What greeted the man wasn’t a little kitten, but a rich, mouthwatering aroma of food wafting through the air.
Shang Xuci lifted his gaze and saw several steaming hot dishes laid out neatly on the dining table.
Sui Sui was perched on a high stool beside the table, pushing plates into place. Hearing the sound of footsteps, the cat turned around in surprise to look at him. His sapphire-blue eyes sparkled, his tail flicked upward, and without hesitation he bolted straight toward the man, wrapping his front paws tightly around his leg and rubbing against him furiously.
“Meow, meow, meow, meow!”
You’re back!
“I’m back.” Shang Xuci first scratched the cat’s chin, then changed into indoor slippers. Without any change in expression, he walked toward the dining room—only to fall silent.
Who made this?
Back when he first started working at Yin Feng Entertainment, he’d told his chef there was no need to prepare dinner anymore.
Did the chef not hear him clearly?
Shang Xuci frowned slightly, intending to check the surveillance footage.
The moment he took a step toward the study, the cat quickly clung to his leg.
“Meow!”
No, don’t!
Jian Xun felt utterly hopeless, his heart about to leap out of his throat!
Why was the boss heading to the study instead of eating first?! His plan had been to let the man eat the cat’s cooking first so that when he saw the broken cup later, he wouldn’t blame the cat. But now—great, the man was heading straight for the scene of the incident! Terrified, Jian Xun went limp all over, refusing to let go of his leg.
“Meow, meow, meow!”
The cat’s cries were different from usual—urgent and flustered.
It successfully caught the man’s attention.
Shang Xuci crouched down to check carefully if the cat was unwell.
Jian Xun whimpered pitifully and tightened his grip on the man’s leg.
“Sui Sui, let go first.”
“Meow-woo!”
I won’t!
Helpless, Shang Xuci dragged the clinging “leg ornament” over to the living room sofa.
He opened the surveillance footage. Since the camera battery was nearly dead, some time segments were missing under power-saving mode. All he could see was a tall, dark figure carrying a plastic bag into the house. If it weren’t for the black-tipped tail swishing at the end, he would have thought a burglar had broken in.
Was that… Sui Sui?
Once he clearly saw that the figure in the footage was indeed the cat, Shang Xuci’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly. He lowered his gaze to look at the cat still clutching tightly to his leg.
Seeing him pick up his phone, Jian Xun became even more anxious. Not caring about anything else, he tugged at the man’s clothes, trying to pull him toward the dining table.
Was the cat trying to get him to eat? Shang Xuci mused. To confirm, he followed the little cat to sit at the table—where his eyes immediately fell on a tablet that hadn’t gone dark yet. He casually tapped it, and the screen displayed a page titled How to Make Braised Fish.
An absurd, ridiculous thought flashed through his mind.
Shang Xuci’s thin lips twitched slightly. His gaze swept over, only to meet the cat’s wide, beautiful eyes staring at him with a dazed, confused—almost silly—expression.
Just then, his phone lit up with an incoming call. Shang Xuci answered.
“Boss, I’m really sorry. I didn’t have time to tell my apprentice, and he went ahead and delivered the food to your house. I—”
Before the man could finish, Shang Xuci cut him off. “I know.”
He hung up, the corner of his mouth twitching again. What on earth was he thinking—suspecting that his own cat could cook?!
Jian Xun obediently sat perched on the high stool, his ears twitching a few times.
Hearing the voice on the other end of the call, he guiltily lowered his head to look at his paws.
Oh no… Had the boss found out he’d stolen his lunch?!
Jian Xun recalled how, after buying groceries and coming home, he was rinsing rice and washing vegetables in the kitchen when he heard unfamiliar footsteps in the hallway. He had hurriedly hidden, then saw—and heard—the familiar knock of the usual food delivery guy.
“Boss, I’m here with your meal.”
There was no reply from inside.
After a short wait, the door opened.
