Resting her paw in Weng Siyue’s hand, Su Youtian blissfully narrowed her eyes.
Ah…
Mother-in-law’s hands might be rough, but they’re warm.
Making soft humming noises, she burrowed into Weng Siyue’s arms and rubbed against her affectionately.
Grandma sat on the kang, grinning from ear to ear.
Pulling lightly on Su Youtian’s tail, she said to Weng Siyue:
“Orange really likes you. Usually when strangers come by, she won’t even let them touch a single hair.”
Yuan Wei’s pen stopped moving.
He snorted again.
Lowering her head, Weng Siyue reached out to scratch beneath Su Youtian’s chin.
Su Youtian immediately lifted her chin away and pressed Weng Siyue’s hand down with her paw.
Nope.
The chin is a special zone reserved exclusively for Yuan Wei.
Not even Mother-in-law gets permission.
Weng Siyue blinked in surprise.
Grandma explained:
“She won’t let anyone touch her chin. Only Yuan Wei can.”
Su Youtian meowed in agreement.
Weng Siyue laughed.
“She’s practically become a spirit.”
Yuan Wei raised an eyebrow and snorted once more.
This time, however, the corners of his lips curved upward ever so slightly.
Leaping out of Weng Siyue’s arms, Su Youtian padded over to Yuan Wei.
With a few agile jumps, she climbed onto his back.
Yuan Wei’s shoulder tilted under the sudden weight.
He raised a hand and pressed her down.
“I’m doing homework.”
Su Youtian placed her head on top of his and stared with wide, round eyes.
Go ahead and write.
I’ll supervise.
Yuan Wei pulled her off.
She stubbornly climbed back on.
After several rounds, Yuan Wei finally gave up.
His left hand rested on her belly, gently kneading it while his right hand continued writing.
Su Youtian stuck out her tongue and licked his fingers.
Then she sighed.
[System, what should I do if my child groom is being too cold toward me?]
【Child… groom?】
[I’m watching him grow up, and we’ll have a romantic relationship later. If that doesn’t make him a child groom, then what does it make him?]
Grinding its metaphorical teeth, the system replied:
【Do you need me to wake you up with a splash of urine?】
Su Youtian pinched her nose in disgust.
[Ugh.]
During the New Year, Su Youtian got to enjoy an entire fish all by herself for the first time.
Although it had simply been boiled in plain water, she was delighted beyond words.
Before the New Year’s Eve dinner began, the black-and-white television in Grandma’s room was broadcasting the Spring Festival Gala.
Grandma and Weng Siyue sat on the kang making dumplings.
Rows upon rows of dumplings were neatly arranged on bamboo trays.
An elderly neighbor from next door came over to help as well, filling the house with laughter and cheerful conversation.
As Grandma wrapped dumplings, she craned her neck toward Yuan Wei’s room.
“What’s Xiaowei doing? He’s been awfully quiet.”
Weng Siyue smiled.
“Feeding the cat.”
Grandma Wang from next door shook her head.
“Xiaowei’s such a good student. You should keep an eye on him. Don’t let him neglect his studies because of a cat.”
Weng Siyue replied,
“I don’t restrict him. He knows his priorities.”
Grandma Wang nodded and said no more.
Inside Yuan Wei’s room, Su Youtian’s little nest had been moved under his desk.
Whenever the room got cold and Yuan Wei studied at his desk, she would curl up in her nest and sleep.
Then Yuan Wei would use her to warm his feet…
Today, however, she had been placed on top of the desk.
In front of her sat a bowl containing a small fish.
Although it had been boiled in plain water, the rich fishy aroma kept drifting into her nose.
Su Youtian licked her lips and immediately tried to bury her face in the bowl.
Yuan Wei stopped her with a single finger pressed against her forehead.
“There are bones. Wait.”
Reluctantly, Su Youtian withdrew her head.
Her tail swished anxiously from side to side.
Yuan Wei lowered his head and carefully picked out the bones.
He worked so slowly and meticulously that Su Youtian became impatient.
Hurry up.
Hurry up.
Mouth wide open, she paced around him nonstop.
“Ahhh~”
Yuan Wei turned away.
“Ahhh~”
Again and again, he pushed her aside with one hand.
“Stop moving!”
Using his chopsticks, he picked off a piece of fish, carefully removed every tiny bone, and fed it to her.
By the time the fish reached her mouth, she nearly bit the chopsticks off.
