The fact that Xu Yinian cared about her daughter wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. As a businesswoman, once Shen Yi’s irritation at being treated as a substitute faded, she immediately thought of several ways to exploit the situation—”gentle” methods that would leave the dodder flower with no choice but to cling to her.
At that thought, Shen Yi lowered her cigarette, her voice as cold as ever. “Who told you? Or are you monitoring the villa?”
Shen Ruoshuang didn’t let the provocation stir her. Her voice remained perfectly calm. “Does the feeling of losing control not sit well with you? Don’t forget, you’re the one who set the rules.”
“Did you fail to learn that challenging someone beyond your capability carries a price when you were forced to withdraw from school?”
The crimson spark reflected in Shen Yi’s eyes suddenly flared, a clear warning.
But Shen Ruoshuang had already looked away, walking straight toward the back of the first floor.
Knowing that the pet room was in that direction, Shen Yi guessed the reason for her sudden return. She let out a cold snort. “Amusement at the cost of one’s ambition.”
Her slender fingers casually crushed the cigarette into the ashtray. Shen Yi turned and went to the bathroom to wash her hands and rinse her mouth, scrubbing away the scent of tobacco before heading upstairs.
This acted as a signal. The Butler, who had been standing by in fearful silence, froze for a moment, clearly guessing what was about to happen. After a moment of hesitation, she followed toward the pet room to keep an eye on the Young Mistress for CEO Shen.
Shen Ruoshuang was now wearing a mask, trying to soothe the cat.
The agitated calico had finally quieted down, sprawling on the floor and panting like a dog from exhaustion. To be honest, the cat’s personality wasn’t particularly likable; it wasn’t special in any way, and its hind leg was disabled.
Yet, the Young Mistress cherished this cat immensely. Before leaving for university, she had done almost everything for it herself. This was despite her cat hair allergy; in the past, a single touch would have her sneezing and her eyes itching until they were red.
Only through the villa’s advanced air filtration system and her persistent desensitization therapy had she been able to overcome it. Even so, she still had to wear a mask when entering the pet room.
The Butler had been busy tending to Miss Xu all night and only now noticed the cat’s abnormality. She finally understood why the Young Mistress had rushed back and felt terribly guilty for her negligence.
“Young Mistress, is the cat alright? Should we take it to the hospital now?” Watching its rapid breathing, the Butler grew worried. How heart-wrenching must this be for the Young Mistress?
“I contacted the pet hospital. They said that because of the storm, only nurses are on duty. The doctor can’t make it in. I’ll take him for a checkup myself tomorrow morning.”
It wasn’t just the risk to his disabled leg from such violent movement; more importantly, Buwang had been diagnosed with congenital HCM—hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. It was a feline heart disease, and seeing him struggle for breath was agonizing.
Back then, Xu Yinian had raised this kitten from a tiny, frail thing that was almost dead. One could only imagine the effort she had poured into it. Bringing Buwang back was a way to keep a piece of the past, but even more, it was Shen Ruoshuang’s way of seeking redemption.
The argument she had with Xu Yinian before transferring schools had left the other girl devastated. She had gone home so distraught that she forgot to feed the cat. The disabled kitten, hungry in the night, had been forced to drag its body out to scavenge for food.
The cat, having survived the entire harsh winter, had nearly frozen to death in the final, unexpected snowstorm of spring. Fortunately, she had been passing by the school that night and told the driver to stop, acting on a selfish impulse to go find him…
Thinking of Xu Yinian, Shen Ruoshuang’s nose beneath the mask began to itch and sting. The sadness was masked by the allergic reaction.
After another period of soothing, bloodshot streaks were visible in Shen Ruoshuang’s eyes.
“Young Mistress, if you stay any longer…” the Butler reminded her hesitantly.
Shen Ruoshuang gave a soft acknowledgment and stood up to push the door open. She knew that with Shen Yi and a stranger present, keeping the cat locked away was the only way to protect him.
But the moment she went to close the door, the cat—who had been quietly purring just seconds ago—suddenly bolted.
Despite the awkward, tense posture of his disabled leg, he was not slow. He shot out like an arrow from a bow.
Shen Ruoshuang and the Butler were both startled and immediately gave chase.
The cat was heading for the top floor—where Shen Yi’s bedroom and a guest room were located. That guest room was also… where Miss Xu had been placed.
If he burst into either room, it would be a disaster! Moreover, Shen Yi’s earlier signal of cleaning up meant she was likely heading back to Miss Xu right now.
The Butler’s sympathy for the cat vanished instantly; she was terrified this rebellious animal would be the death of her.
Shen Ruoshuang’s confusion outweighed her panic. At first, she thought Buwang had reacted to a perfume scent. After she returned, the cat had indeed calmed down under her touch.
But now, as he sprinted toward the upper floor, he didn’t look like he was afraid. On the contrary, it was as if something incredibly enticing was drawing him in. In the two years she had raised him, she had never seen such a reaction.
The two of them, breathing heavily, reached the top floor just in time to see the cat straining to stand on his hind legs. He was frantically scratching at the closed door of the guest room, his claws making a piercing, grating sound against the wood.
The Butler felt her vision go dark.
Shen Ruoshuang moved faster, stepping forward to scoop the cat into her arms, but her footsteps faltered. The villa’s soundproofing was excellent; unless someone was shouting or banging on the door, one couldn’t hear a thing from the inside.
A trace of inscrutable light flickered in her eyes. Her free hand reached out and settled on the door handle.
Shen Ruoshuang wanted to know. The woman Shen Yi had brought back—who exactly was she?
At that same moment, inside the room, Shen Yi leaned close to a pink-white ear stained with tear tracks, whispering each word clearly:
“She’s coming in.”
