Chapter 48: Back to Cat Form

Ye Qingxu was still wearing the short-sleeved shirt and shorts he had changed into at Jiang Xiaoyu’s place. He stopped not far from Jiang Xiaoyu’s doorstep and just sat by the roadside, flipping through those few pages of information all night long.

Seeing that Jiang Xiaoyu had been taken in by the Welfare Institute at the age of nine due to domestic violence, he cried uncontrollably, his heart shattering.

Tears blurred his vision, leaving patches of water stains on the paper.

Nine years old, such a young age when he should have been carefree and doted on by his parents, yet his child had been violently beaten and fallen into the river. How had he endured those punches and kicks? How had he suffered in fear and despair?

The thought of him spending so many incredibly sorrowful days far away from him made Ye Qingxu’s heart ache like it was being twisted by a knife.

He staggered to his feet and stumbled toward Jiang Xiaoyu’s home, not daring to knock, not daring to say he was his father. How could he tell this child who had suffered so much about the past? Tell him what had caused their father-son separation for over twenty years?

At this thought, hatred nearly consumed him. Li Shouhai’s betrayal and deception had cost him his own flesh and blood and left Jiang Xiaoyu without a father’s protection, enduring unimaginable hardship.

Ye Qingxu leaned against the door, sliding dejectedly to the ground. He clutched those few pages of paper tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.

At that moment, a dog heard the choking sobs and came over. It recognized this man who looked a lot like the boss and barked, “What’s wrong with you? Are you here looking for the boss?”

Unfortunately, Ye Qingxu couldn’t understand dog speech. He wiped his tears and peered into the house through the gaps in the railing.

The sky was about to brighten. Under the faint blue morning light, many pairs of eyes were curiously watching him. He had never kept pets and had no particular feelings toward animals, but at this moment, he was endlessly grateful. Perhaps during those sorrowful days, these animals had brought his child some comfort.

He took a deep breath, not feeling the slightest bit of sleepiness. He got up and walked toward his car, his eyes gleaming in the dawn light. He had found his child; he still had many things to do.

—

Jiang Xiaoyu woke up and immediately checked his phone. There was a message from the Pet Hospital sent around three or four in the morning: The dog’s condition is stable and it’s awake. You can come see it during the day.

The heart he had tensed all night finally relaxed. Jiang Xiaoyu took off his pajamas and sat naked on the bed, waiting for the cat to fetch the changed clothes for him.

“Little Raccoon, is there something on my back?” Thinking of Ye Qingxu’s strange reaction yesterday, he reached back to touch his shoulder blade.

The Half-Ear Civet handed the T-shirt to Jiang Xiaoyu, then jumped onto the bed. It placed its paws on Jiang Xiaoyu’s back, squinted upward, and meowed, “Red, small bump.”

The knowledgeable Old Cat described it: “Like a flower, the size of a dime.”

Jiang Xiaoyu touched it again; it was flat with no bump, so he didn’t take it to heart. He planned to ask Ye Qingxu about it when he saw him in a few days.

As he was feeding the cats and dogs breakfast, he heard the dog say, “Boss, that guy who looks just like you came before dawn.”

Jiang Xiaoyu paused with the spoon. “What did he come for?”

The dog naturally didn’t know and lapped at its bowl before barking, “The dog saw him crying, then he left.”

Jiang Xiaoyu found it strange, unable to imagine such a dignified elder crying in front of his door. But he was too busy to dwell on it. After packing up, he hurried to the Pet Hospital. Seeing the dog still a bit listless, he had a quiet chat with it, paid the bill, and then rushed straight to the Case Handling Office without stopping.

As soon as he entered the Case Handling Office, he saw Zhang Pangpang holding a bun in one hand and flipping through files with the other. His steamed-bun-like face still looked somewhat serious. Hearing Jiang Xiaoyu’s voice, he stuffed the bun into his mouth, grabbed another from the side, and offered it to Jiang Xiaoyu, mumbling vaguely, “Eat one.”

Jiang Xiaoyu’s steps toward the inside halted. He turned around, took it, and said, “Morning… thanks.”

