After they entered the private room, Gu Xinghang said seriously, “At the beginning of the evolution, only a tiny number of people personally witnessed animals changing and displaying their strength. To most people, having money but refusing to invest in real estate is an extremely foolish decision.”
In other people’s eyes, taking over a food-processing factory was already an unwise choice, never mind raising dogs on such a large scale.
In fact, plenty of people had gossiped behind his back and waited eagerly to watch him fail. The fat man had merely been straightforward enough to confront him directly.
“The world is constantly changing. Who can say what will happen tomorrow?” Gao Xuan did not think much of it.
The dishes were soon served.
Gao Xuan casually picked up a piece of braised pork rib. The moment it entered her mouth, her eyes involuntarily widened as though she had discovered an entirely new world!
“Try the other dishes. They’re also quite good.”
Gu Xinghang wanted to serve her some food, but felt that doing so would be too abrupt. His arm lifted slightly before dropping again, making his movements appear somewhat restrained.
Gao Xuan did not stand on ceremony and sampled every dish.
After a while, she finally found time to ask, “By the way, why did you want to see me?”
“You heard what that man said earlier. I’m raising a large number of German Shepherds at my villa in the suburbs,” Gu Xinghang slowly explained.
“There are approximately two or three hundred of them, including puppies, adolescent dogs, and adults. They’re evolving at different speeds, and some with poorer constitutions may also become ill.”
“I’d like to hire you as their full-time veterinarian and have you care for them properly. Don’t worry. The salary and benefits will be excellent. Food and accommodation will be included, and you’ll still receive monthly wages.”
Food and accommodation included?
Gao Xuan paused and looked up.
“Where would the employee accommodation be?”
Gu Xinghang answered calmly, “At the villa, of course. You would live with the German Shepherds so you could care for them conveniently.”
“If I’m not mistaken, you also live there?” Gao Xuan asked solemnly.
“I do live at the villa,” Gu Xinghang admitted.
Gao Xuan fell silent for a long time.
How was this about finding the dogs a full-time veterinarian?
He had obviously invented an excuse specifically to coax her into moving there.
Gu Xinghang continued unhurriedly, “There’s a large basement beneath the villa, fully stocked with food, drinking water, and medicine.”
“The outermost walls are made of ninety-centimetre-thick reinforced concrete and steel, and there’s a well in the courtyard.”
“Once the German Shepherds are properly trained, they’ll patrol every area of the villa. The entire property will become as secure as an iron fortress.”
“The food-processing factory is located near the villa and specialises in processing coarse grains such as corn, sorghum, peanuts, soybeans, and millet. I’ve also accumulated large reserves of rice, flour, and similar staples.”
Gao Xuan could not help feeling tempted.
His preparations for the apocalypse were clearly far more professional than hers.
However, that was unavoidable. The more comprehensive the preparations, the more funding they required, and she simply lacked the financial resources.
Yet no matter how tempted she was, she could not agree.
“Don’t treat me too well. I’m afraid I won’t be able to repay you.”
Gao Xuan did not believe the two of them would ever become a couple, so she could not comfortably accept his kindness.
Gu Xinghang replied, “You don’t need to feel burdened. I never intended for you to repay me.”
Gao Xuan said nothing, but thought inwardly that this was unacceptable.
Her conscience would hurt.
They were neither relatives nor long-time friends. How could she casually take advantage of him?
Gu Xinghang sighed inwardly.
That damned integrity!
Could she not be slightly more thick-skinned and simply agree?
Then he remembered that even without him, Gao Xuan had lived extremely well by herself during the apocalypse, and his mood became even gloomier.
Taking a sip of tea, he said sullenly, “You don’t need to answer now. You can take your time considering it.”
Gao Xuan casually acknowledged him, although she had already made her decision.
The room suddenly became silent, and the atmosphere grew slightly awkward.
Gu Xinghang changed the subject and began telling her amusing stories from the apocalypse.
Gao Xuan listened with fascination, occasionally revealing a thoughtful expression.
