Ni Jiaxue firmly believed that the appearance of the boss and the boss’s best buddy was a boost to 《Small World》’s popularity. She tapped the cameraman and signaled for him to point the camera toward Pei Shiyi and the other man.
Pei Shiyi glanced at Bo Jin, who had walked over to his side, then turned and smiled at Ni Jiaxue. “Running over here in such hot weather must’ve been hard on you. Please, have a seat.”
He led the program crew to a relatively quiet corner of the cat café. The desserts and drinks that had been prepared in advance, timed just right, were already placed on the coffee table.
Wearing the cat café’s soft slippers, Ni Jiaxue breathed in the sweet fragrance in the air while admiring the café’s interior design.
After just one look, she couldn’t help but exclaim in amazement. This was simply too dreamy! It wasn’t only the European fairy-tale style. There was also an indescribable sweetness to it. There weren’t many decorations, yet every single piece was placed just right. At a glance, the whole place looked bright and refreshing. The cats moved with light steps, padding across the soft mats. Some were affectionate and clingy, rubbing against customers and then flopping down right where they were. Others were aloof, strolling past like they were inspecting their territory.
This cat café perfectly matched the ideal image of a cat café in Ni Jiaxue’s heart.
It was far better in atmosphere than the one she had visited in the morning. Here, people and cats moved about inside the exquisitely decorated shop without the slightest sense of discord. In contrast, the shop from the morning had indeed been beautifully decorated. But once people walked into it, the entire scene was ruined. Decor that lacked resonance with people was, by itself, something missing a soul.
She watched as a ragdoll cat ran past in front of her, plunging headfirst into the arms of another fluffy ball of fur, drawing kind smiles from the people nearby. A leopard cat leaped from a tall table onto a lower one, startling the girls. The handsome cat café owner lightly poked the cat’s head, and the leopard cat let out two rumbling purrs before taking the opportunity to hug the owner’s hand and rub against it from side to side.
Ni Jiaxue praised sincerely, “The atmosphere of your cat café is really wonderful.”
Pei Shiyi let Tong Qian continue acting spoiled, thinking to himself, ‘Of course it is’, yet on the surface, he simply smiled at Ni Jiaxue. “You flatter me.”
Ni Jiaxue chatted with Pei Shiyi and Kong Fanyang for a while about topics related to the cat café. During this time, she kept writing and sketching in her small notebook, filling an entire page before finally closing it and informing the cameraman to enter filming mode.
Pei Shiyi stood up. “If you need anything, please feel free to come find me.”
Ni Jiaxue had just taken a sip of coffee. Hearing that, she covered the corner of her mouth with a napkin and laughed. “Then I won’t stand on ceremony.”
Just kidding. Of course, the boss had to appear on camera more! Otherwise, how would they attract traffic? How would they catch people’s attention? Their show wasn’t popular with young people to begin with. Without something explosive, it would flop!
Ni Jiaxue called for the cameraman to start filming. Kong Fanyang hurried out after her.
Only after she had walked far away did Pei Shiyi say to Bo Jin, “That cameraman in the blue top, do you know him?”
Bo Jin shook his head.
Pei Shiyi lifted his chin. “Then hurry up and check. That guy is carrying all sorts of mixed, messy demonic aura. Who knows how many demons he’s already harmed. Let me make this clear first. If he dares to act recklessly in the cat café, I’ll skin him alive.”
Bo Jin glanced at him and said lazily, “Got it.”
Pei Shiyi looked utterly disgusted. “It’s already summer. Can’t you be a bit more energetic?”
Bo Jin said calmly, “No.” Whether he felt sleepy or not wasn’t something he could decide. Besides, when he was around Pei Shiyi, he was already restraining his drowsiness a lot. If he were in the office, he could sleep from the start of work all the way until the end of the day.
Pei Shiyi rubbed his brow. It would be one thing if Bo Jin were only sleepy himself, but the problem was that his influence was especially strong. As soon as he started feeling drowsy, the people and cats around him would unconsciously begin to feel sleepy as well. Otherwise, they would just become lazy and unable to muster any energy. Even Pei Shiyi was no exception.
Heaven knew why a divine being like Pei Shiyi, who no longer felt sleepy after leaving childhood, would start nodding off.
Pei Shiyi said weakly, “Are you a snake?”
Bo Jin replied, “Snakes don’t get sleepy in the summer.”
