CH 79

Thank you to Kitkat001 for the ko-fi~

Given that the black giant cat was anything but cat-like, Shu Shuishui’s fluffed-up fur was about to stand on end, but then it deflated back down. With an indifferent expression, he used his little paw to pet the cat.

After a moment, the large cat in front of him started to purr, the rhythmic purring sound rhythmically assaulting Shu Shuishui’s eardrums.

The big cat had closed its eyes, its belly rising and falling rhythmically. Seeing this, Shu Shuishui planned to quietly retract his paw and make his escape.

However, just as the little dormouse began to move, the black cat opened its eyes, gazing at the nonchalant bundle of fluff. It let out a few eager meows, trying to please. Noticing that Shu Shuishui wasn’t reacting, it simply thrust its massive head over, extending its tongue to give Shu Shuishui a thorough lick from head to foot.

Shu Shuishui: !!! What’s going on? Are you revealing your true nature? Are you trying to taste me first?!

The cat’s single lick wasn’t enough; it brought its head closer again. Without hesitation, Shu Shuishui kicked the cat’s nose with his paw, then quickly leaped and landed on the floor with a thud, a gust of wind swirling around his feet as he darted under the sofa.

All of this happened within two seconds. By the time Shu Shuishui had safely darted under the sofa, the sound of the cat’s pained yelp reached them from the sofa.

The interaction between the cat and the dormouse finally caught the attention of the other two in the room, their footsteps drawing near. From beneath the sofa, Shu Shuishui spotted a pair of feet belonging to Wu Lan, while Li Meng took a couple of hops and was then lifted up by Wu Lan, and placed on the sofa.

Shu Shuishui couldn’t see Li Meng’s current state on the sofa, but he had already mentally labeled Li Meng as someone who forgets about mice in the presence of a love interest. The little dormouse crossed his arms and sat under the sofa.

“Wu Lan, is your cat okay? My Shui Shui is well-behaved. He usually doesn’t fight with cats,” Li Meng’s voice sounded from above.

“It’s fine, Gu Wa is quite tough. Maybe it scared your pet mouse,” Wu Lan checked his pet and reassured Li Meng.

Li Meng seemed to be choked up by the “Gu Wa” nickname, remaining silent for a couple of seconds. “Your cat has a unique name.”

Wu Lan’s voice carried a hint of helplessness. “Gu Wa really likes bones. Even the dogs in our neighborhood are afraid of it. It doesn’t seem much like a cat. Also, Gu Wa never eats mice for some reason, nor does it let other cats or dogs in the neighborhood eat them. It even once escorted a baby mouse back to its nest…”

Li Meng: “…” After glancing at the big black cat, which remained regally aloof even through the pain, felt like his worldview had been shattered.

Under the sofa, Shu Shuishui’s tiny ears twitched, sensing something amiss. How could there be a cat that liked bones? Bones? Gu Gu? The big black cat?

Shu Shuishui shook his tiny head frantically, how could that be possible? That cat from earlier looked so foolish, it couldn’t possibly be his Gu Gu.

“Shui Shui, are you okay? It’s not right to hit the cat. Come out and apologize to Gu Wa. You can still be friends,” while Shu Shuishui was in chaos, Li Meng’s inquiry sounded from above.

Shu Shuishui remained unmoved, still sitting with his paws crossed under the sofa.

Naturally, Li Meng understood Shu Shuishui’s uniqueness, which was why he felt at ease with their interaction with the cat. But what he hadn’t anticipated was that before the cat could react, Shu Shuishui had already taken a swipe at it. Without waiting for Shu Shuishui’s response, Li Meng grew somewhat anxious. However, due to a muscle strain in his right leg, his mobility was limited. He couldn’t even squat down to look at Shu Shuishui.

Wu Lan halted Li Meng’s actions and then crouched down to observe the situation under the sofa. Fortunately, the scene here consisted only of a cat, a mouse, and Li Meng. Otherwise, this spectacle would likely shatter many people’s worldviews.

“Hello, Shui Shui. There’s no danger outside. Can you come out?” Wu Lan tried to soften his expression, avoiding startling the timid pet mouse. However, to Wu Lan’s surprise, the posture of the little mouse under the sofa was remarkably human-like. After he spoke, the little mouse even turned its head to the side, seemingly expressing a touch of annoyance.

