After Turning into a Cat, I Climbed My Rival’s Cat Tree 13

Chapter 13

The stray dog, A’Wang, had been roaming the area for a couple of years, born and raised on the streets.

It envied pampered pets, believing being adopted was a wonderful thing.

Hearing that Wei Yuan had been taken in by a human, it felt a pang of jealousy.

Even when it came to handouts, humans preferred stray cats to stray dogs, generally perceiving dogs as more dangerous.

This irked A’Wang, making it resentful of stray cats.

Especially these three fat cats, always ganging up and stealing its food.

After Wei Yuan arrived, they had become even more troublesome, causing mischief everywhere. A’Wang had been forced to team up with other stray dogs to avoid being targeted by the cats.

Now, seeing the three fat cats pathetically gnawing on fish heads while it enjoyed a meaty bone, it couldn’t resist taunting them.

The tabby was the calmest of the three, simply eating, ignoring A’Wang completely.

The calico, being smarter, glared at the dog but remained silent.

Only Big Orange, easily provoked, reacted angrily.

Hearing A’Wang’s taunts, it hissed, baring its teeth. “Dead dog, you looking for a fight?!”

A’Wang bared its teeth as well, continuing its mockery. “I’m just stating facts. Your boss is probably enjoying delicious food in a human’s home, having forgotten all about you.”

“Bullshit! Boss isn’t like that!” Big Orange arched its back. “Boss is injured. Once it recovers, it’ll definitely come back for us!”

A’Wang barked with laughter. “You’re so naive. If it comes back, I’ll call you Daddy.”

Just then, Big Orange froze, its bristling fur settling as its eyes lit up with joy. It looked behind A’Wang and shouted, “Boss!”

The tabby and calico looked up, also standing up and excitedly calling out, “Boss!”

A’Wang was amused by their reaction, scoffing, “You’re good actors. But I’m not calling you Daddy…”

As it spoke, the three cats suddenly charged towards it.

A’Wang was startled, but wanting to save face, it resisted the urge to flee, lowering its body and baring its teeth in a threatening posture.

“Stupid cats, what’s gotten into you?!”

It snarled angrily.

But the three cats didn’t slow down. Just as A’Wang braced itself for a fight, they zipped past it like gusts of wind.

A’Wang was stunned. Had they gotten scared and run away?

Was it that intimidating now?

Feeling smug, A’Wang turned around, ready to deliver more insults, but it saw the three fat cats huddled together.

Like a short wall, they blocked whatever was behind them.

But A’Wang heard their voices.

“Boss, Boss, are you all better now?”

“Wuwuwu, I knew Boss would come back! I missed you so much!”

“Boss, are you okay? Did the human bully you? I smelled that human, they didn’t seem bad.”

The three underlings chattered excitedly, their meows filling the alley.

Wei Yuan was now completely immune to cats and their meows, remaining calm and collected.

It even allowed them to rub against it.

Before, it would have bristled at such close contact.

Indeed, both humans and cats adapted easily to their environments.

Wei Yuan felt a sense of profound wisdom.

It patiently waited for its underlings to finish their questions before answering one by one. “I’m fine now. The human is very good to me. What about you? Why do you seem thinner? Haven’t you been eating well?”

Big Orange immediately complained, “Yes, Boss, since you left, I haven’t had many good meals. I’ve definitely lost weight!”

“Yes, yes,” the tabby and calico agreed, looking dejected, their usual swagger gone.

A’Wang, finally recognizing the familiar yet unfamiliar voice, realized Wei Yuan was back.

It cursed internally. Was Wei Yuan blind? Those three fat cats weren’t thin at all!

They were as round as balls, and they dared to complain about being thin.

A’Wang knew perfectly well that although the three fat cats hadn’t been eating as well, they hadn’t been starving!

It grumbled silently, fearing Big Orange would make it call it “Daddy,” so while the cats weren’t looking, it grabbed its bone and prepared to flee.

However, Wei Yuan noticed immediately.

It patted the tabby’s shoulder, signaling it to move aside.

The tabby understood, stepping to the side, revealing the scene behind.

The cats saw A’Wang sneaking away.

“A’Wang,” Wei Yuan called out.

A’Wang flinched, slowly turning around.

It dropped its bone, its tail between its legs, forcing a smile. “Boss Wei, you’re back! I didn’t see you there, haha.”

Wei Yuan grinned slyly. “Oh, you see me now?”

