Cen Nian’s fur bristled all over his body, and his claws sprang out like springs, still a milky-white color. He lowered the front half of his body and raised his rump high in a defensive combat posture.
He could already see the wild dog’s nose; it was black and glistening with moist vapor.
“Meow!” (Brave kitty, not afraid of danger!)
He raised his paw and was about to strike the wild dog that emerged, only to hear a whimper. He stared blankly at the puppy, which was almost the same size as him, and blinked dumbly.
The puppy, frightened by his menacing aura, collapsed to the ground.
Cen Nian froze mid-strike, his paw suspended in the air. The loss of balance sent him tumbling clumsily to the ground. He scrambled back up in a hurry, but his clean fur was now coated in a layer of dust.
“Don’t you try to scam me here! I don’t have any dried fish for you.”
“Don’t hit me, woo woo woo…”
The puppy whimpered and begged for mercy, looking pitiful in the extreme.
Cen Nian put on an innocent face. Who’s hitting who? You, little runt, tried to play the big bad dog and scared me half to death! Thank goodness I’m brave, courageous, and resolute, possessing every noble quality imaginable, which is why I didn’t let you frighten me.
He waved a tiny paw arrogantly. “A little pup like you should hurry home! You’ll be sold if someone steals you, and then you’ll be the one who’s screwed! I’m telling you, I have important business too.”
Woof!
A deep, powerful bark, sounding like a tractor engine, boomed through the air. A massive shadow loomed over the triumphant little kitten. The truly fierce dog had arrived. Its jet-black eyes, filled with a murderous glint, locked onto Cen Nian.
“Are you bullying my child?”
Cen Nian stared at the fierce dog in terror. He retracted his tiny paws, curling himself into a small, trembling ball, and let out a weak, pitiful meow. “Meow…”
“No, no bullying! I was just telling him to go home quickly! It’s too dangerous out here for him! Please don’t hit me! Please don’t eat me!”
His little head drooped. “I’m too small anyway… I’m all bone and fur, not even a mouthful, and I won’t even fill you up.”
The little kitten wished he could burrow into the ground. He was completely humbled, his fighting spirit reduced to that of a typical bully-the-weak-and-fear-the-strong kitten.
The fierce dog frowned slightly, looking at the little creature that wasn’t even as big as its own head. The outside world is dangerous for you, too, it thought. Stop trying to act tough when you’re just as vulnerable.
With a single paw, it swiped the puppy, which was still cowering on the ground, back to its feet. “What just happened?”
The puppy tried to nuzzle up against its mother, only to be met with a scold: “Stop being so clingy! I’m asking you a question.”
Cen Nian nervously raised her head just a fraction, peeking out from under her brow to steal a glance at the puppy while scanning for an escape route.
The puppy replied dumbly, “Hehe, it scared me. It told me to hurry home.”
Cen Nian shot her head up. “Yes, exactly! That’s exactly what I was advising it to do.”
The fierce dog stared at its foolish child, then looked away, unable to bear the sight. A headache… what a massive headache. How could it have given birth to such a hopeless thing? How could it be scared by this?
Unwilling to lose any more face, the dog turned and walked away with its head held high. As it passed Cen Nian, it muttered, “Little things like you are in danger out here, too. Go home.”
Without pausing, it continued forward, the puppy obediently following behind. As they passed Cen Nian, the puppy cast a curious glance her way.
Cen Nian turned to look at the fierce dog, but it didn’t seem fierce at all.
He trotted forward a step. “Excuse me, do you know where the nearest police station is? Thank you.”
The mother dog stopped. “Why do you need to go to the police station?”
Cen Nian’s mind raced, and he put on his most pitiful expression, his voice trembling slightly. “Actually, I’m lost. I want to go to the police station so the police officers can help me find my owner.”
Seeing his clean, well-groomed appearance and gentle demeanor, so different from a stray cat, the mother dog believed him. “Cross the street, go straight for two more blocks, then turn left and keep going.”
