Putting aside the question of how pitiful a Chinchilla, being a short-legged cat, might be under the dual education of a long-legged black and white domestic cat, Lin Lan had already decided to move all the pots of cat grass from her home balcony to the balcony of the new house.
Not only that, she also ordered more cat grass seeds, planning to cultivate several more pots.
With two long-haired cats at home now, as the reigning champions of shedding among felines, Lin Lan had to consider this aspect.
Both long-haired and short-haired cats shed, with spring and autumn being their major molting seasons.
How much do cats shed? There's a joke online: "They shed twice a year, each time lasting half a year." While an exaggeration, it serves as a reminder to prospective cat owners that this is an unavoidable reality of being a pet parent.
Lin Lan had experienced firsthand what a large-scale molting period feels like after Snowflake grew into an adult cat.
Clothes, sofas, bedding, curtains... anywhere that easily attracted fur was covered in cat hair. Lin Lan still vividly remembers the image of her once-favorite black wool coat covered in white fur, looking as if it had just been fished out of a trash can.
Her mother was particularly furious about the cat hair during that time, frequently erupting in anger, and the whole family cautiously joined in the fur-removal campaign—even though the cats were the ones shedding, the wrath was directed entirely at them. It felt unfair.
That's when Lin Lan started taking cat shedding seriously—not that she had much choice. Going out covered in fur was unacceptable, and combined with her mother's soul-shaking roars, she had to find every possible way to reduce the problem.
Nutritionally balanced homemade cat food and regular brushing are excellent preventive measures. For those with the means, using a vacuum cleaner on a low setting to give the cat a full-body "spa" treatment also works wonders.
Furthermore, due to their clean nature, cats frequently groom themselves to remove loose fur. However, because of this, Snowflake would often cough up hairballs during molting seasons.
This is where cat grass comes in handy. Relying on the cat grass consistently grown on the balcony, Snowflake passed four years smoothly, making life much easier for the family.
But the current situation is different. There are now eleven cats at home.
Fortunately, Lin Lan started rescuing cats on a large scale during early winter, barely missing the peak molting season. If it had been autumn... the mental image was too horrifying to contemplate.
Xicheng, having seen rain yesterday, remained sunless today. The morning of the second day was also overcast. Lin Lan moved the pots of cat grass one by one to the new house.
"Meow meow!" (Lan Lan, what is this?)
Curious little black kittens immediately gathered around to ask; they hadn't seen this before.
"Meow..." (It's a kind of grass. Eating it can soothe a stomachache and help you vomit the fur you've swallowed.)
The mother black cat walked over at that moment to answer her kittens' questions.
"Your mom is right." Lin Lan reached out and patted one of the little heads. "This is grass that's good for cats. Humans call it oat grass or cat grass. Because when cats eat it, it helps with digestion, prevents gastrointestinal issues, and provides extra vitamins and minerals beneficial for cats... Well, no need to look so confused. Just know it's a good thing. Listen to your mom; if your stomach feels uncomfortable, come take a few bites."
Indeed, some human terminology was still too difficult for cats. Lin Lan reflected on this, resolving to simplify her language further next time.
The little black kittens immediately started playing with the cat grass, evidently treating it as a new toy that was both edible and fun.
Lin Lan didn't intervene. If things got out of hand, the mother cat, Momo, would keep an eye on them. If they truly tried to devour this medicinal herb resource, the mother cat certainly wouldn't allow it.
She had other things to do now.
Apart from the sunny bedroom used for the cats' sleep and activities, Lin Lan's new house was mostly empty. The living room, where they romped freely, only had cat toys scattered on the floor. It felt very spacious and was perfectly suited for wild, darting runs.
Leaving the balcony, she pushed open the door to another locked room and brought out a large cardboard box.
Some kittens, seeing the box, got excited again, scurrying over and trying to jump inside.
"This is for storing things, not a play box for you," Lin Lan said, helplessly pulling out the kitten that had jumped in... then pulling out another... and another... She gave up. "Fine, go ahead and explore. Just don't damage it."
After taking everything out of the large box, Lin Lan let the box-loving cats climb and jump inside. She put on a specialized pet grooming glove and called out to a certain long-haired cat on the balcony who was still sniffing and nibbling at the cat grass.
"Silver, come get brushed!"
Instantly, the Chinchilla pounced, its short legs propelling it forward like a little cannonball.
Chinchilla cats' fur colors are mostly white and yellow, commonly referred to in pet shops as golden and silver. So, Lin Lan named this cat Silver—simple and easy to remember.
Now fully recovered after being well-fed and watered since yesterday's scolding, the cat dashed over swiftly upon hearing its human was offering a grooming service.
"Meow!" (Brush me! Brush me!)
