Morals are declining, and even cats are not as simple as they used to be.
Thinking back to the gray-and-white mother cat on the stairs calling out to Miss Wei, "I want you to raise me and my children," Lin Lan felt that if it had been a person instead of a cat, a physical confrontation might have broken out on the spot.
But since the one making such demands was just an adorable little kitten, the supposedly superior two-legged humans could only hold their noses and accept it.
Covering her mouth, Lin Lan chuckled and led her feline army to the new house.
She left behind her utterly confused biological father, who was still baffled: "What cat grandmother? Who? Xiao Wei?"
Lin Lan wasn't someone who thrived on gossip. Although quite curious about how Miss Wei—a rare homebody who only lazed around during her infrequent holidays—would manage cat-raising afterwards, she wouldn't take the initiative to inquire.
Her own dozen or so cats were enough to keep her busy.
"Alright, you've been fed, the heating pad is on, the running wheel and cat toys are all set up. Whether you want to sleep or roam is up to you. I'm going back to sleep."
In the new house, finally done attending to these feline masters, Lin Lan yawned, waved at them, and turned to leave.
The purring of one or two cats is enjoyable, but last night's seventeen-part harmony certainly wasn't. She needed to hurry back and catch up on sleep.
Like many developing second-tier cities, Xicheng's population always thinned out during major holidays like Spring Festival—the number of true locals in the city wasn't high. What truly made the city prosper were the migrants who returned to their hometowns for the New Year.
The now-empty small building and the urban village behind it, equally sparse in foot traffic, were undeniable proof.
The Lin family's first day of the Lunar New Year passed with exceptional leisure. After calling relatives to exchange New Year greetings and arranging visits and meals for the coming days, the family settled in—some catching up on sleep, others watching TV and cracking melon seeds.
Mother Lin, Wang Xiuzhi, even let Xiao Kui out of its cage. The woman and the bird faced a plate of sunflower seeds and peanuts in the sofa area, cracking away incessantly. The large parrot's seed-cracking speed had already surpassed any human's, and soon a pile of shells accumulated in front of it.
Beside them, Grandma Lin also sat on the sofa, holding the family's large white cat while watching the Spring Festival Gala rerun on TV. The old woman's hand stroked the cat curled up on her lap in a leisurely rhythm, and the cat, long accustomed to this pace, occasionally twitched the tips of its ears on its squinting little head.
Father Lin, seeing his wife and mother-in-law occupied with either a bird or a cat, then looking at his own empty hands, suddenly felt very out of place. He walked out of the old house and went to his daughter's new house, now transformed into a cat paradise. A few minutes later, he returned holding the Ragdoll cat, Sapphire.
He also sat down on the sofa, showing off the cat to the other two with a shake, then slumped back into the couch with the cat in his arms and started watching TV.
The gentle and beautiful Ragdoll allowed Grandpa to hold her like a doll. Only when he stopped moving did she adjust her position slightly, settling more comfortably to enjoy the warm human cushion. One coveted the other's body warmth, the other enjoyed the smoothness of the fur; both sunk into the sofa, too lazy to move.
"Lanlan's mom, pass me the remote. We already watched the Central TV one last night. I want to watch Hunan TV's Spring Festival Gala."
Cracking seeds, Mother Lin first shot a glare at her husband who just lay there reaching out, but still got up and handed him the remote.
Compared to the leisure downstairs, Miss Wei upstairs was rather flustered.
A kitten had entered her home and intended to stay, which meant a lot of things needed preparation.
"A... cat bowl, for food and water, and a bed to sleep in... wh-what else?" Wei Yan, with zero pet-raising experience, drew a blank. Her gaze unconsciously swept over the bathroom, and she thought of another important item. "And a litter box! ... Doesn't that mean buying cat litter?"
Normally, she could have just gone to the pet clinic downstairs to get all these things, and even ask about other precautions. But it was the first day of the Lunar New Year. Dr. Liu had long closed up and gone home for the holidays. Online shopping wasn't realistic now either. These were things needed immediately; waiting several more days wasn't an option. Miss Wei was instantly at a loss.
What to do? How to handle this? She didn't know how!
Miss Wei paced back and forth in the living room, anxious and troubled. Not far away, the gray-and-white long-haired cat, having jumped onto the sofa and perched on the thick fabric armrest, watched her quietly. Its little head turned back and forth following Miss Wei's movements, a pair of green vertical pupils reflecting her troubled figure. Only the gray furry tail hanging down swayed up and down in a relaxed rhythm.
