After Turning Into a Kitten, I Was Adopted by My Father-Figure Childhood Friend - Chapter 23

“Meow meow meow!” It is me, it is me!

I am Song Xingyou, meow!

The little calico proudly puffed out its chest, its two pointed ears swaying arrogantly in the air. It tilted its chin up, its cat eyes bright as stars, as if filled with a thousand points of light. With an expectant and certain air, it swept its furry tail across the man’s hand, flashing a noble and proud smile.

Lu Jingchuan, hurry up and welcome me!

Song Xingyou was full of self-satisfaction. Looking into those sparkling cat eyes, Lu Jingchuan merely lowered his head slightly. His thick black eyelashes trembled, obscuring the look in his eyes, as he raised his hand and gently patted the kitten’s backside.

“Troublemaker.”

Lu Jingchuan himself did not know what he was expecting; he was actually trying to find traces of Xingxing within the garbled code. It was illogical and a complete fantasy. Lu Jingchuan remained expressionless as he shooed the meddling kitten off the table. “Go back to your room.”

Song Xingyou: “???”

No, wait, you—

Song the cat was stunned. He was shooed by the man and stumbled a few steps outward. In a fit of rage, he turned around and bit the man’s trousers, tearing at the fabric with his teeth while his round little head bumped against Lu’s leg in protest.

After a few bumps, a pair of hands intercepted him and picked him up from the floor. The man sighed softly, his voice helpless. “So demanding.”

Are all kittens this demanding?

Lu Jingchuan could no longer focus on his documents. He carried the kitten back to the room. Song Xingyou protested angrily, his amber-gold eyes burning with a fierce fire. He brandished his “meow-meow punches” in the air, kicking and hitting while meowing loudly in his desperation. Still, four paws were no match for two hands. He was brought back to the room and placed on the bed.

Was Song Xingyou the type to give up easily? He immediately turned his head, chased his tail in a half-circle, and used his long tail to assist a leaping takeoff. He delivered two “meow-meow punches” aimed straight at the man’s head.

The man reacted quickly, blocking with a tablet and expertly pushing the kitten’s head back. The kitten fell backward, landing with a “splat” on the bed.

Good heavens! I actually lost the fight!

The little calico tumbled into the quilt, struggling to poke its head out. It stood up wobblily, as if walking on clouds, its eyes full of indignation and rage. Just as he was about to fight again, Lu Jingchuan flipped the tablet over and opened an app in front of him.

Song the cat looked at him suspiciously. He curiously poked his head forward, his two small pointed ears reflected on the screen. He looked left and right at the display; his round face was soft and cute, while his sharp ears outlined in black looked handsome and smart.

He really is good-looking.

Before Song the cat could react, a watermelon was suddenly sliced in half under his paw. He was instantly shocked. His eyes widened as he let out a low growl. He crouched low, wiggling his round backside from side to side. His cat eyes narrowed into thin lines due to his hunting instinct.

He got ready, his tail cocked, and pounced toward the screen like a bolt of lightning. “Meow!”

Several watermelons were sliced and fell away. The kitten tilted its chin up, letting out a series of triumphant meows. His excited voice drifted through the air, connecting into a cheerful melody.

Who am I? Where am I? Song Xingyou wagged his tail, his playfulness fully ignited. He crouched his head and jumped around excitedly following the fruit, his eyes sparkling with interest.

Oh, oh! This is so much fun!

Song the cat was completely controlled by his feline instincts. By the time he realized he could use the tablet to communicate with Lu Jingchuan, he looked up to find that the man had already quietly slipped away.

Song Xingyou was furious. He did not want to admit that the “limited-brain-capacity” cat from just now was himself. He smacked the tablet away with one paw, his fur standing on end in anger, and rushed toward the study.

“Meow meow meow!” The study door was shut tight, without even a crack left as before. Song the cat could not push it open. He scratched frantically at the door, making a “skritch-skritch” sound, and wailed in a long, ghostly tone.

Lu Jingchuan, open the door! If you have the guts, open the door! I know you are in there! If you have the guts to close the door, have the guts to come out! I swear I won’t scratch you to death!

