Chapter 73: The Tiger Carries the Little Kitten Part 1

Jiang Xiaoyu wouldn’t normally have such poor vigilance, but perhaps because Cat Grandpa’s side was too warm, it reminded him of the Colorful Civet Old Cat that had only left not long ago.

The cart was pushed quickly along, and he opened his eyes to find that he had already left the dessert shop from before. Someone was pushing him in another direction.

Jiang Xiaoyu’s ears stood straight up, his body tensing. Wan Qianli noticed the little cat’s tension and opened his eyes, wanting to pull him into his arms and smooth his fur, but Jiang Xiaoyu was already on high alert. He placed his paws on the edge of the cart and turned his head to look at who was pushing it.

He ran through various scenarios in his mind: a man, a woman, a cat thief, an animal abuser, some kid with itchy hands, and so on. But when he peeked over and saw a stylishly dressed Old Madam, he couldn’t help but freeze for a moment.

“Old Madam, the young master is awake,” A-Cui said. As Jiang Fenghua’s personal maidservant who had grown up with her, she naturally knew the family situation.

Jiang Fenghua couldn’t stop smiling at her long-awaited grandson. Her silver hair bun trembled lightly with her head, and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes smoothed out. “Good boy, I’m Grandma.”

Jiang Xiaoyu had no time to care who she was; he was only thinking that Ye Qingxu was probably anxious right now. Ignoring the longing in the old woman’s eyes, he placed his paws on the cart’s edge, stretched his head down to gauge the distance, and was just about to jump when the cart stopped.

The Old Madam was wearing an old-style qipao, which made squatting a bit inconvenient. She leaned slightly to the side and touched Jiang Xiaoyu. “Do you want to go find Daddy?”

Jiang Xiaoyu nodded, and she smiled somewhat strainedly. “It’s Grandma who didn’t think it through. Blame me for missing you so much.” As she spoke, her eyes reddened. “Just thinking about you being out there unable to come home makes my heart ache like someone’s chiseling it with an awl.”

The old woman’s sadness didn’t seem feigned. Under such genuine emotion, Jiang Xiaoyu felt bad about just leaving like that. He awkwardly retracted his paws and was pulled back into the arms of the Old Cat that had been leaning against him.

Seeing this, Jiang Fenghua burst out laughing. She took out a handkerchief to wipe the corner of her eye, choking up as she said, “What happened back then was Grandma’s fault to your dad. If Grandma had been more careful, you father and son wouldn’t have been separated for so many years, and you wouldn’t have been away from home for so long.”

Jiang Xiaoyu wanted to ask what exactly happened back then, but since Ye Qingxu hadn’t told him, he was afraid his dad would be hurt if he pried privately. Seeing the old woman about to say more, he pulled his ears down with both paws to block them, clearly showing he didn’t want to listen.

Jiang Fenghua saw this and nearly cried again. Her pitiful appearance left Jiang Xiaoyu at a loss. A-Cui tried to persuade on the side, “Old Madam, don’t be hasty. The young master just learned he has a grandma like you; it can’t be rushed.”

“I know that, of course.” The Old Madam clutched her handkerchief and smacked her hand. “But I miss him… I miss him so much my heart hurts…”

A-Cui was about to persuade more, wanting her to send the child back to his father first, when a female voice came from behind. “Sister Fenghua?”

Jiang Fenghua straightened up, smoothed her hair, and smiled. “Who might it be? Oh, it’s Ye Lan. What a coincidence running into you here. You’re quite the girl, almost sixty and still looking like a young lady.” Before she finished, her gaze fell on the tall, handsome man beside Ye Lan. “Oh my, this is Lian Zhi, right? He’s grown even more dashing and godlike, just like his uncle in his youth.”

“Aunt Wan,” Ye Lian greeted politely. Then his gaze shifted down to the Little Black Cat that had poked its head out upon hearing his name, raising a brow.

Jiang Xiaoyu reached out both paws to him, his expression full of plea for help.

Though Jiang Fenghua was talking with Ye Lan, her attention was always on Jiang Xiaoyu. Seeing the Little Black Cat trying to go to Ye Lian, she said in surprise, “Does Lian Zhi know Little Yu?”

Ye Lian didn’t keep Jiang Xiaoyu waiting and stepped forward to pick him up. He respectfully called out to the bewildered Old Cat in the stroller, “Uncle Wan.” Then he straightened up and said, “Yes, we’ve known each other for a while.”

“Oh my, what a coincidence.” Delight appeared on Jiang Fenghua’s face. “In terms of seniority, Little Yu should call Lian Zhi ‘uncle.'”

Ye Lan smiled in agreement. “Exactly, I got lucky—young in age but high in seniority. It even dragged Lian Zhi up with me, making poor Keyao the same generation despite being over a dozen years older.”

The two old friends chatted happily, but Jiang Xiaoyu was climbing all over Ye Lian, awkwardly thinking that this old bastard really was his uncle…

Ye Lian’s foot was scratched painfully by his paws. With a raised brow, he mischievously patted the cat’s butt, making Jiang Xiaoyu’s almond eyes go wide. Before he could bite, the two daddies finally caught up.

