The day the documentary 《Small World》 aired, Bo Jin’s last day at the cat café coincided with it.
On Friday, the final three trailers were released in one go, each just a few minutes long. The editing, likely done by a high-priced professional, seamlessly transitioned between scenes set to a fitting BGM, leaving viewers craving more.
When Pei Shiyi clicked on the trailers, six hours had already passed since their release. The view count for the last trailer had even surpassed the combined total of the previous ones.
This was because the cat café made a brief appearance around the thirty-second mark, lasting a full six or seven seconds.
The camera smoothly panned across the café. Tables and chairs arranged at varying heights, sheer curtains swaying gently, cats weaving through the crowd, brushing against the edges of furniture as customers reached out to pet them.
The camera lifted slightly and suddenly focused on a person—tall and slender, speaking with his back to the lens before turning his head slightly. His eyes were exceptionally dark. When they met the camera, his gaze was so intense it seemed as though he could only hold one person in his sight.
Even Bo Jin, watching from behind the screen, was momentarily stunned.
The barrage of comments went wild, flooding the video to the point of lagging:
“One look and I fell in love on the spot! Why?! The owner is absolutely stunning!”
“Those eyes and brows!! Perfection!! I feel like every male lead I’ve ever read about in novels now has a face.”
“I’m losing it. How can someone be this good-looking?! I want to see his full face!”
“Don’t move the camera away!”
“Is that the owner of the cat café? Can I go there to ‘accidentally’ run into him?”
Bo Jin glanced at the comments, then turned slightly to look at Pei Shiyi, who was staring intently at the screen. Even the pen in his hand, which had been signing reports, had stilled. His gaze was fixed on the screen, his expression utterly focused.
Pei Shiyi did everything with great concentration, rarely multitasking. When he focused on something, his attention was like a bird returning to its nest—completely settled.
If the phone in front of him were replaced by a living person, they’d likely be mesmerized by his gaze.
Bo Jin’s stare was heavy and deliberate, forcing Pei Shiyi to divert his attention. He asked curiously, “Why are you looking at me?”
Bo Jin averted his gaze, his expression unchanged. “Just looking.”
Pei Shiyi lifted his chin. “You’re allowed to look a little longer before you leave. After all, your little rundown bureau doesn’t have anyone like me.”
After finishing the video, Pei Shiyi scrolled through the comments for a while. Noticing some praise for the camerawork, he casually asked, “What happened to that Zhu Heng?”
Bo Jin replied flatly, “He was fined and deported.”
Pei Shiyi guessed the fine was likely hefty enough to nearly bankrupt him.
After a moment of silence, Bo Jin said quietly, “I’ll drop off the pine cakes tomorrow, but I won’t be staying at the café.”
Pei Shiyi was taken aback. “Isn’t tomorrow your last day?”
Bo Jin explained, “We’ve identified the people from abroad. We’re closing in tomorrow, and I need to be there to oversee it.”
As the head of the Supernatural Management Bureau, Bo Jin might not handle day-to-day affairs, but he was no mere figurehead. He was the bureau’s strongest combat asset. Even if he didn’t take action himself, he had to be present to maintain order.
Pei Shiyi didn’t respond, letting out a soft sigh before personally pouring Bo Jin a cup of milk tea.
Caught off guard, Bo Jin found himself holding a cup of iced milk tea. He had been feeling drowsy, but the chill instantly jolted him awake. He raised his eyes warily. When this bird offered a kindness, it was either a sweet gesture before a confrontation or a sign that he was plotting something mischievous.
Sure enough, the unlucky bird said eagerly, “So you’re busy tomorrow? Then don’t bother bringing Song Gao over. Let him stay here tonight.”
Clearly up to no good.
Bo Jin replied coldly, “Dream on.”
…
Ni Jiaxue had long anticipated the buzz the cat café owner’s face would cause. Unfortunately, the documentary itself wasn’t gaining much traction, and Bishui Station’s promotional resources were limited. Otherwise, Ni Jiaxue could have pushed 《Small World》 onto Bishui Station’s trending list.
What surprised Ni Jiaxue even more was that Xian Chan Cat Café actually had an account on Bishui Station with over 100,000 followers, making it a well-known content creator in the pet category. The collaboration between the two boosted the viewership of 《Small World》 significantly.
The cat café was already trending toward becoming a viral hotspot. As the only surviving cat café in Yuchuan, Xian Chan’s local popularity was also rising.
Zhou Yan kept urging Pei Shiyi to record a video showing his face, offering terrible advice in front of all the cats in the café: “Cross-dress, boss! Let me tell you, cross-dressing really isn’t that big of a deal. I’ve done it before! It felt pretty great.”
Pei Shiyi’s expression slowly cracked: “…Cross-dress? Who?”
Dress up as a girl?! Was this kid itching for trouble?
Zhou Yan quickly waved his hands: “No, no, not you. It’s for the cat. Our shop manager hasn’t made an appearance yet, right?”
Dan Huang, who was entertaining guests at the table, slowly turned his head and fixed his gaze on Zhou Yan’s back.
