Ye Lian’s place was in a newly developed luxury residential area in Pine City, nestled against mountains and beside water, with a name full of classical charm—Ink Orchid Mansion. His house was naturally at the highest spot in Ink Orchid Mansion.
As soon as Jiang Xiaoyu stepped through the courtyard gate, he felt a chill run through his entire body. The sudden drop in temperature made him shudder involuntarily.
He looked down at the ventilation system under his feet and couldn’t help sighing, “Damn rich people.” His monthly salary wasn’t even enough to hit the tax threshold, and he was still agonizing over where to buy a cheap air conditioner. Yet here, they had the AC blasting outdoors.
Ye Lian heard the black cat meowing nonstop and lowered his head to look at him. “Not hot anymore?”
The cat bobbed its head. “Feels great.”
Ye Lian smiled faintly, thinking to himself that this one was at least honest.
It was Jiang Xiaoyu’s first time in a rich person’s territory, so he couldn’t help turning his head to look around. The main color scheme was black, white, and gray—low-key and minimalist overall. The few splashes of bright color came from the vibrant plants in the garden and the crystal-blue pool water.
Before he could take a good look, a loud greeting drew his attention. “Young Master, you’re back. Breakfast is ready.”
Ye Lian nodded and gave a light response. “Good.”
Jiang Xiaoyu was first caught by the man’s form of address for Ye Lian. What era was this? How was there still someone using the old-school term “Young Master” from feudal times? Secondly, the man’s voice was booming—full of vigor.
He looked over curiously, guessing this was the butler. The man seemed around sixty, dressed impeccably even in the sweltering heat. His demeanor was a bit stiff, but his hair was peculiar: brownish-red with a few streaks of green mixed in, looking rather mismatched.
He noticed Jiang Xiaoyu and exclaimed in surprise, “Young Master, what’s that thing behind you? A sheep or a cat?” It looked like a cat, but the fur was curly like a lamb’s, and the tail was short and round.
Jiang Xiaoyu meowed speechlessly. “I’m a cat.”
The old butler couldn’t understand, but that didn’t stop his disdain. “This fur is so dirty it’s matted? What if it brings in bacteria?”
Jiang Xiaoyu flexed his paws a few times, holding back the urge to scratch the man. Back in his livestreams, aunties had called him Little Coal Ball or Scribbly Kitty, but that clearly wasn’t disdain.
Ye Lian seemed to notice the black cat’s displeasure, his eye crinkling with amusement. He instructed the man, “Then give him a bath.”
The old butler twitched his mouth as if he had some objections but ultimately didn’t refute his master’s order. “Then don’t let it in the house. Use Husky’s bath basin.”
Ye Lian said “Fine” and left Jiang Xiaoyu behind to head inside.
Jiang Xiaoyu didn’t dare move recklessly, staying put under the old butler’s scrutinizing gaze.
After letting the man nitpick for a good while, he finally heard him mutter to himself, “Whatever, whatever. We already have a Husky anyway. One more sheep-cat won’t be much trouble.”
He beckoned to Jiang Xiaoyu. “Come here. Time for a bath.”
Jiang Xiaoyu subtly backed up two steps. His little black face showed no emotion, but inside, he was already thinking of bolting. Deep down, he hated getting close to people—let alone letting them bathe him.
But seeing the man’s stance that no bath meant no entry… He bared his teeth, tail drooping in extreme displeasure, and followed grudgingly.
The villa itself wasn’t huge, but the garden was spacious. At the back of the courtyard stood an exquisite little castle. From afar, Jiang Xiaoyu thought it might be a lounge or something, but up close, he realized it was a luxury dog house.
“Probably Husky’s?” he muttered to himself, poking his head in for a look. Sure enough, Husky photos hung on the walls, with soft carpet on the floor scattered with all sorts of dog toys—more comfy and luxurious than most human bedrooms.
He’d barely glanced around when the old butler’s booming voice shouted from behind, “Dirty Cat, over here!”
Dirty Dirty Cat? What the hell? Jiang Xiaoyu wanted to bite someone! He clenched his paws and stomped over heavily.
The old butler dragged out a bath basin from somewhere, still muttering complaints as he picked up Jiang Xiaoyu and plopped him in.
Jiang Xiaoyu stiffened, enduring the man lathering foam all over him.
“Huh? Your fur isn’t dirty-matted? It’s just naturally like this?” The old butler parted the fur on the cat’s back, a hint of surprise cracking his stern face. “The skin underneath is nice and pale, though. You’re one weird-looking cat.”
Jiang Xiaoyu shot back irritably with a meow. “What’s weird about it? I think your fur’s the weird one.” Not that he hadn’t wondered about his own looks. Most cats he encountered in life were domestic shorthairs or longhairs, but curly ones? Just him. After growing up, he’d looked it up—curlies were a genetic mutation, dominant inheritance.
The man’s mouth was annoying, but his cat-bathing technique was gentle. Jiang Xiaoyu tilted his head, watching as the man patiently combed out his knotted fur with a brush.
The old butler caught sight of the cat’s emerald green eyes and said, “Pretty well-behaved, though. Better than Husky.” He turned Jiang Xiaoyu’s body to comb from another angle. “Sloppy Cat, has this fur never been washed? So many mats.”
In this short time, Jiang Xiaoyu had already collected several nicknames. He sputtered at him. “I wash every day, okay?” Well, in human form… His cat form he rarely washed, mainly because he couldn’t groom himself properly with paws.
He was griping inwardly and didn’t notice the man’s brush-hand approaching his tail base until it was too late. Even drenched in water droplets, he exploded into a full fluff-up.
