After gritting her teeth and paying the medical bill, the university student felt as though her heart were trembling.
For the rest of the month, she was destined to live on air.
Annie asked, “Are you planning to take the cat home and raise it?”
The student shook her head.
“My family doesn’t live locally, and I live in a university dormitory, so I can’t keep it.”
Annie had already guessed as much. She had only asked as a matter of routine.
Her expression turned serious as she said, “We’ll do our best to find a suitable family to adopt it. You can also ask the people around you whether anyone is willing to take the kitten home.”
The student agreed.
Once the blue-grey kitten had been bandaged and was lying weakly on the operating table, the student finally breathed a sigh of relief. She then hurried back to university for class.
Annie watched as the girl disappeared into the distance and murmured, “Do you think she’ll come back?”
Before Gao Xuan could answer, Annie continued talking to herself.
“I don’t think she will.”
Gao Xuan did not mind.
“She’s a student. She doesn’t have much money, so it’s normal for her to be afraid that she won’t be able to afford another bill. Wasn’t there a girl last year who ended up heavily in debt because she tried to save a stray dog?”
There were far too many animals in need of help.
Those who were kind-hearted often lacked the ability to help, while those with the means were not necessarily willing.
Even Gao Xuan and Annie could only do what little they could.
“We didn’t charge her any boarding fees,” Annie muttered. “We’ll be the ones feeding the kitten three meals a day while it stays here. Do you think she might still believe we’re making money by treating the cat?”
“If she insists on thinking that way, there’s nothing we can do. As long as our consciences are clear, that’s enough.”
Gao Xuan opened a new bag of cat food, softened some of it with warm water, and fed it to the kitten.
Fortunately, she added, “At least the one brought in this time is a pedigree cat. It shouldn’t be too difficult to find a family willing to take it.”
“Every so often, we have to find someone willing to take another animal off our hands. How could there possibly be that many families in City A who want cats?” Annie sighed repeatedly.
They absolutely could not keep the kitten at the hospital indefinitely.
If a few more arrived, the animals would eat the business into bankruptcy.
However, finding adopters was also troublesome. They needed to investigate the prospective adopter’s financial circumstances and character. Ideally, they would also make occasional home visits afterwards.
Their greatest fear was that an animal might fall into the hands of a hypocrite—someone who treated the cat like a beloved daughter in public but, in private…
“A pedigree blue-grey kitten, still very young. Aren’t you tempted?” Gao Xuan looked expectantly at her employer.
Annie fell silent.
She had already adopted one cat and two dogs. Her household contained both cats and dogs, and she considered her life complete.
She had no desire to add another little demon.
Since Annie had no intention of adopting it, Gao Xuan could not force her.
She could only post the adoption notice on pet websites and in pet-owner chat groups, then quietly wait for the right person to appear.
**
Night descended, and the city lights began to glow.
As Annie counted the shop’s inventory, she casually said, “You can head home first. I’ll lock up later.”
“All right.”
Gao Xuan did not stand on ceremony. She fastened Cola’s muzzle and clipped on his lead.
Before leaving, she deliberately called out, “I’m heading off. See you tomorrow.”
“See you tomorrow.” Annie waved goodbye.
As Gao Xuan walked home, everything still felt slightly unreal.
That morning, she had been worried that bringing the dog to the pet hospital might cause trouble.
Who could have imagined that, before long, he would become a specially recruited employee?
He would get to eat premium dog food every day, receive additional chicken drumsticks from time to time, and occasionally have dog biscuits to chew on.
“What a winner in life,” Gao Xuan muttered.
The German Shepherd held his head high and puffed out his chest, looking majestic. The entire dog seemed far more spirited than before.
The woman and dog walked together, chatting intermittently. The atmosphere was exceptionally harmonious.
**
Several days passed, yet no new owner came for the blue-grey kitten.
It remained curled up in its cage, listless and dejected, looking terribly pitiful.
Seeing this, Gao Xuan carried it out and carefully placed it on her lap. She stroked it a few times and comforted it.
“You’re beautiful, and you have such a good temperament. Someone will definitely want you.”
