The Unwanted Disabled Kitty Just Wants Some Love – Chapter 94

Shang Xuci saw his serious expression and felt satisfied.

Very good.

Cats have their own virtues.

Men have their own virtues.

Cat owners should treat sensitive, fragile kittens with undivided attention.

…

Weekend.

The sun shone brightly. The sky was a clear azure, and a few leisurely white clouds drifted slowly across it.

Ludao Garden.

Jian Xun stood at the gate of the manor, waiting for Xu Tutu. When he heard that Shang Xuci wanted to offer Xu Tutu a job, Jian Xun was delighted. He had done some research and found that people working at the manor generally received high salaries and worked short hours. As long as there was someone to cover shifts, the two of them could negotiate and arrange flexible hours.

He knew Xu Tutu had been secretly browsing a recruitment app. After mentioning it casually to Shang Xuci, Shang Xuci said there was a job perfectly suited for Xu Tutu and asked if he was interested.

This wasn’t Xu Tutu’s first time here; he walked straight over with his cane.

Jian Xun hurried forward to greet him.

Xu Tutu hadn’t realized this visit was job-related. He had simply given in to the lure of Chef Zhao’s cooking and came again. When he asked Jian Xun about it, he felt that Shang Xuci must already know Jian Xun’s true status—otherwise, why would he be treated with such indulgence? How could an ordinary assistant receive such privileges?

And in such a private place as the residence, no less.

While Jian Xun was helping Uncle Zhao make tea, Shang Xuci sat across from Xu Tutu and chatted with him.

They were seated outside the teahouse pavilion. On the left, a fence joined the wall. Violets curled around the doorframe, their delicate strings of purple flowers drooping gracefully.

“Where do you work?”

Xu Tutu patted his thigh. “I quit. I’m focusing on recovering from my injury.”

“Will you look for another job once your injury heals?”

“Of course. To make a living, you have to work.”

“How about working for me?”

“What do you do?”

“Security,” Shang Xuci said. “Just guard the lake in front of the manor.”

Xu Tutu looked puzzled.

Shang Xuci explained calmly, “It’s full of fish for Sui Sui. Sometimes small animals try to catch them, but they’re timid. You just need to scare them away.”

Is it really that simple? Xu Tutu eyed Shang Xuci suspiciously, as if to say, Don’t lie to me.

Shang Xuci said, “That lake is full of rare fish. If you don’t want the job, I’ll find someone else.”

Xu Tutu felt a little relieved. “Can I work part-time?”

“Of course.”

“How much is the salary?”

Shang Xuci held up a finger.

“A thousand?” Xu Tutu thought for a moment. With room and board included, he could cover the grounds with a short walk. The work sounded easy, so a thousand didn’t seem unreasonable.

After all, in his last sales job he’d worked himself to death and only made three thousand eight hundred a month—minus social security!

Shang Xuci pursed his lips. “Add another zero.”

Xu Tutu: “!!!”

“Social security?”

“I don’t do anything illegal.”

Xu Tutu’s eyes lit up, and his opinion of the man changed instantly.

“I can start tomorrow!” he said excitedly.

Shang Xuci glanced at his leg. “You’re willing to work despite this injury. That’s commendable. Your salary will be doubled.”

Xu Tutu was so moved he felt like hugging his own thigh. There weren’t many bosses with a conscience these days!

Now his opinion of Shang Xuci had truly changed. No wonder Jian Xun always praised him. He really was a good man!

The office worker’s cat burst into tears of gratitude.

Jian Xun brought over a tea tray, poured a cup for each of them, and said, “I baked some cookies; they’ll be ready soon.”

As Jian Xun left, Shang Xuci noticed Xu Huai standing not far away, behind the flower wall.

Xu Tutu’s eyes flickered toward him—wanting to speak but unable to. Now that they were alone, Shang Xuci said, “Ask any questions you have.”

“Do you like Jian Xun?” Xu Tutu asked bluntly. “I’ve never seen a boss care for their subordinates like that.”

“Yes,” Shang Xuci answered without hesitation.

“Do you know his identity?” Xu Tutu asked softly; he only had suspicions so far.

“I do.” Shang Xuci glanced at him meaningfully. “Not only his identity — I also know yours.”

