Cat Demon Raising Manual - Chapter 13

After seeing off the gallery owner who had come to invite her to an art exhibition, the delicate smile on Shen Qingyan’s exquisitely beautiful face gradually faded. Her pure black, agate-like eyes, when devoid of laughter, appeared somewhat gloomy and profound.

When alone, she shed her pretentious expressions, and this moment was no exception.

A ginger-and-black shadow silently emerged before her, startling her into taking a step back. Her hand gripped the door handle as her eyes swept warily toward the agile creature.

It was a cat.

Shen Qingyan’s tension eased momentarily, and her expression returned to indifference. Her brows furrowed slightly, betraying a hint of impatience.

Dressed in a beige retro-style modernized cheongsam, she moved with the grace of a young lady who had returned from studying abroad during the Republican era. The tasseled pearl earrings on her earlobes swayed with her movements, and the half-sleeves of her dress were adorned with exquisite floral vine embroidery. To outsiders, such an elegant and poised lady should not be so cold toward a cat, yet she managed it effortlessly.

She waved her arm, the chiffon sleeve fluttering like drifting snow or willow catkins, her tone carrying a clear message of dismissal: “Go away. This is no place for you.”

Hua Wangxuan, provoked by Shen Qingyan’s cold demeanor, felt a surge of competitiveness. She bet the woman wouldn’t kick her with those pointed stiletto heels. Her tail arched high, its tip drooping like a question mark, as if challenging Shen Qingyan.

Don’t you remember me? Hua Wangxuan moved closer, emitting soft, sweet meows, her eyes fixed intently on Shen Qingyan.

Shen Qingyan paused briefly, her beautiful peach-blossom eyes casually sweeping over Hua Wangxuan’s face. Her willow-leaf eyebrows lifted slightly, as if a memory had surfaced.

“You’re that cat from Tutu Mountain. Why have you come down?”

Hua Wangxuan excitedly raised a paw, as if greeting Shen Qingyan, and meowed repeatedly.

Shen Qingyan’s expression remained unmoved, her tone still aloof: “I don’t care for dirty things. Go find someone else.”

With that, Shen Qingyan walked into her studio, paying no further attention to Hua Wangxuan. Her mind was troubled, and she lacked the inspiration to prepare for the exhibition. She had no energy to waste on a cat.

Shen Qingyan sat before the red sandalwood painting desk, holding a wolf-hair brush but hesitating to make a stroke. Her eyes were filled with confusion and agitation. The scent of turpentine mixed with rose ointment lingered around her upswept hair.

Hua Wangxuan, undeterred by setbacks, stealthily took advantage of Shen Qingyan’s distraction to follow her inside, her eyes curiously scanning the surroundings.

Shen Qingyan’s early works largely employed Western painting techniques, but she later specialized in Chinese gongbi (meticulous brushwork), resulting in a dramatic shift in style, though her pieces remained remarkably spirited. However, repetitive creation eventually drained her creativity, leaving her with no desire to paint.

Her downfall began when her latest work was criticized by her teacher, a world-renowned painter, for having form but lacking soul. Since then, she had become disheartened and increasingly mediocre.

Shen Qingyan planned to submit a few of her usual gongbi paintings to meet the exhibition’s requirements. But just as her brush touched the rice paper, the celadon brush washer was knocked over, splashing water and causing stains to spread across the paper.

Shen Qingyan looked closely and realized it was that pesky cat, leaping onto the painting desk to cause trouble.

Shen Qingyan frowned in displeasure, reaching out to pinch Hua Wangxuan by the nape of her neck. Yet, the moment her fingers brushed against the warm pulse, her grip inexplicably loosened, and she spat out harsh words: “Filthy creature, who allowed you up here?”

Hua Wangxuan, caught by the scruff of her neck like a fateful grip, crouched on the rosewood painting table like a dazed hen, only to be lifted into the air.

Embarrassed, Hua Wangxuan covered her eyes with her paws, her ears drooping as if she had lost all her tricks.

Observing Hua Wangxuan’s remarkably expressive series of gestures, Shen Qingyan narrowed her eyes slightly, scrutinizing the cat in her grasp. She noticed it was a calico with glossy, smooth fur, rare and captivating eyes, and an exceptionally beautiful tail.

It perfectly aligned with popular aesthetics.

Shen Qingyan set Hua Wangxuan down, but in the next moment, her fingers began to roam over the calico’s body, feeling its bones, starting from the dense, slightly firm head, the frequently twitching ears adorned with clever tufts of fur, the fluffy and abundant snowy-white fur around the chest, the sleek and prominent spine, the strong and powerful limbs, the pink paw pads that occasionally revealed sharp claws, the soft belly, and finally, the sensitive tail.

As Shen Qingyan reached the base of the tail, Hua Wangxuan couldn’t resist turning her head to give a light nip, leaving two small, damp marks on the jade-like skin of her hand.

Unfazed, Shen Qingyan gently patted the area along the spine. This time, Hua Wangxuan didn’t bite her but instead arched her back and let out a soft, cooing purr.

