19: A Child on the brink of darkness seeks his father
Watching Ye Xun charge toward the small cluster of parents, Ye Susu trembled.
She had seen this scene many times.
A small, furious kitten lashing out with a paw at a human, soft and harmless, but—
[4 minutes 13 seconds…]
[Once the cub causes harm to others, the darkened portion will become irreversible.]
Ye Susu’s heart clenched.
In the blink of an eyes, she saw little Ye Xun rushing forward. The brand-new little white sneakers he wore today already had a few footprints, and his little foot was about to… step on a sprouting blade of grass between the pavement tiles.
Ye Susu panicked!
What counted as causing harm? Did plants and grass count?
“Cub, stop!”
She cried out, using every ounce of strength she had to pounce towards little Ye Xun with lightning speed.
Ye Xun, having just clenched his fists, ready to raise them against those aunties who were bad-mouthing Ye Susu and saying he had no father, suddenly felt his small body being grabbed from behind by a seemingly sweet, warm and soft embrace!
His movement halted abruptly, even his angrily puffed-out cheeks deflated with a sudden whoosh.
The cold light that had just ignited in his grape-black eyes froze.
He looked down at the hands wrapped around his waist.
With difficulty, he turned his little face sideways and saw Ye Susu’s somewhat pale face at that moment.
The second half of the sentence he was about to shout—“you’re not allowed to say ‘my mommy’” was instantly forgotten.
“Cub, calm down, we need to calm down.”
Ye Susu held the little one firmly, pulling down his raised leg and placing it securely on the empty pavement tile behind them.
Feeling the small body in her arms transition from tense to rigid, then gradually relax, she finally let out a sigh of relief.
It’s okay.
However… [3 minutes 39 seconds, 34 seconds…] The countdown window still hadn’t stopped.
Ye Susu’s face soon turned panicked again.
And Ye Xun, seeing her expression and remembering his impulsive intentions moments ago, quickly paled to a sheet-white.
How could he have done that just now?
He had no father. He was Ye Susu’s biggest flaw, the existence that made her hang her head in shame. He knew, had always known.
But just now, hearing those aunties scold Ye Susu, he couldn’t help wanting to make them all shut up, couldn’t help wanting to hit them… to make them apologize to him and to Ye Susu!
How could he be like this?
Losing his temper like that, wanting to hit and scold people—the teacher said that wasn’t being a good child.
So, he was… a bad child now?
Ye Xun lowered his eyes. The little fists that had just relaxed tightened again; his teeth ground together audibly in his small mouth.
He had embarrassed Ye Susu again just now, hadn’t he?
But he hated everyone who said he had no father, hated even more those who scolded Ye Susu… If being a good child meant being insulted, then he didn’t want to be one!
He’d rather be a bad child!
Ye Xun raised his stiff little face. Wisps of coldness gathered once more in his grape-black eyes.
Listening to the countdown in her ears, Ye Susu was so anxious she felt like spinning in circles!
Her hearing was sharp. In no time, she heard the little guy in her arms grinding his tiny teeth.
She looked down and saw the little one’s fierce, almost-biting anger.
This was bad.
Wait, calm down first!
How did her human caretakers stop her when she wanted to cause trouble before?
Panicking, Ye Susu suddenly had an idea.
She quickly lowered her head, used her teeth to unzip her backpack, rummaged inside with her left hand, immediately pulled out a piece of dried fish, and with her right hand, pressed on little Ye Xun’s cheek!
“Here, kitty, open up.”
Ye Xun’s angry little face froze.
Ye Susu pressed on. “Be a good kitty, here’s a little dried fish.”
Offering a little dried fish that’s how her human caretakers always begged for her forgiveness.
It worked every single time.
Every time, her anger completely vanished.
Ye Susu looked expectantly at the little cub in her arms.
Ye Xun, with his little cheek pressed by Ye Susu and hearing her coaxing “kitty” sounds, felt utterly lost and dazed, foolishly parting his lips.
In his daze, the little dried fish was popped into his mouth.
Instantly, the savory, slightly sweet flavor filled his little mouth, making his whole little head spin for a moment.
Clearly, in his memory, Ye Susu had never coaxed him like this before, nor fed him like this.
