After Turning Into a Kitten, I Was Adopted by My Father-Figure Childhood Friend - Chapter 40

A sudden premonition of uncovering a hidden secret pulsed in Lu Jingchuan’s heart. His breath hitched, and he instinctively held his breath. His fingertips trembled for a moment as they hovered over the screen.

The surveillance footage was zoomed in. At 0.5x slow motion, a round little kitten waddled along, tugging at the corner of a quilt while pushing a tablet, casting a long and slow shadow. Lu Jingchuan’s heart seemed to move along with the folds of the fabric as the kitten departed. It felt as though his heart were being stretched and pulled, desperate to squeeze through the doorway of the walk-in closet.

The overly bright recording made the human silhouette appear even more misty. As blurry shapes merged with his growing realization, Lu Jingchuan became almost one hundred percent certain. Even if it was just a silhouette on the floor, and even if he had not seen the person clearly, his cold and handsome exterior had already crumbled like a landslide. The ice fell away from the cliffs to reveal the true colors of the mountain, fully exposing his suppressed emotions.

His pupils trembled. His gaze moved in sync with the advancing footage as he unerringly selected the exact timestamp he needed. He had an excellent memory. When it came to Song Xingyou, he could recall the precise location and time down to the second.

Lu Jingchuan searched through every camera in the house. The one in the first-floor living room captured a familiar figure with precision. Even though they had not seen each other in four years, and even though he could only glimpse the changes through videos and photos, and despite the distance of the camera lens, Lu Jingchuan stood up abruptly.

His eyes were locked onto the process of the cat transforming into a human. While his gaze remained fixed on the figure, his hand moved with fluid and practiced ease to open a tracking app.

“Xingxing, I am coming to find you.”

“A-choo!”

A sudden sneeze made the little calico, who was surrounded by a group of cats, stumble forward. Xiao Bai anxiously nudged him with his head. The kitten shook its ears and spoke in a sweet voice, “I am fine, Xiao Bai.”

Ha, it must just be the cold weather!

Was it this cold when that man dragged me out for a run at six in the morning? Song the Cat shivered unconsciously, and a thoughtful look appeared in his amber-gold eyes.

Beautiful colors dusted his cheeks, and his silver-white whiskers spread out like a fine waterfall. He looked dashing and charming, yet his rounded body and smooth fur made him appear incredibly soft and cute as he huddled with the other cats.

He nudged a kitten beside him. The small round pendant on his neck flashed elegantly, reflecting his pretty face. “Nuomi, Nuomi!”

The little calico rubbed his head against a tortoiseshell cat and whined, “Let us go back. The convenience store is not open yet. I will treat you all to grilled sausages next time!”

These house cats, who usually ate kibble and canned food, had been obsessed with grilled sausages ever since the little calico treated them last time. To them, it was like a state banquet. The oily minced meat and crunchy cartilage had left them swooning. Since Song the Cat had promised them a treat after finishing their work, the cats could not wait even a few hours and swarmed around him as they headed out of the residential area.

Even at seven in the morning, only a few cars passed by on the road. The contrast of the pale sky against the asphalt created a landscape of black and white, leaving only the green of the park and the red of the convenience store.

The Maine Coon leader walking at the front looked solemn. His bossy face and sharp eyes radiated authority. “That is a twenty-four-hour convenience store.”

The little calico could not lie to them. A twenty-four-hour convenience store!

When that phrase came from a cat’s mouth, Song the Cat was shocked. His ears folded back in disbelief, and his mouth hung half-open as if he had forgotten how to use his tongue.

“I told you that you should not keep children locked in the house. It hinders their ability to get into university!” Song the Cat could not help but make a shocking remark.

Under the death glare of the Maine Coon leader, he quickly pretended to be busy by scratching his face and ears. He lowered his head guiltily, resting his chin on his paws with an innocent look in his eyes.

“A wise cat submits to the circumstances, meow.” I did not say a thing.

Dafu was used to his freedom. When a leader was present, he did not like to line up with the others. Instead, he preferred to be unconventional, walking along the high flower beds with his tail held high. During a gap in the traffic lights, he jumped down and walked over to the kitten.

The handsome tabby tilted his head, passing the graceful tortoiseshell cat to nudge the kitten. “It is just that your human is too clingy. We cats need to set rules for humans. If you let him control you to the point where you do not dare move, that is no good. Do not be afraid. Be bold!”

A cat paw slapped the kitten’s back. Song the Cat was nearly knocked to the ground by the strength of the muscular cat.

