Mom's words left Lin Lan feeling a bit dazed. She pressed her lips together and remained silent.
In the end, the conversation didn't yield a clear answer, concluding only with a vague "I'll think about it some more."
Honestly, compared to dating, she was still more engrossed in running her shop, petting cats, and making money.
As for Cheng Fengyang over there...
Well, let nature take its course!
After agonizing over it all evening, Lin Lan went to sleep and promptly put the matter out of her mind.
Spring had arrived, and the dozen or so cats in the teahouse presented her with a more pressing new situation.
Early this morning, as usual, the young lady Wang Jiayi was brushing her beloved cat.
The pet-specific grooming brush came down, gently sweeping over the snowy fur of the Chinchilla cat. A tuft of fur came off.
Another brush, another tuft of fur.
Yet another brush, still another tuft.
"Silver, sweetie, you've been shedding more and more fur lately," the young lady muttered in surprise as she brushed. "You didn't shed this much in the winter."
"It's shedding season," replied Lin Lan, who was in the next grooming booth brushing the Maine Coon. "I told you before, spring and autumn are cats' shedding seasons. Better not wear clothes that easily pick up fur anymore."
The young lady was bewildered and instinctively looked at her sleeves. "...Huh?"
She was wearing a teal-colored knitted cardigan today. While the front was covered by an apron, the sleeves were not, and she was "fortunate" enough to see large patches of fine, long white fur stuck to both her arms, instantly transforming her high-end spring outfit into something fit for the bottom of a storage chest.
"Eek—When did that happen!?"
Spring arrives, willow catkins fly.
For the cat teahouse, it's cat fur that flies.
Even though Shopkeeper Lin and her employees diligently brushed the cats, it was still impossible to completely prevent shedding incidents.
Even if a cat lay perfectly still, if you gently pinched its fur, you could still pluck off a few hairs. It was utterly unavoidable.
Customers who came to pet the cats basically arrived clean and tidy and left covered in cat fur.
For this reason, the shop had stocked up on lint rollers for customers to use on their way out.
"Feels like the little grooming booth every morning is a shedding hell!" The now-wiser young lady had switched to cleaner, less fur-prone clothes and even wore a mask during each grooming session.
"Exactly," Shopkeeper Lin added, twisting the knife. "Especially long-haired cats, they're the champions of shedding, with Chinchillas being top contenders. Silver is beautiful, right? That feather-duster-like tail you love petting so much? Time to pay your dues."
Wang Jiayi's utterly devastated expression instantly amused both Lin Lan and Song Xinmin in the shop.
"Actually, the shedding rate of the cats in our shop is pretty manageable. It's mainly those two long-haired cats that shed heavily; the short-haired ones are fine," Shopkeeper Lin remarked, hands on hips, looking at the leisurely feline residents going about their business as usual after putting down her brush. "The first year I raised Snowflake, the shedding at home was something else. That scene was way more terrifying than all these dozen cats combined now. I remember clearly how my mom blew up at the whole family. Later, after some effort changing Snowflake's diet, the shedding reduced."
Nutritionally complete homemade cat food, coupled with diligent grooming, was a simple recipe for reducing shedding rates.
As for the hard work of the poop-scoopers, the little kittens took it as a matter of course.
(Here, and over there, scratch it all! Right here, a couple more brushes!)
(Meow meow meow, so comfortable! Lanlan, do it again!)
These were the enthusiastic cats who actively lay down during grooming, letting their humans flip them over like pancakes.
(Whether you brush me or not is fine. Just don't yell at us when fur gets on the sofa and clothes.)
These were the aloof cats who simply lay there, taking a "brush me if you want, don't blame me for the shedding" attitude.
(Not this brush, change to the finer one, that one feels better!)
(Use a bit more force, you missed a spot here on my butt!)
(My belly, my belly needs it too!)
These were the empress dowager cats who directed the entire operation, specifying exactly which service they wanted.
Lin Lan: "..."
Every single one of you truly lives up to the title of 'master,' I swear!
Fortunately, for cat slaves, brushing cats wasn't exactly a chore. The twice-daily grooming sessions were done amidst laughter and chatter.
Later, Wang Jiayi bought a branded vacuum cleaner online. With the pet attachment on, it could be used directly on the cats. The cats' reactions varied—some loved it, others absolutely hated it.
Some, led by the pet cats like the Chinchilla, rushed over the second they heard the sound. Others, like Momo and Gentleman, who had spent their early years as strays outdoors, instantly scattered and fled.
Shopkeeper Lin and Employee Song: "..."
Young lady, you haven't even received your first month's salary yet, and you've already spent nearly two months' worth.
