“Waiting for me to come home?” Shang Xuci bent down and sniffed the cat. It smelled sweet, and its fur was soft and smooth.
He pinched the cat’s ears and carried it upstairs. “I’ll be home tomorrow. I’ll take you fishing.”
The big white cat immediately cheered up and responded with its clipped meow.
Then it followed him into the bedroom to sleep with the big boss.
In the middle of the night, the man opened his eyes just like last night, staring unblinkingly at the cat.
The sound of purring, the tiny paws resting on his chest, the peaceful sleeping face—
It was truly his Sui Sui.
Shang Xuci stared at the cat for a long while, then gently lifted the blanket to check its left leg. Its snowy, smooth fur was perfectly neat, showing no sign of past injuries. He had observed carefully: since Sui Sui came back, not only had it grown, but its leg seemed almost fully healed.
He held the leg reverently and kissed it softly.
After covering the cat back up, he lowered his head, inhaling its sweet scent, and finally slept soundly.
The winter ice and snow had melted, and the weather was gradually warming.
When he woke at dawn, Shang Xuci’s mind cleared, and he instinctively reached out—empty.
He instantly sat up, threw off the blanket, and ran barefoot to the door. At the cat’s room, he saw the cat busy grooming itself and finally exhaled in relief.
He clenched his fist, releasing the tension in his body.
Shang Xuci constantly reminded himself not to scare the cat.
Reluctantly, he withdrew his gaze and turned to leave.
Meanwhile, the cat didn’t know what had happened. After tidying its fur, it checked in with the maid and quickly ran downstairs to transform back into human form.
Jian Xun first finished the miscellaneous tasks he had promised Aunt Feng yesterday, then went fishing with Shang Xuci.
Shang Xuci’s meals were prepared by Uncle Zhao, who was said to be a top-tier chef with certifications covering all aspects of culinary expertise. He had previously worked in a five-star hotel but was poached by Shang Xuci with a huge sum to serve as a private chef.
Jian Xun didn’t understand chef rankings; he only knew that around mealtimes, an irresistible aroma always wafted out, filling him with a blind admiration for Chef Zhao.
Often, just before mealtime, Jian Xun would sneak to the kitchen window to watch and learn.
Uncle Zhao had long noticed Jian Xun outside the window. The kid’s messy hair sticking up made him impossible to miss.
“Jian Xun, come here,” Uncle Zhao waved.
Jian Xun whispered, “Jian Xun isn’t here.”
“Don’t hide, I see you,” Uncle Zhao said with a smile. “Want to try the porridge?”
It was new, and he wanted Jian Xun to help him test it.
A soft black head popped up. Jian Xun placed his hands on the windowsill, revealing a pair of clear, deer-like eyes. He asked, “Is that all right?”
“Of course.”
Uncle Zhao lovingly served him a bowl.
Just as Jian Xun had imagined, the porridge was fragrant and delicious. After finishing one bowl, he wanted another—and eventually ended up helping Uncle Zhao.
It wasn’t until Shang Xuci got up that Jian Xun set the plate on the table and went upstairs to call him for dinner.
Shang Xuci came downstairs and had the housekeeper prepare the fishing rod, then brought Sui Sui down.
Jian Xun, sensing something was amiss, tried to sneak away and transform into a cat, but Shang Xuci specifically asked him to come along.
Half an hour later
Jian Xun, fishing gear in both hands, slowly followed Shang Xuci. The man held the cat in his arms, gently stroking it while a Bluetooth headset played in his ear as he spoke.
Putting his phone in his pocket, Shang Xuci pinched the kitten’s ears. It didn’t protest, merely letting him do as he pleased. Shang Xuci stared intently into the cat’s eyes. Its azure pupils had lost their former luster, staring at him with a somewhat empty gaze.
Shang Xuci instinctively glanced at the “birthmark” on the tip of its tail, confirming that the cat in his arms was indeed Sui Sui. His gaze fell on the cat’s head. The cat’s eyes were half-closed, as if it hadn’t rested enough. Its furry head nudged him, as if ready to fall into his arms at any moment.
Slightly puzzled, Shang Xuci attributed it to the cat being tired.
But since Sui Sui had returned home, he’d loved to sleep. He could be found sleeping everywhere. Shang Xuci worried about his health and happened to have an appointment today, so he could help check on him.
“Boss, are you almost there?” a weak young voice called from behind. Shang Xuci glanced back at the struggling Jian Xun and paused.
This was the eighth time he’d asked.
“At your pace, it’ll take another ten minutes.” Shang Xuci waited for him to catch up, then extended his arm expressionlessly. “Give it to me.”