Cen Nian successfully got the directions. His little tail shot up happily, and his meow instantly became a degree sweeter. “Thank you, thank you so much!”
He even bowed his little head to the mother dog. “I’ll be going now. Bye-bye!”
Cen Nian hurried off, glancing at a street sign as he passed and secretly memorizing it.
The mother dog watched his small figure bouncing away into the distance.
When he reached the intersection, it was still crowded. Suddenly, an explosively cute little kitten appeared at the very back, standing politely with its paws tucked in, waiting. Everyone who had gathered there was now looking at him with fond, knowing smiles.
Some people thought Cen Nian was the pet of the person in front.
A few had already taken out their phones to snap photos and videos.
Though Cen Nian noticed all of this, he completely ignored them. No one could distract him from his important business. When the light changed, he walked forward with the crowd, staying on the outermost edge.
Just then, a pair of girls behind him noticed he seemed to have no owner.
“What’s wrong with this little cat?”
“Is it lost?” “Should we pick it up?”
Hearing their words, Cen Nian quickened his pace in alarm. If he got picked up, who knew when he’d be put back down. And if they were kind-hearted enough to decide to adopt him, that would be even worse.
Fortunately, he used his small size to dart left and right, leaving the two well-meaning girls behind and escaping the crisis.
Meanwhile, Yu Shen returned from his morning run. The moment he opened the door, his gaze swept straight to the floor-to-ceiling window. When he saw no sign of Cen Nian, his movements paused. He then scanned the rest of the house as he walked in.
“Little dummy? Little dummy?”
He searched the house and yard as quickly as possible. After confirming Cen Nian wasn’t home, his expression showed a rare, visible trace of anxiety.
He went to the study and pulled up the security footage from the front gate. He had still been there when he left that morning. He fast-forwarded the video to the moment after his departure, the images blurring past. Then he saw it: the little dummy coming from the fence, pausing to stare up at the gate, and then leaving.
His long fingers tapped the desk in confusion. Why is the little dummy still holding a pen in its mouth?
Wasting no more time, he drove out, following the direction the little dummy had gone.
This was his first time keeping a pet, a cat, and he was clearly inexperienced. He had assumed the little dummy was too timid to escape, and that the gaps in the fence were too narrow to pose a problem. He never imagined it would actually run away.
Meanwhile, Cen Nian was at the second intersection, preparing to cross the street. At this hour, the morning commute was in full swing. People heading in opposite directions converged here, creating a dense, swarming crowd.
Cen Nian had initially tried to walk along the edge of the sidewalk, but as the crowds from both sides merged, he was swept into the middle. Everyone was in such a rush that most didn’t even notice him.
He was knocked around, stumbling and reeling.
“Meow!” (Stop kicking me!)
Cen Nian had lost count of how many times he’d been kicked and trampled. His bones ached as if several had snapped, and his head buzzed with a dull roar. Finally, some unlucky soul sent him tumbling away with a stray kick. He rolled until he struck the curb, finally coming to a stop.
He was now a completely filthy cat.
His small black nose twitched twice, and tears welled up. Why is everyone bullying me?
Still clutching his pen firmly in his mouth, he nursed his grief and indignation for a moment before limping to his feet. He pressed on, though even fewer people noticed him now that he was a matted, grimy mess.
Yu Shen had circled his neighborhood, but his little cat was nowhere to be found.
He tapped the steering wheel in frustration and finally made the call. “Chief, I need your help with something.”
Cen Nian stubbornly made it past the final intersection. If he just kept going straight, there was a police station ahead. He took a deep breath. Brave kitty, never give up!
He had just taken a step when
“Meow!” (Where did this ugly freak come from, daring to trespass on my turf!)
A stray cat leaped out of nowhere, followed by several others. They formed a menacing blockade, cutting off Cen Nian’s path. It took him a moment to process that “ugly freak” was referring to him.
The world was collapsing.
He… was an… ugly little kitten?
