Yeah, it’s perfectly normal.
Cheng Fengyang shifted his gaze back to the cats lounging lazily on the cat tower, basking in the sunlight. Near the back door by the floor-to-ceiling window, besides the soft cushion meant for people to lie down and relax, several new cat bowls shaped like clay pots had been added. A Russian Blue was curled up inside one of them, sleeping soundly.
On the nearby cushion, a few cats lay sprawled out. Among them, a Ragdoll and a Siamese were playfully tumbling over each other—well, more like the Siamese pounced and knocked the Ragdoll down with a single move. Not far off, a Maine Coon, over a meter long, lay next to an Abyssinian who was nestled against its fluffy belly like a farmer tucking in a child. Though one was silver and the other red, their postures were different but their expressions were identical: utterly indifferent to the commotion caused by the Ragdoll and Siamese.
His gaze drifted leftward again, landing on two running wheels against the solid wall. A black mother cat was exercising on them with her little black kittens. Two of them were running on the wheels, while the others sat in a neat row nearby, looking up attentively. The orderly scene of the six little black balls captivated some guests, who all pointed their phone cameras that way, recording eagerly.
Looking over at the guests already cuddling cats, a Chinchilla Persian was still in Miss Wang’s hands, a Silver Shaded was cooperating with a male guest to pose for photos, and a Munchkin with its incredibly short legs was being cradled by a young girl who kept showering it with kisses. The pet cats didn’t resist at all, staying calm and gentle, which only made the guests happier.
Finally, there were the beautiful orange tabby and cow-patterned cats locked in cages, along with the silver tabby American Shorthair that Lin Lan was holding.
No matter how you looked at it, the variety of pedigree cats rescued and gathered in this teahouse was overwhelming—far beyond what anyone would normally expect.
“Lin Lan.” Cheng Fengyang’s expression turned serious as he looked at her. “About these cats, do you…”
The doorbell jingled again as several young people filed in one after another, loudly shouting toward them, “Manager, we’re here for the cat show! Is it still starting around one or two in the afternoon this time?”
Their excited voices abruptly cut off what he was about to say. Seeing four or five guests arrive in a row, Lin Lan quickly put the American Shorthair back into its cage and hurriedly led the staff to welcome the visitors.
As noon approached, returning customers drawn by the cat show kept arriving steadily. The crowd was only going to get bigger, and soon they’d have to enforce the capacity limits to keep order in the teahouse.
“The usual rules,” Lin Lan said with a smile as she instructed Little Song to stand guard at the door, then led a group of people to attend to the guests. “You came early this time.”
“Had to,” one returning customer chuckled. “Last weekend, I tried to catch the show right on time, but because of the crowd limit, I could only watch through the glass outside in the cold wind. This time, I learned my lesson.”
To maintain a comfortable environment and prevent the cats from getting overwhelmed by too many strangers, the teahouse, like other cat cafés, had a limit on the number of visitors and a queue system. Normally, such measures wouldn’t be necessary in a cat café, but the weekend afternoon shows attracted so many curious onlookers that the place was always packed.
The crowd that suddenly swarmed in felt more like flash mobbers—once they’d watched the cat performance or finished filming their videos, they’d just pat their bottoms and leave. When the show ended, they dispersed along with it.
Although Lin Lan and the others were tired, this was the peak earning period for the teahouse all week.
Before long, every seat in the teahouse was fully occupied. Little Song even put up a notice outside limiting the number of guests inside. Some people who couldn’t get in had no choice but to wait outside. But since the tiny stage had been moved near the entrance, the performance was visible from outside as well. So, not having to pay to get in and still being able to watch the show eased their disappointment.
Around one in the afternoon, the cat performance officially began.
Cao Yuze, following his GPS, had finally stumbled and bumbled his way to the location of the Cat Teahouse. Just as he arrived, he saw a crowd gathered in front of the teahouse, all peering inside.
Thinking something was wrong with the place, and worried about his beloved pet, he hurried forward in three quick strides, pushing roughly through the crowd until he reached the front. Only then did he notice the limit-capacity sign and that the cat show had already started inside.
Cheerful and lively music played, accompanied by rhythmic tambourine beats. Each time the tambourine struck, the cats on the elegant little stage would sing along with adorable meows or raise their tiny padded paws to perform cute little cat dances.