Once they had finished eating, Gu Xinghang drove her to the station.
Before they parted, he said seriously, “You have my telephone number. If you change your mind, you’re welcome to come at any time.”
“Mm, all right.” Gao Xuan agreed with a smile.
Only after Gu Xinghang drove away did her smile disappear.
She murmured to herself, “That man is absolutely determined to repay his debt. But I don’t remember saving him at all…”
Shaking her head, she took Cola home.
As time passed, peaceful life gradually drifted further away from everyone.
On the morning of January 8th, a customer arrived as soon as the pet hospital opened.
A young woman of around twenty entered while leading a pig more than half a metre tall.
Gao Xuan was speechless.
Annie was also speechless.
They had treated miniature pigs before, but this was the first time someone had brought in a huge, fat pig.
The young woman looked both devastated and aggrieved.
“I bought a miniature pig! How did it become this?!”
Annie had no choice but to speak.
She said cautiously, “You may have been deceived. This is probably an ordinary meat pig, not a miniature pig.”
Hearing this, the young woman became even more upset.
Annie continued, “I suggest contacting the seller and demanding an explanation.”
“Is there no way to make it slimmer?” The young woman pinched the pig’s nose, apparently reluctant to part with it. “I’ve raised it for several months, so I’ve become attached.”
“It’s a natural body-type issue. Acquired effort won’t help,” Annie bluntly remarked.
The young woman was deeply disappointed and could only lead the fat pig away.
Watching her leave, Annie sighed repeatedly.
“People who sell counterfeit goods are utterly immoral.”
A light flashed through Gao Xuan’s eyes.
In an extremely quiet voice, she said, “It might not have been counterfeit.”
Perhaps the miniature pig had evolved.
However, no one would believe her if she said that aloud.
She pushed the distracting thoughts from her mind and removed the tabby cat from its cage, intending to examine it again.
After more than ten days of recovery, the tabby was visibly more energetic.
Although its tail had gone bald, its steps were light and lively when it walked.
“All right. You’re completely fine now,” Gao Xuan solemnly announced.
The tabby became extremely happy and affectionately rubbed its cheek against the back of her hand.
Hmm?
Gao Xuan lowered her head, a trace of curiosity appearing in her eyes.
This cat seemed a little too intelligent.
While she was thinking, another customer entered.
It was the woman in her thirties.
The moment she stepped inside, she asked, “How are my cat’s injuries?”
Upon hearing the familiar voice, the tabby’s entire body stiffened, and it began growling softly.
“Oh, has it already recovered?” The woman approached excitedly. “Then it can be discharged.”
The tabby’s fur stood on end, and its face was filled with unwillingness.
Gao Xuan revealed a faint smile.
“It hasn’t fully recovered. It needs to stay for a few more days.”
However, the smile was shallow and never reached her eyes.
The woman stroked the tabby and immediately said, “It’s fine. I can continue caring for it at home.”
“But…”
Gao Xuan wanted to say more, but the woman interrupted her.
“It’s my cat. If I want to take it home now, why shouldn’t I?”
“There’s no reason you can’t.”
Annie’s face was expressionless as she solemnly instructed her employee, “Pack everything and complete the tabby’s discharge procedure.”
“Understood.”
Gao Xuan carried the cat beside its cage and spoke rapidly in an extremely quiet voice.
“You already have the ability to protect yourself. Don’t be afraid. No one can hurt you now.”
The tabby widened its eyes and sat beside her, looking foolishly stunned.
“Protect yourself,” Gao Xuan whispered, rubbing the cat’s head.
The tabby seemed to understand something, and its gaze gradually became determined.
Before long, the woman paid the bill and left with the tabby.
Annie rubbed between her brows and helplessly said, “It’s someone else’s cat. Outsiders have no right to interfere.”
Her words sounded as though she were trying to persuade Gao Xuan, yet also as though she were persuading herself.
Gao Xuan coldly snorted.
“Good and evil will eventually receive their rewards. Heaven’s justice moves in cycles. If you don’t believe it, look up and see whom the heavens have ever spared!”
