Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Chapter 35 — First Release on Jinjiang Literature City

The one picking up Bai Li from work was Xie Chen. After he picked up Bai Li and held him in his arms to get into the car, he lowered his head and ruffled the little cat’s head: “Li Li, why are you so happy today?”

“The boss just agreed to let other cats come work too!”

After sharing this good news with Xie Chen, Bai Li added, “I still have three days until payday, sir. Can I treat you to a meal then?”

Xie Chen raised an eyebrow: “Treat me to a meal?”

“Yes.”

Bai Li rubbed affectionately against him: “I eat a lot of food from sir, so I want to treat sir to a meal too.”

If Xie Chen refused this request, he felt that the little kitten might not enjoy eating at his place anymore.

After weighing it for a few seconds, Xie Chen said softly, “Alright, I’ll wait for Li Li to treat me to a meal.”

The car sped along, and when passing the villa area, before reaching Xie Chen’s villa, the driver stopped the car.

The reason was simple: Tan Yi was waiting by the roadside.

After recovering, Tan Yi’s first move was to quickly buy a villa next to Xie Chen’s, forcibly becoming his neighbor.

Just now, when Li Li got off work, Tan Yi was supposed to pick him up but had something urgent to handle and didn’t make it in time.

“Meow!”

Third Brother.

The car stopped. Bai Li urged Xie Chen to open the door, then jumped down from his lap to the ground.

Since recovering, Tan Yi had been pushed by his manager to take one gig after another.

The manager said the company recently signed a batch of new talents, and there was also Liu Yi, who carried the small name of Tan Yi, under close observation by the company and being groomed for success.

Facing this silent crisis, the manager naturally hoped Tan Yi would take more events to show the company his value was high and he could not be easily replaced.

Tan Yi had been so busy lately he felt dizzy, and hadn’t been able to spend much time with his precious younger brother.

Now seeing his brother, he quickly bent down, picked him up, and ruffled him hard twice: “Good Li Li, did you miss me?”

Bai Li nodded: “Meow.”

Missed you.

“Third Brother missed you too.”

Finally finding his brother, but due to work, they couldn’t spend more time together. Thinking about it, Tan Yi felt very heartbroken.The two brothers, "You miss me, I miss you," hearing this, Xie Chen’s eyes darkened slightly.

“Li Li.”

Xie Chen sat in the car and asked softly, “Xie Bo made shrimp for you. Do you want to go eat?”

Bai Li was tempted.

But before he could answer, Third Brother had already hugged him tightly and refused on his behalf: “Not eating.”

“I appreciate General Xie’s kindness, but I will cook for Li Li.”

Tan Yi watched Xie Chen cautiously; he was very wary of this man who was trying to snatch his younger brother.

Bai Li looked at Third Brother, then at Xie Chen, and was torn.

Third Brother was his real brother; Third Brother’s food was family food.

Although Sir’s food was delicious, Third Brother had taught him early on that for those who are not family or close, he shouldn’t always eat at other people’s homes—that would be taking advantage.

Not wanting to always take advantage of Sir and make Sir dislike him, Bai Li finally chose Third Brother.

“Meow, meow meow.”

Sir, I’ll eat at home.

Hearing him say “home,” Xie Chen’s eyes seemed to flicker with a momentary gloom, but it disappeared quickly.

“Okay.”

Xie Chen withdrew his gaze from the little kitten and casually reminded, “Remember to eat well at home.”

“Mm!”

Bai Li nodded, reluctant to part, watching Sir close the car door and return to the villa.

Tan Yi eagerly wished Xie Chen would disappear from sight quickly; he happily hugged his precious younger brother and returned to the newly bought villa.

The villa came with fine decoration and was bought at a low overall price.

It was said the low price was because something had happened in the villa before, and buyers were superstitious about it, so it was hard to sell.

Tan Yi listened to this and waved his hand casually: “I’m not afraid. I want this house.”

He himself was a monster—what superstitions could he fear?

After moving into the villa, Tan Yi didn’t find anything wrong.

There were many rooms and a large space; next to his bedroom was the room arranged for Li Li, which had much better lighting than his.

