A Aloof Beauty Becomes a Tiny Kitten / Transmigrated as the Disabled Tycoon’s Tiny Kitten - Chapter 15

Finally, when Xu Yi sat down at the dining table to eat, he was still a bit dazed.

What’s wrong with Mom? Didn’t she dislike Snowball yesterday?

Recalling the way his mother had just held the kitten and nuzzled its face with such intimacy, the boy felt a twinge of jealousy. Fortunately, Snowball didn’t seem to enjoy the interaction. When his mother leaned in, the kitten’s tiny paw pressed firmly against her cheek in a clear display of resistance and disdain.

Yet, despite having her face stepped on, his mother wasn’t angry at all; in fact, she looked quite delighted.

Xu Yi understood that feeling. The pink pads on the kitten’s paws were tiny and soft; having them pressed against your face didn’t hurt at all. Moreover, Snowball was incredibly well-behaved; he never extended his sharp claws, keeping them tucked away in his soft, fleshy paws. In the days they had spent together, Xu Yi hadn’t been scratched once.

Who wouldn’t love a kitten like this?

He had always thought his mother would eventually come to like Snowball, but… this was too fast!

Thinking back to how he had mistakenly thought his mother was reaching out to hug him, the boy felt a flush of embarrassment. However, seeing the genuine smile on Du Hanrong’s face, Xu Yi pushed down his internal gloom. His mother was different from others. If having the cat made her a little happier every day, he didn’t mind sharing his “little treasure.” Snowball was so cute, after all; he deserved to be loved by everyone.

Thus, a “family crisis” passed peacefully through the boy’s self-reconciliation.

In the afternoon, with everyone off to school and work, Lin Xingmo was the only one left at home. He didn’t stay idle. After they left, he slipped out onto the balcony.

The kitten had set his sights on the laundry sink. After a series of leaps and tumbles, he finally succeeded in jumping onto the sink using his own strength. The sky outside remained clear, but the winter sun, though bright, carried a lingering chill.

Lin Xingmo poked his head out. He stared at the tree closest to the house, measuring the distance between the nearest branch and the second-floor security bars. Then, he returned to the living room and used the dining table and sofa chairs to practice his jumping.

The second floor was still a bit too high for him; he didn’t want to attempt a leap only to end up injured or worse. Diligent training was never a mistake. Besides, it seemed he would be spending a lot of time here, experiencing life as a cat.

Since becoming a feline, Lin Xingmo had developed a strong curiosity about the world. He thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of his heart racing after a thrilling experience. He wanted to go out and explore—provided it was safe.

He trained seriously until he heard movement at the door, at which point he quickly stopped. It was Xu Yi. Upon entering, the boy scooped him up and buried his face in the kitten’s belly, nuzzling gently. Lin Xingmo endured it. A second before he lost his patience, the boy let go and skillfully tucked him into his pocket.

“Let’s go. We’re heading to the West District today.” The boy’s voice was full of cheer.

He packed his things and left, stopping at the general store to get the tricycle. Before he left, Grandpa Zhao insisted on stuffing a handful of candy into his hand.

Today, Lin Xingmo saw the big orange cat, Niuniu, again. She was still fierce, baring her teeth at Xu Yi until Grandpa Zhao gave her a swat. She scurried under a cabinet, leaving only her fluffy tail visible.

In the past, Xu Yi might have felt sad. He truly loved cats, but cats never seemed to like him. But now it was fine—he had Snowball, the best little treasure in the world!

The boy pedaled away with a smile, while Lin Xingmo, sitting in the pocket, narrowed his eyes as he watched the orange cat’s retreating back. He only looked away once they turned the corner.

Today, Xu Yi didn’t go to the park from before. Instead, he pedaled in a completely different direction. After about twenty minutes, they arrived at a market entrance, and the boy set up his recycling sign. Before long, a group of children swarmed over with cans and bottles. Clearly, these were regular customers.

Lin Xingmo used his old trick, successfully helping Xu Yi “hook” several more cans from eager kids.

Just then, a tall, fashionably dressed young woman walked over. She looked at the kitten in the boy’s pocket and said with a smile, “Little brother, your cat is so clever and has such a good temper… Is he for sale? How about a hundred yuan?”

Xu Yi, who was collecting cans, frowned. He looked at the woman and shook his head. “The cat isn’t for sale.”

The woman looked disappointed but didn’t push. However, as Xu Yi was packing up his stall, she returned. This time, she was carrying a bundle of scrap cardboard.

