The customers watched the kittens drinking milk and the handsome men bickering, only dispersing contentedly after the two small plates were licked clean. Yet they lingered, phones in hand, torn between filming the people and the cats. A group of girls nudged one another before pushing a blushing girl forward.
She asked Pei Shiyi, “Are you the owner?”
Having just bantered with Bo Jin, Pei Shiyi was in high spirits. Cradling the little tortoiseshell cat, he looked up at the girl. “Yes, how can I help you?”
His features were exceptionally charming. Every expression radiated vitality, and his smile seemed capable of dispelling all worries.
The girl’s cheeks flushed deeper. “I… I want…” She kept glancing back at her friends.
Such a young girl, Pei thought, her thoughts written all over her face. Shy yet bold.
Amused, Pei Shiyi deftly changed the subject. “Would you like to hold him?”
He lifted the little Song Gao in his arms.
True to his professional spirit, Song Gao immediately looked up and let out a soft meow at the girl, his yellow-green eyes gleaming like gemstones.
To ordinary people, Song Gao appeared as a golden shaded kitten. Still young, he resembled a freshly baked cake, devoid of any unpleasant odor. Moreover, when the girl held him, she could even detect a faint milky fragrance.
Song Gao was a diligent young bì’àn, meticulously imitating Dan Huang’s “hosting” techniques. He nestled his fluffy face into the crook of the girl’s arm, closed his eyes, and purred contentedly.
Feeling Song Gao’s soft paw pads kneading rhythmically against her arm, the girl felt she might faint from bliss.
Heavens… Am I in heaven?
Dazed with delight, she held Song Gao tightly.
Completely captivated by the kitten, the girl had long forgotten about any handsome men.
Pei Shiyi smiled faintly. He quietly stood up and fetched a complimentary dessert from the counter. Placing it before the girl, he said courteously, “Please enjoy. I won’t disturb you further.”
The girl nodded eagerly.
With a gentle smile, Pei Shiyi stepped away.
Meanwhile, Dan Huang resumed his duties as shop manager, patrolling the café. Whenever he spotted a table without a cat, he would linger there briefly, ensuring every paying customer had a feline companion to pet.
Pei Shiyi wasn’t idle either. With limited staff, he often helped serve pastries.
As for Bo Jin…
The bureau director lazily scooped up the feigning-dead Tong Qian, holding him in his arms. He is lazier than the cat himself.
Trembling, Tong Qian stretched a paw toward Pei Shiyi: Boss, save me…
Pei Shiyi’s temper flared at the sight of Bo Jin’s indolence. He kicked the sofa. “All you do is lounge around all day, yet you have no qualms about eating three meals here. Don’t you have any real work to do? Go clear those plates.”
Bo Jin: “…”
Something felt off about those words, though he couldn’t quite pinpoint what.
After a few steps, Pei Shiyi glanced back and saw Bo Jin still pondering on the sofa. “Do I need to invite you, Lord Bo?”
Bo Jin set Tong Qian down. The leopard cat darted behind a young girl’s skirt. Dusting his sleeves, Bo Jin passed by Pei Shiyi and murmured, “Wouldn’t dare. A guardian must fulfill their obligations.”
Pei Shiyi replied calmly, “Very well, Guardian. After clearing the plates, go wipe the tables.”
Bo Jin: “…”
Pei Shiyi raised an eyebrow at him: Let’s see who’s more shameless.
Pei Shiyi had achieved a complete victory and was in high spirits, finding even the tasks ahead quite pleasing to the eye.
…
Mimi had unknowingly stayed at the cat cafe until 6:30 p.m., having been immersed in petting cats for hours. She automatically went to pay extra to extend her stay into the evening.
Ever since the shop owner Dan Huang left, she couldn’t stay seated anymore and wandered around, occasionally taking photos with her phone. She was well-versed in the cat cafe’s rules. Taking photos was fine, but she absolutely dared not use the flash.
She didn’t even dare to circle the cats while photographing them. These fluffy little spirits were too precious. She didn’t want to cause them the slightest discomfort.