Regardless of what others or the cats thought, the young lady and her beloved Chinchilla cat Silver certainly seemed to enjoy it. For that pair, the vacuum cleaner was a practical toy they wouldn't tire of anytime soon.
Having basically dealt with the cat fur issue, Lin Lan turned her attention to the narrow courtyard at the back door. It had opened in winter, so this area had been cold and unused, avoided by both people and cats. Now it was finally usable.
The teahouse had been equipped with a fresh air system during renovation. As the weather grew warmer day by day, the shop's atmosphere remained as pleasant as when it first opened. When Lin Lan opened the glass doors leading to the narrow courtyard, it was like opening a new world for the cats.
Warm sunlight streamed down through the glass ceiling. Without Lin Lan even calling them, some of the bolder little ones actively ran out, cautiously exploring the newly unlocked map.
The plank-wood floor was clean, and any renovation smells had long since dissipated through the ventilation holes specially made in the courtyard wall. The cats lowered their heads, sniffing the new scents just beyond the door. Some had already gently pawed at it with their claws—they were trimmed, so they left no marks.
Others did a double jump onto the similarly wooden round tables and chairs, standing on high ground with their little heads raised, surveying the area.
"Wow, Lanlan, is this cat grass?" Wang Jiayi, who had also stepped into the courtyard, discovered a row of long, narrow flower beds planted in the corner, about three meters long and half a meter wide. What grew there weren't flowers, but lush green grass.
"Yes, I sowed the seeds a week ago. I planted two meters' worth," Lin Lan also walked to the flower bed and nodded. "Actually, not just that. I also planted a meter of catnip. It hasn't sprouted yet, but in over a month, they'll be able to 'partake'."
"Pfft... 'partake'?" Wang Jiayi covered her mouth, thinking about the effect catnip had on cats. Her eyes squinted oddly as she looked at the small patch of black soil in the flower bed. "Hehehe, I like it. It's definitely going to be fun."
Standing at the doorway, Song Xinmin shook his head helplessly at his colleague's increasingly mischievous laughter. But upon careful thought, he could understand—imagining the scene of a group of cats gathered here, posing in all sorts of bizarre ways under the influence of catnip once it grew.
The cats in the teahouse were completely oblivious to the humans' conversation. Right now, many of them had gathered in front of the flower bed to nibble on cat grass. It was shedding season, after all, so they were ingesting more fur than usual from grooming; eating more cat grass was good for their health.
The Bengal cat Gray was also munching on the grass. As he was eating, the Russian Blue cat Huihui walked over. Just as Huihui was about to open his mouth near the grass, Gray pressed a paw down on his head to stop him.
"Meow-wow-ur-wow-ur..." ("Mine! You can have it after I'm finished!")
Shopkeeper Lin Lan immediately heard Gray's domineering declaration. Frowning, she was about to step forward when, from not far away, Momo shot over like an arrow, giving the Bengal a smack on the head with her little black paw.
"Meow-ao!" ("Share the food! Share the cat grass too!")
The rules of the teahouse were already second nature to all the cats. Lin Lan provided ample and fair portions, so the cats had no need to fight amongst themselves. Combined with Shopkeeper Lin's constant reminders, the little cats naturally behaved properly in front of their important food provider. It was just the newcomer, Gray, who often exhibited some unsocialized behavior.
Being fearful and aloof towards humans, and not integrating well into a cat group accustomed to mingling with humans, a habit of wariness and aggression... resulted in him frequently being taught a lesson by Momo.
"Hahaha, Gray's bullying got caught by Momo again," the young lady laughed gleefully from the side. This girl, having recently failed to pet the elusive Bengal, was feeling a bit of spiteful affection and took some small joy in seeing Gray get scolded.
"He should be getting much better now, though," Song Xinmin remarked, watching the subdued little leopard cat who no longer dared to fight after being disciplined. "Look, the three of us are standing this close, and he doesn't even seem to want to run away and hide."
"Yes, he'll keep improving from now on," Lin Lan nodded in agreement. Her gaze shifted, however, landing on Huihui, who was curled up in a corner.
Earlier, because he had been intimidated by the Bengal, this Russian Blue hadn't been able to get any cat grass. Even after Momo stood up for him later, Huihui didn't dare approach, just waiting quietly for Gray to finish and leave before going over.
Lin Lan couldn't help but walk over and pick up the slender-framed cat, cradling him in her arms.
"What's wrong? It's okay if you want to eat some grass now. Gray won't dare hit you again." Smoothing Huihui's fur, Lin Lan comforted him gently.
The little cat lifted his green eyes, letting out a somewhat aggrieved meow at Lin Lan: "Meow-ur..." ("I'm scared.")