The cat's excessive calmness soon caught Miss Wei's attention. Seeing how this freeloading cat made itself completely at home after entering her place, and now watched her frantic pacing while leisurely swishing its tail, Miss Wei suddenly felt both annoyed and amused.
The earlier anxiety about not knowing how to raise a cat suddenly dissipated by more than half.
She walked towards the cat on the sofa. The closer she got, the cat still didn't retreat, continuing to sit there watching her.
Miss Wei tentatively reached a hand towards it, moving cautiously, always prepared for possible extending claws or a biting mouth.
The cat still didn't move.
Only when her hand drew close to its head did the kitten lift its head to sniff the scent on her fingertips. This action slightly eased Miss Wei's tense heart. When her hand finally covered the cat's head, the kitten even actively nudged its head against her palm.
Feeling the soft, fluffy texture in her palm, Miss Wei was taken aback for a moment. When the little furry thing under her hand let out a delicate "meow" at her, the corners of her eyes and brows unconsciously curved into a smile.
"You really intend to stay with me?" she whispered, gently stroking the cat's head. "Then I'll give you a name, okay? You're the cat who came home with me on the first day of the New Year. From now on, you'll be called Niannian, alright?"
It was unclear if the kitten understood, but after she finished speaking, it meowed at her.
Miss Wei didn't know if that "meow" meant agreement or not, but she decided to take it as agreement. "Niannian, we don't have a cat bed for now. How about I make you one temporarily with a cardboard box and some old clothes? As for cat food and a litter box, I'll figure out a way to get them as soon as possible."
Thus, in the afternoon, Lin Lan, who had already caught up on sleep, received a visit from Miss Wei.
At that time, the entire Lin family was well-fed and content, each finding their own amusement to pass the time. Some watched TV, others went out to play mahjong. Lin Lan was chatting with people on her phone.
The chat partners included, but were not limited to, relatives and some good friends from the past.
When Miss Wei knocked on the door, Lin Lan had just finished watching some short videos and photos sent by Cheng Fengyang, who was back in his rural hometown. There were white geese, big yellow dogs, large roosters, and a "gray" cat that had just slipped out from the stove hearth, his accidentally injured foot, and... Border Collie Xingxing imitating his hopping walk and becoming a three-legged dog.
The dog pictures inside and his tearful complaints about being bullied by dogs in his hometown had once made Lin Lan laugh until she was breathless. She had just taken a few photos of the cats at home and sent them over when the door sounded.
"Uncle Lin, Aunt Lin, are you home? It's Wei Yan. I, I have something I'd like to discuss with Lin Lan."
Her mother and grandmother, both still at home, looked at her in unison. Lin Lan put down her phone and ran to open the door. "Yes, we're here! Coming!"
Upon opening the door, she saw Miss Wei, looking rather embarrassed.
"I'm so sorry to trouble you right at the start of the new year," Wei Yan said, her expression flustered. "Um, I just... adopted a cat. I really don't know how to take care of it... The pet clinic downstairs isn't open yet... Do you happen to sell cat beds, cat food, or things like that?"
So it was about that scam-artist cat.
Lin Lan had considered that Miss Wei might come to her, but she hadn't expected it to be so soon, and specifically to ask about buying cat food and pet supplies.
"Xiao Wei, you have a cat now?" Wang Xiuzhi and Grandma Lin were very surprised. "Haven't you been working all this time? Where did you get a cat?"
"Well... just this morning after getting off work," Miss Wei's voice grew feeble as she recalled being tailed and ultimately claimed. "It followed me and refused to leave. I had no choice but to..."
Her expression and words involuntarily made the elders in the room think of a poor girl in the old society being targeted by a shameless old scoundrel, and they all momentarily showed looks of sympathy.
She's been latched onto by a shameless, scam-pulling cat. I wonder what it looks like.
"We do have cat food," Lin Lan replied with a smile. "But I'd suggest not buying a cat bed or similar items so quickly. Let me find you a carrier first. Miss Wei, with your busy work schedule, leaving a cat alone at home can be risky. First, you don't know if it might get into electrical appliances; keeping it in a carrier can effectively prevent that. Second, it also allows you to observe the cat's temperament and see if it's suitable to be a house cat."