Pei Shiyi took a sip of tea from his cup, smiling as he watched Zhou Yan teetering on the edge of disaster.
Completely unaware of how close he was to catastrophe, Zhou Yan continued enthusiastically, “Our shop manager is a bit on the chubby side. If we put him in a little pink dress, the contrast would be absolutely adorable… Ah—”
Furious, Shop Manager Dan Huang headbutted Zhou Yan’s back. Zhou Yan let out a pained cry and collapsed on the spot.
Pei Shiyi shook his head and sighed, “Poor kid.”
Dan Huang stomped heavily on his back a couple of times.
Zhou Yan, caught off guard by the sudden attack, felt like his internal organs were about to burst out of his mouth. Without even looking back, he knew it was the shop manager who had jumped on him. Only the shop manager had that kind of weight in the cat café. The guilt of urging the boss to dress up the shop manager and getting caught by the shop manager himself made him momentarily wonder if Dan Huang could understand human speech.
Clutching the table with difficulty, he persisted stubbornly, “Boss, think about it! Dan, stop stomping, I can’t take it anymore! Boss, I’m doing this for the cat café! Really, the more memes we have, the easier it is to make videos and go viral. I’m loyal to the cat café!”
Having enjoyed the spectacle enough, Pei Shiyi casually tossed the task to Zhou Yan: “I wouldn’t dare boss our shop manager around. You negotiate with Dan Huang yourself. As for the cross-dressing, I can sponsor it.”
Dan Huang: “Meow!”
Boss!!!
Pei Shiyi chuckled, steadily catching Dan Huang as he leaped over: “No one’s forcing you to cross-dress. Our shop manager can do whatever he wants.”
Dan Huang: “…Meow.”
Zhou Yan was already used to the boss treating cats the same way he treated people. Hearing Pei Shiyi say this, he approached Dan Huang without any psychological burden, flattering, “Boss Dan, look, our Bishui Station account already has a hundred thousand followers. We should give out some perks or something. Giveaways are too cliché. Fans gained that way are fake, and they unfollow if they don’t win. Making a video is much more reliable. Plus, next Saturday, the second episode of 《Small World》 will feature our cat café. We need to cooperate and keep the hype going.”
Dan Huang’s eyes wavered.
As the shop manager, Dan Huang was the most diligent cat in the entire cat café, always keeping an eye on the café’s operations and hoping more than anyone that the café would grow bigger and stronger.
Zhou Yan’s words hit right at Dan Huang’s biggest concern. Online promotion was a major part of the cat café’s publicity. If sacrificing a bit of his image could bring popularity to the café… No, no, no! If a video of him wearing a dress was posted online, how embarrassing would that be? How could he ever show his face as a cat again?
And did it have to be a pink dress? Wouldn’t Fondant look better in soft pink? Would an old cat like him look too greasy? Would fans even like it?
Dan Huang was torn, glancing at Zhou Yan with a troubled look before walking away with his tail held high.
Zhou Yan stretched out his hand behind him, calling, “Boss Dan! Think it over carefully!”
…
Dan Huang sneaked over to Yun Chao’s side.
“Meow?”
Got a minute? Let’s chat?
Yun Chao glanced at him coolly, not moving, silently giving permission.
Dan Huang paced on the blanket for a moment before shyly asking, “Is wearing a dress fun?”
Yun Chao: ??
She slowly turned her head, her mismatched eyes staring at Dan Huang in shock.
Bo Jin, who was passing by: “…”
His usually expressionless face couldn’t hold back his surprise. He looked down at Dan Huang in disbelief, almost wondering if Dan Huang had secretly gotten neutered behind their backs.
…
Saturday
Bishui Station’s Xian Chan Cat Café has finally been updated.
Fans refreshed the page repeatedly and finally caught the new video. This episode was the long-awaited hundred-thousand-follower special, and the title was explosive—”100K Follower Special! Sexy Hunk in a Dress Live!”
WOW!
Fans immediately thought of the cat café owner who had made a side-profile appearance in the documentary. That side profile had stunned countless people. If a man like that wore a dress… would he be an absolute beauty?
Awooo, let them see!
Fans eagerly clicked on the video, and the camera captured a flash of pink.
Comments:
“Huh, this angle is off, isn’t it? Why is it so low to the ground?”
“Dress! Dress!”
“Ahhh. Is it that super handsome owner in a dress? So excited!”
The camera slowly panned upward, revealing lace trim and an orange, fluffy leg at the same time.
“??? Chicken leg?”
“I have a bad feeling about this…”
“Isn’t it the owner in a dress?”
“The owner isn’t exactly a hunk, is he? He’s more of a pretty boy.”
The camera suddenly lifted, revealing a sturdy, mountain-like orange back. He was licking his fur with his back to the camera, seemingly aware of the lens, and slowly turned around.
A fluffy cat face suddenly filled the screen—almond-shaped eyes and a round face, surprisingly delicate and handsome.
A big orange cat wearing a pink dress. Shop Manager Dan Huang.
Fans: “??”
This is the dress-up you promised?
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Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152