“Ha? I am not afraid of humans!” When Song Xingyou heard Dafu say he was afraid of Lu Jingchuan, he immediately felt energized. He stopped talking about going home and fluffed up his fur, running to the front to stand beside the Maine Coon. His round back looked stubborn as he spoke heroically, “Today, everything is on me!”

The cats cheered, “Meow, meow, meow!”

“Woof, woof, woof!”

A cheerful barking joined the chorus of meows. The cat squad turned their heads in unison, crouching curiously by the flower bed to see what was happening. They saw a familiar Husky tied to a tree with a leash. It was wagging its tail happily and jumping into someone’s arms, barking joyfully.

The person appeared thin and small, covered in dirt as if they had rolled in mud. His slanted eyes were filled with a malice that made the cats uneasy. He stooped over, holding a steamed bun, making strange clicking noises to coax the dog while reaching for the clasp of the leash behind the Husky’s collar.

“Is that someone from the Dog Squad, meow?”

“Who is that? Is that his human, meow?”

“Hmm, his human is dirty and does not smell good!”

“That is a dog thief!” The little calico was the first to rush out. His voice, sharpened by urgency, turned into sharp claws that scratched the villain’s face.

The dog thief cried out in pain, feeling a weight hit his leg. He reacted quickly, grabbing the attacking cat and throwing it to the ground.

“Xiao Ha, bite him!”

Song Xingyou was caught by Xiao Bai and Nuomi, who had rushed up to cushion his fall. He rolled onto the ground, his paws throbbing with pain. Ignoring the ache, he turned to command the silly Husky.

Xiao Ha’s owner was a tall, strong woman. Song Xingyou had seen her several times during his morning runs with Lu Jingchuan and had a good impression of the cool, quiet lady. It definitely was not this filthy man!

Silly as he was, Xiao Ha was still a sled dog with plenty of strength. He stood nearly half the height of a person. Seeing his friend get thrown, he bared his teeth, and his wolf-like appearance suddenly became lethal. He barked loudly and bit the villain’s hand without hesitation.

“Ah!” The dog thief yelled in pain and tried to kick Xiao Ha. At that moment, a black shadow flew through the air and kicked him directly in the face.

The alpha Maine Coon, nearly the size of a small puppy, almost knocked the wind out of the man. Unlike the little calico, this alpha, who was undefeated in the neighborhood, moved like a tiger descending a mountain, radiating a murderous aura. He retreated after one strike, arching his back like a drawn bow and hissing deeply at the man.

“Get him!” Dafu appeared on a high branch and commanded the group before dropping down. His sharpened claws tore into the man’s vital spots.

Instantly, the Cat Gang went into action like a team of experienced special forces, launching an orderly attack on the dog thief. Song Xingyou did not stay idle either. He climbed onto the dog’s back to unhook the leash and patted Xiao Ha’s head. The Husky wagged his tail and charged forward.

“Xiao Ha!”

By the time Qin Yuan and the other dog owners arrived, the dog thief had already been subdued by the Cat Gang and was screaming on the ground. Song Xingyou unceremoniously snatched the man’s steamed bun, tore it open with his claws, and revealed several hidden pills.

The thief tried to flee, but Xiao Ha sat on him, pinning him down. The man could only wail from the ground, “I am calling the police! I am calling the police!”

When Qin Yuan saw the pills inside the bun, her face darkened. She kicked him and said, “You can explain that to the police first!” Then, she began to pummel him.

The cats watched from the sidelines, their pupils dilated with shock. They tucked their heads in, wearing expressions of pure terror.

Song the Cat was just reflecting on how one should never mess with a dog owner when his scruff was suddenly grabbed. Terrified, he flailed his paws in mid-air. “Help, meow! Lu Xiaochuan, save me! Save me!”

He tucked his tail between his legs. Turning his head, he saw a familiar face. His gaze traveled from the thick eyebrows and deep-set eyes down to the thin lips that looked so kissable.

Song the Cat immediately perked up. He straightened his ears and complained righteously, “You scared me to death, Lu Xiaochuan! Pay up!”

The man stared at him with a heavy gaze, and his throat tightened. Song Xingyou felt intimidated by that look, and a strange sense of guilt made his ears droop. He was pulled into the man’s arms and tucked inside his jacket, held dearly against his chest.

The man’s voice seemed heavy with emotion. His lips were pressed thin, and an underlying sense of gloom and thirst combined into a deep, raspy sound that seemed to hide beneath a layer of ice.

“We are going home.”

As those four short words hit his ears, Song the Cat felt his scalp go numb. It was as if someone had plucked a string, and he instinctively sensed something extremely dangerous.

“We are going home” sounded a lot like: You cannot escape anymore.

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