“Y-yes,” A’Wang had a bad feeling.

Wei Yuan looked at Big Orange.

Big Orange’s face was full of indignation. “A’Wang, where do you think you’re going?”

“Running away,” Wei Yuan whispered.

“Right!” Big Orange stamped its paw. “My boss is back, you’re not going anywhere!”

A’Wang tucked its tail between its legs, looking at the four cats pleadingly. “What do you want from me?”

The previously arrogant dog was now completely subdued.

Wei Yuan was afraid of cats but had always liked dogs.

So, it couldn’t bring itself to be too harsh on A’Wang, but since the dog had insulted its underlings, it had to teach it a lesson.

It took two steps forward, and A’Wang retreated several steps.

Wei Yuan, satisfied with its reaction, sat down, swaying its tail leisurely. “I heard you correctly, right? You said that if I came back, you would acknowledge these three as your daddies?”

The three underlings stood behind Wei Yuan, their heads held high, looking smug.

A’Wang mumbled, “I only said I would call Big Orange…”

Wei Yuan extended its claws, and A’Wang felt a phantom pain in its back, quickly saying, “I’ll call them, I’ll call them, okay?”

When Wei Yuan first appeared on the street, A’Wang, seeing its small size, had thought it would be easy to bully.

So, when Wei Yuan was eating a chicken wing someone had given it, A’Wang had tried to steal it.

The result was several deep scratches on its back. If it hadn’t begged for mercy, its face would have been clawed as well.

Since then, it had avoided Wei Yuan.

Now, at Wei Yuan’s mercy, it felt utterly defeated.

Especially the thought of having to call three fat cats “Daddy” made it cringe.

It hadn’t expected Wei Yuan to return, looking so healthy and energetic.

“Call us!” Big Orange exclaimed excitedly.

The other two cats were also thrilled. Having been rivals with A’Wang for so long, they relished the opportunity to put it in its place.

A’Wang felt humiliated but submitted to Boss Wei’s authority.

“Daddy Big Orange, Daddy Tabby, Daddy Calico,” it mumbled, its paws digging into the ground.

“Hahaha!” Laughter erupted from the rooftop.

The four cats and one dog looked up.

A white cat and a black cat were perched there.

Seeing them, A’Wang bristled, barking angrily before chasing after them.

The two cats greeted Wei Yuan before running across the rooftop, shouting as they went.

“A’Wang has daddies now! Three of them!”

“Oh? Three dogs?”

“No, no, three kittens!”

Like a comedic duo, they quickly spread the news throughout Ping’an Alley, making A’Wang the laughingstock of the animal community.

The black and white cats were the famous “Cat Duo” of the area, known for their gossip and big mouths. They knew everything that happened on Ping’an Street, earning them the title of “All-Knowing Cats.”

Wei Yuan was amused.

Although its week as a stray hadn’t been easy, it had been eventful, and it had met many interesting animals.

If possible, once it turned back into a human, it would definitely take care of them.

The three underlings were also laughing, Big Orange rolling on the ground in delight.

After a while, the calico approached Wei Yuan. “Boss, are you back for good? Let’s continue ruling Ping’an Street!”

Big Orange also looked at Wei Yuan expectantly.

The tabby remained silent, glancing towards the alley entrance.

A car was parked there, and a tall man stood beside it, holding a bag.

The man had been standing there for a while, watching them from afar.

It recognized him. It was the human who had taken Wei Yuan away.

It recalled previous instances where humans would come and take kittens away after stray cats gave birth.

Perhaps as compensation, or for some other reason, the humans would leave the mother cat with plenty of food and supplies.

This human probably intended to trade the contents of the bag for Wei Yuan.

But it wasn’t Wei Yuan’s mother and had no right to make decisions for it, especially since Wei Yuan, despite its young age, was a very independent kitten.

Wei Yuan was indeed independent. It glanced at Lu Dingyun, who understood immediately, walking towards them with long strides.

This was their prearranged signal. If the kitten looked back, he would approach.

He had already made up his mind.

If Wei Yuan wanted to stay, he wouldn’t force it to come home with him, but he would regularly bring it food and supplies and take it home for short visits.

In his opinion, the kitten’s happiness was paramount.

But if Wei Yuan decided to come home with him, that would be the best outcome.

As Lu Dingyun approached, Wei Yuan turned its attention back to its underlings.