After swallowing it in one gulp, Su Youtian blissfully narrowed her eyes.
Fish was delicious.
Fish personally fed to her by Yuan Wei was even more delicious.
【Look at you. No ambition whatsoever.】
[Someone as single as you could never understand this kind of happiness. Hehe.]
【Personal attack! Watch it or I’ll shock you.】
Yuan Wei fed her until she was completely full.
Licking her paws, Su Youtian let out a satisfied burp.
Yuan Wei extended his hand.
Automatically, Su Youtian rested her head on it, allowing him to rub beneath her chin.
“Orange, after the New Year you’ll be a year older.”
Su Youtian narrowed her eyes and hummed contentedly.
Smiling, Yuan Wei vigorously ruffled her head.
“Happy New Year.”
When spring arrived, Su Youtian’s weight began increasing like wild weeds after rain.
One day, when Yuan Wei returned from school, he saw a giant fluffy ball curled beneath the tree at the village entrance, squinting at him.
The corners of Yuan Wei’s mouth lifted slightly.
Orange looked like a tiny yellow tiger, striding over on her short legs with tremendous dignity.
Climbing up his pant leg, Su Youtian stepped on his schoolbag with her hind paws and planted her front paws on his head.
Facing the wind, she let out a mighty roar.
“My beloved consort, behold the empire I have conquered for you, meow!”
Unfortunately, all Yuan Wei heard was a series of meows.
Well, meows mixed with occasional dog barks.
Yuan Wei rubbed her paw.
“Why do you always stay under that tree?”
Su Youtian sighed wistfully.
“I am merely inspecting the future site of my imperial tomb in advance. I’ve already hidden many burial treasures there, so that if villains one day harm me, I won’t be lonely underground, meow…”
The system scoffed.
Listening to her incomprehensible stream of meows, Yuan Wei continued:
“A lot of things have gone missing from the house lately. Especially my underwear. You didn’t carry them off, did you?”
【……Eww~】
Su Youtian: “……Of course not! Dogs are the ones who lie, woof!”
Yuan Wei laughed.
“Why are you barking again?”
Su Youtian: “……”
By the second half of Yuan Wei’s second year of middle school, Su Youtian’s belly had become so round it nearly brushed the ground.
Perhaps it was simply an orange cat’s natural genetics.
She gained weight even drinking water.
Viewed from above, she resembled a giant sweet potato.
At first, Su Youtian worried about it for a few days.
But whenever food appeared, she completely lost control.
Even cabbage leaves, which she used to dislike, became fair game.
Eventually, she gave up entirely.
After all, she was a cat.
Nobody was judging her.
Hehe.
Trying to control her weight nearly drove the young Yuan Wei to lose his hair from stress.
Whenever he attempted to put her on a diet, she would rub against him and meow pitifully.
His occasional moments of weakness gradually turned into permanent weakness.
All he could do was watch helplessly as Su Youtian’s weight continued to soar.
In the end, Grandma came up with a solution.
Every day on the way to and from school, Yuan Wei would make Su Youtian walk alongside him for part of the journey.
Su Youtian had only one condition.
Yuan Wei had to carry snacks in his pocket.
Otherwise, she refused to take a single step.
Su Youtian had always believed that no matter how fat she became, Yuan Wei would never dislike her.
One day, however, that belief was shattered.
During the second half of eighth grade, Su Youtian was sprawled atop Wangcai, the village chief’s mutt, racing toward the village entrance.
Yuan Wei would be home soon.
As Su Youtian grew lazier and lazier, she eventually stopped wanting to walk altogether.
So she had temporarily hired Wangcai as her personal transportation.
After arriving at the village entrance, Su Youtian pulled a dried fish from the little pouch hanging on her chest and dropped it in front of Wangcai.
Wangcai swallowed it in one bite.
After rubbing against her affectionately, he left.
The fish had been caught by Yuan Wei in a pond during the weekend.
Most of it had been turned into fish paste by Grandma.
A small portion had been fried in oil and stored in the tiny pouch hanging from Su Youtian’s chest.
She only got to eat it once a week and treasured it dearly.
If she weren’t so lazy, she wouldn’t have shared it with anyone.
After sitting beneath the tree and enjoying the breeze ruffling her fur for quite a while, Su Youtian realized Yuan Wei still hadn’t returned.
She had been meowing worriedly for quite a while.
Normally, Yuan Wei would have reached the village entrance by this time. At last, her concern overcame her laziness. Panting with her tongue hanging out, Su Youtian headed out of the village.
