CAT - 28

Chapter 28

Yun Xing made it clear that he was going home with Tan Xu today. Unable to dissuade him, Tan Xu sent a WeChat message to He Mi and took the little calico cat back home.

It was already past midnight by the time the man and the cat arrived at the apartment. Upon entering, the little calico immediately strolled around, sniffing every corner. Finding no trace of other animals, he nodded in satisfaction—Tan Xu knew how to behave himself.

Tan Xu placed the items he had taken out and brought back onto the coffee table. "Xingxing, time for bed. It's getting really late."

Yun Xing curled his lip. His favorite little yellow fish toy had been packed up and left at his family's house by Tan Xu. He would have to wait until He Mi woke up tomorrow to have it sent over. Reluctantly, he dragged out a blue toy fish that he wasn't particularly fond of.

He'd just have to make do with this little blue fish for tonight. Carrying it in his mouth, he padded over to his cat bed. The bed had clearly been freshly cleaned; it smelled wonderful, carrying his favorite grape scent.

Yun Xing nestled into his bed, resting one front paw and one hind paw on the little blue fish. "Tan Xu, turn off the lights for me."

Tan Xu was busy unpacking the things he had brought back. Seeing that the cat was already settled in his bed, he grabbed a folded blanket from the sofa, unfurled it, and gently draped it over him.

He then walked over to the door and flicked off the switch. "Goodnight, Xingxing."

"Goodnight."

—

When Yun Xing woke up the next morning, the apartment was completely silent. Picking up the little blue fish in his mouth, he trotted from the living room to Tan Xu's bedroom.

The quilt was folded neatly at the head of the bed. Warm sunlight spilled across the light gray bedsheets, gilding the muted fabric with a layer of gold.

So Tan Xu had classes today. Then why did he still come looking for me last night?

Yun Xing carried the little blue fish back to the living room, pushed off with his hind legs, and leaped onto the sofa.

It was only then that he remembered his tablet was still at his family's house! The realization made him anxious, and he paced back and forth across the sofa a few times.

"Xingxing?" Tan Xu's voice suddenly echoed through the living room. "Are you awake?"

Yun Xing immediately pinpointed the source of the voice: the little black sphere.

He trotted over to the camera, pressing his fluffy little chest right against the lens.

"Step back a little," Tan Xu said gently.

Yun Xing took two steps back, then leaned his head close again, his little pink nose sniffing at the camera. "Tan Xu, when are you coming back?"

Tan Xu glanced at the professor, who was currently checking other students' coursework. "Soon. I'll head back as soon as my assignments are graded."

He paused halfway through before adding, "Final exams start next week. Once they're over, I can stay with you every day."

Yun Xing gave a couple of soft humphs. Tan Xu was always so clingy.

Early this morning, He Mi had replied to Tan Xu's message. She mentioned that they were all about to start working again, and Yun Liang would be heading back to Mount Mingwu in a few days. So, she would have to entrust Yun Xing's care to Tan Xu for the time being.

This was exactly what Tan Xu wanted. He offered to go over and pick up Yun Xing's things when he had the time, but He Mi told him not to worry about it—they would drop everything off in the afternoon.

Seeing that Tan Xu had stopped talking, Yun Xing knew he must be busy again, so he trotted away from the camera.

The last time he had done parkour around the house, he'd gotten some excellent training—or so he thought, anyway.

Yun Xing sneaked a quiet glance in the direction of the camera. "Tan Xu?"

Met with silence, he turned his attention to the curtains he had climbed last time. They had begun to pill slightly and looked quite frayed. He unsheathed his claws and scratched at the fabric again, hoping to smooth it out.

After scratching for a while, he realized the curtains were only getting more frayed. Ultimately, he decided to spare them for today. Giving his tail a flick, he padded over to the bowl of cat food Tan Xu had prepared for him and gave it a sniff.

Ever since he'd tasted proper, authentic meals at home, he simply couldn't accept this cat food anymore.

He sniffed it again. It smelled a bit fishy.

Reaching out with a paw, he pushed the bowl away. It took a few laps of water to suppress the unpleasant feeling in his stomach.

Tan Xu's apartment had long since been thoroughly explored by Yun Xing. From the bathroom to the living room, from inside the wardrobe to behind the air conditioner, he had investigated every nook and cranny. Strutting on his four short legs, he went on another patrol from the inside out.

Remembering his exclusive ride, he trotted over to the robot vacuum's charging dock and patted it with his paw.

"Hello."

The charging dock suddenly lit up with a green glow. The hatch slowly opened, and the disc-shaped robot vacuum rolled out.

Yun Xing immediately pinned the robot down with his front paws and stepped onto it.

Stepped on by a creature of such substantial weight, the robot vacuum jolted to a sudden halt before stubbornly continuing its route.

The little calico stood majestically atop the robot vacuum, his head held high and chest puffed out. He felt like an emperor looking down upon his domain.

Before the robot could take him on a full patrol of the territory, he heard the sound of that big iron box outside arriving at the floor.

A soft ding rang out, followed by Tan Xu's voice. "This way."

Tan Xu had brought someone home with him.

Yun Xing hopped off his ride. Noticing the robot was making a beeline for the bathroom, he gave it a hard smack, physically forcing it to change direction. He only walked away satisfied once he saw it trundling into Tan Xu's bedroom.

When Tan Xu opened the door, he was a little surprised to see Yun Xing sitting primly on the sofa.

He set his things down on the shoe cabinet and stepped slightly to the side to let He Mi in.

