Chapter 43 is called Nian Nian

Ji Zhi Qiu wanted to chase after her, but there was a little cat wriggling around her feet, oblivious to the world around it. "Stop acting cute, your real mother doesn't want you anymore."

The kitten tilted its head and meowed, then belatedly looked back, and the whole cat was in a bad mood.

The kitten chased after them, meowing, with Ji Zhi Qiu following behind. One called out "Mom!" and the other "Son!" They chased them for most of the neighborhood before finally stopping deep in the bushes.

Ji Zhi Qiu, panting heavily, supported himself on his knees and it took him a while to catch his breath. He looked speechlessly at the elegant mother cat washing her face with her paws and the dumbfounded kitten drying its belly next to her, and finally understood the situation.

The mother cat didn't not want to live a good life with him; she just had a kitten and wanted to bring it along.

One child became three. Ji Zhi Qiu found it hard to accept this super-multiplication, but she couldn't bear to see the mother and children separated, so she had no choice but to accept her fate.

Ji Yanyan also snuggled up to him, looking at him with starry eyes: "Daddy, can I take him home with me? He's all alone outside, it's so pitiful, Yanyan can't bear it."

Ji Zhi Qiu patted his head, "Yan Yan, have you thought about the future when you made this decision?"

"If all three cats stay at home, can you take good care of them? If all three cats need to be adopted, can you patiently choose them one by one?"

Upon hearing this, Ji Yanyan's face scrunched up. He wasn't backing down; he was seriously considering it. "This is so difficult for Yanyan, but I'm willing. I want to take them home, so Yanyan has to take responsibility!"

Ji Zhi Qiu pinched his cheek with satisfaction, "It's a deal."

Ji Yanyan had just said some nice things, and now she chuckled and acted coquettishly, "Then, my good dad, the most handsome dad in the world, can you help me?"

Ji Zhi Qiu couldn't help but chuckle, but didn't give a direct answer, saying, "Then I'll think about it."

Ji Yanyan knew that her father was all bark and no bite, so she was very satisfied with this answer and jumped up and cheered.

The problem was solved, but another unexpected event occurred when I brought the three cats home.

The newly arrived, clueless kitten was still confused and unwilling to leave its safe haven. Under its mother's angry glare, it pretended to be dazed and peeked at her, then rubbed its head against her, acting all cute.

The mother cat patiently tried to persuade him a few more times, and even licked her silly son's fur, but the kitten became even more stubborn and tried to run away.

Seeing that her happy days were about to end, the mother cat, in a moment of desperation, struck hard, and the mother and kittens huddled together, one white and one orange, with cat fur flying everywhere.

Ji Zhi Qiu was terrified, fearing that the child would be injured, and quickly advised, "The child is still young and doesn't know any better. There's no need to be so cruel. Let's talk things out."

猫妈妈奉行的教育方针好像是“孩子死了就听话儿了”，痛揍一顿，小猫发出哀求的哼唧声，被揍的没力气了，趴在地上摊成饼，猫妈妈这才收了手，又优雅的舔了舔爪子，仿佛刚才什么都没发生。

Ji Zhi Qiu and Ji Yan Yan witnessed this scene, and stayed close together, not daring to make a sound.

The mother cat hadn't seen such perceptive humans in a long time. She gave them an appreciative look, slightly raised her chin, and indicated that they could leave now.

Ji Zhi Qiu chuckled awkwardly twice and led the way.

Both kittens obediently followed, with the mother cat bringing up the rear, cautiously observing her surroundings.

The dazed kitten tried to act spoiled again halfway down, but its mother ruthlessly grabbed it by the scruff of its neck and half-dragged it downstairs.

Ji Yanyan was afraid that taking the elevator would scare the kitten, so she opened her bag.

The two kittens voluntarily crawled inside, and the mother cat came over and shyly touched Ji Yanyan's arm with her nose, as if to express her gratitude.

When the two people and three cats returned home, Ji Zhi Qiu quickly tidied up the storage room and isolated the cats there first.

***

When school was over, Zi Shensi and Cheng walked home together.

They pushed open the door and saw two Vajra figures standing on either side of them, both wearing warm smiles.

"Are you tired from school today? This is lemonade I made myself. It's sweet and sour and tastes really good. Come and quench your thirst!"

"Brothers, you must be tired from school. This is Yan Yan's favorite cream bread. Try it and see if you like it. If you do, Yan Yan can give you all of it."

Ji Zishen and Ji Sicheng fell into an eerie silence. After exchanging a glance, they reached a tacit understanding without words.

They weren't at a disadvantage. After accepting the lemonade and cream bread, they sat down on the sofa and scrutinized the father and son: "Tell us, what do you need our help with?"

Ji Zhi Qiu smiled apologetically and leaned closer, "It's not that I want to trouble you to do anything, but there's something I'd like to ask for your permission to do."

Ji Yanyan diligently massaged her two older brothers' legs, saying, "I will remember your kindness for the rest of my life!"

Ji Zishen: "..."

Ji Sicheng: "..."

"You're still young, don't learn strange things." Ji Zishen gave him a way out after finishing his cream bread. "Just say it."

Ji Yanyan's ability to organize her thoughts was limited, so Ji Zhiqi took the initiative to shoulder the responsibility, "When we went out today, we noticed that it's getting colder and colder lately..."

Before he could finish his introduction, the two kittens started meowing impatiently, one after the other.

Ji Sicheng frowned instantly. "What is that?"

Ji Zhi Qiu could only bite the bullet and say, "Is it possible that it's a cat?"