Shen Qingyan seemed to have roughly grasped Hua Wangxuan’s muscle structure through her touch. Her dark eyes, deep and absorbing like black holes, fixed on Hua Wangxuan, while her crimson lips curved into a slight smile, hinting at her owner’s good mood.

“Since you’ve chosen to come to me on your own, you’ll be my temporary model,” Shen Qingyan said, gently stroking Hua Wangxuan’s head once more. Her slender fingers lifted Hua Wangxuan’s chin, scratching it lightly.

As expected, Hua Wangxuan responded with a contented purr.

Shen Qingyan planned to blend Western animal anatomy with traditional bone-structure brush techniques to capture the lively essence of a cat.

This particular cat had just given her the inspiration.

“If you don’t respond, I’ll take it as your agreement, little calico who walked right into the trap,” Shen Qingyan said, her eyes darkening with amusement as she retrieved a silk handkerchief and leisurely wiped her fingers.

Hua Wangxuan looked on with a clueless expression, tilting her head in confusion as to why the beautiful woman had suddenly become so amiable.

“Don’t worry, I’ll reward you,” Shen Qingyan added, a slight smirk playing on her lips as she recalled the cat’s greedy nature from their last encounter.

Suddenly, Shen Qingyan tapped Hua Wangxuan’s nose with the tip of her brush. The cat shook her head and sneezed, her ears twitching as she stepped onto the ink and left a colorful, blossom-like paw print on the rice paper.

Shen Qingyan observed Hua Wangxuan’s every move, no longer troubled by the cat’s mischievous antics.

Hua Wangxuan lowered her head to sniff the vibrant pigments, wrinkling her nose in disdain. She didn’t care for the smell of the paint and turned her gaze back to Shen Qingyan.

The beautiful woman seemed to carry a different scent. Hua Wangxuan edged closer, cautiously testing Shen Qingyan’s limits. Her white paws rested on the edge of the rosewood table as she glanced down and noticed Shen Qingyan’s knees pressed together, her thighs draped in soft, plain silk.

Shen Qingyan remained unmoved, her eyes calmly fixed on Hua Wangxuan as if anticipating its next move.

In the next instant, Hua Wangxuan sprang up, its peach-blossom-pink paw pads landing first on Shen Qingyan’s thigh. Its tail brushed against the intricately woven silver bracelet on her wrist before swiftly retracting.

Shen Qingyan’s gaze deepened, like hidden reefs in the sea, her expression inscrutable. Yet instead of coldly pushing Hua Wangxuan away, she reached out and gently stroked its neck.

Seeing this, Hua Wangxuan grew bolder, deliberately licking the callus on Shen Qingyan’s tiger’s mouth, tasting the astringency of pine-soot ink and the rich, inherent fragrance of her skin.

Unable to resist, Hua Wangxuan nuzzled further into Shen Qingyan’s embrace, inhaling the scent hidden in the folds of her robe, the intoxicating sweetness of dried sweet osmanthus and angelica.

“You little messy cat,” Shen Qingyan said, a composed smile playing on her lips, though a hint of danger tinged her tone. “Not only have you dirtied my painting, but you’ve also soiled my clothes. How do you plan to make amends?”

Using the handle of her brush, Shen Qingyan combed through Hua Wangxuan’s fur. The rigid brush glided over its sensitive lower back, causing the cat to roll over on her lap, exposing its belly and stretching out the paint-stained paw.

Shen Qingyan bent her head and patiently wrapped Hua Wangxuan’s damp paw with the handkerchief she had used to wipe her fingers earlier. Her vermilion-tinted nails, pressing through the cloth, slowly kneaded the soft, plump paw pad.

Her face showed no impatience, her lowered eyes concealing any deeper emotions.

After cleaning Hua Wangxuan’s paw, she picked up a paperweight and tapped it lightly on the painting desk. Startled, Hua Wangxuan’s ears twitched, its hind legs kicked, and it leaped down.

The afternoon light slanted through the window, casting Hua Wangxuan’s elongated shadow. Shen Qingyan watched with amusement as the cat bounced around in a fluster, resting her chin on her hand and tilting her head to observe.

Hua Wangxuan seemed to have a short memory. It stretched lazily in front of Shen Qingyan, its spine arching gracefully.

Shen Qingyan’s eyes followed Hua Wangxuan, sensing the fluidity of its movements and the rhythm of life within it.

She picked up her brush again, her strokes no longer hesitant. Guided by her hand, the brush dipped in pigment and cast lively shadows across the paper.

With each stroke, Shen Qingyan’s lips pressed slightly together, inspiration flowing ceaselessly. In no time, a lively and adorable calico cat leaped vividly onto the page.

Shen Qingyan glanced again at Hua Wangxuan, now curled up on the windowsill, napping peacefully, its tail dangling and casting a fluffy shadow on the wall.

At that moment, Shen Qingyan began to understand why some people enjoyed keeping cats, there was indeed something undeniably charming about them.