CHAPTER 364: CHAPTER 361: [THE TENDER-HEARTED CAT]

Chapter 361: The Tender-hearted Cat

Winter passed, and spring arrived. Then spring passed, and summer came. Day after day, year after year.

It seemed as if the world hadn’t stopped turning, even though it was missing someone.

This was also true for No. 8 High School.

It was now June 1st, with only one week until the college entrance examination.

It had been eight months since Chen Nuo had disappeared.

Eight months was enough time for Chen Nuo’s influence and traces in the small world of No. 8 High School to have been completely erased.

Similarly, with just one week left until the college entrance examination, the senior students had, in fact, already graduated.

So, Old Sun, the vice-principal, no longer had much power to intimidate the boys.

Especially since young boys are always impulsive, brave, and at that age... always a bit childish.

Sun Keke started to become the target for some of the boys.

That was easy to understand.

A young and beautiful girl, sweet and amiable, with an excellent figure and appearance, kind and gentle by nature.

In No. 8 High School, among the senior boys alone, there were many who secretly harbored feelings for Sun Keke.

Previously, due to the existence of the school tyrant, Chen Nuo, and the presence of Old Sun, the former director of instruction and current principal, no one dared to step out of line.

Only Chen Nuo dared—bold enough to pursue the daughter of the director of instruction.

But it seemed to give everyone an illusion... as if Sun Keke wasn’t hard to court; one just needed the courage.

Don’t believe it? Look, didn’t that kid Chen Nuo succeed in the past?

Now, Chen Nuo was gone.

And they had already graduated, so what was there to fear from Old Sun?

Within three days, Sun Keke received eight love letters.

Plus, two senior students from other classes, who had no hope for the college entrance examination and usually just idled away their days, relying on fearlessness and having no academic ambitions, were even planning to corner Sun Keke beneath the teaching building after school...

Using the lingo popular among students at the time, they planned to "have a chat" with Sun Keke.

Then, Luo Qing stepped forward.

Young Master Luo directly beat those two guys until their faces were swollen and bruised, and ended up injured himself.

After which, all three were brought to the guidance office.

The parents of the two boys, not knowing Luo Qing’s background initially, had thought about making a scene.

To be honest, consider a child who would corner a pretty female student in a secluded spot to "chat." The parents who could raise such a child were likely not good news themselves.

Indeed, the families intended to kick up a fuss—at worst, they wanted to extort some money for medical expenses.

Then, Boss Luo Dachanzi, Luo Qing’s father, stepped in.

It so happened that Boss Luo Dachanzi was free that day and personally made a trip to the school.

The school did not want to handle this sort of issue.

The three students, in effect, had already graduated.

From an authority standpoint, the school no longer had the right to punish or deal with the students.

If it really escalated, they’d leave it to the police to handle.

The parents had this in mind.

Their own children had no expectations from the college entrance examination anyway, but this Luo Qing who had assaulted others, supposedly had decent grades.

That could be a weak point to exploit.

If they went public, they’d call the police, get injuries assessed, and press charges. A minor issue meant a fine; a serious one, detention. If they dug in their heels—and with only six days until the college entrance examination!—Luo Qing might miss it. Weren’t they afraid of that?

Then let’s settle it privately.

Let’s talk about the price!

Boss Luo Dachanzi’s method of dealing was very straightforward and blunt.

"Want money? Here! How much? Three thousand per family? Are you kidding me? Looking down on people, are you? My son—*my* son, Luo Dachanzi’s son—beat someone up, and you think a mere three thousand per family is enough compensation? I can’t afford to lose this much face! Ten thousand per family! And don’t even think about not taking it. You take this money, whether you want to or not!"

The parents of the two families had a dumbfounded expression, and then, as if in a daze, each found themselves holding ten thousand in cash.

Actually, they were still greedy at heart—maybe they could squeeze out a bit more?

But once they saw Luo Dachanzi and Luo Qing get into a luxurious Mercedes-Benz...

Both families lost their enthusiasm.

After all, they weren’t fools. That car looked really expensive—they didn’t know exactly how much, but it was definitely very pricey.

A family that could afford such a car, complete with a driver and attendants...

Not to be messed with!

Better take the money and run while the going was good.

「Inside the car.」

Father and son sat in the backseat. Luo Qing gently touched the corner of his mouth, wincing in pain.

"Last time, Luo Qing mentioned how his classmate dealt with others, right? By hitting them just enough for the medical expenses, was it?"

Luo Dachanzi was speaking to the attendant sitting in the passenger seat.