The scene left Cao Yuze outside the door utterly stunned. Inside, Wang Jiayi’s expression was no better. Her eyes were fixed tightly on the Chinchilla Silver cat on stage. The young lady had never imagined that this pampered, delicate cat she always doted on could actually have such talents. But after the initial shock, her eyes sparkled with stars, almost overflowing.
Her Silver is amazing! No wonder she picked this little cat—it truly has the right to be pampered!
Tang Xiaoya shared the same starry-eyed admiration, her gaze locked on the largest Maine Coon on stage, secretly thinking that the most imposing and majestic Mercury was indeed the star of the show.
The two starry-eyed fans completely ignored the fact that the actual center of attention was a group of black cats occupying the C-position. These six cats, arranged in a pyramid formation, moved their tails in perfect unison—not a single flick out of place. Truly a family with a deep, instinctive bond.
When the performance ended, the audience applauded enthusiastically. Some, satisfied, dispersed to restore the usual flow of customers, while others excitedly pushed forward, eager to speak with Lin Lan during the lull.
“Manager, do you sell your cats?”
“It’s the first time I’ve seen cats trained so obediently. What’s the price for those black cats? I’m serious about buying—if the price is right, I can transfer funds on the spot.”
“Manager, would you be willing to part with your Ragdoll...?”
This was the third cat performance hosted by the Cat Teahouse. Some previously hesitant customers could no longer hold back their impulse to buy.
Seeing Lin Lan about to be surrounded by the crowd, Cheng Fengyang quickly stepped forward, shielding her with his body. “Make way! Make way! Don’t all crowd around at once! If you have questions, come one by one!”
Pushing away the crowd surging forward, he shielded Lin Lan as they retreated behind the water bar counter.
“No black cats for sale! No Ragdolls either!” Once safely out of reach, Lin Lan finally had the chance to answer the customers’ questions. “The black cats and Ragdolls are not for sale—they’re the ones I plan to keep for life! As for the other kittens, the rules are posted right there. Everyone can check the details for themselves. Only if a kitten accepts you as its owner can we discuss a transaction. If you want a well-behaved, obedient cat, my cats want a responsible and genuinely loving owner too.”
A group of single customers eager to buy cats quickly gathered around the newly posted notice. After reading through the conditions, most of them left disappointed, some even pushing open the door and walking away immediately.
Lin Lan didn’t even bother to lift an eyelid at those who left without a word. They were clearly shrewd dealers hoping to snap up cats as merchandise to resell at a profit. She could understand the others who stayed despite their disappointment. They liked the cats and wanted to adopt, but building a bond with a favored kitten to earn its trust required a lot of time and effort. Very few could persist through that.
For a while, the teahouse was filled with voices of disappointment and complaint—everyone said the conditions for buying a cat were too harsh.
Lin, the shop manager, simply ignored it all. Of course she took the cats in her shop seriously. She had no intention of letting cats go home with someone who bought them on a whim and then grew tired of them. Better for the cats to stay in the teahouse, charming customers and hunting for treats.
Tang Xiaoya, however, listened to the complaints with some indignation. She couldn’t help but pull out the sarcastic tone she’d used earlier when confronting Miss Wang: “The customers really misunderstand our manager. These kittens aren’t smart and well-behaved overnight. Our shop makes sure to take them to the neighboring vet clinic for a checkup every week, not to mention regular vaccinations and deworming. These adorable kittens are the result of a lot of investment and effort. If such precious cats were entrusted to the wrong people and mistreated, no amount of money would make up for that—it’d just be a hot potato.”
Most of the people still lingering in the teahouse were true cat lovers, many returning customers. Tang Xiaoya’s sharp words left many of them sheepish.
Indeed, raising and training these fur babies with one’s own hands, sending them off to someone who wouldn’t cherish them would be heartbreaking. Anyone who had seriously raised cats knew that Lin, the shop manager, spent a lot of money on them.
The lively chatter in the teahouse gradually quieted. Some gave up the idea of buying and decided to just come back to play with the cats. Others lowered their heads, shooting mocking smiles at those around them.
What fools. If they really wanted a cat from this shop, there were plenty of ways to get one without paying.
A man in a black leather jacket lowered his head as if drinking tea, but his eyes were fixed on a silver-shaded British Shorthair cat leaping from the cat climbing frame.
Many people raise cats like these, and their coat patterns are quite common. It’s only natural for one to wander off and get lost occasionally. Thinking about how he had been pretending to be a regular customer just to gather information on these cats, and considering that these cats were so well-trained and incredibly personable that they could fetch a good price, the man decided it was time to lock onto his target and put on a show.
