Chapter 20: It Is Hard to Refuse a Homeless Kitten

“Unwilling to eat voluntarily?” Jiang Yuan furrowed her slender brows. “Is she sick?”

The nurse shook her head. “The test results are all normal.”

“I’ll go take a look.” Jiang Yuan gave Jiang Die a quick nod.

As soon as she entered the foster area, she saw the Princess Blue Cat sitting in its enclosure, body curled up, looking utterly despondent.

“I heard you haven't been eating lately?” Jiang Yuan walked over and teased, “On a diet?”

The familiar voice instantly brought the lifeless Princess Blue Cat back to life.

It jumped to the door in an instant, looking at Jiang Yuan with grievance. “Waaaah, you’re finally here! You haven't come to see me for days! Do you have another cat outside?”

Jiang Yuan: “...”

She felt somewhat helpless. “You wouldn't happen to be on a hunger strike on purpose just because I haven't visited, would you?”

The Princess Blue Cat turned haughty. “Of course not! It’s just that the food here tastes terrible! I don't want to stay here, take me home!”

Jiang Yuan smiled. “Wait for your owner to come pick you up.”

The Princess Blue Cat fell silent.

One person and one cat sat in silence.

After a long while, the Princess Blue Cat finally spoke. “She came here.”

Jiang Yuan pursed her lips, suddenly understanding.

“You want to come home with me?” she asked.

The cat stared at her with round, blue crystal eyes, hiding a cautious sense of anticipation. “Is that not allowed?”

Jiang Yuan: “...”

To be honest, at this moment, it was hard for her to refuse a homeless kitten.

So, when Jiang Yuan appeared holding the blue cat, Jiang Die even suspected her eyesight was failing.

“Yuan Yuan, what is this?”

Jiang Yuan: “Sis, this is the cat I’m raising. Her name is Blueberry.”

The name change had been the cat's own suggestion.

Jiang Yuan naturally had no objection; after all, she couldn't bring herself to call a dusty blue cat "Princess."

She had originally wanted to name it Black Bean or Coal, but the vain little girl refused.

As Jiang Yuan introduced her, Blueberry let out a "meow" in a high-pitched, "baby voice."

Since she was now a member of her new owner's family, she had to lower her posture a bit.

Jiang Die was very surprised; in her memory, Jiang Yuan didn't particularly like small animals.

Zhan Zhan and Momo looked up at the fluffy cat in their aunt's arms, their young faces brimming with curiosity and excitement.

Such a cute kitty!

Sensing the two little ones' gazes, Jiang Yuan crouched down while holding Blueberry. “Do you want to pet her?”

Zhan Zhan and Momo nodded vigorously like pecking chicks.

Two small hands reached out cautiously.

The cat felt soft and warm to the touch.

Today was truly a happy day.

Eating delicious coconut chicken, winning an Ultraman figurine, saving the injured Little White, and petting the adorable Blueberry.

But there was also a little bit of unhappiness.

Her sister and aunt were being bullied by many people.

***

In the early morning, the first rays of light flickered among the mountains.

A thin frost hung from the treetops, pedestrians were sparse on the streets, and early birds flew low over the power lines.

Jiang Yuan was sleeping soundly when a piercing scream suddenly rang out from the living room.

She jolted awake from her dream; the screaming was still continuing.

It was her mother, Ms. Deng Rui!

Jiang Yuan hurriedly threw off her covers and rushed out. “Mom, what happened?”

Seeing the scene in the living room, she felt an inexplicable sense of guilt.

Deng Rui was clutching a slipper, while Blueberry sat perched on the coffee table, looking like she was saying, *“What did the cat do wrong? The cat is scared to death too!”*

“Mom...” Jiang Yuan said weakly, “I left you a WeChat message last night saying I was bringing a cat home. Didn't you check your phone...”

Deng Rui had nearly died of fright.

She snapped, “What business do I have checking my phone so early in the morning! I think you just think I have too much life left to live and want to anger me to death!”

