Chapter 3: ◎She Has a Responsibility to Prevent These Things from Happening!◎

The conversation at the dinner table stirred a memory in Meng Yiran of a particular plot point from the novel.

On the night of her own Coming-of-Age Banquet, Tong Yuwu had been the target of an assassination attempt. Though it hadn’t threatened her life, she was left injured and bedridden, requiring months of recovery. The assassin proved extremely cunning, slipping away without a trace when he realized he couldn’t succeed. The sheriff found no leads and was forced to close the case in haste.

The truth wouldn’t come to light for another year or so.

By then, Tong Yuwu had met the male protagonist. With his sharp wits and protagonist’s halo, they finally uncovered the mastermind behind the attack: Tong Rencheng. He had organized Tong Yuwu’s Coming-of-Age Banquet, using the event to siphon off vast sums from the Tong Family’s wealth. What’s more, he had abused his position to smuggle a gang of desperados into the castle to carry out the hit.

Meng Yiran figured this plotline served not only to highlight Tong Yuwu’s fragile beauty but, more importantly, to give the male protagonist a chance to impress her and win her affection.

As a powerless reader back then, there had been nothing she could do. But now, having become Tong Yuwu’s pet cat—rounding things out, that made her practically part of the household—she bore a responsibility to stop these events from unfolding.

She had to warn Tong Yuwu about her scheming relative to keep her from getting hurt. And she absolutely had to prevent Tong Yuwu from falling for that scumbag’s lies!

The family crest was a key prop in Tong Rencheng’s larger scheme. Meng Yiran couldn’t stand by and watch it fall into enemy hands. So when she saw him reaching to snatch it, she couldn’t hold back any longer. She bolted out from under the flower vase and landed a risky strike on him.

“Damn—” Tong Rencheng reacted swiftly, grabbing a plate from the table and hurling it at Meng Yiran. But with her feline reflexes and agility, she dodged it effortlessly.

Chaos briefly erupted in the restaurant. Tong Yuwu sat frozen in shock, while the servants—lacking direction from their mistress—didn’t dare intervene.

Moments later, The young steward returned with the red wine. Tong Rencheng reluctantly backed off, and the scene stabilized for the time being.

He knew better than to take out his anger on a cat. Instead, he jabbed a finger at the still-bleeding gash on his hand and demanded aggressively, “Is this how you treat your guests?”

Tong Yuwu immediately scanned for her personal maid. “Jenny?”

Jenny had been standing guard silently behind her. She stepped forward at the call.

As the highest-ranking maid in the castle, she naturally knew Meng Yiran’s background. She addressed the room: “This is the pet cat from the Aibute Family. I have no idea why she’s here, though.”

“It’s her…” Tong Yuwu murmured, as if recalling something. “I’ve seen her before.”

Jenny curtsied to Tong Rencheng. “My apologies, sir. It was our oversight, and it disrupted your meal.”

“You think a simple ‘our oversight’ covers it? Think again!” Tong Rencheng postured righteously, thrusting his wounded hand toward Tong Yuwu. “Yuwu, you’re going to make this right.”

Meng Yiran was furious enough to claw his face off, but her tiny paws were too short. She could only swipe futilely at the air, posing no threat at all.

Her focus was entirely on Tong Rencheng. She completely overlooked the one person whose eyes had locked onto her the instant she appeared—and hadn’t wavered for even half a second.

Tong Yuwu had been reaching for the wine the steward had just poured when she paused at his words.

She glanced at the blood seeping from Tong Rencheng’s wound, then quickly looked away. Lifting her glass, she swirled it gently, watching the crimson liquid catch the light as it rippled. “I’ll have the castle’s doctor treat you.”

Tong Rencheng went for the jugular. “Treatment’s the bare minimum, but my recovery’s going to take serious time and effort. You’ll also compensate me—one hundred, er, cough—two hundred gold coins!”

Tong Yuwu: “Oh.”

She agreed so casually that Tong Rencheng’s heart leaped with sudden glee. His tough-guy scowl lingered awkwardly on his face, making him look ridiculous. Snapping out of it, he muttered, “That’s more like it,” and flicked his hand, wiping the blood onto his clothes.

Just when it seemed the matter was settled, the little boy who had been sitting quietly at the table suddenly stood up.

“Daddy.” He tugged at Tong Rencheng’s sleeve. “I want that cat.”

All eyes turned to him. The little boy raised his chubby face and pointed at Meng Yiran. “Give me that cat.”

Jenny maintained her polite refusal. “I’m sorry, but this cat is a gift from the Aibute Family to the young miss. We can’t pass her on to anyone else.”

The little boy’s murky eyes rolled craftily. “Then let me borrow her for a few days to play.”

It wasn’t an unreasonable request.

But Meng Yiran belonged to Tong Yuwu, so Jenny couldn’t decide on her own. She turned back to seek her mistress’s approval.

Tong Yuwu focused intently on savoring the aroma of the red wine. Sensing Jenny’s gaze upon her, she gently lifted her head and nodded toward the little boy.

