kitten just curled its head back and didn’t approach the sausage.
The next few comments were full of worried remarks from other users. Xu Ye, too, was puzzled. She remembered that whenever people fed stray cats, they usually used sausages. Why wasn’t the kitten eating?
She refreshed the thread again, and at the bottom, she saw a reply that stood out from the others.
【20F: This man isn’t a good person, don’t let her eat.】
【21F: Why?】
The person on the twentieth floor replied but vanished afterward. Xu Ye pondered over the meaning of those words, not paying attention to the user’s ID.
She took a few more steps forward and heard the man muttering something besides calling “meow.”
Xu Ye pretended to take a phone call as she walked past, overhearing the man quietly say, “Don’t blame me for bullying the weak. Who told you to be so small… If I don’t kill you, I’m a bastard.”
Xu Ye: !
Then you’re definitely going to be a bastard today.
She pulled out her phone and quickly typed in the group chat to call for backup:
【Xu Ye: @Liu Shuo, there’s a guy on the right side of the neighborhood trying to drug the cat. I’m weak, come help me outnumber him.】
【Liu Shuo: Your idiom skills are impressive… I’m on my way.】
She calmed herself, put her phone away, and glanced at the cat again.
The orange tabby’s steps had started to hesitate. It was likely that, in no time, hunger would overpower its will, and it would give in to the tempting sausage.
Xu Ye silently thought “Beauty Ye transforms” in her heart, put on a face mask that had been gathering dust in her pocket, let her tied-up hair fall loose on her forehead, and donned a pair of fish-scaling gloves.
After covering her face, she swiftly moved behind a tree hole with the agility of a seasoned pro, and within a flash, scooped up the little orange cat, pulling it several meters away from the man.
The little cat suddenly vanished from in front of the man. He frowned, stood up in displeasure, and stared at this unexpected intruder.
Seeing the person in front of him wearing avant-garde clothes and looking a bit unwell, he furrowed his brow and asked, “What are you doing? Don’t tell me this is your cat. I’ve observed, it’s someone else’s cat that got abandoned here. It’s just a stray nobody wants.”
“Nobody wants it? Well, now it’s my cat,” Xu Ye spoke in a domineering voice. Her right foot had already subtly shifted to one side, ready to run at any moment.
“Hey, you little…!” The man, who enjoyed making trouble, was at a loss for words due to Xu Ye’s firm attitude.
This was the entrance to a busy neighborhood. The man realized he couldn’t take the cat today, so he reluctantly prepared to leave.
But as he saw the gloves Xu Ye was wearing, he sneered, “You’re crazy.”
Before Xu Ye could respond, a deep growl, resembling that of a large feline, suddenly came from the tree.
She had heard this sound before at the zoo – it was the growl tigers make when they challenge their opponents.
Xu Ye looked up at the tree, and there, on the branch, lay an absurdly large black cat. Its glowing orange-yellow eyes stared silently at the man.
“Holy shit, a leopard?” The man was so scared he fell to the ground.
Xu Ye remained calm. What was the big deal about a slightly larger cat? Based on the man’s reaction, she almost thought an SUV had flown by.
She had seen mountain cats as large as mountains, so why would a black cat roughly the size of a leopard be so surprising? Xu Ye thought to herself, having seen more than her fair share of oddities.
However, it seemed like no one around her was shocked by this oversized black cat.
Xu Ye subtly scanned her surroundings. Some people were looking at her, others at the man sitting on the ground, but no one was paying attention to the oversized black cat.
The man, now utterly rattled, looked at Xu Ye, then at the confused passersby, and asked, “Can’t you see this black… black cat?”
Xu Ye didn’t respond but looked at him with a mix of sympathy and pity, her eyes scanning him from head to toe.
The black cat on the tree had now jumped down. Looking at it, its size was even bigger than a leopard’s.
It arched its back, step by step, approaching the man. After swiping a paw and slapping him across the face, it placed a paw on his shoulder.
Xu Ye clearly saw the black cat curl one side of its lip and, in an enchanting and arrogant tone, say, “I am the god of cats.”
Her eyes went wide in disbelief. She took a couple of steps back, stunned into silence.
This black cat… was even more dominant than David!
The man slowly calmed down, getting to his feet with difficulty. His expression returned to normal as he muttered, “Humans and animals live in harmony. I’m the fool. Humans and animals live in harmony. I’m the fool…”
Xu Ye and the little cat exchanged a complex look as they watched this foolish man walk off into the distance.
She turned around again, and the sidewalk was empty. The only thing in sight was her holding the little cat, occasionally catching odd glances from passersby.
Xu Ye blinked in confusion, her gaze drifting back up to the tree branches.
What had she just seen here?
Just then, hurried footsteps approached from the sidewalk. Several teenagers carrying backpacks stopped and looked over, exclaiming “Wow!”
Xu Ye turned to look in that direction and saw Liu Shuo with two of his female employees, each holding a long, thick mop. The three of them walked over confidently, moving in wide steps.
“Xu Ye, don’t worry—we’re here!”
Author’s note:
Man: She’s mentally unstable.
Xu Ye: A fan of legal systems, safety first.
Xu Ye: It’s sleeping so soundly.
Little Cat: I’m starving, and she thinks I’m peacefully sleeping. Humans and cats really can’t communicate.
Big Black Cat: Let me be a little delusional, it doesn’t matter, she won’t remember.
Readers: We remember.
Xu Ye: Cats can talk (×), but some cats are even more domineering than David (yes).
Tl’s note: Will be posting once a week! ( •̀ ̫-︎︎ )
