After I Started Working at a Pet Kindergarten - Chapter 10

Chapter 10

During this time, I took my medicine, went to work, and lived my life properly.

At my next appointment, the doctor said my depression had improved considerably. Before long, I might be able to stop taking medication.

I had mastered the work at the pet kindergarten, and I genuinely enjoyed it.

Once Lin Xunan’s bakery settled into a routine and he was less busy, he began appearing in front of me constantly.

He brought cookies, cat supplies, Million…

Million: [Just you wait, Old Man!]

I knew he was courting me.

But my last relationship had failed too badly. I didn’t want to respond, and I didn’t dare.

Lin Xunan acted as if he couldn’t take a hint and kept finding excuses to come by.

Then, by chance, I saw his phone wallpaper.

It was cropped from our high school graduation photo so that only the two of us remained. He stood behind me with two fingers raised over my head like rabbit ears.

He wasn’t looking at the camera. His gaze was lowered toward me.

I was looking at the lens, smiling because I was thrilled to be on the verge of independence.

When our class first received the photo, everyone had teased us. Back then, I was slow to understand romance and had no idea what they meant. Later, I buried the picture at the bottom of a box and never took it out again.

After I got home that day, I searched for a long time before finding it.

Looking now, Lin Xunan’s gaze had been nakedly obvious.

Sangbiao jumped in through the window.

[Human, what are you looking at?]

I put the photograph away. “Where have you been going lately? You leave early and come home late every day.”

Sangbiao loved roaming outdoors. My old apartment had been too high up for that to be safe. After some thought, I bought a place on a lower floor so he could come and go as he pleased.

But lately, he disappeared for the entire day.

Sangbiao gave a sinister chuckle.

[Cat has been taking revenge. Heh-heh-heh.]

After we moved, he had quickly become the local tyrant by challenging every stray cat in the complex. I could understand him acquiring a few feline enemies.

Worried that he might go too far, I ordered him a smart collar with a camera and phone function. When the ringtone played each day, he would know it was time to come home. I could also review the footage to see what he had been doing.

That was how I discovered that Sangbiao visited the same window every day. He simply sat outside, occasionally sharpening his claws.

Curious, I followed him one weekend.

As usual, Sangbiao sat beyond the glass and sharpened a claw now and then.

A cat was crying inside.

[Mama dear, save me! He’s out there again!]

The owner peered through the window in confusion. “Little tabby, why do you scare my cat every day? I’ll give you canned food. Please stop frightening him. He’s timid.”

Sangbiao said nothing. He merely licked his paw.

In the girl’s arms, the silver-shaded British Shorthair trembled.

[Mama dear, Cat did steal his sausage once, but he snatched it back before Cat even swallowed!]

Sangbiao: [You’d better sleep with both eyes open.]

The British Shorthair’s fur stood on end.

[Give him the sausage, Mama dear! Give it to him!]

[Cat doesn’t want to be assassinated. Boo-hoo-hoo!]

So this was the cat from before.

After the poisoning, the breeder took him back and planned to keep him. But a young woman desperately wanted to adopt him. Once the breeder had carefully checked that she was suitable, they let her buy the cat and continued to make regular follow-up visits.

What a coincidence that the home I bought was in the same complex.

And Sangbiao had been coming to terrorize him every day.

“…”

“Kitty.”

At the sound of my voice, Sangbiao immediately switched to his sweet falsetto.

[Human, why are you here?]

I picked him up and tapped his head. “Why are you scaring him?”

Sangbiao snorted. [Cat holds grudges.]

“You may not hold this one.”

A human had been at fault, not the cat.

I approached the window and apologized to the girl.

“I’m so sorry.”

When I explained what had happened, she was shocked.

“I knew about that case, but I had no idea this tabby was one of the victims. Still…”

She lowered her eyes to the trembling cat in her arms, torn and distressed.

“My cat truly didn’t mean to steal his sausage. He had only just escaped from his former owner, and he was starving, so… Little tabby, I’m sorry. You can have all the new canned food I bought, okay?”

Sangbiao jumped from my arms and turned his head aside.

[No. As if Cat lacks canned food.]

[Make him recognize Cat as his big brother…]

Before he even finished, the British Shorthair shouted, [Big Brother!]

[Brother Biao!]

Sangbiao was delighted. Satisfied, he strutted away with his little tail held high.

The girl stared. “What…”

“It’s fine now. They’ve become brothers.”

“Huh?”

She looked utterly confused. I couldn’t explain, so after a few polite words, I went after Sangbiao.

Then I saw two female calicos following him.

[Hey, look at those two balls under his butt. They’re huge.]

[Cat is straightforward. Hi, husband.]

I: [?]

Sangbiao raised his tail even higher and deliberately pointed his rear at the calicos.

I took a deep breath, scooped him up, and booked a neutering appointment at lightning speed.

Back home, I tried to reason with him.

“There are many benefits to being neutered—”

[Cat isn’t listening! Not listening! If you neuter Cat, Cat will run away from home!]

[This is Cat’s masculine glory! Glory!]

[Cat doesn’t even like those girl cats. Can’t Cat simply admire himself?]

“…”

I had no rebuttal.

I canceled the appointment.

Respect Sangbiao.