Today wasn’t a license-restricted day, so traffic was a bit congested. The car had barely made it out of the driveway before it had to backtrack a short distance.
“I’ll bring that cat in.”
Before Shang Xuci could even speak, the driver had already gotten out to catch the cat.
Jian Xun was still lying on the ground in distress, completely unaware that someone had set their “evil claws” on him. It wasn’t until the warm sunlight suddenly disappeared that he lifted his head in confusion—only to see a middle-aged man reaching out to grab him.
A story about a tabby cat being caught by bad people flashed through his mind.
Jian Xun’s messy white fur bristled instantly, and his pupils narrowed into vertical slits.
He darted under a nearby parked car and mimicked the warning sounds his boss had taught him, meowing fiercely and aggressively to show that he wasn’t someone to be messed with.
Right now, his thinking was: before completing his mission, he’d rather live as a stray than be caught by some random human. If he were turned into a pet and locked up in a house, his mission would be completely ruined!
Unfortunately, the little white cat was too weak—his meowing had very little deterrent effect.
The man stubbornly squatted down and continued reaching in, trying to coax him out. “Kitty, be good. Come on out.”
“Meow!”
No!
He wasn’t coming out for anyone!
Don’t even think about catching him!
The little white cat trembled as he clung to the cold tire, pressing himself tightly against the wheel. He was so tense he made a buzzing noise, and his tiny tail stood on end like an antenna.
Man and cat were locked in a stalemate.
Inside the car, Shang Xuci finished typing the last word, hit send on the email, and looked up toward the window.
A pair of high-end leather shoes appeared in Jian Xun’s line of sight.
“Come out.”
Jian Xun heard the familiar voice and couldn’t believe it. He tilted his little cat head to check if it was really the person he’d been waiting for.
Shang Xuci patiently waited outside. When he saw no reaction, he turned as if to leave.
Suddenly, a small fluffy cannonball wobbled and darted toward him.
“Meow!”
Don’t leave me behind!
A cold, soft paw pad grabbed onto Shang Xuci’s pant leg and began trying to climb up.
Shang Xuci stiffened slightly but didn’t resist.
The little white cat’s two fluffy ears twitched back and forth as he summoned all his strength, climbing up swiftly and determinedly.
It was a tree-climbing technique the tabby cat big brother had taught him. Who would’ve thought he’d use it on the big boss himself?
At this moment, his courage surged. He feared that if he didn’t take the initiative now, he might lose his chance forever—so he threw all hesitation aside.
Shang Xuci allowed the two small paws to cling firmly to his jacket shoulders. Only when he sensed that the kitten was about to slip did he take a deep breath and lift it into his arms.
Feeling that Shang Xuci had accepted him, the little white cat froze for a second—then started meowing furiously into his ear like a little milk-drunk maniac.
How could you just leave without saying goodbye?!
Do you even know a bad guy was trying to catch me just now?!
If you didn’t like me, then why did you feed me in the first place?!
Waaah, you big jerk!
But Jian Xun didn’t stay upset for long. As Shang Xuci hesitantly patted his back, the little white cat sniffled and stopped crying. The storm passed, and the sun came out again.
He began to memorize the man’s scent—sniffing here and sniffing there.
Such a clean, comforting scent. The cat liked it.
As Shang Xuci carried him toward the car, he realized he was about to leave this place.
Cat-cat felt a little regret.
He hadn’t even brought his belongings! Over the past few days, he’d collected so many useful and fun treasures from the trash heap!
Waaah—QAQ
Goodbye, kind tabby cat big brother. Today, I’m going to have a home!
Goodbye, handsome soda can. I won’t need you to block the rain for me anymore.
Goodbye, Mr. Cardboard Box! Even though you were terribly tattered, I’ll remember you for the rest of my life—no matter how comfy my new home will be!
Oh—and goodbye, my little biscuits that I couldn’t bear to eat. If I’d known this would happen, I would’ve eaten you all up last night when I was hungry. I hope you find a new owner.
