Perhaps due to the change in position, or maybe sensing that the little cat disliked the Red Hour, Aiai’ang’ang finally welcomed its own night.
The romantic sunset burned the entire sky like fire, its glow flowing over the dunes and outlining three small figures.
The little cat sat at the top of the dune, his soft fluffy tail swaying slightly as he quietly gazed at the horizon. The robot and Xun flanked him on left and right, listening as he said, “This sunset looks just like Grandma’s little balcony.”
Xun shuffled over two steps to press close to Li Ao, his short tactile claws gently wrapping around the little cat and pulling him into his embrace. The robot fell silent for a moment before reaching out to pull both of them into its arms, its electronic voice inexplicably warm. “Maybe Grandma is sitting on her balcony right now, watching the same sunset.”
The evening breeze swept through, kicking up fine, soft grains of sand.
“Alright.” The robot grabbed the cat’s butt and patted off the sand. “Nights get cold here. We should head back.”
Li Ao straightened up, dragging his big tail as he glanced back at the base behind them, only to hear a voice call, “Leo.”
The little cat froze for a second, then turned around.
Isiris stood not far away, draped in the glow of the sky. He crouched down slightly and spread his arms. “I’ve come to take you back.”
Li Ao’s tail perked up unconsciously. He stared at those broad arms, hesitated for a moment, then carefully took a few steps forward. The man didn’t rush him, and there wasn’t much expression on his handsome face, but his arms remained outstretched, waiting.
The little cat walked slowly at first, then faster, before suddenly dashing forward.
His steps were hurried and unsteady, stumbling midway, so he switched to all four paws, tail straight up as he pitter-pattered along at full speed.
“Daddy—” His voice was rushed, even trembling a bit. By the time he buried himself in the man’s embrace, it was already muffled and unclear.
Isiris caught him steadily, his golden eyes darkening slightly. His palm naturally supported the cub’s body, lifting him up onto his shoulder. His tone was flat, yet carried an imperceptible gentleness. “It’s me.”
“Let’s go. Brenna baked you some little cakes.”
“Mm…” The little cat sniffled.
The father and son were coated in a layer of soft golden light by the afterglow. Isiris patted his head and turned. “Not bringing your little friends?”
“We are.” Li Ao snapped back to attention, lifting his head and waving at the robot and Xun. “Machine, hurry up!”
“Catch.” The robot scooped up the little monster and tossed him toward the little cat.
“!” Li Ao spread his short claws—
“Ryan.” Paimon placed the black Magic 8-Ball into the little lion’s arms. “If it’s troubling you, want to give this a try?”
Ryan glanced at the pitch-black, round ball in his arms. The front had an “8” printed on it, and the back was a circular display screen. He coughed lightly. “How does it work?”
“Very simple.” The man hiked up his pant leg and sat cross-legged beside him. “Just silently think of your question in your heart, shake it a few times, and it’ll give you an answer.”
“Divination?”
“Similar.” Paimon had an exceptionally outstanding face, his beauty androgynous and unlike Isiris’s pure leonine handsomeness and depth. His silver-white hair with hints of light blue, and when he smiled, his matching eyes shimmered like waves—gentle and beautiful, unlike any mortal’s. “It has 20 standard answers to common questions inside. Rather than divination, it’s more like probability.”
Ryan lowered his eyes, seemingly asking something to himself, then shook it a few times. The display screen lit up clearly: Yes.
The little lion pursed his lips, went quiet for a moment, then shook it again. This time, the answer was: Very likely.
“How is it?” Paimon ruffled his hair. “The answers are just probabilities. Don’t take them too seriously.”
Ryan coughed continuously for a few moments. “Teacher, isn’t it a waste of time teaching me?”
“How could it be?” Paimon stretched out his legs, hands propped on the ground as he gazed at the new moon in the sky. “You’re the most brilliant student I’ve ever taught. Sometimes, I even wish you were a bit more foolish.” He sighed. “The wise are often wounded, Ryan. Don’t overthink it.”
Paimon stood up, his moon-white long hair swaying in a beautiful arc. “Alright, see you tomorrow. Give the ball back to Teacher.”
“I’ll… ask one more.” The little white lion’s voice was barely audible as he shook it a few times. Just as he was about to check the answer, a voice said, “No it’s not!”
Ryan froze and looked toward the source of the voice. Isiris had arrived in his courtyard, holding the little cat in his arms. The little cat was telling him, “No it’s not! Li Ao didn’t try because of, uh… because of some responsibility?” He was too little to explain clearly, but he said, “I wanted to save the little lion myself.”
Isiris lifted his gaze and gave Paimon a flat look before turning away to pat the little cat’s head. “I know. It’s not because of some nonexistent sense of responsibility, but because of your kindness and goodness.”
