CH 80

Thank you to Kitkat001 for the ko-fi~

The days that followed were comfortable for Shu Shuishui. With Gu Langu by his side, even the longest waits weren’t boring anymore. And even though Gu Langu had turned into a big cat and lost his dexterous hands, it was now covered in soft fur.

However, compared to a dormouse, the big cat seemed to shed a bit. Shu Shuishui often used a small brush to groom Gu Langu’s fur.

The big cat would also frequently twist its neck to groom itself, causing Shu Shuishui, who was sleeping on the big cat, to be licked from feet to head several times. Shu Shuishui, half asleep, would often end up rolled up in circles due to the licking, then wake up with a sigh, declining the big cat’s enthusiastic service.

During such moments, Shu Shuishui would be absolutely sure that Gu Langu had lost a significant portion of its memories. At least, the Gu Gu he knew might be fond of acting cute, but it would never engage in such grooming behavior and do so tirelessly.

Although Shu Shuishui rejected the idea of being licked all over with saliva, he was still very curious about the big cat’s tongue. The cat’s tongue was a bit rough, feeling like sandpaper when touched. It was bright red, and it felt quite peculiar overall.

The obedient big cat lay down on the floor, mouth wide open, its tongue stretched out long. In front of it sat a warm brown dormouse, gripping the big cat’s tongue and studying it intently. At times, the dormouse would pinch it with its small paw or pat it gently.

Despite drooling due to the tongue-out motion, the big cat remained still, allowing Shu Shuishui to study its tongue.

“What are they doing?” Li Meng looked at the cat and mouse on the floor, deeply puzzled.

Wu Lan discreetly turned his head, refusing to admit that the cat about to drool was the one he raised. Previously, it was a majestic cat that even scared off the dogs in the neighborhood. How did its image suddenly change like this?

But speaking of which, Wu Lan didn’t expect Li Meng’s pet to be named Shu Shuishui, full name and all. Even the name had a sense of ceremony.

After several visits, Wu Lan had become accustomed to Shu Shuishui’s astonishing behaviors. Plus, ever since meeting Shu Shuishui, his own cat had been acting increasingly unusual, like the behavior of letting the mouse examine its tongue today.

Due to mobility issues, Li Meng sat in slippers on a chair, holding a silver-white camera. As a food blogger, the camera was one of Li Meng’s tools for capturing meals. These days, the camera was practically an extension of his hand.

From a distance, the high-definition camera captured the interaction between the cat and the mouse on the floor clearly. The little mouse was meticulously inspecting the big cat’s tongue, pulling and prodding it, occasionally pinching it, then looking up to gauge the big cat’s reaction.

Because of its open mouth, the big cat couldn’t even manage a meow and just gazed at the mouse affectionately. The mouse continued to examine the tongue with its head down.

In the frame, the big cat began to drool, and the little mouse finally squeaked, seemingly having discovered something. It extended its pointed paw and tried to get its head as close as possible to the base of the big cat’s tongue. This also caused the mouse’s head to approach the big cat’s wide-open mouth.

Finally, with the aid of the bright sunlight, the warm brown little creature, using its tiny paw like a pair of tweezers, precisely pulled out a small fish bone from the base of the big cat’s tongue.

The sharp, tiny fishbone even glimmered slightly in the sunlight, easily caught by the camera lens.

Wu Lan was dumbfounded. So, his cat got pricked by a fish bone while eating just now, and instead of calling him, the cat sought help from a mouse? That’s why there was the scene of the mouse examining the big cat’s tongue just now.

Wu Lan was practically at a loss whether to laugh or cry, and Li Meng was pleasantly surprised. He never expected Shu Shuishui to be a true all-rounder. Whether it was at home, on a trip, cooking, washing dishes, or now performing the role of a doctor by removing fish bones, Shu Shuishui had truly lived up to the “full-service” label.

After extracting the fish bone, the little dormouse retracted its head, and the big cat’s mouth and tongue were finally freed. The cat immediately shook its head, licked its mouth, and then moved forward to give the dormouse a lick.

The dormouse, after being licked, thought, “Why does it seem like every time Gu Gu grooms me, he starts from my feet and goes all the way to my head? It’s like he’s grooming me backward.”

