Translator: Vemmy Editor: a friend who got tortured by my grammar. Please light a candle for her XD "Mao Er?"
A man's deep, familiar voice came from behind him.
“……” Think of Cao Cao and Cao Cao will arrive[1], “Teacher Mu.”
Ling Mao Er carefully sized him up, after a week of not meeting, Mu Mu seemed a bit haggard, not even shaving his stubble.
Mu Mu also saw his luggage, “You’re going on a business trip?”
“I’ve just returned from overseas.”
Mu Mu nodded, not in the mood for idle chat, which was unlike his usual attitude towards people, this being slightly neglectful.
Ling Mao Er noticed that in his hands were a stack of lost cat posters that had yet to be posted.
“Teacher’s cat was lost?”
“En …… Actually, it can’t really be considered my cat.”
“This cat looks a bit familiar.”
Mu Mu immediately pulled himself together, “You’ve seen it?”
“If I didn't see wrong, it’s the one Ke Le was raising.”
“Who’s Ke Le?”
“My assistant.”
Mu Mu suddenly understood, “So the person that the pet store clerk said had a Siamese at Unit 8 was him? I went to look around your place a few times but didn’t even find out.”
“However, this cat isn’t very attached to home, always running out at night and not returning. I don’t think Ke Le puts a lot of heart into raising it.”
Of course, Mu Mu knew where the Siamese went at night, “Then has it returned home recently?”
“I went overseas, so Ke Le took time off to return to his hometown and brought the cat back with him.”
Setting down the worry of the past several days, Mu Mu let out a long breath, “So it was like that? That’s great then.”
Ling Mao Er pretended to not be aware of the circumstances and asked, “However, how did Teacher end up finding Ke Le’s cat?”
“Actually, this cat often comes to my home at night, I’ve developed affections for it over time and I worry quite a bit when I don’t see it.”
Ling Mao Er savoured the phrase, “developed affections”, secretly pleased with himself.
“Ah, then you’ll see it soon, Ke Le’s break has ended and will probably return tomorrow.”
“I’m relieved that it’s not lost.” Mu Mu didn’t wish for too much, although he was a little disappointed after learning that the Siamese did indeed have an owner.
“I brought some Australian specialties, have some, Teacher.” Ling Mao Er was friendly for once.
“En? No, that’s not necessary, it would be too inconveniencing (to you).”
“It’s fine, these aren’t very expensive, you should accept them.” Ling Mao Er forcefully shoved the entire bag to Mu Mu. Having mooched food and drinks off of the other for such a long time, even he was a bit embarrassed (liar).
Mu Mu saw the contents as he was refusing: Australian speciality trout, Australian speciality cod, Australian specialty Salmon, and Australian specialty tuna.
Mu Mu, "……"
Great kindness is hard to refuse, Mu Mu could only accept.
Of course, the other reason was that he felt that the Siamese would like these a lot.
Coincidentally, Ling Mao Er thought so as well.
“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.” Ling Mao Er waved at him.
Mu Mu also reflexively responded with a “See you tomorrow”, only realising afterwards that they didn't seem to have made an appointment to meet the next day?
At 8PM the next evening, someone rang the doorbell to Mu Mu’s home. Opening the door, he saw Ling Mao Er’s assistant standing outside while holding a basket of hanging orchids.
“Hello Teacher Mu,” Ke Le respectfully[2] presented[3] the hanging orchids, “I apologize for the liberty I have taken in making this presumptuous visit, here is a small gift to show my respect[4]." Mu Mu, "……"
"Meow——"
A familiar hoarse voice was heard, Mu Mu lowered his head to look and called out with surprise, “Kitty!”
The Siamese nimbly jumped up and Mu Mu caught it as his heart filled with delight, “You’re all right, that’s great.”
The corner of Ke Le’s mouth twitched as he watched this moving scene of reuniting again after being apart for a long time.
Mu Mu finally remembered to invite him in, “Quickly come in, your name is Ke Le, right? Where’s Mao Er?”
In your arms.
“Sleeping at home, adjusting to the jet lag .”
“Oh.” Mu Mu recalled that this was normal.
Mu Mu gestured for Ke Le to sit and wanted to welcome him with something to drink.
"My home only has plain water." Mu Mu was a bit awkward as he spoke.
"Water is good, I love drinking water." Ling Mao Er had informed Ke Le of this point already/
Mu Mu poured a cup of water for him and the two sat down together. Seeing an opportunity[5], the Siamese jumped onto Mu Mu's leg, intimately rubbing back and forth against his palm as it meowed.
Having not enjoyed this kind of treatment despite being acquainted for so many years, Ke Le was dumbstruck as he watched. Was his family's Mao Er possessed by another soul?
"I heard Mao Er mention that you were taking care of my family's cat previously, I apologize for the inconvenience it's caused you, Teacher."
"Not at all, not at all," Mu Mu repeatedly denied that it was an inconvenience, "I really like it, it's very obedient, not troublesome at all."
Ke Le: I came in and saw that your hanging orchids were all bald, this could still be called obedient? As expected, Teacher's temperament surpasses that of normal humans.
"It's very mischievous and won't stay inside, always wanting to run out, even I can't control it."
