Chapter 2 You seem to have a cat problem.

The rain poured down, and rumbling thunder rolled deep in the clouds, occasionally flashing a bolt of lightning that illuminated the rain curtain.

Su Cheng nestled on the sofa, gently stroking the soft body in her arms.

Yuanbao curled up and lay quietly on Su Cheng's lap, his little belly rising and falling slightly with his even breathing, occasionally letting out a soft purring sound.

[Sorry, Yuanbao has never been this clingy before.]

[I'll be back at 9 a.m. tomorrow. If it's convenient, could you stay with it tonight?]

The new neighbor's message and transfer notification popped up at the same time.

[This service isn't listed in your price list. Could you please quote based on other services and convert it to an hourly rate for me?]

These days, even cats have learned to use money to retain customers?

Su Cheng imagined a domineering CEO spending lavishly to ensure his beloved cat had company, and for a moment she couldn't tell who was extorting whom.

Since college, Su Cheng has been a volunteer at a stray animal rescue station. The station is run on charity, with very little social donations. In their spare time, the members take on part-time jobs such as feeding cats and walking dogs to maintain the daily operation of the rescue station.

This should be the largest order she has ever received since she started working.

Looking at the balance in her account, Su Cheng decided to put the "Supreme Companionship" business on the agenda, expand and strengthen it, and earn a thousand cans for the little homeless people!

Su Cheng pressed the button to confirm receipt of payment. Making money is the most important thing, no matter what!

Moreover, she also put in equivalent labor.

"Yuanbao, aren't you right?"

She smiled and tapped Yuanbao's head with her finger, making it nod.

1801: [Monitoring can be turned off]

1801: [The south-facing room is the master bedroom. If you don't mind, you can bring your own bed.]

Su Cheng gently raised her phone, took a picture of Yuanbao curled up on her lap, looking adorable as he slept, and sent it to him: [Thank you for your kindness, but the young master seems to prefer the sofa.]

When feeding the cats at their homes, she was careful not to trespass on the employers' private property, so she planned to spend the night on the sofa.

1801: [There is a button under the right armrest of the sofa to adjust the backrest]

She was both amused and exasperated; her cat master had actually bestowed upon her a high-end item.

With one hand protecting the sleeping Yuanbao, she fumbled with the other to adjust the only piece of furniture in the living room that was used by people.

With a slight mechanical sound, the sofa backrest slowly flattened and the footrest rose, piecing together a makeshift bed that was fairly well-fitting to her body.

To prevent Yuanbao from being frightened by the thunder and lightning again, Su Cheng used her hands to create a temporary "protective shield" on its head.

Sure enough, a few loud claps of thunder startled Yuanbao, but the warm touch from above quickly calmed it down. It nuzzled Su Cheng's palm and snuggled back into her arms.

Su Cheng's eyelashes trembled slightly, and her breathing gradually became long and even.

Somehow, that blurry figure from the depths of her memory broke through the shackles of time and appeared clearly in her dreams.

Like many others, Su Cheng also experienced a one-sided unrequited love that ended without fruition.

When the figure in the blue and white school uniform moved to the window seat, she would deliberately slow down her pace as she went to the end of the corridor to get water.

The orange basketball bounced into the hoop. Leaning against the camphor tree, she spotted the number 35 jersey on the basketball court amidst the high-five celebrations.

When you're young, the reasons you like someone are pure and simple: good grades, handsome looks, beautiful handwriting, nice voice...

Back then, the attraction didn't require much consideration. It was as if as long as the other person had some shining quality, they were worth treasuring in one's heart for a whole youth.

Jiang Muzhou, on the other hand, possessed all the advantages and rightfully became a prominent figure at Linhai No. 1 Middle School.

The name that always tops the monthly exam list, a top student who wins countless competition trophies.

His tall figure always made the noisy crowd unconsciously quiet down when he walked through the corridor.

What's most captivating about him are his eyes—those upturned, peach-blossom eyes that seem to hold the entire galaxy in their depths.

At the opening ceremony, Jiang Muzhou stood on the podium as a representative of the new students.

The slanting sunlight outlined his sharply defined profile and gently enveloped her.

"The world is vast, and everyone's light can illuminate a corner of the world."

His voice, carried by the dust, entered her ears like a dandelion seed with fluffy seeds, and took root in her heart from that moment on.

...

A rustling sound came from behind her. Su Cheng subconsciously waved her hand behind her, and the back of her hand hit the armrest of the sofa, causing a sharp pain.

It was just a dream.

Before dawn, the unfamiliar surroundings made her sleep restless, but she dreamt of the person she hadn't seen in a long time.