Seemingly realizing the dormouse’s frustration, the big cat immediately began to act pitifully, meowing plaintively as if wronged.

The dormouse extended its paw and patted the big cat’s head, then looked at the tiny fish bone on its paw, threw it to the ground with force, and proceeded to step on it a couple of times with its paw in a show of anger.

The big cat cooperated by extending its front paws and giving the fish bone a couple of firm pats.

If the fishbone could talk, it would say, “Am I being beaten even after death?”

Once they had vented their frustrations, the cat and dormouse finally seemed relieved. The dormouse picked up the fish bone again and hurriedly trotted to the trash can. The big cat followed closely and expertly placed its paw on the pedal of the trash can, causing the lid to open. The dormouse hopped a bit and accurately threw the fishbone into the trash can.

The big cat released the pedal, and the trash can lid closed. The cat and dormouse left with a flurry of sound.

Thoughtful as ever, the dormouse even used a wet wipe to clean up the two droplets of drool left by the big cat. As the dormouse wiped the floor, the cat buried its head in its paws, seemingly realizing its embarrassment a bit too late.

Li Meng happily recorded everything and then went to the study with Wu Lan to edit the video.

With Wu Lan’s agreement, Li Meng edited the video.

As a food blogger, Li Meng didn’t need to show his face in the video, but his exquisite culinary skills, perfect hands, and voice had garnered him numerous followers. Especially in recent videos, there was the addition of a clever little mouse.

However, due to his injured foot, Li Meng hadn’t updated his videos for quite some time, and countless fans had been urging him on social media.

Shu Shuishui had once squeezed next to Li Meng’s chin to watch. Actually, the interactive platform wasn’t Weibo, but Shu Shuishui preferred to think of it that way. After all, Shu Bao had once had a Weibo account with many fans.

Shu Bao’s Weibo was filled with various travel photos, so in the public’s understanding, Shu Bao was seen as a carefree, handsome guy who traveled around and often had girls trying to flirt with him. Shu Shuishui thought that those girls’ selfies were not as interesting as posting more photos of mother mice. Perhaps Shu Bao would be a bit more interested. The thought might have wandered a bit, but Shu Shuishui was quite accepting of such platforms.

Finally, after several days of hunger, Li Meng’s update arrived for the eager fans. However, the title of this video was quite strange: “The Cat and Hamster1I know it’s confusing with the dormouse, mouse, hamster, and such. But always remember, Shui Shui is a dormouse. The other terms are just a mistaken identity given to him. During Recovery Days.”

Even before clicking on the video, fans had already started leaving comments.

[“What? You’ve found new love again after being gone for a few days? Have you considered the feelings of the hamster?”]

[“Who would have thought that the blogger is someone who raises both hamsters and cats? Is seeking attention like this really worth it?”]

[“Poor little hamster, Dad is here to support you.”]

[“…”]

Li Meng was somewhat puzzled. The Li Meng who had been immersed in love for the past few days had clearly lost some IQ points. Moreover, he hadn’t checked the news for several days.

Wu Lan pressed down from behind, his broad chest enveloping Li Meng. He extended his slender fingers to tap on the search bar, typing in the words “cat” and “hamster”, and a multitude of links appeared instantly. During Wu Lan’s actions, whether intentional or not, his chest lightly pressed against Li Meng’s back.

Li Meng stiffened, and his ears turned red with a rub.

From above came Wu Lan’s voice, slightly amused. “There’s been a news story these past few days about a blogger who raises both cats and mice. They’ve gained a lot of attention by recording videos of the cat mistreating the mice, and it’s caused quite a stir.”

“Is… is that so?” Li Meng had no idea what Wu Lan was talking about. The words went in one ear and out the other, leaving his brain with only one reaction: Wow, he’s so muscular, his chest is really big…

Li Meng instinctively tapped on the top trending link, and a short video started playing automatically. The sound from his phone snapped Li Meng out of his daze, and he finally returned to his senses from his “admiring handsome man” state.

In the video, there was a cute cat with big blue eyes that appeared exceptionally charming. The mouse in the video was a hamster with a white belly and a light brown back, chubby and adorable.

However, this adorable little hamster was currently crouching in panic and vigilance under a table, desperately stuffing nuts into its mouth. It was suddenly caught by the cat that descended from above.

