Cat Demon Raising Manual - Chapter 25

Why? Could it be that she wasn’t as good as that…

Wu Wei spent the entire night searching for the cat, even neglecting her games, but she couldn’t find even a trace of it. Seeing her granddaughter so dejected, Wan Jinhua comforted her, “Mary is very beautiful. Maybe someone took a liking to her and is keeping her indoors, not letting her out.”

Her words only added fuel to the fire. Wu Wei sprang to her feet, her hands braced on the table, eyes wide with agitation.

“No, Mary is my cat. I have to find her.”

Wan Jinhua quietly tidied up her sewing supplies, thinking of a solution, then suggested, “How about we hire a professional cat search team?”

Wu Wei hesitated for a moment, her gaze drifting to Wan Jinhua’s full head of white hair. Hiring a search team would cost a lot, and money didn’t grow on trees. Their family had been living off their savings, and spending too much on a cat seemed somewhat unreasonable.

Wan Jinhua noticed Wu Wei’s hesitation and walked over, gently patting her shoulder. With a smile, she said, “Mary is like family to us. If you’re worried she might be taken by someone with ill intentions, do what you can. You’ll come to realize that problems solvable with money are the least of your worries. Some things, once missed, offer no chance for regret.”

Wu Wei bit her lip and softly murmured in agreement.

“I was the one who brought Mary home, so I should take responsibility. I’ll go see if there are any stray cats around, especially orange ones. I’ve heard a few cat treats can get them to pass along messages.”

“There are plenty of stray cats near the market, but they’re rare in our neighborhood. Lots of people walk their dogs here,” Wan Jinhua reminded her.

Wu Wei nodded, her brow still furrowed. “I’ll check there tomorrow. School starts the day after, Grandma. When you go to the park, please keep an eye out too. But whatever you do, don’t approach any tabby cats.”

What if the tabby cats issued some kind of underworld bounty? That would be awkward.

Back in her room, Wu Wei lay in bed, unable to fall asleep.

Normally, there would be a cat causing all sorts of mischief beside her, occasionally startling her with its antics. Sometimes, its fluffy tail would brush against her exposed knees as she sat cross-legged.

When hungry, it would meow with a drawn-out, coquettish tone or suddenly dash around excitedly.

Thinking of the times when Hua Wangxuan was around, a smile unconsciously crept onto Wu Wei’s lips. But the thought of the cat possibly suffering somewhere made her heart clench.

Staring wide-eyed into the darkness, Wu Wei’s thoughts drifted further and further. She thought she’d be up all night, but exhaustion eventually washed over her.

Unconsciously, Wu Wei began to dream.

She found herself in a lush green meadow, surrounded by weeping willow trees. Beneath her feet was a cobblestone path, and beside her was a clear lake, it seemed to be a park.

As Wu Wei wandered aimlessly, a colorful figure suddenly darted out in front of her. Squinting to get a better look, she couldn’t help but call out, “Mary, what are you doing here?”

Hearing her voice, Mary turned around, revealing those familiar, mischievous heterochromatic eyes. Her fur was fluffy, shimmering as if bathed in a halo of sunlight.

Wu Wei walked toward her, a smile tugging at her lips, her tone a mix of complaint and reproach. “Why haven’t you come home? I’ve been looking for you for so long.”

Mary seemed completely unfazed after hearing this, looking at her as if she were a stranger. Suddenly, her ears twitched, she turned her head, and began to run forward rapidly.

Wu Wei, not wanting to let Mary go and afraid she might disappear again, immediately followed in pursuit.

The path felt endlessly long to Wu Wei, with the shimmering lake beside her reflecting her chasing figure in its rippling surface.

After what felt like an eternity, Wu Wei finally caught sight of Mary, the calico cat, once again. Just as she was about to call out to make her stop,

She watched helplessly as Mary, without a backward glance, leaped straight into the arms of another figure.

The person’s features were unclear, but Wu Wei could vaguely make out that it was a woman with long, flowing hair, wearing a beautiful lace-trimmed dress.

Her fair chin and a striking, smiling red lip stood out.

Wu Wei felt a sense of abandonment wash over her as she watched the woman cradle Mary in her arms. Mary became gentle and affectionate, clinging to the woman.

Why? Was she not as good as that woman?

Why was Mary ignoring her and instead seeking comfort in that person’s embrace?

Just as Wu Wei was about to speak, the scene before her stunned her into silence.

The cat that was Mary suddenly transformed into human form. Her long orange hair cascaded down to her knees, the ends slightly curled, and atop her head were two cat ears. Her eyes remained as captivating as ever, like yellow-green gemstones, impossible to look away from.

Barefoot on the grass, her pale feet stood out starkly against the vibrant green, her ankles tinged with a faint pink, and even her toes seemed to carry a rosy hue.

Wu Wei’s gaze traveled upward to slender, lotus-root-like calves, the bare legs faintly visible through the gaps in the orange hair. The cat-eared girl wrapped her arms around the woman’s waist, nuzzling into her chest as if seeking affection.

Wu Wei stared in disbelief, momentarily drained of all strength. She opened her mouth, wanting to ask why, even as a human, Mary had chosen someone else as her owner.

But no words came out. Instead, she noticed the woman casting a glance her way, her eyes filled with unmistakable provocation and smugness.

Damn it! Why wasn’t she the one holding Mary?

Furious, Wu Wei’s eyes reddened with anger. Charging forward as if catching someone in the act, she demanded, “What are you two doing?”

But Wu Wei never received an answer from the woman, because she woke up.

Sunlight streamed across her face, but it brought no comfort. Her brows furrowed into a tangled mess as she rubbed her eyes roughly and opened them, feeling disoriented and lost.

Staring at the stark white ceiling, Wu Wei suddenly slammed her fist into the mattress beside her, venting her frustration and anger.

What a ridiculous, absurd dream. It was anything but pleasant.

Meanwhile, Hua Wangxuan was happily eating the meal Shen Qingyan had prepared, thoroughly enjoying it.

Shen Qingyan, ever observant, let his gaze linger on Hua Wangxuan’s nimble cat paws.

A flicker of confusion crossed his mind. Do cats really have such a high tolerance for pain? Just this morning, her paws had seemed slightly worn, but in the time it took to cook a meal, they had already healed completely.

She ate with relish and was full of energy, showing no signs of having just been vaccinated.

As Hua Wangxuan finished her meal and began grooming herself, Shen Qingyan swiftly lifted her front paws, carefully examining her pads and joints.

Aside from some obvious shedding, there were no wounds or signs of wear.

Strange, had her eyes been playing tricks on her this morning?

Indeed, approaching thirty, she really needed to take better care of her eyes. Shen Qingyan gently set down the bewildered Hua Wangxuan, brushed off the stray fur that had accidentally clung to her, and let out a soft sigh.

Freed at last, Hua Wangxuan instantly executed a lightning-fast series of movements, darting several meters away from Shen Qingyan, cautiously observing her every move.

“You little ingrate, guarding against me as if I were a thief,” Shen Qingyan remarked with a slight lift of her brow, clicking her tongue in mild exasperation.

“Since your foot is fine now, our picnic plans for today will proceed as scheduled. Don’t wander too far, I’ve prepared something delicious for you.” Shen Qingyan’s final words halted Hua Wangxuan’s intention to flee.

Hua Wangxuan lingered hesitantly beneath the peach blossom tree, lost in thought, her cat-like eyes sneakily peeking at Shen Qingyan bustling about in the kitchen.

Once again, Hua Wangxuan quietly managed to convince herself.

It wouldn’t hurt to stay for lunch before leaving.