"..." Ji Sicheng said, "Do you think I wouldn't recognize you? I wanted to ask why the cat is in our house?"

Seeing that this tactic was not working, Ji Yanyan switched to playing the emotional card, throwing herself onto her two older brothers' laps and trying her best to explain what had happened that day and her determination to give the cat a home.

Ji Zishen took a sip of his lemonade. "So we agreed to let you keep them. If we didn't agree, we would have found a good family to adopt them?"

Ji Zhi Qiu nodded, "You must not consider our feelings and go against your own wishes! This family came first, and your opinions are the most important. If you give in now, conflicts may break out later. If you have a deeper bond with Maomao then, this matter will be even more difficult to handle."

After he finished expressing his concerns, his two eldest sons, who were sitting on the sofa, looked at him silently.

Ji Zhi Qiu: "..." That's right, how could two minor villains force themselves because of others?

He chuckled awkwardly, stood side by side with Ji Yanyan, and the father and son exchanged glances, trying to communicate.

Seeing this, Ji Zishen sighed inwardly and walked past the two towards the storage room.

He pushed open the door and saw two kittens huddled together, meowing in a friendly manner.

Ji Zishen stared at the cat without any emotion, unmoved. Just when Ji Zhiqi thought it was hopeless, Ji Zishen suddenly turned around and said, "I agree."

Ji Zhi Qiu was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously chased after him, but Ji Zi Shen returned to the room first, and the closed door almost hit Ji Zhi Qiu's nose.

He hesitated for a few seconds, not wanting to disturb Ji Zishen, and then walked up to Ji Sicheng, "What about you? What do you think?"

Ji Sicheng scanned the cat's entire body, his tightly furrowed brows relaxing: "You can keep it at home, but I have a few requirements."

Before Ji Zhi Qiu could ask anything, Ji Yan Yan happily jumped over and hugged her brother's waist, "Thank you, brother! I like you so much!"

Ji Sicheng wanted to push him away, but when he saw the tears in Ji Yanyan's eyes, his hand froze in mid-air and he withdrew it awkwardly. "Don't be too happy yet. Wait until you read my requirements before you decide."

Ji Yanyan, having learned this from somewhere, stood at attention and saluted her brother, declaring, "No matter the request, I can fulfill it!"

Ji Sicheng glanced at him indifferently, then turned and went back to his study.

Just one step away from completion, Ji Yanyan was extremely anxious, but she didn't dare to disturb her brother. She could only scratch her head and pace back and forth outside the study.

Ji Zhi Qiu glanced at her again and again, her lips twitching slightly. Although the analogy wasn't quite right, Ji Yan Yan really did look like someone anxiously waiting outside the delivery room.

Just over ten minutes later, the study door opened, and Ji Sicheng held a small note in his hand.

Meeting their starry eyes, he unfolded the paper again and again, turning it from a small piece into a whole banner.

Ji Sicheng stood ramrod straight with a serious expression. Ji Zhiqi was afraid that he would say "By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees" at any moment.

Fortunately, Ji Sicheng was relatively normal. "The first condition is..."

He read it for five minutes straight. Ji Zhi Qiu glanced at it and found that the note was densely covered with words. If he kept reading like this, it would probably take more than half an hour.

He smiled and took the paper from Ji Sicheng's hand.

"You disagree?" I, Ji Sicheng, asked with dissatisfaction.

"No." Ji Zhi Qiu's attitude was quite proper. "I plan to frame it and hang it in the living room so I can compare it to myself every day and reflect on my actions."

Ji Yanyan also joined in, watching intently.

Ji Sicheng coughed and asked, "Can you do it?"

Ji Yanyan turned her head, her eyes clear yet confused, "Brother, I can't read."

"..." Ji Sicheng was completely defeated.

He taught Ji Yanyan for a while and got to know him fairly well. Ji Yanyan's personality was strange; sometimes he would get carried away with passion and would do anything to fulfill a promise he had made, even if it meant the sky falling down.

Ji Sicheng was not averse to the kitten's presence, and seeing that it had no effect on him, he nodded in agreement and returned to his study indifferently.

Only Ji Zhi Qiu and Ji Yan Yan remained in the living room, staring at each other for a full minute before they came to their senses, excitedly dancing and hugging each other.

"The cat can stay now, I have a younger brother or sister now!"

Looking at Ji Yanyan's rosy cheeks, Ji Zhi Qiu smiled and said, "Then Yanyan, think of a name for them."

Ji Yanyan was very serious and thought about it for a long time with a serious expression.

Ji Zhi Qiu didn't urge him, but instead took out her phone and took a picture.

[Let another leaf grow: Look, it's our new cat.]

[Yu Nian: Very cute.]

[Let another leaf grow: Right? I also think cats are all very cute.]

[Yu Nian: I meant your slippers.]

Ji Zhi Qiu was stunned for a moment before realizing that he had accidentally patted his own foot, and his ear tips burned.

[Let another leaf grow: Would you believe me if I said I bought it because it was on sale at the supermarket?]

[Yu Nian: I believe it, but it's also quite cute.]

Ji Zhi Qiu couldn't help but scratch the rabbit head on her slipper. Before she could think of a reply, another message came from the other end.

[Yu Nian: What's the cat's name?]

Ji Zhi Qiu subconsciously looked at Ji Yan Yan, who had just come up with a result: "I've thought of a really nice name."

"Year after year!"

Ji Zhi Qiu: "..."

His expression froze, his lips parted slightly, he looked at his phone and then at Ji Yanyan, even though he knew Yu Nian couldn't hear or see, he still silently covered his phone.

Son, you're putting me in a difficult position.