“In heat?” Shang Xuci became slightly agitated. He took a deep breath and said, “He’s only seven months old.”
“To humans, seven months is still a toddler. But don’t forget—he’s a cat. At seven months, a cat is already grown up,” Gu Ming said bluntly. “In the cat world, that’s when they first start developing feelings and are ready for relationships. Think about it—has Suisui been looking at that little female cat a lot lately? Has he been sticking close to her?”
Shang Xuci fell silent. He hadn’t noticed Sui Sui peeking at the little female cat. If Sui Sui was clingy, it was only towards him, always liking to—
His expression shifted. He remembered how Sui Sui loved rubbing against his hand, and especially enjoyed being patted on the butt… Were Sui Sui’s actions towards him actually an attempt to ease the discomfort of being in heat?
Was he treating him as a heat target?
Shang Xuci shook his head.
Impossible. His Sui Sui was still a naïve child—no, a young man—who didn’t understand such things.
Well… it was precisely because he didn’t understand that he sought him out when he felt uncomfortable.
“My suggestion is to wait until this period is over, then take Sui Sui to the hospital for sterilization,” Gu Ming said. “It’s better for the cat, too.”
Shang Xuci was still reeling from the shock of his kitten growing up. Hearing Gu Ming’s words, he frowned slightly and lowered his eyes in thought.
Spaying a cat right after it becomes an adult felt a bit cruel.
He thought it over. Sui Sui came from a single-cat household and, even during his heat, hadn’t urinated or roamed. Shang Xuci didn’t want to deprive him of his reproductive rights—he respected Sui Sui’s choice.
We’ll wait and see.
If Sui Sui wanted to fall in love, wanted to be a father… Shang Xuci could already picture a bunch of kittens swarming around Sui Sui, the little guy spinning in circles. Oh my god. Shang Xuci closed his eyes—he wasn’t sure he could handle so many cats.
After all, he wasn’t that passionate about cats; he only liked Sui Sui.
Still, he had the money to let Suisui live the life of a rich cat. If Sui Sui wanted to be a scumbag, he could even introduce him to a few girlfriends.
Shang Xuci was still lost in thought when Gu Ming, on the other end of the line, patted his chest and reassured him that, as a bomb disposal expert, he could “defuse” Sui Sui’s situation just fine.
But Shang Xuci simply said, “Not for now.”
“Oh? You’re not going to have Sui Sui neutered?” Gu Ming sounded surprised, but after a moment’s thought, he added, “We encourage responsible sterilization for pet cats, but that doesn’t mean it has to be absolute. Let’s wait until Sui Sui’s heat period is over, then do a checkup to see how he’s doing.”
“Okay,” Shang Xuci agreed. Then he asked, “Before then, is there anything I can do to help Sui Sui when he’s feeling uncomfortable?”
Study.
Shang Xuci sat in his chair and read through the “relief methods” Gu Ming had sent him.
First—prevent the cat from running away. Lock the windows and close the doors.
Sui Sui had been sticking near the door these past few days, but he hadn’t tried to escape.
Second—keep the litter box clean, reduce his food intake, and minimize his urination and defecation.
He had already adjusted the automatic feeder.
Finally—place the cat in a dimly lit room to slow down his estrus.
Shang Xuci immediately got up and drew the study curtains.
You can also use toys like cat teasers to help your cat burn off energy.
Or—patiently patting the cat’s butt can effectively relieve the discomfort of heat.
But the simplest and most direct way… is to arrange a blind date for your cat.
Shang Xuci decided to follow the first few suggestions, but when it came down to helping personally or setting up a blind date, he chose the latter.
He also researched additional precautions for cats in heat—such as their tendency to be irritable during this period, meaning owners should keep a bit of distance while still providing comfort and companionship.
…
Jian Xun wondered whether his frequent late-night trips in and out of the bedroom had disturbed Shang Xuci. His husband refused to let him crawl into bed, and wouldn’t even offer a cuddle or nuzzle.