After walking for a short while, she spotted Yuan Wei’s tall figure gradually coming into view. Just as she was about to dash over, she noticed another figure beside him.
Su Youtian’s pupils narrowed into slits. She darted aside and hid behind a tree. Only then did she see that beside Yuan Wei was a very pretty girl.
The girl wore a long ponytail. When she smiled, her eyes curved into crescents, and dimples appeared on both cheeks. As she looked at Yuan Wei, she seemed to glow from head to toe.
She chatted and laughed as they walked. Although Yuan Wei still wore his usual expressionless face, Su Youtian could tell that at least he wasn’t rejecting her company.
Su Youtian bared her teeth and scratched at the tree trunk with her claws.
The system let out two mechanical chuckles.
【This girl looks even sweeter than you.】
Su Youtian exploded in embarrassment and irritation.
[I’ve never said I was sweet! What’s sweet about me? I’m not sweet! I’m salty!]
The system replied:
【…Then what’s with your name? You’re not called Su Youxian.】
Su Youtian fell silent for a moment.
[That was the name my countryside dad gave me. My original name was Su Youtian…]
The system replied:
【Very… down-to-earth.】
Su Youtian said:
[My mom thought it sounded awful, so she changed it… Thank goodness for my mom.]
She was still scratching at the tree when Yuan Wei casually turned his head and immediately spotted her.
She had no awareness of just how large she’d become. Fat was practically spilling over her frame.
Yuan Wei frowned.
“Orange, what are you doing here?”
Su Youtian froze, then snorted and strutted out with her head held high.
The girl was startled when she saw her.
“This is your cat? Her name’s Orange?”
As she spoke, she crouched down and reached out to pet her.
Su Youtian dodged the hand and climbed up Yuan Wei’s pant leg. Yuan Wei let out a muffled grunt and bent over slightly from the strain.
Standing on his shoulder, Su Youtian flew into a rage.
Am I really that heavy? Do you have to act like you’ve suffered internal injuries?
Yuan Wei quietly exhaled and forced himself upright.
The girl’s eyes curved into a smile.
“She looks very… well-fed.”
Su Youtian placed a paw on top of Yuan Wei’s head and shot the girl challenging glances.
Yuan Wei said:
“I weighed her yesterday. She’s already twenty pounds.”
The girl covered her mouth and stared at Su Youtian in astonishment. She seemed amazed that there could be such a fat cat in the countryside.
Su Youtian secretly sucked in her stomach, trying to reduce the distance between her belly and Yuan Wei’s head by even a millimeter.
She let out a displeased meow and smacked Yuan Wei’s head with her paw.
Yuan Wei helplessly grabbed her paw.
“I’m leaving right away. Stop hitting me.”
The girl laughed.
“You can actually understand what she’s saying?”
As they continued walking, Yuan Wei replied:
“It’s simple. She’s either eating or she’s angry.”
The girl smiled and reached a hand toward Yuan Wei’s ear, seemingly intending to pet Su Youtian.
But her hand lingered ambiguously near Yuan Wei’s cheek for a few seconds.
How could Su Youtian fail to see through that little scheme? She immediately stretched out a paw and blocked the girl’s hand.
Don’t touch! This is mine!
The girl froze and subconsciously shifted her hand to the right.
Don’t touch that either! That’s mine too!
Flattening herself across Yuan Wei’s head like a tank, she lashed out in all directions with her paws. Yuan Wei sighed, lifted her down, and pinned her firmly in his arms.
The girl looked somewhat embarrassed.
“Her temper isn’t very good…”
Yuan Wei rubbed Su Youtian’s chin.
“She only lets family members touch her. Only I can touch her chin.”
The girl nodded thoughtfully.
Su Youtian snorted. Straightening slightly, she licked Yuan Wei’s chin.
This is mine too!
Later, Su Youtian learned that the girl’s name was Dou Si. She and Yuan Wei were in the same academic interest group. This visit had supposedly been to ask questions and borrow study materials.
Ask questions? Borrow materials?
Ha.
Su Youtian extended her claws and dragged them across Yuan Wei’s desk.
The corner of Yuan Wei’s eye twitched. He pressed down on her rear and smacked her several times.
Su Youtian wailed with her mouth wide open:
“You heartless traitor who values girls over cats, meow-woof!”
