That night, Ruan Qingxiao really did have a honey-flavored dream.
She dreamed she had turned into a stray cat. She was dirty, thin, and small; when she opened her mouth, only a weak meow came out. The stray cat climbed out of a trash can in a dark alley, rainwater mixed with traces of blood dripping from its matted fur. It wandered aimlessly through the streets, the passersby appearing only as blurred shadows.
She didn’t know how long she walked or where she ended up. By the time she came to her senses, the heavy rain had stopped. The stray cat looked up blankly at the gray sky, only to find that an umbrella had been held over its head.
A human figure, toweringly tall to a small cat, slowly knelt. A hand gently stroked its fur, and a voice as soft as the person’s blurred face asked:
“Little one, where are you going?”
The stray cat meowed, saying it was looking for a home. The human, whether she understood or not, scratched the cat under the chin. As the cat’s body reflexively softened and a comfortable purr vibrated in its throat, the human reached out, picked it up, and placed it on her lap.
The stray cat tumbled into a warm embrace. Belatedly feeling the chill of the rainwater, it began to shiver uncontrollably, pressing closer and closer to the center of that warmth.
“So pitiful.”
The human’s voice gradually became clear—it was a very gentle woman’s voice.
“And you’re injured. Why don’t you come home with me?” she coaxed. “I’ll give you food, heal your wounds, and give you a warm bed.”
The stray cat rested its paw on the back of her hand. The woman smiled slightly, appearing somewhat helpless.
“Alright, I’ll give you hugs too. I will love you.”
The stray cat shyly covered its face with its paws, eventually being carried home by the gentle woman. Then, with beautiful fingers, she softly rubbed its fur, combing out the tangles bit by bit. As night fell, she brought it a bowl of milk.
The honeyed milk was sweet and fragrant. The stray cat felt “drunk,” its footsteps floating as if it were walking on clouds, yet it still struggled to nuzzle those soft, beautiful fingers.
The woman was smiling. Her voice and face finally became clear. It was the most beautiful and gentle face in the world.
It was Li Mengjue.
It rained heavily during the night, but it stopped before dawn.
Li Mengjue woke up early as per her habit. She opened the windows of her room and the balcony for ventilation; the cool morning breeze brought the fresh scent of new leaves after the rain.
She didn’t need to go to the hospital today. Li Mengjue glanced at the clock on the wall, remembering there was now another person in the house. The guest room door was tightly shut with no sound coming from inside. Guessing that Ruan Qingxiao hadn’t woken up yet, Li Mengjue naturally didn’t disturb her.
She went to the kitchen to cook some porridge, then pushed open the door to the north room to feed the cats.
Perhaps they were finally adapting to the environment, or perhaps it was due to a stranger in the house, but the two kittens had been very quiet over the past night—so quiet that Li Mengjue felt a twinge of unease. Fortunately, it was just her imagination.
The calico was still lying in the cat bed with its eyes closed, its tail—slightly fluffier than a normal cat’s—sweeping back and forth on the floor. The little black cat was full of energy. Hearing the noise at the door, it jumped down from the top of the cat bed, but because it didn’t aim well, it landed with a thud right on its sister.
The fur on the calico’s tail instantly puffed up, and it angrily extended its claws. The little black cat was nimble—or perhaps simply hadn’t noticed its sister’s explosive anger—as it scurried over to its temporary owner, meowing sweetly and rubbing against Li Mengjue’s legs, begging for a pat.
Li Mengjue only gave it a perfunctory stroke while changing the water and food. As she was about to give it a second pat, the calico suddenly squeezed in, pushing the black cat aside and stuffing its own head under her palm. The black cat was caught off guard and rolled on the floor. When it scrambled back up, its expression seemed a bit dazed and disbelieving.
The calico meowed and purred, its tail wrapping around Li Mengjue’s wrist with a strangely triumphant air. The black cat meowed twice at Li Mengjue. However, the temporary owner was looking down at the ingredients and expiration date on the kitten food bag. Her petting was distracted, and she didn’t notice the kitten lying on the floor, aggrievedly biting its own tail.
