After Turning Into a Kitten, I Was Adopted by My Father-Figure Childhood Friend - Chapter 38

“Clatter, thud, bang!”

Following a burst of rapid, pitter-patter sprinting at the edge of the receding night, several cats skidded into view. In an instant, the narrow gap between the villas was filled with felines. They stood atop a descending mountain of boxes, ears pricked high, their eerie cat eyes looking down from above with an unexpectedly intimidating air of ferocity and power.

In the darkness, a disheveled black-and-white dog—looking as if it had just scrambled through a briar patch—ignored the dangerous atmosphere entirely. Its eyes sparkled as it rushed forward. Lele, the Border Collie, was so happy to see the cats that he bounced excitedly on the spot, unable to resist barking loudly until a “shadowless paw” smacked him right on the head.

“Shut up, stupid dog,” a voice seemed to command.

A handsome, large Maine Coon leaped gracefully to the ground. Surrounded respectfully by the other cats, it slowly climbed to the highest point, signaling its supreme and unique status. Standing beside the Maine Coon was a cute calico kitten. Under the sky that had not yet fully brightened, the kitten looked as if it were made of whipped cream, its pure white fur accented by sweet, toasted patches. It twitched its soft, pink ears and poked its head out from the heights with a smug expression.

“This is the reliable candidate I found!” Cat Song announced loudly, waving a paw. His chin tilted up slightly, and the corners of his mouth curled into a proud smirk. His soft paws kneaded the air as if he were “making biscuits,” radiating the arrogance and triumph of a commander-in-chief.

The other cats looked on in confusion. The designated black-and-white dog “woofed” happily in a low voice, looking up with a silly, wide-mouthed grin while its beautiful white tail swung behind it like a windmill blade.

The anticipation on Blueberry’s face instantly collapsed into shock. His pupils rounded, and his chubby neck recoiled so hard it created a triple chin. “A… a dog?”

The other cats were equally stunned. Nuomi, a gentle tortoiseshell cat, even grew bold enough to step onto the empty spot usually reserved for the Second-in-Command. She leaned forward concernedly to touch the kitten’s forehead with hers. “Is Youmi sick?”

Humans do not get together with “woofs.”

Cat Song shook his head with an “of course you wouldn’t understand” expression. “I am not talking about him; I am talking about his owner!”

A gamer geek with decent features could be quite presentable with a little dressing up. Besides, Cat Song had done his research: the man was a gaming streamer. Nowadays, internet money was the easiest to make. To afford a house here, he was either from a wealthy family or rich himself. He was a perfect match for Blueberry’s mother.

Cat Song was quite proud of himself. Taking on the role of matchmaker for the first time, he was full of enthusiasm. He did not leave the cats to just imagine it; he waved a paw and signaled, “Lele!”

“Woof!”

Lele happily pushed a picture frame he had brought from behind him. In the carefully selected photo, a tall, thin young man in a black long-sleeved shirt was striking a cool pose. At first glance, he did have some looks.

This was the first time the cats had helped a human with blind dating. They crowded together, fur-covered heads bumping as they blinked their big eyes and stared curiously at the photo.

Xiaobai could not help but say, “He looks pretty good, meow!”

Nuomi, the tortoiseshell who had more contact with humans, narrowed her eyes. “His fur is black. Black is good! Cats do not like strange colors.”

Dafu stretched and did not join the crowd. He reclined on a cardboard box while a pair of paws diligently massaged his back. Resting his chin on his paw pads, he flicked his tail nonchalantly. “Good looks are the least important thing! A good cat is a cat that can hunt, whether it is black or white!”

Cats choose partners based on strength, too. The honest and soft-spoken Dafa echoed, “The Boss is right.”

“Ha!” Cat Song puffed up immediately, his tail nearly pointing to the sky. “You can rest easy on that front!”

While the man could not compare to those second-generation rich brothers in his social circle, he definitely had some looks and some money. He was an “Asset A7” level player for sure.

As the cats chattered away in discussion, Blueberry stared intently at the photo. Compared to the male humans his owner often squealed over, he could only see that they all had two eyes and one mouth. Cats do not understand human aesthetics, but cats want their humans to be happy.

While Blueberry tilted his head in thought, he suddenly felt his head get wet. The “Heartbeat Male Candidate’s” dog was happily licking the “Heartbeat Female Candidate’s” cat from top to bottom. The blue cat’s fur immediately stood on end. His eyes widened in shock, and he instinctively hissed in threat, his ears flattening instantly.

“Dammit! A sneak attack is not the behavior of a gentleman!”

Is the battle for domestic hierarchy starting already? Fine, then—a fair duel, like a gentleman!

Stared down by the threatening kitten, Lele tilted his head and let his tongue hang out with a silly grin, playing the “I do not understand, I am just a dummy” card. Dafa grabbed Blueberry in a hug, using one paw to brace his lame one, locking the blue cat in a tight hold. “Calm down, calm down!”

Xiaobai also hurried to persuade him: “He is just a stupid dog. If you hit him and he licks you back, what will you do?”

