Chapter 487 - 486: What-If: Did the Big Shot Vie for Favor Today? 55

Chapter 487: Chapter 486: What-If: Did the Big Shot Vie for Favor Today? 55

Mu Tangfeng stewed in his emotions, alone in the cat bed. It wasn’t until he got hungry and smelled the aroma of food that he reluctantly came out.

He walked to the doorway and cautiously poked his head out, peering around furtively. Shi Lan was making lunch, an apron tied around her waist. The morning always flew by so fast; she’d only watched a few episodes of a variety show and it was already over.

However, Shi Lan had been keeping an eye on the pet room. There was a camera in there, and she would glance at the feed from time to time. She was a little worried seeing Ping’an hiding in his bed, but she didn’t dare provoke him, especially since he had only just calmed down.

When Mu Tangfeng saw that Shi Lan was in the kitchen and not looking in his direction at all, he feigned a casual stroll out of the room. He then jumped onto a chair by the dining table, positioning himself to wait for his meal.

’This woman doesn’t understand me at all. I have to give her a hint, lest she ignore me like she did this morning.’

Shi Lan hadn’t gone grocery shopping today. There were still ingredients in the fridge from two days ago, so she made stir-fried celtuce with pork and pan-fried pork ribs.

Since she was eating alone, she couldn’t eat very much. The portions weren’t too big, and she could always reheat the leftovers for dinner.

She brought the dishes to the dining table. When she saw Ping’an sitting on a chair beside it, her eyes lit up with pleasant surprise. "Oh, Ping’an, you’re out!"

Mu Tangfeng shot her a haughty glance, but then his eyes became glued to the dishes, unable to look away.

Although the presentation wasn’t as refined as the meals at home, the rich, steaming aroma made it look absolutely delicious. He discreetly gulped.

Shi Lan wasn’t wary of the cat, because Ping’an was usually very well-behaved. He never ate her food, sticking only to his own cat kibble.

She gently stroked the cat’s head. Mu Tangfeng was still waiting for her to give him some food. The young master understood the "carrot and stick" approach, so he forced himself to endure the touch.

The corners of Shi Lan’s mouth curved up, and she silently sighed in relief.

After setting down the dishes, she went to get herself a bowl of rice. Mu Tangfeng slowly shifted his position from the dining chair to the top of the table. ’The chair is too low for me; it’s not at all convenient for eating.’

The moment Shi Lan came out, she saw Ping’an on the dining table. Even though he normally never stole her food, the sight was still suspicious. She couldn’t help but say sternly, "Ping’an, get down. You can’t eat that."

Mu Tangfeng frowned, looking at her with a mix of displeasure and disbelief.

’This woman... is she really that stingy?’

’She made so much food but won’t even spare a single piece of rib for me?’

’She really is abusing her cat.’

’This won’t do. I have to escape.’

’As the dignified young master of the Mu Family, I can’t possibly endure this kind of suffering.’

For the first time, Shi Lan sensed a palpable resentment and accusation in Ping’an’s eyes. When she saw him angrily dash back to his cat bed, she almost laughed in exasperation.

’Well, what can you do? It’s my cat, so I have to be the one to coax him.’

So, she covered her dishes for the time being, took out a few more pork ribs, and started stewing them. Then she walked over to the pet room, crouched down beside the cat bed, and explained in a gentle voice, "Ping’an, don’t be mad at Mommy, okay? It’s not that Mommy is being stingy. It’s because you’re a cat, and cats have more delicate stomachs. Human food has too many seasonings, and I put a lot of chili peppers in my dishes. It’s not good for you to eat."

’How could she possibly be stingy over a few pieces of meat?’

Shi Lan had endured hardships in her childhood, but she wasn’t a stingy person. Now that her life was better, there was no way she would pinch pennies to that degree.

Mu Tangfeng hid in the darkness of the cat bed. With his pitch-black fur, the darkness had become a comfortable sanctuary.

