Chapter 80: Side Story 1 (2/3)
It all started with a photo posted on the university’s confession wall, with the caption:
This little brother is so handsome, I’m too shy to approach him, does anyone know what department he’s in?
The boy in the photo was wearing a simple T-shirt, his hair tied up in a bun, the light falling softly on him, a gentle halo.
The post immediately blew up.
[Are you new here? This guy was already a sensation on the first day of school.]
[That iconic hair color, that perfect face, impossible to forget.]
[Is he from the School of Economics and Management? I think I saw him in one of my classes.]
[Class representative here! School of Economics and Management, Business Administration Department, Jiang Heng. Relationship status unknown, but the line for his contact information could stretch around the block.]
[Holy shit! Is this photoshopped? Can a real person look like this?]
[To the person above, I’ve had the privilege of seeing him in person. He’s even more stunning in real life, looking at him directly feels like a sacrilege.]
[Seriously, does he have a girlfriend? I’m dying to know! If he doesn’t, this dog is ready to throw himself at his feet.]
[Give up, everyone. According to reliable sources, no girlfriend, but he has a boyfriend.]
[Who’s the lucky guy? Is he from our university?]
[Picture] [Picture]
[Someone took these pictures on the first day of school. The one carrying his luggage is his boyfriend, apparently a graduate of our university.]
[Can’t see his face, but those broad shoulders, narrow waist, long legs…slurp, slurp]
…
[I saw this girl’s post on the confession wall the other day, and I was instantly smitten! I’ve been wandering around the School of Economics and Management, but I haven’t seen him! Is he even real?]
[Same, I haven’t seen him either. For the first time, I realize how big A University is.]
[Apparently, the chances of encountering him are higher by the lake behind the university.]
[The lake? Isn’t that area deserted?]
[It is deserted, but there are cats. Lots of cats like to bask in the sun there at noon. I’ve seen him there several times, sunbathing with a bunch of cats.]
[Uh…what? Sunbathing with cats? Is that even grammatically correct?]
[Picture]
[Holy crap, so many cats! Does our university have this many stray cats?]
[I also saw him by the lake. He was opening cans of cat food and feeding them. Even those cats that usually hide from humans were gathered around him, meowing. He must really like cats.]
[I don’t care about the hot guy, but I NEED to know how he managed to attract so many cats! This is important!]
[Wuwuwu…so jealous of his cat-attracting aura! Not a single cat comes within a hundred meters of me!]
[Picture] [Picture]
[I took these while passing by. Seeing him sitting among all those fluffy creatures, my morning class blues vanished. I went there hoping to see him, but seeing this scene, I couldn’t bear to disturb him.]
[Same, I saw him too, but I just watched for a while and then left.]
[Came for the handsome face, stayed for the fluffy cats. I hereby officially declare him the High Priest of the A University Cat Cult.]
And the conversation devolved into a meme-fest.
[Your loyal follower of the Cat Cult, bowing before the High Priest.]
[Greetings, High Priest! Meow, meow, meow…]
[Meow, meow, meow…]
…
The High Priest, oblivious to his newfound fame, was diligently fulfilling his promise of a box of canned food for every kitten, coming to the lake every day to feed the cats.
Jiang Heng sat down on the grass by the lake, his heavy backpack thumping against the ground. The sunlight was warm, the wind rustling the reeds, creating ripples on the water’s surface.
He took off his backpack, the contents clinking and rattling. “Dinner time! Dinner time!”
A rustling sound came from the nearby bushes, and a calico cat emerged.
The beautiful calico stretched languidly and pulled a gecko out of the bushes.
Plop. The gecko landed at Jiang Heng’s feet, then, as it tried to escape, was pinned down by the calico cat’s paw.
“Ah!” Jiang Heng shrieked. “What is that?! Get it away from me! Get it away!”
The calico cat tilted its head, looking at him quizzically.
“Meow?”
Food, crunchy, for you.
Jiang Heng: “…”
“I don’t want it,” he said. “It’s…scary, and…violent. I’m a kind cat, I refuse to kill.”