The stray cat boss sneered, his face a mask of menace. “Get lost, you ugly brat. Don’t tarnish our reputation. My territory has no place for a hideous cat like you.”
Cen Nian clenched his tiny paws. If I can’t win a fight, I can’t start one, he reminded himself.
He had heard rumors that in the feline world, the more patterns a cat had, the more beautiful they were, meaning Ragdolls were actually considered ugly. But he never thought it would be true!
Still, he shook it off in an instant. So what if I’m ugly in the cat world? My food and shelter come from humans, after all.
Setting down the pen in his mouth, he suppressed his anger and explained, “I’m just passing through. I won’t be staying here.”
“Pah!” The boss hissed, baring his fangs. “Even you just passing through soils my territory. Get lost! Find another way around.”
The cats behind him joined in, jeering, “Get lost! Get lost!”
Cen Nian had never been so insulted. He had a temper too. “I, I’m walking this way! This road doesn’t belong to you!”
He picked up his pen and turned to leave, but the boss struck without warning. A paw slashed across his face, ripping out a tuft of fur. A searing pain flared, and the next second, Cen Nian was knocked flat on his back.
Cen Nian was now completely enraged. Before he could even get back up, he lashed out with all four paws at the approaching Boss Cat, letting out a fierce, warning hiss.
But as a tiny kitten, he was no match for a full-grown cat. He was utterly overwhelmed, pinned down and pummeled. The other cat even lunged in for a bite, its attack vicious and determined.
Cen Nian felt as if he were about to die. Just then, a sudden “Woof!” rang out. A black blur leaped over him, slamming into the stray cat and sending it flying off his body.
Cen Nian turned his head to see the puppy rushing to his side, trying to gently pick him up in its mouth.
Meanwhile, the mother dog was locked in a fierce battle with the rest of the cats. She called out to the puppy, “Keep moving forward!”
Tears blurred Cen Nian’s vision.
Yu Shen’s car was heading this way, but the morning rush hour traffic was too congested. Finally, he pulled over to the curb, got out, and started running on foot. A voice in his earphones was guiding him, pinpointing Cen Nian’s location.
The stray cats were truly fierce; they showed no fear even against a large dog. The mother dog, however, was reluctant to bite them too hard; after all, for a stray cat, an injury could be a death sentence. As a result, the battle reached a stalemate.
Just then, the tiny kitten actually charged back in, fiercely swatting at the enemy with its little paws.
“Didn’t I tell you to leave?”
Cen Nian had been kicked down again but scrambled back to his feet. Amidst the flurry of flying fur, he spoke firmly, his voice muffled as he kept the pen cap clenched in his mouth: “I won’t be a deserter.”
The mother dog gave him an appreciative glance, and the puppy joined in too. The fight was so fierce that it only ended when the sanitation worker intervened with her broom to separate them.
“Shoo, shoo! Stop fighting!”
The cat boss and his gang shook the fur off their bodies, still glaring viciously at them.
The mother dog stood her ground, facing off against the boss as Cen Nian and the puppy backed away step by step. The battle between the two factions finally ended. The mother dog escorted Cen Nian all the way until he reached the police station.
Cen Nian thanked her gratefully; she had truly saved his life.
“I hope you find your owner,” he said. “If you don’t, meet me at that intersection tomorrow morning. I’ll take you to my house; my owner is very kind.”
Cen Nian froze. The suddenness of the pleasant surprise left him feeling a bit shy and awkward. “Why are you being so good to me?” he asked softly.
Could it be that Ragdolls are considered beautiful in the dog world?
The mother dog huffed haughtily, “Why so many questions? Let’s go.”
She gave the silly, grinning puppy a playful swat with her paw. Cen Nian quickly called out, “Let’s take another way.”
The mother dog replied, “I’m scared of them!” and immediately turned in a different direction.
Cen Nian smiled, but as he looked at the police station entrance, the smile slowly faded from his face. His expression turned sorrowful as he sank into a memory.
As a young child, he learned one day that his father had died in the line of duty.