Pei Shiyi: “…So you mean you’re not even as good as a snake?” As expected of a Zhulong. When he went crazy, he even insulted himself.
Bo Jin said flatly, “I suggest you take some remedial Chinese classes. What I meant is that I’m not a snake.”
…
“This lamp is really beautiful. Did Mr. Kong make it himself?”
“Yes. I could never find the style I wanted either online or in physical stores, so I simply made it myself.”
…
Zhu Heng carried the camera on his shoulder, but his mind was filled with the faintly drifting spiritual energy inside the cat café. He nearly tossed the camera aside. Fortunately, he still remembered that he was temporarily a human who needed to work to support himself, so he didn’t lose control on the spot.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, looking intoxicated yet puzzled: This was too strange. Why was there such pure spiritual energy here? Could it be that some heavenly treasure was present?
Zhu Heng lightly licked his teeth, trying to sense the source of the spiritual energy. However, spiritual energy was everywhere, evenly spread throughout the entire cat café, making it very difficult to find its origin.
Unwilling to give up, Zhu Heng could only suppress his thoughts for now since he still had work to deal with. He decided he would come back at night to investigate further.
Ni Jiaxue had no idea what exactly had slipped into her team. She was still listening to Kong Fanyang explain the design concept and even signaled the cameraman to film more of the cats lounging leisurely around the shop.
Dan Huang had been eyeing Ni Jiaxue’s group since early on. Seeing her walk closer, he hurried forward with a couple of quick steps, plopped down beside Ni Jiaxue’s feet, looked up at her, and let out a soft, delicate “Meow—”.
He had already figured it out. This beauty was definitely the one with the highest authority in the group. The others in the team kept calling “Director Ni, Director Ni”, so she had to be the program’s director! If he could win the director’s favor, there would definitely be benefits.
The dedicated Song Gao followed suit. He flopped down against Ni Jiaxue’s other shoe, wrapped his front paws around her ankle, and pressed his round, chubby face right against her. His dark green eyes were like a deep pool, yet his gaze remained clear.
With the two little cuties leaning against her like this, even someone who wasn’t a cat fanatic like Ni Jiaxue felt her heart tremble from the cuteness.
Just look at these two big, round faces. So adorable, so perfect to pet!
Suppressing her excitement, Ni Jiaxue guided the conversation toward the cats.
Kong Fanyang immediately caught the hint and smoothly continued the topic along the line Ni Jiaxue had introduced.
After enjoying Ni Jiaxue’s gentle petting, Dan Huang suddenly felt a malicious gaze fall upon him. Hesitating, he turned his head back, only to meet the cameraman’s eyes, which looked as though they wished they could pounce on him and devour him alive on the spot.
That greedy, drooling expression made Dan Huang shiver violently.
Dan Huang thought to himself: No, this won’t do. Later, I have to tell the boss about this person privately. There’s definitely something wrong with him!
Zhu Heng’s mind was racing. He had never expected that this cat café actually had cat demons. And they were maintaining their original forms inside the café. It looked like they were little demons that couldn’t even transform yet! These were great tonics. If you encountered them, you absolutely couldn’t let them go.
Following Ni Jiaxue around the café, he quickly filmed all five cats. Every time he saw one, Zhu Heng felt another surge of excitement. In this inconspicuous little cat café, there were actually so many cat demons!
That snow-white cat demon, in particular, had especially astonishing cultivation.
In the eyes of ordinary people, these were just adorable little cats that loved to act spoiled. But in Zhu Heng’s eyes, they were powerful supplements.
Zhu Heng made up his mind and filmed even more attentively. He wanted to remember the layout inside the cat café so it would be convenient for him to sneak in tonight and tie up the cats. The big white cat would definitely be a great tonic, perfect for soaking in liquor. Those two yellow ones were so fat, they’d be suitable for air-drying. The leopard-like one could be stir-fried. That left the weakest one… stewed into soup, it would surely be tender!
Ni Jiaxue only felt that this cameraman, who had studied overseas, was particularly proactive. Whether he was filming the cats or the café, he worked especially efficiently.
Ni Jiaxue’s eyes showed appreciation. Just then, they arrived at the part of the shop that Pei Shiyi had participated in designing. Ni Jiaxue looked toward Pei Shiyi, who had been standing beside them with a smile the whole time.
“How did you come up with the idea of placing a decoration like this here?” Ni Jiaxue asked with a smile. “It really is the finishing touch.”
As she spoke, she also signaled to the cameraman: Film! Focus on his face! Film the boss’s buddy, too!