With his hands free, Zhang Pangpang swallowed the bun in his mouth in two bites. “No need to be polite!” He handed the files to Jiang Xiaoyu. “Take a look at this.”

Jiang Xiaoyu ate with one hand while flipping through the files with the other—all records of Yang Guo’s daily life these past few days.

“He’s not panicking at all.” Jiang Xiaoyu looked at how the man was carrying on as usual in the files and sighed inwardly at his strong mental fortitude.

Zhang Pangpang sneered. “That’s why he’s a pervert!” As they were talking, Jin Ge strode in with files in hand and reached out. “Pangpang, give me one. I’m starving.”

Zhang Pangpang hurriedly got him some food and then asked, “Boss, are the physical evidence comparisons done?”

Jin Ge waved the files in his hand. “Isn’t this it?” He jerked his chin at Jiang Xiaoyu to follow. “Come on, to the conference room.”

The physical evidence comparison results were as they had hoped: The bloodstains on the shirt belonged to the deceased, Jiang Fei.

“With physical evidence like this, can we make the arrest now?” Zhang Pangpang asked.

Jiang Xiaoyu silently examined the evidence analysis, his voice calm as he spoke. “We can’t arrest him. He has a perfect alibi.”

At the time of the crime, Yang Guo had been napping in the break room, with a camera pointed right at him until Jiang Fei’s body was discovered by a witness and reported.

“Damn, then where did the blood from Jiang Fei on his clothes come from?”

Jin Ge lit a cigarette and pondered. “Maybe from some past altercation between them. Hard to say.”

Zhang Pangpang was annoyed. “Doesn’t that mean this evidence we found is totally useless? We went to so much trouble, and I even broke a finger bone, but it helps nothing?”

While they spoke, Jiang Xiaoyu kept reviewing the surveillance playback and paused at a key frame. “Look here.”

Zhang Pangpang got up and leaned over. “What?”

“Yang Guo was always lying on the desk napping, but midway for half a minute, the camera was blocked by something.”

The break room where Yang Guo was staying was probably prepared by Reid Europe Plaza specifically for artists or models during commercial events. There were sliding tracks on the floor for clothing racks to move automatically during shows. This camera had a low angle, and the racks were tall. When a fully loaded rack passed on the track, it would briefly block the camera for half a minute.

Zhang Pangpang stared at Yang Guo, who was still lying in the same spot half a minute later on the surveillance. “But it’s only half a minute. What could he do? Never mind the time needed to kill someone—even rushing back here to lie down in half a minute is impossible.”

Jin Ge gave the two young ones time to think. Seeing they couldn’t find a direction, he said, “Can’t crack it from here? Switch angles. According to the coroner’s preliminary judgment, the victim died from blood loss after being stabbed in the abdominal aorta with a serrated knife.”

Jiang Xiaoyu was stunned. “Serrated knife?”

“That’s right. This type of knife isn’t common, but Criminal Technology searched for ages and still hasn’t found the murder weapon. You two split up: Zhang Pangpang, go to the crime scene and assist Criminal Technology. Jiang Xiaoyu, since you already went to Wan Universe last time, continue investigating there.”

Jiang Xiaoyu took the investigation order. As he was planning how to proceed, he surprisingly received a text from Ye Lian: Officer Jiang, I’m having dinner with the famous singer Yang Guo tonight. Want his autograph?

Jiang Xiaoyu’s ears perked up. This old rogue was delivering a pillow just as he dozed off—perfect assist!

He quickly texted back to Ye Lian: Sorry to trouble you.

The autograph was fake; confirming the situation was real. Knowing Ye Lian was still at home, he immediately turned back. Transforming into cat form, he returned to the Ye Residence. At the entrance, he was caught by the Husky, who woofed in complaint, “Bad kitty! Out playing again without taking dog!”

It had indeed been a while since he returned. Feeling a bit guilty, Jiang Xiaoyu hugged the Husky’s nuzzling head and mewed at the old butler under his reproachful gaze.

“Shameless little thing.” Chen Yiqu cursed, thinking to himself that it must be some matter needing his help that brought it back. “Comes back when hungry, runs off after eating!”

Jiang Xiaoyu guiltily rubbed against his pant leg and mewed twice in flattery.