Ye Qingxu’s face was extremely grim. He took the little cat from Ye Lian and hugged him, then turned to leave.

Wan Keyao beside him didn’t look much better either. Suppressing his anger at Jiang Fenghua irritably, he said, “What exactly do you want? Snatching the kid without a word and making us chase after you for fun?”

Jiang Fenghua had been holding Ye Lan’s hand, but at Wan Keyao’s blunt words, her face immediately fell. “What do I want? I want to see my grandson! I said I wanted to come and you wouldn’t let me, so I came myself!”

Even if there weren’t many people around, this was still a public place. Ye Lan patted Jiang Fenghua’s hand soothingly, signaled Ye Lian to chase after Ye Qingxu, then said to Wan Keyao, “Keyao, go book a room upstairs at the hotel. Let’s talk it out properly, not out here.”

Wan Keyao suppressed his rage, striding off like a lion whose territory had been invaded, mane bristling. He feared that if he stayed a second longer, he’d roar at his own mother.

Ye Qingxu carried Jiang Xiaoyu ahead in silence. Jiang Xiaoyu looked at his ugly expression and placed a paw on his hand, softly calling, “Daddy.”

Ye Qingxu stopped, heaved a heavy breath, and grasped Jiang Xiaoyu’s paw. “Sorry, did Daddy scare you?”

Jiang Xiaoyu shook his head. “Are you okay? You look…” He looked both angry and furious, with a hint of embarrassment.

“Daddy’s fine.” Ye Qingxu’s eyes were a bit wet. “Daddy’s been too selfish, dragging my feet on telling you. Daddy didn’t want you near the other father, but you should have everything.”

Jiang Xiaoyu pressed his face to his chest, eyes red as he said, “Daddy has already given me everything. Before meeting you, ‘daddy’ meant fear to me. After meeting you, I learned how happy it is to have a daddy.”

Ye Qingxu smiled through tears at his words, but before long, they flowed uncontrollably again. He tried to speak, but it came out choked. Jiang Xiaoyu’s heart clenched painfully, tears gathering in Kitten’s eyes too.

Ye Lian approached quietly then, handing over a handkerchief to Ye Qingxu. “Mr. Ye, don’t be too saddened.”

Ye Qingxu hurriedly wiped his tears with one hand, then took the handkerchief. “You’ve seen my joke.”

Ye Lian curved his eyes in a smile, offering no empty comforts, just quietly standing with the father and son.

Once man and cat had calmed, he said, “The Wan Family has a room upstairs. Do you want to go?”

The Wan Family he mentioned included Wan Qianli, Jiang Fenghua, and Wan Keyao. Ye Qingxu stroked the warm little cat in his arms, full of supportive eyes. His earlier panic gone, he lifted his head steadily. “Let’s go. Time to clear things up.”

—

Jiang Fenghua and Ye Lan sat on the sofa, holding Wan Qianli between them. When Ye Qingxu entered with Jiang Xiaoyu, she set the cat down, stood, and smoothed her hair. “Little Ye, sorry. The agreement from twenty-two years ago—I’m breaking it.”

Ye Qingxu’s upbringing kept him from saying anything harsh to Jiang Fenghua, though his face was still unpleasant.

With so many people around, Wan Keyao had calmed instead. Gravely to Ye Lan, he said, “Thanks for your trouble today, Lan-jie. I’ll treat you and Lian Zhi to dinner another day.” She got the hint, tucked her hair behind her ear, smiled, and left with Ye Lian. Passing Ye Qingxu, she even reached out to touch the little cat’s paw in his arms, silently mouthing: Little liar.

Jiang Xiaoyu buried his head deep in Ye Qingxu’s chest, mentally chanting that cats can’t see.

Once the room held only family, Wan Keyao crossed his fingers, elbows on his spread thighs, leaning forward imposingly. “All these years I’ve asked countless times what happened back then, and you two hid it from me. Can you tell me now?”

Jiang Fenghua glanced at Ye Qingxu’s cold reaction, took a deep breath, and composed herself. “I’ll explain.”

Back then, when Si Xiaoshan told Jiang Fenghua that her son was dating a boy, she was so furious she nearly passed out. She couldn’t accept her only son being gay and involved with a man.

Worse, Wan Qianli had just turned sixty-something when he got brain sick, cruelly leaving her to face this alone. She feared that if Wan Qianli died and Wan Keyao really ended up with a boy, she’d have no heirs and be left alone in the world.

So when Si Xiaoshan said he had a way to separate them, she foolishly believed him. She had people kidnap Ye Qingxu at his crucial graduation point. Si Xiaoshan said it would only be a few days—after he accompanied Wan Keyao to the graduation ball and photos of feigned intimacy were sent to Ye Qingxu, he’d surely see the truth and leave Wan Keyao, given their vast family differences.