"Niannian is actually quite well-behaved; it hasn't been running around much," Wei Yan instinctively defended the cat. However, having just taken it in without much time together, she didn't dare make any guarantees. After a moment's hesitation, she added, "But, I'd still appreciate it if you could get me a carrier. I-I'll pay for it!"
Oh ho, already gave it a name? Getting charmed by a little kitten in such a short time, you're not holding up well, Miss Wei.
"You don't need to pay for the carrier; consider it borrowed," Lin Lan teased inwardly while maintaining her usual demeanor outwardly. "Let's see your cat's personality first before deciding whether to keep the carrier. You might return it to me soon. I'll get you some cat food and cans. There's no new litter box, but would an old one be okay? You can make do for a couple of days and return it to me after the pet clinic opens."
"Yes, yes, that's fine!" Miss Wei nodded vigorously, as if she had found a lifeline. "Thank you, Lin Lan!"
"You're welcome. We're all neighbors, and you're our tenant too. It's just a small favor." Lin Lan led her out into the hallway, heading towards the new unit. "Come on, I'll take you to get the things."
Miss Wei followed behind her, looking a bit nervous. Aside from the first-floor shop level, every floor of the building had the same layout. After walking just a few meters, they stopped in front of a corner unit. Lin Lan took out her key, gently pushed the door open, and the light from inside fell on both of them. Simultaneously, Miss Wei heard a chorus of meows.
"So many cats!" Wei Yan took a startled step back but was quickly captivated by the clean, adorable little creatures. "They're so cute..."
Of course they were. Over a dozen cats, freshly bathed just before the Little New Year's Eve, each one fragrant, soft, with fluffy and glossy fur.
"These are the cats from my teahouse. Since the shop is closed now, I let them stay active here." Lin Lan invited Miss Wei inside and closed the door behind them. "They're all lovely little darlings."
At that moment, many of these lovely darlings were gathered around Lin Lan's feet, meowing.
(Lanlan, who is this? A new employee like Little Song?)
(A human we haven't seen before. What does she want here?)
(She didn't bring food; she's not here to deliver treats.)
(That's right, Lanlan, the yummy stuff! Did you come to give out dried fish snacks?)
"You just had lunch not long ago and you're already thinking about dried fish snacks? No. I'm just bringing someone to get some things; we'll be leaving soon." Lin Lan crouched down, patted the heads of the curious cats, and signaled for them to go back to whatever they were doing.
Standing behind her, Miss Wei was momentarily stunned by the scene inside the room.
The room was simply decorated, with just whitewashed walls and flooring, and no other furniture. However, the empty living room had several cat trees of various designs placed against the walls. Small cat toys were scattered on the floor, clearly the result of being carried around by the cats. Many cats were either perched on top of the cat trees, batting at the small toys on the floor with their paws, or chasing and playing with each other at full speed.
What caught her attention the most were the two cat exercise wheels, one large and one small. Cats with pent-up energy were sprinting on them, the large wooden wheel spinning rapidly with a rumbling sound, leaving Miss Wei unable to look away.
"I bought those to help them lose weight because I don't allow them to become fat," Lin Lan explained, seeing her stare. "But I never expected them to be so popular."
She sounds like a talent agent controlling the weight of her artists. Miss Wei couldn't help but think to herself. She was about to speak when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw an extra-large cat take over the wheel from the previous runner. Her voice instantly turned into a shriek.
"Ah! It's the cat from that night!"
As she spoke, she directly hid behind Lin Lan.
Miss Wei had nothing against small animals, but she was afraid of large small animals—big dogs, big cats, she was scared of them all. Especially large cats like Maine Coons, which commonly exceed one meter in length—she wanted absolutely nothing to do with them.
Even if Lin Lan repeated her previous explanation, "Miss Wei, Maine Coons have very gentle temperaments; they just look majestic," she would still shake her head vigorously.
"No, no, no, it's not about temperament. I'm just afraid of how they look. The bigger and more imposing they seem, the more afraid I am. I was chased by an Alaskan Malamute when I was little. Even though it was later explained that it just wanted to play, I still only feel that those big dogs are terrifying." The timid programmer rejected any large pets, her gaze warily fixed on the Maine Coon running on the wheel. "Where's the cat food? Can we grab the things and go?"
No wonder she was so scared before that she even changed floors. The psychological shadow is bigger than I imagined. Lin Lan naturally didn't press further and took her to the room specifically used for storing cat food and cat supplies.
