Chapter 24
Lu Dingyun examined the two pregnant cats. They seemed to be in decent condition, but without proper equipment, he couldn’t diagnose any underlying health issues.
As a precaution, he decided to take them home tonight.
As for the other animals, he would return tomorrow with a larger vehicle.
He sprayed his gloves and himself with disinfectant, then went to the living room to find Wei Yuan.
“Xiao Yuan.”
Wei Yuan, listening to its underlings’ gossip about Ping’an Street, immediately ran towards Lu Dingyun, meowing.
Lu Dingyun smiled. “There are two pregnant cats here. I want to take them home tonight.”
Wei Yuan tilted its head, understanding.
He wanted it to communicate with the other animals and reassure them.
Wei Yuan was still surprised that Lu Dingyun had so readily accepted its ability to understand human language.
But it didn’t dwell on it, content knowing that Lu Dingyun wouldn’t harm it or the other animals.
What Wei Yuan didn’t know was that Lu Dingyun’s easy acceptance stemmed from his unique perspective as someone with autism.
In his mind, the kitten’s ability to communicate simply meant it was intelligent, which made him proud of his clever kitten.
He didn’t think much beyond that.
The animals, unable to understand Lu Dingyun’s words, only picking up on a few familiar terms, looked at Wei Yuan in confusion.
Wei Yuan translated for its underlings, who immediately understood and went inside to relay the message.
The two pregnant cats huddled together, looking more listless than the other animals.
And pregnant cats were more sensitive. Hearing that Wei Yuan and the human wanted to take them away, they instinctively felt fear and resistance.
The tabby, sensing their fear, reassured them. “Don’t worry, this human healed Boss after it was seriously injured. You’ll be safe with him. And you don’t want your kittens to be born in danger, do you?”
The two cats exchanged a look, gradually convinced.
Outside, Lu Dingyun crouched beside Wei Yuan. “Baby, we’ll come back tomorrow and take all these cats and dogs home.”
“Meow?” Wei Yuan’s eyes widened in surprise.
Taking the pregnant cats home was understandable, but did Lu Dingyun intend to take all the animals?
Although his apartment was large, it wasn’t suitable for so many animals.
Lu Dingyun, realizing his next words might be beyond the kitten’s comprehension, continued, “They need vaccinations and deworming. Some have injuries and illnesses. We’ll bring them back here after they’ve recovered.”
So, it was for treatment, not permanent adoption.
Wei Yuan understood, relieved.
It cared about the animals on Ping’an Street.
It had planned to take them all in once it turned back into a human.
It owned several villas with gardens and golf courses, plenty of space for the animals to roam freely.
But it was one thing for it to take them in, another for Lu Dingyun to do so.
Without it, Lu Dingyun wouldn’t even know these animals, let alone consider taking them home.
This was a responsibility and burden it had placed on him.
Fortunately, it wasn’t a permanent arrangement. Otherwise, Wei Yuan would feel even more indebted to him, although it already owed him a lot.
Wei Yuan looked up at Lu Dingyun, his deep eyes, visible above his mask, filled with tenderness.
Looking into his eyes, Wei Yuan almost felt like it was deeply loved.
Of course, Lu Dingyun probably did love the kitten, but the kitten was just a kitten, not “Wei Yuan.”
Wei Yuan looked away, feeling inexplicably frustrated.
The underlings emerged with the two pregnant cats, who were now following them.
Lu Dingyun smiled, turning to look at them.
Having a little translator was quite convenient. His Xiao Yuan was truly a remarkable and dependable kitten.
Lu Dingyun picked up a blanket and had the two pregnant cats sit on it.
He carefully wrapped them up, leaving only their heads exposed, then lifted the bundle.
Wei Yuan, seeing his gentle care for the other cats, felt even more frustrated.
But it was too proud to dwell on such a trivial matter.
It ignored its feelings and relayed Lu Dingyun’s plan to its underlings, telling them they would be taken to his home for a checkup tomorrow.