The boy’s face flushed, beads of sweat forming on his fair forehead. He gasped for air.
Is his physical condition really this poor?
Shang Xuci raised an eyebrow and lifted the filled bucket from his hands.
“Boss, can I help you carry the cat?”
“No. I’m afraid your small body can’t handle it.”
Jian Xun: !!!
Meow meow meow?
Is he really that heavy?!
Jian Xun exclaimed in shock. “It’s just a cat. I can definitely hold it!”
Shang Xuci glanced at him calmly. “No need. Take care of yourself.”
The man’s doubt dented Jian Xun’s confidence. He consoled himself: If he hadn’t just spent so much energy controlling his Stand, would he even worry about something so small?
It was also Jian Xun’s fault for being greedy and packing extra fishing gear.
He wanted to catch so many fish. If Shang Xuci hadn’t called him, he could have transformed into Sui Sui and now be lying in the boss’s arms with a clear conscience.
He could even have performed a bare-clawed fish-catching show. Who would have caught more, the boss or him?
The rising sun dispelled the mist over the lake, lifting the veil to reveal its true beauty. The water was crystal clear, shimmering, while green trees lined the shore, their leaves rustling in the breeze.
A black Bentley was parked on the gravel road nearby. A man in a black cashmere coat waved at them.
“Doctor Gu, you’re fishing too?!” Jian Xun asked, his face beaming.
“Yes.” Gu Ming had only met Jian Xun once, at the hospital, yet the boy had left a strong impression. He was incredibly handsome, with a soft, sweet personality and a sometimes-goofy side, making him hard not to tease.
Gu Ming glanced at Shang Xuci and then said to Jian Xun, “I’m not surprised you’re here at all. Did he invite you fishing?”
Jian Xun quickly shook his head. “Shang Xuci is my boss. I’m fishing with you guys.”
The boy glanced back furtively and whispered, “Though… I do want to fish.”
“Then let’s go fishing together,” Gu Ming said with a smile.
After setting up the fish box, fishing rods, and other tools, Shang Xuci and Gu Ming sat on chairs to fish. Jian Xun pulled out a folding table and laid out the snacks and tea Uncle Zhao had prepared.
“Okay, Boss, Doctor Gu, put everything here.”
Shang Xuci, holding the cat, asked, “Didn’t you bring Sui Sui’s cat bag?”
Jian Xun: ??
It’s so delicate there, and you even brought a mat for the cat. He’s carrying so much stuff—two school bags on each shoulder! And a large water bottle around his neck… He’s picking up all the important things. You’ve already brought the cat out to play, and you still need a cat bag?!
You want to bring me in, but I don’t want to go in!
Jian Xun muttered to himself, rolling his eyes.
Shang Xuci caught his pouting, impatient expression. He raised an eyebrow. “If you forgot it, go back and get it.”
Jian Xun looked up and met his faint smile. He nodded guiltily. “Okay.”
“And bring a cat mat.”
“Okay.”
Jian Xun turned and walked back.
By half past ten, he arrived, sweating profusely and carrying his belongings.
After putting them away, he craned his neck to look at the two buckets.
Empty.
Both of them were empty.
Tsk. They were both so good at their own things, but their fishing skills weren’t that great.
Hmph.
Jian Xun left, satisfied.
“Don’t you want to fish with us?” Gu Ming called, seeing him hop along with his hands in his pockets.
Jian Xun waved. He had originally wanted to fish, but now he’d changed his mind.
He leaned toward Shang Xuci and said, “Boss, I want to take a walk around.”
Shang Xuci, who was laying out a mat for Sui Sui, nodded in agreement.
Jian Xun immediately rummaged through his small backpack.
First, he pulled out the cookies he had baked. Holding the bag and the fishing net, he paced back and forth along the shore, eagerly awaiting his next catch.
On his way back, he subconsciously glanced at the buckets again. Doctor Gu had two.
The boss had four!
Jian Xun opened his mouth wide, swallowed, and squatted between the two buckets, comparing whose fish was bigger.
Seeing that Shang Xuci had more fish, he leaned in and tugged at his shirt. “Boss, can you give me one?”
Shang Xuci raised his eyelids, glanced at him, and said calmly, “No.”
He stood up and distanced himself. Then he put the small fish on a plate and brought it to Sui Sui. The little guy had already eaten several fish but still wasn’t satisfied, staring at him blankly.
“Stingy,” Jian Xun muttered, pouting from the corner of his eye.
Seeing his adorable expression, Gu Ming couldn’t help but rub Jian Xun’s head. “I’ll give it to you,” he said.
“Thank you, Doctor Gu.” Jian Xun watched Shang Xuci cast his line and deliberately raised his voice. “Doctor Gu is amazing! He caught such a big fish!”