Lin Lan had just pulled out a cushion from the box and sat down. The white Persian cat before her had already obediently lain down on all fours, awaiting service, its fluffy tail wagging happily.
Long-haired kittens should ideally be brushed daily. This helps reduce the frequency of shedding all over the place and keeps their appearance neat and beautiful. Just as humans cherish smooth, straight long hair, so do cats.
Lin Lan's right hand, clad in the grooming glove, gently stroked from the cat's head all the way down, not even sparing the tail. The soft silicone bristles glided gently through its fur. The Persian cat, utterly comfortable, started purring softly. It offered no resistance, allowing Lin Lan to flip it over onto its back to continue brushing its belly, which she also gave a thorough rub.
"Purr purr..." (So comfortable, so comfortable...)
Hearing the Chinchilla's contented purrs, Lin Lan couldn't help but laugh. Honestly, she was enjoying the petting session too. After giving the cat a full-body rubdown like a bath attendant, a thick layer of cat fur had accumulated on Lin Lan's grooming glove. She pinched the edge of the fur layer and peeled off a complete, glove-shaped fur pancake.
"Look at this, I brush you every day, and you shed every day." Holding up a matted clump of fur for the short-legged cat to sniff, Lin Lan then pulled over a plastic storage box. She opened the latched lid to reveal a collection of white, grey, and a small amount of black and reddish-gold cat hair, some in loose balls, some pressed into felted pads—all gathered from her recent grooming sessions. "Tsk tsk, look at you all. It's only been a short while and we've collected so much."
Back when Snowflake shed, Lin Lan had already formed the habit of collecting its fur. She would save up a pile and then have it processed into yarn to knit into various small items. Now, with so many cats at once, the fur absolutely couldn't go to waste. In the future, she could knit a large blanket.
Lin Lan, a creature of ingrained frugality, declared she wouldn't let a single product of her hard work go unused.
"Meow, meow!" The Chinchilla, having been stroked all over... no, having been thoroughly brushed, indicated it wasn't satisfied. It got up and continued calling to her, standing on its hind legs and trying to paw at her arm with its short front legs. "Meeoow—"
Its meaning was clear even without translation: it wanted another round of petting.
"Don't rush, sit still. We're not done yet." After using the glove brush, Lin Lan picked up a specialized pet grooming comb to give Silver its final, proper 'lady of leisure' styling. The earlier session was a rough trim; now came the fine-tuning.
A few minutes later, an elegant and beautiful silver-white Chinchilla stood before Lin Lan.
"Very good, very good. What a cute and charming beauty. You definitely won't have to worry about a shortage of little dried fish in your future." Lin Lan was very pleased with Silver's current look. Later, when the tea house opened, she could place it on the cat tree by the display window. A few casual poses would surely attract plenty of cat-loving patrons.
Of course, this was only possible because she wasn't working a regular job now and had plenty of time to pamper the cats, allowing for such leisurely grooming sessions.
"Meow... meow!" (Servant, you... no, I mean, Lan Lan, you're so good!)
The Chinchilla, forgetting its pain in its joy, immediately changed its form of address upon sensing the murderous aura emanating from the black mother cat not far away. Its tone became extremely ingratiating.
This successfully disciplined, cowardly look almost made Lin Lan laugh out loud. Letting the timid cat go, the Chinchilla scurried away with extreme speed, terrified of being caught and thumped again by the black cat. Lin Lan found it more and more amusing.
Turning, she reached out and scooped up the only adult black cat, placing it on her lap. She stroked its head and sighed warmly, "Momo, you're really amazing, taking the initiative to stand up for me. Thank you."
The black cat sat on her lap, looking up at her. Its green, slit-pupiled eyes were equally gentle as it softly responded with a meow, "Meow... meow." (Lan Lan, I will always protect you. You gave us a home and plenty of food. My children and I will always watch over you.)
Suddenly receiving such a direct expression from a little animal, Lin Lan was momentarily stunned. Coming back to herself, she quickly blinked a few times, but the corners of her mouth involuntarily curled upwards. She lowered her head, bringing it close to the black cat's, resting her forehead against the top of its head. "Thank you. I will protect all of you for a lifetime too."
Whether it was Snowflake or Momo, they were all angels in her life.
The intimate moment of human and cat pressing foreheads together didn't last long before it was interrupted by a group of kittens.
"Meow, meow, meow!" (Mom, I want that too!)
"Meow!" (Lan Lan, I want that too!)
Shrill kitten voices rose one after another. Little black furballs and Ragdoll furballs, not wanting to be outdone, either jumped or clambered onto Lin Lan's lap, each wanting a forehead nuzzle from their servant. They were promptly and mercilessly batted down by the black mother cat's paws.
"Meowr! Hiss—!" (Get down, all of you! No climbing up!)