Shu Shuishui’s action of turning his little head didn’t last long. After suspecting that the cat on the sofa might be Gu Langu, Shu Shuishui’s posture under the sofa wasn’t very stable. But dormouse don’t have any face to lose, right?

As it turned out, in the presence of Gu Langu, the dormouse could indeed abandon his dignity. The little dormouse gradually turned its head back, casting a glance at Wu Lan lying on the ground. The light dimmed slightly, and the big black cat also leaped down to the ground. Its head approached the floor, and upon seeing Shu Shuishui under the sofa, it let out a contented meow, forgetting the pain from before.

Shu Shuishui: “…”

Wu Lan: “…”

In the end, Shu Shuishui took small steps and walked out from under the sofa. The big cat immediately approached, but as its head neared, it stopped abruptly. It covered its injured nose with both front paws, letting out a couple of meows, its expression one of extreme grievance.

Shu Shuishui: “…”

Wu Lan: “…”

Shu Shuishui found himself in another dilemma. That pitiful, coquettish expression looked like Gu Langu’s. With this thought in mind, Shu Shuishui took the initiative to step forward, bringing his little head closer.

The big cat’s ears twitched, it loosened its grip on its paws, and then it brought its nose closer to Shu Shuishui.

This skilled snuggling appearance was much like Gu Langu’s. Shu Shuishui puffed up his little backside and blew air toward the cat’s nose.

Next to them, Wu Lan appeared somewhat bewildered. His own cat didn’t resemble a normal cat at all; it usually ignored him, its owner, and only showed a slight change in demeanor when it encountered mice. But that was just slight. When had it acted so foolishly? “Mr. Li, your pet…”

Li Meng, observing Shu Shuishui blowing air at the cat’s nose on the ground, also appeared surprised. The little mouse’s change in attitude was too rapid. “My pet is a rare breed of hamster, quite intelligent.” Not only quite intelligent but also capable of speaking, cooking, sewing clothes, making beds, and a series of unconventional mouse behaviors.

Wu Lan was indeed taken aback by Shu Shuishui’s behavior, but considering that his own cat often exhibited unconventional behaviors, he accepted Li Meng’s explanation.

After a harmonious interaction between the cat and the mouse, both owners felt much at ease. Due to Li Meng’s limited mobility, Wu Lan volunteered to stay and prepare dinner.

He poured a glass of water for Li Meng, changed his clothes, put on the apron that Li Meng usually wore, and entered the kitchen.

Li Meng’s eyes were shining brightly, glued to Wu Lan. While discreetly inquiring about the situation, he also informed Wu Lan about the various kitchen utensils’ locations.

Wu Lan’s hands kept moving, and he calmly conveyed his own situation while also exploring Li Meng’s circumstances.

Shu Shuishui, busy indulging in cat-petting on the sofa, twitched his little ears. Even he could sense the ambiguous atmosphere between the two. Normally, during such a conversation, any deviation would have been detected long ago. However, as participants were engrossed in their own thoughts, they continued their clandestine efforts to probe each other’s situations.

The big cat seemed to sense Shu Shuishui’s lack of attention. Its paw reached out and lightly patted Shu Shuishui’s little head, followed by a contented meow.

Shu Shuishui no longer paid attention to the kitchen. His gaze shifted to the large black cat that was most likely Gu Langu. Bringing his little head close, he intended to quietly ask if the big cat was Gu Langu.

However, as soon as the little mouse approached the cat’s ear, the cat’s ear sensitively folded, avoiding Shu Shuishui.

Shu Shuishui scratched his head and changed his approach, moving in a different direction and lightly brushing his whiskers against the cat’s ear.

The big cat’s ears began to tremble uncontrollably, shaking rapidly, clearly unable to endure Shu Shuishui’s whisker’s tickle but also reluctant to move away.

The cat’s ears brushed against Shu Shuishui’s face continuously, delicate and accompanied by a soft resilience, giving a peculiar sensation, and of course, they were furry too.

Shu Shuishui’s large eyes squinted slightly, and then he couldn’t help but sneeze loudly. “Achoo!”

The big cat froze, both ears reflexively folded down like airplane wings.

Shu Shuishui rubbed his little nose, feeling helpless. The cat’s ears brushing back and forth made it sneeze. “I’m sorry. Are you okay?”

The big cat’s ears perked up again, and it brought its head over to nuzzle Shu Shuishui, seemingly indicating that it was fine.