She curved her lips into a smile and nodded again. “You have to take good care of it.”

The little boy nodded carelessly and strode right up, reaching out to grab Meng Yiran.

Meng Yiran startled and leaped away in a panic.

She remembered it clearly: in the novel, while the male protagonist was dealing with Tong Rencheng’s family and uncovering their dirty secrets, one of the revelations was that Tong Rencheng’s son—this very little boy in front of her—had a particular fondness for abusing slaves.

For someone who enjoyed tormenting servants for no reason to suddenly take an interest in a cat…

Meng Yiran’s mind flashed to the cat abuse videos she had seen in her previous life. Her fur bristled all over as she fled from the little boy’s grasp with even greater agility than when she had dodged Tong Rencheng earlier.

But things were never that simple.

The little boy was clever. He directed the servants in the restaurant: “Catch it!”

Tong Yuwu had already explicitly agreed to lend out the cat, so the servants no longer stood idly by. They joined in the pursuit.

With the restaurant doors blocked by servants, Meng Yiran slammed on the brakes, spun around, and dove back under the large vase where she had hidden before.

The little boy chased her to the vase and squatted down, thrusting his hand in to grab her.

Meng Yiran didn’t hold back. She bared her claws and scratched wildly. Her sharp cat claws easily tore through the delicate human skin, and soon she heard the little boy cry out in pain and start sobbing. After that, several adult hands reached in, and without exception, every one of them got scratched.

In the restaurant, the steward confronted the maids. “What happened? Didn’t you say that pet was very docile?”

Jenny broke out in a cold sweat on her forehead. “I don’t know. It seems like Meili was the one taking care of it.”

The young steward looked stern. “Once we catch it, we still need to discipline it properly. What if it scratches the young miss when we send it to her?”

Jenny bowed to him. “Yes. Rest assured, we absolutely won’t let anything like that happen.”

Tong Yuwu was sipping her red wine.

Amid the chaos in the restaurant, almost everyone was focused on Meng Yiran under the vase. No one noticed that this innocent young miss, so unversed in the ways of the world, still had the leisure to enjoy her wine.

Hearing the conversation between the steward and Jenny, a glint of dark light flashed in her purple pupils.

The next moment, she set down her wine glass and wheeled her chair over to the vase.

Seeing her approach, the crowd parted to make a small space for her, though they had no idea what was happening. Soon, Tong Yuwu leaned in close to the vase. To everyone’s shock, she bent down as if to reach in and grab the cat herself.

Jenny nearly screamed in fright. “Miss—no—!”

She tried to pull Tong Yuwu away, but the wheelchair was locked in place and wouldn’t budge. Jenny could only plead, “This cat is frightened and going berserk right now. Haven’t you seen how everyone who’s reached in has gotten scratched?”

Tong Yuwu’s expression went blank, as if she couldn’t quite comprehend the words.

She simply turned to the wailing little boy and said to Jenny in distress, “But my little brother is crying.”

Jenny was helpless. “We’ll figure something out. You don’t need to trouble yourself.”

“It’s fine.” Tong Yuwu gave her a faint smile. “Mother taught me not to neglect guests. Since none of you can manage it, let me give it a try.”

With that, ignoring Jenny’s panicked cries, she bent down and slipped her unprotected hand into the bottom of the vase.

The porcelain walls of the vase reflected a cold white light onto her pale, slender wrist. Through her thin skin, the fragile blue veins beneath were clearly visible. The entire room held its breath, eyes fixed on Tong Yuwu’s movements. Worry and fear crept up their spines like a chill. Only Tong Yuwu, in the midst of the danger, seemed oblivious. Her gaze was intent, her face even bearing a hidden trace of reverence and anticipation.

Meng Yiran knew it was Tong Yuwu outside. Though she didn’t want to be caught, how could she possibly hurt this beautiful owner she wanted to protect?

As the hand reached in, she retracted her claws and froze, merely watching Tong Yuwu’s pale hand intently while shrinking toward the corner.

Strangely, Tong Yuwu merely extended her hand without further action.

After several seconds with no pain, Meng Yiran furrowed her brow slightly and pressed her body lower as Tong Yuwu stretched her hand out farther. Finally, with nowhere left to retreat, Tong Yuwu’s fingertip brushed against Meng Yiran’s body.

A delicate stalemate hung between them.

Meng Yiran didn’t dare move. Tong Yuwu groped around, her fingertip pressing against Meng Yiran’s mouth, tracing the position and shape of her fangs.

Meng Yiran’s mouth itched from the touch.

Unsure of the other’s intent, she thought for a moment, then extended her small tongue and gently, tenderly licked Tong Yuwu’s fingertip.

Tong Yuwu’s body went rigid.

Meng Yiran thought it was working and doubled down, licking a few more times with determination.