Moreover, the interior was incredibly beautiful! Mimi felt this cat cafe was like a hidden treasure trove. You could find albums filled with gorgeous cat photos on a shelf, stumble upon cat teasers tucked in vases, or even discover carvings and little introductions about cats just by sitting on a cushion…
This place was truly the owner’s treasure chest. Wherever you lounged, you’d find surprises.
After exploring the entire cat cafe, Mimi completely froze in her tracks upon spotting the large white cat she had glimpsed when entering.
That snow-white long fur was breathtakingly beautiful. How could those heterochromatic eyes be so stunning? The luxurious mane was more opulent than high-end luxury goods. Its graceful, noble demeanor perfectly embodied the phrase “aloof and independent”.
Such a cat must be super aloof, but she really wanted to get close to it!
Mimi cautiously sat down in front of the white cat, who merely glanced at her but didn’t walk away. Delighted, Mimi tentatively reached out her hand and gently stroked the cat’s body.
Contrary to her expectations, the white cat not only didn’t immediately turn and leave but instead lowered itself and lay down in front of her. As it settled, its magnificent long fur cascaded in layers across the carpet.
Mom! The fairy has favored me!
Yun Chao had never been particularly resistant to kind girls. She allowed the girl to carefully stroke her a few times. In the cool air conditioning, the girl’s soft palms provided a comforting warmth. Yun Chao narrowed her eyes, growing drowsy in the twilight.
Even when a circle of people eventually gathered around her, Yun Chao showed no intention of leaving. For her, being surrounded by sweet, gentle girls wasn’t hard to accept.
The girls whispered among themselves:
“Do any of you know this cat’s name?”
“This isn’t a Ragdoll, is it? A Persian, maybe?”
“Ah. The owner is so annoying, hiding the cats’ information in different spots and making us search for it.”
After their soft complaints, a light chuckle came from behind them.
The girls turned around to find the “annoying” owner standing right behind them!
“Her name is Yun Chao, and she’s a girl,” Pei Shiyi said, picking up the little tortoiseshell cat winding around his feet with a smile.
The girl in the plaid skirt nearest to him blushed instantly. To divert attention, she quickly asked, “Then what breed is she? A Chinchilla?”
Pei Shiyi shook his head. “She’s a Lion Cat, a domestic breed originating from Linqing. Its exact origins are unclear, but it has been bred in China for several hundred years. Our Miss Yun Chao is a beautiful little fairy with a very classical charm.”
The girl in the plaid skirt quickly searched for “lion cat” on her phone and exclaimed, “Oh my god. This type of cat used to be exclusive to nobility! No wonder it looks so majestic! It’s really beautiful.”
Just look at that long, silky ruff. It’s so elegant and luxurious, it has no rivals, okay?!
The girl in the floral dress suddenly laughed. “You know, boss, both your cat and your ‘bromance’ are incredibly good-looking.”
My… what kind?
Pei Shiyi, an unearthed antique, didn’t quite understand the term but could guess she was referring to Bo Jin.
Pei Shiyi smiled slightly, bowed, and walked away, then immediately grabbed Bo Jin, who happened to be passing by.
Bo Jin: “?”
Pei Shiyi whispered, “What does ‘bromance’ mean?”
Bo Jin said slowly, “…It means archrivals.”
Pei Shiyi glanced at him and thought the term suited the two of them quite well.
Pei Shiyi hadn’t taken more than a few steps when a large fluffy ball zipped past him. A moment later, it dashed back with a jingling toy in its mouth.
The girls sitting on the carpet let out soft exclamations:
“What was that just now? Something zoomed by so fast…”
“It’s not a ghost. It’s the Ragdoll cat named Fondant. The name sounds so cute.”
“Hahahaha. The Ragdoll dog lives up to its name! Did you see that little cutie chasing the ball? She even brought it back, hahaha.”
“The little Ragdoll must be thinking, ‘Again, again!’ Hahaha.”
The sweet little Ragdoll happily dropped the ball back into the hand of the person who threw it, eliciting warm laughter.
The girls gathered around Yun Chao also adored the sweet Ragdoll and started pulling out toys hidden in corners, trying to attract Fondant over.
Little Fondant held the ball in her mouth, looking left and right as if troubled.
