Chapter 3: Morals Are Decaying, Cats Are No Longer Innocent
“Guuuurrrgle~”
Chi Qian’s stomach was crying out like an empty fortress.
“You didn’t have dinner with the Gu family?”
“They were too busy throwing a celebration banquet for their real daughter. Who would bother about me?”
Chi Muze walked toward the kitchen. “What do you want to eat? I’ll cook.”
Chi Qian rattled off without hesitation: “Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, braised tenderloin, spicy shredded tripe…”
“There’s only noodles.”
“Then… whatever noodles, just no cilantro.”
When the noodles were ready, Chi Muze set them in front of her. Just then, his phone rang.
It was Chief Assistant He, reporting that the temp assistant really was suspicious—he’d been caught in the emergency stairwell calling a rival company.
The stolen file was also retrieved.
Chief Assistant He: “President Chi, you truly have sharp eyes and foresight! If that document had leaked, I can’t imagine the consequences.”
That document concerned next week’s bidding for the East City development project. At this stage, any mistake could cost at least ten billion.
Chi Muze exhaled slowly. “Get everything out of him first, then call the police.”
“Yes, sir.”
So Chi Qian had been right.
Did she overhear this at the Gu family?
Or… was it really the cat?
“Uncle! Help! I’m being molested!” Chi Qian shrieked.
Chi Muze spun around—only to see the orange cat clinging tightly to Chi Qian’s thigh, tail thrashing wildly as it meowed.
Chi Qian pushed away its fat paw and shouted, “No! You and I are of different species! Forcing this will never end well!”
The big orange cat: “Meow meow meow!”
Follow me and you’ll live the good life, eating well and drinking better!
Chi Qian: “What kind of irresponsible family doesn’t neuter their cat? And lets it harass a pure and innocent young maiden like me!”
One girl, one cat—she retreats, it advances. She runs, it chases. Wings or no wings, she can’t escape…
Chi Muze’s temples twitched, and the ridiculous thought that had just crossed his mind shattered instantly. As expected, something that absurd was impossible.
He walked over and pulled the orange cat off Chi Qian’s back, “Eat your food.”
One cat was already noisy enough, and now there was Chi Qian too.
Luckily, he had to go on a business trip tomorrow—raising this kid wouldn’t be his problem for long.
The orange cat howled at him: How dare you ruin our love story that transcends species!
Chi Qian let out a breath of relief. That was close—she’d almost been overpowered by a kitten!
The world is in decline! Cat hearts are no longer pure!
Where is morality, where is the bottom line, and most importantly—where is the pet hospital?!
While slurping her noodles, Chi Qian sized up the apartment.
She recalled the plot from the book and thought, The Chi family really is a nest of villains.
Every last one of them was an antagonist, each determined to trip up the male and female leads without turning back.
And she, the little villainess… her luck would be stolen by the heroine Gu Hua, and she’d end up as nothing more than a stepping stone on her and Ling Qian’s road to romance.
Chi Qian clenched her fist. Even if she was a stepping stone, she’d rather crush down on their coffins than lie under their feet!
Since lightning had zapped her back here, there was no way she’d let herself meet the ending written in the book!
…Wait. Wasn’t her ending being tormented by the male and female leads until her body wasted away, dying young?
Plop.
At the sound, Chi Muze turned back to see Chi Qian sprawled flat across the table like a salted fish pancake, “Chi Qian, what’s wrong?”
“Uncle…” Chi Qian’s eyes were empty. “I don’t want to try anymore.”
It takes ten years of cultivation to run a pig farm, and a hundred years to achieve lying flat.
She’d raised pigs for ten years—didn’t she deserve to enjoy herself now?
Why struggle? She quit!
Chi Muze: What now?
The next morning, Chi Qian sat in his car with a thermos cup in hand, looking like she’d transcended all worldly concerns.
“What’s wrong with you?” Chi Muze noticed something off and asked casually.
“I’ve suddenly seen the light.” Chi Qian held the thermos like it was a lotus flower, her face serene with emptiness.
“As the saying goes, my fate is mine and not Heaven’s. If I live one more day, I profit one more day. From today on, I’m all about health preservation.”
To live another day was to earn another day.