“Heehee… Li Ao is super good.” The little cat grinned with his mouth wide, his rice-grain-sized fangs looking utterly adorable. “But, but I still gotta charge money. It’s a transaction!”
Even if Xixi said the cat was good, the cat still had to charge money!
“Then go ask him.” Isiris set him down.
Li Ao nodded, his little short legs hopping up the steps to stand before Ryan. “Little Lion.” He crouched down and lifted his round face. “I can try it. If it works, one coin oh. If not, no money.”
If it didn’t work, he wouldn’t charge—so he wouldn’t feel sad either.
“What?…” Ryan couldn’t comprehend it and staggered back a few steps as the little cat approached.
“Don’t move!” The little short legs showed surprising momentum as he slapped his hands on the ground and issued commands. “Listen up! Stretch out your paw!”
Reniya had rushed over upon hearing the news but was stopped in her tracks by a single glance from Isiris. She could only cover her mouth with teary eyes, watching the scene in the room.
The sixteen-year-old little lion was actually intimidated by the six-year-old Cat King and silently extended his paw.
“Flip your hand over.”
Ryan did as told, revealing his black paw pads.
Li Ao extended his round paw and placed his pad over Ryan’s. “Don’t move, okay.”
The moment he finished speaking, specks of golden light leaped from his palm, floating slowly in the air.
The little cat closed his eyes and scrunched up his face, tail ramrod straight, ears twitching nonstop as he struggled to control his leaking energy.
Ryan only felt the little cat’s paw pad—soft and warm. That warmth seeped through their touching skin, threading into his veins bit by bit, flowing slowly toward his heart.
“…Spiritual Power, I am your master. Don’t run around.” The little cat puffed his cheeks, tail whipping with a snap as he suddenly opened his eyes.
In those azure eyes, Ryan saw the ocean and the golden sunrise.
Countless specks of light were controlled by the little cat, surging into Ryan’s body like a tidal wave. The light streams pierced through flesh, seeped into marrow—irresistible.
The little lion’s eyes widened. He clearly felt his meridians being forcibly expanded, something being torn apart and reshaped. He even heard the faint trembling as flesh and blood mended.
“Urgh—!” Ryan jerked his head back, his gaunt chest heaving violently. Golden light spread along his limbs, his bones quivering faintly under the energy’s baptism.
His body was enveloped in pure healing power. Tiny cracks were mended one by one, dried-up veins refilled, and his once-weak heart now beat powerfully—thump, thump, thump—!
Light particles flowed through his fur, seeped into his bones. Like parched earth meeting sweet rain, it burst back to life in an instant.
Li Ao panted, sweat trickling down his temple. He tremblingly withdrew his paw and wiped his sweat. “All done…” His milky voice was hoarse, laced with obvious fatigue.
Meanwhile, Ryan stared dazedly at his trembling limbs, feeling the power he’d never known surging through his blood.
“Why…” Tears welled in his amber eyes. “Save me?”
Li Ao let his paws hang at his sides, blankly wiping his sweaty pads on his own fur. “Because you’re too skinny. Grandma says you gotta eat and get fat to look good.”
His innocence and naivety made Ryan so ashamed he couldn’t face himself.
“I don’t like you!” The little white lion broke down, sobbing loudly.
The little cat blinked in a daze, but hearing that didn’t make him sad—because his little dog came over to nuzzle him.
Seeing Li Ao tired, Xun hoisted him onto his head and hopped a couple times to leave.
“Wait!” The little cat suddenly put on a stern face and extended his paw to Ryan. “You don’t like me, and I don’t like you either! You owe Li Ao five coins!”
Fierce Cat had Grandma, Xixi, Machine, and Little Dog—he didn’t need anyone else! You don’t like me? Fine, price hike!
But Ryan was crying his heart out, overwhelmed by the joy of surviving death, shame from comparison, emotions tangling until he sobbed uncontrollably.
Li Ao was still dumbly holding out his paw for the money when Isiris picked him up and tossed the little coal ball to the Captain of the Guard lurking in the shadows. “Collect tomorrow. Rest now.”
“Oh…” The little cat retracted his paw. “Then remind me—it’s five coins!”
“Mm.”
“Brother…” Tears streamed down Reniya’s face as she tried to say something, but Isiris didn’t even look at her. “Go take care of your own child.”
Giving birth and raising one—these were two words, but also two entirely different responsibilities.
Ten months of pregnancy, sixteen years of toil—no one could deny Reniya’s love for Ryan. But in these two aspects, she really wasn’t a mature and responsible adult.
“Leo.” The golden-haired emperor called out to his child, only to lower his head and find that he had already grown drowsy from exhaustion.
The little head bobbed against his arm. Hearing Isiris call him, he forced himself to respond: “What’s wrong?”
“I promise you that cruelty will never befall you.” No matter who you are, no matter where you came from, no matter where you’re going—from now on, you will be Isiris’s one and only child.