Xu Tutu went immediately on alert.

“Relax. You’re Sui Sui’s good friend. I won’t hurt you.”

“Aren’t you scared?” Xu Tutu clearly remembered Xu Huai’s expression the first time he transformed into a human. The man had frowned and questioned him. He had preferred the cat to the human. Back then, Xu Tutu hadn’t been fluent in human speech and only knew a few simple words. Unable to argue with Xu Huai, the little cat-man had bitten him.

Seeing the cat ears and tail atop the young man’s head, Xu Huai had reluctantly accepted the reality.

That memory had left a deep impression on Xu Tutu.

The owner hadn’t wanted the cat to transform into a human.

Their relationship changed.

“Why should I be afraid?” Shang Xuci said. “You should be the one grateful.”

“It’s hard to guess a cat’s thoughts, and it’s hard for humans to understand their behavior. I really wish Sui Sui would just tell me what he wants—where he feels uncomfortable, what he wants to do…” Shang Xuci’s lips curled into a smile as he added sincerely, “Although a cat’s meow is cute, too.”

“You’re a good person,” Xu Tutu commented.

“What about you? Why did you leave Xu Huai?” Shang Xuci asked. “Do you hate him?”

“No,” Xu Tutu said without hesitation. “I just don’t think he likes me that much. He treats the cat like his personal possession and has an overwhelming need for control.”

“Didn’t he give you freedom later?”

Xu Tutu curled his lips. “Freedom for the cat, not for the kitten!”

Thinking of the man’s pathological obsession, Xu Tutu placed his hands on the table and bowed his head. “I don’t want to talk about this.”

The two of them had debated the issue of freedom countless times, and their arguments had always stemmed from it.

Just then, Jian Xun came over with a plate of freshly baked cookies. “Eat up—there’s another batch coming!”

He set the plate down on the table and glanced at Shang Xuci, who gave a slight nod. Immediately understanding that Xu Tutu was about to become his colleague, Jian Xun’s face lit up with a beaming smile. He skipped back to the kitchen to prepare his own batch.

Xu Tutu’s nose twitched as he caught the milky aroma of the kitten-shaped cookies. He grabbed a handful and started munching.

“He doesn’t care about me right now anyway,” Xu Tutu said.

Behind the fence, Xu Huai felt his eyelids ache. He shook his head sadly and murmured to himself, “No, I care about him. I miss him so much.”

The cat he had thought about day and night was right before his eyes. Even though he could only see the back of his head, Xu Huai still felt content. Hearing Xu Tutu say those words, however, made him ache to stand up and shout back.

But because of his pact with Shang Xuci, Xu Huai could only remain where he was, completely distraught.

“Why do you think that?” Shang Xuci couldn’t help but ask. “Xu Huai’s been looking for you. I’ve been to his house—he treasures all your things. He’s in very poor condition.”

“Hmph, not at all!” Xu Tutu suddenly raised his voice in indignation. “I went back and saw that he not only has many cats, but he even has one with the exact same pattern as mine!”

Jian Xun, who was carrying in the second plate of cookies, was suddenly grabbed by Xu Tutu. “Jian Xun, tell me, isn’t it true? Xu Huai has a tabby cat!”

Having not listened to a word of the conversation, Jian Xun was bewildered by the sudden question. But, recalling what he had seen, he nodded firmly. “Yes, Xu Huai does have many cats. Including one—I saw it with my own eyes!”

“I want this one too!” Xu Tutu declared, pointing at the last chocolate-colored cat cookie.

Jian Xun said, “There’s more. I’ll get it.”

After he left, Xu Tutu turned back to Shang Xuci and continued, “I don’t know what you humans think, but in our cat world, home is our territory. Having other cats around is fine, but I, Xu Tutu, can’t stand the poop-scooper raising a substitute cat! He even plays with my toys! Uses my bowl! Sleeps with my little brother!”

“So the tabby cat slept with Jian Xun?” Shang Xuci asked with a frown.

Xu Tutu shot him a speechless look.

“I’m talking about Xu Huai!”

Jian Xun was his brother. Xu Huai was his little brother!

“Well, that’s definitely not right.” Shang Xuci glanced at Xu Huai from the corner of his eye.