Song the cat puffed up into a ball of fur, pacing messily at the doorway. He slapped the door with his paws. When the door finally opened, he crossly bumped his head against the man. He did not feel like he was being a bully; instead, he acted like a “Cat King” bestowing a favor, proudly twitching his whiskers while crouching at the doorway to meow his complaints.

Lu Jingchuan tilted his head, listening to the kitten’s cries, but the kitten suddenly scampered away.

“Youyou…”

He chased after it for a few steps and saw the kitten running back, clattering as it dragged a tablet that was much larger than itself. Pushing the tablet in front of him, the kitten sat down before Lu Jingchuan and tapped it with a paw.

Lu Jingchuan glanced at the screen. The “Fruit Ninja” interface had changed to the built-in notepad.

“Are you out of games?” He efficiently opened “Fruit Ninja” for it again.

Song Xingyou scratched his ear. He saw that the drawing he had worked so hard on was gone, replaced by the game interface.

“Meow meow, meow-woo-woo!”

A watermelon flew out. The cursing Song the cat instantly sharpened his gaze. He lowered his head, showing a look of alert interest, his pointed ears twitching. In the next second, he could no longer restrain himself and pounced.

“Meow meow meow!”

The kitten played excitedly. A series of meows almost filled the empty villa as he bounced around on the floor. His swaying long tail occasionally swept across Lu Jingchuan’s hand. Feeling the furry touch on the back of his hand, Lu stroked the kitten from head to tail.

The kitten impatiently kicked Lu’s palm with its hind legs. When Lu moved his hand away, the kitten immediately looked up and meowed, insisting the hand be put back.

A difficult kitten to serve.

Lu Jingchuan had completely forgotten his previous calm definition of small animals. At this point, he had to use certain words to describe this cute kitten: demanding, cute, lively, smart, beautiful, and pitiable…

He thought calmly, but all definitions vanished when the kitten, tired from playing, groggily burrowed into the crook of his arm. The kitten’s ears drooped, instinctively seeking a sense of security. It lay in Lu Jingchuan’s arm, its little tail curling daintily into his palm, obedient and sweet.

Lu Jingchuan watched it quietly. The light from the hallway and the study blended together, seemingly melting the darkness in his eyes and creating ripples of extreme tenderness. He lowered his gaze, picking up the kitten with careful gentleness. His eyes hid all emotions, leaving only a sigh of indulgence. “Such a lovable little thing.”

Cute kitten.

It is not your fault that Xingxing isn’t replying to my messages; it is my fault.

Lu Jingchuan had infinite patience and perseverance for Song Xingyou, yet he did not know that the reply he was waiting for was currently staring blankly at a tablet with no internet.

Song Xingyou had not expected that the tablet Lu Jingchuan gave him would be disconnected from the web. He struggled to turn it on, touching it cautiously with his paws. After half an hour of effort, he finally managed to open the App Store, only to be left speechless. The tablet, locked in “Minor Mode,” had everything deleted except for “Fruit Ninja” and the built-in software. To connect to the internet, he would have to answer over a hundred math problems to unlock the feature, and then guess the password for the house’s Wi-Fi.

Song Xingyou looked at his paws and scratched his chin in distress. He had never realized until this moment how difficult it was to prove he was human!

Song the cat was “emo.” If he couldn’t hear Mr. Deng’s concert, he would regret it for the rest of his life! Hateful!

Song Xingyou gnashed his teeth, unconsciously nibbling the tip of his tail while thinking. Suddenly, a shadow flashed by, and a handsome cat face appeared before him. Song the cat’s eyes lit up, and his droopy ears stood straight up. “…Mimi!”

The tabby cat that had suddenly appeared let out a laugh. The patterns on its body were brilliant and beautiful, and its face was strikingly handsome. Its cry was full of spirit. “Youyou.”

Song Xingyou was very excited. He opened his mouth to make a sound, and the tabby cat crouched and replied with a meow, “I am Wang Dafu.”

“Oh, Fu-mi!” Song the cat tilted his head and wagged his ears, grooming his ear fur with a paw. He spoke in a milky, clingy voice to act spoiled. “Fu-mi, Fu-mi, where are you going, mi?”

“Where am I going?” Dafu looked at him in confusion. “I came to find you.”

