Chapter 410: Is My Love Something I Can Just Let Go of So Easily?
The day before the 3,000 people from Changjing arrived in Taoyang, the veterinarian Su Tao borrowed from Xiang Wen Man finally landed.
Su Tao hurriedly welcomed the vet into her home, opened the door to the room where Chilli was, and carried her out.
Black Sesame followed behind, meowing loudly.
The moment Chilli saw a stranger, her fur bristled, and she started acting wild again, lunging as if to scratch and bite.
Su Tao couldn’t calm her down and had to hold her tightly, worriedly asking:
“Doctor, please check her belly—it’s getting bigger these days. Could it be feline infectious peritonitis?”
The veterinarian chuckled, “Such a fierce little cat. Flip her over for me so I can check her belly.”
Su Tao did as she was told, revealing Chilli’s scarred abdomen.
The vet frowned slightly and gave Su Tao a strange look.
Su Tao quickly clarified, “I didn’t cause these wounds—I found her like this.”
The vet nodded and, after examining Chilli and asking about her symptoms, smiled and said:
“Looks like she’s pregnant. I’d recommend getting an ultrasound to confirm.”
Su Tao’s eyes widened. “Pregnant?”
She glanced at Chilli, then at Flame pawing at the glass door of the cat room, and finally, her gaze fell on the loud Black Sesame.
No way—seriously?
It had only been three or four months, and she was pregnant again? And the father was probably Black Sesame—after all, he was the only male cat in Taoyang.
The vet nodded.
“Unspayed female cats can go into heat and get pregnant quickly. Once she delivers, it’s best to have her spayed. Since you’ve got two other cats, I can neuter them all while I’m here if you’d like.”
Su Tao thought that made sense.
And so, when Black Sesame woke up, his “jewels” were gone.
White Sesame, on the other hand, seemed completely unfazed—after the anesthesia wore off, she went right back to eating as if nothing had happened.
Su Tao took Chilli to Shen Wencheng’s lab, where they had an ultrasound machine. The scan revealed that Chilli was carrying seven kittens.
Su Tao could hardly believe it. She counted the shapes on the screen over and over—it really seemed to be seven, though it was still early and not completely certain.
She shared the news with Wen Man, who was attending a wedding at the Xiao family’s estate.
Wen Man, struggling through awkward small talk with a group of wealthy socialites, immediately exclaimed, “Wow!” loud enough to turn heads.
Ditching the socialites, she grabbed her dress and called Su Tao right away.
“Really? Then… then… can I have one this time?” she asked cautiously after her initial excitement.
Su Tao laughed. “If you come to Taoyang after they’re born and Chilli doesn’t scratch you, you can sneak one away. She probably won’t notice.”
Of course, she was joking—Chilli’s attitude toward Wen Man had improved a lot, and she rarely scratched her now, only hissing occasionally.
With so many kittens, Su Tao knew she couldn’t keep them all, and giving one to Wen Man would ensure it had a good home.
Wen Man eagerly nodded, practically glowing with happiness.
The socialites exchanged confused glances—what on earth had made Miss Wen so excited?
*
With Chilli’s pregnancy confirmed, Su Tao diligently followed the vet’s guidance, preparing a birthing area and a care kit.
The vet also agreed to stay until the kittens were born, which greatly relieved Su Tao. If there were complications during delivery, she wouldn’t be helpless.
Just then, her communicator buzzed. When she answered, a familiar male voice came through:
“You called me several times—did something happen? We’ve been traveling non-stop and just reached Shou’an, where there’s finally a signal.”
It was Lei Xing.
Su Tao felt a wave of relief, remembering the vision she’d had.
“You’re okay, right?”
Thankfully, they had captured the shapeshifter before it could target Lei Xing. If things had unfolded as she foresaw, Lei Xing might already be in danger.
Lei Xing fell silent for a moment.
Since the Alliance Summit and the mess with Chu Yue, he hadn’t contacted her.
Part of it was shame—he felt responsible for the trouble she endured. Despite her repeated rejections, he had kept pushing, leading to misunderstandings and Chu Yue’s resentment, which nearly resulted in her being harmed.
These thoughts haunted him, making him feel unworthy of reaching out.
When he finally saw her missed calls, his first thought was that she was in trouble and needed him. If not for Huo She and the others stopping him, he would have rushed to Taoyang immediately.
It was Da Zui who calmed him down, suggesting he call back first to find out what was happening.
“I’m fine. I was just worried about you. Seeing all those missed calls nearly scared me to death,” he admitted.
Su Tao sighed. “I called because I was afraid something had happened to you. I’m glad you’re safe—everything’s fine on my end.”
She was worried about him.
Lei Xing’s heart lifted, his mood soaring. “Taotao?”
Su Tao cut him off briskly, “I was just worried you’d die—that’s all.”
To drive the point home, she added:
“As a friend, of course. I’d feel the same if Xue Dao died. You’re a living, breathing person—it’s only natural to care.”
Lei Xing’s enthusiasm deflated instantly.
Su Tao softened her tone.
“Lei Xing, don’t you think you’re tying yourself down? You used to be so carefree—where did that ‘I’m the king of the world’ attitude go?”
Lei Xing muttered, “Easy for you to say. Do you think love is something I can just turn off like a switch?”
Su Tao closed her eyes and decided to be blunt:
“And do you think not loving you is something I can change? If you could cast a spell to make me love you, fine—but since you can’t, do yourself a favor and move on.”
Lei Xing’s frustration boiled over. “You’re ruthless—this is killing me, you know.”
Su Tao, however, was determined to cut things clean.
“Better to hurt now than drag it out. At least this way, we can still be friends.”
Lei Xing fell silent.
He understood—if he couldn’t let go, they wouldn’t even have friendship left.