Since Wei Yuan was there, the underlings weren’t afraid of Lu Dingyun and were even looking forward to visiting his home.
It was their boss’s current residence, and they had long wanted to see it.
Knowing their boss was doing well would put their minds at ease.
As they talked, Lu Dingyun added, “Oh, Xiao Yuan, tell your friends not to resist being spayed/neutered. It’s for their own good.”
Wei Yuan paused.
Right, animals needed to be spayed/neutered.
Although it didn’t have much experience with animals, it knew that spaying/neutering was beneficial, especially for strays.
It agreed with Lu Dingyun’s decision and was about to explain it to the tabby and calico when Big Orange spoke hesitantly.
“Boss, is the human talking about removing our… balls?”
Wei Yuan looked at it in surprise. “How did you know? You understood?”
Big Orange fidgeted, not answering.
The calico chuckled. “Boss, haven’t you noticed that Big Orange is already a eunuch?”
“Huh???” Wei Yuan was truly stunned.
It looked at Big Orange, its gaze instinctively drifting downwards.
Big Orange meowed, quickly lying down to cover itself, whining, “Boss!”
Wei Yuan coughed, averting its gaze.
So, Big Orange was already neutered. No wonder it understood the term.
But it made sense. Big Orange had been adopted before, until it was four or five months old, so it was likely it had been neutered then.
Wei Yuan almost chuckled, unable to look at Big Orange.
The tabby and calico also giggled.
The black and white cats, peeking from the doorway, burst out laughing, quickly spreading the news of Big Orange’s neutered status throughout the animal community.
One of the female cats was devastated.
She whined, “No wonder Big Orange never responded to my advances. You all mocked me for not being attractive enough, but it turns out he’s the one with the problem!”
The animals roared with laughter.
A’Wang, now a loyal follower of the three cat underlings, immediately barked, “What’s so funny? My Daddy Big Orange’s strength is absolute! You can’t even defeat a eunuch cat, and you dare to laugh!”
Big Orange: “…”
It felt defended but also even more embarrassed.
Feeling humiliated, it snapped, “Go ahead and laugh. The human said he’s taking all of you tomorrow to get your balls chopped off! Then you’ll all be eunuchs!”
Silence fell over the room.
Wei Yuan, afraid they would resist, quickly explained the benefits of spaying/neutering.
But the animals didn’t understand. They instinctively resisted the idea, even the intelligent tabby.
Only Big Orange, already neutered, understood Wei Yuan and the human’s intentions.
It said to Wei Yuan, “Don’t worry, Boss, I’ll convince them.”
Big Orange knew spaying/neutering was beneficial. For example, it no longer suffered from health problems or the discomfort of being in heat.
It had often felt grateful, seeing the tabby and calico struggling with their heat cycles, unable to sleep.
Although Big Orange often seemed silly, Wei Yuan knew it was also capable.
Otherwise, it wouldn’t have become the boss of Ping’an Street.
“Okay, I’ll leave it to you then,” Wei Yuan patted Big Orange’s head, and Big Orange purred happily, its tail wagging.
Its boss had entrusted it with such an important task. It had to do a good job!
Lu Dingyun checked the feeders and water dispensers, refilling them, ensuring the animals had enough food and water, then prepared to leave with Wei Yuan and the two pregnant cats.
Just then, Big Orange suddenly remembered something.
It asked Wei Yuan curiously, “By the way, Boss, we’re all getting our balls chopped off, are you too?”
Wei Yuan froze.
Right, it had forgotten about itself!
“Xiao Yuan,” Lu Dingyun called it.
His gentle voice sounded like the devil’s whisper to the kitten.
It slowly turned to look at Lu Dingyun, who was standing by the door, holding the blanket with the two pregnant cats peeking out.
Wei Yuan swallowed.
Lu Dingyun crouched down, unzipping his coat. “Baby, come on, let’s go home.”
