Chapter 11: The Cat Licking Fur

“What?” Peisengke looked at Li Ye. “Who are you talking to?”

The cat seated primly on the soft cushion also gazed at Li Ye. Li Ye remained quiet for a moment, released the hand that had been toying with the bell, lifted his hand to pat the Ragdoll Cat’s head, and did not answer the question. Instead, he turned and said, “Let’s go.”

Peisengke was baffled. He shrugged, seized the chance to give the cat’s head a quick rub, then hurried after Li Ye.

Li You stared blankly as the two departed, withdrawing his gaze only after they vanished from sight. He paced back to his nest and lay down again, tucking his paws beneath his fluffy fur, closed his eyes, and replayed his brother’s earlier words in his mind.

Why did it feel a bit like he was responding to what Li You had been thinking?

Coincidence?

Li You did not dwell on it. He closed his eyes and slept. When he opened them, night had fallen outside. He looked around in confusion, but Little Wan Sis was nowhere to be seen.

“Meow…”

The cat rose, stretched his limbs, leaped down from the soft cushion, picked up the leash in his mouth, and headed outside. After a few steps, he heard rustling sounds behind him and immediately halted, turning to look.

On the tiled path behind him, a small black snake slithered after him, its head raised as it observed him.

Calling it a small snake was not entirely accurate. This little monster only resembled one superficially; its head was not snake-like at all. It was long and thin, with a pitch-black body about the size of an adult pig-nosed snake. Its head was flat and smooth, devoid of scales or fur—completely bald. It had no eyes, just a mouth that was a thin slit when closed and jagged teeth when open.

When not yawning, it looked rather pleasing. At first glance… even a bit adorably dumb.

Back when Li You was young and first learned of this little monster’s existence, he had always been on edge around his brother. Over time, he grew accustomed to it. Though he still felt fear, it no longer terrified him to the point of panic. Later on, he could even ignore its presence and pretend ignorance in front of his brother.

But in all those years, he had never seen this little monster act independently away from his brother. This was the first time.

“Meow…”

The cat eyed the little monster warily from a few steps away, dropped the leash from his mouth, flattened his ears, and hissed at it.

Yet it did not scare the little monster away.

The little monster halted at a distance, coiled its slender body into a black circle. The circle expanded and inflated, and in just a few seconds, it transformed into a black cat the exact same size as Li You.

Pure black fur, red cat eyes.

The black cat lowered its head to lick its paw, then ambled forward leisurely and tilted its head to rub against the Ragdoll Cat’s head twice.

“Meow—”

A soft, piping voice—it was a Munchkin Cat!

Li You still watched the overly familiar little monster warily, but a strange feeling stirred in his heart. Unable to resist, he responded with a “meow.”

The Little Black Cat snuggled affectionately against the Ragdoll Cat, its black fluffy tail held high, the tip swaying nimbly as it stealthily hooked onto the Ragdoll Cat’s tail.

Li You tilted his head back to dodge, but he could not fend off the creature’s enthusiasm. He retracted his tail, only for it to be hooked again, and his face grew itchy from the rubbing.

“Meow—”

The Ragdoll Cat backed up a few steps, splayed his front and hind legs in an eight shape, shook his head to adjust the crooked Little Yellow Hat, then fixed the black cat with an unblinking stare.

What exactly was this guy up to?

Damn Li Ye! He retrieved the Old Pen but left behind the little monster!

Such a scatterbrained guy!

The cat ignored the little monster, picked up the leash again, and headed outside.

He needed to find Little Wan Sis.

After walking a stretch, he glanced back and saw the Little Black Cat, which had been following a few steps behind, also stop and tilt its head curiously at him.

“…” Li You felt exasperated but chose to ignore it and kept walking.

The two cats proceeded one after the other, walking and pausing in sync. The Little Black Cat behind acted just like the Ragdoll Cat’s shadow—neither rushing ahead impulsively nor falling behind.

And so, the Ragdoll Cat and his shadow guardian wandered the vast Flower and Bird Market for a long while. Tired from walking, Li You stopped, released the leash from his mouth, drank from a nearby water basin, then turned to look at the little monster sitting quietly at a distance.

It maintained a safe distance, neither noisy nor disruptive. Apart from that somewhat forward cuddling earlier, it was actually…

Li You’s guard gradually relaxed. He had no idea what the little monster wanted, but did he not know his own brother?

This little monster was one with Li Ye; it was part of him. So if it was here, that guy Li Ye definitely knew.

Li You trusted that his brother would not harm a cat.

He gazed at the black cat standing knight-like at a distance, then turned back to drink more water. Sated, he rose to continue, but after stepping out with one leg, he suddenly paused and looked back at the black cat, which had only extended one paw.

“Meow.” Li You called out to the little monster.

The black cat’s round eyes watched him quietly, then it tentatively stepped forward a few paces.

Li You did not move.

The little monster reached his side and stared unblinkingly. Then it leaned in and licked Li You’s face.

Li You: “…”

Li You: “??”

What was this?!

The black cat licked once, paused to observe the Ragdoll Cat, and tilted its head as if studying him. Before the Ragdoll Cat could react, it drew closer and began earnestly grooming the Ragdoll Cat’s fur.