“That boss, Sang Biao, who used to fight us for territory, has come back. He broke the rules and secretly took over a large piece of our land. I am here to gather the house cats to take it back!”

The tabby cat waved its powerful arms. Under its short fur were solid muscles. Its lean, long body stood in the sunlight like a statue of a bodybuilding cat; every muscle line was incredibly beautiful.

Upon hearing about a fight, Song the cat immediately retracted his head. He rested his chin on his paws, looking innocent and blinking cutely. “I am a university student, meow.”

A “crispy” university student doesn’t know how to fight.

“And,” Song the cat said dejectedly, “I haven’t settled my own business yet.”

Dafu’s brows shot up. He swept a fierce glance over the kitten and waved a paw heroically. “House cats must stick together! Forget those other things for now. Come with me to reclaim our territory. Afterward, I will bring the Boss to help you think of a way.”

“There is strength in numbers. Three meows are better than one Zhuge Meow!”

“Let’s go, Youyou! The time has come to show your strength!”

The tabby cat brooked no argument. It entered the house, grabbed the kitten by the scruff of the neck, and started dragging it out. Song Xingyou had never seen such “burglary-like” behavior. He meowed loudly. Whether he was a person or a cat was no longer important as he frantically shook his white paws and head in refusal.

“No! I don’t want to go fight! Lu Jingchuan just trimmed my claws; I can’t fight!”

“Meow meow meow!” Nonono! I don’t have claws; I’m a “noob” now!

The furry tricolored ball was no match for the little “striped tiger.” He was carried over the courtyard wall, swaying in the tabby’s mouth. Song the cat curled into a ball, avoiding the nearby wall top. He held his tail as if lifting a skirt, timidly being carried away by the big cat.

At a familiar corner of the courtyard, several cats were lined up from highest to lowest. A huge, handsome Maine Coon stood at the very top. Its cat eyes were deep and terrifying, shimmering with a frightening light. Below it were a cow cat, a lame tabby named Wang Dafa, the black cat Xiao Bai, a Russian Blue named Blueberry, and a tortoiseshell named Sticky Rice.

The tabby cat tossed the kitten onto a box below the tortoiseshell and climbed up himself, jumping from one box to another until he was above Dafa.

The Maine Coon Boss spoke deeply, “You all know about Sang Biao snatching our territory, right?”

“That territory has always been shared by our Cat Gang and Sang Biao’s family. But this time, those hateful oath-breakers actually crossed the border… What are your thoughts on this?”

The deep cat eyes swept strictly over the surroundings. An invisible pressure, along with a shadow, crashed down. At the “Meow-Table Meeting,” Dafu, the retired cat boss, puffed out his chest. His eyes flashed with a bloodthirsty light.

“They want to hog the territory for themselves? No way!”

Dafa let out a simple meow. “Take it back!”

Xiao Bai raised a paw. “Agree, meow!”

Blueberry drawled, “Oh, everyone, everyone, I think we can be a bit more calm. At least let’s scout out the situation on the other side first…”

“According to my reliable sources, Sang Biao’s family was recently struck by humans. Many cats were taken away by shelters.” Sticky Rice, the information network of the cats, narrowed her eyes. She slowly licked her paw and spoke with a smile in a voice as soft as mist. “It’s a perfect time for a sneak attack.”

The cow cat: “Meow meow meow meow meow!”

Song the cat listened and felt that this story and this name were strangely familiar. He scratched his ear, and the low-ranking kitten was immediately noticed by the Maine Coon. The Maine Coon was massive with neat fur, looking like a real miniature black tiger. It had a deep voice, and when it spoke, it captured every cat’s attention.

“Old Eight does not need to participate.”

Song the cat raised his tail in shock. “Meow?”

The other cats also widened their eyes and began whispering to each other.

“Minors do not participate in family disputes. This is an iron rule,” the Maine Coon announced sternly.

Dafu the tabby glanced down at the little calico and was instantly convinced. “The Boss really was raised by humans; he has standards. Back when we were in the ‘underworld,’ we didn’t care about big cats or small cats.”

Hateful, I’m being looked down upon by a bunch of cats!

Song the cat couldn’t help but prick up his ears. He stood up unhappily and meowed in rebuttal, “No, I want to participate!”