“Don't talk nonsense.” Jiang Yuan walked to her side, wearing a placating smile. “Mom, put the slipper down first. Let's talk this through.”

Deng Rui put the slipper back on her foot, glanced at the blue cat on the coffee table, and said with a headache, “What is your problem lately? Why did you bring a cat home?”

Jiang Yuan: “I found her.”

Deng Rui: “You...”

What followed was a long, earnest lecture from Deng Rui about sending the cat away.

No one understood Jiang Yuan's "three-minute passion" better than her.

“Raising a cat is no small matter. Once you raise one, you can't just abandon it...”

“They shed hair everywhere every day, their poop stinks, and buying cat food every year is a huge expense.”

“And if they get sick, it's even worse...”

Jiang Yuan listened patiently. “Mom, I’ve considered all of this carefully. I only took her in because I can handle it.”

Deng Rui opened her mouth but could only let out a heavy sigh and walk away, looking utterly defeated.

After receiving her lecture, Jiang Yuan took Blueberry back to her room to give her one.

“You scared my mom!”

Blueberry replied righteously, “The cat didn't scare her; the cat was just saying hello.”

If she hadn't known that was her new owner's family, she wouldn't have bothered.

Jiang Yuan: “...”

When Ms. Deng Rui was startled by Blueberry at 5:30 AM, Comrade Jiang Dashan was still in his room singing his snoring songs.

Two hours later, the farce repeated itself.

Jiang Dashan was so startled he nearly sprained his ankle.

Ms. Deng Rui felt her sense of balance restored.

Blueberry was once again dragged back to the room by Jiang Yuan for "education."

“I’m going to see Little White in a bit. Stay in your room and don't run around. I don't want to come back and see you served on the table as a dish.”

Jiang Yuan gave Blueberry careful instructions before leaving the house, feeling uneasy.

When she returned from the pet hospital and opened the door, she saw Blueberry lying comfortably in Deng Rui's arms.

She almost suspected she had walked into the wrong house. “Mom, why are you petting the cat?”

“Oh, our Blueberry is so lovable.” Deng Rui was smiling, in an excellent mood.

Jiang Yuan looked at the relaxed Blueberry. “What happened?”

Blueberry confessed honestly, “An annoying person came to see Mom this afternoon, so the cat peed on her. Mom was very happy.”

Jiang Yuan: “...”

Wait.

Since when did she start calling her "Mom"?

“Who came this afternoon?” Jiang Yuan sat down next to Deng Rui to gossip.

A look of disdain immediately appeared on Deng Rui's face.

“Who else? Cao Laoting came again to brag about her daughter's workplace, saying several rich heirs are pursuing her daughter and sending cars and gold. I couldn't even bear to watch her showing off like that.”

Cao Laoting, whose real name was Cao Xiaoting, was one of Deng Rui's "plastic" friends.

As Deng Rui spoke, she rubbed the kitten's head. “It's one thing for her to brag, but she also had to take a jab at me, asking which unit you're going to after the New Year, if anyone is pursuing your sister, and when you're replacing that second-hand car.”

After saying that last part, Deng Rui felt instant regret and quickly tried to make amends. “She was definitely lying about the car!”

Jiang Yuan: “...”

If it were before, she definitely would have demanded a new car immediately.

Now, she simply said calmly, “Just ignore her.”

Deng Rui's eyes widened in shock.

Jiang Yuan had been quite sensible lately; could it be that she was brewing some grand scheme?

“What's for dinner?” Jiang Yuan kicked off her slippers and lay on the sofa.

Deng Rui: “Your dad said he's making lamb dumplings.”

Jiang Yuan thought for a moment and asked, “Should we ask Sis to come back and eat?”

Deng Rui: “...”

Just when she thought she was being sensible, she was starting to act up again.

Deng Rui sighed helplessly. “Jiang Yuan, it's already hard enough for your sister to raise two children on her own. For Mom's sake, please just let her live her life in peace!”

(End of Chapter)