Gu Ming smiled. “Thank you.”
Shang Xuci had asked him out fishing, thinking he wanted to chat, but it turned out he was simply fishing for his beloved cat.
Catch big fish and release them; catch small fish to feed the cats.
The afternoon sun softened, golden light shimmering across the water like a layer of gold dusting the surface. The people sitting nearby also stayed quiet, occasionally chatting and laughing.
A tranquil, beautiful scene.
The cat on the mat stood up and walked behind a tree. A moment later, it emerged again.
This time, its aura was completely different—its eyes bright and its body agile.
The lion-like cat stretched and slowly walked toward the lake.
Shang Xuci quietly gripped his fishing rod, his gaze fixed intently on the buoy on the water. His silhouette reflected perfectly, blending seamlessly with the surrounding scenery.
Time slipped by quietly.
The line in his hand sank, and the still lake surface stirred. A fish took the bait; the rod bent, the line went taut, and the man smiled with satisfaction.
“Splash!”
A small fish was caught in the net.
The cat approached the mat and, without hesitation, kicked it aside. It rolled wantonly on the soft, fragrant grass, giving Shang Xuci a provocative look.
Though the cat ignored his small movements.
“Sui Sui, come here.” Shang Xuci removed the small fish and waved to the lion cat nearby.
The lion cat, its large, fluffy tail erect, trotted lightly and cheerfully over.
Then it brushed past Shang Xuci, gave him a cold sidelong glance, and ignored his feeding. Right in front of him, it resolutely stepped to the other side and grabbed Gu Ming’s fish bucket.
Shang Xuci: “…”
Gu Ming was stunned, then smiled. “Looks like the little guy isn’t full.”
“Meow.”
Standing up, the cat placed its paws on the edge of the bucket and carefully counted Gu Ming’s fish:
One.
Two.
Three.
…
And one for Jian Xun.
The cat’s tail wagged happily.
Shang Xuci’s eyes darkened as he placed the bucket of fish next to Gu Ming’s.
Sui Sui remained unmoved.
Just moments ago, he had been so well-behaved, quietly squatting and eating gracefully in small bites. How could he suddenly turn so cold-faced?
The fishing rod beside him trembled. Gu Ming urged, “Hurry! There’s a fish on the hook, and it’s a big one!”
Shang Xuci withdrew his gaze, pursed his lips, and reeled in the line.
It felt heavy in his hand—it was indeed a large one.
Sui Sui stared intently at the commotion. A large, delicious fish landed on the grass in front of him.
The cat was stunned. The fish was nearly as big as itself. It looked up at Shang Xuci, who lifted his chin and continued fishing.
Jian Xun didn’t want to be angry with his double anymore. He had transformed back into a cat just to catch fish!
He extended his cat paws and hammered the fish with a few powerful swipes, struggling against the thrashing fish. After it had been out of the water too long and finally gave up, Jian Xun bit its tail and struggled to drag it toward his bucket.
Dong—
The fish landed in the bucket with a splash, gasping for breath.
“Sui Sui, come here.”
Gu Ming had also caught a large fish and tossed it toward the lion cat. The big cat swooped over, batted the struggling fish twice, then returned to the bucket, head held high and chest puffed, tossing the dazed fish in.
Plop.
Water splashed all over the cat’s face.
The big white cat stood on its tiptoes, watching the fish swimming happily in the bucket. It twitched its ears and licked its wet fur.
“Sui Sui, did you pick up the wrong bucket?” Shang Xuci kindly warned, pointing to the blue bucket with the large “Jian Xun” sign on it.
Jian Xun froze, glancing left at Gu Ming’s black bucket, then right at Shang Xuci’s transparent white bucket, and finally down at his own blue bucket. Pretending not to hear, he gracefully walked to the shore and crouched down to watch the fish.
At that moment, Gu Ming had no idea what was going to happen. Seeing Sui Sui’s adorable eagerness, he smiled and called out, “Sui Sui, don’t get so close! You’re just a little kitten. It’s dangerous! Come here, uncle’s going to catch you!”
The cat ignored him, focusing intently on the fish.
“Hey, you were holding onto my bucket just now, and now you’re ignoring me?” Gu Ming said, unwilling to give up. “I’ll give you two!”
The cat didn’t even stir.
Seeing Shang Xuci’s lips curl up, Gu Ming gritted his teeth and said, “Sui Sui, come here. This bucket of fish is all yours!”
The cat moved.
It quickly extended its claws into the water, scooping up a fish so fast that only a shadow remained.
This time, there was a fish in its mouth.
The big white cat, holding the fish, walked straight to the blue bucket and released it.