Its fur was thick and soft, and it felt wonderful beneath her hands!
She refused to believe the cat lovers of City A would be able to resist this little demon.
The kitten comfortably narrowed its eyes and lazily sprawled across her lap without moving.
At that moment, Annie received a telephone call.
After chatting for a short while, delight appeared on her face.
“Sure. You can come and see the cat this afternoon.”
Had they found an adopter?
Gao Xuan abruptly raised her head.
“It’s fine. Someone will be at the shop, so you can come at any time.”
After hanging up, Annie released a long breath.
“All right. I asked my friends to spread the word everywhere, and we’ve finally found someone willing to take it.”
“What kind of person are they?” Gao Xuan asked curiously.
“Their family is well-off, their life is rather dull, and they really want a cute little companion to cheer them up.”
Annie spread her hands helplessly.
“That’s all the basic information I managed to obtain. If you ask too many detailed questions, people become annoyed and might decide they no longer want to adopt.”
Gao Xuan thought about it and realised she had a point, so she did not continue asking.
“Remember, someone is coming to see the cat this afternoon.”
As Annie spoke, she tidied her shoulder bag.
“I need to go out for a while. I’ll be back before evening, so I’m leaving the shop to you.”
“Don’t worry. Go ahead.”
After Annie left, Gao Xuan fed the animals one by one.
Several of the dogs were slightly dirty, so she carried them out and bathed each of them, cleaning their cages at the same time.
As noon approached, Gao Xuan poured a bowl of dog food for Cola and began reheating her own lunch.
Someone pushed open the door.
A deep, mellow voice called, “Hello? Is anyone here?”
“Yes. What can I help you with?”
Gao Xuan answered and turned around.
However, when she saw the newcomer, she could not help freezing.
This man was… exceptionally handsome!
He appeared to be twenty-three or twenty-four years old. He had sharply defined brows, bright eyes, a high nose, thin lips, and an angular face.
He was tall and slender, and there was even a faint air of nobility about him.
“What can I help you with?” Gao Xuan returned to her senses and repeated her question.
“I heard you have a blue-grey kitten here,” the man briefly explained.
Realisation dawned on Gao Xuan.
So this was the person who intended to adopt the cat!
Hadn’t they said they would come in the afternoon?
Then again, once lunch was over, it technically counted as the afternoon. There did not seem to be anything wrong with that.
Although countless thoughts passed through her mind, her hands did not slow down.
She lifted the kitten out of its cage and solemnly said, “This is the one.”
The man accepted the kitten and casually stroked it.
The kitten immediately looked thoroughly disgusted.
It pushed at him repeatedly with its paw pads, seemingly demanding that someone else hold it.
Gao Xuan was speechless.
The kitten had been staying at the hospital for several days, yet it had never shown anyone this much disrespect.
Could the two of them simply be naturally incompatible?
Gao Xuan secretly glanced at the man and thought it was truly unfortunate.
The prospective owner was dressed in designer clothing and behaved elegantly. He seemed as though he would make an excellent owner.
Unfortunately, the kitten clearly looked down on him and refused to show him any courtesy.
The man chuckled softly.
“Are you feeling shy? How adorable.”
Gao Xuan stared at him.
Shy, her foot.
She was just about to take the kitten back when another person pushed open the door.
It was a young man of around twenty. He wore a sports jacket with jeans and looked like a student.
There was a hint of urgency in his expression. The moment he entered, he said, “Hello, my name is Zheng Yuchen. My family lives locally, and I also attend a university nearby. I heard there’s a blue-grey kitten here awaiting adoption. Is that correct?”
“Yes, we do have a young blue-grey kitten,” Gao Xuan confirmed.
“I made an appointment before coming. May I see it?”
As he spoke, a trace of fervour flashed through Zheng Yuchen’s eyes.
Gao Xuan reached out to take the kitten back.
Unexpectedly, the first customer silently stepped backwards while holding it.
Was he seriously trying to abduct an innocent cat in broad daylight?
Gao Xuan’s brows furrowed slightly, and displeasure entered her voice.
“Why won’t you give the cat back to me?”
