Chapter 121: Xueqiu¹

“Tian Bao², it’s Mommy’s fault. I should’ve watched you more carefully…” Kong Xiaoxiao held her long-lost Tian Bao tightly, apologizing over and over. Tian Bao lay nestled in her arms, letting out soft meows from time to time, as if complaining to her about everything it had been through.

After a long round of affectionate kisses, Kong Xiaoxiao placed Tian Bao into her pet carrier, planning to take her to the vet later. She had no idea what Tian Bao had experienced yesterday. Normally lively and cheerful, the cat was now listless. Although there were no visible injuries, who knew if there was internal damage?

“Thank you so much, Officer Song. If I hadn’t run into you, I would probably still be worried sick,” Kong Xiaoxiao said sincerely to Song Changfeng.

Song Changfeng shook his head. “No need to thank me. If anyone deserves your thanks, it’s Aofeng and that one over there. Without them, your Tian Bao might not have made it back.” He pointed to Da Ju, who was peeking out from a distance. As a stray cat, Da Ju was still very wary of strangers.

Kong Xiaoxiao’s eyes widened in shock. “Might not have made it back?” She had assumed Tian Bao had simply wandered off, but from Officer Song’s tone, it clearly wasn’t that simple.

“If my guess is right, your Tian Bao ran into someone who abuses cats. It was Aofeng and Little Orange who rescued her,” Song Changfeng explained, piecing together the events of last night based on Kong Xiaoxiao’s account and his earlier investigation. Aofeng, listening nearby, wanted to raise a paw in approval. Spot on.

“Cat abuse?!” Kong Xiaoxiao and her friend were horrified. In their world, such things only existed online. They never imagined it could happen so close to home, and that Tian Bao had nearly fallen victim.

“That’s right.” Song Changfeng nodded and shared what he had just learned from the shopkeeper. The girls’ expressions shifted from shock to fury. As she listened, Kong Xiaoxiao clutched the cat carrier tighter against her chest. The thought of almost losing Tian Bao filled her with dread. But as she listened, something suddenly clicked.

“Officer Song, that person you mentioned… I think I saw him!” Her eyes glazed over, and her lips turned pale. “Yesterday, while I was searching for Tian Bao, I saw a man carrying a bag. I asked if he’d seen a silver tabby with a red ribbon around its neck. He said no and told me to look elsewhere!” If Tian Bao hadn’t been rescued, and she found out the truth later, she would’ve been devastated.

“That was probably him. Next time, make sure to keep a close eye on your pet. Don’t give people like that a chance,” Song Changfeng warned.

Kong Xiaoxiao nodded repeatedly. After this ordeal, she wouldn’t dare be careless again. After thanking him profusely, she left with Tian Bao and headed to a nearby animal hospital. The vet examined her and said there were no major issues, just that she’d been frightened. With a few days of rest at home and no outings, she should recover quickly.

Kong Xiaoxiao originally planned to take Tian Bao home, but since she had class that afternoon, she brought the cat to school with her and would take her home afterward. Everyone already knew she had taken the morning off to search for her cat. When they saw her arrive with Tian Bao, they all exclaimed how lucky she was and were glad the cat hadn’t wandered far. But when Kong Xiaoxiao told them about the cat abuser in her neighborhood, they were instantly outraged, unable to comprehend how someone like that could be nearby.

Just then, someone suddenly spoke up. “I remember He Honghong’s cat went missing not long ago. I think it disappeared around the same area. Do you think it could’ve been taken by that same person?”

“Very possible. She searched for a long time, and if it wasn’t taken, why else wouldn’t she have found it?”

“Call her. Tell her to come over.”

He Honghong didn’t have class that afternoon. When she got the call, she came over confused, but after hearing what had happened, she exploded. Her cat, Xueqiu, was only three months old, just past kittenhood, and very timid. That day, she had taken Xueqiu across the street, and they were nearly hit by a car. She was fine, but the pet carrier she was holding dropped to the ground. Because she didn’t want Xueqiu to feel stuffy, the carrier had been left slightly open. The moment it hit the ground, Xueqiu darted out in a panic and vanished into the crowd. The spot where she disappeared was right near that same park.