Seeing his little teeth stop grinding, his mouth occupied with something else to bite on, half of Ye Susu’s heart finally settled.
But the other half still hung in the air.
“Tsk, a crooked stick casts a crooked shadow!”
“What kind of upbringing produces such an ill-mannered child!”
“Scared me to death! I thought that child was about to hit me just now! Look how fierce his eyes are, like looking at an enemy!”
“Exactly! No father just won’t do. He’s completely lawless!”
More and more criticism and sarcastic remarks rose.
Ye Susu’s fur bristled.
She had finally managed to stuff the cub’s grinding little mouth.
These troublesome humans… picking on her was one thing, but they wouldn’t even let the cub go?
No wonder the little cub would darken in the story’s conclusion. Beaten at home, bullied outside, he was simply a pitiful little thing.
She put her hands on her hips, so angry she almost laughed.
“All of you, shut up!”
Kidding her? Bullying her mission cub in her own territory?
If he darkens, could these foolish humans afford to compensate?
Even Ye Xun standing in front of her flinched at this shout.
But Ye Susu didn’t notice, still full of fighting spirit.
“You have upbringing, yet you stand here spitting at my cub? Every one of you is so uncivilized, yet you have the nerve to criticize us? This auntie, you were just chatting and stepped on the wildflowers by the roadside. That uncle over there, you just threw a ball of tissue at the trash bin, missed, and left it on the ground without picking it up…”
“And that one over there, you just crossed the street before the light turned green. That granny over there, your grandson was eating a pancake on the road, dropping vegetable leaves all over.”
“Upbringing? You’re even fit to mention that?! Seems to me having a father didn’t make you any better!”
Foolish humans, nothing escapes a cat’s dynamic vision.
Ye Susu lifted her chin proudly.
“Please don’t corrupt my noble little cub, otherwise I’ll consider transferring my cub to another school!”
“Letting my cub study with yours, seems to me it’d be better to raise him freely!”
The crowd stared wide-eyed.
“What nonsense are you spouting?”
“Since there are children present today, I won’t stoop to your level. Don’t you dare slander us!”
“Such nerve…”
A few voices of rebuttal rose, but under Ye Susu’s glare, they grew softer and softer.
Some parents who had already picked up their children even turned and walked away.
Clearly, everything Ye Susu said just now was spot on.
“Cub.”
After scolding the enemies, Ye Susu still felt a bit uneasy.
She lowered her head, holding the shoulders of the little one on the verge of darkening.
“Don’t be afraid. In the future, if anyone bullies you, remember their scent and tell me when we get home. You’re still little. Look at your paws—they’re not even half the size of theirs. You can’t fight them yourself, understand? If you fight, what if you hurt the flowers and grass by the roadside? They’re so innocent.”
A parent not far away turned back sharply, almost twisting their neck.
Was this how you educate a child?
But what made them even more faint was that the child, Ye Xun, actually nodded.
Ye Susu, however, seemed satisfied, patting Ye Xun’s fluffy hair.
“Besides, in our kind, true royalty never fights personally. We follow the ‘lying flat and winning’ school.”
“Remember, no matter what, we must maintain elegance.”
No matter how tough it is, let the human caretaker handle it.
Except, of course, if you’re reborn as a stray cat.
Ye Xun seemed to still be digesting these words, his grape-like eyes a bit confused, but the fierce look on his little face was gone.
But the countdown… still hadn’t stopped.
[1 minute 35 seconds, 1 minute 34 seconds…]
Cat’s whiskers!
Ye Susu was on the verge of a breakdown.
Her grip on the little one’s hand grew weak; her legs felt too soft to take a step.
Could 99 lifetimes of cultivation turn to ashes today?
“Mommy… I…”
Just as Ye Susu was at her wit’s end, Ye Xun’s low, dispirited voice sounded.
“Is what they said true? My dad… is he a bad person… he, he…”
Why did he abandon Ye Susu and him?
Ye Xun’s little hands hung limply.
Flashes of past scornful and mocking gazes crossed his mind.
Why did other kids have dads, but he didn’t…
Was it because he was a bad child being punished?
Ye Susu paused. “Huh?”
She hadn’t expected such a question.
The series of historical issues left by the original owner had nothing to do with her, Ye Susu the Great Cat.
How to explain?
