Laurent had been wronged, but Laurent stood strong. Laurent didn’t cry.
Shen Zhifan hadn’t seen the cat for so long. Seeing it cry out (?) pitifully, his heart ached.
The colleague pulled at Laurent’s sleeve, “Enough. We should go, don’t stay here and be a disgrace.”
Laurent, “…I would like to demand justice.”
“What justice, you really did want to bully the cat.”
“But it’s obvious that I’m the one that’s been bullied.” Laurent was extremely aggrieved. “It even threatened me!”
In Shen Zhifan’s embrace, the kitty was shockingly obedient. The mass of fluff that was its tail drooped indolently, its body curled up, and its ears hung down slightly. Its limpid eyes stayed on the youth, silently recounting its grievances.
“These two gentlemen,” Shen Zhifan was sincere, “Kitties are all very cute, they must be treated well ah.”
Laurent, “…”
In his heart, Laurent thought, Cute? Where were they fucking cute? With me, this cat is practically an ancestor, it’s so insanely powerful!
His colleague forced a laugh, “Ha, ha, it’s because we saw that it’s our General’s cat, so we played with it a bit out of curiosity. It’s truly very beautiful ah, and also seems to have quite the affinity with Mr. Shen.”
“En, the first day, I…ah, no,” Shen Zhifan paused, “Our affinity, well, it’s a very clever cat. I always feel that it particularly understands humans.”
As he spoke, he again thought of what’d happened last time, when the cat had run away, and paused.
To use intelligence to explain it was a little…convenient.
Shen Zhifan thought of Shen Zhirou’s words, and wondered if this cat was really an ascended being?
“Oh, right. Is your sister feeling better?”
Shen Zhifan, recognising this colleague, asked kindly.
“She’s much better.” Upon speaking of his sister, the colleague’s face brightened immensely, “As soon as she heard that she’d gotten KK’s autograph, she was so excited that she had to go downstairs and run three laps before calming down.”
Laurent poked at his colleague’s stomach plaintively.
That time, his colleague had gotten an autograph, while he’d gotten a three-day trip to logistics.
Slapping aside his paws, the colleague gave him a glance that said ‘ you’re a moron, who’re you going to blame?’.
Shen Zhifan laughed and held the cat without speaking.
Bringing Laurent along, the colleague carefully climbed out of the garden.
Laurent had nothing left to live for. He made the trip here yet had found nothing, and still might be done for from now on.
“Let’s go,” The colleague looked at this unlucky kid, “You can’t win against that cat.”
“Goodbye, you two!”
Shen Zhifan waved at them enthusiastically.
“Meow.”
The cat echoed him. He didn’t know if he was too sensitive, but Laurent could also hear the sound of a threat in that meow.
He stumbled, almost falling down.
Watching the weird movements of these two officers, Shen Zhifan knitted his brow. However, the cat in his arms began demanding his attention.
The soft calls could really make your heart melt.
Shen Zhifan’s heart softened into a puddle, and he began petting the cat.
He stroked from its head to tail, the soft long white fur smoother than silk. The cat was clearly also enjoying it; after mewing softly a few times, it didn’t forget to sway its tail a little as well.
Ah, this fur, this tail, this tactile sensation.
Shen Zhifan rubbed his face against the cat, exceedingly content.
How come there was such a cute thing in this world?
“Ah…” Shen Zhirou yawned, messy and unkempt. She stuck her head out the window and looked downstairs, “Hey, brother, what’re you doing?”
“Good morning KK!”
Shen Zhifan lifted his head and smiled at the two, “Good morning, girls.”
“Aaah KK is so gentle, I can’t breathe!”
Yi Jia sprawled her upper body on Shen Zhirou, as soft as always. Her laugh made her the picture of a beautiful young lady.
“Go away…” Shen Zhirou pulled at her hair weakly.