Big Orange and the calico finally noticed Lu Dingyun, a bad feeling creeping into their hearts. They looked like they were about to cry.

“Boss, are you leaving with that human?” the calico whimpered.

“Yes,” Wei Yuan patted its head with its paw.

Big Orange, ignoring Wei Yuan’s usual aversion to physical contact, clung to it, hugging its paw. “Boss, are you sure? Humans are fickle! They might like you now, but they’ll abandon you later!”

Big Orange had been born in a human’s home.

But when it turned three months old, its owner had given it away.

Big Orange knew its original owner had too many cats to care for and didn’t blame them, even looking forward to its new owner.

But its new owner was a recent college graduate.

After six months, the owner moved to a bigger city and abandoned it.

Since then, it had become distrustful of humans.

The tabby had been born to a stray cat on Ping’an Street.

The calico had been abandoned as a newborn and had no memories of a human home. But both had witnessed countless abandoned animals and were wary of being adopted.

So, all three cats opposed Wei Yuan’s decision.

Although Wei Yuan was the youngest in cat years, it had the mind of an adult human and was their boss, so looking at them, it found them childish and endearing.

It mimicked Lu Dingyun’s usual soothing tone. “Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing. And I have my reasons for staying with him.”

“What reasons?” Big Orange sniffled, but it listened.

All three cats stared at it expectantly.

Wei Yuan’s heart softened. “I can’t tell you yet, but I’ll visit often and bring you delicious food, I promise.”

By now, Lu Dingyun had reached them.

The three underlings weren’t afraid of humans, and since Lu Dingyun had saved Wei Yuan, they bore him no ill will.

Lu Dingyun, a cat lover, was captivated by the three sleek, fat cats.

Seeing them cuddling with Wei Yuan from afar had warmed his heart, and now, up close, he was even more smitten.

He crouched down, opened the bag he was carrying, and took out three cans of cat food, opening them and placing them before the three cats.

The three cats looked at Wei Yuan, and seeing its nod of approval, they began to eat enthusiastically.

After the first bite, their eyes lit up.

They had tasted cat food before, but only once or twice, and it had been the cheapest kind.

But the food Lu Dingyun had brought was nutritious and delicious. No cat could resist!

Not even Wei Yuan, the “fake cat” with psychological barriers, could resist the temptation.

But it had its pride. If possible, it wouldn’t eat like a regular cat, eating while lying down.

It had its own little table at Lu Dingyun’s home, where it could sit and eat, but it hadn’t used it yet, as Lu Dingyun had been feeding it.

But now that it was recovered, it was time to show Movie Emperor Lu its elegant eating manners.

Meanwhile, Lu Dingyun, watching the three fat cats devouring their food, couldn’t help but worry about his own kitten.

When it was the only cat, he hadn’t noticed anything amiss.

But now, compared to the three plump cats, Wei Yuan seemed too small and thin, almost malnourished.

No, he had to nourish the kitten properly when they got home and fatten it up.

Thinking of this, he took out a cat treat from the bag, opened it, and offered it to Wei Yuan. “Baby, have some of this. I’ll make you dinner when we get home.”

Cats only partially understood human language, relying on familiar words to guess the meaning.

Like “food” and “eat.”

They guessed the human was offering their boss food, and their impression of him improved.

Wei Yuan intended to be reserved. It was an adult, a celebrity who paid attention to its figure, and could certainly resist the temptation of food.

But its tongue had other ideas.

The moment the scent of the cat treat reached its nose, its tongue darted out, taking a lick.

“!” What deliciousness was this?!

Wei Yuan swallowed, then devoured half the treat in one bite, tilting its head back to swallow it whole.

The delicious flavor exploded on its taste buds, and Wei Yuan closed its eyes in satisfaction, chewing and swallowing contentedly.

It repeated the action, finishing the entire treat.

Lu Dingyun looked at the empty package, then at the kitten.

Other cats licked cat treats. Why did his kitten eat it like a human eating a Pixy Stix?

His kitten was truly exceptional!

Lu Dingyun smiled proudly. His kitten was the most special.

After the satisfying meal, Wei Yuan peeked into Lu Dingyun’s bag.

There were three soft cat beds, more food and supplies, and some small toys.

These needed a place to be stored.

Wei Yuan wasn’t as familiar with the street as its underlings, so it asked them where they wanted to set up their new home.

The underlings had never had a fixed residence, sometimes even sleeping on rooftops or car roofs.