The hamster was rolled around by the cat’s paw for several turns, then it leaned against the wall and stood upright, as if doing so would make it appear less vulnerable.

The big cat kept advancing step by step, while the hamster’s abdomen moved rapidly up and down, its eyes locked onto the approaching cat.

And so, the big cat pursued the hamster like it was playing a game, with the hamster evading and rolling over again and again. Outside the frame of the video, there was the unbridled laughter of a woman. Occasionally, due to some exciting moments captured on camera, a hand extended to offer a small fish treat to the cat. Once satisfied, the cat let the hamster go, allowing it to escape with the nuts it had gained through its daring antics.

Li Meng’s ears were still slightly red, but this time not out of shyness, but out of anger. If this had been before he started taking care of Shu Shuishui, Li Meng might not have felt such intense emotions. But now, Li Meng felt his heart tighten uncomfortably.

The comments below the video have already exceeded one hundred thousand. Some people feel that the blogger is too cruel, that they are both pets, yet treated so unequally. Some people think the blogger lacks empathy, and that the little hamster is pitiable. There are also those who have revealed that more than one or two hamsters have been abused to death by the blogger. Of course, there is a small minority who feel that everyone is making a big fuss over nothing – after all, it’s just a hamster, cheap and prolific; raising a litter would be enough for the cat owner to enjoy.

Because of the recent controversy surrounding this matter, today’s video title uploaded by Li Meng also has suspicions of riding the trend. However, it’s already uploaded and can’t be changed unless deleted.

Li Meng’s mood was somewhat down. The phone finished playing the video, and a few seconds later, it automatically played the next video. Just before the next video was about to start, Wu Lan reached out and turned off the video, then nudged Li Meng’s head with his chin. “We can’t demand that others not feel upset. At least here, Shui Shui is absolutely the boss, and Gu Wa is a henpecked husband.”

Li Meng burst into laughter, thinking, “What the hell, henpecked husband? And who talks about their own pets like that?”

But what came next successfully turned Li Meng crimson.

“In fact, I’m a henpecked husband too. I want to try being the husband of a hamster owner.”

Lai Meng’s mind exploded like fireworks, and it took a long time for him to stutter, “Alright… ah… Mr. Big Cat…”

As the words fell, the chair Li Meng was sitting on was suddenly spun around. Li Meng was now facing Wu Lan, looking up at him. He felt an inexplicable sense of oppression.

Wu Lan’s eyes were so bright that they were somewhat intimidating. Li Meng, feeling a little nervous, swallowed saliva and was about to shift his gaze away. However, the person above him slowly pressed down until their lips made contact, causing Li Meng to feel an electric shock-like sensation. He almost jumped up from the chair, but Wu Lan held him firmly, pressing him against the back of the chair.

The study’s door cracked open a little, and two furry heads emerged from behind the door.

The small head was at the bottom, and the big black cat’s head was on top. The two pure, large eyes stared at the person in front of the computer. After a long time, Shu Shuishui reacted and pulled the big cat out quietly.

The big cat reluctantly moved away, its head turning back from time to time, as if something inside was attracting it, impacting its memories and obsessions.

The big cat let out a meow and then nudged Shu Shuishui’s side. Shu Shuishui patted the big cat’s head. “Behave, good boy, don’t peek at private matters.”

The big cat continued to meow persistently, as if seeking an answer.

Shu Shuishui cleared his throat, his little eyes shifting uncertainly. “Actually, it’s nothing much. Maybe Li Meng was also pricked by a fishbone. Wu Lan was helping him remove the fishbone. Didn’t we just remove the fishbone?”

The big cat tilted its head in an adorably puzzled manner, then seemed to have a moment of realization, letting out a meow as if understanding. Finally, it put the matter of the fishbone behind and started to act cute and roll around Shu Shuishui, seeking to be petted.

Most people become addicted to petting cats, but here, the cat has become addicted to being petted. Shu Shuishui could only dutifully contribute his little paws.

Inside the study, the atmosphere was warm, and outside the study, it was partially tranquil. Time passed peacefully, accompanied by each other.