As a new cat owner, Miss Wei had nothing and therefore lacked everything. So, the two of them each carried half of the items out of the room, planning to take them upstairs just like that.
This time, Miss Wei led the way. But as they passed by the bathroom, she suddenly stopped.
"What's wrong?" Lin Lan, following behind, asked, seeing her pause and look towards the bathroom.
"What are those two black boxes? They look like microwaves." Miss Wei stared curiously at the two square appliances placed outside the bathroom, though anyone knew a microwave couldn't possibly go in a bathroom. "Are they for the cats too?"
"Those are pet drying cabinets, for blowing dry the fur of cats and dogs after a bath," Lin Lan explained.
Hearing the word 'bath', Wei Yan immediately thought of the cat at her home. Her heart stirred, but she also fell silent.
Lin Lan guessed her meaning right away: "Miss Wei, you want to give your Niannian a bath? No problem at all, you can bring the cat to me for a wash. It's no trouble really."
Since the opportunity was practically handed to her, why not satisfy her own curiosity and figure out the true intentions of this cat that had chosen its owner? Was it genuinely looking for a long-term meal ticket, or was it just trying to secure a comfortable place for its kittens, planning to eat well during pregnancy and then abandon the offspring after delivery to continue its carefree life? After all, the pragmatic, survival-driven thinking of little cats is quite straightforward.
Miss Wei quickly shook her head: "No, no, that's not it, I wasn't thinking that. Niannian just arrived, and I don't even know if it would dare to take a bath, since... cats are generally afraid of water." Even people unfamiliar with pets know this common knowledge.
Especially since cat owners who get scratched or bitten while bathing their felines are practically found all over the globe.
"It's fine. I'll take a look at your cat then. If it can be bathed, we'll give it a wash and do a simple deworming too." After mastering cat language, Lin Lan considered herself quite knowledgeable about cats. Cats like Niannian, who proactively choose their humans and seek out meal tickets, are not only very smart but also naturally more inclined to be close to people. As long as the process is gentle, they are generally willing to do things that please humans in exchange for food—especially since this cat is now pregnant and enduring a cold, hungry winter. Any inclination to be difficult would have to consider the harsh weather outside.
Hearing her say this, Miss Wei glanced at the clean and beautiful little cats around her, remembered Lin Lan's skill in handling cats, and after a moment's hesitation, still couldn't resist the desire in her heart: "Well... alright. Lin Lan, please help me see. If Niannian isn't willing, then forget it."
Niannian is so well-behaved; maybe it will be willing to come for a bath?
Remembering the kitten's previous gentleness and obedience towards her, and how it even acted coquettishly, a sense of wishful thinking surfaced in Miss Wei's heart.
Lin Lan's attitude wasn't so cautious. Carrying her things up to the fourth floor and entering Miss Wei's apartment, she put down what she was holding and saw the grayish-white long-haired cat.
"It's a beautiful mixed-breed local cat!" Examining the cat's gray back and tail and the pure white fur on its belly and legs, Lin Lan smiled. "It'll look even better once cleaned up."
"Beautiful...?" Miss Wei looked at the cat's fur, grayed and dirty from life on the streets, some parts even matted, and tried hard to imagine what it would look like clean... Her attempt failed; the programmer's brain was already rigidly controlled by lines of code.
Meanwhile, Lin Lan had already walked towards the cat.
"Come here, little kitty. If you're willing to stay in this home forever and live with the person of this house, give a meow."
Miss Wei found Lin Lan's teasing tone somewhat amusing. Could the cat possibly understand such words?
The very next second, the gray-white cat let out a clear "Meow!"
(I'm willing! I like this two-legged one. I want to live with her!)
The firm, affirmative reply made even Lin Lan pause for a second.
Miss Wei beside her exclaimed first: "Wow, it's so smart! It really seems to understand what was said!"
Lin Lan turned to look at her: "Shh, it's not over yet."
Wei Yan immediately covered her mouth with her hand, indicating she wouldn't speak. Lin Lan turned back to face the kitten.
"Then first, you need to get yourself clean before you can get close to the two-legged one you like. Otherwise, she might get sick. You don't want her to get sick, do you?"
"Meow!" (No! Don't let her get sick!)
The long-haired cat jumped down from the sofa at once, urgently meowing at Lin Lan.
