After I Started Working at a Pet Kindergarten - Chapter 8

Chapter 8

By the time the vet called to say Sangbiao could go home, two weeks had passed.

When I arrived at the hospital, he was visibly rounder. He rubbed against me and meowed in a syrupy falsetto.

[Human, you are no longer a wild human without a cat. Because your cat has arrived.]

When I didn’t respond, he pressed his head against my cheek.

[Human, cherish this opportunity. You may not refuse, or Cat will cry for you.]

I savored his flattery and played hard to get for a moment before answering.

“Hmm. Then what kind of bed, canned food, and toys should I buy you?”

Sangbiao’s eyes lit up.

[Cat knew no one could escape Cat’s charm.]

[Cat wants a pretty bed, pigeon canned food, and…]

He rattled off a long list. I ordered every item.

His voice grew even sweeter.

[Cat knew Human was the right choice.]

[Human, cuddles~]

Now that I was adopting Sangbiao, and two weeks had passed without incident, I moved out of Dad’s house.

Auntie and her daughter were reluctant to see me go. Their eyes reddened.

Before moving in, I had prepared myself for them to resent my presence and had been ready to leave at any moment. Instead, Auntie had maintained a comfortable distance—neither overly intimate nor cold. My little sister was sweet, too, calling me “Sis” all day long.

I hugged them both. “I’m staying nearby. I can visit anytime.”

My sister used Sangbiao to wipe her tears.

“Then will you come back every weekend, Sis? I want to see you whenever I come home.”

“Do you miss me, or do you miss KFC?”

“Sis!”

Sangbiao: [Will no one speak up for Cat?]

“All right, all right. I’ll visit often.”

After saying goodbye, I carried Sangbiao to the car and drove home.

It was the weekend, so the dogs didn’t have school. I had prepared a room just for Sangbiao, and he adored it, rolling happily over the floor.

[Human, Cat really, really likes you.]

Once everything was in place, I realized I had forgotten a blanket. I took him downstairs to the supermarket and bought some meat while we were there.

Sangbiao pointed a paw. [Cat wants that!]

I put it in the cart.

By the end, I was carrying two bulging bags. Sangbiao strutted proudly beside me.

My arms ached, so I called to him. “Kitty, let’s take a break.”

Two neighborhood cats happened to be passing. They stopped dead.

[Brother Biao, why’s she calling you Kitty?]

[Brother Biao, is there phlegm stuck in your throat?]

Sangbiao: […]

He glared and hissed. [Get lost!]

The cats scampered away.

“Why did you scare them?” I asked helplessly.

Sangbiao raised his tail. [Cat is the ruler of this neighborhood. Cat must defend his dignity. Kitty is too girly. Don’t call Cat that outside.]

“Kitty, Kitty? What did you say, Kitty? Kitty!”

Sangbiao: […]

[Human, only Cat would indulge you like this.]

“Ha-ha-ha! Come on. Let’s go home.”

I continued walking, Sangbiao at my side.

The side entrance was closer, but as soon as I turned toward it, Sangbiao blocked my path. He paced in front of me, then pawed at my leg.

[Don’t go that way. Listen to Cat.]

Other people were nearby, so I didn’t ask why. I simply turned and headed for the main entrance.

I had read online that animals sometimes sensed danger. If one tried to stop you, it was wiser to change direction.

Only after we got home did I ask, “What happened back there?”

[There was a strange smell. Cat didn’t like it.]

[It smelled like that skinny cat.]

The skinny cat… the silver-shaded British Shorthair.

Cheng Yang.

My heart lurched. Had he still not given up on taking revenge?

I immediately contacted property management and claimed I had lost something so they would show me the side-entrance footage.

A man in reflective maintenance clothes had gone in and out several times, occasionally carrying tools. He looked as if he was doing repairs.

While I was returning from the supermarket and resting on a bench, he entered the side door and never came back out.

There was no camera inside that entrance, and the hall camera couldn’t see it. It created a blind spot.

When I turned toward the main entrance, the man emerged behind me. The outside camera captured his face.

It was Cheng Yang.

The wrench in his hand sent a chill through me.

If I had taken the shortcut instead of listening to Sangbiao…

I couldn’t bear to imagine it.

I copied the footage, but it proved nothing by itself. The police wouldn’t arrest him. At most, they would warn him, and that would only alert him.

I needed a plan.

I couldn’t remain this passive.