The Little White Cat’s pink tongue was covered in soft barbs that didn’t prick at all. Instead, they delivered a faint tingling sensation like a mild electric shock as they brushed over the skin. Meng Yiran was careful with her movements, but as she licked, she began to feel sorry for Tong Yuwu. The girl’s hands were so cold, like unyielding jade that refused to warm.

Everyone in the restaurant was watching Tong Yuwu’s situation closely. When they saw the strange expression on her face, Jenny’s voice even cracked with emotion. “Miss? How are you? Did it scratch you?”

Tong Yuwu’s brows furrowed in deeper confusion than if she’d actually been injured.

She replied, “Uh… not yet.”

“Not yet?” Jenny’s mind went blank for a moment, her wave of sorrow nearly derailing. “Uh… don’t grab it anymore. If you really anger it, that won’t end well.”

Tong Yuwu couldn’t stand the itch at her fingertips any longer and gently withdrew her hand.

The flawless white jade of her arm bore no scratches whatsoever. There was only a faint sheen of moisture on the pad of her index finger—barely noticeable unless you looked closely. But that subtle wetness was far from insignificant. Tong Yuwu’s gaze lingered on it for a long time, as if she couldn’t comprehend the unfamiliar tingling sensation it carried.

Jenny assumed she was heeding the advice and placed her hands on the wheelchair handles, ready to wheel Tong Yuwu away. Before she could say a word, however, Tong Yuwu suddenly leaned down again.

Meng Yiran was silently praying that Tong Yuwu would leave quickly. She didn’t want to be caught, and she certainly didn’t want to hurt the girl.

But things didn’t go as planned. On her second attempt, Tong Yuwu seemed to finally understand what she was doing. She didn’t hesitate this time. Spreading her fingers, she grabbed one of Meng Yiran’s front legs and began pulling it outward.

The motion wasn’t gentle at all. Tong Yuwu used considerable strength, gripping hard enough to send waves of pain through Meng Yiran’s leg.

Meng Yiran let out a yowl of pain but didn’t dare make it too shrill, afraid of startling Tong Yuwu. So even in this perilous situation, all the onlookers heard from the base of the vase were a few childish “mew” sounds. They didn’t sound like resistance at all—more like coquettish pleading.

The sounds had no effect. Meng Yiran could only desperately lick at Tong Yuwu’s fingers and the back of her hand with her pink little tongue to appease her. But this time, the licking did little good. Though Tong Yuwu’s movements paused briefly, she ultimately pulled the cat out from under the vase.

The Little Boy noticed and pointed at her, shouting, “The little cat came out!” He started moving closer.

Terrified, Meng Yiran took advantage of the moment when Tong Yuwu relaxed her grip. She scrambled up along the girl’s arm, onto her body, and finally crouched on her shoulder, trembling and curling into a ball.

Jenny was astonished. “You really caught it?”

She let out a soft breath of relief, a relaxed smile breaking through the tension on her face. “Miss, it looks like the Little White Cat really likes you.”

“Likes me?” Tong Yuwu picked the Little White Cat up from her shoulder and set it on her lap, murmuring Jenny’s words in repetition.

Confusion colored her expression as she gently stroked the Little White Cat. Her fingertip slid from the tips of Meng Yiran’s tiny ears all the way down to her tail. The adorable creature in her palm quivered slightly—out of fear, yes, but even more from restraint and a hidden urge to please her.

If not for the bloody scratches she could still glimpse on the servants’ hands out of the corner of her eye, Tong Yuwu might have assumed this creature was always so docile—friendly toward humans, rolling over to show its belly and beg for affection from anyone and everyone without discrimination.

But it wasn’t.

It had sharp fangs and claws that could easily slice through tender human skin, tear into muscle, and reach the flesh beneath.

With these thoughts in mind, Tong Yuwu’s hand unconsciously drifted toward Meng Yiran’s mouth. She pried open the cat’s lips to touch her teeth.

Unlike the harmless exterior, these were the teeth of a beast, gleaming coldly. The crescent-shaped fangs bore blood grooves, designed purely for killing. Yet right now, both rows of teeth were clenched tightly shut. Even as the Little White Cat grimaced in pain, she showed no intention of opening her mouth to fight back. She simply gazed up at Tong Yuwu with a pitiful, wronged look, tucking her tail and exposing her soft belly.

Seeing Meng Yiran’s distressed expression, Tong Yuwu felt a surge of delight. The corners of her mouth curved into a pleased arc.

Nearby, the Little Boy couldn’t hold back any longer. In a tone like he was issuing an order, he yelled, “Give me the cat!”

Tong Yuwu’s movements paused, and the upward curve of her lips straightened once more.

She looked up, meeting the Little Boy’s eyes directly. Under his expectant gaze, she narrowed her eyes and spoke two crisp words: “No.”

The Little Boy raised his voice in a clamor. “Didn’t you say I could play with it for two days?”

“I’ve changed my mind.” Tong Yuwu tilted her head, her frail body somehow radiating an indescribable pressure. “Is that not allowed?”

Her tone was mild, but her words rang with finality.