Just as the man in the leather jacket made up his mind and was about to take out his phone to contact his accomplices—who were ready to play the role of the lost cat’s owner and publicly lament in order to forcibly snatch the cat from the shop—someone beat him to it.
“Shopkeeper, sorry to bother you. I’m Cao Yuze, the one who called your store this morning. A friend told me that my lost cat, Weiwei, is here. May I take a look?”
At the drinks counter, a well-dressed young man, clearly from a wealthy background, spoke urgently to the shop owner.
“Brother Yuze!” Hearing the commotion, Wang Jiayi immediately came over, holding a cat in her arms. She grabbed him and pulled him aside, “This way, this way! Your Weiwei is right here!”
Lin Lan, Cheng Fengyang, and the others exchanged somewhat helpless looks at how the young lady was directly leading the man to the cat, but they quickly followed.
Wang Jiayi was completely unaware of the tension. Cao Yuze, dragged along, could only offer the shop owner an apologetic glance. When he finally saw the American Shorthair cat inside the cage, he no longer cared about formalities and called out excitedly, “Weiwei!”
“Meow!” The cat in the cage immediately stood up upon hearing its owner’s familiar voice, pawing at the cage door, eager to get out.
Just as Cao Yuze reached forward to open the cage and pick up the cat, a hand pressed down firmly on the cage. It was Cheng Fengyang, wearing a professional, businesslike smile as he said, “Sorry, sir, this is our shop’s cat. Please do not touch it without permission.”
Wang Jiayi’s expression soured instantly, ready to retort, “But this is clearly—!”
Before she could finish, Cao Yuze raised a hand to stop her. “Jiayi, let me handle this.” Seeing the young lady pout in reluctant resignation, he turned to Cheng Fengyang and the others, “I apologize for our rudeness just now. But I can prove this cat is my lost Weiwei from a month ago.”
Cao Yuze was grateful he had taken the photo album with him when he left. Now he had solid evidence to prove the lost cat was his.
He pulled out the album, and the other customers in the shop quickly gathered around, eager to watch the unfolding drama. The lost cat had been taken out of the cage by the shop owner and placed on an empty table. Nearby lay a photo of the owner with the cat—the cat’s unique markings matched perfectly with the one before them. Actually, there was no need for a detailed comparison; the cat’s excited and affectionate reaction upon seeing its owner was all the proof anyone needed to know there was no lie or trickery.
“Congratulations, Mr. Cao, on finding your beloved pet,” Lin Lan sincerely wished.
The surrounding customers applauded in unison. Losing a beloved cat was something no cat lover could bear, and witnessing such a happy reunion brought genuine joy to everyone present.
“Thank you, thank you…” Holding Weiwei tightly in his arms, Cao Yuze’s eyes were slightly misty with emotion.
He thought he would lose her forever, that he might never get over this hurdle. Thankfully, thankfully...
"ViVi, from now on, I’ll take you everywhere with me. I swear I’ll never lose you again." Holding the cat close, Cao Yuze made a solemn promise.
Seeing his serious expression, the little cat seemed to understand and let out a soft meow.
Just when everyone thought this story had a happy ending, Cheng Fengyang interrupted at the worst possible moment: "Since that’s the case, Mr. Cao, could you please settle the boarding fees for ViVi’s stay at our shop now?"
A touching story always has to come back down to reality.
The tea house patrons, still caught up in the emotion, stared blankly at this handsome employee who had just spoiled the mood. What did he say? They had to pay?
While they were stunned, Lin Lan picked up the calculator and started clicking away, tallying up the bill.
"This cat was found a few days ago among a group of strays. After bringing her back, we took her to the vet for a thorough cleaning, examination, deworming, and vaccinations. Plus, there were treatment and medication costs, along with the labor involved during her stay. Altogether, the total comes to..."
She held the final amount displayed on the calculator in front of the owner. Nearby customers who caught sight of the four-digit figure all gasped quietly.
"Saving a stray cat cost this much? That’s way too expensive!" someone blurted out.
Immediately, a voice of disdain shot back, "You don’t sound like you’ve ever owned a cat. Medical expenses for cats are always much higher than for people. This is a pedigree pet cat, and after wandering outside for so long, who knows what kind of junk she ate to survive? It’s impossible she’s completely healthy."