…
The program crew filmed for more than four hours before wrapping up. They only left when the cat café was about to close. After Pei Shiyi saw the crew off and had just closed the door, Dan Huang trotted over and rubbed against him.
“Boss, that cameraman carrying the camera…”
Pei Shiyi tapped his nose. “Don’t worry. I know.”
Dan Huang purred twice and began climbing onto Pei Shiyi.
Pei Shiyi let him grab onto his pants and shirt as he climbed all the way up to his shoulder. Zhou Yan, who happened to pass by, snapped a photo and complained, “Boss, isn’t he heavy?”
While petting the cat, Pei Shiyi said, “I think it’s probably because you’re too skinny.”
Zhou Yan, an internet-addicted youth, got his largest daily amount of exercise by riding a shared bicycle from home to the cat café. He also had a face that looked like it lacked calcium, making him seem far from healthy.
Zhou Yan protested indignantly, “I think you’re about the same as me, Boss, just taller!”
Pei Shiyi was indeed slender. But he wasn’t human, so his strength didn’t have much to do with his appearance. Besides, he only looked thin when he was wearing clothes.
“Then you should reflect on why I can carry Dan Huang but you can’t.”
Pei Shiyi said it leisurely.
Zhou Yan said with heartache, “Obviously, Dan Huang is just too fat! A normal person’s shoulders can’t handle it. They’d get pressed into uneven shoulders!”
Dan Huang flew into a rage, sprang onto Pei Shiyi’s shoulder, kicked off with his hind legs, and slammed straight into Zhou Yan’s arms.
The unprepared Xiao Zhou: !
This was a weight life simply could not bear!
In the end, Zhou Yan, who had suffered this “heavy blow”, had to be supported back by a coworker who happened to be passing by. Meanwhile, Dan Huang ate his steamed lobster meat and said mournfully, “Am I really that heavy?”
After dinner, Yun Chao basically didn’t eat anything. Hearing that, she said, “How do you even have the nerve to ask that question?”
Dan Huang rolled his tongue and licked the bowl clean, then lay down in humble defeat.
Just then, Song Gao squeezed his way to Yun Chao’s side. Yun Chao lowered her head and gently licked the tip of Song Gao’s ear. “Don’t learn from him—greasy middle-aged uncle cat.”
Song Gao had always liked this sister who was beautiful, ethereal, and fragrant. Hearing that, he obediently nodded and curled up beside Fondant. Fondant leaned over to lick him.
Bo Jin walked over, holding Tong Qian. He bent down and rubbed Song Gao’s fur. “I can’t go back tonight. Can Song Gao stay at the cat café for one night? I’ll come keep you company tomorrow morning.”
Tong Qian hung lifelessly from Bo Jin’s arm, his tongue sticking halfway out, pretending to be a plush toy.
Song Gao glanced at Tong Qian sympathetically, then nodded sensibly. “Okay. I’ll wait for the Director at the cat café.”
Pei Shiyi smiled. “Song Gao, do you want to come sleep with me tonight?”
Song Gao said, “Sir, I’m not a child anymore.”
“Alright, alright,” Pei Shiyi laughed so hard he could hardly stop. “Our Song Gao is a big treasure now, not little anymore.”
Song Gao’s face turned red. He buried his head in Fondant’s soft fur. Even when Fondant licked his ears until they flipped over, he didn’t bother to fix them.
Bo Jin set Tong Qian down and signaled for Pei Shiyi to come outside with him. Only after Pei Shiyi gently closed the cat café door did he say, “Be careful tonight.” The cameraman who had come with the crew clearly had ill intentions and would definitely stir up trouble in the next few nights.
Pei Shiyi turned his head to glance at the cat café, and his gaze softened. “Don’t worry. I’m watching.” No matter what, he couldn’t let anything happen to this group of fluffy kids.
Following his gaze, Bo Jin looked over as well. Inside the cat café, the seven fluffy ones were sprawled together. The two little tortoiseshells that had been confined upstairs had also come down and were now bouncing around on top of the bigger cats, yet the cats didn’t seem to mind. The lighting was slightly yellow, and the blankets and tablecloths cast soft shadows. Bo Jin narrowed his eyes, feeling a bit sleepy.
Bo Jin said lazily, “If anything happens, call me anytime.”
He extended his hand. Resting in his palm was a dark, bluish-black dragon scale.
The scale of the Zhulong.
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Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152