“I am a university student, meow!”

The Thirty-Six Stratagems, The Art of War… cats, tremble before the thousands of years of human war experience!

Song the cat was full of himself. He brandished his fists in the air a few times and announced proudly, “I will definitely participate! I will be very useful; just you watch!”

Dafu drawled, “Didn’t you just say you can’t fight?”

“Ha! What is so hard about fighting!” Song Xingyou retorted immediately. He shook his head with a serious face and lowered his voice, pretending to be mysterious. “Fighting and killing is too low-level. We use strategies. Winning without bloodshed is high-level!”

The tabby cat let out a chuckle. Song the cat immediately turned to look at the Maine Coon Boss. The Boss’s gaze was deep. “Are you sure you want to participate?”

He nodded heavily.

“Very well,” the Maine Coon cat nodded and announced with satisfaction. “In our next move, we must strike with precision. Meeting adjourned!”

“Meow meow meow!” the cats cheered.

Watching the tiny tricolored ball walk away with its tail held high in high spirits, Dafu drawled, “Is it really okay to tease him like that, Boss?”

Looking into the distance from the high ground, the Maine Coon cat replied deeply, “If a new member wants to integrate into the family, they must go through a trial of blood and fire.”

Besides, this kitten did not truly believe in the family yet. The Maine Coon’s gaze was profound, following the tricolored ball like a shadow.

The little calico stepped lightly onto the wall, swinging a white paw heavily. His mind was full of thoughts of doing something big.

Ha, I must let these cats who underestimate me know the power of the Cat King!

Song the cat fantasized about one day standing in the Maine Coon’s position and giving orders. He jumped from one courtyard wall to another with his tail held high. The villa area was near the city center; it was an old neighborhood that had existed for over twenty years. Although the houses showed some age, the greenery was well-maintained. The courtyards of the villas were filled with different flowers, plants, and trees.

Song Xingyou walked under a peach tree with his tail up, and peach blossoms fell all over him. He shook his head, and the pink flowers fell away, except for one that landed on his nose. His pink nose twitched, and Song the cat sneezed sensitively. He shook his head, and the little blossom fell from his ear.

Song the cat looked around, picked up the small flower in his mouth, and ran. He jumped back over his own courtyard wall and rushed into the house, bringing the scent of spring with him.

“Meow meow meow!” I’m back!

The kitten entered the house, and the warmth of the room chased away the cool breeze clinging to its body. It shook its fur, leaving peach and pear blossoms all over the floor. Unaware, the kitten left a trail of “plum blossom” paw prints as it trotted upstairs. He meowed as he ran, calling Lu Jingchuan out from the study where he was reading documents.

Lu Jingchuan held a phone to his ear, talking to someone. He only came out when he heard the cat’s cries. While listening to the call, he looked at the kitten absent-mindedly. The kitten stopped on the stairs, its amber-gold eyes curving slightly as if filled with honey. It spat out a tiny pink flower from its mouth and jumped down the stairs.

“…Yeah.” Lu Jingchuan responded to the person on the other end of the line and followed the kitten downstairs. He picked up the petals that had fallen from the kitten. By the time he reached the glass window, he had a handful of spring.

He proactively reached out to pat the kitten’s head. The furry little ball burrowed into his palm. He couldn’t help but ask in a low voice, “Where did you go, Youyou?”

The kitten had clearly been outside. Its neat fur was messy from the wind. The cool fur rubbed against the man, and the kitten burrowed into his warm palm as if it disliked the cold. Lu Jingchuan cupped his hands, gently and rhythmically stroking the kitten’s ears and smoothing its fur. He pulled out a few peach blossom petals, adding them to the ones in his coat pocket.

His movements were natural and familiar, as if he had done this a thousand times. The gentle movements were so subtle that Song Xingyou didn’t even notice. He even arched his back to let the man groom his fur.

Song Xingyou was an artistic person. When inspiration struck, he could climb a mountain at night to listen to the wind, and he had observed flowers blooming and falling many times. Back then, Lu Jingchuan was just like he was now, picking away the leaves and flowers that fell on Song Xingyou. He cherished them in his pocket.

Song the cat meowed twice, resting his tail on the man’s hand as he curled up against him for warmth. You don’t understand, meow. I went to a super important gang meeting, meow meow!