“Meow-woo!”
“Oh, it’s Sui Sui.”
The delivery guy crouched down to pet the cat, but didn’t step inside. Instead, he placed the food box on the cabinet by the entryway.
“Make sure your owner eats this, okay?” He gave the cat’s head a gentle pat before closing the door and leaving.
Once Jian Xun was sure the footsteps had faded into the distance, he turned, jumped up onto the cabinet, and padded over to the food box, taking a deep sniff.
So fragrant!
And since he hadn’t eaten enough at lunch…
Transforming into a big cat, Jian Xun carried the food box over to the coffee table, set a cat cushion down in front of the sofa, plopped himself down, and hugged the bowl as he dug in to Shang Xuci’s meal.
Everything tasted amazing!
He wolfed it all down without pause, then slumped onto the floor against the sofa, hugging his now-round belly and letting out a long, satisfied sigh.
Whew—
So comfortable.
After a short nap, he picked up the tablet to review the cooking steps, then stood up and slowly made his way to the kitchen.
Technician No. 2, Home-Chef Cat—online!
Soon, clinking and clattering sounds began drifting out from the kitchen.
…
Jian Xun rubbed his paws together, then glanced up at the big boss, sneaking a peek. Seeing that the man didn’t seem intent on scolding him, he secretly let out a breath of relief.
He used his paw to nudge the rice bowl forward.
“Meow~”
Since being taken in, the Maine Coon was no longer the thin and small creature he used to be. His body had grown larger, his fur long and soft, smooth as velvet, and the fur around his neck was beginning to thicken into a regal-looking mane. It lent him an air of kingly dignity—though the most striking feature was still his sapphire-like eyes, clear and luminous, which became especially bright and focused whenever they looked at him.
For a moment, Shang Xuci found himself slightly dazed.
Then he saw Sui Sui pushing a bowl filled with steaming white rice toward him, letting out a crisp meow that all but said, Eat.
Shang Xuci picked up his chopsticks. Seeing Sui Sui staring at him so intently, eyes brimming with expectation, he was compelled—almost against reason—to take a bite.
The texture was just right—neither too hard nor too soft. Each grain of rice was plump and translucent, releasing a faint, sweet aroma that was subtly enticing.
The table wasn’t crowded with dishes—just a braised fish, stir-fried tomatoes with eggs, and a tofu and vegetable soup.
One meat, one vegetable, one soup.
It fit Chef Qian’s usual style.
Shang Xuci didn’t dwell on it further. His first bite was of the stir-fried tomatoes and eggs. The flavor was slightly different from usual. As for the braised fish, it looked and smelled appealing—the sauce rich and glossy, blending well with the savory aroma of the meat, and the fish itself was tender—but unfortunately, he didn’t like greasy dishes with a hint of sweetness.
After tasting each dish, Shang Xuci guessed that they were probably all made by Chef Qian’s apprentice. The heat control was a little off, the portions smaller, the aroma pleasant but the flavors fairly ordinary—and that fish was even a bit hard to eat…
Expressionless, he ate quietly, originally intending to just get through the meal. Yet his peripheral vision kept drifting toward the cat.
If only he could ignore Sui Sui’s overly dramatic expressions, it would be much better.
Seeing Shang Xuci eating at such a leisurely pace, Jian Xun’s tail flicked high into the air—he practically wanted to feed the big boss himself.
His restless paw pads rubbed against the high stool, and even while keeping him company at the table, he didn’t forget to push dishes toward him—completely ignoring whether Shang Xuci’s long arms could reach or not.
The moment Shang Xuci picked up his chopsticks, Jian Xun immediately reached out a paw to drag the fish platter toward him.
This, this—braised fish! I caught it myself, it’s super delicious!!!
When Shang Xuci picked up some stir-fried tomatoes with eggs, Jian Xun instantly scraped the tomato-and-egg plate toward him.
This, this—the egg, I tried one! Fresh and yummy too!!