At that moment, Yun Chao, who had been dozing with her eyes closed, let out a soft meow. Her voice was delicate and sweet with a lingering tone. It was the first time the girls had heard Yun Chao’s voice, and they all turned to look at her.
Fondant dropped the ball and ran straight to Yun Chao without looking back. Yun Chao, who had somehow sat up, lowered her head and licked the Ragdoll’s ear. Fondant contentedly lay down on the spot, rolling over to expose her belly and meowing at Yun Chao.
Once again, the customers had plenty of photo opportunities.
Mimi stayed at the cat cafe until closing time, leaving with her design book untouched and hundreds of photos.
Li Duyu teased her, “I knew you wouldn’t have time to work on your design book.”
Mimi’s face instantly flushed.
“But now I feel my mind is full of inspiration. I can revise the design book as soon as I get back!”
Mimi clenched her fists with a determined expression.
…
By the time Pei Shiyi saw off the last employee, it was already nine o’clock.
Even Tong Qian, who had the most energy, was lying on his back with his belly exposed. After all, during business hours, aside from Dan Huang, he had been the most active runner in the cat cafe.
Tong Qian reached out a paw to hook Pei Shiyi’s sleeve. “Boss…”
Pei Shiyi looked up. “Hmm?”
Tong Qian wagged his tail, rolled over to Pei Shiyi’s hand, and said ingratiatingly, “I want to eat barbecue.”
After spending some time with this particularly mysterious boss, Tong Qian had transitioned from initial reluctance and nervousness to feeling content and at ease. He also discovered that, despite being a major boss who could trade barbs with the director of the Supernatural Management Bureau, Pei Shiyi’s temper was remarkably gentle and playful. Although an ancient being of unknown age, he showed no generational gap with the younger ones. Instead, he eagerly adopts their ways of interaction.
Pei Shiyi made the cats feel relaxed.
With one hand resting on Tong Qian’s belly, Pei Shiyi let the cat cling to his wrist.
Tong Qian nuzzled against Pei Shiyi’s palm: “I want grilled little yellow croakers, grilled chicken wings…”
He blinked, giving a wink.
Pei Shiyi narrowed his eyes, listening to the menu being recited, then ruffled the cat’s head: “Alright, what about the rest of you?”
Yun Chao held back Fondant, who was trying to approach Pei Shiyi: “Kids shouldn’t eat so many snacks. You’ll gain weight.” Her tail swept over, covering the curious Fondant.
Fondant had only wanted to join the excitement. Pressed down by Yun Chao, she simply lay down in front of her.
Dan Huang sucked in his stomach and humbly ordered two vegetarian dishes.
Pei Shiyi picked up his keys and passed by Bo Jin. Recalling the other’s contributions today, he mercifully patted his shoulder: “Come on, I’ll treat you to late-night snacks as overtime pay for today.”
Bo Jin wasn’t hungry at all, but he had no objections to going out to buy extra meals for the fluffballs.
Shiliu Street had everything. The grilled food stall wasn’t far. The two men reached it in just a few minutes.
This was the peak hour with crowds everywhere, particularly around the barbecue shop, where most were shoppers taking a break.
Pei Shiyi approached, frowning slightly at the dense crowd. He hovered at the periphery for two rounds, wishing he could flatten into paper and slip through without touching anyone’s clothes to place his order.
His fingers twitched. His gaze drifted over Bo Jin. He barely restrained any mischievous ideas and honestly joined the crowd to order before standing with another group to wait.
Bo Jin leisurely watched for a moment before walking over to wait with him, lowering his voice: “Guardians don’t cut in line.”
Pei Shiyi also whispered, “Thanks, but I’m not that uncivilized. Don’t be so suspicious.”
They glanced at each other, then turned away in mutual distaste.
Bo Jin faced a family of three where the child was fussing, the father was on his phone, and the mother was desperately trying to soothe before finally snapping: “All you do is play on your phone every day, expecting me to wait on you hand and foot. Can’t you do something useful? Pick up the baby!”
Bo Jin’s expression gradually stiffened. He slowly turned his head and met Pei Shiyi’s gaze as the other also looked back.
Bo Jin: “Does what she said sound familiar to you?”
Pei Shiyi: “…”
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wannaberecluse On SRTT Chapter 50.1