“Woof woof!” The silly Border Collie barked twice, lowering his head and whimpering as if he knew he had done wrong.

Fine. For the sake of the humans and the cats.

“Oh, this really is not gentlemanly.” Blueberry grumbled, licking his fur with a sour face. As his barbed tongue smoothed over his short coat, he could not help but snark, “I hope your owner is more of a gentleman than you are.”

“Woof woof!” Having been forgiven, Lele bounced twice and nudged the kitten with his snout. The chubby kitten sat still like a “Blueberry Riceball,” indifferent to the nudge. Lele, who was used to being scolded by cats, was so delighted his tail wagged like a propeller; he almost wanted to howl at the sky. He bounced around happily before leaning in for some “cat-huffing.”

Cat Song felt something was off. He narrowed his eyes, watching the “forced plotline” of the cat chasing and the dog fleeing for a few seconds before a sudden realization hit him. Wow, you big-eyed, bushy-browed traitor! You are playing dumb! You are slow-cooking the Blueberry!

It seemed even a Border Collie found kittens irresistible.

Seeing that Lele had already forgotten about finding a wife for his owner, Cat Song cleared his throat to regain their attention. “What is our goal?”

“Find a male human for Blueberry’s human!” the cats shouted in unison.

Five cats and one dog stared at Song Xingyou. Standing on the highest box, Song Xingyou felt that the wind at the top was indeed cold and wonderful. The morning breeze ruffled the kitten’s beautiful fur like melting cream. He narrowed his amber-gold eyes, basking in the spotlight, and gave orders with immense confidence.

“Blueberry and Lele are responsible for leading their owners out. Dafu, who can tell time, will keep track and remind Blueberry. And as for us,” the little calico rested a paw under his chin, looking solemn, “we are responsible for creating the encounter.”

First, they had to lead the two people to the same place at the planned time. Second, they needed to stage an “accidental” incident that would force them to interact. For this scene, after Cat Song consulted Lele and Blueberry, Blueberry contributed a tattered toy bird—a simulation pigeon that used to flap its wings automatically. Blueberry had chewed on it for half a month until he bit through the power lines. Once it stopped moving, he lost interest and left it in a corner.

“It does not matter if Lele bites it even more, meow!” The well-fed, stout British Shorthair tilted his head, his gentlemanly smile full of cunning. This way, the cat would have an excuse to make his human buy a new one!

“Very good,” Cat Song nodded. When the cats gave the signal, Lele would rush over and snatch the toy away. Extraordinary measures could be taken if necessary.

As Cat Song finalized the plan, the Maine Coon boss, who had been silent, finally spoke. His voice was deep and resonant like a vibrating cello string. “Is that all?” he asked with mature steadiness.

“Of course,” Cat Song rubbed his pointed ears, looking puzzled by the Boss’s caution. “If it is fate, one meeting is enough. Besides, I have created a conversation starter for them!”

He puffed out his chest, feeling incredibly clever and thoughtful. The right people only need one look to know if they are a match, just like Lu Xiaochuan. Lu Xiaochuan had caught him right at the one-year-old ceremony!

When Lu Jingchuan was born, his father, a returned overseas Chinese, was not familiar with local customs. His mother, Ms. Qi, was a scholar who had won national scholarships to study abroad. She lived in her own world of academia, leaving Mr. Lu to handle all household matters. By the time they realized they had not held a one-year-old ceremony for the child, he was almost a year old.

The Song family heard about this and, since they were preparing their own child’s ceremony, suggested they hold it together. A large table was covered with various symbolic gifts, and Lu Jingchuan and Song Xingyou were placed in the middle. Lu Jingchuan did not grab the official seal or the abacus. Instead, he grabbed the little brother next to him and refused to let go. When someone tried to carry him away, he got so anxious he bit down, making the porcelain-doll-like little brother wail in tears.

That one bite sparked eighteen years of Lu Jingchuan and Song Xingyou being inseparable, and nearly four years of lingering, complicated ties. Of course, it was also the start of Song Xingyou’s twenty-two years of “hating” Lu Jingchuan.

So, for people with fate, one meeting is plenty. Cat Song spoke with such conviction that the Maine Coon Boss became thoughtful. “Is that how humans are?”

“My human has been chasing someone and never succeeds?” Thinking of the person at home who was perpetually stuck in an unrequited crush, the Alpha cat looked pensive. Seriously, human, are you just that bad at this?

The five cats and one dog had no further objections. Cat Song jumped onto the high platform, chest out against the wind. The breeze ruffled his soft fur but could not knock down his proudly pricked ears.

“What is our goal?!”

“Solve the singleness!”

The cats and the dog cheered. Moving into action, they scattered in all directions, determined to solve the “single problem” for Blueberry’s human immediately.

Tick-tock.

The hour hand on the clock passed six. Lu Jingchuan, who was accustomed to waking at six for a morning run, opened his eyes in the darkness. He pulled off his sleep mask and instinctively called out, “Xingxing.”

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