Shu Shuishui approached the big cat once again, but this time he had learned his lesson. He didn’t try to get close to the cat’s ears. He softly spoke, trying to get an answer. “Are you Gu Langu?”

The big cat blinked its innocent big eyes and let out a meow, its voice still filled with an ingratiating tone.

Not receiving a definite response, Shu Shuishui was somewhat persistent. “If you’re Gu Langu, blink your eyes.”

The big cat continued to stare at Shu Shuishui with its watery eyes and then let out a couple of meows, but it never blinked its eyes throughout.

Shu Shuishui: “…” Could it be that he mistook the cat?

“Do you like bones?” Shu Shuishui continued to probe because some of the big black cat’s actions did resemble Gu Langu.

The big black cat’s ears only twitched, with no other response.

Shu Shuishui decided to personally test it with a bone during dinner. Perhaps there were some limitations in the game scenario that prevented Gu Langu from admitting its true identity. Of course, it was also possible that this really was just a cat that loved bones and mice.

Li Meng and Wu Lan were in continuous exploration and attempts to get closer. The interplay between the cat and the dormouse followed a similar pattern. It was a series of probing actions from the little dormouse, while the big black cat remained stable, its tail occasionally lifting to tap the ground. Its head moved with the dormouse’s motion, showing few other reactions.

Shu Shuishui was getting a bit tired from all this commotion. Finally, he sat down next to the big cat.

The big cat’s tail quietly wound around and gave Shu Shuishui a gentle nudge towards itself.

Shu Shuishui went along with the flow and landed on the big cat’s soft belly. Rising and falling with the rhythm of the cat’s breath, the little dormouse patted the cat’s belly as if patting a pillow. “I’ll take a nap first. Wake me up when it’s time to eat.” The little dormouse softly instructed the big cat.

The big cat responded with another meow, seemingly trying to lull the mouse to sleep. It began to emit a gentle purring sound.

It had to be said that the sound was quite hypnotic. However, Shu Shuishui possessed the ability to fall asleep in seconds anyway. In the blink of an eye, the little dormouse was already asleep, nestled against the big cat’s belly.

The big cat slowly shifted its body, forming a semi-circle with itself and using its tail to replace the remaining half. It enclosed Shu Shuishui in the middle, seemingly asserting its dominance. Its cat eyes flickered with an unusual light.

As Wu Lan in the kitchen finished the final dish, he took off his apron and plated the food. In the midst of his actions, he turned around and said, “My cat often eats with me. Can I prepare a separate plate for it?”

Wu Lan didn’t bring up the question of whether the big cat should join them at the table. Evidently, he was well aware that not everyone was comfortable with pets at the table, so he had no intention of letting the big cat sit there.

Li Meng’s eyes lit up, “That’s quite a coincidence. Shui Shui also eats with me. In that case, let’s prepare four sets of utensils, so the two cuties can eat together too.”

Wu Lan readily agreed. He couldn’t guarantee that his aloof cat would condescend to eat on the floor. After all, past experiences had taught him not to try it—when the cat got upset, the consequences were severe. “Is there anything Shui Shui can’t eat?”

Li Meng shook his head. “Shui Shui can eat anything. It eats whatever I eat.”

Wu Lan’s lips curved into a smile. “Perfect, my cat is the same.” Amidst the thickening atmosphere, the two of them once again launched into a discussion about pets.

As it turned out, Wu Lan and Li Meng’s decision was entirely on point. When the dishes were placed on the table, without Li Meng having to hold Shu Shuishui, the big black cat had already seized Shu Shuishui’s nape in its mouth and leaped onto the table.

Due to the big cat’s actions, Shu Shuishui woke up from his slumber. He kicked his four little paws in confusion. But the big cat gently placed him back on the table, positioning him right in front of the plate.

After completing this action, the big cat then surveyed the dishes on the table. After a brief inspection, it raised its head with an air of aloofness, meowing in a seemingly satisfied manner.

Wu Lan was accustomed to this by now. “The cat master seems content. And what about you, Li Master?”

Li Meng’s ears turned slightly red, and with Wu Lan’s assistance, he settled down at the dining table. He looked at the sumptuous dinner and gave Wu Lan a thumbs-up, saying, “It’s wonderful. The aroma alone is making me hungry.”

Wu Lan picked up Li Meng’s bowl and served him rice. “If you’re hungry, eat more. It’s good for wound healing.”

