Chapter 234: Adopting a Cat

Chapter 234: Adopting a CatHearing Liang Yue’s name, the surrounding students turned to look at her. Wu Chengyu quickly whispered, “Ms. Liang, don’t forget about us!” Sᴇaʀᴄh the ɴøvᴇlFɪre.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

Liang Yue dismounted from the stationary bike and said, “I am Liang Yue.”

Secretary Ge’s gaze met Liang Yue’s, and after a brief pause, she smiled and walked over. Everyone’s eyes were on them, curious as to why such an important figure would personally come to the Fourth Life Pod.

Secretary Ge extended her hand and shook Liang Yue’s. “Hello, Ms. Liang. I’m Ge Rou, the secretary to our leader. The leader would like to meet you.”

The workshop instantly buzzed with excitement. The leader of the West Hill organization wanted to meet this newcomer? This surely meant she was about to rise to a position of power.

The students were even more excited, calling out to Liang Yue.

“Ms. Liang…”

“Ms. Liang…”

Secretary Ge heard the murmuring and glanced around, silencing everyone with a look. She smiled at Liang Yue and gestured, “Please, come with me.”

Liang Yue was curious about what kind of person Chen Xinian, the leader, might be. Besides, any opportunity to escape the grueling work in the power plant was welcome. She nodded and followed Secretary Ge out.

After they left, a soldier called out two more students' names, “Luo Nianchen, Dongfang Qingming. You two, come here!”

The two students, filled with excitement, quickly scrambled off their bikes and ran over, leaving the others watching enviously as they were led away from the power plant.

Liang Yue followed Secretary Ge through the underground complex of West Hill Base, eventually arriving at the office of Chen Xinian, the organization's leader. He was a middle-aged man in his fifties with neatly combed graying hair, giving him a sharp and capable appearance.

When he saw Liang Yue, he approached with a warm smile and shook her hand. The kindness in Chen Xinian’s expression brought a long-lost sense of warmth to Liang Yue. Caring for the students from Tianqing Academy had left her exhausted, and she had almost forgotten that she, too, needed someone to offer her a safe harbor for her weary soul.

After a brief conversation, Liang Yue was captivated by Chen Xinian’s vision for West Hill Base, particularly the structured hierarchy of the Life Pods. She agreed with the necessity of such a system to preserve the seeds of Chinese civilization and ensure the base's survival.

“To preserve the legacy of our civilization and keep this base operational, I hope you’ll lend us your strength, Ms. Liang,” Chen Xinian said sincerely.

After a moment’s thought, Liang Yue nodded. “If there’s anything I can do to help, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

Chen Xinian’s smile grew broader, and he immediately called Secretary Ge back to arrange a new living space for Liang Yue. She was promptly promoted from the Fourth Life Pod to the Second Life Pod, where she was given a private room with all the comforts of a high-end office building. The bright lighting made it easy to forget that they were deep underground, and there were delicious meals to enjoy, along with unlimited hot water.

“This place isn’t so bad after all,” Liang Yue thought, feeling a sense of warmth fill her heart. She believed she had made the right decision to come here. Meanwhile, the students still toiling in the power plant anxiously awaited her return.

...

Over at Cloud Manor, Zhang Yi’s main task had been feeding the cat. The demon cat, Huahua, was the first mutated animal he had encountered. Its formidable size, needle-sharp fur, and natural feline hunting skills had deeply fascinated Zhang Yi. He had made up his mind to tame this demon cat and make it his pet, believing that animals were often more reliable than humans. With a good relationship, it could become a trusted and formidable ally.

Perhaps because Zhang Yi had previously had Fatty Xu intervene to stop its fight with Liang Yue, Huahua had started to warm up to him. By now, its attitude towards Zhang Yi had noticeably improved.

One afternoon, Zhang Yi crouched by the door, a large cat bowl in front of him. It was filled with cat treats, premium cat food, and even a few fresh fish. Not far from him, Huahua had returned to its normal size and was eating heartily.

No cat could resist the allure of delicious cat treats, often dubbed “stray cat bait.” Zhang Yi smiled and said, “Huahua, I’ve been feeding you for a week. Look at all the food you’ve eaten. From now on, you’re my cat. How about coming home with me?”

“Meow—” Huahua glanced at Zhang Yi, squinted slightly, and then resumed eating.

“If you come with me, I promise you’ll have plenty of this food every day! The house is nice and warm, and there’s a fireplace where you can bask in the heat. Look at how cozy it is inside. Why stay out here in the cold?”

Zhang Yi coaxed gently. After finishing the large food bowl, Huahua cleaned its paws and fur. When Zhang Yi mentioned the warm room, Huahua looked through the glass at the fireplace inside, and for the first time, hesitation flickered in its eyes.

At first, Huahua had followed the group because of the girl who had once fed it. But with intelligence far surpassing that of an ordinary animal, it also realized that this man’s home was very comfortable. After Zhang Yi had spent so much time feeding it and treating its injuries, Huahua began to think that following this man might not be such a bad idea.

Zhang Yi noticed the longing in Huahua’s eyes as it gazed at the warm room. Cats were not naturally cold-resistant animals; they had an innate desire for warmth, possibly because their ancestors once roamed the deserts of Egypt. Sensing that the time was right, Zhang Yi slowly walked towards the house and opened the door.

“Huahua, why not come in and take a look? It’s nice inside,” he said gently, fatherly.

In recent days, even Zhou Ke’er and Yang Siya had felt a twinge of jealousy. Zhang Yi treated the cat better than he treated them! However, for Zhang Yi, animals were more trustworthy and easier to care for without any emotional burden.

Huahua tilted its head, licked its fur a couple of times, and finally raised its tail and cautiously approached the open door after a moment of consideration. Zhang Yi’s eyes lit up—it was working!

“There’s even more good food inside. Why not come in and try it?” he continued to coax the cat step by step.

And Huahua followed him into the house!

Success! Zhang Yi was overjoyed. Once inside, Huahua curiously explored the room, quickly leaping onto the expensive sofa and starting to scratch at it with its claws. The floor and sofa were soon marked with dirty paw prints.

Instead of being upset, Zhang Yi smiled and encouraged, “It’s okay! Feel free to explore. This is your home now!”

Zhou Ke’er, watching from nearby, remarked jealously, “Good thing this cat can’t turn into a woman, or I’d have no standing in this house at all!”