"Boss, ten thousand is a lot. If we beat them to that extent, we might accidentally kill them, or at least seriously injure or disable them," the attendant cautioned after a moment’s thought. "The young master has his college entrance examination soon. If this blows up..."

"Are you stupid?" Luo Dachanzi glared. "Of course, inflicting ten thousand’s worth of medical expenses all at once could lead to trouble. Can’t you do it in installments? Hit them for about a thousand’s worth each time. Wait for them to heal, then find someone to hit them again. Do it ten times, and that settles it."

The attendant’s eyelid twitched.

Damn... Stop when they get hurt, continue once they’re healed... Do it ten times.

If calculated like this, those two kids wouldn’t have a single day of peace in the upcoming year.

Ten thousand in medical expenses. Right, we’re not bullying anyone. The medical bills would have been just two or three hundred. You took ten thousand. You can’t just take it for nothing. However much you took for medical expenses is how much of a beating you’re due.

After giving instructions to his subordinate, Old Luo turned to look at his son.

This time, Boss Luo’s expression had become much more severe.

"I heard you got into a fight to protect that girl, Sun Keke?"

Luo Qing nodded. "Yeah."

Boss Luo’s expression shifted slightly. "I’ve met that girl before; she came to our house for a meal. Wasn’t she Chen Nuo’s girlfriend at the time?"

"Yeah. Chen Nuo... something happened to his family. I haven’t seen him for a long time... It seems like he disappeared; they can’t find him."

Luo Qing paused, then added, "It’s been eight months."

His tone was somber and tinged with distress.

Boss Luo took a deep breath and looked intently at his son.

"So? You fought for this Sun Keke today, protected her. Do... do you have feelings for her?"

"No!" Luo Qing quickly shook his head, adding, "Don’t talk nonsense, old man! She’s my brother’s girlfriend!"

Luo Dachanzi still fixed a piercing gaze on his beloved son, asking seriously and carefully,

"Is it because she’s your brother’s girlfriend that you can’t have feelings for her?"

Luo Qing listened, mulling it over before he finally understood what his old man was getting at.

He shook his head vigorously. "No, it’s not like that. I just don’t have feelings for her. I protect her because she’s my brother’s girlfriend and also my friend. I don’t have any other thoughts."

Luo Dachanzi’s expression remained unchanged. "Son, it’s normal for young people to have romances. That Sun Keke is a catch and quite charming, so it wouldn’t be strange at all if you really liked her."

"Really, there’s nothing! Old man, stop imagining things!" Luo Qing’s reply was very crisp, and he even glared at Old Luo, slightly annoyed.

Boss Luo breathed a sigh of relief, and a smile slowly spread across his face.

"Lord Guan traveled a thousand li to escort his sister-in-law, but he didn’t bring the lady into his own inner chambers in the end. Song Taizu, Zhao Kuangyin, traveled a thousand li to escort Lady Jing, but he didn’t take her into his own harem either. As a person, one must uphold justice and principle! Even if this girl is incredibly charming, other men can like her, but you alone must not! There are plenty of good girls in this world. Women haven’t gone extinct. You can like anyone else, but you absolutely cannot like her! Understand? Good. That’s my son."

Boss Luo’s methods of educating his son may have been simple and rough.

But the principles were not bad.

In this world, there might be some people who, when faced with such a situation, would fly the banner of "love is free."

But harboring designs on your brother’s girlfriend is just that—harboring designs on your brother’s girlfriend! No matter how beautifully you wave your flag, it can’t mask the essential foulness of the act.

A week later, the college entrance examination for Sun Keke and her peers came to an end.

As soon as the college entrance examination was over, Sun Keke rushed to the Chen Family.

Chen Xiaoye was also on kindergarten break.

To be precise, she had graduated from kindergarten.

Six-and-a-half-year-old Xiao Yezi, after this summer break, would start primary school.

The school was excellent, the best public primary school in the district. Old Sun had pulled some strings.

Of course, there were better schools in Jinling City, but after some consideration, the family didn’t push further.

The best schools were in the city center and too far from home. It would be very inconvenient for a primary school student to commute every day.

The best school in the district was quite satisfactory already, a key city primary school.

Today, Chen Xiaoye seemed less cheerful than usual.

Usually, when Sun Keke came, Chen Xiaoye would be bouncing three feet high, hugging Sun Keke with great affection.

Today, it seemed the little girl was heavy-hearted, just sitting on the sofa and silently watching TV.

Sun Keke spent some time with the child but went back home in the evening.

After dinner that night, Ou Xiuhua went to clean up the kitchen.

Chen Xiaoye, on the other hand, took the Gray Cat to the bathroom and gave it a bath. Then she took a hairdryer and dried its fur.

