Chapter 46 The Cat Food Mystery Conveys Goodwill
As autumn deepens, the tips of the cat grass on the farm are tinged with gold, and the morning dew carries a chill.
On an ordinary afternoon, Shi Wan was organizing existing pet recipes in the fresh food kitchen, thinking about what she could try when collaborating with Isabella on an event.
Sunlight streamed through the cat paw-shaped window, casting lovely shadows on the polished floor.
Suddenly, the small, arched white wooden door in the kitchen, specially designed for cats, was pushed open with a bang by a cat's paw, and Tangyuan stormed in.
The little paws stomped hard on the floor, making a loud thumping sound.
His white fur seemed fluffier than usual, especially his tail, which bristled like an expensive feather duster, and his eyes burned with obvious anger.
"Outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!" Tangyuan's voice was sharp with anger. He rushed to Shi Wan's feet and rammed his head hard into her calf to show his anger.
Huanhuan, who was dozing on the supervisor's platform, was startled awake. She raised her head and blinked blankly.
Bingbing, who was fast asleep in his corner cat bed, just rolled over, mumbled "Is it time to eat?", and then continued his sweet dream.
Shi Wan quickly put down what she was holding, squatted down, and patted Tangyuan's bristling back to try to calm him down. "What's wrong, Tangyuan? Who made you so angry?"
"Who else? Those lawless cats!" Tangyuan's beard trembled with anger as he pointed his paw at the door.
"Those cat bowls next to the stone bench in the yard and by the back door of the warehouse! More than half of the cat food in them is gone! I just made sure they were refilled this morning!"
Shi Wan was stunned for a moment.
The farm's cat staff all have their own designated food bowls indoors, while a few bowls are placed outdoors for staff who might get hungry while outdoors, or for stray cat friends who occasionally visit.
Generally, with a fixed amount allocated, there won't be a significant difference.
"Did Bingbing steal some food again?" The first thing Shi Wan thought of was that fat orange cat who was never full.
"I've interrogated him!" Tangyuan said sternly.
"He swore he only ate his allotted three meals today, plus two pieces of dried duck meat he sneaked into the kitchen, and half a cat treat he tricked from Mianmian! He was even willing to swear on his most beloved scratching post!"
Shi Wan instantly believed Bingbing, after all, this was indeed an extremely serious vow for Bingbing.
"Is that... Little Flower? Dot? Or the new kittens?" Shi Wan continued to guess.
"I've checked everything!" Tangyuan raised her chin, looking as if she had seen through everything.
"Xiaohua and Diandian were chasing a really fat grasshopper today, they didn't have time to go near the bowl at all. The three new little guys were learning hunting skills with Lele in the cat grass field, they have alibis!" He got angrier and angrier as he spoke.
"I asked every cat that's allowed on the farm, and not a single one admitted it! What does that mean? It means some unruly creatures have sneaked into our territory and stolen our food supplies!"
This is undoubtedly a serious provocation for Tangyuan Farm owner, who considers farm order and property security his responsibility.
He felt his authority was being challenged.
Shi Wan looked at Tang Yuan's aggrieved and angry expression and found it somewhat amusing.
She picked him up, placed him on the clean countertop at eye level, and said earnestly, "Okay, Comrade Tangyuan, we will definitely investigate this matter thoroughly. Don't worry, it's not worth getting upset."
She gently stroked Tangyuan's chin until he started making gurgling sounds in his throat and his ruffled fur smoothed out a little.
“First, we need to gather evidence.” Shi Wan took out a notebook and began to take notes in a serious manner.
"Location of the incident: next to the stone bench in the courtyard, behind the warehouse."
Lost item: Cat food.
Suspect: Unknown outsider.
She looked at Tangyuan, "Farm manager, where do you think we should start our investigation?"
Seeing how much Shi Wan valued it, Tang Yuan's emotions calmed down considerably. After thinking for a moment, he regained his usual composure.
"I think we should start with footprints and smells. I'm going to investigate the site myself!"
Thus, the investigation into the cat food theft case, led by the head of Tangyuan Farm and assisted by Shi Wan, officially began.
They first came to the stone bench in the courtyard.
Tangyuan, like a seasoned detective, carefully sniffed around the empty cat bowl, its whiskers twitching keenly.
"Hmm... Besides the rabbit-flavored cat food we usually use on our farm, there's also an unfamiliar smell of dust and wild grass," Tangyuan pondered. "It's not just one smell, there are several mixed together! Looks like it's a group effort!"
Shi Wan also carefully observed the ground and indeed found some blurry cat paw prints of different sizes on the soft soil.
They went to the back door of the warehouse to check, and the situation was similar.
Tangyuan's expression grew increasingly serious.
"It seems we did indeed have uninvited guests," Shi Wan concluded.
She had a general idea in her mind.
As the weather turns cold and food becomes scarcer in the wild, some stray cats begin to expand their foraging range in order to survive, so it's not surprising that they found her farm, which smelled very abundant.
To confirm her suspicions, Shi Wan didn't rush to add cat food the next day. Instead, she, Tangyuan, and Huanhuan set up an observation point behind a bush not far from the cat bowl.
