Chapter 6: Damn, I Molested A Cat

An embalmer’s job is to make the deceased presentable.

Giving the dead a dignified farewell was also a small comfort to the living.

Some seasoned embalmers were even able to reassemble bodies that were barely human-shaped back into a near-perfect whole.

And the victim, Li Xiaohong, had been just such a seasoned embalmer in life.

That fact alone made the whole thing feel even eerier.

Qu Yanning was practically plastered against the wall, staring at the body in terror as if she might sit up and start talking at any moment.

“Let’s go.” Xie Qi clasped his hands behind his back and took the lead.

Qu Yanning had been dying to leave.

He followed Xie Qi step for step; if not for the overwhelming aura Xie Qi gave off, he might’ve just bolted past him and sprinted out of there.

Xie Qi strolled out unhurriedly, but paused at the door.

He turned his head to look at Qu Yanning. “You agreed to her request. That means there’s now cause and effect. As long as the cause remains, the ill fate won’t go away.”

Qu Yanning’s smile froze on his face, “What… what do you mean?”

Xie Qi didn’t answer, just gave him a cold, aloof silhouette as he walked away.

Wang Li patted Qu Yanning’s shoulder solemnly, “Maybe she wanted you to take care of the dog.”

“……”

******

Qu Yanning followed Wang Li to see the dog, sniffling the whole way.

He’d been reluctant at first, but the moment he saw the golden retriever lying in the cage with an IV drip, sympathy quickly overcame his fear.

The retriever lay curled up in the cage, half-lidded black eyes glistening gently.

Most of its fur had been shaved off, exposing skin and flesh covered in horrifying wounds.

“Da Huang?” Qu Yanning called hesitantly.

The dog’s ears twitched.

It lifted its head quickly, black eyes lighting up with hope—only to dim again the moment it saw it wasn’t its owner.

A soft whimper escaped its throat.

Qu Yanning reached in and gently stroked its head.

The golden retriever drooped back down without reacting.

“He’s badly hurt. And he hasn’t eaten anything since being brought in…”

The dog had taken the brunt of the attack trying to protect its owner.

One of its back legs had been broken, there were rope marks around its neck, and countless blade wounds along its body.

And that was just the visible trauma—the real damage was internal.

A broken rib had punctured its organs.

The vet could only recommend rest and recovery.

“How long does he need to stay here?”

Wang Li guessed it’d be a while—at least until the wounds healed, “But right now, he still refuses to eat.”

Qu Yanning placed a bowl of kibble in front of the retriever, gently petting its head.

His voice was soft, “If you don’t eat, your body won’t get better. And if you’re not better, you can’t go find your owner.”

The retriever’s ears twitched again, and those round black eyes looked up at him as if it had understood.

Qu Yanning nudged the food bowl closer. “Come on, eat. Once you’re better, I’ll take you to see your owner.”

The golden retriever’s eyes shimmered with warmth.

It let out a soft sound and slowly began to eat.

The dog still needed to stay at the clinic for a while.

After the visit, Qu Yanning and Wang Li left together.

They lived in opposite directions, so they parted ways outside.

By the time Qu Yanning got back, it was already evening.

Just as he reached the gate to his complex, two kittens ran up and circled his legs, meowing up at him with wide, eager eyes.

—They must be hungry again.

He reached into his pocket and found one last pouch of cat treats.

Feeding strays had become a habit, and he usually kept some snacks on him.

He tore the packet open and placed it on the ground.

The kittens purred and rubbed against his hand before eagerly digging in.

Stretching his arms, Qu Yanning stood up and spotted the same unusual cat he’d seen before.

The little feline had its tail held upright, ears perked forward as it curiously studied him.

After such a harrowing day, the sight of this fluffy little creature felt oddly comforting.

Especially this one—it just had a look he liked.

He felt an urge to pet it.

He crouched down and took two cautious steps forward.

When the cat didn’t move away, he took two more.

Now there was less than a meter between them.

He could reach out and touch that fuzzy little head.

As he got closer, a strange, sweet fragrance grew stronger.

Xie Qi couldn’t help but twitch his ears.

In his true form, that scent was even more enticing.

“Meow meow?” Qu Yanning called softly, palm facing down, stretching his hand toward the cat.