I heard he went to university in Beijing. This small city of Linhai could not hold his wings of soaring ambition; he was destined to pursue a wider sky.

My unrequited love for Jiang Muzhou was just a daydream I had in my youth.

After graduating from high school, the two went their separate ways, one to the south and the other to the north, and never crossed paths again. They each started new lives, and the figure she once chased gradually faded from her world.

She stretched and loosened her stiff neck, only to find that her legs were empty; the little furry ball that had been snuggling against her legs last night was nowhere to be found.

The rain outside the window had stopped sometime earlier, and she didn't seem to hear any more deafening thunder in the latter half of the night.

Hmph, you heartless little thing, you used her and then ran away.

She looked up at the ceiling; the water was still dripping slowly, and the water in the plastic basin was almost overflowing.

Thinking of pouring out the water and going home to take a nice nap, Su Cheng had just stood up when she heard a strange hissing sound coming from somewhere inside the house.

She stopped abruptly, wary.

The new neighbor clearly said they wouldn't be back until nine o'clock. Even if they were coming back early, there's no need for them to be so sneaky. And that sound...

Could a thief have sneaked in while she was asleep?

Su Cheng's heart was pounding. Her new neighbor was very generous, so she was probably targeted by thieves when she moved in. Right now, the thief must have thought that no one was home and wanted to sneak in in the dark. Who knew that she, the unlucky one, would be the one to catch him in the act.

Not knowing if the other party had any weapons, she tiptoed to the living room door, intending to escape in one go and then call the police, but suddenly remembered Yuanbao, who was fat but had no fighting ability.

She looked around carefully, but there was no trace of the gold ingot in sight.

Having at least had a brief affair with Yuanbao, Su Cheng suddenly felt a surge of maternal instinct.

She clenched her fists and crept closer to the source of the sound.

As she passed the snack cabinet, she grabbed a can of cat food for self-defense, thinking that she would smash it hard on the head when the thief was not paying attention, thus rescuing Yuanbao, the "cat hostage," from his predicament.

My footsteps stopped at the bedroom door; the sounds from inside were still going on.

Her palms were sweating coldly, and her heart was in her throat.

She held her breath and cautiously peered through the crack in the door to observe the enemy's movements.

But the house was empty, with no sign of the expected intruder.

Su Cheng loosened her grip on the can and looked in the direction of the sound with a puzzled expression.

The orange and white ball was nestled on a wrinkled white shirt, its front paws scratching at the fabric and its sharp teeth biting at the collar, refusing to let go.

After seeing Yuanbao's actions, her nerves, which had just relaxed, tensed up again.

Yuanbao's back was arched and its fur was puffed up; its body language at that moment was a textbook example of separation anxiety in cats.

Su Cheng opened the can of food in her hand, and while Yuanbao's attention was distracted by the noise, she quickly approached, rolled up the shirt under it, gently wrapped it around its body like a swaddle, and picked it up in one swift motion.

Yuanbao let out a weak whimper from deep in its throat, its fluffy little head repeatedly rubbing against her chest, its front paws pressing alternately on her arm, its paw pads opening and closing rhythmically.

Su Cheng placed Yuanbao on the cat tree and gently unbuttoned her already battered shirt, revealing that the cuffs and collar were covered in the little guy Yuanbao's teeth marks.

Yuanbao's ears drooped, his round eyes gleamed pitifully in the darkness, and a slight tremor lingered in his throat.

The essence of separation anxiety is an extreme fear of separation and an excessive dependence on the owner.

Looking at the living room filled with expensive pet toys and high-end snacks, a scene that should have been enviable, Su Cheng felt a pang of sadness.

Many pet owners fall into a cognitive misconception, treating their furry friends as self-contained decorations, substituting consumerism for emotional investment, and believing that as long as they spend money, they have fulfilled their responsibilities.

She buys imported snacks, the most expensive automatic toys, and even her role as the cat's caretaker is outsourced.

But pets are just like children; emotional connection is what they truly crave. Toys and treats can never fill the void of companionship. When they suddenly have more time alone and can't see their owners, they become anxious and resort to destructive behaviors like chewing furniture and tearing bed sheets to release stress.

Yuanbao's symptoms are relatively mild, likely caused by a combination of changes in living environment and the owner's business trip. Su Cheng plans to discuss this issue with the new neighbor when he returns.

After playing with Yuanbao for a while, its mood improved significantly, and it started purring contentedly again.

When it was time to leave, Su Cheng was reluctant to part with him. After all, Yuanbao was her first client to serve her in bed. When she held him in her arms, he was like a soft and fragrant little bread. As long as her master cooperated, she was confident that she could cure Yuanbao.

Taking advantage of the rain stopping, Su Cheng carried the cat litter downstairs and threw it into the trash station.