“…So you’re carrying a thermos?”
“There’s iced cola inside.”
“…Didn’t you say you wanted to be healthy?”
“That’s why I added goji berries.”
Chi Muze’s mouth twitched. What kind of flexible fear of death, pseudo-spiritual health is this…
As they neared the Chi estate, he reminded her, “Chi Qian, when you get to your grandfather’s house, behave yourself and try to stay.”
“Behave?”
“Yes. Your grandfather hates children.”
Chi Qian’s eyes widened. “Then why are you sending me there?”
“This is for your own good.” Chi Muze thought of his father’s domineering, tyrant-like nature, and didn’t hold out much hope.
But Chi Qian had little bond with the family. If she wanted to gain a foothold in the Chi household, the best way was to stay close to her father.
As long as she could earn even a shred of his sympathy, her position in the family would be different.
He grew stern and, fearing Chi Qian wouldn’t take it seriously, warned, “If you can’t stay at your grandfather’s, you may end up homeless.”
Chi Qian: homeless = starving on the streets = dying young ahead of schedule.
Unacceptable!
“Uncle, don’t worry. Leave it to me. I’ll make sure it’s a total success!” She patted her chest in promise.
“?”
“I mean you can rest assured!”
Even so, Chi Muze couldn’t feel at ease seeing her like this.
The car drove down a long boulevard of phoenix trees. Past the shade lay a vast expanse of green lawn, square-patterned tiles stretching all the way to a sculpted fountain.
At the end stood a stately manor, solemn yet elegant, with guards in uniform at the gates requiring passes to enter.
Chi Qian’s face was puzzled. “Uncle, are we touring the castle before going to see Grandfather?”
Otherwise, why come here?
Chi Muze replied lightly, “This is your grandfather’s house.”
“What?! Isn’t Grandfather just a retired old man? How is he so rich?!”
He was living in a full-on luxury Barbie castle!
The phrase “retired old man” made Chi Muze laugh. “The Chi family’s way is to act grand, but live low-key. Years ago, a fortune-teller said Gu Hua’s fate was unlucky, so the family couldn’t show off too much. We hid our background and raised her as an ordinary child.”
“She’s never been here?”
“No. I told you, Grandfather doesn’t like children. Naturally, that includes her.”
Instantly, Chi Qian felt a surge of fondness for this grandfather she hadn’t even met yet.
As long as he disliked the male and female leads—he was her ally!
Inside the manor, they ran into an older man in a black suit, flanked by attendants.
His slicked-back hair revealed a face marked by authority and coldness. Thin gold-framed glasses sat on his nose, his sharp gaze carrying a ruthless, unfeeling edge.
Most striking was a scar slicing across his brow—at first glance, enough to frighten a child to tears.
“What are you doing back at this time?” Chi Lisen stopped and fixed his gaze on his eldest son.
“Dad, I just dropped Chi Qian off to you before heading to the airport.” Chi Muze gently nudged her forward.
Chi Lisen didn’t even glance at her, his frown deepening in displeasure, “Leave her with me? When did I ever say I wanted to see her? Who gave you the right to make decisions on your own?”
Even with his own son, Chi Lisen had never shown so-called fatherly affection.
Let alone for the love-struck daughter who had run away from home years ago and given birth to another little love-brain.
Chi Qian felt that, rather than disliking her, her grandfather simply didn’t even see her.
“Father, Chi Qian has suffered a lot in the Gu family, and her mental state isn’t good. I don’t feel at ease letting her live alone,” Chi Muze explained.
Chi Lisen: “Did all the maids at home die?”
“A maid can’t replace the companionship of a family. This is also something we owe her.” Chi Muze sighed. “The identity switch between Chi Qian and Gu Hua—at least half of the responsibility is ours.”
Chi Lisen kept a stiff face but relented a little: “Where is she?”
Chi Qian never expected that the reason her grandfather didn’t see her… was because she was too short.
She straightened her back, preparing to step forward and make a good impression.
But the manor’s servants had cleaned too thoroughly—the floor wasn’t just shiny, it was actually… slippery.
She had just taken one step when her foot slid out from under her, and she landed straight on the ground.
Right into the splits.