**
The tabby’s owner was named Liu Mingyuan.
She had divorced and separated from her husband several years earlier and was raising her son alone.
Because her job kept her busy and she frequently worked overtime, she could not spend much time with her son. Therefore, she had bought him a pet cat as a companion.
After bringing the tabby home, she sternly warned her son, “Xiaoyan, you need to be gentle when you play with the cat. You’re not allowed to injure it again. Cats also feel pain and discomfort.”
“I understand, Mum.”
The six-year-old boy named Xiaoyan raised his face and revealed a pure, innocent smile.
As usual, he obediently agreed.
“Good boy.”
Liu Mingyuan kissed her son’s forehead and apologetically said, “Mum needs to work overtime at the office. Stay home by yourself and don’t run outside.”
“I know.” Xiaoyan nodded.
Not long afterwards, Liu Mingyuan hurriedly left, leaving only the boy and the tabby inside the house.
As though sensing what was about to happen, the tabby could not stop its body from trembling.
“What are you afraid of? I only want you to play with me.”
Xiaoyan smiled as he attempted to remove the cat from its carrier.
However, the instant the carrier opened, the tabby rushed out impatiently and hid on top of a cabinet.
“Come down,” Xiaoyan ordered unhappily.
The tabby pretended to be dead and made no sound.
Before returning home, it had carefully resolved to hold its head high this time and scratch him fiercely in return!
However, the moment it saw the little tyrant of the household, it immediately lost its courage.
It could think of nothing except hiding itself.
Xiaoyan pressed his lips into a straight line, looking extremely displeased.
He glanced around, picked up a broom, and began sweeping it across the top of the cabinet.
“Meow! Meow!”
The end of the broom was made of horsehair, which felt hard and painful when it struck the cat.
However, the wall was directly behind the cabinet, leaving the tabby nowhere to escape. It could only meow anxiously.
“That’s what you get for refusing to come down! Let’s see how long you can keep hiding!”
Seeing the cat scrambling miserably made Xiaoyan laugh happily instead.
He brought over a chair, intending to stand on it and use the broom to force the cat down.
The tabby could no longer endure it.
In the blink of an eye, it leapt from the cabinet and charged towards Xiaoyan.
“Ah—!”
A scream suddenly rang out as Xiaoyan lost his balance and fell from the chair.
The cat’s claws left two bloody scratches across his face.
Because everything happened so suddenly, he also struck the floor when he fell. His lower leg ached faintly, and the bone seemed to have shifted out of position.
Even more terrifyingly, the tabby wore a cold expression as it walked towards him step by step.
Xiaoyan suddenly felt a wave of panic.
“D-Don’t come any closer!”
There was an indescribable coldness in the tabby’s eyes.
In the past, it had pleaded with him just as softly, begging him to stop playing games.
However, the person before it had completely ignored the cat’s wishes.
He had continued chasing it for his own amusement, finding pleasure in watching it flee in terror.
Remembering this, the tabby became especially furious and roared:
“Meow!”
“Mum! Come back and save me! Mum!”
Xiaoyan was both angry and frightened as he slowly shuffled backwards.
Eventually, he reached the corner and had nowhere else to retreat. Tears filled his eyes.
The tabby abruptly pounced and began clawing and biting him.
“Ahhhhhhh!”
After a long while, the house became quiet again.
Xiaoyan lay unconscious on the floor, his body covered in countless scratches and bites.
His lower leg was visibly swollen and twisted at a slight angle.
The tabby quietly watched him for a while, neither happy nor sad.
Then it tore open the window screen with its claws, jumped through the window, and left.
—
**Author’s Note:**
Tabby Cat: You can cry, but so can I! Who isn’t someone’s precious baby?
*Extremely fierce.*
…
This will be a medium-length story. The planned ending is far too unconventional. If the story became VIP, I would probably be criticised for writing a terrible ending. Therefore, I’ve decided to make it a medium-length practice story instead and will not expand every detail.
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