The big black cat glanced at Wu Lan, then at the obedient little mouse sitting beside the plate across from it. It stood up from its crouched position, picked up its own plate with its mouth, and walked over to the side of the mouse. It carefully set down the plate again.

The sound of the plate meeting the table caught the attention of Wu Lan and Li Meng. They turned their heads and witnessed the big black cat setting the plate down and using its paw to adjust it, then sitting down right beside the mouse.

Both of them fell silent for a moment.

Li Meng asked with uncertainty, “Mr. Wu Lan, why do I feel like your cat has taken a liking to my hamster?”

Snapping out of his surprise, Wu Lan responded, “Today, my cat is indeed a bit unusual. This attentive behavior is quite rare.”

Shu Shuishui tilted his head slightly and looked at the big black cat that suddenly sat beside him. Isn’t this still Gu Langu?

The big black cat let out a pleasing meow, then raised its head aloofly, giving Wu Lan a meow as if urging him to hurry up.

Wu Lan was momentarily speechless. “Perhaps my cat just happens to like mice, and your hamster happens to be especially cute.”

Shu Shuishui: (*＾-＾*)

Wu Lan dished up meals for the human, the cat, and the mouse, and even put some portions from each dish into the plates of the big cat and Shu Shuishui.

Suddenly, the plate in front of Shu Shuishui became more abundant. The little dormouse sat obediently for a moment, then got up, pattered down from the table, and deftly opened the bottom drawer of the sterilization cabinet to retrieve his own miniature chopsticks and spoon.

Holding his mini cutlery, Shu Shuishui returned to the dining table.

Wu Lan couldn’t help but be surprised again. “Is it so delicate?”

Li Meng nodded. “My hamster pays attention to the ceremony.”

Shu Shuishui had already scooped up a grain of rice with a small spoon and was now sending it into his mouth, chewing earnestly.

The big black cat beside him seemed slightly hesitant, as if it felt a bit awkward to eat directly, but its paws weren’t suitable for utensils.

After noticing this, Shu Shuishui scooped up a grain of rice from his own plate, then held the spoon in front of the big cat.

The big cat’s ears twitched, and it leaned in towards the spoon. With a flick of its tongue, it rolled the grain of rice into its mouth, then let out a contented meow.

The two people dining together exchanged glances in silence. They inexplicably felt like they were being fed dog food.

Li Meng cleared his throat and explained, “My hamster likes to share.”

Wu Lan: “…”

Although Shu Shuishui’s actions repeatedly astonished Wu Lan, he ultimately accepted them positively. He quickly regained his composure, and this time, there was a hint of teasing. The progress of the cat and the mouse was faster than his, so why not accelerate the teasing process?

The atmosphere during dinner was delightful, and every diner was satisfied. Wu Lan’s culinary skills were indeed impressive; the table full of dishes was nearly emptied.

After dinner, washing the dishes naturally fell to Wu Lan. He couldn’t expect Li Meng to independently do the dishes in a headstand pose, or rely on the cat and the mouse to perform such challenging maneuvers.

In fact, in their daily life when only Li Meng and Shu Shuishui were at home, if one person cooked, the other would take up the task of washing the dishes. Therefore, Shu Shuishui knew how to do the dishes. But considering the numerous stimuli Wu Lan had experienced today, Li Meng didn’t mention this matter.

Li Meng sat on a chair near the kitchen and continued chatting with Wu Lan.

Meanwhile, on the balcony, Shu Shuishui had taken out a few bones he had secretly hidden earlier. He pushed five bone fragments in front of the big black cat and tentatively said, “Bones that you like.”

The big black cat lowered its head and looked at the small pile of bones. It extended a paw and pulled out two, placing them in front of Shu Shuishui.

Shu Shuishui realized something, and it trotted over and picked up one bone, placing it beside the two bones. However, the big black cat let out a meow, then used its paw to swipe one bone away, ensuring that there were still two bones in front of Shu Shuishui.

Two bones weren’t a coincidence. Faced with the two bones in front of it, “Gu Gu1I forgot to mention, Gu can be translated as bones.“, Shu Shuishui was momentarily stunned, then excitedly jumped around, rushing over to the big cat and hugging its head. “Gu Gu, it’s really you! Why did you turn into a cat?”

However, the big black cat only meowed twice, basking in the warmth of the dormouse’s affection, without giving any response.

Shu Shuishui calmed down and extended his paw to pat the big black cat’s head. “Gu Gu, something unexpected must have happened to you, and it seems to have had a significant impact.”