Besides their two bedrooms, Tan Yi still had two empty rooms planned for their eldest brother, second sister, or other younger siblings to live in.

Those rooms were for family, but the other empty rooms and spaces were now filled with cats.

The cats were brought back one by one by Bai Li and Meimei.Most of the cats they picked up were abandoned kittens with no survival ability, pet cats abandoned by their owners, or disabled cats injured for various reasons.

If left outside by themselves, these cats would have no way but death waiting for them.

“Big brother, you’re back.”

Meimei, Diandian, and Da Hui, who take care of these cats, all came up to greet him when they saw him return.

Currently, these cats are all looked after by Diandian and the others.

Tan Yi’s attitude toward these cats was good—after all, they were the same kind, and since Li Li brought them under his watch, he wouldn’t ignore them.

“Li Li, their condition is all good. Don’t worry.”

Tan Yi accompanied Bai Li to check on the cats they’d rescued. After seeing them, he took Bai Li to the dining room.

The stray cats ate cat food that Tan Yi bought, but as for Bai Li, Tan Yi naturally wouldn’t feed his own younger brother cat food.

“Third brother stewed some braised pork, Li Li, quickly try a bite.”

Tan Yi hadn’t cooked much before, but he didn’t want his brother to always eat takeout, which wasn’t healthy. To feed his brother properly, he had recently started learning to cook from recipes.

Bai Li was placed on the dining table by Third Brother. When Third Brother fed him a piece of meat, Bai Li eagerly bit into it.

“Ugh—”

The next moment, Bai Li couldn’t hold it in and spat out the meat.

Tan Yi: “…”

Tan Yi looked hurt: “Is it really that bad?”

Bai Li pulled at his cat face, his mouth full of a strange taste, and pitifully meowed, “Third Brother, I want to eat plain white steamed buns.”

The white steamed buns, which cost five cents each, tasted better than Third Brother’s braised pork.

“White steamed buns aren’t nutritious.”

After working a whole day outside, Tan Yi sincerely wanted to help his younger brother recover his strength.

“Good boy, Third Brother also made other dishes, there will definitely be something tasty.”

Tan Yi refused to believe it. He had looked at so many recipes, so logically, the food shouldn’t be bad.

Next, Bai Li was forced to try sweet and sour pork, stir-fried diced chicken, soy sauce chicken wings, steamed fish…

Without exception, all failed.

Bai Li tried a bite of each dish, and by the end, he plopped down on the dining table, tears welling up in his eyes as he looked at Third Brother.

“Meow.”

I don’t want to eat anymore.In Bai Li’s beautiful amber eyes, tears welled up, and his meows were tinged with sobs.

“I want to eat steamed buns, woo woo woo, I want to eat steamed buns.”

Tan Yi flusteredly comforted his brother: “Good boy, don’t cry, don’t cry. Steamed buns aren’t nutritious enough. Third Brother will order takeout for you, I’ll order it right now!”

To cheer up his precious little brother, Tan Yi quickly ordered a deluxe takeout meal.

But even the deluxe takeout didn’t completely soothe his brother.

Tan Yi earnestly mixed rice for his brother while speaking soothingly.

“Next time Third Brother cooks, it definitely won’t be like today.”

“I’ll find time to enroll in a cooking class. Good boy Li Li, look at Third Brother.”

After various patient coaxing, Bai Li sniffled and finally looked up at Tan Yi.

Tan Yi looked at him with a humble expression as if saying “I know I was wrong.”

Bai Li: “Meow.”

Third Brother, next time we can eat steamed buns.

Takeout is expensive, and steamed buns are cheap and taste better than what you cook.

Tan Yi rubbed his brother’s head but didn’t agree.

He believed that cooking skills could be learned, and as long as he didn’t give up, he would definitely be able to cook delicious food to feed his brother.

After eating takeout, Bai Li went to find Meimei.

“The seafood shop owner said we can recruit new cats to deliver orders.”

“When the time comes, you bring the pet cats staying here, and we’ll deliver orders together.”

“Okay!”

Those pet cats that weren’t used to stray life mostly looked very pretty, making them perfect for delivering orders.

