As Tan Yi finished speaking, Xie Chen's usually indifferent face remained expressionless.
"cat?"
He asked calmly, "What, your cat is lost?"
"right."
To make things easier, Tan Yi simply opened the other person's car door and got in.
"Mr. Xie, I've been looking for my little cat. A couple of days ago, before I passed out, I saw you holding the little cat, and that's mine."
Tan Yi kept referring to his family as "my family's," which made Xie Chen frown slightly.
He found a little kitten, and before he could even properly care for it, this person wanted to take it away?
Apart from the driver, no one else heard their conversation.
Both Tan Yi and Xie Chen, who got out of the car, looked unwell.
They didn't reach an agreement. Xie Chen said that unless Lili acknowledges it herself, he won't send Lili away.
When they met last time, Lili didn't mention that she knew this person.
Although Xie Chen could sense that Lili wanted to look at Tan Yi a few more times...
Standing on the curb, Tan Yi gritted his teeth and stared at the Maybach driving away. He could tell what was going on.
"Trying to take my brother back and raise him? Dream on!"
He has a business relationship with the Xie family, but since the Xie family wants to take his brother away, don't blame him for turning against them.
“Lili”.
At the seafood restaurant, the owner gave Bai Li a large order: "The person who placed this order has a very strange personality. She especially dislikes seeing people. I heard that we have cat delivery services here, so I specially ordered you to deliver it."
"Be careful when you go there."
The boss packed up the ingredients the customer needed and had Bai Li carry them on her back.
"Go ahead, the client here is rich, he might give you a generous tip."
Bai Li nodded obediently, took the ingredients and the note with the address written on it, and set off to deliver the large order.
He came alone to deliver it; Meimei was busy with other things with Dian Dian and Da Hui.
City A is very large.
Unlike regular food delivery drivers who take the main roads, Bai Li chose convenient side streets, running along them with a clattering sound.
This order took more than twenty minutes to finally arrive.
The owner's address is very remote, located in a corner of the west side of the city.
The location was remote, but the house was quite nice—a large courtyard with three courtyards and a pair of imposing stone lions guarding the entrance.
Bai Li glanced at the large lion before stepping forward to knock on the door.
After knocking for a while, a woman's voice came from the security camera above the door: "Just push the door open and come in."
Bai Li was stunned for a moment, then followed the instructions, pushed the door open, and squeezed her chubby little body inside.
The villa was equipped with surveillance cameras all the way, and someone was using the cameras to give Bai Li directions.
Bai Li wandered around aimlessly for quite a while before finally spotting someone.
In the pavilion next to the lotus pond, a woman in a cheongsam sat on a stone bench, sipping tea.
The woman wore her hair in a bun, adorned with a green jade bead flower; she had fair skin and a serene demeanor.
However, there was a faint black mist appearing in the center of her forehead, and the black mist reached that spot...
Bai Li looked at her helplessly; she was so affected that she even had suicidal thoughts.
"Meow meow".
Bai Li used her cat-like hypnosis technique to call out to her, "Your order has arrived. Please sign for it."
When the woman saw that the delivery was indeed a cat, she smiled and said, "Okay."
The woman placed the items on the stone table, then lowered her eyes to look at the kitten that hadn't yet left.
She took some money out of her bag and stuffed it into the pocket hanging around the kitten's neck.
"Travel expenses".
Just as the boss had said, the woman was indeed very generous; these bills were all 100 yuan each.
But Bai Li didn't leave, not because she was waiting for Xiao Fei, but because she was worried about her.
Women don't like being around people, and if someone stares at her like that, she'll definitely get angry. But if the object of that stare is a cute little kitten, she doesn't mind.
Bai Li followed her, watching her carry the ingredients to the kitchen, throw them into the water tank, and then turn around and go to another room.
This is a dance studio. The woman changed into a dress and, barefoot on the floor in front of the mirrors covering the walls, twirled and danced freely.
Her dance on tiptoe was exquisite, and the various movements she displayed amazed even the cats.
I wonder how long they jumped.
Bai Li couldn't take his eyes off it. He was a cat with a lot of artistic talent; he liked painting, music, dance, and other things.
Especially when it comes to dancing, Bai Li can even dance many cat-themed versions!
When the woman stopped dancing, Bai Li clapped her hands in support, indicating that she was applauding.
"Meow."
So beautiful!
The woman's lips curved into a smile at his clapping gesture: "Little kitten, you can appreciate this?"