When it came to the heaviest dish—the soup—Jian Xun couldn’t push it with one paw, so he stretched out both paws to shove it over, almost lifting the bowl entirely.
Before he could meow again, Shang Xuci caught his fidgety paw. His thin lips parted slightly. “I’ll do it myself. Be careful, it’s hot.”
“Meow-meow!”
It’s not hot, not hot!
I’ve carried it before!
The Maine Coon looked utterly proud, withdrawing his paws and sitting primly to one side, carefully licking them clean.
Once his grooming was done, he looked up to see the big boss nearly finished eating, waiting expectantly for praise.
Shang Xuci elegantly wiped his mouth, then stood and carried the plates back to the kitchen. Watching his cold, indifferent back, Jian Xun tilted his head in confusion, his mouth pouting slightly as his paw pads pressed together.
He didn’t say anything at all.
His gaze fell on the last remaining dish on the table—the fish, still more than half uneaten.
Was it… not tasty?
Jian Xun’s ears twitched. He hooked the plate over with his paw and was just about to lean in for a lick when his head was lightly tapped.
“Little kitten, you can’t eat this.” Shang Xuci knew the cat liked fish, but this one was clearly seasoned for human taste—too oily and salty, not suitable for a cat.
After a moment’s thought, he said, “This isn’t very good.”
The white cat froze, his blue eyes widening.
Not tasty?
He’d caught that fish with his own paws! The recipe was perfectly copied from the internet, and when he sprinkled the scallions, he’d even used the classic “Salt Bae” flourish! How could it not be good?!
“Meow-meow-meow-meow-meow-meow-meow-meow-meow-meow-meow!!!”
Are you bullying me just because I can’t speak human?!
Jian Xun felt utterly wronged.
The feeling of being wronged lasted only until Shang Xuci finished tidying up the kitchen and scooped him up to watch TV.
The man put on an episode of Tom and Jerry for him. While the little kitten watched intently, he himself picked up the book he had left unfinished on the bedside table.
As night fell on the screen, a meteor-like sphere descended from the sky. Curious, Jerry went to investigate. Suddenly, the sphere opened, and out came a green, gooey creature. It transformed into a fluorescent-green Jerry, and the moment it entered the house, it began mimicking Jerry’s every move.
Its round eyes were hollow and lifeless, its expression eerie. No matter what Tom did, it was unaffected—appearing and disappearing without a trace. The way it ate was horrifying: its mouth split into two, and its body could morph into any shape.
Tom, terrified, bit his fingers but still bravely tried to fight it—only to be easily toyed with. The creature could not only transform into the lady of the house, but also into Tom himself, scaring both him and Jerry so badly that they trembled from head to toe.
In the end, Tom and Jerry fled Earth aboard the alien sphere, still frightened out of their wits, while the lady of the house, up in the middle of the night, walked right past them, unaware of everything, telling Tom to shut the door on her way out.
The alien Tom slowly rotated his head 180 degrees, revealing a strange, chilling smile…
The little white cat’s legs instantly went weak. His tiny paws clutched at the man’s shirt, gradually tightening their grip.
Outside the living room window, the wind howled past. The residential complex had many trees, their leaves rustling in the night, sounding eerily like strange whispers.
The kitten’s ears perked up in alertness, eyes warily fixed on the window. The unnerving sounds from the TV seemed to blend with reality, as if the terrifying scenes were creeping into the room…
Night had fallen—the prime time for horror.
The little white cat struggled to tear his gaze from the window and back to the TV. A chilling background score began to play. On-screen, Tom flinched in fright. Completely drawn in, Sui Sui also jumped in shock—then leapt straight into Shang Xuci’s arms.
His soft, pink paw pads tugged at the man’s shirt, trying to burrow into that warm and safe place.
Shang Xuci caught him with one hand.
“Meow-meow-meow-aw~ Meow-woo!”
