Chapter 471 - 470: IF: Did the Big Shot Vie for Favor Today? 39

Chapter 471: Chapter 470: IF: Did the Big Shot Vie for Favor Today? 39

With the cat situation settled for the time being, Ye Ming opened his laptop and got busy with his studies again.

He already had his master’s degree, but his plan was to pursue a doctorate, so he needed to continue his studies.

Shi Lan curiously hopped onto his lap and craned her neck to see. Ye Ming gently stroked her head, not shooing her away. She watched for a moment, but she couldn’t make heads or tails of it. Bored, she returned to the sofa and flopped down.

However, Ye Ming’s study session didn’t last long. He stopped at ten o’clock, then pulled out a feather wand and started playing with the cat.

He’d read online that cats are nocturnal animals, so it was best to tire them out before bed. Plus, cats needed a lot of companionship. No matter how busy he was with his studies, he had to make time to play with her.

Shi Lan, lying comfortably on the sofa, was completely unmoved at first. But then, perhaps finding the bell on the feather wand too noisy, she couldn’t help but stare at it. As she watched, she grew mesmerized, and before she knew it, she had started playing along.

Only when she was panting with exhaustion on the floor did Ye Ming, pleased, put away the feather wand and move the cat onto the softer sofa.

After playing with the cat, he put the wand away and went to take a shower.

Shi Lan rested on the sofa for a bit. ’I just chased that feather wand around like a clown for ages without even catching the feathers!’ The thought made her grind her teeth in frustration. She stared at the spot where Ye Ming had put the wand, calculated the angle for a high jump, and snatched it back down in her teeth.

She pinned the feathers down with her paw and raised her head in a triumphant, heroic pose. ’Finally got it!’

Hearing the jingle of the wand’s bell, Ye Ming hastily wrapped a bathrobe around himself and rushed out. When he saw the cat pinning down the wand, looking so proud and smug, he couldn’t help but let out a laugh. His deep chuckle, laced with affection, was the kind of sound that could make a person melt.

Shi Lan shot him a guilty glare, then quickly scurried away. She hid behind the curtains in utter embarrassment, leaving only a little black tail exposed, twitching back and forth against the smooth floor from time to time.

"Fei Mo, why are you so cute?"

Ye Ming laughed even harder. He was discovering that having a cat brought endless joy.

His gaze swept over the feather wand on the floor, but he didn’t pick it up. Seeing the cat was okay, he finally felt relieved enough to return to the bathroom and finish his shower.

By the time he came out from the bathroom, Shi Lan had already forgotten her earlier embarrassment. She had even thoughtfully dragged the feather wand to the side. The wand was a bit long; easy to get down, but hard to put back up. All she could do was nudge it aside so it wasn’t in the way.

Ye Ming marveled once again at how smart the little cat was. He then put her in the cat bed he had bought specially for her before returning to his own room to sleep.

He had just gotten into bed when, still feeling uneasy, he got back up, and moved the cat and her bed to his bedside.

He was worried the cat might be noisy and disturb his sleep, but leaving her outside the room felt even less reassuring. To make it easy for her to get to the litter box, he thoughtfully left his bedroom door cracked open.

With everything settled, Ye Ming finally lay back in bed, content. He turned off the light and said softly, "Fei Mo, good night."

In the darkness, Shi Lan looked up in his direction and silently returned the sentiment in her heart.

While this person and cat were enjoying a moment of tranquil peace, things on Yan Huoshui’s end had completely blown up.

He discovered that after waking up, his cat—his smart, cute, well-behaved, stubborn cat who sometimes threw little tantrums but was always adorable—had changed!

Early that morning, Yan Huoshui planned to take the cat back to the family estate. He was even looking forward to seeing what clumsy new scheme she would come up with to try and fool him. But when he went to check the cat bed, it was empty.

He also kept the cat bed in his bedroom and left the door open at night. The cat that had been in it had woken up and started exploring the room. And since this white cat, unlike Shi Lan, had a habit of sharpening its claws, it had gone to work directly on the bedroom sofa. Upon hearing Yan Huoshui’s voice, it scurried warily under the couch.

For a moment, Yan Huoshui thought his cat had been stolen. Since that magazine had blown up in popularity, a lot of people had their eyes on his cat. He immediately checked the living room surveillance footage, saw all the mischief the cat had gotten into, and realized it was now hiding under the sofa.

Confirming the cat was still there, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. He walked over to the sofa and stared at the scratch marks covering it. Thinking she was using the same little tactic from last night to get a rise out of him, a pleased smile touched his lips. He grinned and said, "Alright, Benefactor, stop hiding. I know you’re under the sofa. No matter what, you’re coming with me to the family estate today. I’m not comfortable leaving you home alone."

At the end of the day, he was still worried someone might steal the cat; he’d only be at ease if he could keep an eye on her. Besides, he wouldn’t just be having a quick meal at the estate—he’d likely be staying for two or three days.

The cat ignored him, shrinking even deeper under the sofa and away from his feet.

Yan Huoshui waited a moment, then checked his phone. He was running short on time to get to the estate. With no other choice, he had to move the sofa and personally grab his now-naughty Benefactor.

In the white cat’s memory, it had only recently been harmed by humans, so it quickly dodged Yan Huoshui’s grasp. It crouched low, its expression fierce and hostile. Its tail was drawn so taut it was rigid. It wasn’t cute at all.

Yan Huoshui frowned. "Still acting up?"

Then, he let out a helpless sigh. "If you really don’t want to go to the estate, then forget it. I’ll just have lunch and come right back to keep you company."

"Be good. Don’t be angry anymore, okay?"

It was rare for him to be in such a good mood; or rather, he reserved his best moods for his cat.

He couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought, admitting his complete defeat.

"Alright, be good, I won’t take you. I’ll call Zhang Chen to come and stay with you."

’Can’t have some idiot steal you away.’

The cat still ignored him, its gaze as fierce as ever.

As Yan Huoshui was about to call Zhang Chen, he stared at the cat’s behavior, and his own expression gradually grew cold.

With a grim face, he re-checked his home surveillance, watching the footage several times over. He then contacted building security to check the hallway cameras. Finally, he confirmed it: this was his cat. No one had swapped it.

Yan Huoshui still found it hard to believe. He quickly grabbed the white cat and tilted its head to inspect its right ear. He remembered Benefactor had a tiny, crescent-shaped imperfection on her ear—a small detail he’d only discovered from constantly petting her.

He looked closely. The crescent mark was really there.

Just then, the cat in his arms began to struggle violently. A sharp pain shot through his arm—the white cat had scratched him. The moment his grip loosened, it fled and hid under the sofa again.

Yan Huoshui remained squatting stiffly in place for a long time. Bright red blood slowly welled from the scratch on his arm. He gritted his teeth, his eyes growing dark and shadowed, but he was still afraid of scaring the cat. He kept his voice gentle and calm. "Benefactor, stop joking around. I’ll do what you want, we won’t go to the estate. Just... just change back to how you were before..."

The air was silent for a long time. He didn’t hear the soft, compliant "meow" that Benefactor would usually give him.

Just as his legs were going numb from squatting, his mother called.

Yan Huoshui maintained his composure as he answered, "Mom, what is it?"

"Son, when are you coming over? I’ve already had the chefs prepare all your favorite dishes."

He stared intently at the silent sofa, his voice betraying no emotion. "I know. I’ll be over in a bit."

After saying that, he hung up and called Zhang Chen.