The sound of the big cat’s purring started, and after a while, the little dormouse also curled up on top of the big cat and fell asleep. The big cat used its tail to gather the little dormouse close, holding it in its arms like a treasure, refusing anyone else to touch it.

In the apartment, which was deeply soaked in the scent of love, no one had the time to care about the video they had just posted. Nevertheless, the video unexpectedly gained popularity at an unforeseen speed.

Initially, countless people clicked on the video with the intention of criticizing it due to the title. However, once they started watching, their prepared mouths slowly curved into smiles, and ultimately, they couldn’t help but break into laughter. The video left a lasting impact, and people found it hard to recover from its effects even after it ended.

Compared to the previous video of the cat mistreating the mouse, this video is incredibly heartwarming and melts people’s hearts.

In addition to the fact that Li Meng and Wu Lan worked on the video together, the transitions, editing, and even the background music were carefully chosen. It can be said that it warms you to the point of tears.

[This can’t be a mouse and a cat, my mouse and cat could never be this cute!]

[I might be going blind. In my lifetime, I’ve actually seen a mouse removing a fish bone for a cat! Have you considered the fishbone’s feelings?]

[At the start of the video, I thought it was a fake cat. Not until the cat couldn’t control its drooling, I finally believed it was real.]

[When the little mouse stuffed its head into the cat’s mouth, my heart almost stopped!]

[What kind of divine cat and mouse is this? It’s making me feel the urge to fall in love!]

[So it’s not just me who smells the scent of love in the air! I thought I was going crazy, being fed dog food by a cat and a mouse!]

[Wake up, upstairs! That’s just your own illusion. A cat and a mouse together – think about it, it’s impossible. It won’t have a happy ending!]

[Am I the only one who thinks the blogger is going too far? What if the cat eats the mouse? How is this different from the previous video of the cat mistreating the mouse? They’re all of the same ilk!]

[Didn’t you see the part where the little mouse threw the fish bone on the ground and stomped on it twice to vent its frustration?]

[“…”]

Although there were a small number of criticisms, almost ninety-nine percent of the people were captivated by the interaction between Shu Shuishui and the big cat. Not to mention that Shu Shuishui already has strong followers, but when combined with the powerful transformation of the big cat into a docile one, very few could resist.

Moreover, unlike the previous video of mistreating the mouse, in this video, it’s evident that the mouse holds a dominant position. Someone who can raise a mouse like this, how could they not cherish it?

Shu Shuishui remained unaware that he had become a celebrity dormouse. In his slumber, he shifted positions. The big cat, gently purring, opened its eyes and then carefully adjusted Shu Shuishui’s position once more with its tail, ensuring the little mouse didn’t roll out of its protective circle.

On this particular night, Wu Lan had stayed over at the apartment. It was the first time Shu Shuishui lost his right to reside in Li Meng’s bedroom. Both the big cat and Shu Shuishui sat side by side just outside the room.

After a while, the little dormouse let out a sigh of resignation. “Humans, they’re so fickle. Gu Gu, let’s go. Tonight, Gu Gu and I will stay together. We’ll use a blanket to make a big nest.”

“Meow~”

With those words, Shu Shuishui led the way with brisk steps, and the big cat followed closely behind.

In the end, Shu Shuishui chose the balcony.

The balcony was not only cool in the summer, but it also offered a view of the stars. A gentle, cool evening breeze wafted through, accompanied by the tinkling sound of wind chimes.

Shu Shuishui dragged one corner of a blanket, while the big cat held the opposite corner in its mouth. Together, they tugged and pulled, dragging the blanket onto the balcony. Then, under Shu Shuishui’s guidance, the cat and the dormouse stacked the blanket, and after half an hour of concerted effort, they finally managed to create a huge nest, spacious enough for both of them to stay in.

Shu Shuishui glanced at the clock, which showed that it was only nine o’clock. He wasn’t feeling sleepy yet, so he turned to his side and asked Gu Langu beside him, “Gu Gu, do you want to watch a movie?”

With innocent, blinking eyes, Gu Gu had no idea what a movie was, but it still let out a meow that seemed to fit the occasion.

Shu Shuishui patted the big cat’s head. “Wait here, Gu Gu. I’ll go get the tablet, stand, popcorn, a fruit platter, and some drinks.” While speaking, the little dormouse left the balcony.