The Gray Cat squinted contentedly, not dodging at all, and lay there obediently.

In fact, these days, the little girl had taken on quite a bit of the care for the Gray Cat.

Originally, Xiao Yezi was a sensible, mature, and industrious little girl.

Now, as long as she was home, she took on feeding the Gray Cat and giving it baths herself.

Fortunately, to everyone at home, the Gray Cat also seemed very intelligent, obedient, well-tempered, and easy to care for. So much so, in fact, that six-and-a-half-year-old Chen Xiaoye could manage it all on her own.

And one of the results was that in this household, the Gray Cat and Chen Xiaoye grew closer and closer.

After drying the Gray Cat’s fur, Chen Xiaoye carried the Gray Cat into her room, then placed it on the chair by the windowsill. She herself stood on tiptoes, climbed up, knelt on the chair, and gazed out the window.

As she looked outside, Xiao Yezi suddenly picked up the Gray Cat.

A tear fell onto the Gray Cat’s head.

The little girl held the Gray Cat, watching the colors outside the window.

"Gray Cat... do you think they are all lying to me? Tell me... has my brother really died?"

The Gray Cat lifted its head, looking up at the little girl’s face.

Xiao Yezi gently hugged the Gray Cat tighter, rubbing her face against its fur.

"They’ve all been lying to me, haven’t they? That’s how it always happens on TV... They say when someone has gone to a very distant place... that means they’re dead. Gray Cat," she hugged the cat tighter, "my brother... is he really gone...?"

More and more tears began to fall.

In the middle of the night, the Gray Cat gently jumped onto the windowsill of the balcony, then squeezed out through the gap, WHOOSHING onto the rooftop, and leaped onto the roof of the building.

Lying on the concrete slab of the rooftop, the Gray Cat looked up at the sky.

Quietly, the Gray Cat sighed.

What a nuisance... this little girl... why do I have such a soft spot for her...

Oh my, isn’t it just because I ate the ribs she fed me... alright, twenty-three times. Yes, and a few times she secretly fed me raw beef... oh my, oh my, alright, nine times. And the baths... seven times. Ah... no more, no more, I can’t take it anymore...

The Gray Cat slowly stood up, arched its body forcefully, then, with a resolute flick of its head, jumped up onto the edge of the rooftop, and then, WHOOSH, leaped down...

The night was silent...

Soon, a bird was soaring in the night sky, gradually disappearing into the distance...

The bird soared until it reached the seaside.

Fish in the water parted the currents, forging ahead, overcoming all obstacles...

The fish grew into a large fish, the large fish into a whale...

In the vast ocean, heading eastward...

Emerging from the water to the sky, the creature transformed and flapped its wings.

Entering the forest, it landed and became a beast...

Ten days later, in a quiet neighborhood in Buenos Aires, a Gray Cat with dirty, matted fur gently stepped onto the lawn.

The Gray Cat’s fur had not been groomed for many days and was covered with dirt and grime.

Its body lightly stepped across the lawn, silent and stealthy.

Yet still, it startled a person sitting at the end of the lawn, on the steps beneath the eaves.

Gently, he gathered his long, curly hair.

The small boy’s shiny black eyes revealed a hint of a strange smile as he watched the Gray Cat slowly approach.

"I thought I’d never see the day you’d come looking for me on your own."

"MEOW!"

"You didn’t want to? Then why are you here?"

"MEOW~~"

"The little girl’s too pitiful? Which little girl?" Seed sighed. "Alright, what is it you want from me?"

At this, Seed frowned and slowly said, "Don’t forget, you withdrew from the competition a very long time ago. If you get involved in this world again, I’m not sure I can trust you."

The Gray Cat opened its mouth. This time there was no meowing, but a sigh. "I just want to be a lazy cat."

"Does being a lazy cat feel pleasant?"

"More pleasant than you imagine. In fact, from my experience, being a lazy cat is the most delightful thing in this world, the very most delightful."

Seed sighed. "Alright then, tell me, what is it you want?"

"Chen Nuo. Help me find him!"

Seed said nothing, staring at the Gray Cat.

The Gray Cat shook its head. "Fine, I know very well he’s not dead."

Seed remained silent.

The Gray Cat spoke again, softly, "During that time before, I mean, when he was ’incubating,’ to heal his wounds, he took a spirit life thread from me. So I can feel that he’s not dead."

Seed pondered for a moment, then lifted his head to look at the sun in the distance and slowly began, "What’s in it for me?"

"...You name it."

"I want one of your spirit life threads... a voluntary one, without any negative emotions."