Bai Li nodded, and Meow Meow said bluntly, "Yes, you dance exceptionally well."
The woman's mind stirred slightly, and she recorded the few new dance moves she had just learned.
In the notebook recording dance moves, Bai Li saw a name in the upper right corner. He didn't know the status of this name in the outside world; he only felt that the name was elegant and particularly suited to a woman.
Zhou Zhi.
This is the name of a top dancer who is renowned both at home and abroad. Unfortunately, she retired five years ago, and no one has been able to find her since.
"I, I can dance too."
Bai Li could sense Zhou Zhicun's suicidal intent, but he didn't know how to dispel it.
In order to bring Zhou Zhi a little more joy in surviving, Bai Li took the initiative to reach out her paw and tug at her, wanting to perform a cat dance for her.
The dance studio floor was so clean you could almost see your reflection. Zhou Zhi sat cross-legged on the floor, watching the little kitten in front of her, dancing adorably for her.
Bai Li's short legs can even do the splits. He also learned a few of Zhou Zhi's moves and performed them in a cat version.
"Ha ha ha ha."
Zhou Zhi sat on the floor, laughing heartily at the adorable cat dance.
After laughing for a few seconds, Zhou Zhi was taken aback.
This seems to be the first time she's smiled like this since she was forced to leave the stage five years ago.
After five years of suppressed emotions, she had long lost the joy she once felt. On the eve of her peaceful death, however, she rediscovered a long-lost happiness in a cat.
Bai Li was solely focused on keeping Zhou Zhi alive. Therefore, he didn't notice at all that his cat dance was different from before.
Live on.
Try your best to live on.
This was a thought that had been unknowingly planted in Zhou Zhi's mind as she watched the cat dance.
The dark cloud over her forehead was slowly fading. The gloom in her eyes was being replaced by hope.
This world, along with Monster Mountain, is losing its spiritual energy. Filth has turned into black mist, harassing innocent people, and unseen evil spirits fill many corners.
As for the little Bai Li, he could shatter and drive away those black mists.
However, he himself is not yet aware of just how special his ability is.
After dancing the cat dance several times, Bai Li sat down on the floor, exhausted.
"Meow meow".
I've finished dancing.
Bai Li, panting, opened her wet eyes and meowed at Zhou Zhi.
Zhou Zhi fed him a glass of water, and after she finished, she reached out and stroked Bai Li's fluffy head.
"Thank you."
Zhou Zhi thanked him earnestly: "You've made me realize that I might have to change a decision."
Bai Li stared unblinkingly at her forehead, and when she saw that most of the black mist had disappeared, she smiled.
"Meow."
Be happy.
Living in such a big house, being able to dance so beautifully, and being able to order very expensive takeout—isn't that great?
Zhou Zhi held the kitten and walked around the yard for a while. She then personally taught him a newly choreographed cat dance before letting him leave.
Before leaving, Zhou Zhi gave her a handwritten invitation.
"Here, this is for you."
This was originally her farewell ball, but now, perhaps it can be turned into a comeback ball.
After five years of silence, Zhou Zhi thought it was time for her to return to the stage.
Bai Li emerged from Zhou Zhi's large villa, looking completely content.
Zhou Zhi just said that if he wants to learn a new cat dance in the future, he can come here to find her!
Bai Li, who wants to learn the new version of the cat dance, has decided to come and learn whenever she has time.
Bai Li had no idea how rare an opportunity it was to learn dance from Zhou Zhi; outsiders would kill for it. Even one of his own brothers had been turned down by Zhou Zhi.
Having lingered too long at the villa, Bai Li rushed to finish the remaining orders incredibly fast!
By evening, Bai Li had successfully completed all the orders.
The seafood shop owner grinned from ear to ear: "Lili, you've been a huge help to me these past two days by delivering goods to me."
He said before that rich people love novelty.
They're not short of money, so they just casually eat seafood.
Ever since Bai Li started delivering goods, his orders have been completely booked!
Moreover, the customers who placed orders all preferred him, asking him to send their cats to deliver the fish.
It's common knowledge that cats and fish are natural enemies. No kitten doesn't like to eat fish.
But the seafood shop's cat deliveryman carries a fish on his back and delivers it to the door right on time.
The wealthy customer who placed the order was overjoyed to see the little kitten carrying the fish, and the seafood shop owner who sold the fish was also delighted.
He was doing business with this group of people, and the profit margin on each fish was ridiculously high.