Go home to do what?
Get neutered?!
Wei Yuan felt a surge of fear and resistance, but logic told it that it wasn’t fully recovered yet, hadn’t been vaccinated, and was still young. Lu Dingyun wouldn’t be that cruel.
Logic prevailed, and it ran over, jumping into Lu Dingyun’s coat.
The upper pocket was large enough for it to stand inside, its fluffy head poking out from his collar.
After bidding farewell to the other animals, the man and three cats stepped back into the drizzle.
The two pregnant cats seemed scared, so Wei Yuan comforted them softly, providing reassurance.
Lu Dingyun, feeling the cats relax, knew it was thanks to Xiao Yuan and smiled smugly.
His Xiao Yuan was truly amazing.
But Wei Yuan was starting to feel anxious. Staying with Lu Dingyun indefinitely wasn’t a solution.
As it grew older, its heat cycle would inevitably arrive, and it couldn’t exactly find a female cat. It would either have to endure it or be neutered by Lu Dingyun, which would be a disaster!
So, it had to find a way to return to its body.
It wondered if its maternal grandfather and grandfather had received its email and whether they believed it.
==
Jing City, Jiang Residence.
Driver Ma stood on the porch, smoking, looking at the bustling activity in the living room and sighing softly.
It was late, but the living room was still crowded, filled with strange sounds and occasional flashes of light.
Over twenty cars of various makes and models were parked in the courtyard.
He was smoking with the two family chefs and several other drivers.
“How many is this now? It’s all so mystical,” one of them said.
“They all seem convincing, but Xiao Yuan hasn’t woken up.”
One of the chefs said, “I can’t vouch for the others, but Daoist Master Tian Cheng is the real deal. Didn’t he cure real estate tycoon Liu, who suddenly couldn’t walk? It was quite mysterious.”
“Yes, yes, and Master Ming Jue, didn’t he perform some fortune-telling rituals for Mr. Jiang?”
They discussed the various masters.
Uncle Ma was the oldest among them, acting as a combination of butler and manager, overseeing the drivers.
He didn’t join the conversation, silently hoping these people could actually help, so Xiao Yuan and his family wouldn’t have to suffer any longer.
Just then, another car approached.
It stopped near the villa, and a young monk in gray robes got out, holding an umbrella and walking towards the house.
Inside, the spacious living room was filled with people.
They were dressed in various attire: Daoist priests in red or dark blue robes, Buddhist monks in gray robes, Gu masters adorned with silver accessories, and even a blonde woman with a crystal ball…
In the center of the room, the handsome young man lay peacefully on the bed, his eyes closed.
These were the most renowned masters of the mystical arts, all gathered for Wei Yuan.
Although it was customary to consult only one master at a time, the Jiang and Wei families were desperate and had contacted multiple masters, urging them to come as quickly as possible and expressing their willingness to have them work together.
The influence and wealth of the two families were enticing, even to those in the mystical arts, so they had all rushed over upon receiving the invitation.
Thus, they had all gathered here.
Each one proud and confident, after enjoying the Jiang family’s lavish hospitality, they had begun their rituals, each displaying their unique skills, trying to outdo the others.
But after five or six hours, their expressions grew increasingly grim.
They felt a veil obscuring their vision, unable to see or understand, their most powerful techniques failing to pierce the veil of destiny.
Almost all members of the Jiang and Wei families were present, their nerves on edge. Seeing the masters’ struggles, their hopes dwindled.
The atmosphere reached its lowest point when a young Daoist priest screamed, clutching his eyes.
The Daoist priest, Yu Sui, although young, was the prized disciple of the renowned Abbot of Qinghai Temple, his mystical abilities formidable.
His master should have been the one to handle the Jiang family’s request.
But his master had entered seclusion on the same day as Master Renhui, almost at the same time, so Yu Sui had come alone.
