A Fateful Rescue and a Pink Predicament

With a bag in his left hand and a cat cradled in his right, Lin Ling truly returned home laden with treasures from this outing.

Initially, he hadn’t intended to keep the cat. Yet, before Lin Ling fully registered it, he found himself already at his doorstep, the tiny feline nestled in his arms.

‘This was certainly not Lin Ling’s conscious decision; his body had simply scooped up the kitten. It had absolutely nothing to do with him, Lin Ling.’

‘Alright,’ Lin Ling conceded, ‘I was indeed coveting the cat’s physical form.’ But no strange thoughts! He simply loved the feel of its silky fur.

After performing a simple disinfection on its wound, he let out a worried sigh.

Given Lin Ling’s financial situation, he certainly couldn’t afford a vet visit. This much was all he could do; the rest was left to fate.

Perhaps he could ask Lin Yiting later; she would surely know what to do.

With a plan settled, Lin Ling headed to the kitchen, prioritizing dinner before anything else.

Having lived alone for so long, Lin Ling’s cooking skills were quite decent.

While elaborate dishes were beyond him, he certainly had a knack for simple meals like this.

Just as he turned on the faucet, preparing to wash vegetables, Lin Ling caught a fleeting glimpse of a white shadow darting past beneath the window.

His heart lurched, but a closer look revealed it was merely the reflection of a car’s headlights. Swiftly, the white streak vanished.

Truth be told, that sudden flash had instinctively reminded Lin Ling of his previous nightmare.

It was this association that had truly startled him.

Downstairs, inside an unassuming sedan, the silver-haired girl gazed at that very window, a faint smile playing on her lips.

“Miss, are you finished? This is already a breach of regulations for me.”

The driver’s voice from the front was tinged with unease, but Chen Sishi merely waved a dismissive hand.

“It’s fine. I haven’t done anything out of line; he won’t blame you.”

“This… alright…”

“But… Miss, are you really alright with living in a house like this?”

“Yes, I am…”

“Alright, I suppose I was overthinking it.”

****

After dinner, Lin Ling pulled out his phone and dialed Lin Yiting’s number.

“Xiao Ling, is something the matter?”

Lin Ling heard his sister’s familiar voice on the other end.

After he recounted the rejection of his transfer application and his encounter with the kitten, Lin Yiting fell silent for a moment.

“It didn’t pass? I’ll try to communicate with the principal then.”

“Oh, Xiao Ling, what does the cat look like? Can you show me?”

Lin Ling activated his phone camera, snapping a few pictures before sending them to Lin Yiting.

Upon seeing the pitiful-looking kitten in the photos, Lin Yiting’s brow furrowed.

“Xiao Ling, is this cat so badly injured?”

“Yes, I’m currently debating whether to take it to the pet hospital.”

“Wait for me a moment; I’ll be right there.”

Du du du…

The call ended, and Lin Ling tossed his phone aside.

Seeing Lin Ling settle onto the sofa, the tabby cat hopped up as well, rubbing its head against his hand.

Meow~

Lin Ling swallowed, feeling a tickle where the cat had brushed against him.

When the tabby saw no reaction from him, it brazenly extended its barbed tongue, giving his hand a delicate lick.

Meow-wu~

Watching the kitten adorably try to charm him, Lin Ling helplessly ruffled its head.

Given the habits of felines, this little one was likely hungry.

As a child, Lin Ling had spent countless hours with kittens; his family kept many cats and dogs.

Consequently, he was quite familiar with the behaviors of these animals.

Having grown up around cats and dogs, Lin Ling held a deep affection for these small creatures.

It was only after he started working and moved out to make his own way that he had lost regular contact with pets.

Meow…

“Meow~”

Meow?

Man and cat stared at each other, wide-eyed.

When the tabby meowed, Lin Ling responded with a ‘meow’ of his own. The kitten, finding this odd, tilted its head, its feline pupils brimming with confusion.

Pfft~

Lin Ling burst into laughter at himself; he had actually been trying to communicate with a kitten.

“Alright, alright, I’ll go get you some chicken.”

With that, Lin Ling took a chicken drumstick and rinsed it under hot water.

This removed the chill, ensuring the kitten wouldn’t have any issues after eating it.

He tore off a piece of chicken and dropped it onto the tile floor. As soon as the tabby caught the scent, it leaped from the sofa and scurried to Lin Ling’s side.

Watching it eat with such relish, a faint smile touched Lin Ling’s lips.

It had been a long time since he’d interacted with a feline, and it felt as though he had returned to his childhood.

Knock, knock, knock~

At that moment, a knock sounded at the door.

The hallway light was bright, allowing Lin Ling to clearly discern the situation outside through the peephole.

Upon seeing Lin Yiting standing outside, Lin Ling quickly unlatched the door.

“Xiao Ling, where’s the cat?”

Lin Yiting’s first words were about the cat.

Lin Ling didn’t dare to delay, swiftly pointing to the tabby beside the sofa.

“It’s right there, Sis. Can you take it to be examined?”

“I’ll check its wound first.”

With that, Lin Yiting approached the tabby cat. Seeing a stranger draw near, the cat instinctively shielded the food on the floor.

Lin Yiting didn’t touch it, merely glancing twice before turning to Lin Ling.

“It’s nothing serious, just a superficial wound. I’ll take it to the vet to get it bandaged shortly.”

As she spoke, Lin Yiting grasped the tabby by the scruff of its neck, a fateful grip, and carried it straight out of the house.

“Xiao Ling, close the door tightly. I’ll be back soon.”

“Mm, got it…”

Watching Lin Yiting leave with the kitten, Lin Ling then shut the security door.

He returned inside and lay down.

Time ticked by, second by second.

Just as Lin Ling began to grow anxious, a sudden knock echoed at the door. He swiftly rose from bed and opened it, revealing Lin Yiting, who stepped inside carrying a large bag of items.

“Sis, what did you buy?”

“Hmm? Didn’t you want to keep it?”

“I just went to the pet store. Here, a litter box.”

As she spoke, Lin Yiting pulled a small pink pan from the bag.

Lin Ling’s brow twitched. He did indeed want to keep the cat, but with his school schedule, he felt uneasy about having a pet at home.

“Sister, I don’t really have time normally.”

“Hmm…”

Hearing his concern, Lin Yiting nodded in understanding.

“That is a problem, but kittens are relatively simple; just make sure they have food and water.”

Lin Ling considered this carefully, and it did seem logical.

However, what if the kitten wreaked havoc while he was out? Back when Lin Ling’s family had cats, their sofa had certainly suffered its share of scratches.

Meanwhile, Lin Yiting continued rummaging through the bag.

Before long, she had assembled a pink cage.

“There, when you’re at school, just keep it in the cage.”

While Lin Yiting’s words weren’t wrong, the sight of the pink cage, pink litter box, and pink cat wand gave Lin Ling a distinct sense that something was amiss.

He couldn’t shake the feeling.

“Um… Sister, may I ask why everything you bought is pink?”

“What’s wrong? Isn’t pink pretty?”

Lin Ling’s mouth twitched. It wasn’t that he disliked pink.

It was simply the thought of these items being displayed in his home that made him deeply uncomfortable. Firstly, they clashed with his home’s aesthetic, and secondly, Lin Ling felt pink simply didn’t suit him.

“You’ll get used to it. Don’t remove the bandages on its paws; take them off in a couple of days.”

“Sigh, fine, fine.”

Having finished her task, Lin Yiting departed.

Lin Ling sat alone on the sofa, surveying the mess scattered across his floor.

“I suppose I should clean up first…”