Curled into a ball, his pair of emerald-green eyes carefully peeked at Shi Lan. Hearing her sincere and gentle explanation, much of the anger in his heart dissipated without him even realizing it.

’What she said seems to be right. Back then, Wang Xiaotao didn’t let us feed Onyx directly either. He had the chef prepare special cat meals for him.’

’So, she wasn’t ignoring me this morning either? Was it for the same reason?’

Fine. Mu Tangfeng reluctantly concluded that she wasn’t abusing her cat. ’But I just stormed off in a huff. If I let her coax me back with just a few sentences, how could I keep my pride?’

He tried to cover his ears with his paws. But because one of his legs was partially amputated, he couldn’t quite reach. The ear on that side simply drooped down limply.

’In any case, I can’t let her win me over this easily. It’s too humiliating.’

After a moment, Shi Lan left.

Mu Tangfeng no longer heard her voice and lifted his head to peek outside. ’She actually left? After only trying to coax me for a few sentences? Does this woman have no patience at all?’

He ground his teeth in frustration, pacing anxiously back and forth in the cat bed.

The thought that this woman was surely out there enjoying her meal while he was ravenous with hunger made Mu Tangfeng feel that this cat life was hopeless.

The thought of escape grew stronger in his mind, and he began to formulate a new plan. Just then, Shi Lan walked back in, catching him completely off guard. She was carrying a bowl of finely shredded meat.

To cool the ribs down, she had even rinsed them in cold water several times to make sure they wouldn’t burn the cat’s mouth.

The schemes filling Mu Tangfeng’s mind came to a screeching halt. He looked up to see Shi Lan’s gentle, fair face beaming at him. In that instant, he thought he saw a divine halo around her, and all his anger vanished into thin air.

In a daze, he thought, ’This woman is actually quite pretty.’

Shi Lan said softly, "Go on, Ping’an, eat up. This meat is okay for you to eat."

"It’s Mommy’s fault. I don’t usually think about your other needs. And you’re right, a kitty doesn’t have to eat only kibble."

’When I was a cat, I had an endless supply of gourmet cat meals. Those people raised me so well my fur was sleek and I was perfectly plump. But when it comes to my own Ping’an, his life is definitely a lot rougher.’

Shi Lan thought, ’When I get the chance, I should learn more recipes for cat meals to improve Ping’an’s diet.’

In his heart, Mu Tangfeng felt he shouldn’t be won over so easily, but under Shi Lan’s gentle gaze, he lowered his head and began to eat the meat.

Although it lacked salt and tasted bland, the rich, meaty aroma seemed to make up for any shortcomings.

The young master, who used to turn his nose up at even the most exquisite delicacies, now found himself unconsciously savoring the shredded pork in front of him.

Seeing this, Shi Lan could finally relax and enjoy her own lunch.

Thanks to the rapport built over that meal, when Shi Lan held Mu Tangfeng again that afternoon, he finally didn’t struggle.

He was, however, quite embarrassed to be pressed against Shi Lan’s body, so he just turned his head away to avoid looking at anything inappropriate.

Shi Lan held him for a moment before placing him in a cat carrier backpack. Seeing that Ping’an seemed to be in much better spirits, she decided to make a trip to the flower shop after all.

After what had happened that morning, she didn’t feel comfortable leaving Ping’an home alone.

Although Mu Tangfeng found the cat carrier disdainfully small, he was too embarrassed to let Shi Lan carry him the whole time. ’I don’t want to keep taking advantage of this woman,’ he thought. Besides, he genuinely wanted to get outside and at least figure out where he was.

Shi Lan ordered a batch of flowers for her shop’s grand opening, along with some houseplants for interior decoration. She also ordered some artificial flowers, which would be used in the garden’s rocking chair area to avoid attracting insects and for easier maintenance.

After inspecting the quality of the flowers and confirming they met her standards, she increased the size of her custom order. Then, she took the cat with her to her best friend’s cat cafe.