To Lu Jingchuan, the kitten’s proud words were just meows, but he could clearly see the smug expression on its face. It was obviously very self-satisfied, looking as if it were about to become the master of the house. Its pointed ears were held so high that they seemed to be competing with the sky.

Lu Jingchuan chuckled. The person on the other end of the phone thought he was talking to someone else. “Hmm? Is Xing-zai with you?”

At the mention of Song Xingyou, Lu Jingchuan’s expression turned serious. “No. Has he contacted you?”

“Sigh, it’s not just me. Xing-zai is really holding a grudge this time. He hasn’t replied to messages for so long. I asked Chu Zhuo to message him, but he won’t reply either.” The friend complained and then blamed Lu Jingchuan. “I told you that you should have shown up back then. Arriving at ten or eleven would have been fine. Now look, Xing-zai is so angry he won’t even talk to us.”

Hearing his own name, Song the cat looked up sharply. His ears stood up like radar antennas. He listened intently, his round eyes full of focus. Hearing someone say he was “holding a grudge,” he instantly became unhappy. He meowed loudly, scolding the person while climbing up the man’s arm, trying to find out who was talking behind his back!

“Meow meow!” You are the one with the bad temper!

Once I find out who you are, you’re finished!

Through the phone line, the other person’s voice was a bit distorted. The kitten was so anxious that it pushed against the man’s arm, wishing it could dive into the phone to argue. The friend knew that Lu Jingchuan’s kitten was a little chatterbox and couldn’t help but laugh. “See, even your kitten thinks I’m right. Xing-zai just has a bad temper.”

Song the cat: “???”

“Meow meow meow!” If you have the guts, come over here and see if I don’t give you two punches!

Song the cat was so angry his tail wagged wildly, slapping against Lu Jingchuan’s face. Lu Jingchuan tried to dodge several times but failed. He chose to suppress the chatterbox kitten by covering its mouth.

“Three, two, one. Don’t move.” Lu Jingchuan flipped the kitten into his arms, lying it belly-up on his stomach. He held up three fingers and covered the kitten’s mouth, firmly punishing the talkative cat.

The man hung his head. Looking up, Song the cat could see his lowered eyes. Those dark eyes were full of focus, as if containing deep affection. Song the cat had been struggling, but meeting those eyes, he suddenly grew timid. His expression looked incredibly obedient.

Only when the kitten was quiet did Lu Jingchuan find the chance to retort. “Xingxing is just a genuine person. That is not a bad thing.”

Friend: “You just spoil him!”

“…Xingxing wouldn’t go this long without replying.” Lu Jingchuan skipped the topic. He unconsciously rubbed the kitten’s pointed ears as he thought, frowning as he asked, “How long did Xingxing plan to stay out? He hasn’t replied to anyone? What about the Song family?”

“Half a month? It seems like he’ll be back in another week.” The friend muttered and then let out an “uh.” “The Song family… you’ve been away these past few years, so you might not be clear. Xing-zai seems to have been at odds with his family for the last two years. I heard…”

Just as Song the cat was listening intently, a large hand suddenly came down and covered both of his ears.

“Do not speak behind people’s backs. Do not spread such rumors.” Even though no one was around, Lu Jingchuan instinctively covered the kitten’s ears. At the same time, his low, suppressed voice was full of displeasure.

He stopped his friend’s nonsensical talk. His brows were cold and solemn. His handsome and striking features momentarily turned gloomy. His Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat, and the violent rise and fall revealed a strange anxiety.

“Notify me when Xingxing replies to you.”

“No, notify me of anything related to him.”

The friend let out an “eh.” “He’ll be back in a week. Why are you so anxious, like your wife is about to run away? Why don’t you wait until he gets back and go find him with Chu Zhuo?”

Yeah, I’m not even in a hurry, so why are you?

Song the cat glanced at the man, thinking as he held the tip of his tail. The playful tip of the tail tickled his chin. He narrowed his eyes and dangerously took a bite of the tail. Instantly, the tail went stiff and became completely behaved.

Ha, I have successfully tamed the tail!