“Rourou was so cute last night, hugging me the whole time she was sleeping!” Yi Jia cuddled Shen Zhirou from behind, beaming. Then, something suddenly caught her eye, “Ah, it’s a kitty! So cute!”
Shen Zhirou hadn’t seen it, but reacted upon hearing her words and narrowed her eyes. Very quickly, she recognised it as the cat that was the grandmaster of face-con.
“Hmph,” Shen Zhirou laughed grimly, “Don’t be fooled by its appearance.”
Yi Jia, “ ? ”
Shen Zhifan chuckled, “It’s because you’re too much of an evil fiend, it doesn’t like you.”
Shen Zhirou, “Tsk, what bullshit.”
Yi Jia pinched at Shen Zhirou’s face, “Rourou you can’t, you’re not allowed to be so scary to KK and the kitty.”
Shen Zhirou had nothing left to live for, “It’s because you haven’t seen its acting skills yet.”
Yi Jia let out a ‘hehe’, then, “Rourou is really too cute. Kitties don’t know how to act, they’re super innocent little creatures.”
Shen Zhirou deadpanned, “Hah, wait for it then.”
Shen Zhifan found that an advantage of having Yi Jia around was that Shen Zhirou became nicer to look at. Her explosive hair had miraculously been brushed even, and she’d even applied a thin layer of makeup. It seemed like she actually could be looked at.
Shen Zhifan felt rather gratified. Indeed, makeup skills were the most magical of all.
With one hand, Shen Zhifan carried the cat, and poured Yi Jia a cup of tea with the other, “Thank you for taking care of Shen Zhirou.”
Overwhelmed by his favour, Yi Jia took the cup, “It’s nothing! I don’t really have any friends at school…so Rourou is my best friend!”
After a moment, she said, somewhat embarrassed, “I never thought that Rourou would really be KK’s little sister, it was a super nice surprise.”
To the side, Shen Zhirou deadpanned, “She’s just dumb—luckily I hang out with her.”
Shen Zhifan gave her a mild look, “There’s no need to hide how badly you get along with others from me.”
Shen Zhirou, “…”
Yi Jia turned to Shen Zhifan and laughed, “Rourou really is very cute.”
Shen Zhifan was a little embarrassed, “Not really, not really. Honestly, she’s quite terrible.”
Shen Zhirou, “…”
So annoying. Why did she have a big brother like this ah?
Just as she wanted to defend herself, the house phone rang. She could only drag her feet as she ran to take the call.
Yi Jia, seeing Shen Zhirou disappear, suddenly asked, “Have you been well lately?”
Shen Zhifan startled, “V-very well.”
There was nothing wrong with Yi Jia’s words, but he somehow heard something a little strange.
Yi Jia’s smile seemed to dull a little. Thoughtfully, she rubbed the pad of her fingers against her cup.
“I…I’ve been missing you.”
Shen Zhifan blinked a few times, feeling that what Yi Jia said and her previous behaviour…didn’t really match up.
“Brother, Battlesquad V called, they’re asking for you.”
Shen Zhirou yawned again. Initially, she’d been afraid that her brother would be fired by Battlesquad V, since he didn’t remember anything. Then, after thinking it through, she realised that they still had quite a lot of money. In any case, her brother would probably be able to remember everything soon. After living well these past few days, she’d almost forgotten about this.
As soon as he heard of this, Shen Zhifan’s head began to ache; he didn’t even want to mull over Yi Jia’s strange behaviour anymore. He really wanted to play dead, but after a moment he still went over to talk to them.
He left the kitty on the sofa, “Then, play with it a little. Shen Zhirou, no bullying the cat.”
Shen Zhirou faced the sky and heaved a long sigh, “…I’ve really never bullied it. I’ve only ever been crushed by its acting ability, okay?”
As he walked past, Shen Zhifan didn’t forget to pat Shen Zhirou’s head.
Shen Zhirou felt wronged.