The calico cat, not understanding, pushed the gecko towards him. “Then for your…caretaker, a present.”
“…”
Jiang Heng thought, grasshoppers and crickets were fine, but if he dared to bring Lu Yichuan a gecko, he would be turned into a wall gecko himself.
Seeing that he really didn’t want it, the calico cat reluctantly let the gecko go.
Jiang Heng opened a can of wet food and placed it in front of her. “Where are the other cats?”
He had informed them yesterday, why were there only a few cats here?
One cat, one can! No exceptions!
Jiang Heng waited by the lake for over ten minutes. Cats, black, white, yellow…
A few playful kittens jumped onto his lap, trying to get to the canned food in his backpack.
Jiang Heng picked one up by the scruff of its neck and put it down, annoyed. “Didn’t I say, be here when the third bell rings?”
The little ginger kitten flopped onto the ground at his feet, belly up. “Meow.”
There were sparrows in the back hills.
We chased them and forgot about the time.
Jiang Heng: “…”
He opened a can of food, his face grim. “You are the worst batch of cats I’ve ever encountered!”
“Line up for your food! By age! Youngest in front, oldest in back! This is chicken, this is fish, this is probably beef…eat what you like, don’t fight! Troublemakers will be detained! No extra treats for a week!”
The calico cat, having already finished her meal, sat gracefully nearby, grooming herself, ready to swat any unruly cat with her paw.
A row of cats sat by the lake, eating their canned food.
Jiang Heng, at the front of the line, took a picture with his phone and sent it to Lu Yichuan.
[Send me 50 yuan, and I’ll make you the Left and Right Protectors of the Cat Cult.]
The kittens ate with gusto, purring contentedly. The sun was warm, and Jiang Heng felt drowsy.
Just as he was about to doze off, his phone buzzed.
[500 yuan transferred]
[Rather than Left and Right Protectors, I’d rather be the Cat King’s…concubine.]
Jiang Heng pocketed the money.
[Do you think a concubine position is that easy to obtain?]
[True, concubines have to be…fought for.]
[So when is Rongrong coming to…claim me?]
[…]
[Should I…prepare myself?]
[Prepare what?]
[Like…surrendering willingly when a group of cats attacks?]
[…]
Jiang Heng couldn’t out-flirt him.
A few seconds later, the man called.
“Any classes this afternoon?”
“Yes.”
A chuckle came from the other end. “I’ve seen your schedule.”
Jiang Heng grumbled, “Why ask if you already know?”
“Just testing if you would lie.”
“…”
“Lu Yichuan, you’re so annoying!”
“Coming home tonight?”
“Depends on your…performance.”
“Another 500 yuan transfer?”
“Am I that cheap?”
“I’ve booked a private room at Linxuan Restaurant.”
Jiang Heng immediately changed his mind. “Are you picking me up, or should I call the driver?”
“Depends. If I’m free, I’ll come get you. Otherwise, I’ll have the driver take you.”
Lu Yichuan was very busy and hung up after a few words.
By then, the cats had finished their meal and were sprawled on the grass, basking in the sun.
Jiang Heng clapped his paws. “Get up! Get up! Time for a meeting!”
Hearing the word “meeting,” the cats immediately sat up and looked at him.
Jiang Heng picked up the large ginger cat and cradled it in his arms.
Big Orange, once the terror of A University, the calico cat’s devoted admirer, after being neutered, had successfully evolved into a ginger pig, only interested in eating and sleeping, occasionally staring at the sky, mourning his lost testicles.
Jiang Heng, rubbing Big Orange’s belly, announced to the cats, “I’m planning to open a cat café. Free food and accommodation, no benefits, but annual free health checkups. Now recruiting employees, stray cats only. Those interested can sign up with me.”
The announcement caused a stir among the cats.
“What’s a cat café?”
“Free food and accommodation…I want to go!”
“Sign me up! Sign me up!”