So, they began a lively discussion, and ten minutes later, they reached a decision.

The underlings happily led the way, Wei Yuan tugging on Lu Dingyun’s pants leg, who picked it up and followed.

After about twenty minutes, they stopped.

Before them was an old, abandoned bungalow in the heart of the old town, even more dilapidated than the outskirts, which at least had some connection to the new city.

There were many such unoccupied houses here, as people had moved to the new city.

It was unclear when this area would be redeveloped, so it was a suitable temporary shelter for the cats.

Lu Dingyun scanned the area, noticing a phone number and the word “For Sale” written on a faded piece of paper stuck to a broken window.

It must have been there for a long time, the paper yellowed with age.

Lu Dingyun took out his phone and called the number.

After a brief conversation, he hung up, then crouched down and addressed the cats. “I’m going to buy this place. If you’re willing to come home with me, I’ll take you. If not, you can stay here, and we’ll visit you regularly.”

Wei Yuan looked up at him, its heart inexplicably beating faster.

The underlings didn’t understand his complex words and looked at Wei Yuan questioningly.

Wei Yuan relayed the message.

The cats’ eyes lit up.

“We’ll stay here!” the tabby exclaimed happily. “Boss, this human is truly a good person.”

The calico and Big Orange agreed, meowing their thanks to Lu Dingyun.

Big Orange even rubbed against Lu Dingyun’s leg as a sign of affection.

Lu Dingyun’s eyes crinkled with a smile, petting each cat before picking up Wei Yuan and giving it a kiss.

“Whoa~” The underlings’ eyes widened.

Wei Yuan’s face flushed. “Don’t make a fuss, this human is just mushy. I’m too lazy to argue with him.”

The kitten’s soft, coquettish meows were music to Lu Dingyun’s ears.

He couldn’t resist, kissing it again.

The underlings gasped again. This human was truly mushy!

Wei Yuan’s face burned even hotter. Luckily, it was a kitten now, otherwise, it would have been mortified by its blush.

Two hours later, the efficient Movie Emperor Lu had signed the contract and even completed the transfer of ownership, taking advantage of the workday.

In a single afternoon, the dilapidated bungalow became his property.

He called a professional cleaning crew, and within two hours, the house was spotless.

Although the house was old, it had been well-built. The roof didn’t leak, there were only a few cracks in the floor tiles, and even the heating system worked.

With the weather getting colder, the cats would have a warm and dry shelter here.

Lu Dingyun was quite satisfied with the place. The walls were a bit yellowed, but the cats didn’t mind, so there was no need to repaint.

And while buying the house, Lu Dingyun discovered the property prices in this area were very low, giving him a vague idea he might pursue in the future.

But before that, there was a lot of paperwork to be done, so he put the matter aside for now.

He personally placed the cat beds and other supplies, making sure the cats liked their new home before taking Wei Yuan back to his apartment.

Wei Yuan was unusually well-behaved on the way back.

It occasionally glanced at Lu Dingyun, then looked out the window at the night view.

It hadn’t expected to be out all day. Lu Dingyun hadn’t even had lunch or dinner, busy taking care of the cats.

And throughout the day, Wei Yuan had seen a gentler, kinder side of Movie Emperor Lu.

It had been so prejudiced against him before.

Unclear feelings blossomed in Wei Yuan’s heart, taking root without its awareness.

“By the way, baby, I’ll take them for a checkup in a few days. You can prepare anything you want to bring them in advance.”

Lu Dingyun had unconsciously accepted that the kitten could understand him, speaking naturally. “I’ll get you a box. You can put the things you want to give them inside, and we’ll bring it next time.”

Wei Yuan looked at him with its beautiful eyes, letting out a soft meow.

Its underlings were right, Lu Dingyun was a truly good person.

It suddenly remembered a saying, “When marrying, marry someone who is already a good person.”

Lu Dingyun must be many people’s ideal type…

The car arrived at the apartment building’s parking garage.

Lu Dingyun unbuckled his seatbelt, picked up the kitten, and said casually, “Baby, you’re all better now. Let’s take a bath together later.”

Although Lu Dingyun had cleaned and disinfected it while it was unconscious, Wei Yuan, a clean freak, had been longing for a proper bath.

Hearing his words, it immediately meowed in agreement.

But mid-meow, it froze, looking up at Lu Dingyun incredulously.

Wait, did he say “together”?

Together with whom?

The two of them?