Chapter 266: The Wandering Tomcat
Su Tao had never raised a cat before and had no idea when kittens went into heat. Seeing Qiu Yin’s odd expression, she thought something was wrong with Black Sesame.
“What’s wrong with it? Is there a problem?”
Qiu Yin shook her head and explained the key points about male cats going into heat:
“They might start spraying everywhere, yowling nonstop, and trying to run away from home to find female cats. Their appetite might also decrease. It’s actually quite uncomfortable for them. Before the apocalypse, most pet owners would have them neutered, which was said to even extend their lifespan.”
Su Tao was stunned for a moment, her eyes falling on the small bell around Black Sesame’s neck as she sank into thought.
Qiu Yin added, “It’s not absolutely necessary to neuter him, especially now when finding a pet doctor is difficult. You wouldn’t want to make things worse. Some male cats change their personality completely after neutering, and there’s even a risk of complications from anesthesia, like shock or death. So you should consider it carefully.”
Su Tao immediately decided against neutering Black Sesame. The apocalypse was nothing like the pre-apocalypse world—if anything went wrong with the surgery…
Then she pointed at White Sesame, who was currently burrowed under Xuedao’s belly, and asked, “What about female cats? When do they go into heat?”
Qiu Yin thought for a moment. “Around ten months, so it won’t be long. Female cats suffer even more when they’re in heat, and spaying them is more complicated—it requires abdominal surgery.”
Su Tao sighed. She hadn’t even noticed how quickly her two furry kids had grown up.
Sure enough, that very night, Black Sesame started meowing strangely. The sound was different from its usual cries when it wanted to go outside—it was drawn-out and pitiful.
Still half-asleep, Su Tao sat up groggily, just in time to hear scratching at the window.
Black Sesame knew how to open doors and windows.
Now fully awake, she forced her eyes open just in time to see the little rascal pushing the window open and slipping into the night. In a blink, it was gone.
Su Tao flopped back onto her bed, resigned. Whether in heat or not, Black Sesame was always going to run away. No door or window could cage its free spirit.
The next morning, just as she was opening a can of food for White Sesame, the runaway tomcat returned, prying the window open as if nothing had happened. No one knew what it had been up to all night.
As soon as it landed back inside, it immediately shoved White Sesame aside and gobbled up its sister’s food in just two bites.
White Sesame sniffed at the now-empty bowl, looking on the verge of tears.
Su Tao sighed and had to open another can just for her.
Once all three of her furry companions had eaten their fill, she received good news from Shi Zijin—Dongyang had approved her request for a 10-million federal credit investment for construction.
Thanks to Shi Zijin’s influence, the full amount was deposited into her account by noon.
Su Tao was overjoyed. She had thought she’d have to wait until their departure for Xindu for the funds to come through, and that was still almost a week away.
That very same day, she spent 7.2 million federal credits to construct a protective shield.
Meanwhile, at school, Shi Ziyue was drenched in sweat during her theory class.
The school technically had air conditioning, but the extreme heat caused frequent malfunctions. Eventually, the AC units became irreparable, and with no replacements available, the school had to install ceiling fans in each classroom instead.
But the air they blew was still hot.
Every day, Shi Ziyue traveled from the cool, comfortable environment of Taoyang to the sweltering, sticky school. It was pure suffering.
By afternoon, she felt like she was being steamed alive, slumped over her desk without the will to move.
If only they could move the school to Taoyang.
Her brother had mentioned a few days ago that Taoyang might be taking over their school, but she didn’t know when exactly. If it took too long, she’d seriously consider dropping out…
Shi Ziyue was well-liked in class, often bringing snacks and supplies from Taoyang to share with her classmates.
Sometimes, she even invited them over for a visit.
And with her brother being Major General Shi, not just her classmates but even the teachers favored her.
One person who didn’t like her was Li Ruili.
To Li Ruili, Shi Ziyue was just lucky—born into a good family, living in Taoyang, and constantly surrounded by people kissing up to her.
Seeing Shi Ziyue casually pulling out a pack of mint candies from her bag and sharing them with the others, Li Ruili’s annoyance only grew.
After eating the mints, everyone felt significantly cooler and perked up. They chattered excitedly around Shi Ziyue:
“Ziyue, you know Taoyang’s boss really well, right? Can you find out when they’ll have more housing available?”
“Yeah, it’s been over half a month, and still no vacancies! My family checks Taoyang’s website every day, terrified of missing an opening. The heat is unbearable everywhere else!”
“Ziyue, I heard a rumor that Taoyang might take over our school. Is that true?”
Shi Ziyue, clueless about these matters, could only shake her head while continuing to hand out candy.
Even when she got to Li Ruili, she didn’t hesitate and offered her a piece.
“Want one? It helps with the heat.”
Li Ruili refused, watching the others fawn over Shi Ziyue with growing irritation. Then, in a sarcastic tone, she sneered,
“If you can’t even handle a little heat, how do you expect to join the military?”
Her comment targeted almost everyone, and some immediately fired back.
“Oh, shut up! Acting like being heat-resistant makes you some war hero. If our school really does move to Taoyang and gets AC like the daycare and orphanage, why don’t you go take your classes outside?”
Nobody really liked Li Ruili, so someone immediately chimed in:
“Yeah, if you’re so tough, then keep enduring the heat. Otherwise, just shut up.”
Li Ruili’s eyes turned red with anger. She felt like everyone was just sucking up to Shi Ziyue and ganging up on her.
“Fine! I can take the heat—I’m not weak like you all!”
But the moment she finished speaking, the temperature around them suddenly started dropping at an alarming rate. The previously stifling heat disappeared in less than thirty seconds, replaced by a refreshing coolness.
Everyone perked up instantly.
Before anyone could react, a voice shouted from outside the classroom:
“The protective shield is up! Taoyang has officially taken over our school!”
Two boys immediately bolted out the door, and within seconds, the entire class—except for Li Ruili—rushed after them.
Li Ruili stood frozen, her mouth slightly open.
When everyone returned after checking out the situation, someone couldn’t resist mocking her:
“Li Ruili, do you need help moving your desk outside?”
Li Ruili nearly exploded with frustration.
Mentally, she told herself she was strong—she could handle moving outside. She was going to be a soldier one day, unafraid of hardship or heat.
But physically… this cool, comfortable temperature made her feet feel like they were glued to the floor.
She had never been to Taoyang before and never knew that such a perfect climate existed.
No sweating, no sticky discomfort—just a refreshing coolness that seeped through her whole body, clearing her mind and making her feel more alive than ever.
She sat still, her face dark with frustration.
Now that she had tasted this comfort, the thought of going back to sweltering heat for class was unbearable.
The students who had mocked her earlier exchanged knowing glances. Then, imitating her previous tone, one of them smirked:
“Li Ruili, if you can’t even resist a little temptation, how do you expect to join the military?”