Goodbye, Jian Xun of the flower tree. From now on, you’re not a stray cat anymore!
…
Insid e the Car
Jian Xun was completely immersed in an indescribable sense of happiness when suddenly a [ding—] echoed in his mind.
[Intimacy +5. Cohabitation mode unlocked. Congratulations, you’ve entered the main storyline. Points awarded.]
According to the note below, these points were earned based on the intimacy level and how much he altered the target’s fate. As for what they could be exchanged for, he still had no idea.
All Jian Xun cared about was the increase in intimacy with the big boss. He couldn’t help but knead the seat with joy on the spot, his ears flapping back and forth, and a silly grin on his cat face.
He knew the big boss was a good person—how could someone like that abandon a poor little kitty?
Meanwhile, Uncle Zhao, the driver, was secretly observing the interaction between the man and the cat. He had felt a bit awkward earlier when he was mistaken for a bad guy, and now the two were sitting quietly, almost like they were strangers.
He mused that he didn’t seem like the kind of person cats would dislike.
He glanced over at his young master, who was sitting with his legs crossed, his left elbow resting on the car window, chin propped on his hand, gazing outside with an expression that looked thoughtful—or maybe just absent-minded.
At his feet, the little white cat was purring contentedly, showing no signs of the disheveled, pitiful creature from a few minutes ago.
The driver recalled the scene before getting into the car.
He was slightly shocked to see his usually cold and distant young master bend down to pick up a cat. Didn’t he just say it wasn’t his?
And the way they interacted was strange, too.
After carefully placing the cat in the back seat, the young master didn’t try to comfort it—he simply set it down gently and began checking his phone.
The little white cat was also very quiet, sitting obediently on the floor.
Jian Xun lowered his head, trying to minimize the space he took up. He looked around at the luxurious interior—the snow-white cushions, the soft leather, the spotless carpet—and then noticed a very distinct gray paw print right where he was standing.
Startled, he backed up in a panic—only to leave another dirty print.
He quickly glanced at Shang Xuci, who hadn’t noticed anything while looking out the window, then anxiously tried to wipe the prints clean with his paw pads.
Rub rub rub.
Wipe wipe wipe.
The gray paw prints only seemed to darken.
Jian Xun was on the verge of tears. He gently tapped his little head with both paws in frustration.
You stupid cat. See? You just had to follow him. Now you’ve dirtied his car. The boss is definitely going to think you’re not a clean cat.
Even the jacket that had just been used to carry him had been taken off and placed to the side.
After that failed attempt, Jian Xun squatted in the corner like a child who’d done something wrong, head hung low, not daring to move.
Right now, he was still a dirty little cat.
A dirty kitty shouldn’t touch their clean benefactor’s clothes or cause them trouble.
The little white cat stared blankly at the man’s thigh.
Once he calmed down…
Jian Xun began to reflect.
Oh my god. He had just climbed all over the big boss’s body… and even snuggled up to him on his own initiative! And the big boss had pet him too!!
That was his first time!!!
Jian Xun excitedly covered his face with his paws.
The phone on Shang Xuci’s lap buzzed with a message from Gu Ming. He glanced at it, then looked over at the cat acting strangely. The little fluffball didn’t look very happy.
From the moment he picked it up, the kitten had shown no resistance at all—in fact, it had even trusted him, leaning its tiny nose toward his face, gently sniffing his forehead, eyes, and chin, its soft, trembling hind paws resting in his palm, and the plush front pads perched delicately on his shoulder.
It was the first time Shang Xuci had ever been this physically close to a cat. He was a little uncomfortable. The creature was so fragile—he was afraid one careless move might hurt it.
He also hadn’t expected it to chase after him despite its injuries.
But the moment it stepped inside the car, the little white cat started to struggle, waving its tiny fists in protest, clearly reluctant to be touched. Its trembling legs barely held it up as it looked up at him, then around at the car interior, lost in thought.