Even the butt pats had stopped. As if disgusted by any touch, Shang Xuci now left him to pout and trail after him relentlessly.
That day, Jian Xun carried his tablet to his desk, hugging a small dried-fish pillow while diligently replying to backstage messages. The last time Shen Huan had posted a video of him mopping the floor, it had gone viral—his account gained a flood of new followers, and countless private messages poured in, expressing their love for him. He lifted his paw pads and gently scrolled through the comments.
It was the only comfort that eased his pain.
He hadn’t left the house for days. Every morning before school, Shang Xuci would tell him not to wander around, and only in the evenings would he take him out for exercise.
Gym.
Jian Xun also wanted to distract himself with exercise. He didn’t bother Shang Xuci and jogged on the treadmill by himself.
He ran with a majestic air.
Completely unaware, he was being secretly observed by a cat not far away.
After a while, he returned to his usual routine—yoga.
A cat focused on its workout is truly captivating, and Jian Xun drew the attention of many two-legged onlookers, who took photos.
A little female cat even approached him, sniffed him, then lay on the ground, exposing her soft belly. She rolled around in front of him and meowed coquettishly.
Jian Xun, brimming with energy, couldn’t resist the temptation and walked over to sniff the unfamiliar female cat. Just as he was about to lick her forehead, a kitten shot out like lightning, meowing angrily at him.
Jian Xun understood immediately—Xiao Sanhua was scolding him.
She glared at him, then turned to curse the foreign female cat, who was scratching her head and swishing her tail on the ground.
…
Shang Xuci walked over to check on Sui Sui and stumbled upon the cats’ triangular standoff.
He instantly recognized the angry little calico as Sui Sui’s “girlfriend” from the garage.
The American Shorthair, upon seeing the little calico, ignored the immature kitten. She continued radiating warmth, lying on her back, purring, and winking suggestively at the handsome young man.
Meow~
Come on, ravage me! Throw me down!!
This American Shorthair was also in heat. Her owner had tried introducing her to several promising males, but she hadn’t been interested in any of them. She couldn’t bring herself to pursue those greasy Ragdoll types. What she wanted was a reliable local cat.
The tabby was too fierce. The orange cat was too sly and mischievous. She liked neither. Unexpectedly, she had found her true love here.
Look at those clear, resolute eyes.
Look at those battle-worn legs and that fluffy tail.
Look at those impressive balls.
Tsk. Spending a night with him would be a bargain.
The American Shorthair licked her paws, and seeing the lion cat’s blank, bewildered eyes, her animal instincts surged—she pounced.
Jian Xun instinctively dodged.
She pounced again.
He dodged again.
What… what’s going on? Why does it feel like the little female cat is going to eat him?!
No matter how slow Jian Xun was, he understood—the American Shorthair had taken a fancy to him and was trying to force herself on him!
Seeing Sanhua staring at him with an aggrieved expression, he wanted to go over and explain. But then he suddenly saw Shang Xuci walk up to Sanhua, lean down, pick her up, and start petting her.
Jian Xun’s eyes widened.
How could he… how could he secretly look at other kittens? How could he pet other kittens?
Why wasn’t he petting Sui Sui?!
Mad with jealousy, Jian Xun growled a warning at the American Shorthair who had rushed toward him.
“Meow!!!”
Don’t touch me!!!
He turned and bolted to Shang Xuci’s side, standing up on his hind legs, his front paws clutching at the man’s sweatpants.
You can’t hold other cats!
Put her down!
Put her down right now!!!
In Shang Xuci’s eyes, this scene meant:
You can’t hold his cat!
Put her down.
But in the confused gaze of Xiao Sanhua, the man who suddenly picked her up wasn’t threatening. She often smelled this same scent on Sui Sui, who had once told her that his master was a kind man who never hurt cats.
So Xiao Sanhua didn’t dare move.
Eventually, Shang Xuci set the little calico down, and Jian Xun finally stopped his “attack.”