The current surge in orders and the positive word-of-mouth from customers are huge gains for him.
Bai Li was rewarded by his boss with several fresh fish to take home and eat.
Bai Li carried the fish to the bottom of the overpass and put it in an empty box.
"Meimei, Diandian, Dahui."
After Bai Li put them down, she didn't see them, so she turned around and went outside to call them.
Not long after.
Meimei came running back, followed by her two twin cats.
"Waaaaah, big brother."
As soon as we got back, little Dian Dian sat on the ground and cried, "There are notices posted on the streets and in the neighborhoods saying they're going to clean up the city."
City A is the most developed city, and I come here every few days.
Bai Li hadn't yet realized that something was wrong.
Until, Dian Dian tilted her head back and cried out, "So many people were wearing the same clothes and carrying big sticks, saying they were going to beat all the stray cats and dogs to death."
"Waaaaah, they say stray cats and dogs are bad for humans and will affect the appearance of the city."
Bai Li was puzzled by this statement.
The notice only mentioned cleaning up the city, but didn't explicitly say that cats and dogs would be killed.
Who are those people who beat cats and dogs...?
"Don't cry."
Bai Li pulled Dian Dian over and showed him the fish she had brought back.
"Look, the boss gave me several small fish. Come and eat some fish."
Bai Li gave the fish to Dian Dian and the others to eat, then turned and left.
"Big brother, where are you going?"
"I'll go check on the situation."
If those people who beat cats and dogs are nearby, then I'll have to take them all away today.
Bai Li cautiously wandered around the nearby neighborhood, and before long, he actually spotted someone.
Those people were wearing the same red vests, carrying sticks, and they also had banners in their hands.
Stray cats and dogs pose a significant threat; if you encounter them, you should neuter them immediately.
Bai Li, who could read, clenched her fists in anger when she saw the words on the banner.
The stray cats and dogs in this area pose absolutely no threat!
Black-footed Cat Brother manages this place very well; the cats and dogs never hurt anyone, and they always find secluded places to forage for food or scavenge for food.
The words on the banner are all nonsense.
Not only Bai Li was angry, but also a cat owner who was passing by holding his pet cat.
The cat owner frowned when he saw them carrying sticks: "Are you planning to kill any cat or dog you see?"
The leader smiled and explained to her, "We're doing this to rid the neighborhood of pests and contribute to cleaning up the city."
Seeing the woman adorned with gold and silver, and the pet cat in her arms sporting a gold tag around its neck, the man became even more tolerant: "Don't worry, we won't touch the cat you're holding."
The woman retorted, "What if our little darling gets carried away and runs off on his own? You'd beat him to death if you saw him like that!"
"No, no."
The other person quickly pointed to the gold tag around the neck of the cat in her arms: "I see your tag has a name written on it. A cat with a tag means it has an owner, so we won't touch it."
The woman was still indignant. She glared at the group of people with disgust, then strode away in her high heels, not wanting to say another word to them.
What does it mean to "eliminate pests in the community"? It seems to her just want to satisfy her own selfish desires and deliberately beat those poor stray cats and dogs for fun.
Bai Li was afraid that this group of people would actually find the cats and dogs, so after pondering for a moment, she decided to go and discuss this matter with Brother Blackfoot Cat.
His round, white body was hiding at the base of the dark gray wall in the residential area. Before he could run away, he was spotted by the group of sharp-eyed people.
"Hey, there's a kitten over there."
"Hurry, hurry! Stray cats carry viruses. If you get bitten by them, you'll have to get a rabies vaccine."
A group of men wearing thick red vests, muttering about how terrible stray cats were, chased after Bai Li with sticks in hand.
Bai Li: "!"
Seeing that things were not going well, Bai Li took off running outside with her short legs.
He ran fast, and the group of people chased him fast too.
Bai Li was chased and stumbled several times. Not only did he stumble, but he was also hit on the buttocks with a stick.
"Ugh."
The stick came crashing down, and Bai Li whimpered in pain.
He didn't dare stop; he didn't have a name tag around his neck.
A cat and a group of people ran past on the road. I spent the whole day looking for my younger brother's whereabouts, only to watch helplessly as the familiar little white kitten darted past me.
Behind the younger brother, a group of people carrying sticks followed.
"Holy shit?"
Tan Yi stared wide-eyed at the man who was hitting his brother with a stick.