The man stiffened, his brow furrowed.

How could he not have known there was another cat?

Speaking of tabbies—hadn’t his adopted brother raised one?

Xu Huai made a mental note. He would explain this later.

“Let’s put that aside for now,” Xu Tutu went on. “Will you be with Jian Xun forever? The kind of forever where no one can separate you?”

Shang Xuci answered without hesitation, “I’ll be with him forever.”

Xu Tutu nodded, satisfied.

“That’s it. Xu Huai’s family doesn’t like me. His mother came over and said I wasn’t worthy of him—just like that tabby cat.”

At that time, Xu Huai had just been repatriated by the Xu family, and he and Xu Tutu were living there for a while.

Xu Huai’s mother also had a cat, a foreign breed. He took advantage of his owner’s favor to provoke Xu Tutu, but was beaten down with a single cat punch. Afterward, he went back and acted pitiful in front of the woman.

Xu Tutu could never understand why a cat that was even afraid of mice was worth loving. After all, fighting back is part of a cat’s dignity.

Later, it turned into a case of a cat flaunting its owner’s power. Xu Huai’s mother took out her anger on her own cat, often bullying him when Xu Huai wasn’t home.

When that cat eventually became human, Xu Tutu didn’t like him either.

Xu Tutu spoke calmly, but Shang Xuci’s expression grew complicated. Xu Huai, on the other hand, looked completely stunned.

He! Actually! Didn’t! Know!

Shang Xuci studied his expression, thoughtful, before asking, “Does he know?”

“He definitely knows. I’ve hinted at it several times!” Xu Tutu said firmly. “He just told me to be more accommodating toward the foreigner—said he was young, while I was too aggressive and overbearing!”

Xu Huai’s expression darkened even more.

He had never realized that Xu Tutu was being bullied by his mother, nor that the tabby cat had deliberately brought him over to see her cat in order to gain her support.

And yet he had still said that.

No wonder Tutu was disappointed.

Xu Huai clenched his fists, wishing he could drag out his former self and give him a good beating.

Shang Xuci used Xu Tutu and Xu Huai’s interactions as a mirror for himself, listening carefully to Maomao’s words and reflecting on what he needed to improve. The only thing he didn’t know was when Jian Xun would finally reveal his true identity.

Their conversation ended abruptly when Jian Xun served the last plate of snacks.

He also noticed someone standing on the other side of the fence. Thinking it was the gardener, he hurried over—only to catch a fleeting glimpse of a figure.

Pushing the thought aside, Jian Xun turned back and offered them a taste of the “Sui Sui” cookies.

That afternoon, Jian Xun took Xu Tutu for a stroll along the lake, while Shang Xuci met Xu Huai in the reception hall.

“Thank you for asking those questions for me,” Xu Huai said with genuine gratitude.

Shang Xuci shook his head. “I can see Xu Tutu still has feelings for you. Correct your behavior and earn back his trust soon.”

“Yeah.”

Xu Huai felt uneasy. His mind was a mess, and he had no idea how to regain that trust. He even thought Xu Tutu might run away the moment he saw him.

As someone who had gone through something similar, Shang Xuci advised, “He really enjoys working. For me, it’s just a part-time job.”

Xu Huai paused. “I understand.”

The sunset was intoxicating.

Jian Xun sent Xu Tutu off, then transformed into a cat and eagerly ran back to the villa, clutching the redeemed candy.

I’m so happy today! I want to cuddle!

The lion cat hastily wiped its paws at the door, flicked its tail, and darted into the study. It leapt onto the desk, set the candy down, and pushed it toward Shang Xuci.

Shang Xuci picked up the candy and rubbed its soft, furry head.

Meow, meow.

He extended his cat paw, pressing gently to give him a massage. “Is Sui Sui happy today?”

The big white cat tilted its head and meowed softly at him.

…

Xinyu Company.

Fu Qian placed a stack of documents on the table. “Mr. Shang, just as you expected, they can’t wait any longer.”

“Have you made an appointment with Zhilida?”

“Yes,” Fu Qian replied, then hesitated. “But… there seems to be a problem with your father.”

“Just tell me.”

“Mr. Shang, he seems to be ill.”

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