"Xingxing, why did you run off by yourself in the middle of the night?!" He Mi took off her baseball cap, pulled down her mask, and finally removed a pair of sunglasses that covered half her face.

Yun Xing jumped down from the sofa and rubbed affectionately against He Mi's calf, playing the good boy. He Mi was wearing a skirt today, leaving her lower legs bare. The sudden touch of the kitten's soft fur made her feel a bit ticklish.

"Sucking up to me won't work," He Mi said, bending down to scoop him into her arms. "You're getting more and more disobedient."

Yun Xing flicked his tail. "No I'm not. It was Tan Xu who insisted on coming to find me in the middle of the night."

Tan Xu, who was busy sorting through the bags, felt his eyebrow twitch at how effortlessly Yun Xing shifted the blame onto him.

He Mi didn't buy it for a second. She lightly patted Yun Xing's side. "Blaming others won't work either."

She carried him over to the sofa, but Yun Xing wriggled out of her embrace, darting back to his cat bed to lick the fur on his paws.

After organizing the items, Tan Xu poured a cup of tea in the kitchen and brought it to the coffee table. Seeing the cat with his paw in his mouth again, he commented, "You're chewing on your paws again."

Yun Xing flicked his tail in annoyance. "I'm not chewing on them!"

"I'll be troubling you for a while," He Mi said, looking at the two of them with a smile. "You should be on summer break right after your exams, right?"

"Yes," Tan Xu nodded. "But I usually go back to my hometown during the summer to spend time with my grandmother, since I don't go back for the Spring Festival."

He Mi initially wanted to ask why he didn't go back for the Spring Festival, but realizing it was a private family matter, she stopped herself. She merely gave a soft "Mm" of acknowledgment before asking, "What about Xingxing when the time comes?"

She figured that if Tan Xu had to leave, she would just entrust Yun Xing to a friend for a few days. Yun Xing wasn't like other cats; he didn't have any issues with strangers.

"If Xingxing is willing, I can just take him back with me." Tan Xu grabbed a cat treat tube, tore it open, and held it to Yun Xing's mouth.

Yun Xing took a few symbolic licks. Remembering Tan Xu's grandmother, he declared, "Then I want to go back with you."

Tan Xu's grandmother had been very good to him, even though they had only spent a few days together.

Seeing her son act so entitled, He Mi offered Tan Xu an apologetic smile. "If Xingxing causes you any trouble, you have to let me know."

Yun Xing polished off the treat tube completely. Tan Xu reached out and stroked his head. "It's no trouble at all. Xingxing is my cat, after all."

He Mi instinctively wanted to correct him, but according to human societal logic, Yun Xing really was adopted by Tan Xu. Technically, Yun Xing should be calling Tan Xu "Daddy."

The mere thought of Yun Xing turning into his human form and calling Tan Xu "Daddy" sent a chill down her spine. She shuddered and shook her head, forcing the bizarre image out of her mind.

Tan Xu probably just sees him as a pet, she reasoned. Once he turns into a human, Yun Xing will definitely come back home to live with us.

When He Mi was getting ready to leave, Yun Xing was lounging on Tan Xu's shoulder. Seeing her head for the door, he raised a paw and gave it a wave. "Mom, remember to miss me."

He Mi felt a pang of sadness. Every year, when she said goodbye to Yun Xing, it would be a long time before she saw her son again. She was just about to say something heartfelt, only to realize that at some point, Yun Xing had already scurried back to the sofa to stare at his tablet.

Sons really do grow up and leave their mothers behind. The thought made He Mi feel even more bitter.

Tan Xu was still standing by the door. He gestured toward the elevator. "I'll walk you out."

He Mi put her mask, hat, and sunglasses back on one by one, then waved him off. "No need. I'm really putting you out this time. I'll transfer you some money for Xingxing's living expenses. Is fifty thousand enough?"

Tan Xu's lips curved into a smile. "There's no need, Auntie. Like I said, Xingxing is my cat, and he really doesn't cost much."

He Mi glanced around the room, taking in the sheer amount of toys and cat scratchers scattered everywhere. I wouldn't be so sure about that, she thought to herself. But since he had insisted, it wasn't polite to push the issue. She gave a slight nod. "I'll be going, then."

Tan Xu watched her step into the elevator before returning inside and shutting the door. He saw Yun Xing with his head bowed, engrossed in something on the tablet. "What are you looking at?"

Stepping closer, he realized the tablet was actually unlocked. He raised an eyebrow. "Did you open this?"

Yun Xing finally snapped out of his daze and bounced excitedly on the sofa. "I know how to turn on the tablet now!"

He reached out a paw and tapped the screen, switching between a few apps. Feeling pretty good about himself, he let out a couple of smug snorts.

"I won't need you to turn it on for me anymore."

Tan Xu pondered this for a moment. Looks like I'll have to set up parental controls, he thought. Otherwise, at this rate, he'll probably stay up playing until midnight.

Yun Xing, completely oblivious to what Tan Xu was plotting, was just thrilled that he could now unlock the device on his own and wouldn't have to beg for help every time.

Happily swishing his fluffy tail, Yun Xing said, "I've been taking pictures and posting them every day lately. So many people are praising me."

Now that it was just the two of them, the thought had suddenly popped into his head.

Tan Xu hummed in response. Over the past couple of days, thanks to a few Weibo posts from He Mi, quite a few of her fans had wandered over and followed Yun Xing's account. He already had over ninety-nine notifications just from people begging for updates.

Yun Xing demanded haughtily, "Hurry up and open it! I want to see how many people are following me now!"