The café Lu Nan had been heading for was called Cats in the Alley. Its owner, a fairly young man named Xu Zhiyang, had expected him for an interview two days earlier. Xu Zhiyang had called twice without getting through and reluctantly given up. He assumed the applicant wasn't interested after all and hadn't thought much more about it.
Lu Nan was trying to work out how to knock on the door without making things awkward. How could he let them know he was genuinely a cat looking for a job? Deep down, this felt rather like selling himself to some disreputable establishment. Care for a little entertainment, sir? I'm actually a respectable human being, not a real cat.
He sighed, steeled himself, and squeezed his eyes shut. Whatever. He was starving to death. Who had room for dignity? Food first.
The recent rain still lingered in the damp air. Lu Nan didn't like this weather much. As though taking pity on the poor little cat, the heavens finally cleared. The sun hung overhead, its warmth stroking him gently, and he gave a comfortable little shake.
Before he could go inside, a man stepped out of the café. His shirt, trousers, and leather shoes all looked expensive; Lu Nan could appreciate the quality from a cat's-eye view several feet away. Ah, the scent of money. His hair had been styled with casual carelessness, and a slight smile curved his lips beneath narrowed, flirtatious eyes. He looked a little rakish. Some rich family's playboy, presumably. How many hearts had this one broken?
Then again, rich men weren't the only creatures with charm. This little kitty had plenty of his own.
Inspiration struck. Instead of selling himself to a café, why not sell himself to a rich, handsome man?
Countless possibilities flashed through his mind. An owner who never married or had children, leaving his millions to one little cat. An owner spending fortunes on presents just to make his beloved pet happy. Endless riches! Endless delicacies! Lu Nan nearly drooled. His eyes narrowed into an even cuter expression, and he didn't even notice when the man crouched in front of him.
The man petted his head without seeming bothered by the dirt. His voice was unexpectedly gentle. “Hey, kitty. Why are you sitting here? Are you lost?”
Lu Nan froze. Was this the tender touch of a heartbreaker? Well, if the man was this rich and this good-looking, then as an adorable little cat, he was willing to endure it!
He deliberately pushed his head up against the man's palm, rubbing it to show his approval, and produced a carefully sweetened meow.
That single sound was enough to make the man forget which way was north, never mind his own name.
“Holy shit.” Liang Zhecheng covered his mouth in disbelief. “Kitty! You like me too, don't you? You want to come home with me, right?”
Lu Nan thought this reaction was idiotic, but he supplied another gentle-sounding meow. Who would ever guess that His Feline Majesty was actually insulting the man rather than flattering him? The language barrier had its advantages.
Liang Zhecheng carefully picked him up. When the cat didn't resist and even rubbed contentedly against him, he almost cried with excitement. “Fuck. Am I finally getting a cat?”
He'd wanted one since childhood but had never managed to keep one. His obsession with cats was practically in his blood. He couldn't help himself. He really couldn't. Before another moment passed, he planted a loud kiss on the little cat's forehead.
The result was predictable. On pure reflex, Lu Nan smacked him across the face. His claws stayed sheathed, but the little paw still packed a punch. You could almost hear it whoosh.
Oh no. I just slapped my wealthy benefactor. What now? Is he going to hurt me?
Beneath Lu Nan's proud, adorable exterior, his heart trembled.
Meanwhile, Liang Zhecheng was thinking: Good heavens. This cat slapped me. A proper slap! No—this was affection. Those soft little paw pads! Such passionate concern! He liked him!
It had to be fate. This cat was a gift from Heaven, and Liang Zhecheng intended to accept it. At last, he too would know the joy of being walloped by a feline overlord.
Lu Nan sighed. The man seemed a little stupid, but he had money. A little unhinged, but he had money. Whatever else might be wrong with him, he had money! Lu Nan strained to lift his head within the man's embrace, squinted up at the sun, took a deep breath, and meowed twice.
Bring on a life of being waited on hand and paw! Bring on untold wealth and luxury! Let his happy life as a pampered cat begin!
Liang Zhecheng really was wealthy. Several years earlier, he and his close friend Yan Anqing had started a restaurant called Spring Returns. They'd built it into a proper success, and business was excellent.