He had thought it was a simple soul retrieval, something he could handle, but he hadn’t expected this.
Everyone was startled, turning to see blood streaming from his eyes.
“His Heavenly Eye is damaged!” Daoist Master Tian Cheng exclaimed, rushing over to support him, placing a talisman on his eyes.
Although they weren’t from the same temple, they were from the same lineage and therefore closer.
Yu Sui, in agony, trembled. “I… I saw it.”
Everyone’s hearts leaped.
What had he seen to suffer such severe backlash?
Wei Qingyao, clutching her husband’s hand, stumbled forward, wanting to ask what he had seen, but fear held her back. She bit her lip, the metallic taste of blood filling her mouth, but she didn’t notice.
Daoist Master Yu Sui, without waiting for their questions, continued, “Twin destinies, misplaced…”
His phone rang, interrupting him.
His hand trembled as he fumbled for his phone, and Tian Cheng answered it for him.
“Xiao Sui, the secrets of heaven cannot be revealed. Come back.”
It was his master.
Yu Sui knew he couldn’t say more. He hung up and, after regaining some control over his eyes, tried to excuse himself.
Having finally received a sliver of information, the two families didn’t want him to leave.
Especially Wei Qingyao, who almost knelt before him, but her husband held her back.
“Daoist Master, Daoist Master!” Wei Qingyao cried, tears streaming down her face.
With newfound strength, she broke free from her husband’s grasp and knelt on the floor, her voice hoarse with desperation. “Please, Daoist Master, what happened to my son? Please save him!”
Daoist Master Yu Sui turned away, refusing to accept her plea.
His expression was troubled. He didn’t know what to say, as he himself didn’t fully understand what he had seen and didn’t dare to speak carelessly.
Just then, the villa door opened, and a young monk in gray robes entered.
His round face and benevolent expression had a calming effect.
He walked straight to Old Master Jiang and Old Master Wei, presenting them with a letter. “Esteemed patrons, this is a letter from my master.”
He bowed, then turned and left.
The two elders recognized the young monk. He was Master Renhui’s disciple.
So, this was a letter from Master Renhui!
They eagerly opened it, and Jiang Su helped his mother up, joining them to read the letter.
It contained only eight words:
The time is not ripe, a match made in heaven.
They looked at each other, puzzled.
==
In Qing City, Wei Yuan was browsing short videos on its iPad, stopping to admire its own stage performance, casually liking the video before continuing to scroll.
An hour ago, Lu Dingyun had examined the two pregnant cats, finding them relatively healthy, although slightly malnourished, and their kittens seemed a bit listless.
He had prepared a separate room for them.
He had no filming for the next few days, so he could dedicate his time to caring for the animals.
He carried Xiao Gui Yuan back to the bedroom.
After putting on a cartoon for the kitten, he went to take a shower. When he returned, he saw his kitten browsing videos like a human.
The kitten twitched its ears, hearing Lu Dingyun enter, but instead of quickly closing the video, it liked it.
Since Lu Dingyun accepted that it could understand and communicate, accepting that it could browse videos shouldn’t be difficult.
Of course, its sudden boldness stemmed from having seen several cat videos and livestreams online.
The cats in those videos were incredibly talented, not just browsing videos, but even participating in livestreams with their owners.
So, Wei Yuan thought browsing videos and liking them wasn’t strange at all.
Lu Dingyun didn’t care about the kitten browsing or liking videos. What he cared about was that it had just liked a video of Wei Yuan’s performance!
Wei Yuan!
His rival!
Their fans were constantly at odds, and his kitten, using his account, had liked a Wei Yuan video…
Lu Dingyun could already imagine the reaction on Weibo.
As expected, when he sat on the bed, holding the kitten, and opened Weibo, the top trending topic was:
[Shocking! Lu Dingyun Likes Wei Yuan’s Sexy Stage Performance Late at Night!]
Wei Yuan definitely did it on purpose lol
Thank you for the update!