Say the original owner had a screw loose?
Say she also didn’t know who his father was, that in her opinion, few humans were any good anyway?
Ahem.
[Countdown 58 seconds… 54 seconds…]
Damn!
“Ahem, cub.”
Ye Susu, holding the child’s hand, walked to the roadside crosswalk and suddenly saw their reflections—one large, one small—in the window of a parked car.
Although the little one was human, truth be told, his appearance ticked all her aesthetic boxes.
Soft hair, fair skin, round little face… Sigh.
“Cub, look.”
She promptly picked up the little guy and pointed their reflection in the car window.
“A calico cat and a black cat can’t give birth to an elegant Persian.”
“Bloodline is bloodline. No matter how you disguise or fake it, it can’t be changed.”
“You look so good.”
“Generally speaking, your father’s genes must be quite excellent too.”
Ye Xun was stunned, clearly hearing this for the first time.
Seeing he seemed to be listening, Ye Susu quickly fanned the flames.
“Based on my experience, beauty is linked to noble bloodlines. So, your father couldn’t have been a terrible person.”
“Of course, why he’s not with us… well, who knows? Maybe his head got slammed by a door, sudden amnesia or something… Humans always have many accidents. Mommy can’t explain clearly either.”
After a long while, Ye Xun furrowed his little brows, half-believing, half-doubting.
“Like Granny next to Little Hua’s house before, who later forgot about Little Hua?”
Ye Susu let out a sigh of relief.
The child was growing up, already choosing his own analogies.
“Right, just like that. Don’t be sad. Anyway, it’s not your problem. Mommy learned a new recipe for little mouse steamed buns last night. Let’s have a treat tonight, okay~”
Nothing that can’t be solved with little dried fish and little mice!
[Countdown… 19 seconds… 18 seconds… 17 seconds.]
[Congratulations, the cub’s darkening signs have temporarily subsided.]
[Please continue to complete today’s tasks.]
Ye Susu let out a long breath, feeling she had finally survived!
However, Ye Xun’s plan had hit a slight hitch. He had assumed that leaving the kindergarten would cut off the WiFi and end the live stream, but that wasn’t the case.
There was something called mobile data.
The phone in his backpack had a screen exploding with comments.
[I feel like I just rode a rollercoaster with this child!]
[Oh heavens, so he’s a single-parent baby being ostracized by kindergarten classmates?]
[Those parents were really out of line. If my child were insulted like that, I’d fight them! The baby’s mom today did great, really gave me a cathartic release!]
[Sigh, hearing the cub’s soul-searching question about his own father at the end really hurt my heart.]
[I grew up in a single-parent home too. My parents divorced when I was very young. Baby, big sis tells you, even without a dad, you have a strong mommy. Don’t be afraid!]
[Poor baby. Did you buy new pencils today?]
[Tipping 500 silver coins.]
[Giving 1000 gold coins.]
[Poor thing. 2000 silver coins. My allowance all goes to this child.]
…
Meanwhile, the car at the crossroads waited until the mother and son had left before slowly driving away.
Liu Zhen in the passenger seat looked back at the man in the back seat whose expression shifted unpredictably, feeling quite uneasy himself.
The car had initially driven off, but after seeing Ye Xun charge toward the parents in the rearview mirror, the boss had told the driver to turn back.
And then, as if by coincidence, Miss Ye happened to give her speech right in front of the boss’s one-way glass window…
According to the investigation report, Miss Ye’s former neighbor—Little Hua’s granny—was already 85 years old, suffering from cognitive decline, hence couldn’t remember people.
Thinking of this, goosebumps rose on the back of Liu Zhen’s neck.
Was Miss Ye cursing the boss?
Noble bloodline, but head slammed by a door, not even as good as a senile granny who could remember things?
“Let’s go.”
A cold utterance fell inside the car.
Liu Zhen shuddered.
But the next moment, the tablet by his hand vibrated. Looking at the email title from the publicity department, he was somewhat stunned.
There was a live stream room called ‘Pretty Girl’ on Evergrande’s network that had gone viral, receiving over a thousand in tips.
And the streamer was a child?
What was the head of the business department doing!
A child doesn’t have an ID card. How could they possibly sign a contract?
**
Little Cub: I was terrified at the time.