A few seconds later, Tan Yi, who hadn't changed out of his hospital gown all day, grabbed a clothes drying stick from a roadside shop, tossed in a whole bill, ignored the change, and chased after the group with a murderous look on his face.
"Stop the fucking right there!!!"
Tan Yi roared furiously, disregarding his image: "They hit his precious younger brother right in front of him! These people are finished!"
Bai Li, preoccupied with running away, didn't hear his brother's voice and headed straight for Xie Chen's villa.
It's very late now, the gentleman should have already left work.
Bai Li ran straight to Xie Chen's door without looking back. When he saw the familiar door, he meowed loudly.
Xie Chen and Uncle Xie inside the house both heard the meowing.
"Sir, it's Lili—"
Just as Xie Bo was about to say that Lili's voice sounded off, before he could finish speaking, Xie Chen strode out.
The door opened.
Bai Li bumped his head into Xie Chen's leg, causing Xie Chen to land on his bottom with a thud, his head still dazed from the impact.
Xie Chen squatted down, and his heart sank when he saw the disheveled little kitten in front of him.
"Lili, what's wrong?"
Bai Li sat on the cold ground, tears welling in her beautiful amber eyes.
"Woo-hoo—"
He tilted his head back and burst into tears at Xie Chen, climbing all over him as he cried.
The little white creature, which was clean during the day, is now all dirty after falling several times.
Xie Chen didn't mind that he was dirty. He held him in his arms and patiently wiped away his tears.
With such gentle indulgence, Bai Li hugged Xie Chen's fingers, finally hiccuping and meowing.
"Sir, I want a name tag. With a name tag, I won't get beaten up anymore."
Upon hearing this, a hint of malice flashed in Xie Chen's eyes.
"Get beaten up?"
He noticed the dirty fur on the kitten's bottom, and suppressing his emotions, he lowered his head and asked, "Lili, explain yourself. What tag? And what happened with the beating?"
Bai Li held his fingers and recounted the whole story of how a group of people were catching stray cats and dogs with sticks, and how they were going to beat them to death once they caught them.
Xie Chen's tone sounded normal, but Uncle Xie standing next to him could clearly see that his master was angry.
"gentlemen."
Uncle Xie felt sorry for the little kitten and was also worried about Xie Chen: "You, you can't get angry."
It could be very dangerous if the man loses control of his emotions...
Bai Li held Xie Chen's hand, tears streaming down her beautiful amber eyes.
The threat of death was still too terrifying for him.
If he had run slower, he would have been caught, and he wouldn't have had a tag around his neck yet. There were so many people, he couldn't have fought them off.
Xie Chen stood up and held the tiny kitten close to his chest.
"I'm not afraid."
He lowered his head and kissed the kitten's fluffy head: "With me here, Lili won't get beaten."
Bai Li grabbed his shirt with her claws, buried her face in it, and her chubby little body trembled.
Fifty meters away from the villa, Tan Yi, wearing a disposable mask, was wildly swinging a clothesline stick at someone.
"You hit my brother? Go ahead and hit him!"
"Damn it, what a scare you gave my brother!!"
"If I saw it any later, were you going to beat my brother to death?!"
Tan Yi's fighting prowess among his brothers isn't particularly high; after all, he belongs to the artistic type.
His eldest brother and second sister were incredibly fierce. Especially his second sister; no one in the entire clan dared to mess with her.
His second sister had disciplined almost all of his younger siblings. Only Lili was protected by his second sister like the apple of her eye since he was little. Not to mention being disciplined, if Lili accidentally bumped into someone while playing, his second sister would hold a grudge.
"A bunch of trash!"
He kept cursing and swearing, and for a while, he managed to overpower the group of people, leaving them only able to dodge.
They have a lot of people on their side, but the momentum they're showing is absolutely reckless.
They were taken aback by Tan Yi's crazy enthusiasm.
After Tan Yi finished kicking someone, each person added another kick before he finally stopped.
The security guards at Xie Chen's door were signaled to come over and restrain the group of people.
Tan Yi turned her head and went to find her beloved younger brother.
A few minutes later?
Tan Yi looked at the familiar little white cat burying its head in Xie Chen's arms, and her nose tingled with emotion.
“Lili”.
Bai Li remained silent.
Tan Yi: "..."
Tan Yi raised his voice, his eyes reddening, and called out emotionally again, "Lili, it's Third Brother."
Bai Li remained lying motionless on Xie Chen's chest.
Tan Yi: "?"