Cats are generally quite timid creatures; sometimes even a slight rustle can startle them. And Huihui was among the timid even for a cat.
Lin Lan didn't really consider it timidity; Huihui's personality was better described as extremely gentle. Because he was so good-natured, he often went unnoticed among the teahouse cats. The Chinchilla and Munchkin cats, despite their short legs, dared to fight their peers fearlessly. Even Blue Sapphire, the Ragdoll with zero combat ability, dared to throw her weight around relying on Lin Lan's favor. But this Russian Blue didn't dare. He never caused trouble, truly the well-behaved cat of the teahouse.
"It's okay, it's okay. Don't be scared, don't be scared." Lin Lan rubbed the blue cat's little head. "I'm here. No cat would dare bully you too much. See, Gray got hit by Momo, right?"
Huihui nestled in Lin Lan's arms. Even with this comfort, his spirits remained low, and he didn't even want the cat grass anymore.
"Lanlan, I've read some cat information. It says blue cats have very low fighting ability, only slightly better than Ragdolls," Wang Jiayi looked at Huihui and couldn't help commenting. "Huihui is also a neutered male cat. Male cats already can't beat female cats, and after being neutered, they have even less temper..."
It was fortunate Huihui couldn't understand what the young lady was saying. Otherwise, with these successive verbal jabs, the poor little cat might have coughed up blood and expired on the spot.
Lin Lan gave her a helpless look, then carried the cat out of the narrow courtyard and back into the shop.
Just then, the bell above the door chimed. A customer had arrived. The staff stopped their chit-chat immediately, returning to their posts to work.
"Oh? The little courtyard behind the door is open now?"
As soon as the tea guests arrived, they, like the cats, showed interest in the new area and walked over to look around.
"The lighting is really good here, and it's quite airy!"
"The painted murals on the wall are lovely! The colors are very soothing."
"What kind of grass are those cats eating? Is that the 'cat grass' people talk about online?"
"Look, there's a little table set up over here! Sitting here would be quite atmospheric."
"Boss, please send the tea I ordered earlier over here. I'm sitting here today!"
As they looked, someone immediately decided to sit and relax there. The pretty little courtyard, like an alternative private room, was very appealing.
With a new photo spot unlocked, the tea guests happily did their own thing, not missing a beat of drinking tea, petting cats, and striking poses.
As expected, the narrow courtyard became another popular photo area.
With the staff handling things, Lin Lan didn't pay much attention to the shop's situation. She was busy comforting the listless little blue cat in her arms.
It seemed because of the Bengal cat incident, this cat's self-esteem had taken a hit.
"Meow-ur..." ("Lanlan, I feel like I can't do anything right. I can't beat any of the cats here. If you weren't around, I'd definitely always get bullied.")
Huihui's confidence had taken a serious dive. The well-behaved cat was quite pessimistic about himself. Even though he was an old-timer at the teahouse, he didn't even have the courage to stand up to a newcomer.
Oh dear, such melancholy isn't good for a little cat; it could easily lead to health issues.
Shopkeeper Lin decided she couldn't ignore this.
"Huihui, how about I put on a movie for you?"
Lin Lan held the cat with one hand and picked up the remote with the other, turning on the wall-mounted TV. She selected a very old animal movie, "Cats & Dogs," and started playing it. Then she found a cushion and sat on the floor with the cat.
"Huihui, look. One of the agent cats in here is a Russian Blue."
Hearing this, Huihui looked up. On the screen, thanks to Lin Lan's intentional fast-forwarding, the scene where the agent Russian Blue cat outsmarts the dogs was playing. His cat eyes widened.
"See how cool he is? Huihui, you're the same breed. You can do it too."
The movie kept playing on fast-forward. Lin Lan kept skipping around to show Huihui the scenes where the Russian Blue cat was active, acting as a movie narrator to explain the plot of those segments. Huihui was also only interested in those parts, staring intently.
"Huihui, look at his final line, it's so cool: 'I'm a Russian Blue. Cute to look at, but vicious to know.' So awesome. You can definitely do it too." Reaching the Russian Blue's exit, Lin Lan patted the little cat's head, continuing to encourage him.
By the time the movie ended and Lin Lan had walked away, Huihui's entire spirit had revived. He sat upright on the cushion, his eyes fixed on the frozen image of the agent cat on the screen, his tail swishing back and forth incessantly.
Finally, Huihui lowered his head and lifted one of his front paws.
"Meow..." ("I am a Russian Blue.")
The furry little paw flexed slightly, the five claws retracting instantly to reveal the soft paw pad beneath.