"Meow!" (Getting sick can lead to dying! Don't let her die!)
Seeing it suddenly become so agitated, Miss Wei was bewildered: "What's wrong with Niannian? Why is it circling around us?"
This time, it was Lin Lan's turn to look at her with a complicated expression: "Miss Wei, I never would have guessed you're actually a cat-chosen one, instantly becoming this little kitten's dream poop-scooper."
Wei Yan stood frozen in place. Lin Lan paid no further mind to her, simply took out a cat carrier and said to Niannian: "Come in here. I'll take you for a bath, and tonight she can hold you to sleep."
The whole process, from start to finish, took less than five minutes. For Miss Wei, watching a stray cat obediently enter the carrier, ready for a bath, was both bewildering and surreal. She still didn't understand the principle behind Lin Lan's way with cats, but that didn't hinder her joy at the prospect of successfully bathing the cat.
The two of them, carrying the cat carrier, returned to the third floor. Just as they were about to leave the stairwell, Wang Jiayi's voice came from below: "Lanlan, where are you going?" She came clattering up the stairs, her eyes also spotting the stray cat in Lin Lan's carrier, a look of confusion in her eyes. "Is this a new cat for the teahouse?"
"No, this is my cat," Wei Yan stepped forward to explain first. "Its name is Niannian. It followed me home this morning."
Wang Jiayi still had an impression of Miss Wei, her former neighbor, and her impression deepened after she was replaced by Tang Xiaoya. However, the young lady was now more focused on her former neighbor's previous statement: "Followed you home?" Her eyes widened in surprise, as if listening to a story.
"It's true," Lin Lan confirmed. "Niannian fell in love with Miss Wei at first sight, decided she is its designated poop-scooper, and plans to stick with her through thick and thin."
Wang Jiayi believed it immediately. The young lady never doubted her friends. She looked with envy and a touch of resentment at this neighbor she remembered as somewhat worn-out and wooden, a workaholic who often did overtime. "That's so nice. I wish my Silver, my 'guai‑guai' (good girl), had fallen for me at first sight too." Unfortunately, the reality was the opposite; she was the one doing the fawning.
"Did you come up to find me to hang out?" Having seen Wang Jiayi at the teahouse every day before, Lin Lan had pretty much figured out her personality. Besides, now that they were friends, her tone was no longer as formal as before. "I'm going to the new place to bathe the cat, so I won't have time to chat with you for a while."
"No problem, I can play with Silver, my good girl, first and chat with you after you're done," the young lady replied with a grin.
So, the three girls walked together towards the new place.
The cats playing in the new place noticed that every time Lanlan came over today, she brought one more person—oh no, and one more cat.
The cats were quite familiar with Wang Jiayi, especially the Chinchilla Silver. As soon as the young lady appeared, this cat automatically ran to her feet for her to pick up.
The young lady very skillfully cradled it in her arms. After the human and cat had been affectionate for a while, her curiosity got the better of her and she also entered the bathroom, where work had already begun.
After the experience on Little New Year's Eve, all the teahouse cats knew the bathroom was the place for cat baths. Seeing Lanlan taking another cat inside, some cats curiously followed behind.
They couldn't get inside the bathing area itself, but they were happy to stay outside and listen to the commotion.
Almost immediately, the sound of a cat's trembling, wailing "meow-ow-ow" came from inside. The other cats instantly recognized this companion's fear and resistance towards bathing.
Then came Lanlan's voice.
"The water isn't even half your height, yet you're screaming in fear like this? So cowardly. Think of your owner, Wei Yan. She's waiting to live with you."
The wailing immediately softened considerably, followed by the sound of Lanlan giving instructions.
"Lift your paw, time to wash your feet! Look how dirty these four paws are... covered in mud and dust, and you still have the nerve to yell about not wanting a bath?"
"Lift your rear... eek! This is the downside of long-haired cats; messes always get stuck in the fur."
Alongside Lin Lan's sounds of disdain, exclamations of surprise from Wei Yan and Wang Jiayi were interjected from time to time.
"Wow, so using this can untangle matted fur? I won't have to worry about my Silver's long fur getting knotted anymore!"
"Y-you wash the head slowly like this? Niannian's tear stains are pretty bad? Wiping its face daily can help? I'll remember that."
Because the stray cat Niannian was so dirty, and with two curious babies asking questions left and right, it took Lin Lan a full hour to completely wash, dry, and blow-dry the cat.