As for the disabled cats and the still young kittens, they could only be kept at home.

The rescued cats, likely taken in by Meimei, were none of them lazy or useless cats—they had long wanted to work to earn money to pay for their living expenses here.

Bai Li admired these cats very much.

“It’s getting late. I want to go sleep at Master’s place.”

After saying goodbye to Meimei, Bai Li walked up to Tan Yi and tugged his pant leg.

“Third Brother, find Master!”

Tan Yi sat on the sofa, motionless, as if he hadn’t heard Bai Li’s words.

He wanted Li Li to sleep at home at night, but Li Li always wanted to go to the place of the person surnamed Xie.“Third Brother!”

Seeing Third Brother didn’t respond, Bai Li climbed right onto his lap, paws tapping his handsome face.

Tan Yi couldn’t keep pretending to ignore him.

“Li Li,” he muddled, “I think Xie Chen sleeping alone is fine. You don’t have to go over there. Stay home and keep Third Brother company.”

“No.”

Bai Li puffed up his round little face, cutely fierce, and meowed at Tan Yi, “I won’t stay with Master, Master will get insomnia!”

Master treats him so well; he can’t be an ungrateful white-eyed cat.

Tan Yi was too entangled to refuse, so finally, with a sulky face, he reluctantly took his brother to Xie Chen’s door.

“In a couple of days when Li Li has a day off, I’ll take him out.”

Standing at the door, Tan Yi glanced unhappily at Xie Chen and warned, “By then Li Li won’t come over at night anymore. You’ll have to sleep by yourself.”

“Mm.”

Xie Chen took the little kitten he reached out to hug with a calm tone: “Got it.”

Tan Yi felt frustrated just looking at him, handed over his brother safely, and turned to leave.

Back to the familiar villa.

Xie Chen didn’t feed the cat food again but gave some nutritious little snacks personally made by Xie Bo.

Bai Li munched on the crispy little snacks, so content his eyes squinted shut.

Night fell.

One person and one cat lay on the bed. Lowering his eyes, Xie Chen could see the little kitten’s round face.

“Li Li, where are you going with Tan Yi?”

“Going to Third Brother’s workplace.”

Still not asleep, Bai Li was playing with Xie Chen’s hand and answered without raising his head when asked.

“Third Brother said he looks very handsome when working, so he wants me to see.”

At this, Bai Li blinked: “Master, if I can’t come back then, how will you sleep?”

Xie Chen was startled.

He didn’t understand the true meaning behind Bai Li’s words, thinking the little guy was just asking how he’d sleep alone.

These days, ever since he allowed the cat bed on the bed, the little kitten’s territory gradually shifted from the cat bed by the headboard to his arms, chest, and even tucked under his pajamas pressed against his skin.

What if in the end only he is left on the bed…Xie Chen lowered his head, forehead pressed against the little kitten’s forehead, his voice cold and pleasant.

“When the time comes, I’ll go find Li Li.”

Bai Li snuggled closer and rubbed against him: “Third Brother is going to the neighboring city, Master won’t be able to find him.”

Xie Chen seemed to say something, but Bai Li didn’t catch it. When he wanted to ask again, Xie Chen had already stopped talking.

Late at night.

Bai Li curled up in Xie Chen’s arms, paws resting on him, sleeping soundly.

Suddenly, the rumbling in his stomach startled him awake.

Xie Chen was still sleeping on the bed. Bai Li climbed out of the covers and headed straight to the bathroom.

He vomited yellow foam several times, then sat slumped on the floor, looking weak.

At the third vomit, Xie Chen seemed to sense something and woke up without any warning.

“Li Li.”

Noticing the pure white little kitten wasn’t on the bed, Xie Chen turned on the room light and got up to look for him.

In the bathroom, the little kitten who vomited yellow foam made Xie Chen’s heart tremble.

He picked up the kitten and wiped his mouth with a tissue, but before it was even clean, Bai Li pushed his hand away and vomited a few more times.

Xie Chen, who was usually a neat freak, showed no disgust at the foam on his hands.

He returned to the bedroom to get his phone and called Qiu He in the middle of the night.

Woken up by the call, Qiu He was surprisingly not in a bad mood.