Tan Yi raised his hand to wipe his red eyes, suppressing all his emotional outbursts. Then, he looked at Xie Chen expressionlessly.
"Mr. Xie, have you suffocated my Lili?"
Xie Chen freed one hand and stroked Bai Li's head, saying calmly, "I don't understand what you're saying."
"Tan Yi. You called him, but he didn't respond at all. Are you sure he's your cat?"
"Of course it's mine!"
Tan Yi looked at the back of her beloved younger brother's head, then at the man who was holding her brother captive, and found him utterly displeasing.
Pooh.
He had even praised Xie Chen for being generous with his endorsement fees when he worked with the Xie family before.
Looking back now, it was too early to praise him.
This man kidnapped his brother and has no intention of returning him!
“Lili”.
Undeterred, Tan Yi continued, "You really don't want Third Brother anymore, do you?!"
This time, he not only yelled, but also tried to drag his younger brother back.
But Xie Chen reacted quickly, dodging him and preventing him from succeeding.
The two men were fighting over a cat, and neither was willing to give in.
Xie Chen protected the little kitten in his arms, not letting Tan Yi touch it.
Talking to his younger brother wouldn't work, so of course he wouldn't agree and had to see what was going on.
After a few moments, Bai Li tilted her head back, and Xie Chen quickly cushioned it.
But Tan Yi still managed to see her beloved younger brother's face.
Bai Li, who had cried a lot, was sleeping peacefully and adorably in Xie Chen's arms with her eyes closed.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh".
The sweet snores of the little dog reached Tan Yi's ears, making her lips twitch.
He called out so many times for nothing, and it turns out Lili didn't hear a single word.
Give Lili to me.
Tan Yi asked, "This is from my family, it's very precious, I can't give it away."
Upon hearing this, Xie Chen smiled sarcastically: "You cherish him a lot."
As Tan Yi looked over, Xie Chen's eyes grew even colder: "Tan Yi, don't you find it ridiculous to say that?"
“I picked Lili up from the roadside. When I picked him up, he had been hit by a car, and the other party refused to take responsibility and tried to leave.”
"By the way, when he was hit, he was working, pulling a tow truck for someone."
“He not only pulled trailers, but also went to brick kilns to take pictures of people’s paw prints. He took pictures for many days, but the other party didn’t give him a single penny and even bullied him.”
"Besides the brickyard, he was also forced to do live streaming. Now he delivers goods for people and takes care of several other stray cats at the same time."
"When he was working, his claws were worn out, his food consisted of only a few cents for a white steamed bun, he drank free cold water, and lived under an overpass."
"Tan Yi, where were you when he did these things?"
Xie Chen's every word was like a nail, piercing Tan Yi's heart.
His heart was aching terribly.
The little guy who was once so precious to them on the mountain is now suffering so much.
Moreover, what is most unforgivable is that he and Lili were in the same city when all of this happened.
"It was my fault."
His voice was strained, and he clenched his fists tightly: "I was wrong."
"I should have found him sooner." Tan Yi stared intently at the dirty little kitten in Xie Chen's arms, tears welling in her eyes. "Mr. Xie, I will protect him from now on—"
"I don't need you."
Xie Chen added casually, "The time he was hit by someone, I got compensation for him."
"The brickyard owner who bullied him has been taken care of by me."
"The person who made him broadcast the live is now in jail."
That person secretly kept a gun; it wouldn't be right if he didn't go to jail.
"In short, Lili is being taken care of by me now, and she will be doing very well."
He won't let the group of people who beat Lili up this time get away with it either.
Afterwards, he would use some underhanded methods to ensure Lili's safety.
After listening to him finish speaking, Tan Yi paused for a few seconds, then came to his senses and said, "Mr. Xie, it's not a matter of whether the animals are well-raised or not."
"Lili and I..."
He gritted his teeth as he spoke.
How could he make Xie Shen understand that when he said Lili belonged to his family, he didn't mean Lili was his pet cat, but that Lili was his own younger brother?!
My own brother, born to the same mother, I really can't give him away to someone else to raise.
"What happened between Lili and you?" Xie Chen raised an eyebrow and asked.
He couldn't tell the truth. He was a human now, while Lili was still a kitten. If Xie Chen said they were brothers, he would probably think he was an idiot.
"Thank you, Mr. Xie."
Tan Yi said desperately, "Just give Lili to me."
Author's Note: My thoughts: This is my younger brother, my biological brother, I can't give him away QAQ
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