He Honghong had searched for a long time but never found her. Still, she never gave up. Whenever she had free time, she would walk around the area, hoping to one day spot Xueqiu. She had always held onto the hope that someone kind had taken Xueqiu in and given her a happy life. But now, to be told that Xueqiu might have been taken by someone who abused cats… how could she possibly accept that?

As someone who had also lost a beloved pet, Kong Xiaoxiao could fully understand how He Honghong was feeling right now. The only difference was that her Tian Bao had come back, while He Honghong’s Xueqiu might be gone forever.

“I don’t believe it! Xueqiu is definitely still alive!” He Honghong’s eyes brimmed with tears. “Xiaoxiao, didn’t you say Tian Bao was rescued by a police dog and an orange cat? Maybe they saved Xueqiu too, and I just haven’t found the right place yet. Can you take me to see them?”

Most people thought there was little hope, but Kong Xiaoxiao believed otherwise. That police dog and orange cat were unusually intelligent. Maybe they really did know something.

After class, Kong Xiaoxiao took He Honghong to the Fu’an Community. After searching for a while, they finally spotted Song Changfeng and Aofeng, and quickly approached them.

“You lost a kitten too?”

He Honghong nodded quickly. “Yes, Officer Song, my Xueqiu also went missing around here a few days ago. Have you seen her?” As she spoke, she pulled out her phone and showed him a photo of Xueqiu.

In the photo, a snow-white British Shorthair gazed sweetly into the camera, her tiny head tilted to one side, eyes full of curiosity. She was an especially beautiful little cat.

“Aofeng, have you seen this kitten before?” Song Changfeng took the phone and gestured for Aofeng to take a look.

Aofeng let out a soft “woof.” Song Changfeng shook his head regretfully. “Sorry, he hasn’t seen this kitten.”

“Officer Song, then… could we ask the little orange cat? Maybe it saw something.” Kong Xiaoxiao asked tentatively.

Song Changfeng looked at Aofeng, who understood immediately and ran off. Before long, an orange cat came trotting along behind him.

“Woof!” Aofeng barked once. Song Changfeng placed the phone in front of Little Orange. With Aofeng by its side, the orange cat lowered its guard a bit, leaned in to look at the photo, then meowed twice at Aofeng.

Aofeng’s expression changed to one of shock. He let out a disbelieving bark. Little Orange meowed again, as if confirming something. One bark, one meow, going back and forth – it was clear something was up.

“You’ve seen Xueqiu? Can you take me to her? Where is she now?” He Honghong was overwhelmed with emotion.

Aofeng looked at her with deep sympathy. He hadn’t expected that the kitten He Honghong was looking for was the same one Da Ju had told him about a few days ago – the newly arrived kitten that had been harmed. The same one that had made Song Changfeng retch up bile that morning. Comparing it to the photo, Aofeng felt even more strongly that the sicko who abused cats deserved to die.

Sensing something was wrong, He Honghong’s face went pale, but she still forced a smile. “Can you take me to see Xueqiu?”

Aofeng conveyed her request to Da Ju. Da Ju let out a meow and began leading the way.

The farther they walked, the worse He Honghong’s expression became. When they reached the small bamboo grove, Song Changfeng quickly stepped in to stop her. Even he had been disturbed by what he saw that morning, let alone the cat’s owner. But He Honghong clenched her jaw and insisted on going in for a look.

…

“Uwaaahhh…” He Honghong broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. Even though she had tried to prepare herself, the moment she saw it, she still couldn’t hold back her emotions.

She had wanted a cat since she was little, but her father was allergic to cat fur, so it never happened. It wasn’t until she got to college that her dream could finally come true. She had done tons of research and preparation before deciding on a British Shorthair. She pre-ordered from the mother cat’s owner, and the moment the kittens were born, she picked Xueqiu at first sight. Watching Xueqiu grow day by day, becoming more lively and adorable, her heart melted more and more. Back then, her favorite thing to do was look at pictures of Xueqiu and imagine their future life together.

The day she brought Xueqiu home, He Honghong made a silent vow to be the best owner in the world. That month they spent together only strengthened her resolve. She never imagined it would all end like this.

Translator’s Notes