The cool morning breeze, carrying the smell of damp earth, wafted towards her. She squinted and yawned.

In the morning mist, a figure drew closer and closer.

I was yawning when it suddenly stopped.

She rubbed her sleepy eyes, and the gradually clearing figure on the path made her gasp. The outline that she had repeatedly sketched in her dream last night was now walking towards her through the thin mist.

Her eyes were dark and clear, with a moist luster, like the long-awaited warm sun after a long period of rain, which made people feel very happy.

Su Cheng's chest pounded violently, like plucked strings on a musical instrument, leaving her feeling utterly disoriented.

Has Jiang Muzhou returned to Linhai?

A long-awaited reunion should be a wonderful occasion, but reality often chooses the worst possible time.

At this moment, her hair was sticking up in a mess, her T-shirt covered in fuzzy cat hair was hanging askew at her collarbone, the litter bag she was carrying was emitting a strong odor, and there were crumbs of freeze-dried salmon stuck in her fingernails.

His disheveled and unkempt appearance was a far cry from the meticulously planned romantic reunions in art films.

However, she quickly breathed a sigh of relief. Even in high school, they only crossed paths a handful of times. He was always the center of attention, while she didn't even have the chance to leave her name in his memory.

Years have passed, and he probably doesn't even recognize her anymore.

She quickly composed herself and walked towards the garbage station as if nothing had happened.

Just as the two were about to pass each other, Jiang Muzhou's voice rang in her ear: "Hello."

She paused, slightly taken aback.

He actually took the initiative to greet me?

Even after four years, he could recognize her at a glance, now that she had taken off her school uniform.

Su Cheng was somewhat delighted. Did she also occupy a special place in his heart?

A blush rose on her fair cheeks as Su Cheng turned around and met those clear eyes.

She wouldn't even dare to dream of such a close distance, not even in her dreams.

Before I could even utter the cliché greeting of "It's been so long," the other person beat me to it.

"I am Yuanbao's owner. I am very grateful for your help last night."

Su Cheng's eyelashes trembled slightly. Was he a police dog? Could he possibly smell Yuanbao's scent on her?

She sniffed; the scent of cat litter mixed with the freshness after the rain was quite strange.

Wait a minute... Yuanbao's owner... isn't that the new neighbor who just moved in next door??

No wonder she felt that her new neighbor's voice sounded familiar. Now that she thought about it carefully, it was exactly the same as that spirited young man on the podium seven years ago.

It turns out that last night's dream was not a coincidence.

She thought she had long forgotten him, but when she heard his voice again, her subconscious immediately reacted, proving that those memories had never truly disappeared.

Seeing her in a daze, Jiang Muzhou pointed to the printed garbage bag she was carrying and reached out to help her carry it.

She instinctively waved her hand in refusal, her mind still reeling from the shock.

He didn't recognize himself, he just recognized the garbage bags in his house.

Although she was not prepared for the reunion, the sense of loss of being forgotten gradually crept into his heart when he completely treated her as a stranger.

"I just moved to this neighborhood and I'm not familiar with the area yet. Could you show me the location of the garbage station?"

"Hmm... okay."

Jiang Muzhou followed behind her, and the two remained silent the whole way. What should have been a two or three-minute journey felt exceptionally long to her.

In the past, she was always the one who quietly followed behind him.

They took the same route home from school. She didn't dare get too close, afraid that her little secret would be discovered.

His shadow stretched out like a silver river on the asphalt road, just reaching past her calves. She only dared to stand on tiptoe, tentatively pressing down her restless hair with the front of her canvas shoes, as if she could touch the stars that way.

She briefly introduced the community's infrastructure to Jiang Muzhou, and after throwing away the trash, the two walked back along the path they had come from.

Su Cheng, who was originally leading the way, ended up falling behind after the direction was changed.

Over the years, she found herself still more accustomed to walking behind him, because only when he was out of her sight did she dare to let her gaze roam freely.

Four years later, he was still tall and slender, but he had lost the thinness of his youth. His shoulders and back had become broad and thick, and the muscle lines peeking out from his sleeves revealed a strong sense of power.

His skin tone seems a bit darker than I remember; it's a light wheat color.

Those days of carefully counting steps, those moments of pretending to tie shoelaces at corners, all burst forth from her mind.

As she approached the apartment, Su Cheng's pace slowed.

Suddenly, Yuanbao's furry, pitiful little face, illuminated by the lightning, appeared before my eyes.

She then realized that the wealthy owner who had caused Yuanbao to develop separation anxiety was actually Jiang Muzhou.

"Um...you seem to have cat-like symptoms."

A note from the author: