Shang Xuci looked incredulous.
“Speaking of which, your cat is really interesting. He has all sorts of things piled on that floral blanket.”
“I saw him putting canned food, cat food, dried fish, and his toys into his backpack.”
“There’s a stray cat outside keeping him company. The two of them are hanging around together, and Sui Sui looks like he’s ready to go with them.”
Shang Xuci sat in his wheelchair and said calmly, “Impossible.”
The hand resting on his leg clenched.
He knew Sui Sui well. He was a clingy little cat, terrified of being abandoned.
He cooked, mopped the floor, and massaged his legs. Every day, he’d squat in the porch, waiting for him to come home.
Even when he didn’t leave the house, the cat would stay in the study, keeping him company.
If that wasn’t love, what was it?
He never treated Sui Sui badly—buying him the best food, clothing, and toys.
Sui Sui had no reason to run away.
Besides, Sui Sui had been sticking to him even more lately, even sleeping curled against his neck at night.
His tone was firm.
Meng Jingxue had never seen him so devoted to a cat before, and she said, “Maybe I’m overthinking it.”
She spread her hands and continued, “Wait until your stitches are removed the day after tomorrow, then you can see for yourself.”
…
On the day his stitches were to be removed—
Meng Jingxue hadn’t arrived yet, and Shang Xuci was alone in the room.
The cat that usually followed him everywhere was nowhere to be seen.
Shang Xuci’s right eyelid twitched constantly. He pursed his lips tightly, thinking of what Meng Jingxue had told him two days ago.
“Sui Sui?”
The empty room was eerily quiet; Shang Xuci could even hear his own breathing.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
“Mia~ Meow.”
A sweet meow echoed. Shang Xuci heard a thump, …
Only he knew how panicked he had been in those brief seconds.
The familiar cat’s head rubbed affectionately against his leg.
Shang Xuci picked up the cat and whispered, “Sui Sui, you won’t leave me, right?”
He had asked this once before, back on the island—and now, he was suddenly unsure.
What was the point of packing?
The kitten didn’t understand anything.
“Meow.”
Jian Xun, who had just told Dai Mao to wait a few hours, felt a little guilty. After a moment’s hesitation, he meowed in response.
He was only leaving temporarily. He would be back.
He pressed his forehead against the cat’s head in a gentle nudge.
After receiving that response, Shang Xuci felt relieved enough to proceed with the afternoon checkup.
This afternoon, he could see his cat in person.
At two o’clock in the afternoon, the sun was high in the sky.
Shang Xuci lay in bed.
A beam of light pierced the pitch-black world.
It grew brighter and brighter until it illuminated everything. Shang Xuci seemed to awaken from a dream, slowly opening his eyes. The light was dazzling, yet gentle.
His vision was still a little blurry.
He quickly shifted his gaze to the dim light inside the room. Above him, Meng Jingxue’s gentle voice reached his ears, but he listened absentmindedly.
The cat sat upright by the door, a small bag tied around its neck.
He couldn’t see its expression, but he could feel its gaze. It gave him a long look, then turned and walked away without looking back.
“Sui Sui!”
Shang Xuci shouted, leaping from the bed and accidentally knocking over the tray of medical instruments in Meng Jingxue’s hands.
His eyes hadn’t fully adjusted to the dim orange light, and the bandage on his arm hadn’t been completely removed, but he was in too much of a hurry to care.
Meng Jingxue quickly stopped him, saying, “Your eyes have only just recovered. You can’t go out—it’s sunny out there!”
“Sui Sui!”
Shang Xuci watched the cat walk out without hesitation or pause. His eyelids trembled, and he called out, “Sui Sui,” again.
The white cat ran even faster, practically stumbling out of the courtyard on three legs, disappearing from sight.
Shang Xuci’s emotions surged. His pale face, long deprived of sunlight, flushed with agitation.
He reached the door, his long legs about to take a step, but Meng Jingxue quickly blocked his path. “You’re crazy! You can’t be exposed to bright light right now—it’ll damage your eyes!”
The veins on Shang Xuci’s hands bulged as he gripped the door frame so tightly it felt as if he might crush it.
“I called him, but he didn’t answer! He didn’t even run toward me!” Shang Xuci gritted his teeth, his tone edged with paranoia.
Meng Jingxue hadn’t noticed the cat at the door and wasn’t even sure if it had been Sui Sui. Shang Xuci’s eyes had only just seen light again, and it would take hours for his vision to recover. The cat’s appearance was blurry to him now—he could only make out a rough outline.
“It might not be Sui Sui. Besides, he just went out; he didn’t run away. Calm down. I’ll have Sui Sui brought back right away,” Meng Jingxue said firmly. “You’re not leaving this room today!”
“He’s carrying a small bag.”
Meng Jingxue: “…”
This was what it meant to shoot oneself in the foot.
She now deeply regretted teasing Shang Xuci that day, telling him Sui Sui was leaving. Whether it was true or not, if he could jump into the sea for a cat, what else wouldn’t he do?
Meng Jingxue looked up at the man’s eyes.
Cold. Unhinged.
She felt he was capable of anything. Without another word, she took out the anesthetic and injected him swiftly and precisely.
The drug took effect almost instantly.
Shang Xuci collapsed into unconsciousness.
Meng Jingxue sighed and helped him back to bed.
“You’re a big tomcat, why are you crying?” Dai Mao couldn’t help but ask when he saw Jian Xun hesitating and rubbing his paw.
He was beginning to doubt his own judgment.
The kitten sniffled.
“He must hate me to death.”
He had originally intended to sneak a peek through the window, but just as he reached the door, he met Shang Xuci’s gaze—and his heart skipped a beat.
He turned and ran.
Shang Xuci called after him.
Dai Mao urged him on.