From then on, his parents existed only in the family photo, wearing their sky-blue police uniforms.
Everyone told him that his parents were heroes, and that he was the child of heroes.
But back then, he didn’t want heroes. He just wanted his parents. He would hide under his covers night after night, crying secretly until he fell asleep, slowly learning to accept his loss.
Cen Nian sighed. He lifted a small paw to wipe away a tear, but the dirt on his paw only made his eye sting more.
He didn’t dwell on his grief for long. He found a piece of paper in the trash, then hid behind the bin. He gripped a pen in his mouth, struggling to write the address, his little rump wiggling with the effort.
After a lot of effort, he finally managed to scribble down the address, though it was crooked and messy. His jaw was so sore he could barely keep his mouth closed. He dropped the pen, clamped the paper in his teeth, and crept out from behind the trash can to return to his original spot.
He looked at the police station. If he delivered this paper, his life would be over. He had killed a man; even if he escaped the death penalty, he would likely face life imprisonment. Even with good behavior, he wouldn’t be out until he was eighty.
Cen Nian knew he was a criminal, but he had truly been good to him; at least, he had never harmed him.
Though he had long since made his decision and choice, now that it came down to this, he still felt torn and conflicted.
Perhaps he wasn’t that righteous after all.
If Mom and Dad knew, they would be so disappointed in me…
Lost in his turmoil, he didn’t notice an electric scooter pull up beside him. A man wearing a hat had been staring at him for a long time.
Tsk, tsk. A Ragdoll in top condition. With a wash, this cat would fetch a good price.
Cen Nian lifted his small paw, which had been gripping the ground tightly. He stopped hesitating. But before his paw could even touch the ground again, he was snatched up. The man’s grip was so strong it nearly made him cry out in pain, but he couldn’t; he was too afraid the paper in his mouth would fall.
His body was already in the air, and he glared furiously at his captor, his invincible kitty claws scratching wildly.
Let me go! You villain!
He could feel that the grip holding him was anything but kind.
His struggles only made the hand tighten its hold. He saw the man pulling up his sleeve and widened his eyes in terror; he’s going to bag me!
His claws kicked even faster. Let me go!
At this moment, Cen Nian felt utter despair. He had come so far to get here; he couldn’t fail now!
Let me go…
Helpless tears fell as the man’s sleeve blocked his vision. Just as the light in his eyes was about to fade completely, the fabric was ripped away. He saw a sturdy arm, its inner side scored with two distinct red scratches.
Cen Nian’s eyes flickered. Light returned to his world!
A powerful hand clamped down on the wrist of the man holding Cen Nian. The veins on the hand bulged with strength, easily forcing the adult male’s arm upward at a sharp angle. The knuckles were so forceful that Cen Nian could hear the man’s arm bone groaning in pain.
He whipped his head around to look at Yu Shen, his breath hitching. In that moment, he felt a rush of excitement, disbelief, and sheer astonishment. But all those emotions dissolved into pathetic tears the second he saw Yu Shen’s face.
The man could no longer hold on and let go of Cen Nian. Cen Nian suddenly fell, but he wasn’t afraid at all, because Yu Shen was there.
As if answering his trust, Yu Shen’s large hand caught him steadily.
Back in those familiar arms, Cen Nian’s tears fell even faster, impossible to hold back.
Meanwhile, the man had been forced to his knees by the pressure, shouting, “Murder! Murder!” as he tried to ease the pain.
Officers from the nearby police station immediately rushed out upon hearing the commotion.
Cen Nian’s tension spiked, his mind racing as he looked from Yu Shen’s cold expression to the approaching police.
“What’s going on? Let go!” a policeman ordered.
Without even turning his head, Yu Shen pulled his credentials from his pocket with his other hand and held them up. “Criminal Investigation Division, Officer Yu Shen, on duty.”
Cen Nian’s spinning thoughts came to a screeching halt. What? What division? Criminal investigation, what? Who’s an officer?!