The Cat Demon’s Diary of Marrying into Luck - Chapter 4

A cold sweat nearly broke across Lin Qingcen’s brow. Steeling himself to remain composed, he said, “I wouldn’t know. I’m not a demon hunter, after all.”

“True enough,” Ji Yunxiao replied, failing to notice anything amiss. He continued prattling on about the demon hunter’s legendary exploits.

Before long, a servant sent by Ji’s parents arrived to call him home. Ji Yunxiao left with a tragic smile, looking as though doomsday were fast approaching. Watching him go gave Lin Qingcen a headache, and he hurried the boy along.

Once the guest had departed, Xuanli shifted back into his human form. Lin Qingcen felt a sudden void in his arms as the warmth dissipated, and he tugged uncomfortably at his cloak.

He looked at the man before him, whose expression was equally grave. “You heard everything just now,” Lin Qingcen said tentatively. “What do you plan to do?”

Xuanli stretched his limbs and let out a long yawn. “What else is there to do? I’ll just keep practicing my cultivation.”

Seeing that Xuanli had no intention of leaving, the tension in Lin Qingcen’s chest eased slightly, though worry soon took its place. “If you stay, what happens if that demon hunter finds you?”

Xuanli rested his chin on his hand and popped a piece of dried meat from the table into his mouth. “The man is already heading south. If he truly has any real skill, it won’t matter where I run, I’ll be found eventually.”

Lin Qingcen’s brow furrowed, his heart filled with anxiety. He couldn’t sit still. “Then what can be done?”

“If he’s a fraud, there’s no need to run. If he’s the real deal, there’s no way to escape,” Xuanli remarked. Seeing that Lin Qingcen looked more worried than he did, Xuanli found it rather amusing and snapped his fingers in front of the young man’s face. “I’ll stay right here and focus on my cultivation. If I’m discovered, we’ll just have a fight and see.”

He paused, realizing the young master might think he was going back on his word. “Don’t worry,” he added reassuringly, “I haven’t forgotten what I promised you. I will definitely cure your illness.”

Lin Qingcen’s frown deepened. He pushed Xuanli’s hand away and turned his face aside, muttering, “That’s not what I meant.”

“That demon hunter has killed many of your kind. Don’t you want revenge?”

“Demons are like humans,” Xuanli replied. “There are good ones and bad ones. Those wicked demons, even if he didn’t kill them, I might have eventually. But if he kills the good ones, then…”

Noticing Lin Qingcen’s somber expression, Xuanli bit his lip, realizing his words were a bit too bloody and might have frightened the young man. He cut himself off.

“Scared?” Xuanli leaned in with a mischievous grin, peering at Lin Qingcen’s face as if he were practically begging for a slap. “Alright, I’ll stop talking about it so you don’t have nightmares tonight.”

Lin Qingcen didn’t press further since Xuanli had dropped the subject. Recalling how Xuanli had been obsessed with becoming an immortal since they first met, he asked curiously, “Why do you want to become an immortal so badly?”

Xuanli froze for a moment. He rubbed his ear sheepishly, his eyes darting around as he avoided the question. “I just do. Why do there have to be so many reasons?”

This time, Lin Qingcen didn’t let him off the hook. He pressed closer, determined to get an answer. “Everyone in this world has a motive for what they do. I don’t believe you don’t have one. If you won’t say it, spit out that pear you just ate.”

Xuanli hadn’t expected Lin Qingcen to be so petty. He slammed his hand on the table and stood up in a huff. Lin Qingcen met his gaze stubbornly, and they remained in a standoff for a long moment. Finally, a string of coughs broke the silence. Lin Qingcen covered his mouth with a handkerchief, his eyes turning red and watery from the exertion, yet he still stared at Xuanli relentlessly.

Seeing the young man’s fragile state, Xuanli’s anger instantly deflated. With a sigh of resignation, he paced to the center of the room and looked up at the ceiling. His tone was more serious than ever before. “Because I want to protect every cat in this world and be revered by them all.”