The critics fell silent, including the shady guy in the leather jacket who had been scheming to claim the cat as his own. He hadn’t realized that if he wanted to take the cat, he’d have to pay the boarding fees too!
That just wasn’t worth it—he’d be losing money!
"If Mr. Cao doesn’t believe me, I still have all the receipts from ViVi’s treatments here. You can take your time to verify them," Lin Lan said calmly with a smile.
Across from her, Cao Yuze looked at the bill. Instead of anger, his eyes softened with gratitude. "Manager Lin... thank you so much! To spend this much on a stray cat—ViVi is truly lucky to have met you!"
Judging from the neighborhood around the street, this was an average community. Cao Yuze wasn’t the pampered Wang Jiayi. Having done part-time jobs during college, he understood the spending power of ordinary people. He knew it took great courage to spend thousands on treating and caring for a single cat.
He had heard far too many stories of pets being abandoned because of expensive medical bills, which made him appreciate this manager all the more for not giving up on his cat.
"Do you have a POS machine? I’ll pay by card," Cao Yuze said, pulling out a bank card.
"Yes, yes, yes!" Tang Xiaoya grabbed the machine from the bar, swiftly processed the payment, and the four-digit transfer was completed in no time.
There was no grand scene of a wealthy benefactor showering a hefty reward to thank the person who saved a cat, which left Tang Xiaoya a bit disappointed. Still, she maintained her professionalism as an employee.
As for Lin Lan and Cheng Fengyang, they weren’t surprised at all. If this young master had suddenly pulled out a checkbook and started writing a hefty sum, then that would have shocked them. Especially Lin Lan, who had just played an over-the-top rich family role a few months ago—she would have definitely suspected she was dealing with someone of the same kind.
After that, the atmosphere between the two parties became quite friendly.
“Although my business in West City isn’t as strong as the neighboring headquarters, if your shop ever needs anything, feel free to reach out,” the young master said as he handed over a business card before leaving, a polite and humble smile on his face. “I will never forget Weiwei’s life-saving kindness.”
“That’s great, Brother Yuze… Hey, Brother Yuze, why are you pulling me away?” Wang Jiayi was caught off guard as the young man tugged her firmly, and the two of them walked out together.
“Mr. Cao, take care,” Lin Lan called out as a final farewell, not bothering to pay attention to Wang Jiayi being dragged away. Whatever private matters these rich young masters had were none of her concern.
Back inside the shop, Lin Lan was met with a sea of curious eyes. She knew exactly what everyone was thinking and boldly raised her voice from the center of the teahouse.
“I know you’re all curious about where the cats in my shop come from, right? Well, except for a few, almost all the pedigree cats here are strays that I picked up. I nursed them back to health, hoping they can live long and well.”
As her words echoed through the quiet teahouse, only her voice filled the space.
“The silver tabby American Shorthair that Mr. Cao just had, before I brought it home, I actually recorded a video as proof that I didn’t acquire this pedigree cat through any illegal means. Every pedigree cat in the shop was treated the same way before coming here. And when I applied for the shop license, I also registered all the cats as the shop’s property. This is to avoid any unnecessary trouble, so I hope everyone can understand.”
Understand, of course they did.
Some customers nodded instinctively. If it weren’t for the episode of collecting boarding fees at the end, they might have overlooked one thing: taking in stray cats also comes with costs. If the cats were simply taken back at will, the shop would suffer a huge loss.
Among the crowd, a man in a leather jacket looked extremely displeased. Not just him, but several others also abandoned the idea sparked by Cao Yuze’s intention to claim a cat.
No profit to be made, and some of these people were clearly up to no good. One by one, they left, including the man in the leather jacket.
With that, the teahouse truly became clean and peaceful again. Customers played with the cats or chatted, and the atmosphere returned to its usual relaxed vibe.
Finally having a moment to breathe, Lin Lan smiled at Cheng Fengyang in the staff room behind the water bar and thanked him, “Thank you, Cheng Fengyang, for all your help earlier.”
Cheng Fengyang scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed and defeated. “But it seems like… you could have handled everything just fine on your own.”
He thought Lin Lan was so preoccupied with the cats that she hadn’t noticed the hidden dangers in the shop. Little did he expect that she had already anticipated everything. From the very moment she brought in the stray pedigree cats, she had taken precautions, leaving no chance for those trying to exploit loopholes to succeed.