"It's not bad, it usually comes to my place at night and doesn't run around."
"Teacher must have fed it something delicious, it's the typical foodie that follows whoever feeds it." Taking advantage of how Ling Mao Er couldn't retort, Ke Le wanted to blacken him as much as possible.
Mu Mu smiled, "However, it truly is quite a coincidence, we live in the same community and I even found your cat."
Ke Le pretended to examine the surroundings, "I only knew that Teacher Mu's human portraits were amazing, I never thought that you would also have so many animal photos."
"Yes, I really like photographing animals." Mu Mu invited him to look around.
"I also saw the photo you put on Mao Er's lost cat poster."
"Mao Er?"
Ke Le sweated, "Mao…… Er[6], it's name. Ling Mao Er is the big boss, it is boss number 2."
Ling Mao Er glared at him ferociously .
Mu Mu laughed, "It seems that you're raising both of them like pets."
"I don't dare ah, both of them are my masters, I'm just their nanny."
Mu Mu felt that this little fellow was quite interesting.
[6] So Ling Mao Er's name is written 猫儿 which basically translates to "Kitty", Ke Le slipped up so he tries to save himself by calling cat form 猫二(also pronounced Mao Er) which translates to "Cat Two". It's a play on words, Ke Le will continue to use Cat Two to refer to our kitty but I will be using Mao Er.
"Oh right," Ke Le struck while the iron was hot, "does Teacher have any of the photos you took of Mao Er? Could you give me a few?"
"What do you need them for?" Mu Mu then thought, The cat is his family's after all, the copyright belongs to him originally.
"It's like this, I want to submit a piece to 《Kitty Magazine》, a year's worth of Mao Er's favourite brand of canned food will be rewarded if it is selected for the cover. It's fine if Teacher doesn't want to though." Ke Le quickly added.
"I don't have a problem with it, you can take them all, if they aren't suitable, I can take more."
Ke Le was moved to tears; with Mu Mu coming to his aid, Ling Mao Er being chosen as the magazine's cover cat was just around the corner. "Thank you so much, Teacher Mu."
"Don't be such an outsider, if it's chosen to be on the cover, I'll also buy a copy for collection."
Ke Le saw that it wasn't early anymore and got ready to leave.
"Um," He put on a show of calling out (for Mao Er), "Mao Er, we're going home."
The Siamese's butt didn't move an inch.
"Hurry, we're leaving, don't disturb Teacher Mu anymore."
The Siamese turned its head to the other side and ignored him.
"……This disobedient fellow."
Mu Mu hastily spoke, "If it doesn't want to leave, then let it stay. It always comes to stay at my home anyways, I'm already used to it."
"That would be inconvenient for you, right?"
"I also miss it very much, just think of it as doing me a favour."
Ke Le's act was complete and embarrassedly agreed, "Then I'll trouble Teacher Mu, I'll bring some of its kibble over later, I can't let it always freeload."
"Not at all, not at all."
Seeing Ke Le off, Mu Mu happily picked up the Siamese and kissed it a few times. Ling Mao Er wasn't aloof either and threw itself onto him, licking a few times near his mouth. God knows how much he missed Mu Mu's scent this past week, not being able to smell his scent, he (LME) couldn't even sleep well at night.
"I have lots of the food you like to eat at home."
"Meow meow meow!" Eat eat eat!
Mu Mu brought out the Australian speciality trout, Australian speciality cod, Australian specialty salmon, and Australian specialty tuna.
“Do you like it?”
“Meow meow!” Like!
"So your name is Mao Er [6, Cat2]."
"Meow——" It's not!
"This name is a bit stupid."
"Meow——" I said it's not!
"Although, if I say it quickly, it sounds like Mao Er [6, Kitty]."
"Meow!" Then say it faster!
"Let's eat, Mao Er." Mu Mu lovingly rubbed the Siamese's head.
[1]想曹操曹操到 – the actual saying is "Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao will arrive" but the author tweaked it. I did not mis-translate it (too much), the english equivalent is speak of the devil
[2]畢恭畢敬 – Reverent and respectful, extremely deferential
[3]献上 – “To offer to God”, to present with great respect. Ke Le is basically treating Mu Mu as a god XD
[4]不成敬意 – idiom "not enough as a token of my regard", means "just a little token to show my respect"
[5]见缝插针 – an idiom, "to see a gap and stick in a needle), means to make use of every second and every inch. To take advantage of all opportunities.
T/n: Mao Er’s so mean to Ke Le! As this novel approaches its end, I would like to mention a few things:
First of all, the next chapter and the last chapter will have smut. I will translate a censored version with a link to the NSFW content either on the top of the page or the bottom, tell me your preference in the comment section if you want or I’ll just flip a coin.
Secondly, as some of you may have noticed, my partner, the R in RVtranslations, has gone MIA and I have not been able to contact her. Therefore, if she is still missing after AUP is completed, I will make some changes to this site. I’m a pretty laid back *read:lazy* person though so it may take a while, please bear with me ;-;
Lastly, supposedly, AUP has 2 more extras, supposedly in physical form. I have not been able to find them nor do I know where I can buy them. I don’t even know if they really exist. If you guys have any news, please tell me~