The black cat's intimidating hiss was full of authority. The half-grown black kitten, at most six months old, and the three-month-old timid little Ragdoll were instantly scared out of their wits and scattered. Lin Lan kept her face straight, not daring to make a sound for fear of giggling.
It seemed no matter what kind of cat it was, they all had some degree of possessiveness towards their servant, and becoming a mother was no exception.
It wasn't until the black mother cat had finished asserting her authority and left her servant's lap that the other cats dared to slowly approach again.
The Russian Blue and the Siamese, who had kept their distance earlier, cautiously drew near. These two pedigree cats had witnessed the black cat's combat prowess last night. In the feline world, the strength of a female cat commands respect; these neutered male pets were no match for a mother cat. Under Momo the black cat's oppressive might, they didn't dare cause any trouble.
If the food was in a shared bowl, they and that Chinchilla would definitely be the last to eat, getting only the leftovers.
"What's wrong, Grey and Jet? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?" Lin Lan called the Blue and the Siamese by their new names—yes, still following the simple, brutal style of naming based on appearance. Future feline arrivals probably wouldn't escape this naming rule either.
"Meow..." The two cats pitifully appealed to their servant, hoping the black cat boss wouldn't take to beating them up for no reason.
"Is it that serious? Don't worry, Momo isn't the type of cat that likes to pick fights randomly."
Lin Lan gave a wry smile, reaching out to pat both cats' heads to comfort them. At the same time, she suddenly gained a clear, intuitive understanding of the current hierarchy among the cats at home.
These cute, expensive pedigree cats were actually all at the bottom of the social ladder, while the black domestic shorthair, seen as worthless by some humans, was truly the one at the pinnacle of the pyramid.
Days passed slowly in this routine of daily cat-petting and kitten training. The day after the clothing store's lease expired, Lin Lan called Cheng Fengyang, asking him to come take a look at the shop. Although the neighboring milk tea shop's lease still had over ten days left, the layout of the two adjacent shops was identical. Seeing the clothing store would give him an idea of what the milk tea shop was like.
Cheng Fengyang arrived promptly and energetically as agreed. He not only examined the vacated clothing store's layout but also went around to the back of the small building for a careful observation.
Lin Lan noticed he was carrying a tool bag. When he opened it, the array of impressive-looking measuring tools inside made her hesitant to offer any casual opinions. She obediently led him around the front and back of the shop and the small building.
"So there's actually a narrow courtyard enclosed by a wall behind this building," Cheng Fengyang remarked with some surprise after completing his circuit.
"Yes, but as you can see, it's too narrow to be of much use. It's just been used for storage." If not for the designer's request, Lin Lan wouldn't have even thought to go back there. It was just a narrow path, at most wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side. According to stories, it was space originally reserved by her grandfather when he built the house, intending to surround it with flower beds. Later, finding it troublesome, he simply built a wall to mark the boundary.
Over the years, so much junk had been piled back there that one couldn't even fully access the space, which was why they had to wander around behind the wall as well.
But Cheng Fengyang's eyes lit up. He asked her directly, "Have you ever considered making use of this small backyard? We could put a glass roof over the courtyard, use glass doors and floor-to-ceiling windows at both the front and back of the shop. Then, opening the back door would lead directly to a glass-enclosed greenhouse that could serve as an activity space for the kittens?"
Lin Lan couldn't help but imagine along with his words—a bright shop with excellent natural light, a small backyard entirely her own, and kittens frolicking freely inside. She could even plant large patches of cat grass there...!
This time, Lin Lan's eyes also sparkled. She clapped her hands together in delight, her face beaming with joy. "That's a wonderful idea! I love it!"
Cheng Fengyang was even more pleased. "Then let's talk about the interior decoration requirements. Do you have any specific requests?"
"I do! Lots of them!" Lin Lan pulled out a folded A4 paper from her coat pocket. "I wrote down all the requirements I thought of earlier. Take a look first, and tell me if anything seems off."
The young man took the paper from the girl and unfolded it directly. Neat, elegant handwriting came into view—it was actually handwritten. He couldn't help but exclaim, "Your handwriting is so beautiful!"
"It's just alright. I kept practicing with penmanship copybooks until I graduated from junior high." Suddenly praised for her handwriting, Lin Lan blushed a little, but her mood improved even more. "Cheng Fengyang, let's not stand here. It's cold outside. Let me treat you to bubble tea. We can sit in the shop and discuss in detail."
Cheng Fengyang, who had originally wanted to take a look inside the bubble tea shop anyway, agreed immediately and followed Lin Lan inside.
Thus, Shopkeeper Xiao Zhang watched as Lin Lan personally brewed bubble tea and brought freshly baked egg tarts to the young man at the table. Standing in place, his expression was complicated. With all this taking and giving, you're acting so familiarly—it's like you don't see yourself as an outsider at all.