“Because Zheng Yuchen doesn’t seem like a good person.”
The first customer looked solemn as he said seriously, “This cat and I are bound by fate. I don’t want to watch it suffer.”
Gao Xuan’s expression became indescribable.
Internally, however, she wondered whether this man was actually insane.
“Who are you? What gives you the right to say I’m not a good person?” Zheng Yuchen roared furiously.
The first customer gave a slight nod.
“My name is Gu Xinghang.”
Before the other man could respond, Gu Xinghang continued, “I know that you have violent tendencies. Whenever the slightest thing goes wrong in your life, you enjoy beating pets to vent your anger.”
“As far as I know, you’ve already adopted several stray cats and dogs. However, every time you bring one home, it dies from severe injuries not long afterwards.”
“If you’re ill, you should see a doctor.”
“Believing that animals cannot speak and deliberately taking your anger out on them is utterly despicable.”
“Who abuses animals? You’re talking complete nonsense!” Zheng Yuchen loudly denied it.
However, his expression was panicked and unnatural, and his eyes instinctively shifted away.
Gao Xuan saw his reaction clearly.
Zheng Yuchen was guilty.
Her expression immediately turned cold.
“Students have no independent income, so they aren’t suited to raising cats. I’m sorry, but we can’t allow you to take the kitten home.”
Zheng Yuchen knew perfectly well that the claim about his lack of income was merely an excuse.
When he first entered the shop, the employee had seemed quite pleased to see him.
He glared resentfully at Gu Xinghang, then turned around and left without hesitation.
At the same time, he sneered inwardly.
There were plenty of ownerless cats outside.
It was not as though he absolutely had to have this one!
Once the unreliable man had left, Gao Xuan could not help breathing a sigh of relief.
Choosing an owner for a pet was almost as difficult as marrying off a daughter in ancient times.
Choosing the wrong person could ruin its entire life.
Even worse, pets could not speak. They could not even return to their maternal home to complain about their suffering.
“In any case, it’s thanks to you that we found out today.”
Her tone softened as she thanked Gu Xinghang.
“I would like to adopt the kitten. May I have it?” Gu Xinghang asked solemnly.
The room suddenly became silent.
Gao Xuan pursed her lips and did not speak for a long time.
Zheng Yuchen was not a good person, but the man standing before her did not appear particularly normal either.
He had opened his mouth and immediately claimed that he and the cat were bound by fate.
He inexplicably knew that Zheng Yuchen had violent tendencies, even though Zheng Yuchen did not recognise him.
Everything he wore was designer-made, meaning he could afford to buy practically any cat he wanted, yet he was fixated on this particular one…
To be honest, Gao Xuan had already become suspicious of him.
Gu Xinghang thought for a moment, then removed three thousand yuan from his wallet.
“This is payment for the cat.”
He then found some paper and a pen and swiftly wrote down several lines.
“This is my telephone number and home address. If you need to visit and check on the kitten’s health, you’re welcome to come at any time.”
Finally, he promised, “I’ll bring the kitten here every weekend. Would that be enough to reassure you?”
He had demonstrated considerable sincerity, so Gao Xuan could find no reason to refuse.
In truth, an owner who fed the cat regularly, had a gentle temperament, and would neither abuse nor abandon it was already considered excellent.
Families that were genuinely wealthy and good-tempered generally preferred to purchase pets rather than adopt them.
After thinking this through, she finally nodded.
“Your name is Gao Xuan?” Gu Xinghang suddenly asked.
How did he know her name?
Gao Xuan froze at first, then quickly realised the answer.
She was wearing a staff badge, and the words were clearly printed across it:
**Gao Xuan, Attending Veterinarian.**
“Yes, that’s my name.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Gu Xinghang’s eyes were dark and unfathomable as he slowly extended his right hand.
His complexion remained normal, and his expression was indifferent.
Only a faint hint of something unusual could be detected in his voice.
**Author’s Note:**
Blue-Grey Cat: Today, before the apocalypse, you ignore me. Tomorrow, after the apocalypse, I’ll be far beyond your reach!
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