He whimpered in fear, his eyes glassy and wet, his flustered expression pure cowardice. His fur bristled, but he didn’t care—he clung desperately to Shang Xuci’s shirt.
It didn’t take long for Shang Xuci to realize the source of the kitten’s fear was the cartoon on TV. He picked up the remote and changed the channel.
“Hello, I’m Peppa Pig, and this is my little brother, George…”
The cheerful voice of the pink piglet and the upbeat music still weren’t enough to chase away Jian Xun’s lingering terror from the cartoon episode. The kitten remained curled in his arms, his small body trembling slightly.
Shang Xuci reached out to gently pat him.
“Meow-ah!”
Jian Xun pressed his head tightly against him. Right now, he just wanted to stick to Shang Xuci with every inch of his furry body.
He waited until Shang Xuci closed his book. When the man patted his head and said he was going to take a shower, Jian Xun didn’t care about his usual hatred for steam—he darted into the bathroom ahead of him, climbed onto the towel rack, and the moment he heard the door open, he quickly turned his rear toward the outside and faced the wall.
You can’t see me, you can’t see me!
“Sui Sui, what are you doing in the bathroom? Out.”
Jian Xun stayed perfectly still, pretending he didn’t understand.
Shang Xuci reached over to pick him up and carry him out, but Jian Xun clung tightly to the metal bar, refusing to let go. Today, he was determined to weld himself here—no way was he going to be left alone outside!
Shang Xuci mercilessly took hold of his paws, prying them off one by one.
“Meow—nooo!”
Jian Xun was so anxious he almost spoke human words.
In the end, he was still kicked out of the bathroom.
All he could do was lie against the glass door outside.
When his paws got tired from leaning, he climbed onto the sink counter instead, pressing his back against the wall and lying obediently.
But then he felt a sudden chill run over his body. Jian Xun hesitated for two seconds before his limbs stiffened—he had touched something icy cold. A draft of eerie, cold wind blew across his back, and he was so startled that he grabbed his fish-shaped plush pillow and bolted toward Shang Xuci’s bedroom at full speed.
At that moment, he didn’t care whether the big boss liked cats in his bed or not—he burrowed straight under the blanket, poking out a round little head to keep a wary watch on the window. Every time he heard the wind outside, his ears twitched, and he quickly tucked his head back under the covers.
Not long after, Shang Xuci finished drying his hair and made a trip to the study next door. When he saw the broken pieces of a teacup on the floor, he more or less understood.
No wonder Sui Sui’s behavior today was not only unusually flattering but also tinged with guilt—he didn’t want to be let into the study because he was afraid his misdeed would be discovered.
But sooner or later, he would see it anyway. The little cat might escape for a while, but not forever.
His kitten… was a bit of a fool.
After cleaning up the shattered teacup, Shang Xuci returned to the bedroom to sleep. With a cat by his side, he always drifted off quickly.
Outside, it began to rain. The pattering of water against stone echoed in the silence, eerily reminiscent of the scene right before a monster appears in a horror movie. The chill crept toward Jian Xun’s paws, and he instinctively licked his lips before pulling the exposed one back under the blanket.
His round eyes stayed wide open, debating whether to pull the blanket over the big boss. He wanted to, but didn’t dare leave the safety of the bed.
Turning to look at the sleeping Shang Xuci, he didn’t have the heart to disturb his rest. Pressing his lips together, he slowly inched closer to the man’s warm body.
Let Sui Sui be the big boss’s cat blanket tonight!
If something came to take someone away… then it could take him instead!
Jian Xun gritted his teeth and, as if heading to his doom, sprawled across the man’s chest, pressing his head against the curve of his neck. With all four limbs spread out, he served as a cat-shaped blanket draped over him.
Wrapped in the man’s pleasant, warm scent, the little white cat couldn’t resist the pull of drowsiness. He let out a small yawn and closed his eyes.
Human human human human human…