Chapter 7: Nibble on his neck [1/2]

System: “Is that so?”

It stopped talking and retreated to a corner to play with bugs.

The rain grew heavier.

When Xu Liling finished cooking, the sky had darkened, and the night was deep.

Yingran went to the kitchen to help carry the dishes.

During dinner, System sat next to Yingran, its round cat eyes fixed on the pork ribs on the table, signaling her to feed it some meat.

Yingran placed a rib on the table’s edge.

System pawed at it with its little claws and began gnawing at the edge of the table.

Yingran watched it, a smile spreading across her face, finding the way the kitten chewed on the meat utterly adorable.

After finishing, it meowed once.

Yingran picked up another rib to place on the table, but Xu Liling pressed down on her chopsticks.

She looked at him: “What’s wrong?”

Xu Liling put the rib in her bowl. “What’s this cat’s name?”

“…”

Yingran thought for a moment, then smiled. “How about Da Hua?”

Da Hua it was.

System, now called Da Hua, had no objections and carried the bone to a corner to eat.

For some reason, it was inexplicably afraid of her husband.

Outside, the rain pattered; inside, the room was quiet and peaceful.

With the cat gone, Yingran and Xu Liling chatted casually as they always did during meals.

Xu Liling: “Where are you planning to keep it?”

Yingran: “What do you think?”

Xu Liling: “With Xiao Huang.”

Xiao Huang was a free-roaming dog, nesting behind their house.

Yingran glanced at Da Hua. “Is that okay? Xiao Huang’s a dog, and Da Hua’s a cat.”

She wasn’t worried about Xiao Huang bullying Da Hua; she was more concerned that Da Hua might keep shocking Xiao Huang, and Xiao Huang wouldn’t be able to handle it.

Da Hua stared with its cat eyes, frantically shaking its head at Yingran, clearly unwilling.

Xu Liling: “They’ll get used to it.”

Yingran: “How about we make a nest for it inside the house?”

Xu Liling said nothing.

Yingran could tell there was no room for discussion.

They could keep a pet, but it absolutely couldn’t live indoors.

This was an unspoken rule they’d agreed on after getting married and deciding to adopt Xiao Huang.

Yingran helplessly shrugged at Da Hua.

Truthfully, she didn’t really want Da Hua living indoors either.

For one, she was sensitive to smells and couldn’t stand the odor of cats or dogs.

For another…

She and Xu Liling were husband and wife, and they had their marital life.

Xu Liling wasn’t exactly gentle in bed.

If Da Hua lived indoors and heard something, she’d die of embarrassment.

Da Hua opened its mouth in a silent meow, collapsing dramatically and rolling on the floor.

It didn’t want to live with a stinky dog! No way!

Yingran pretended not to notice.

After quickly finishing dinner, she went to the wardrobe, pulled out some old clothes she no longer wanted, and crouched next to Da Hua to make it a nest.

Seeing no room for negotiation, Da Hua let out a resentful “meow meow.”

Yingran: “Xiao Huang is very good and understands people.

For tonight, you’ll sleep with Xiao Huang.

Tomorrow, when the weather clears, I’ll make you a separate nest.”

Da Hua’s little cat face drooped, reluctantly accepting.

Yingran smiled and patted its head.

It rubbed its face against her, then lay down, rolling over to let her rub its belly and pat its bottom.

Yingran had a blast playing with the cat.

Xu Liling, having finished eating, sat behind her, watching for a while without her noticing.

It was Da Hua who keenly sensed his slightly cold gaze and warily hid behind the door.

Xu Liling: “It’s a male cat, huh.”

Yingran: “Seems like it.”

“Male cats in heat are a hassle. We should get it neutered by a vet soon.”

With that, Xu Liling collected the dishes and went to the kitchen to wash them.

Da Hua, behind the door, puffed up its fur: “I told you your husband is terrifying!”

Yingran grinned mischievously and patted it. “He’s not wrong.

In our time, people usually neuter their cats.”

Da Hua glared at her. “That’s why I’d rather be a stray!”

Yingran was surprised. “So you really are a cat? Can a cat be a system?”

In the transmigration novels she’d read, systems were usually cold, hard data.

Da Hua proudly lifted its little head, tail raised. “Of course, I’m no ordinary cat.

I’m the king of cats.”

“Tiger?”

“Cat King!”

Yingran burst out laughing, chatting with it while making its nest, occasionally petting it.

Time passed quickly.

Xu Liling finished washing the dishes, boiled water, and returned to the main room, where Yingran was still playing with the cat.

Normally, she’d have gone to bathe by now.

Xu Liling tapped her shoulder to remind her. “Go take a bath.”

Yingran reluctantly said, “I haven’t finished the cat’s nest yet.”

Xu Liling: “I’ll do it. I’ll take it to the back later.”

Yingran handed him the nest and agreed. “Alright.”

If she didn’t go, she could tell he’d really get upset.

She grabbed her pajamas and went to the side room to bathe.

Xu Liling had already prepared hot water for her.

She undressed, slipped into the tub, and relaxed comfortably.

In the main room, Da Hua pressed its back against the wall, looking up at the man before it.

His gaze gave it the chilling sense that he might snap its neck.

He bent down.

It growled, leaping to escape.

It thought its speed was impressive,

but his speed showed it what true terror was.

With a casual reach, he grabbed the scruff of its neck.

Da Hua pitifully meowed at him.

Unmoved, he carried it and its hastily finished nest in one hand, an umbrella in the other, and headed to the doghouse out back.

Xiao Huang, who hadn’t gotten any meat bones today and didn’t dare ask Xu Liling for any, was starving.

Seeing Xu Liling approach, its tail wagged furiously.

Seeing him holding a cat, Xiao Huang was somewhat disappointed, but… cat meat, it could make do.

Xiao Huang waited for Xu Liling to set down its food.

However, Xu Liling tossed the cat’s nest into its doghouse and threw the cat inside.

Holding an umbrella, he walked back, saying as he passed by, “Your master’s new pet.”

What?!

Its mistress had a new pet?!

Xiao Huang looked at the little thing in the nest.

The little thing radiated disdain for the doghouse, already trying to throw out its stuff.

With Xu Liling around, Xiao Huang didn’t dare do anything.

The moment Xu Liling’s figure disappeared, it growled and approached Da Hua.

It didn’t dare eat its mistress’s new pet.

But teaching this little thing a lesson was fair game!

Da Hua launched a kick at its face.

A mere cat’s kick didn’t hurt Xiao Huang at all.

But then, a bright surge of electricity lit up the doghouse.

Xiao Huang collapsed stiffly to the ground.

Da Hua tossed out Xiao Huang’s things, comfortably claiming the doghouse with a sneer.

“Stupid dog.”

When Yingran finished bathing and returned to the room, Xu Liling was sitting there.

Seeing her approach, he asked, “Done washing?”

Yingran: “Yeah. Your turn.”