Lin Qingcen hadn’t expected such a grand ambition. His hands tightened on the quilt, and he blinked slowly as he met Xuanli’s gaze.

In that moment, it felt as if the room were bathed in a sacred light.

“Young Master, it’s time for dinner! I’m bringing the food in!”

***

Lin Qingcen watched as Xuanli’s expression shifted from solemn to humiliated. With a flick of his wrist, he transformed back into a cat and bolted away with his tail tucked, his hind legs practically digging a hole in the floor. The sheer liveliness of the scene made Lin Qingcen chuckle.

“That page of yours certainly knows how to time a meal,” Xuanli remarked. Once Wenzhu had set the dishes down and left, Xuanli crept back over and sniffed each one. “Does it taste good?”

“He comes at the same time every day. It was just a coincidence,” Lin Qingcen said, scooping a bit of each dish into a small bowl for Xuanli. “Could the food in my house ever be bad?”

Xuanli wanted to poke fun at him again, but looking at the bowl offered to him, the words died in his throat. After a moment’s hesitation, he buried his face in the food and began to eat.

Lin Qingcen watched him eat heartily, the earlier embarrassment completely gone. “Cats don’t offer incense or sacrifices. Even if you become an immortal to protect them, your temple won’t be very busy. Is it really worth it?”

Xuanli paused, his grip tightening on his rice bowl. “When I was just a kitten, during a bitter winter, I nearly froze to death on the streets. I survived by luck, but I spent my days shivering, starving, and being chased away by humans. I was constantly facing the threat of death. I have seen countless cats die in all sorts of places.”

Hearing this, Lin Qingcen gasped softly. His eyes widened and his heart ached. He silently poured a cup of warm tea and pushed it toward Xuanli’s hand.

“Linzhou Prefecture is a place of extreme prosperity, yet even here, countless cats die violent deaths,” Xuanli said, looking up. His voice was steady, and his emerald eyes were filled with unwavering determination and sincerity. “Humans have endless gods to protect them, so cats should have one too. Since there isn’t such a god right now, then I will become one and protect the cats of this world.”

Lin Qingcen’s gaze softened. He met Xuanli’s eyes without flinching and nodded slowly. “That is a noble goal.”

Xuanli had never shared his inner thoughts with anyone before; Lin Qingcen was the first. Feeling a bit self-conscious, he downed the tea in one gulp and muttered awkwardly, “Of course it is. Would I choose something bad?”

A few peaceful days passed. Xuanli continued his cultivation as usual, transferring internal energy to Lin Qingcen. Lin Qingcen’s health improved slightly; he no longer suffered from high fevers the moment the temperature dropped, though his complexion remained as pale as ever.

Winter in Linzhou Prefecture always arrived abruptly, without any transition. Recently, the wind had become bone-chilling. Following Madam Lin’s instructions, Wenzhu sought out a familiar tailor to prepare new winter clothes for Lin Qingcen.

“Young Master, look at this bright red fabric! It’s so festive. It’ll look wonderful for the New Year,” Wenzhu prattled on. “And red is lucky! If you wear this, I guarantee your health will be perfect after the New Year…”

Lin Qingcen stared blankly at a pile of fabrics with his back turned, pointedly ignoring the red cloth in Wenzhu’s hands, no matter how much the boy talked.

Red was far too vibrant.

Seeing that his master was unmoved and playing dumb, Wenzhu played his trump card. “Besides, Madam specifically told me that you must choose at least one red fabric, or I’ll be punished!”

Lin Qingcen sighed helplessly and tapped Wenzhu on the forehead. “My mother would never punish you.”

Wenzhu chuckled and began measuring the fabric against Lin Qingcen, his mouth never stopping for a second. “Young Master, I have some good news. Do you want to hear it?”

Lin Qingcen deliberately teased him. “No.”

“Oh, come on!” Wenzhu grew anxious, desperate to share his news. “You have to listen, Young Master! You’ll be happy to hear this.”

“Do you know that a gifted demon hunter has appeared in the capital?”

Lin Qingcen’s body stiffened visibly. His heart skipped a beat, feeling as though it were being pulled by a thousand strings. “People like that are usually just swindlers. There’s no need to believe them.”