The big black cat in front of him was indeed Gu Langu. However, it seemed to be under strict limitations, preserving only a few memories, like protecting rodents, being fixated on two bones, and finding itself. “Gu Gu, don’t be afraid. I’ll protect you from now on.”

As he said this, Shu Shuishui felt a bit guilty. If the big black cat was Gu Langu, then could the pure black kitten he encountered on his first day in the dungeon also be Gu Langu? And did he heartlessly abandon that kitten in that space? Shu Shuishui wondered how that little kitten in the alternate space was doing now.

Every touch from Shu Shuishui brought immense comfort to the big black cat. As Shu Shuishui continued patting, the big black cat eventually lay down on the ground, exposing its soft belly. It even rolled on the ground when Shu Shuishui stopped, exhibiting behavior that seemed to beg for more pats and cuddles.

“When Gu Gu starts being adorable, there’s just no resisting.” What else could Shu Shuishui do? Of course, pampering was the way to go. The little dormouse continued to stroke the cat, and in the end, the entire dormouse was practically draped over the cat’s body. Feeling the rise and fall of the breath beneath him, Shu Shuishui had a sense of pride in stroking such a big cat.

As the sky gradually darkened, Wu Lan also got up to bid farewell. They agreed to meet tomorrow morning to deliver breakfast. The two had already exchanged contact information, clearly making good progress.

With warm farewells and preparations to leave, Wu Lan bent down to pick up the cat. However, the big black cat’s claws firmly clung to the carpet, appearing resolute in not letting go.

Wu Lan: “…” Nearly all the awkwardness of the day seemed to be centered around the cat.

After some persuasion and coaxing, they finally secured a promise that the cat would come back with Wu Lan tomorrow. Only then did the big cat release its grip, meowing mournfully at Shu Shuishui, seemingly reluctant to part.

Shu Shuishui couldn’t help but soften at the meowing, almost rushing over to reclaim Gu Langu. However, Shu Shuishui managed to restrain himself in the end. There must be a reason for Gu Langu to appear beside Wu Lan, possibly another restriction. It was better not to disrupt anything until confirmed.

After Wu Lan left with the big cat, there was a brief moment of emptiness in the expressions of the human and the little dormouse. After a while, Li Meng asked with a hint of yearning, “Shui Shui, how long until tomorrow?”

Shu Shuishui sat on the sofa. “How much longer until tomorrow?”

They exchanged glances, then both flopped onto the sofa in unison. Clearly, even though they had just parted, they already missed each other greatly.

Suddenly, Li Meng sat up abruptly, took out his phone, and typed a message in the chat. However, he hesitated just before sending it. “Shui Shui, do you think it’s too early to send a message now? It’s not very reserved.”

Shu Shuishui scrambled to his feet. “They probably haven’t even reached the first floor yet.”

Li Meng deflated and sank back onto the sofa. “Yeah, you’re right. Let’s wait a bit.”

Shu Shuishui earnestly nodded his little head. “Mhmm, let’s wait.” After a moment, he continued, “Why is it ‘we’?”

Li Meng asked, “Don’t tell me you didn’t take a liking to that cat.”

Shu Shuishui replied, “You’re talking as if you didn’t take a liking to that person.”

Wu Lan, holding the cat as they left, along with the cat itself, both sneezed simultaneously.

Half an hour later, Li Meng finally sent his revised message, “Home yet?”

Shu Shuishui looked at him with disdain.

Li Meng, refusing to back down, handed the phone over to Shu Shuishui, gesturing for him to send a message if he wasn’t scared.

Shu Shuishui simply tapped on the video call icon.

Li Meng: “…”

After a moment of panic, the person and the dormouse finally saw the image of the person and the cat on the screen as they had wished.

Li Meng and Wu Lan once again fell into affectionate chatting, occasionally interspersed with meows and squeaks.

As the conversation continued late into the night, during a break when Wu Lan went to fetch water, the big black cat finally positioned itself in front of the camera, filling the entire screen. Shu Shuishui also squeezed in front of the phone and waved his little paw at the cat inside. “Gu Gu, good night.”

“Meow meow~”

Shu Shuishui finally felt content. Clearly, in Shu Shuishui’s mind, ‘meow meow’ had automatically transformed into ‘Shui Shui, good night’. Both the person and the dormouse got what they wished for and went to sleep.