Chen Yiqu kept a stern face, twitching his mustache. After a long while, he softened a bit. Fine, whatever with those two. The two involved were immersed in this relationship; what could an outsider say?

Nearby, Liu Qingqing was enthusiastically calling out, “Kitty’s back? Come here quick, Auntie bought you lots of clothes.”

Jiang Xiaoyu stiffened his paws as she picked him up to her chest and fussed over him like a statue for a good while, dressing him in a rose-pink little skirt.

Ye Lian gracefully descended the stairs. Probably heading out for the dinner, he looked exceptionally handsome and refined today.

He leaned on the stair railing, looking at Jiang Xiaoyu downstairs with a playful smile tugging at his lips. “Fits pretty well.”

Jiang Xiaoyu’s face flushed red; he wanted to burrow into a hole. Forcing a stiff, furred face to act nonchalant, he was then topped with a matching lace bow tie by Liu Qingqing, who excitedly held him up to Ye Lian. “Young Master, look, cute, right?”

Ye Lian let out a short laugh. “Not bad. Take a photo and send it to that account of Zhao Xiaoting’s.”

Zhao Xiaoting used to post updates about the Little Black Cat on her live stream account. Many fans compared it to Jiang Xiaoyu’s own account, sighing that the second owner had better conditions and spoiled the cat, hoping the Little Black Cat would stay with the second owner.

Jiang Xiaoyu was furious, fur bristling as he hissed angrily, “No photos!” If this got posted, the girls would go wild again!

But his struggles were futile. Liu Qingqing pulled out her phone, snapped a photo, and sent it in one smooth motion. She found Jiang Xiaoyu’s apricot eyes—which had puffed up even rounder from anger—adorably cute. “Let Auntie give you a kiss.” She grinned and lifted up Jiang Xiaoyu to plant one on him. The Little Black Cat got so scared that he stretched out his paws toward Ye Lian for help: “Save cat!”

Ye Lian took Jiang Xiaoyu and straightened the bow tie that had gotten crooked in the struggle for him, then set him back down on the ground. “You guys play. I’m heading out.”

Jiang Xiaoyu immediately scampered to his leg upon hearing this, tilting up his little face and blinking those big, watery eyes. His paws pawed at Ye Lian’s pant leg as he meowed: “Take cat together!”

Ye Lian pretended not to understand, striding aside with his long legs. “Where’s Fei Lang? Is the car ready?”

Chen Yiqu withdrew his gaze from the rose-pink Little Black Cat and coughed lightly. “It’s ready. Just waiting for you to get in the car.”

Seeing Ye Lian about to leave, Jiang Xiaoyu bolted over at top speed and pounced onto the man’s calf. His claws hooked firmly onto the man’s suit pants, sticking tight like a flying pancake with no intention of letting go.

Ye Lian shook his foot lightly, putting on an indifferent act as he said coolly: “Can’t be this clingy. Butler, get him down.”

Chen Yiqu found it amusing inwardly but responded with an “Alright” on the surface. He squatted down to grab hold.

Jiang Xiaoyu’s hind legs were gripped by the old butler while his front paws remained hooked on Ye Lian’s suit pants. Dangling in mid-air like that, he meowed: “Cat wants to go with you. Cat won’t get down!”

Chen Yiqu teased him a few more times. Seeing the cat so frantic he was on the verge of tears, he deliberately put on a stern face. “Young master, he refuses to come down.”

Ye Lian’s handsome brows furrowed slightly in apparent distress. After a long moment, he seemed to resign himself and said: “Fine, then we’ll bring him along. I hope the other side doesn’t mind.”

Chen Yiqu chimed in: “Such a rascal! Behave yourself—don’t cause trouble for the young master!”

Jiang Xiaoyu finally calmed down at this point. He awkwardly unhooked his claws and squatted beside Ye Lian. Spotting the claw marks on the man’s pant leg, he let out an embarrassed meow: “Cat’s just going to listen to them talk… won’t cause trouble…”

Ye Lian’s eyes curved in a smile. “Let’s go.”

Jiang Xiaoyu shook his reddened ears and hurriedly trotted after him.