“What are you doing!” Jiang Xiaoyu jolted and swiped back.
The old butler was momentarily stunned by the sudden attack, then felt the sting. He looked down at the bloody scratches on his hand, his face darkening. “Ungrateful little beast—scratching people!” He grabbed Jiang Xiaoyu by the scruff and whacked him with the brush handle.
Jiang Xiaoyu’s temper flared; tasks forgotten, he arched up, fur bristling, ready to fight back.
—
Ye Lian took a sip of tea, his finger lightly tapping the tablet as he reviewed the info his assistant had just sent.
“So it’s you.” He looked at the photo in the file and remembered—this was the little guy who’d saved Husky that evening in the park.
“Jiang Xiaoyu, 22 years old, intern at the Case Handling Office…” Ye Lian’s brows furrowed slightly, his gaze lingering on “Case Handling Office” before he asked, “Found the reason for getting close to me yet?”
The assistant’s voice came from the computer video call. “Not yet. I’ve told them to keep digging. Doesn’t seem related to investment pulling for now.”
Ye Lian rubbed the rim of his teacup thoughtfully, recalling what the black cat had said that morning: Why be afraid of you? Because you’re a murderer?
He paused briefly. “Check Pine City’s recent unnatural death cases.”
The assistant’s professionalism meant he never questioned the boss’s orders. “Got it.” Then he added, “Young Master, should I give a heads-up to the higher-ups? For them to use such tactics—if not for your special constitution, they might’ve snuck right up.”
“No need.” Ye Lian smiled. “It’s interesting.”
After issuing some work decisions, Ye Lian closed the computer, drawn by the commotion in the courtyard.
His hearing was exceptional; he’d heard the argument outside ages ago. He got up and went over, immediately spotting his straitlaced old butler tangling with that little cop cat named Jiang Xiaoyu.
The black cat was soaking wet, fur plastered to its body, which only accentuated the plumpness of its ears and the sparkle of its green eyes. The old butler had half his Tang suit soaked, his usually neat slicked-back hair disheveled against his gaunt cheeks. He was brandishing a tree branch he’d snapped off somewhere, facing off against the black cat.
A hint of amusement crossed Ye Lian’s handsome face. “Uncle Chen, what are you doing?”
Hearing his master’s question, the old butler straightened up at once. “Young Master, we can’t keep this cat!” Realizing his undignified state, he hastily smoothed his hair and clothes. “It bites people. What if it hurts you?”
Jiang Xiaoyu had calmed down by now, panting slightly. He didn’t dare meet the man’s eyes and muttered a retort, “I don’t bite. He touched my butt.” And nearly the bell too…
Ye Lian found the little guy truly amusing and let out a short laugh. “He looks pretty obedient. Doesn’t seem like a biter.”
Uncle Chen sternly extended his hand for Ye Lian to see. “Just scratched me. Its fur’s so dirty it’s curled—definitely carrying germs. I’ve gotta go get a rabies shot.”
“My fur’s naturally curly, not dirty!” Jiang Xiaoyu yowled loudly. The guy was so unreasonable—earlier during the bath he’d said it wasn’t dirt-matted, now he was calling it dirty again.
Ye Lian’s eyes sparkled with more amusement. He curved his lips toward Uncle Chen. “Some cats hate baths. Might’ve been stress. You head to the hospital first.”
Seeing his master’s smile and clear intent to keep the cat, the old butler grumbled inwardly but composed himself, bowing slightly to Ye Lian. “Yes.”
After the old butler left, Jiang Xiaoyu stayed crouched, ears flattened back, warily eyeing Ye Lian—like he’d strike if the man made a move.
Ye Lian saw the little guy still had a blob of foam on his head, his whiskers quivering tensely, and asked knowingly, “Don’t like baths?”
Jiang Xiaoyu instinctively shook his head, then realized this action might make the other think he was too clever, so he hurriedly shook his body to pretend he was shaking off water.
Ye Lian didn’t call him out on it. He picked up the still-dripping hose from the ground with one hand and beckoned to the black cat with the other. “Come here, the foam hasn’t been rinsed off yet.”
He didn’t budge, and Ye Lian didn’t urge him, just quietly waited. Jiang Xiaoyu stared at Ye Lian’s gentle and patient demeanor, and gradually, he relaxed his taut muscles, tentatively stretching out one paw toward him.
Ye Lian’s eyes curved slightly—the arc was indescribably charming, whether it was encouragement or teasing. He said, “Good kitty, so smart. You can actually understand human speech.”
Jiang Xiaoyu inexplicably felt a bit embarrassed, too much so to ponder the deeper meaning of those words. Later, when he recalled this scene, he wished he could time travel back and smack himself with his own tail.
At the moment, though, he slowly drew closer to the other. Ye Lian said nothing more, didn’t even touch his body, just carefully rinsed him with the hose.
Seeing the black cat gradually let down his guard, even his ears perking up stealthily, Ye Lian thought to himself that he was so easy to coax. He turned off the faucet and patted the drying box nearby. “Come here.”
As soon as Jiang Xiaoyu stepped in, he heard him praise again: “What a smart little kitty.”
He felt a little embarrassed by the other’s straightforward compliment, lowering his head and awkwardly scratching at the ground with his paws a few times. But then he thought, anyway, I’m a cat right now, so who cares. He quickly let it go.
He didn’t get to relax for long before the man suddenly spoke up: “Little kitty, I’d really like to keep you, but you scratched my housekeeper, so…”
So he couldn’t stay?
Jiang Xiaoyu finished the sentence in his mind, his heart sinking.