Wenzhu shook his head. “This demon hunter is different; he is highly regarded by the Emperor himself. He has been ordered by His Majesty to travel south to hunt demons. He’s been purging evils and slaying monsters all along the way.”

“The master we consulted before mentioned that there might be a powerful demon or evil spirit haunting you. When Master and Madam heard about this demon hunter’s reputation, they said they would invite him to the house to perform an exorcism as soon as he arrives!”

Lin Qingcen’s face turned white in an instant. His heart hammered against his ribs so loudly it made his ears ring. His voice was frantic and rushed, and his hands, which were gripping Wenzhu’s shoulders, were cold and damp.

“When did this happen? Why didn’t Father and Mother tell me?”

“I need to go ask them right now.”

Wenzhu realized something was wrong and hurriedly stopped him. “Young Master, don’t run! Watch your health!”

“Master and Madam aren’t in the manor. They went to Jiangzhou for business and to inquire about the demon hunter. They wanted to send him a message through a contact.”

Being held back only made Lin Qingcen more frantic. A sudden surge of anxiety left his legs feeling weak. He grabbed the doorframe to steady himself, his chest heaving as a cold sweat soaked his back.

Wenzhu was terrified. “Young Master, what’s wrong?”

“Meow”

Just then, the sound of a cat’s cry drifted over. Both of them turned toward the source.

Xuanli walked unhurriedly toward Lin Qingcen. He lifted a front paw and gave the young man’s calf a reassuring pat, letting out two soft meows.

“I heard everything. Don’t worry, it’s not a big deal.”

Lin Qingcen froze. He glanced at Wenzhu, who showed no reaction to the cat’s sounds. He was shocked to realize that he could actually understand the cat’s language.

Seeing that Lin Qingcen’s brow was still furrowed, Xuanli rubbed his head against his leg. Feeling the warmth and softness, Lin Qingcen hesitated for a moment before scooping Xuanli up by his belly and pulling him into his arms.

“Meow!”

“Lin Qingcen, I was being kind enough to comfort you, and this is how you repay me? Put me down! Who said you could hold me? And don’t touch my belly!”

Xuanli’s feet left the ground, and he was suddenly pressed against a chest by a pair of slender hands. A cat’s sense of smell is very keen, and Xuanli, being a demon, was even more sensitive. The bitter scent of medicine on Lin Qingcen, mixed with a faint, clean fragrance, drifted into his nose. It smelled so good that he couldn’t help but purr a little. After a few half-hearted struggles, he went still.

“What’s wrong, Young Master?”

“It’s nothing,” Lin Qingcen said. His hold on the cat was clumsy and his posture a bit awkward. “I was just thinking that we should make a few new outfits for Linu as well. Didn’t my parents say we should show our gratitude to him?”

Wenzhu clapped his hands in excitement. “That’s very thoughtful of you, Young Master!”

Lin Qingcen’s lips curled into a gentle, innocent smile. “Let’s use that red fabric you just picked. The New Year is coming, and it’ll look festive and bright.”

“Meow!”

Xuanli was shocked by their conversation. He began thrashing around in Lin Qingcen’s arms like a pig being led to slaughter. “You wouldn’t dare!”

Ignoring him, Lin Qingcen squeezed Xuanli’s paw and added, “Wenzhu, have the tailor make some shoes for him too. Look at these claws; wouldn’t it be bad if he scratched me?”

Wenzhu had never heard of a cat wearing shoes, but he was so worried about the Young Master getting hurt that he didn’t care. Whatever the Master said was law.

“I’m not wearing them! Who ever heard of a cat in shoes?”

Xuanli’s protests were useless. Wenzhu had already taken the fabric and headed out to find the tailor. Lin Qingcen, growing tired of holding him, finally set Xuanli down. His finger accidentally brushed against the cat’s ear, which immediately twitched several times. Xuanli even used a paw to rub it.

Lin Qingcen raised an eyebrow at the sight and made a mental note: His ears are very sensitive.

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