He pouted, staring up at the tall man, then crouched down dejectedly, glancing back at Xiao Sanhua.
She rubbed against him affectionately, but Jian Xun ignored her.
Shang Xuci, watching from the side, assumed he was just being sulky.
Hadn’t he let Xiao Sanhua go?
Actually… shouldn’t he introduce him to his feline friend?
The two cats followed Shang Xuci home. When they reached the courtyard, his cat—Sui Sui—parted ways with Xiao Sanhua and waited at the door for him to wipe his paws.
After cleaning his paws, he scurried over to the cardboard box, squeezing himself in after a long struggle.
Shang Xuci noticed the box was now too small for Sui Sui and decided to head to the utility room to find a bigger one.
When he came back, the cats were gone. Heading back out to the courtyard, he saw Jian Xun licking Xiao Sanhua’s fur.
What a sweet bond, he thought.
If Shang Xuci could understand cat language, he probably wouldn’t think so.
Buzz buzz buzz.
Why does Xiao Sanhua still smell like the boss? She’s not his cat!! I’ll lick it!
I lick, I lick, lick, lick!!
Jealousy makes cats ugly. Jian Xun licked a little too hard, and Xiao Sanhua quickly cried out to her brother to stop…
Shang Xuci leaned lazily against the wall, watching the two affectionate cats, his feelings mixed. On one hand, he was certain Sui Sui could take good care of kittens—he probably loved the idea of being a cat dad.
On the other hand, cats were truly different from humans. In just a year, they could start a family, and a decade or so would be their whole lives. Humans, in contrast, didn’t need to follow reproductive instincts—they could choose the life they wanted.
He remembered bringing Sui Sui home, when the cat had been small enough to fit in his palm. Now, he had grown so quickly. Once he had a cat of his own to love, her attention would shift to his mate and kittens.
Would Sui Sui stop hanging around him? Stop working with him in the study? Stop tucking him in late at night, or whimpering softly to him…?
He clenched his hands, then relaxed them, resting them on his chest, his narrow eyes slightly lowered.
His usually indifferent gaze carried a faint trace of loss.
It lasted only a few seconds before he saw Suisui stop and hop into the house.
Shang Xuci calmly stepped back inside.
Jian Xun, unaware he had been watched, was now jumping for joy. He had sniffed Xiao Sanhua several times, waiting for the familiar scent to completely fade before returning in satisfaction.
Hehe, now the boss has to make it up to me!
I want to smell like the boss!
And I want the boss to smell like Sui Sui!
Jian Xun didn’t see Shang Xuci on the first floor, but there was a larger box next to his own.
He glanced at it—it was twice the size of his box—and saw it was empty. After circling around it once, he decisively returned to his original box.
After squeezing his butt in with some effort, he finally fit. But his tail… his tail needed to be held.
Yes, this box was still the best.
After testing it and finding it still manageable, he hopped out, shot the bigger box a disdainful look, and kicked it away with his hind legs.
Hmph, I don’t need you.
Jian Xun headed straight for the second-floor study—only to realize he had been so busy kicking boxes that he’d forgotten his tablet!
Today’s game day!!
Thump, thump, thump!
He bounded back down the stairs, found his tablet in its usual spot, scooped it up easily, and sprang upstairs in two steps.
At first, he sat quietly and watched the game from the side. But after a while, his eyes drifted to the boss’s hand, and his butt began to itch.
Jian Xun’s eyes grew hazy, but his body moved on its own—he wanted to straddle the boss’s hand and flop down flat.
Unfortunately, the man didn’t indulge him like before. He coolly pulled his arm away and only rubbed his furry head twice.
Jian Xun tried to cuddle against his hand, but the man shifted, and he missed.
Meow??
…
The next day
The cat sat on the sofa next to Shang Xuci, watching TV. His round, watery eyes sparkled. A casual glance caught sight of the boss’s phone screen—
A Napoleon shorthair, sitting with her legs together, posture prim and ladylike.
Jian Xun’s pupils shrank in shock.