Realizing he might be holding it the wrong way, Shang Xuci quickly set it down and gently touched the loosened bandage. Seeing the wound, he sent a message to Gu Ming.
According to Gu Ming, they needed to re-bandage the cat once they got home and give it some medicine.
Half an hour later.
The car came to a steady stop in front of a pleasant residential complex.
Shang Xuci stepped out, wrapped the little white cat in his coat, and carried it up to an apartment building.
Whoa, is this whole building the big boss’s mansion?
But… it looked…
Kind of small.
The little white cat was placed down at the door. Shang Xuci went in ahead of him.
The minimalist, cool-toned decor and spotless white floor became Jian Xun’s first obstacle.
He had already felt how dirty his paws were in the car—now he hesitated in embarrassment.
“Don’t want to come in?”
The boss’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts, and the little white cat, afraid of being left outside, darted inside in a flash.
He had expected the big boss to live in a luxurious mansion or at the very least a chic duplex villa. But this was just a perfectly ordinary two-bedroom apartment—Jian Xun was honestly surprised.
Oh, right! He had almost forgotten—at this point in time, the big boss hadn’t taken over the family business yet. He was probably still in school?
Jian Xun tapped his forehead lightly. Dummy. Can’t even remember the timeline clearly!
Anyway, he was clinging tightly to the boss’s thigh now. Once Shang Xuci made it big, he’d be living in a mansion and walking around like a king!
Jian Xun was still standing at the doorway, lost in fantasy.
Shang Xuci had already returned to his room to change the bedsheets and lightly cleaned up his already tidy apartment. Then he brought a cardboard box out to the living room.
The little white cat was still at the entryway.
He placed the box in the corner of the living room, laid inside the jacket the cat had dirtied earlier, and added a clean little blanket. Then he went to call the cat over.
When the little white cat strutted over with its “graceful” cat walk, Shang Xuci finally noticed what felt off—the paw prints on the floor.
Acting quickly, he pulled the clean blanket out of the box. Until the kitten was washed, he wouldn’t be putting that in again.
Giving the cat a bath, however, became a major problem. He had absolutely no experience.
Raising a cat, he realized, was harder than raising a child. At least with a child, you could communicate.
Shang Xuci first searched online for everything he needed to know—how to feed a cat, bathe a cat, general care tips—and then ordered a rush delivery of cat supplies.
After clicking “buy,” he messaged his cousin Shen Huan to ask if she was willing to adopt a cat.
Shen Huan was a professional cat lover and far more experienced in cat care.
He had never planned to raise a cat. Honestly, fluffy things didn’t appeal to him at all.
Not to mention, Shang Xuci had mild OCD. The idea of cat fur scattered around the house was unbearable. Having to scoop litter and deal with the lingering smell in his home? He couldn’t stand it.
Of course, that didn’t mean he could just leave the only stray cat that had ever shown him affection to die under the huapai tree. Shang Xuci’s intention was to find it a reliable, loving home—someone who truly liked and cared for it. Until then, he would take temporary responsibility for this poor little thing.
And Shen Huan was a solid choice.
He could rest easy leaving the cat with her—and check in on the little white cat whenever he felt like it.
Meanwhile, Jian Xun, curled up in the cardboard box, was completely unaware. He lay on his side, hugging his tail and sleeping soundly. So tiny, he barely took up a corner of the box.
After finishing his research on how to bathe a cat, Shang Xuci walked over to the box.
The little white cat had one paw over his eyes, revealing the soft paw pad beneath, breathing rhythmically in gentle purrs.
Shang Xuci slipped on a pair of disposable gloves, put on a face mask, and tied on an apron he hadn’t worn in years. Then he picked up the cat.
Jian Xun, who had been dreaming about finding dried fish, suddenly felt himself lift into the air. He opened his eyes to see the big boss holding him. Before he could even feel happy—
—he was carried straight into the bathroom.
Wait… wait… what is going on here??!