Jiang Zhiying curled up in Xie Anze's warm embrace, dozing off. Her soft body coiled into a ball of fluff, her head resting on her paws, pressed tightly against her belly.
Her little belly rose and fell as she slept, her mouth slightly open, letting out soft little snores. Xie Anze carefully cradled the furry ball in his arms. Seeing how soundly she slept, he mischievously pinched her sensitive ear tips.
The furry ears twitched twice. In her sleep, Jiang Zhiying wrinkled her little nose, let out two soft whimpers, lifted a paw to rub her ear tips, then shifted positions and continued sleeping.
The furry ball on his leg squirmed twice, rolled over, revealing her white belly. Her chubby paws rested over her eyes as she slept sprawled out in all directions.
Her pink belly showed through the soft fur right before Xie Anze's eyes. His hand itched with temptation. Glancing at the soundly sleeping cat, Xie Anze extended his wicked palm, gently covering her little belly and rubbing it softly.
The furry little belly was soft and warm, incredibly pleasant to touch.
His lips curved up in satisfaction, and Xie Anze unconsciously increased the pressure.
"Meow!" Jiang Zhiying jolted awake from her dreams, glaring with bleary cat eyes, letting out a fierce meow. Her furry paws wrapped around the mischievous hand, and she opened her mouth to bite down. Her sharp teeth touched his skin but released the pressure. She gnashed her teeth in annoyance.
Like every poop scooper with a twisted sense of humor in the world, after waking up the sleeping cat, Xie Anze began coaxing the bristling cat with gentle words.
"Mimi, you're really so cute." Xie Anze caught one furry paw and kissed it, his voice carrying laughter.
Jiang Zhiying lay on his leg, swiftly pulling her paw back and tucking it beneath herself. Her tail swished back and forth, signaling that her mood was not exactly wonderful right now.
"Mimi, don't be angry, hm?" His big hand smoothed her fur stroke by stroke. Xie Anze smiled gently, coaxing the angry cat in a low voice.
An angry puffed-up cat was adorable too! His lips curved upward, and the amusement in Xie Anze's eyes deepened.
All poop scoopers in the world were exactly the same!
Jiang Zhiying thought indignantly. She slowly turned around, presenting her plump butt to Xie Anze.
"Maomao, I was wrong. Turn around and look at me." Xie Anze said gently, his hands never stopping as he softly stroked her fluffy little body.
Hmph!
Jiang Zhiying raised her little head proudly. Maomao was not turning around, no matter what.
"Oh ho ho, isn't this the famous President Xie of the Xie Corporation." A sarcastic voice shattered the harmonious atmosphere between the two.
Having his playtime with his cat interrupted, a flicker of displeasure passed through Xie Anze's eyes. He held Jiang Zhiying close to his chest and looked up coldly at Wang Qi outside the car window.
Wang Qi and An Hai stood by the car. Wang Qi's personality had changed drastically since his father jumped to his death—he had become paranoid and cynical. He believed that his current pathetic situation was all Xie Anze's fault.
He harbored deep resentment toward Xie Anze for being so ruthless, yet deep down he also worshipped the man for controlling such a massive corporation. He often dreamed of his own company becoming a behemoth like the Xie Corporation, but when he woke up, he had nothing—still forced to look up at the lofty Xie Anze. Day after day, he grew more twisted, hating Xie Anze to the core, but too afraid to seek revenge. He could only curse him daily in his bedroom.
After the apocalypse, he became an Evolver. Once he realized the power he now possessed, his sense of superiority as one of the elite resurfaced. He established his own small group, and ordinary people kowtowed to him, further fueling his arrogance.
Today he saw Xie Anze, still a cripple. He had originally planned to kill him directly in the night, but a more hidden desire surfaced from the depths of his heart—he wanted to torment him cruelly, make him grovel at his feet, looking up at him, and die in agony.
"How come our most capable President Xie is all alone? What about your best friend Zhang Haozhong? I just saw him at the base." Wang Qi said with venomous eyes and suggestive meaning.
At the mention of Zhang Haozhong's name, a flicker of emotion passed through Xie Anze's eyes. He sat upright in the car seat, his demeanor cold and aloof. Facing the two men advancing aggressively, he remained composed and unhurried, gazing at them with indifference, exuding an air of nobility and detachment.
Seeing Xie Anze so calm and collected, jealousy corroded Wang Qi's heart. His expression twisted slightly. With a bang, he punched the car frame, then leaned in close to Xie Anze, speaking viciously and contemptuously: "President Xie, the world has changed now."
He glanced at Xie Anze's pale face and sneered, "How does a powerless ordinary man like you survive in the post-apocalyptic world? Probably torn apart by mutant beasts within days."
His right hand slowly reached toward Xie Anze's cheek. The smile on Wang Qi's face was disgusting enough to make one nauseous. He chuckled twice, whispering like a demon, "President Xie, why don't you pledge yourself to me? Keep me entertained, and I'll make sure you get a bite to eat."
"Boss, why waste words on this useless pretty boy? We're giving him protection, that's already his lucky break." An Hai looked at Xie Anze with a covetous gaze and said impatiently, "Just tie him up and take him. If he dares to struggle, break his arms again."
Jiang Zhiying heard the two men's filthy talk and was so angry her whiskers stood on end. Her big cat eyes glared fiercely at the two of them. What they said was too infuriating—she couldn't help but want to teach them a lesson, to let them know that Xie Anze was someone protected by a cat!
Xie Anze pressed down on the restless cat on his lap, his palm rubbing her head to soothe her anger. Watching that filthy hand draw closer and closer to him, his gaze grew colder and colder, his eyes seeming to be veiled in a layer of ice crystals—clear, cold, and piercing.
Wang Qi met his icy stare and shuddered in fear. Remembering that Xie Anze was now just a useless, unevolved waste, he angrily reached out to grab his throat.
But before his fingertips could touch skin, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. A premonition of death surged into his heart. He immediately retreated, instinctively twisting his body to the side.
Bang!
At some point, Xie Anze had a small, silver-white pistol in his hand, its muzzle aimed directly at him.
Wang Qi hadn't expected him to have a gun. His expression turned dark and grim.
"So that's why the CEO isn't afraid—he's got a gun." An Hai was also startled.
Xie Anze coldly stared at the two disgusting men in front of him and pulled the trigger again without hesitation. The two dodged the bullet.
Completely enraged by Xie Anze's actions, An Hai's body and Wang Qi's eyes began to slowly transform. An Hai's muscles swelled all over, while Wang Qi's eyes turned into hawk eyes again.
Jiang Zhiying used her Appraisal skill on the two men. She felt a bit worried, crouching on Xie Anze's leg, her sharp claws extending from their pads and hooking into his pants.
"Since you won't take the toast, you'll have to drink the penalty. Don't blame us for being rude." The two slowly closed in.
Xie Anze lowered his gun and clenched his fists. A dark golden light surged deep within his pupils, casting a mysterious aura over him. Murderous intent roiled in his heart as he looked at Wang Qi and An Hai like they were already dead men.
The atmosphere was tense, on the verge of erupting into a fight. Jiang Zhiying crouched on Xie Anze's leg, a threatening growl rumbling from her throat, her round cat eyes contracting into bestial vertical slits.
"What are you two doing?"