Song the cat was instantly proud. He lifted his chin and gave a lazy yawn. He opened one eye stealthily to peek at Lu Jingchuan. When he was caught by the man’s gaze, he faked a blink, looking adorable.

As for the fact that he had lost touch with his family and friends after turning into a cat, Song Xingyou was not very worried. After all, he wouldn’t be in any danger here with Lu Jingchuan. Song Xingyou was certain of that. And for some reason, he was very confident that he would eventually change back.

The most important thing now was to find a way to get this “music idiot,” Lu Jingchuan, to take him to the concert!

“Meow meow meow!” Stop dwelling on this, meow!

The concert, the concert!

His flexible tail began to wag again, waving in the air in a wave shape. The kitten’s mouth also formed a cute little wave. Song Xingyou muttered about the concert with glowing eyes, clingily entangling himself around the man’s arm. The entire kitten became like a vine, coquettishly circling the man.

“Meow-woo-woo!”

A soft “woo” sound came from the kitten’s throat. To the ears, it felt like being brushed by a sweet cloud, gently leaving a lingering coolness that made one’s throat tighten.

However, Lu Jingchuan seemed somewhat distracted. “…Did he really not run away?”

He felt as though Xingxing was no longer willing to associate with him. In the past, they could still chat online. Even if Lu Jingchuan was busy rummaging through trash to take photos of raccoons, he would get a response. Now, Xingxing wouldn’t even reply.

It was unbearable. Lu Jingchuan’s eyelashes drooped, their thickness hiding the gloomy look in his eyes. He unconsciously toyed with his phone case, his knuckles turning white from the force, yet his expression was extremely calm. As if talking in his sleep, he whispered, “Where did it go wrong?”

Why did he suddenly distance himself?

Did he encounter some difficulty? Is there someone new by his side? Or did someone say something to him?

It doesn’t matter, Lu Jingchuan thought calmly. He would respect all of Xingxing’s decisions. He would not send frequent messages or show up at his door to demand answers. He would find a perfectly legitimate, undeniable reason to contact him, find him, and precisely and traces-lessly remove all interference to restore everything to normal.

Song the cat suddenly shuddered, as if being watched by a dangerous creature. His fur stood on end. He looked around and found the man’s hand resting on his furry belly.

Case closed.

Song the cat silently closed his two open legs, swinging his tail forward to cover his backside. He lifted his head to look up at the man. He could only see the man’s tight jawline and large Adam’s apple. That Adam’s apple rolled like a moving mountain range. The clear and definite rise and fall created an incredibly sexy tension.

A deep, sexy voice rolled out from his throat, as if warmed within those thin lips. “I’m counting on you.”

Ever since Lu Jingchuan went abroad, such requests had occurred countless times. The friend was used to giving a perfunctory reply. “Yeah, yeah, I know, I know. I’ll tell you everything Xing-zai does. Don’t worry, I’ll notify you as soon as he gets back.”

“Do you really not want to know about Xing-zai and the situation at his home?”

Song Xingyou’s ear twitched. He was so startled that he pressed himself against Lu Jingchuan’s arm, his eyes darting around with a serious expression.

Don’t want to know! You don’t want to know!

Song Xingyou knew Lu Jingchuan too well; he was a STEM guy who wasn’t even interested in family drama and was above such low-level interests! As Song Xingyou expected, Lu Jingchuan declined flatly. “Do not tell me those groundless rumors.”

Song the cat retracted his head and let out a great sigh of relief while patting his chest. When the man noticed him, he immediately put on an innocent and cute look, blinking one eye. A “wink” that was cute and soft to the extreme.

“Youyou, you cannot run out again next time.” Lu Jingchuan hung up the phone. He reached out and pinched the kitten’s pointed ear. The thin ear leather had a beautiful red glow, and the soft, resilient texture invited human touch.

the varying pressure on his ear made it itch. The kitten unhappily stretched its two paws, giving a full-body stretch while opening its mouth to reveal a fierce “python” form.

I’ll bite you!

Lu Jingchuan wiped the dirt from the kitten’s face. A bit of gray was very distinct on his pale fingertip. The man said nothing, only watching the kitten quietly.

“Meow meow!” Song the cat instantly felt guilty. He timidly tucked his tail, his round backside swaying as he backed away. He rested his chin on his paws, blinking his large, round eyes with an innocent expression.

