Chapter 483 - 482: IF Route: Did the Big Shot Vie for Favor Today? 51

Chapter 483: Chapter 482: IF Route: Did the Big Shot Vie for Favor Today? 51

’If it were a cat, he’d recognize it in a heartbeat.’

But the difference between a person and a cat was a bit too great, and He Hanshi couldn’t make a judgment so easily.

He couldn’t yet tell if the woman before him was friend or foe, and he had no intention of following her lead and revealing his hand first. That was a major taboo in business.

Just as He Hanshi was pondering what to do, he thought he heard a knock. In the blink of an eye, he was back in his room. His mother was outside the door, asking, "Son, are you awake? Assistant Chen is here."

For some reason, He Hanshi let out a sigh of relief.

"I’m awake, Mom,"

he replied, and Mrs. He was finally at ease.

He Hanshi glanced at the time. It was already past ten. He usually got up to work around seven, so it was no wonder Assistant Chen had to make a personal visit today.

Thinking of the woman he had just seen, He Hanshi quickly rolled out of bed. He decided to bide his time and monitor the situation covertly.

Meanwhile, Shi Lan’s suspicion had turned into uncertainty.

’Ping’an had been staring blankly for so long that the more she looked into its eyes, the more she thought it just looked adorably dazed. Besides, how could a human soul adapt so quickly and even eat cat food?’

Just then, Ping’an started walking toward her affectionately. Shi Lan instinctively took a step back. Ping’an paused, let out a pitiful little meow, and then continued forward until it was pressed against her legs, rubbing against them clingingly just like always.

Shi Lan was sure now. This was the same old Ping’an. It seemed she had just been overthinking things.

’She probably had some kind of post-cat-transformation paranoia, thinking any cat with a strange look in its eyes must have a person inside. But something like that couldn’t be common, right? How could she possibly run into it again? Besides, some animals are just naturally intelligent; they couldn’t all be possessed by people...’

With that in mind, Shi Lan crouched down and tentatively stroked the cat’s head. This time, Ping’an didn’t shy away, instead nestling against her affectionately. She then scooped the cat into her arms, stroking it from head to tail, once again enjoying the pleasure of petting its fluffy fur.

The little cat in her arms let out a happy purr.

Shi Lan observed it for a few more hours and finally reconfirmed that Ping’an was still its usual self. She breathed a sigh of relief and didn’t give it any more thought.

After getting a cat, Shi Lan became even more of a homebody.

Aside from taking out the trash, she basically never left the house.

But after a few days of staying home, she decided she needed to do something more.

There was no denying that the "lying flat" lifestyle was wonderful. There were no annoying problems or people, just cooking her favorite foods, petting her cat, playing games, and exercising occasionally. Her days passed in peace and comfort.

It was just that, after being busy for so many years, Shi Lan found it hard to stay idle.

She thought about it for two days. Then, she happened to hear from her best friend that the small shop next to her cat café was up for lease. She rented it, planning to open a flower tea shop that would mainly sell floral teas, flower-infused milk teas, and some desserts and snacks.

Shi Lan currently had several million in her bank account, and her fixed assets included a fully paid-for house and car. Given the cost of living in L City, she could live her entire life without any financial pressure just off the interest from her savings and various investments and insurance policies.

When people are free from financial pressure, they’re more willing to do things they truly enjoy.

She had always loved making desserts and floral teas, and experimenting with all sorts of food. She figured she could give it a try—if she got tired, she could just quit. Plus, the clientele for a flower tea shop would mostly be women, so she wouldn’t feel much social pressure.

With that, after securing the shop, she started looking for someone to renovate it. The design had to appeal to a feminine aesthetic, with plenty of beautiful photo spots, like a garden swing chair, a heart-shaped flower wall, and so on. The shop’s style would be dreamy and beautiful, aiming to create a comfortable and relaxing space that women would love.

In short, the finished shop had to have a style so captivating that people couldn’t help but stop and linger when they passed by.

To prevent any renovation mistakes, Shi Lan supervised the work personally. She finally had a mandatory reason to go out every day. Afterward, she would take a freshly bathed and clean Ping’an with her to visit her best friend’s cat café.

Ping’an was timid at first, but after Shi Lan took it on many visits, it gradually stopped hiding behind her at the cat café and started making friends with the other cats.

Ping’an was a male cat. The stray animal shelter neutered all the strays they took in, and the cats at her friend’s café were all neutered too. So, Shi Lan wasn’t worried about Ping’an fathering any kittens and felt at ease watching it play with the other cats.

The cat café had few customers lately, but those who did come would politely ask if they could pet her cat. Shi Lan always generously agreed. She was happy that so many people liked her Ping’an.

’Of course, that was all predicated on Ping’an’s docile nature. If it got as fierce as it did during its grumpy morning fit last time, I’d be worried it might scratch someone...’

He Hanshi hadn’t turned into a cat again recently. He had suspected that Shi Lan’s cat, Ping’an, might be Pumpkin, but after secretly observing it himself a couple of times, he was certain that the disabled black cat was not the one.

His attention then shifted back to Shi Lan.

However, Shi Lan was such a homebody that the person he sent to tail her often couldn’t find any useful information. It wasn’t until she started going out frequently for her new flower tea shop that there was finally something to report.

But this wasn’t what He Hanshi cared about. What he ultimately wanted to know was: What was the connection between Shi Lan and Pumpkin? Was she the cat?

Although no one would believe such an idea if he said it out loud, Shi Lan’s words from last time had planted a seed of doubt in his mind.

Therefore, He Hanshi decided to pay her a visit in person.

So, on a day when he was sure Shi Lan hadn’t gone out, he knocked on her door.

Shi Lan had a late lunch that day, so she was also heading out later than usual. She had just finished eating and was about to watch some TV with her cat in her arms before going to check on the shop’s renovation when she heard a knock on the door.

Since she lived alone, she had a security camera installed by her door.

Shi Lan glanced at the monitor and thought she was seeing things. She rubbed her eyes in disbelief, a flicker of astonishment in them.

’He Hanshi? What is he doing here?’

’He couldn’t possibly know I was Pumpkin, could he?’

’No way. How could he know? And even if he did, there’s no reason for him to come looking for me.’

Thinking this, Shi Lan relaxed a little. Maintaining her composure, she put on a blank expression, opened the door, and looked at him with a puzzled face. "Hello, and you are?"

He Hanshi’s gaze fell on her eyes. His own lashes lowered slightly as he spoke in a gentle voice, "Hello, I’m a relative of your upstairs neighbor. My cousin used to live there. He’s been away for a while and forgot to turn off the water. I hope it hasn’t affected your apartment?"

Shi Lan lived in a building with only one apartment per floor, so she rarely saw her neighbors and had no idea about the situation upstairs.

But she couldn’t help but marvel inwardly at how small the world was. The cousin of someone on the top ten richest list actually lived right above her, and that someone happened to be He Hanshi, a person she knew.

Still, she was quite surprised. ’Isn’t the He family based in the Capital? Why does his cousin have a place in L City?’