"All done!" After brushing through Niannian's dried fur, Lin Lan presented the cat to the other two, immediately eliciting two gasps of admiration.
"The difference before and after the bath is huge!" Wang Jiayi was utterly amazed, and couldn't help glancing at the pure white, snow-like Chinchilla in her arms. "Don't worry, my sweet Silver, Mommy will absolutely never let you get this dirty."
"This is Niannian?" Wei Yan stared, dumbfounded, at the cat before her. The clear image she'd had—one that had been frozen in her mind and hard to imagine—now took on a tangible, real form. "It's really so beautiful."
It seemed long-haired cats easily sported a beautiful, full ruff. Niannian, after Lin Lan's meticulous grooming, was no exception. Its grey-and-white fur, emerald-green vertical pupils... Its little head, made rounder and fluffier by the fluffy fur, tilted up and gave a soft "meow" toward Wei Yan. The sound was sweet and delicate, melting Miss Wei's heart on the spot.
She squatted down, tentatively reaching a hand toward the cat. The cat, very proactively, walked right up to her hand, and Miss Wei easily picked it up.
Surprisingly light in weight for its fluffy appearance, with a faint scent of shampoo lingering in its fur.
"Thank you, Lin Lan," she expressed her gratitude. "I've really troubled you today. I, I'll transfer the bathing fee to you right away!"
"No need, the cat food money from before covers it," Lin Lan shook her head, reaching out to stroke Niannian in her arms. The little creature obediently allowed it. "It's enough if Miss Wei can always be this good to Niannian."
"How can that be okay?" Miss Wei tried several times to pay but was refused. Feeling both grateful and embarrassed, she felt a bit closer to Lin Lan, whom she hadn't been very familiar with before. "And don't keep calling me 'Miss Wei' like that. Just call me Wei Yan."
"Alright, Wei Yan," Lin Lan readily agreed. "You look like you really want some alone time with Niannian, so you should hurry upstairs and go home. You haven't set up things like the litter box yet."
The person in question, her thoughts having been seen through, blushed, thanked her softly once more, and then left with the cat.
As soon as Wei Yan left, Lin Lan turned and saw Wang Jiayi's sparkling eyes. She immediately said, "Having a cat seems so fun, Lanlan. Can I also work at your tea house?"
Lin Lan: "..."
Setting aside how Shopkeeper Lin argued with the whimsical young lady over the employment issue, upstairs Miss Wei was in high spirits.
Even though she hadn't slept all night yesterday, she didn't feel tired at all.
A cat wholeheartedly relying on her, even willing to endure the water it hated most out of fear that she might be ill—this was an experience Wei Yan had never had before.
A corner of her heart seemed soaked in warm water. The parched, poor soil was no longer only capable of sustaining weeds; faintly, new tender shoots were beginning to sprout and grow.
There was a cat that needed her, and it belonged only to her.
Miss Wei now understood why some people loved having pets so much. So this is what having a cat feels like. She spent the whole day preparing things for Niannian—litter box, cat bed, cat food, cat mat... She only regretted it was the first day of the Lunar New Year, with many shops closed, otherwise she would have rushed out for a major shopping spree. She kept at it until evening, finally tired enough to go to the bedroom to rest.
Freshly washed and having just slid into bed, Niannian the cat jumped up right after her.
"You want to sleep together?" Miss Wei's eyes curved into smiles.
"Meow," Niannian called to her, as if giving an affirmative response.
Miss Wei's smile deepened. "Then come on." She patted her own pillow. "You can sleep here. Want to?"
The cat stepped onto the pillow, its four paw pads circling the spot a few times before curling into a ball and lying down.
In that instant, Wei Yan felt immensely satisfied. So good. She also had a cat.
Not having slept for a day and a night, she quickly fell into dreamland to the sound of the cat's purring.
When she opened her eyes again, it was already the next morning.
Dawn light filled the room. Miss Wei instinctively looked toward the side of the pillow and found the grey-and-white furball had already moved from the pillow onto the quilt. She couldn't help but smile.
"Niannian..." she called softly.
The next second, the sleeping cat immediately got up.
"Meow..." It called to her as it walked across the cotton quilt, its soft little head rubbing against her face.
Pfft. A faint, delicate sound came from that overgrown corner of her heart.
A small flower had quietly bloomed there, swaying gently in the breeze.