…
Jiang Heng explained what a cat café was, his words like those of a madam recruiting innocent young girls. “In our line of work, reputation is just a fleeting cloud. This is a world of bright lights and temptations, falling in love with a customer is taboo. And control your tempers, be gentle, your meows sweet. Leave your wild ways behind.”
“Our customers are humans, so the only rule is, no attacking customers. Friendly cats will be given priority, timid cats and those unable to survive on their own will be given special consideration.”
He stood up, dusting off his backside. “Think carefully, once you enter this world, you can no longer be considered…pure.”
“I’ll give you three days to think about it. Those who are interested, come find me here in three days.”
After much deliberation, Jiang Heng had finally come up with the idea of a cat café, a place to shelter those vulnerable and friendly cats. He didn’t care about making a profit; he just wanted to give these cats a way to support themselves.
He had told Lu Yichuan about his idea, thinking it was just a…fantasy. The man hadn’t said anything then, but a few days later, he had given him a storefront, even sending Little Black and Big White to work for him.
The location was excellent, right in the heart of the university district.
When he first saw it, Jiang Heng had been stunned by its size.
“How much is the monthly rent?”
“No rent, the entire building is mine.”
Evil capitalism.
The first-time entrepreneur felt a little overwhelmed. “What if I can’t make any money?”
Lu Yichuan ruffled his hair. “It’s okay, just think of it as my cat supporting a group of cats.”
Despite his casual words, Jiang Heng took it very seriously.
It was still early after the meeting with the cats, and he decided to visit the shop.
Little Black and Big White were overseeing the renovations, and when Jiang Heng arrived, they were conducting the final inspection.
The so-called inspection involved Big White, in his cat form, testing all the cat-related facilities. If he approved, it meant it passed.
Big White was lying on a mat by the entrance, his face a mask of despair, while Little Black was taking notes. Seeing Jiang Heng, he said, “The renovations are complete. We used mostly wood, so there’s not much formaldehyde. It should be ready in about a month after airing out.”
Jiang Heng, the owner, looked around, satisfied. “Not bad. Did you tell the other cats about the job requirements?”
“Yes, about twenty cats have expressed interest so far.” He added with a wooden face, “Some mother cats even brought their kittens.”
Jiang Heng sighed. Life as a cat wasn’t easy these days.
“You two will come with me for the interviews. This is our first shop, we have to make it successful, hopefully expand to multiple locations.”
After all, there were no other cat-owned cat cafés in the world!
Saturday morning, the weather was beautiful. Jiang Heng sat by the lake, holding a stack of application forms. “Come on, everyone, line up for your interviews!”
A group of cats lined up obediently.
The first was a black and white cow cat.
Jiang Heng: “Name?”
“They call me Little Cow.”
“Uh…okay, Little Cow. We’ll give you a stage name after you’re hired. Age?”
“Five months.”
“Shake.”
Little Cow obediently extended a paw.
“Lie down.”
Little Cow rolled over, belly up.
“Meow.”
“Meow~”
“Congratulations, you’re hired. Find Little Black to get your employee tag. Report back here in a month to start work.”
“Next! Next!”
“Name?”
“Little Orange.”
“And the one behind you?”
“Also Little Orange.”
“Okay, Little Orange Number One, Little Orange Number Two.”
Jiang Heng looked around. Most of the stray cats were domestic breeds: tabbies, ginger cats, cow cats, black cats, white cats.
He clapped his paws. “All the tabbies, step forward.”
“You, Tabby Number One, you, Tabby Number Two, Tabby…”
The boy lowered his head, filling out form after form. By the time he was finished, it was almost noon.
Jiang Heng stretched his back, stood up, and announced, “Alright, that’s all for today. If you’re interested, let me know, we’ll inform everyone when we’re hiring again.”
He put his paws on his hips.
“One more time.”
“Our slogan is—”
“There are no unattainable dried fish, only unmotivated kitties!”
“Our goal is—”
“Expand our business, achieve greatness!”
Perfect.
Meeting adjourned!