After hearing Xie Chen describe Bai Li’s condition, Qiu He yawned and reassured him: “Don’t worry, vomiting yellow foam means stomach issues, not serious.”

“Give him some probiotics. Do you have any at home?”

“Xie Bo stocked a lot of stuff he uses; there should be some.”

“Then give him some. Also, since the kitten’s stomach is sensitive, pay attention when feeding.”

“Okay, got it. Thanks.”

Xie Chen hung up and woke Xie Bo. Fortunately, among the many things Xie Bo bought, there really were probiotics.

The weak little kitten was coaxed by Xie Chen into drinking probiotics mixed with warm water.

Although the probiotics were taken, Xie Chen worried about Bai Li’s condition. From late night until dawn, he barely closed his eyes, personally watching over the sleeping little kitten.

Finally, dawn arrived.

Bai Li stretched out his paws and rubbed his eyes.

“Meow.”He called out to Xie Chen blankly.

Master... aren’t you sleeping?

Xie Chen patted his head, looked at him carefully, and asked, “Do you still feel like vomiting?”

Bai Li shook his head: “No.”

Not only did he not want to vomit, but after drinking the probiotics late at night, he felt a little strange in his body.

That kind of weird feeling he couldn’t describe, but in short, it wasn’t caused by stomach discomfort.

Xie Chen picked him up, and after confirming it was the meal Tan Yi made last night that caused the problem, he frowned.

“From now on, eat here.”

Xie Chen’s tone was firm: “If Tan Yi wants to cook for you, have him bring the food over. I’ll taste it first and then decide whether to let you eat it.”

Bai Li hesitated a moment, thinking this would definitely hurt Third Brother’s confidence.

But Xie Chen wasn’t going to make any concessions on this matter.

During the day, Bai Li continued running errands for orders.

When he went out, Xie Chen “communicated” with Tan Yi.

The result was that Bai Li would still eat at Xie Chen’s place, but Tan Yi would pay a meal allowance.

Time passed neither too fast nor too slow.

Bai Li’s first month’s wages were paid out as he expected.

“Eight thousand yuan! I have eight thousand yuan!”

The little kitten, who had never earned this much money before, was ecstatic. He ran circles nonstop around Xie Chen’s legs, who came to pick him up.

“Master, I have eight thousand yuan!”

Eight thousand yuan wasn’t even pocket money to Xie Chen.

But to the little kitten, who had never seen the world, it was a huge sum.

With that fortune, the little kitten puffed up his chubby body and boldly declared to Xie Chen—

“Master, I’ll treat you to buy whatever you want.”

He’s super rich!

Tonight, whatever Master spends, he can pay for it all.

Xie Chen looked amused at the puffed-up little kitten and teased him: “Li Li, are you serious? I can buy anything I want later?”

“That’s right.”Bai Li nodded and seriously promised, “Whatever you want to buy, you can.”

He was willing to spend money for Master.

Xie Chen raised an eyebrow, his mischievous thoughts stirred again.

“Alright, I just happened to see a nice watch. Li Li, can you buy it for me?”

“Sure.”

Bai Li opened his paws to him, letting him pick him up, and headed out: “Let’s go buy the watch now.”

In the night market he often visited, there were many places selling watches, some cheap, some expensive.

The cheap ones were five yuan each, and the expensive ones cost several hundred.

Even if Master wanted the most expensive one, it wouldn’t be a problem.

Xie Chen didn’t go to the night market but instead went to Daniel’s residence.

“Xie, the thing you asked me to make is ready.”

Daniel was about to take out that cat-version wearable phone, but Xie Chen stopped him.

“No rush, I want to see the watches you have here first.”

“Over here, come with me.”

Daniel smiled and led Xie Chen, who was holding the little kitten, into a room.

The room displayed many luxury watches. Although Daniel collected them, he also sold them.

As long as the price was right, he could sell them on the spot.

Xie Chen stroked the soft fur of the little kitten in his arms and pointed to a watch that looked good to him.

“Li Li, I want this one.”

“Okay.”

Bai Li agreed quickly, blinking confidently: “I’ll buy it for Master.”