After that, the girl came by every few days. Yuan Wei hinted several times that if she needed materials, he could bring them to her himself. But Dou Si acted as though she didn’t understand. She did, however, bring small gifts every time she visited.
Yuan Wei simply assumed she genuinely loved studying. Grandma also liked her, so both of them more or less let it slide.
At the same time, Yuan Wei discovered that his cat had started dieting.
Every morning, she ran thirty laps around him.
Every noon, she stared at his rice bowl while drinking water.
Every evening, she lay beside him, her stomach growling louder than spring thunder.
At first, Yuan Wei felt both pleased and heartbroken. Later, thinking that being too overweight wasn’t good for a cat’s health, he decided to let her continue.
But as time passed, Orange became alarmingly thin. She was practically starving herself and had even started losing fur.
Yuan Wei found himself completely at a loss.
In the end, it was Grandma who enlightened him. She said Orange had become a spirit and simply didn’t like Dou Si.
Yuan Wei suddenly understood.
He specifically called Dou Si out and told her that the orange cat at home hadn’t been in a good mood lately. Unless there was something important, she shouldn’t come over for a while.
Dou Si’s eyes immediately reddened. Then she glared at him, stomped her foot, and ran away.
Yuan Wei: “???”
What exactly had he said wrong?
Su Youtian: “Hehehe.”
Within half a month, she had gained all the weight back.
During the winter of Yuan Wei’s third year of middle school, the village troublemakers all returned home for the season.
Yuan Wei was fair-skinned, handsome, and an excellent student. Parents constantly used him as the model child to compare against them. The girls in the village secretly admired him as well.
As a result, those delinquents harbored resentment and repeatedly went looking for trouble with him.
Several times, Yuan Wei came home with a dirty face.
He became more and more silent.
At first, Su Youtian thought he had simply gotten dirty during PE class. Later, when she noticed tears in his clothes, she finally realized it.
The plot had arrived.
The moment she thought about being killed with someone’s own hands, all her fur stood on end.
[System, will I really be strangled to death when the time comes?]
【This is the plot. It cannot be changed.】
Su Youtian anxiously sharpened her claws against the ground.
[You can’t do this to me. This is cat abuse!]
The system pondered for a moment.
【Considering how long we’ve known each other, I’ll do you a favor. As long as you bite Yuan Wei hard once, I’ll extract your soul before you’re strangled to death, so you can die painlessly.】
Su Youtian: […]
[I freaking knew you wouldn’t let me off that easily.]
The system replied:
【It’s not like you’ve only known me for one day.】
Su Youtian said:
[Didn’t you say you weren’t going to give me any more missions?]
【This isn’t a mission. It’s a deal.】
Su Youtian bared her sharp teeth.
[Give up. I’ll never hurt Yuan Wei!]
After saying that, she let out a cry.
Next door, Wangcai came sprinting over with his tongue hanging out.
With some effort, Su Youtian climbed onto his back and rode him toward the village entrance.
From far away, she saw Yuan Wei standing alone in the middle of the road. His schoolbag had been thrown far to one side. Around him, a group of delinquents rode bicycles in circles, mocking him as they went.
“Pretty boy! Aren’t you supposed to be good at studying? How about tutoring us?”
“We’ve told you how many times already? If you want to pass through this village entrance, you’ve got to pay us. Are you deaf?”
“He’s just a bookworm. Studied himself stupid! Hahaha…”
Yuan Wei had his head slightly lowered, making it impossible to see his expression.
But judging by how tense his body was, he had to be scared and angry…
Su Youtian exploded with rage.
She arched her back and hissed furiously at the group.
Wangcai was a wolfdog. Although he acted goofy around Su Youtian, his appearance was still intimidating.
Apparently sensing her anger, he also lowered his body and barked aggressively at the delinquents.
The boys froze.
They knew what Wangcai was capable of. Muttering curses under their breath, they left.
Su Youtian hurried over to Yuan Wei.
The moment he saw her, all the strength seemed to leave his body. He dropped to his knees with a thud and pulled her into his arms.
His body trembled slightly.
Su Youtian frantically licked his face.
“Don’t be scared, woof. I’ve got your back.”
Yuan Wei took a deep breath and stroked her head.
“Thank goodness I have you.”
Su Youtian proudly puffed out her little chest.
I didn’t become the village’s cat overlord for nothing.
Yuan Wei picked up his schoolbag and voluntarily placed Su Youtian on his back.
She shifted her hind paws a few times, then suddenly sensed something was wrong.