The target appeared shortly afterward.
First, two rather thin tortoiseshell cats cautiously peeked out and looked around. Once they were sure it was safe, they quickly ran to the bowl and began to wolf down their food.
Then a large yellow and white cat, along with two half-grown kittens, joined the meal.
They ate very quickly, as if they hadn't had a full meal in a long time.
Surprisingly, although they looked thin, their fur was somehow fluffy, especially the big yellow and white cat, which looked almost like a big ball of fur.
Tangyuan, watching from behind the bushes, was furious. He let out a low growl and was about to rush out to defend his territory when Shi Wan gently held him back.
"Wait a minute, Tangyuan, look at them closely," Shi Wan whispered. "They're very hungry, and look how fluffy their fur is."
Tangyuan squinted and looked closely, then snorted unhappily, "Hmph, are you going to get fat before fighting with Mimi?"
"I'm afraid not." Shi Wan shook her head and patiently explained.
"When the weather gets cold, many stray cats will instinctively eat as much as possible to store fat to keep warm. Their fur will also become thicker and fluffier, like they are wearing a thick sweater, so that they can survive in the cold winter. They steal cat food not to provoke others, but most likely to survive."
Tangyuan was stunned.
He grew up in Shi Wan's home and never worried about food shortages. He had a warm bed in winter and a cool fan in summer. Even after he left Shi Wan, he quickly returned to life on the farm, and when he looked back, he didn't experience much hunger or cold.
He looked at the stray cats who, despite trying to fatten themselves up, still had fear and wariness in their eyes. His puffed-up fur slowly flattened, but he still wouldn't back down.
"But... but you can't just steal other people's food! That's wrong!"
“You’re right, it’s wrong to take things without asking.” Shi Wan affirmed his principle and then changed the subject, “But look how big our farm is, and we have enough food.”
The weather is getting colder, and if we drive them away, they might not survive the winter. As the respected farm manager, could you consider a better way to handle this?
Tangyuan fell into deep thought.
He glanced at the stray cats that quickly disappeared into the bushes after finishing their meal, then at Shi Wan beside him who looked expectant, and at Huanhuan who remained silent but had a gentle gaze.
They lived well on the farm, especially after Shi Wan came, they never had to worry about having enough to eat again.
Wanwan prepares lots of delicious food for them every day, afraid they'll go hungry, and she also fulfills their little requests.
Wanwan is good to the cats, and the cats like Wanwan too, so they try their best not to fight.
Isn't the farm so warm precisely because of this mutual care and kindness?
A few days later, on a clear but chilly morning, the farm manager secretly gathered all the farm's cat employees in the yard for a meeting.
He squatted high in the tree branch, his voice serious and clear.
"After a thorough investigation by the clan chief and in-depth discussions with the two-legged beast administrators, the following resolution is hereby issued regarding the outsider's theft of food."
The cats below, from the fluffy biscuits to the little flowery ones, all pricked up their ears.
"First, Wanwan will build a temporary winter shelter on the leeward open space in the southeast corner outside the farm's boundary, providing basic food, clean water, and a windproof cat bed. Any cat that needs help can live there."
"Secondly," Tangyuan's gaze swept over the cats, "for the long-term development of the farm, and... um... to show our goodwill, the farm has decided to publicly recruit a group of interns!"
These words immediately caused a small commotion below.
"Hiring? Hiring those stray cats?" Bingbing muttered. "Won't they steal my food?"
Mianmian elegantly licked her paws. "As long as they are clean, I don't mind."
Tangyuan cleared her throat, silencing the murmurs.
"Silence! The recruitment will be conducted by Benmi and Wanwan. The interviews will rigorously assess candidates' personality, hygiene habits, compatibility with existing employees, and potential skills, such as their enthusiasm for catching rats. Successful candidates will become full-time employees of the farm and enjoy the same benefits, while those who do not pass will spend the winter in the shelter."
He paused, a barely perceptible tenderness flashing in their eyes.
"Winter is indeed tough for many cats, and our farm should help them if we have the means, but!"
His tone became stern again, "All cats must follow the farm's rules!"
The resolution has been announced.
The cat employees reacted in different ways, but most expressed understanding or acquiescence.
A few days later, a job fair was held discreetly outside the farm.
Shi Wan and Tangyuan, who was sitting on her shoulders, interviewed several groups of stray cats who came after hearing the news.
Some are timid and cowardly, some are wild and untamed, and some have clear eyes.
Ultimately, they selected two relatively mild-mannered and healthy young male cats to serve as trainee patrol officers in the warehouse area.
The newly built winter shelter, covered with thick straw and old cotton wadding, quietly lit up its warm solar-powered lights on a cold night, welcoming its first residents.
Tangyuan squatted on the warm windowsill of the main house, looking at the faint lights of the shelter outside, and then at the farm members sleeping peacefully inside. The tip of its tail swayed gently.
He might not be able to accept those outsiders immediately, but he knew that because of his and Shi Wan's decision, more lives would be able to continue warmly this winter.
This doesn't seem so bad.
He yawned, buried his head in his fluffy tail, and fell asleep peacefully.
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Author's Note: Tangyuan: Mimi is awesome!
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