Jian Xun steeled his heart and fled.
Although he didn’t know how well the boss’s eyes had healed, the moment their gazes met, Jian Xun knew he had been recognized. He shifted from walking to running, the small bag bouncing on his back.
Once the reality sank in, a wave of sadness hit him.
His eyes had only just healed.
He wanted so badly to jump over and cuddle with him.
He was too reluctant to leave—yet he had to.
“Didn’t you leave a note?” Dai Mao said. “He’ll forgive you when he sees it.”
That was the note Jian Xun had written after transforming. Would Shang Xuci realize it was from the cat when he read it?
Jian Xun slowed his pace to small, hesitant steps.
Dai Mao looked down at him, lost in thought, then shook his head helplessly. “Forget it. I’ll take you on the high-speed train first.”
“Pets aren’t allowed on the high-speed train. You should find a place to transform into a human first.”
Jian Xun glanced at the backpack on Dai Mao’s back and nodded. He felt guilty for making an old man carry such heavy belongings.
“Can I buy a high-speed train ticket without an ID?”
“Wow, you know humans have IDs?” Dai Mao exclaimed in surprise. He had met many cats who had just transformed into humans, and most were terrified—
Lacking common sense about the human world, they weren’t used to eating, walking, or even behaving normally. Unless they had an older guardian, most cats would cling to their owners and refuse to leave the house.
If they met a kind person, they would be accepted. If they met someone who couldn’t accept their cat-to-human transformation, they would end up as strays.
In that case, cat tribes from different regions would take them in and help them start a new life.
“I like watching TV and surfing the internet,” Jian Xun said casually.
He clutched his small bag tightly and admitted, “I can’t transform into a human on my own yet.”
“I’ll help you.”
The man and the cat turned a corner and entered an abandoned building.
Half an hour later—
A young man in a loose white shirt, holding up his pants, stepped out.
His skin was fair, his features delicate, and his blue eyes were clear and beautiful. He looked like a naive young master from a wealthy family.
Jian Xun touched the furry cat ears still on his head and looked at Dai Mao. “I can’t seem to change back. What should I do?”
“Buy a hat later,” Dai Mao replied. “See if you can find something to cover them.”
Jian Xun’s fair face flushed like an apple as a thought struck him.
“Yes.”
He pulled something resembling a pair of briefs from his bag and cautiously put it on his head.
Seeing this, Dai Mao took a deep breath and said, “Don’t.”
“Just walk like this and keep your ears still. There’s a role-playing booth down this street—you won’t attract much attention.”
Jian Xun’s cat ears twitched, and his long eyelashes fluttered.
“Okay.”
…
Seven o’clock in the evening.
Hua pai shu Hospital.
Meng Jingxue sat by the bed, speaking to the nurse standing nearby.
Suddenly, her hand was gripped tightly.
“Where’s my cat?!”
Pain shot through her hand. She took a deep breath and struggled. “You’re hurting me. Let go.”
She hadn’t expected Shang Xuci’s first words upon waking to be these, and she sighed in frustration.
“Sorry.” Shang Xuci released her hand, threw back the covers, sat on the edge of the bed, scanned the room, then glanced at the two of them again before closing his eyes.
Now he could see everything clearly.
“Can I go home now?” The stinging pain from the needle prick in his arm lingered. Shang Xuci knew he had been a bit irrational that afternoon, and now that it was dark outside, he wanted to go home and make sure the cat was still there.
Meng Jingxue had stopped him once before, but this time she relented. “Don’t worry. I’ll give you the topical medicine, then you can go.”
After handing him the medicine, she looked at his arm and said, “Wait while I change my clothes, then I’ll drive you home.”
Shang Xuci shook his head. “My secretary is waiting for me at the door. You should go home and rest.”
“I—” Meng Jingxue started, but Shang Xuci cut her off.
“Thank you for your care during this time.” He forced a smile and turned to leave without hesitation.
…
Parking lot
Fu Qian nervously checked the time, wondering what congratulatory words he should say when his boss arrived.
Congratulations on your discharge from the hospital?
Pa.
Bang.
The car door slammed shut, and before Fu Qian could say anything, the man sat down and immediately gave the order.
“Drive faster.”
Fu Qian stayed silent and accelerated. He glanced in the rearview mirror at Shang Xuci’s anxious yet restrained expression, then looked away, debating whether to tell him about the incident.
“Mr. Shang, we’ve found Fang Xiuyuan.”
Shang Xuci gazed at the distant lights, lips slightly parted. “Interrogate him first. Bring him to me this weekend.”
“Okay.”
But Shang Xuci wasn’t in the mood to deal with Fang Xiuyuan right now. All he wanted was to get home as quickly as possible and see if the cat was still there.
The phone showed the surveillance camera had disconnected. He tossed it aside impatiently, regretting not having implanted a tracking device in the cat so he could find him no matter where he went.
…
Shang Xuci got out of the car and shut the door.
He walked into the courtyard alone.
The night was deep, the courtyard aglow with warm lights. A gentle breeze brushed past his ears. The doors and windows of the house were tightly shut, not a sound escaping from within.
Shang Xuci stopped, his throat tightening.
He could have called the cat’s name, but instead, his lips moved in silence.
He opened the door and switched on the light.
Automatic cat feeder. Cat climbing frame. Cat box.
Living room sofa. Kitchen. Balcony. Bathroom. Bedroom…
Shang Xuci placed his hand on the doorknob of the last room—the study—his eyelashes lowering. He pressed down gently and pushed.
Still empty.
There was no sign of the cat anywhere in the house.
He checked the outdoor surveillance footage. The white cat, carrying a small bag, had walked out of the courtyard and never returned.
Shang Xuci’s mind went blank. He had never faced such a dilemma before.
His cat had run away.