When the man reached out to grab him, he took a bite and turned to run away. The kitten knew it had made the house dirty and felt guilty. Its four paws scrambled as it ran fast. Only Lu Jingchuan remained, using a cloth to wipe the paw prints on the floor until they were clean.

Song Xingyou ran to the second floor to look down at the man’s bent back. The tight lines of his back were beautiful and smooth, visible under his dark undershirt as he moved, revealing a great deal of “sex appeal.”

What… what a dirty back muscle! Oh, I mean what a powerful floor!

Song Xingyou’s eyes were fixed. He stared blankly as the man mopped the floor. Guilt and attraction burned within him at the same time. His ears felt hot, and he ran away in a daze with a “pony trot.”

Hateful Lu Jingchuan, why did you train your body so well? You really have too much time!

With so much time, you should be making more canned food for me.

Song Xingyou complained randomly. Feeling better, he ran away happily with his tail held high.

“Meow meow meow!”

Song Xingyou hummed a kitten song, pricking up his ears. He waited by the glass window, cheerfully seeing off Lu Jingchuan, who had been studying documents for days, as he went to work. He raised a paw and waved happily. His cat eyes followed the black sedan until it disappeared around the corner. A bright corner of his collar was visible on his upright neck.

A new day: Lu Jingchuan went to work, and the Cat King went to fight.

Song the cat shook his fur. He pushed his two paws forward to stretch his back, his entire body bending into a lazy “U” shape on the ground.

“Meow!” A pair of black ears stood up by the window. They tapped the glass floor-to-ceiling window like a secret code.

Song the cat efficiently jumped up to unlock the window. He poked his head through the crack. When it came to his body, Xiao Bai anxiously grabbed his scalp and pulled him out.

“Quick, quick, quick! The Boss is already facing off against the other side. If we don’t hurry, it’ll be too late!”

Song the cat was shocked. “What? It’s not even eight o’clock. Why is he in such a hurry to ‘reincarnate’!”

Even university students don’t want to attend an 8 AM class. Why are you, a stray cat, so diligent!

Xiao Bai wagged its tail and said matter-of-factly, “Sang Boss isn’t a house cat, meow!”

Only house cats are still at home at this time; stray cats have already set out to conquer the world! If it weren’t for humans going to work after seven, making it inconvenient to run out, the cats would have already started fighting Sang Biao.

Two figures, one after the other, swiftly leaped over the courtyard wall and dove into the greenery.

Song the cat followed Xiao Bai’s backside, running hard through many twists and turns. After leading him out of the bushes, Xiao Bai suddenly stopped. Song the cat bumped into it. He tilted his head to ask why, but he saw Xiao Bai wagging its tail, looking left and right as it walked.

A big cat leading a small kitten, crossing the road in the gaps between traffic. The two small heads coordinated perfectly, looking this way and that, stopping and starting.

“Wow, cats know how to cross the road!” a passerby exclaimed, immediately holding up a phone.

The kitten turned its head, revealing a beautiful “eight-character” facial marking, and meowed at him as if in conversation.

Don’t take photos, okay?

The passerby was stunned, then burst into an even more delighted cry. “This kitten is so human-like.”

Song the cat: Where are your manners?

“Mimi!” Xiao Bai called. The unhappy Song the cat immediately turned his head and hurried after Xiao Bai into the park.

“The territory you’re fighting for is a park?” Song Xingyou asked blankly.

Xiao Bai let out a “hmpf.” “It’s all Sang Boss’s fault, meow! The cats used to share this place, but recently he won’t let us come here to play. It’s too much, meow!”

“How are they stopping you from playing?”

“They pee under the trees to mark the territory. If they see a cat, they hit them. None of the cats can come play anymore, meow!”

Song Xingyou rubbed his chin. “Should I find someone to neuter them?”

To be honest, he had a few connections who could “snip-snip-snip” without hesitation.

“Meow-your-mother! You wicked little thing! Look how you’ve spoiled these brats!”