He had come here with Yan Anqing that day, hoping to find a little cat he clicked with. He'd wanted one for so long. Who could have guessed that, by sheer chance, Yan Anqing—that hopelessly unromantic old tree—might finally be about to bloom? Romance seemed to have found him. Naturally, Liang Zhecheng couldn't be so insensitive as to stay and spoil their time together. He'd said goodbye to the café's little residents and planned to stroll over to Spring Returns. No one could have predicted this unexpected bonus.
He was tall, his arms strong, but he held Lu Nan with surprising gentleness. Keeping the little fellow tucked against his chest and shaded from the sun, he hailed a cab.
Lu Nan had never visited a neighborhood of villas before. This was a detached house, complete with a yard and swimming pool. Leaves rustled in a tree outside, a soothing rather than intrusive sound. It reminded him of commercials he'd watched as a child: peaceful, lovely, like stepping back into some summer afternoon from long ago.
Inside, the décor was both understated and luxurious. Lu Nan had never been anywhere this nice in his life. His eyes shone. Oh, look at this! He'd really hit the jackpot! Choosing an owner was an art. Those strays who had beaten him up should take a good look. So they could fight—could they pick a man like he could? No, an owner. Could they pick an owner? Why did that sound even stranger? Never mind.
“Yes, arrange for a vet to come over. As soon as possible.” Lu Nan explored close to Liang Zhecheng's heels, tail held high, looking around while listening to his call to someone or other. “I found a little cat. I'd like someone to examine him. Yes, that's fine. Bring some food, and one of those pet dryers for after a bath.”
During the call, Liang Zhecheng had sounded almost businesslike, as though the carefree rich boy were an entirely different person. The instant he hung up, his true colors returned. Crouching, he smiled and reached to pet Lu Nan. “Kitty, how about I call you Mimi from now on? And you can call me Daddy.”
Lu Nan: ...If you could read my expression, you'd see that I am speechless.
Mimi, my ass. Daddy, my ass.
Before long, though, he discovered that this could be entertaining. Liang Zhecheng didn't know he was really human and naturally assumed the cat didn't understand much speech. So he patiently switched into teaching mode, crouching in front of him and enunciating each syllable.
“Dad...dy.”
“Yes, son?” Lu Nan answered.
Liang Zhecheng was delighted. “That's it! Daddy! Say it again.”
Lu Nan was even more delighted. It was as though he'd acquired a son for nothing. Each pleased “Yes?” echoed in his own mind, while meow after meow reached Liang Zhecheng's ears. Liang couldn't help marveling: finding a cat really did come down to fate. He and Mimi must have earned this bond in a previous life!
The vet arrived that afternoon. Liang Zhecheng's secretary had found someone, but the clinic had been busy and the vet hadn't been free to make a house call earlier. As requested, the vet also brought cat food and a few pet supplies.
The basic examination revealed nothing wrong. The vet drew a tube of Lu Nan's blood to take back for testing. Before the visit ended, Liang Zhecheng mentioned wanting to bathe him. The vet nodded. “Just make sure he doesn't get chilled. You could bring him to the clinic for a bath. That would be best.”
Taking him out to be washed would certainly be easiest, which was what Liang Zhecheng had intended. But every attempt to discuss the idea with Lu Nan met with spectacular resistance. The cat reacted as though being bathed outside today would leave him so mortified that he'd fling himself off a building tomorrow. Helplessly, Liang Zhecheng shook his head. What else could he do? Apparently, he'd brought home a little emperor. He'd simply have to indulge him.
“I'll wash him here myself.” Liang Zhecheng smiled and saw the vet out.
Only then did Lu Nan relax a little. He sighed and plopped down on the floor. Being a cat wasn't easy. First he'd been held down for a whole battery of checks, and then—why, why did taking a cat's temperature involve sticking something up its backside?
He wanted to cry. Sitting there, he instinctively lifted a leg to give himself a comforting lick, then suddenly realized something wasn't right. He hurriedly lowered it and let out a despairing meow. Shit. Was he going to be a cat forever? How had licking his own butt already started to feel so natural?