A classic sign of goodwill—he meant no harm.

Xie Qi gazed at him coolly, chin tilted up slightly, tail swaying lazily behind him.

Seeing that the cat wasn’t hostile, Qu Yanning inched closer and reached out to stroke its furry head.

Xie Qi frowned and raised a paw, pressing down on the overly forward human’s hand.

His fluffy face was tinged with a hint of displeasure.

He had just happened to pass by, and just happened to spot this interesting human again—so he’d stopped for a look.

And this human dared to try and pet him?

Xie Qi meowed sternly, expressing his disapproval at such impudence.

But with that soft, fluffy cat form, the scolding had zero intimidation factor.

In fact, it only made him cuter.

Looking at the serious little cat face, Qu Yanning didn’t feel scared at all.

On the contrary, his desire to pet the cat grew even stronger.

The paw resting on the back of his hand was soft and fuzzy, tickling him gently.

He pretended to give up and obediently left his hand there, pinned under the cat’s paw.

Xie Qi was satisfied with his restraint and meowed in approval, his tail lazily flicking behind him.

Taking advantage of the moment, Qu Yanning reached out with his other hand and swiftly ran it from the cat’s head to its tail.

The fur was soft, smooth, and plush—especially that thick, long tail. It felt amazing!

Eyes narrowing in delight, Qu Yanning let out a blissful sigh.

The moment that sensitive tail was touched, Xie Qi’s fur bristled.

He leapt up with a jolt, body tensed and eyes glaring.

He bared his teeth and hissed in anger.

Qu Yanning backed away, raising his hands in surrender, “Meow~ Don’t be mad. You can pet me back if it makes you feel better…” he mumbled, digging around in his pocket for something to appease the cat.

All he found was one brightly wrapped lollipop.

Qu Yanning: “……”

Oh well, might as well try.

He held out the lollipop and waved it gently in front of Xie Qi.

The colorful candy instantly caught the cat’s attention.

Xie Qi’s pupils relaxed slightly, though his ears were still pinned back.

His gaze was locked on the spinning candy ball.

Qu Yanning slowly moved the lollipop closer.

The strange, intoxicating fragrance grew even stronger with proximity.

It rushed up Xie Qi’s nose with every breath, like catnip flooding his brain.

He couldn’t resist leaning in and giving it a little nuzzle.

The pale hand was cool, but Xie Qi’s warm fur rubbed against it, absorbing the chill.

He half-closed his eyes in comfort, letting out a steady purr.

“There’s a good boy~” Qu Yanning murmured, gently scratching the cat’s chin.

His gaze, however, was fixated on that soft, fluffy white belly.

Xie Qi, who hadn’t been scratched like this since he’d grown up, completely melted into the sensation.

His head swam like he’d been hit with catnip, and before he knew it, he was sprawled on Qu Yanning’s knee—exposing his fluffy belly.

Qu Yanning’s eyes lit up.

Unable to resist, he scooped the cat up and buried his face in that velvety soft belly.

His warm breath hit the cat’s sensitive stomach, and Xie Qi froze.

His dazed mind cleared instantly.

He let out a sharp meow, twisted free, and leapt to the ground.

His ears pinned back, his tail lashed, and he hissed at Qu Yanning in embarrassment and rage.

Qu Yanning grinned like an idiot, “Your tummy’s so soft!”

Fur blazing red with shame, Xie Qi slammed a paw on the pavement in warning, growled twice, and then turned tail and ran off.

Qu Yanning took two steps after him, but the cat had already vanished.

He trudged back, disappointed, silently planning to cook something delicious next time and lure the cat home for more petting.

From the shadows, Xie Qi—now back in human form—stood expressionlessly.

Only his flushed, crimson ears betrayed any emotion.

He watched Qu Yanning walk away with a frosty glare.

“You’re courting death!”

…

Qu Yanning had successfully petted the cat.

He was in a great mood, practically skipping upstairs.

Chu Zhou had already come back before him.

When he saw him, Chu Zhou casually asked where he’d been all afternoon.

Qu Yanning hesitated for a moment, but ultimately chose not to tell him about what happened today.

The whole thing had been too bizarre, too unsettling—no need to drag Chu Zhou into this mess too.