Yi Jia laughed a little and walked over, wanting to pat the kitty’s head.
“Rourou, why are you making the cat sound so scary? It…”
The kitty stood up. Not particularly politely, it avoided Yi Jia’s fingers.
Yi Jia’s eyes widened, “This cat really is shy with strangers ah.”
Shen Zhirou was also a little confused, “Oh, I thought that it only let pretty people touch it. So that’s not it—maybe it only lets handsome big brothers touch it ah?”
Yi Jia giggled, “Wow, is it a female cat then?”
Just as she finished speaking, the kitty’s gaze dropped lazily. Those watery blue eyes that had just been innocent and cute were restrained at once, and now coldly looked upon her extremely arrogantly.
Just…it was now a cat whose eyes had extreme destructive power.
Yi Jia’s throat moved faintly.
“…Rourou, this kitty…really seems very different from just then ah.”
Yi Jia tilted her head.
Just then, it had seemed like an extremely cute and lovable cat. With sunshine falling softly onto its fur, it had been exceedingly majestic, with an unbearably sweet face. Yet now, it seemed like an ancestor that one could not afford to provoke in comparison.
Shen Zhirou took a sip of water, and coolly said, “I’m telling you, you’d better not provoke it—it’s best if you don’t even go near it. Actually, even if you don’t touch it, it’ll definitely find something for you to be blamed for.” <sup>1</sup> 碰瓷 – something that you’ll be blamed for – this word actually translates to ‘knocking over porcelain’, and refers to scamming someone by setting up an “accident” in which one appears to have sustained damage or injury caused by the scam victim, then demanding compensation. Like the scammer throwing themselves in front of a slow-moving car, or putting ‘expensive’ porcelain somewhere it’s likely to be knocked over. (definition courtesy of pleco lol)
She thought of her cruel experience from last time, then sneered bitterly.
Yi Jia, who’d originally thought that Shen Zhirou had been joking, now actually felt a little afraid.
The kitty curled its tail up, examining the two girls before it unenthusiastically. Its expression was extremely detached; Yi Jia felt that in the cat’s eyes, she was probably some sort of criminal or enemy—the whole scene was absolutely awkward.
Shen Zhirou soullessly looked at the cat, with a body covered in supple, pure white fur, and sighed. She had already given up all hope and was not inclined to try again.
Yi Jia was still somewhat unresigned.
“Last time, I didn’t want to give up either,” Shen Zhirou flipped open a newspaper, having already cultivated a motionless, high and mighty manner, “But last time it was just like this. It seems like the cat won’t let you touch it just because it’s scared of strangers, but as soon as my brother appears…”
It just so happened that at this time, Shen Zhifan ended the call and walked over. Yi Jia saw that beautiful cat’s ears twitch – with a curl of its tail, white paws slowly brought the cat in front of Shen Zhifan. As if extremely wronged, its ears drooped, and it carefully scratched at Shen Zhifan’s trousers with a paw.
Seeing this, Shen Zhifan hurried to pick it up, his heart aching for the cat yet again, “Shen Zhirou, did you bully it again?”
“…It was just like this.” Shen Zhirou finished her sentence dully, her spirit already so exhausted that she wanted to explain no more.
Yi Jia, “…”
That cat still wasn’t finished. Forget about simply pawing at Shen Zhifan, when Shen Zhifan walked past Yi Jia, it even let out a frightened meow.
Shen Zhifan gave Yi Jia a suspicious glance.
Yi Jia, “…”
What kind of scheming cat was this?
1
碰瓷 – something that you’ll be blamed for – this word actually translates to ‘knocking over porcelain’, and refers to scamming someone by setting up an “accident” in which one appears to have sustained damage or injury caused by the scam victim, then demanding compensation. Like the scammer throwing themselves in front of a slow-moving car, or putting ‘expensive’ porcelain somewhere it’s likely to be knocked over. (definition courtesy of pleco lol)