Though kittens were cute, Li Mengjue was a “dog person.” Sweet meows didn’t draw her in as much as the awoo of a puppy.
The ignored black cat got up, charged at the calico, and the two tangled into a ball. Li Mengjue took the chance to let go and stand up. She resealed the bag, put it away, and went to check on the porridge.
While the porridge cooled, she saw the guest room door open through the kitchen’s glass door.
Ruan Qingxiao had just woken up. Her face looked a bit dazed, and she had forgotten to put the pillow she was clutching back on the bed. Her long, voluminous hair draped over her shoulders, with a few stubborn strands sticking out.
Li Mengjue guessed she had slept well; she looked relaxed rather than anxious or guarded. In fact, waking up from sleep, Ruan Qingxiao looked “fluffy” and soft all over. It seemed the new sheets weren’t that “low quality” after all.
Li Mengjue’s gaze lingered for a moment on Ruan’s neck and wrists. The skin that had been rubbed red by cheap fabric yesterday had returned to normal.
Ruan Qingxiao stood at the door in a daze for a good three or four minutes before she remembered where she was, and another two or three minutes to confirm she wasn’t dreaming. Finally, she looked around, and Li Mengjue smiled at her through the glass.
Ruan’s eyes widened, and she fully snapped awake. Her face instantly turned red as she reflexively looked away, only to be distracted by something else.
“Is porridge okay for breakfast?” Li Mengjue asked, pushing open the kitchen door. “The temperature is a bit low this morning; something hot will be warming.”
Ruan Qingxiao nodded slowly. “Okay.”
“It’s getting colder today, you should put on a jacket,” Li reminded her.
“Ah…” Ruan froze for a moment before realizing how silly she looked standing there clutching a pillow in her pajamas. Her top had hiked up a bit—no wonder her lower back felt chilly. Her face turned even redder, this time from pure embarrassment.
“I… I’ll go change first.” Clutching the pillow, Ruan stiffly backed into the guest room, nearly hitting the doorframe. She managed to use her hand to cushion the impact and slammed the door shut.
Li Mengjue turned back to wash a new set of bowls and chopsticks, feeling as though she had picked up three stray cats. Managing their food and housing, and worrying about them catching colds.
While Ruan got ready, Li checked her messages. She had sent a video of the kittens to her friend Yu Siqing, asking when she’d be back.
Yu Siqing’s reply was full of workplace fury: “Probably another week. These rookies have no respect… I want to hang them all from streetlights.” She was currently working with a “traffic star” who was a nightmare behind the scenes.
Li Mengjue sympathized for a few seconds but continued to sincerely wish for her friend’s early return to take the cats.
Yu Siqing teased: “The cats are so cute, why are you in such a hurry to send them away?”
Li Mengjue argued logically. Without the intention of long-term ownership, the longer they stayed, the more “ineffective labor” she performed. It wasn’t about the money for food, but the mental energy—worrying if they were hungry, thirsty, sick, or fighting.
In the kitchen, Li Mengjue looked at the calico and black cat tangling on the floor again. She wasn’t good at mediating animal disputes. Her free time was being consumed by “kitten care guides.”
“The cats are just a lot to handle,” Li messaged.
Yu Siqing: “?”
Yu Siqing: “Two isn’t that bad. Just double the supplies. If you’re tired, just close the door. Cats are independent; they’ll be fine for a while as long as they have food and water. As long as they aren’t sick, don’t worry about it.”
Because it was only for a few days. Once the new owner took them, they’d be cherished. But Yu Siqing knew Li Mengjue too well. A few minutes later, she added:
“But for you, that’s all nonsense, isn’t it? Since you’ve taken them in, you won’t be able to truly leave them be.”
Li Mengjue stared at those last few words, unable to argue. It was the truth. She could never turn a blind eye to what was right in front of her.
Li Mengjue looked up at the cats, but her eyes landed on Ruan Qingxiao first.
This one is the same.