A coarse, “dongbei-accented” cat cry let out a shrill, angry scream. Among the two groups of cats facing off in the distance, a pure white lion cat puffed up its fur in anger. It slapped a pebble away with one paw, kicking up dust. It suddenly turned its head, its eyes accurately capturing the figure of the little tricolored kitten. Instantly, its fur stood on end and its back arched. Its tail became as large as a feather duster, and its throat let out a growl. “Meow-ow! Which wicked person was responsible for me losing my ‘balls’? Try touching my brothers and see what happens!”

Song Xingyou was shocked to see it. “Are you that Mimi who stole my canned food?”

Wasn’t this that bad lion cat? Sponsored by Lu Jingchuan for neutering. Looking closely, its face had become a bit rounder. Had it developed jowls?

“Oh, your ‘balls’ are gone.” Song the cat mentioned exactly what shouldn’t be mentioned. He hid behind the “tiger-like” Maine Coon Boss, poking out his innocent furry head and blinking smugly at the lion cat. “Mimi, was my canned food delicious? I’ll send you a few more!”

“My name is Sang Biao!” The lion cat was furious. It jumped three feet high, gnashing its teeth in hatred. It almost crushed its cat teeth.

“You wait! See if I don’t scratch you into a tassel rug today!” It waved a paw, its voice like ice. “The rest of you, line up and get lost! Leave that black-hearted neutered cat behind—see if I don’t pull out its whiskers one by one and stick them in its forehead as antennas!”

The members of the Cat Gang did not move. Dafu, as the retired cat boss and current number three of the gang, flicked his ears and sneered with disdain, “You try it.”

The Maine Coon Boss remained as steady as a mountain. “The matter of you snatching the territory is not over with me.”

“Are you determined to protect it?” Sang Biao hissed, his ferocious gaze fixed on the little calico surrounded by the cats.

The little calico stuck out its tongue at him. Instantly, a white shadow rushed toward him. The other cats reacted, charging into each other one after another.

Song the cat’s adventure was about to begin.

Ding-dong.

A real-time location pinged. A real-time report showed a location deviation.

Lu Jingchuan placed his phone face down on the table without moving. He clasped his hands, his deep dark eyes looking across from him. The coffee brewed a faint mist that blurred his vision. Through the mist, the well-dressed man opposite him was smiling gently at him.

“Jingchuan.”

The man’s suit was neat, and his handsome, refined features were like aged, fragrant wine. Even as he approached forty, he still looked like a young man in his twenties. Only the fine wrinkles at the corners of his eyes revealed some traces of age. He smiled, slowly stirring his coffee, his tone full of emotion. “You really have changed a lot. You used to drink coffee with three parts milk and one part sugar.”

“Now…” Song Yunzhou let out a light laugh. Lu Jingchuan took a sip of his coffee with no milk or sugar. His tone was more intimate than it would be with an outsider. “It was Xingxing who liked three parts milk and one part sugar.”

“Xingxing.” Song Yunzhou chewed on the name. Even though they were brothers, it strangely felt unfamiliar, as if they hadn’t met for a long time.

Lu Jingchuan checked the time. He had a meeting to attend at ten in the morning. However, when he arrived at the company today, he met the eldest brother of the Song family, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time. Song Yunzhou asked if he had time, and Lu Jingchuan nodded.

By seniority, Big Brother Song was of the same generation as his parents. The Song parents had married late and had children late. Xingxing was the youngest child, born when Song Yunzhou was already fifteen and established as the successor. Unlike the Lu family’s high-tech industry, the Song family started with beverage exports. The two families’ businesses did not overlap, but back then, the Lu family had helped open export channels. When the Lu parents returned to the country, the Song family had also been very helpful. Thus, the relationship between the two families was very good.

There was an age gap and a seniority gap between Lu Jingchuan and Big Brother Song. He should call Song Yunzhou “Uncle.” But he had always followed Xingxing and called him “Brother.”

“Brother Yunzhou, may I ask if there is something wrong?”

Song Yunzhou’s lips thinned into a fox-like smile that was hard to read. “Jingchuan.”

“I know that both you and Xingxing were unwilling about what happened back then. But you and Xingxing…”

“Just like this cup of coffee, temporary compromise can never overcome lifelong preferences.” He took a slow sip of his coffee. His smile did not reach his eyes, and even the corners of his mouth did not turn upward.

“Don’t you agree?”