A cat’s tongue had barbs that aided in grooming. Through the fluffy fur, Li You felt a prickly itch from the little monster’s licks. He splayed his four legs for balance, backed up a few steps to evade, but the little monster followed persistently.

Li You realized that mutual grooming was how cats showed friendliness.

He held still and opened his mouth: “Meow—”

Did the little monster really think of itself as a cat? It was clearly a monster—how did it know cat habits?

Li You’s fur was long and tricky to groom; even he took a long time to do it himself, let alone another cat.

Little Black struggled mightily but was determined to keep going.

This was the first time a cat had groomed Li You, though this was not a real feline. The sensation was oddly wonderful.

Seeing the little monster get hooked on it, Li You, who still had things to do, hurriedly raised a paw to press down on its head.

“Meow!” Li You meowed sternly.

The Little Black Cat tilted its head and licked the Ragdoll Cat’s paw pad.

Li You shuddered violently and yanked his paw back, staring in shock at the overly familiar little monster, trying to communicate: “Meow—”

I’m leaving! Don’t follow me!

The little monster’s round eyes were utterly clear and innocent.

Li You: “…”

Communication failed. He turned and walked off. A moment later, he looked back—the guy was indeed still following at a few steps’ distance. Those eyes were not just adorably dumb; they even seemed a bit pitiful.

Li You felt helpless inside, stopped, and called out: “Meow.”

The black cat paused too, then came up close beside him.

The two cats walked side by side. Suddenly, Li You felt his tail brushed. He twisted his head but saw no sign of the black cat’s tail near his.

After it happened several times, he simply hooked his own tail onto the little monster’s cautiously probing one and raised his head with a “mrrrow.”

The little monster pressed close in response, nestling its head against the Ragdoll Cat’s fluffy chest, its hooked tail tip swaying flexibly.

Li You felt awkward inside but still puffed out his chest proudly, purring nonstop in his throat.

No helping it—this little monster was too clingy. He would just reluctantly take it as a little brother.

The two cats pressed together, tails hooked, bodies aligned as they walked forward.

At the other end of the Flower and Bird Market, Li Ye, shrouded in darkness, lowered his head and toyed with the Old Pen in his hand. Suddenly, he let out a low chuckle.

Peisengke, who had returned dragging a lifeless mutant species, heard it and gaped in astonishment. He squinted at Li Ye. “Your Highness, did you just laugh?”

Li Ye’s expression remained composed. He pocketed the Old Pen, approached the mutant species, squatted down, and used his gloved right hand to nudge its face aside. In the dim night light, he saw the dense cluster of tiny blood holes on half its face.

“It was already like this when we found the guy,” Peisengke tsked. “Looks like it got gnawed by bugs.”

Li Ye stood, removed the bloodied glove, and discarded it. “Mountain leeches.”

Peisengke shivered at the words and cursed lowly. “Damn…”

Mountain leeches—high-rank swarming mutant species that fed on flesh and blood, with extremely strong attack power.

“I hate these bugs the most.” Peisengke glanced at the mutant species in his grip. “This guy’s a mutant species too, derived from a human no less. If not for the mountain leeches chewing it up like this, we might not have spotted this monster hiding among humans. Tell me… why would mountain leeches gnaw on a mutant species? Isn’t that cannibalism?”

“This isn’t the first such case.” Li Ye took out his light brain, uploaded the captured images to the central research institute, and said to Peisengke, “Take it back to Yulian and have him prepare a comparison report with the previous victim.”

“Got it, on my way.” Peisengke hoisted the “evidence” and turned to leave, but paused and looked back at Li Ye. “Your Highness.”

Li Ye lifted his eyelids slightly.

“You just laughed, right?”

Li Ye shot him a glance.

“Tch.” Peisengke could not help chuckling. “Heavens, it’s creepy, you know?”

“Nothing but Your Highness Youyou comes to mind that could make you laugh right now,” Peisengke said. “Are you really okay mentally? My advice is to see a psychologist. Oh, I’m not worried about your health—I know you’re strong enough to control yourself—but…”

“You’re awfully chatty tonight.” Li Ye methodically logged work notes on the light screen. The display switched, and he casually booked an appointment with a psychologist. “Spend this time working, and you’ll catch up to your childhood friend faster.”

“…” Peisengke watched the entire booking process, shrugged, and said, “Fine, I’ll work hard. Goodbye, Your Highness.”

Peisengke departed with the “evidence.” Li Ye patrolled the scene once more. Afterward, instead of leaving, he headed into the Flower and Bird Market.

Meanwhile, Li You finished drinking, then pressed the little monster’s head toward the water basin.

How could it walk this far without drinking a drop?

Watching the little monster drink, the cat released his paw contentedly. Suddenly, a shadow loomed over him. He looked up but could not make out the figure before a thick rotten stench assaulted his nose.

Li You froze, his pupils contracting as he finally saw who it was.

Little Wan Sis’s face bore a thin flush of red. She smiled, hands clasped behind her back, exuding a sense of utter satisfaction.

Li You reacted for a few seconds, then turned to approach her. Suddenly, a brownish-gray thing plummeted from above and splatted onto the floor between him and Little Wan Sis.

Li You halted and saw the “thing” arch into a curve. One end reared up, its round sucker opening and closing toward him, fresh red clinging to it.

It was a well-fed leech.