“Sui Sui, you caught a fish? So impressive!”
Gu Ming was shocked.
The white cat gave him a look of disdain. “Who’s calling me a little cat? Who’s incompetent?”
The big white cat flicked its tail and, with a patronizing gait, ran to the shore to continue fishing.
Gu Ming: “…”
Seeing this, Shang Xuci pursed his lips and smiled. This was his cat: lively, active, and able to catch fish—truly impressive.
For a moment, he even suspected he had been holding a fake cat. It was incredibly strange.
“You called me here today for more than just fishing, right?” Gu Ming, noticing Shang Xuci’s eyes never leaving Sui Sui, speculated, “Is it because of Sui Sui?”
“Sui Sui has become lethargic and listless since returning…” According to the maid, the cat is very well-behaved—perhaps too well-behaved. Sui Sui is naturally obedient, so that’s not unusual. But he seems to have overcome even his fear of water. Sometimes he remains motionless, like in a deep sleep, frightening the maid who was recording his movements—though he eventually returns to normal.
Gu Ming nodded. “It’s a bit strange.”
“I also want to implant a tracking chip in Sui Sui so I can find him wherever he goes.”
Ever since Sui Sui ran away from home, Shang Xuci has felt insecure. Even though someone reports daily on the cat’s activities, he still feels uneasy.
As they chatted, the cat caught another fish. After hearing Shang Xuci talk about the cat maid caring for Sui Sui 24 hours a day, he walked up to the man and expressed his dissatisfaction.
Who’s constantly monitoring their cat? Cats don’t like that, do they?
He still couldn’t get used to the large apartment. It was so boring being the only cat there!
The large white cat placed its paw on the man’s leg, meowing its displeasure.
Although Gu Ming didn’t understand meow language, he still offered his opinion. “Perhaps that’s why Sui Sui has become like this.”
The cat turned and meowed at Gu Ming.
“I know,” Shang Xuci said, his throat rolling as he stroked the cat’s ear. “Once the tracking device is ready, I won’t restrict his freedom.”
“Meow!”
Really?
The cat tilted its furry head back and meowed briefly, joyfully.
Shang Xuci picked up the cat and smelled the faint scent of cherry blossoms and bathtub flowers on him. A hint of doubt flashed across his narrow, phoenix eyes. Had there been any scent when he held the cat just now?
Finally, the blue fish bucket returned full.
Back home, Jian Xun followed Shang Xuci and watched him place the fish in the shallow pool in the back garden so the cat could have fresh food.
The next day, the lion cat was chasing butterflies in the garden. Shang Xuci had taken him to Gu Ming to have a tracking chip implanted. He was listless and lethargic when he returned home. No matter how the maids tried to tease him, the cat ignored them.
Luckily, Shang Xuci didn’t have anyone following his cat around 24 hours a day. The maids completed their tasks on time and then left.
It was also the weekend, and besides the security guards, the only people left in the villa were the housekeeper, the chef, Aunt Wang on duty, and Jian Xun.
The lion cat could finally show off his skills!
Disliking toys or watching TV, he ran to Shang Xuci’s room, grabbed some clothes and pants, and took them to the laundry room. He put them in his pocket before washing them, then jumped in and sniffed them for a while.
After washing the clothes, he returned to rest. Uncle Zhao, the chef, had taken leave for something urgent, so Jian Xun took over his work. He then went to his small fish pond to catch fish.
As usual, Jian Xun cooked a fish and two plates of vegetables—enough for one person.
He remembered how Uncle Zhao cooked three full meals a day for Shang Xuci, each with a large table full of dishes, and he never finished them.
What a shame to waste food.
Although Jian Xun was a glutton, he never wasted a single grain of cat food.
He served the dishes to the table, then carried a small stool to the entrance, where he sat and waited for Shang Xuci.
It was already time to get off work.
He waited and waited until dark, but there was still no movement.
The food on the table was getting cold, so Jian Xun went to reheat it and sat on the small stool by the door again, waiting.
He was best at waiting.
Aunt Wang, passing by, saw Jian Xun’s little head peeking out and brought him a small blanket.
The room fell silent again, and Jian Xun was alone.
In a daze, he heard the sound of a car engine. He shook his head and looked up just as the door opened.
“You’re back!” Jian Xun’s eyes sparkled, and he threw himself into Shang Xuci’s arms.
Shang Xuci’s breath hitched, his eyes darkening. The scent of the young man in his arms was faintly sweet, like cherry blossoms, as if a spring breeze had brushed across his face, carrying the delicate fragrance of blooming flowers.
Jian Xun still hugged his neck, habitually nuzzling his soft head against it, clinging to him like a cat.