The big cat had no intention of waiting obediently. It followed right after.

In the end, Shu Shuishui decided to make use of Gu Langu’s help to bring back all these items at once. So, not long after, Gu Langu, who was supposed to be a cat, appeared in the walk of a donkey. It was laden with supplies and walked back to the balcony with steady steps.

Shu Shuishui took the items off the big cat one by one. Then, he set up the stand, placed the tablet on it, expertly entered the password, and opened the video app. “Gu Gu, what kind of movie do you want to watch?”

“Meow~”

“Let’s watch an animated film.”

“Meow~”

“Alright, alright. I’ll feed you popcorn later. It’s a shame we don’t have a plate of fried grasshoppers or roasted grasshoppers right now. That would be perfect!”

The sound of the movie’s opening played from the tablet. In the spacious and neat nest they had arranged, the big cat formed a half-circle, and Shu Shuishui nestled within the cat-shaped pillow. In front of them are a bucket of popcorn, two glasses of juice, and a fruit platter filled with a variety of fruit on toothpicks. It couldn’t get more comfortable than this.

That night, the two of them spent a very romantic evening, both thoroughly enjoying themselves. The little dormouse would occasionally burst into laughter, and the big cat, taking advantage of the dormouse’s engrossment in the movie, would occasionally extend its tongue to lick, transforming the dormouse, once again, into a mussed-up little fellow.

After finishing a movie, the little dormouse yawned widely and then lowered its head more and more until it eventually turned and nestled into the big cat’s embrace, falling asleep.

The big cat stretched out its paw to gently tap the tablet away, and its tail lightly brushed against the little dormouse. The familiar purring lulled the dormouse to sleep.

The gentle breeze of the night brought the coolness of summer, causing the fur of the two creatures to sway slightly, like soft seaweed. The stars outside the window adorned the sky, sparkling just as brilliantly as city neon lights.

The next day, both Wu Lan and Li Meng overslept. Wu Lan felt slightly annoyed at himself for sleeping in, though don’t get the wrong idea—on the first night of their sincere confession, the two chatted under the covers until late into the night. Perhaps after their heartfelt conversation had finally satisfied their desires, they both let their guards down, leading Wu Lan to accidentally sleep in.

So, when Wu Lan cautiously got up and then hurriedly made his way to the kitchen, he saw a pot of congee boiling on the stove, eggs steaming on a pan, and milk heating in the microwave. A little mouse, wearing a chef’s hat and a small apron, was holding a “gigantic” kitchen knife and chopping vegetables with a clanging sound, seemingly planning to make a small side dish.

Wu Lan stood stunned at the entrance of the kitchen.

The little mouse heard the commotion and turned around, giving Wu Lan a glance. “Awake now? Get ready to wash your face and eat.”

Wu Lan replied, “No, I might not be awake yet.”

Shu Shuishui didn’t even turn his head. “After talking for so long last night, didn’t Xiao Meng Meng tell you about me?”

Wu Lan replied with a helpless expression. The two of them had reminisced about the past, savored the present, and envisioned the future the previous night. But Li Meng hadn’t informed him that there would be a mouse making breakfast at home in the future!

“Meow~” the big cat’s voice sounded.

Wu Lan lowered his head and saw the obedient Gu Wa sitting on a chair. The big cat was looking at him with a displeased expression, as if reprimanding him for forgetting about the cat now that he had a man around.

With a few clanging sounds, the little dormouse finished chopping the vegetables, then skillfully swept them into a small bowl with the knife. The little dormouse picked up a seasoning jar and began to evenly sprinkle salt inside it, making deft brushing motions.

Watching Shui Shui’s skillful actions, Wu Lan felt a bit dizzy and went to freshen up.

By the time Li Meng got up, everyone was sitting at the dining table having breakfast. After taking a bite, Li Meng realized, “Shui Shui made breakfast. Lan Lan is in for a treat!”

The little dormouse scooped up a peanut with a small spoon and held it up to the big cat. “Gu Wa, have a bite.”

The dining table was filled with dog food. Fortunately, this segment wasn’t recorded, or else there would surely have been a chorus of complaints and accusations of animal cruelty against dogs.