Using her paw, she tugged at the bag and caught sight of part of a knife sheath.
She instantly shuddered.
Her mind immediately went back to Yuan Wei’s words.
“Thank goodness I have you…”
If she hadn’t shown up, what exactly would Yuan Wei have done?
The thought sent chills down her spine.
On the final day of the high school entrance exams, Yuan Wei got up early in the morning.
Grandma boiled two eggs for him to take along. Even Weng Siyue watched him finish two eggs before allowing him to leave.
Su Youtian refused to leave his side all day.
She even followed him to the bathroom.
Yuan Wei found it both amusing and exasperating.
“What’s gotten into you? Why are you so clingy today?”
Lowering her head, Su Youtian rubbed herself all over his face, leaving fur all over his clothes.
Yuan Wei pinched her chin.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be back soon. After I finish the last exam, I’ll take you fishing, okay?”
Su Youtian straightened up and wrapped both paws around his neck.
“We have to say goodbye, meow. Even if the grown-up you ends up hating me, these three years spent with you are enough for me, meow.”
Yuan Wei’s expression softened.
Tilting his head slightly, he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.
“Orange, wait for me to come back.”
Su Youtian accompanied him to the village entrance.
The moment she turned around, several delinquent boys came riding up on bicycles and stopped sharply beside her.
This was her first encounter with death.
Perhaps the system had truly surrendered. At the moment when her pain became unbearable, it extracted her soul.
【Why are you so stubborn?】
Looking at Orange’s limp orange body lying on the ground, Su Youtian said dazedly,
“I didn’t want to break his heart again…”
The system sighed and said nothing more.
“So, are you sending me back now?”
【Don’t you want to watch a little longer?】
Su Youtian shook her head.
Her vision gradually faded into white.
In her final glimpse, she seemed to see Yuan Wei drop his schoolbag and collapse to his knees in front of Orange’s body.
Su Youtian slowly closed her eyes.
She had made him sad again.
This time, she seemed to sleep for a very long time.
When consciousness finally returned, the first thing she smelled was alcohol.
She immediately covered her nose.
The moment she opened her eyes, she saw a middle-aged man in a tailored suit holding a wine glass as he slowly approached her.
“Miss Sheng, I’ve watched every drama you’ve acted in and developed some rather deep insights. If you don’t mind, shall we find somewhere private to talk?”
Su Youtian was startled.
Seeing his hand about to settle on her waist, she nearly scratched him.
She pushed him away and turned to run.
After only a few steps, her body felt strangely unfamiliar, and she nearly tumbled headfirst down the stairs.
It seemed to be an autumn night.
She wasn’t wearing much clothing. More accurately, only a few scraps of fabric covered the necessary areas, while her arms, legs, and back were all exposed to the air.
Wrapping her arms around herself, Su Youtian shivered as she searched for an exit.
[System, where is this place?]
【A birthday party for some rich second-generation heir.】
Su Youtian looked around.
The place appeared to be a lavish villa, dazzling with luxury. The lights were so bright they nearly hurt her eyes.
Below, every woman was dressed extravagantly.
The makeup on their faces practically announced their intentions outright:
“I’m here to hook a rich man.”
Su Youtian had no desire to stay in this place any longer. What if she accidentally got drunk and someone stripped her naked?
Panicked, she ran without looking where she was going, only to crash straight into someone’s chest.
The person’s body stiffened. Grabbing her by the chin, he slammed her against the wall.
Pain shot through Su Youtian’s back, and she nearly bristled like an angry cat.
She widened her eyes and looked up, only to see a sharply sculpted face.
The man slowly leaned down. His pale eyes were like the surface of a frozen lake, narrowing slightly as an icy chill seeped from them. The slight pout of his lips had been flattened into a tight line. White teeth showed faintly, as if he might sink them into her neck at any moment.
Su Youtian froze.
“Yu… Yuan…”
Yuan Wei lowered himself closer. His burning fingers gripped her chin, his thumb pressing against her lips until they turned pale.
His voice carried a roughness that had never been there before.
“Sheng Xia, I’ve told you countless times. The reason I’ve supported you was never because I was interested in you. Stop fantasizing about using whatever little history we had to threaten me. Stop trying to get close to me. If I find out you dare appear in front of me again, I’ll make sure you fall just as hard as you climbed up!”
The finger pressing against Su Youtian’s lips was so hot and forceful that she instinctively stuck out her tongue and licked it.
Yuan Wei: “…”