Chapter 77 Black Cat
Its jet-black fur was covered with dust and grass clippings, making it look somewhat dusty. It was also smaller and thinner than a domestic cat, clearly indicating that it had been living a life of wandering and hardship.
But its eyes were unusually bright and spirited, carrying a hint of lingering fear and an almost imperceptible dependence.
Su Xiaonuan's heart melted instantly.
She gently pulled the kitten into her arms and warmed its trembling little body with her palms.
The little black cat adjusted itself into a comfortable position in her arms, its soft, boneless tail swaying gently before it raised its head and gave Su Xiaonuan a soft, slightly aggrieved "meow~".
That sound completely melted Su Xiaonuan's heart.
She temporarily forgot about system tasks and cases, her mind and attention completely focused on the little life that had suddenly appeared in her arms.
Just then, several little boys ran up to them.
They saw the little black cat being held in Su Xiaonuan's arms, and then they saw Zhao Liyue standing next to her—although Zhao Liyue didn't say anything, her height and cold temperament gave off an aura that kept strangers at bay—the younger children immediately shrank back, stopped in their tracks, and dared not go forward, just staring longingly.
The only one who was leading the group, a boy of about eleven or twelve, was extremely brave.
Far from being afraid, he put his hands on his hips, tilted his head back, and shouted at Su Xiaonuan rudely, "Hey! Who are you? Give me back my cat!"
His tone was arrogant, carrying a spoiled and arrogant air.
Su Xiaonuan was immersed in the excitement of gaining a "system partner" and her affection for the kitten when the brat yelled at her, and her brows immediately furrowed.
She stood up, holding the cat, and looked calmly at the boy, asking, "Is this cat yours?"
The boy was taken aback by her question, his eyes flickered, clearly feeling guilty, but he quickly puffed out his chest and forced a self-righteous look: "Of course it's mine! I've raised it for so long! Give it back to me!"
There was even a hint of threat in his words, "Otherwise, I'll tell my dad and make you pay!"
Standing to the side, Zhao Liyue couldn't help but frown.
She had met all sorts of people and could tell at a glance that the boy was lying and had questionable character.
Su Xiaonuan is not the kind of person who can be fooled by children.
Looking at the boy's outwardly defiant but inwardly weak demeanor, her face turned cold, and she ruthlessly exposed his lie: "Little boy, lying is not good. This cat is obviously a stray; it's so dirty and clearly afraid of you. If it really belonged to you, would it be hiding from you like this?"
She paused, her tone carrying an undeniable force: "Have your parents come and talk to me."
Upon hearing that his parents would be called, the boy visibly panicked, a hint of confusion flashing across his face.
He probably tried to take the cat back by being aggressive, but he didn't expect to run into a tough opponent.
In his desperation, he pointed at Su Xiaonuan and hurled two extremely vulgar curses at her without thinking. Then he turned to the other children and shouted, "Let's go!"
After saying that, he ran away as fast as he could, and the other children scattered like birds and beasts.
As Su Xiaonuan watched their figures disappear in an instant, the anger in her heart surged up again.
Such a young child not only lies and steals things, but also uses foul language. He is really lacking in discipline!
She was so angry that she really wanted to chase after his parents and have a serious talk with them.
Zhao Liyue saw through her thoughts, shook her head gently, and said in a low voice, "Forget it, children run fast, we can't catch them. And given my status, it's not convenient for me to delve into such matters."
Su Xiaonuan knew that Zhao Liyue was right. As an undercover police officer, she was indeed not suitable to handle disputes like children fighting over stray cats.
She could only suppress her anger, look in the direction where the brats had disappeared, and sigh helplessly.
She turned to look at the small garden at the entrance of the nursing home.
There were many elderly people gathered there, mostly huddled in groups, intently watching the battle on the chessboard in the middle, with occasional shouts of debate or cheers.
The little commotion that just happened on their side seemed to have completely gone unnoticed by the old men; their world seemed to consist only of the Chu-Han Contention.
Su Xiaonuan looked at the group of leisurely old people, then looked down at the little black cat in her arms that had gradually relaxed and even started rubbing its head against her arm. Suddenly, she had a plan in mind.
Forget it, why bother arguing with that ill-mannered brat? The important thing is to get down to business.
The immediate priority is to settle the little guy down, and then begin today's stall-setting task.
She stopped thinking about those unpleasant things, picked up the cat, walked to her stall, and opened the door.
The interior has undergone six levels of reinforcement, resulting in a spacious and clean environment.
She found a quiet corner, spread out a soft old towel, and carefully placed the little black cat on it, gently soothing it, "Little guy, stay here quietly for now. It's safe here. I'll take you home and give you something delicious when I'm done with my work."
The little black cat seemed to understand her meaning, rubbed against her hand again, and then obediently lay down on the towel, its golden eyes curiously observing this novel environment.
Su Xiaonuan then closed the car door with peace of mind, walked to the water bucket next to the car, and carefully washed her hands with the water she had brought, then dried them.
Then, she tied on that familiar cartoon apron, her eyes becoming focused and bright, and began her preparations for the day.
The unexpected black cat stayed quietly in the car, as well-behaved as a child.
After settling the little black cat in, Su Xiaonuan washed her hands, took a deep breath, and focused her attention on today's task.
This classic French dessert may seem simple, but it actually requires a high level of skill in controlling the heat and ingredients.
She first took out the high-quality fresh eggs provided by the system from the food box.
The eggshells are uniformly colored. When cracked into a bowl, the yolks are full and orange-red, and the egg whites are thick and clear.
Add an appropriate amount of granulated sugar and stir manually with a whisk—for her, a master chef, manual stirring allows for more precise perception of the egg mixture's consistency.
She steadily drew circles with her wrist until the sugar was completely melted, the egg mixture became smooth and even, with a soft pale yellow color and no bubbles on the surface.
Next, we come to the crucial liquid component.
She mixed whole milk and heavy cream in a golden ratio, poured it into a small saucepan, added a small piece of cleaned vanilla pod with the seeds removed from a split pod, and slowly heated it over low heat while stirring constantly until fine bubbles appeared around the edge of the saucepan, filling the air with the aroma of milk mixed with the unique rich fragrance of vanilla.
She carefully controlled the temperature, making sure it didn't boil.
Let the heated milk cool slightly for a moment, then slowly and gradually pour it into the egg mixture while constantly stirring with your other hand to prevent the egg mixture from curdling.
This process requires immense patience and stability to ensure the two blend perfectly, forming a smooth, particle-free egg and milk mixture.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