Thinking she was trying to buy the cat again, the boy frowned. “I’m not selling the cat, no matter the price.” He glanced at the cardboard and added, “I don’t collect scrap paper either; I didn’t bring a scale.”

Usually, professional recyclers went door-to-door for cardboard; he couldn’t compete with them and lacked the strength for it, so he had given up on that profit margin.

“No need. Big sister is giving them to you,” the woman laughed. “They’re just taking up space at home. Just take them to the recycling center for me. If you don’t want them, you can toss them.”

She tossed the bundle into his tricycle basket and clapped her hands, her smile bright and open.

Lin Xingmo leaned against the edge of the pocket, looking up at her. In his own world, he had seen many beautiful people, but this woman—who was merely “pleasant-looking”—seemed to possess a different kind of radiance. It was a beauty he wouldn’t have noticed before.

The woman looked down and saw the kitten staring at her. Taking advantage of the boy’s daze, she reached out and quickly stroked the kitten’s head. By the time the boy instinctively pulled back, she had already succeeded.

“My, I’ve never seen such a cute, well-behaved kitten.” Her eyes shone. “He doesn’t seem to be afraid of strangers. You better keep a close eye on him, or someone might lure him away with a piece of dried fish.”

Seeing the boy’s unhappy look, she felt somewhat triumphant. “Sell these boxes and buy him some treats. No need to thank me.” She waved and walked into a small supermarket across the road.

Xu Yi frowned and looked down at Snowball. The woman’s words reminded him that he had lured his “little treasure” home with a meat bun…

Seeing the boy’s features scrunched in worry, the kitten tilted its head, looking innocent. Then, as if reaching a decision, Xu Yi pedaled the tricycle toward the recycling center.

Cardboard sold for 35 cents per catty. The woman had given him nearly twenty catties, earning him about six yuan. Combined with the cans and bottles, his daily earnings topped twelve yuan—nearly what his mother earned in a full day at the factory without overtime.

Xu Yi clutched this “fortune” and fell silent. Standing in the evening breeze, he finally said, “Snowball, let’s go home.”

“Meow.”

Hearing the response, a smile finally broke across Xu Yi’s face, and he pedaled home with renewed energy.

The next day at noon, Lin Xingmo was given dried fish.

“This fish is a bit salty; you can’t eat too much,” the boy said seriously, squatting before him. He had visited several shops but couldn’t find salt-free dried fish, eventually settling for the least salty one.

However, Lin Xingmo didn’t like it. He had read about cat care and knew they were carnivores; they didn’t need fish to grow, and he had no interest in dry, salty snacks. He ate one piece to be polite, then used a paw to push the bowl back toward the boy.

Xu Yi blinked, charmed by the gesture. “You don’t like dried fish?”

Lin Xingmo didn’t answer. He jumped down from the stool to get some water; the fishy smell in his mouth was unbearable.

Xu Yi was actually quite happy that the kitten didn’t like fish—it meant he didn’t have to worry about someone luring Snowball away with it. As for the rest of the fish, he and his mother could eat them.

In the afternoon, Lin Xingmo practiced his jumping again. Though sleepy, he forced himself to stay awake, fearing he’d return to his own body. He was adapting to life as a cat; though inconvenient, it was tolerable. After all, Xu Yi really doted on him.

When Xu Yi returned from school and took him out again, Lin Xingmo noticed they went to a new location. But because he hadn’t slept all day, he was too tired to “work” the crowd.

That night, he stayed awake until Du Hanrong returned. Once she put him back in Xu Yi’s room, he couldn’t help but fall asleep in the box. He slept deeply. When he opened his eyes, it was morning—and he found he hadn’t returned to his own body.

In fact, he stayed there for nearly half a month, accompanying the young Xu Yi and his mother. He couldn’t figure out the pattern, so he simply went with the flow.

The kitten grew rapidly. Under the boy’s careful care, he filled out significantly, his fur becoming denser and glossier. He was becoming too big for the coat pocket. The blue film on his eyes had fallen away, revealing a beautiful light blue like the sea, which delighted the boy for days.

The “leveled-up” kitten became even more popular with the neighborhood kids. Lin Xingmo noticed that Xu Yi visited different places every day, keeping a “weekly schedule” with various groups of children. This allowed them a week to collect recyclables, making the haul quite substantial. It was a mutually beneficial partnership: the kids got pocket money and toys, and Xu Yi increased his income.

Because of this, Xu Yi had taken him across half the city—Lin Xingmo felt he had traveled more as a cat than a human.

Even on weekends, the boy didn’t rest. Since Du Hanrong worked at the factory nearly year-round, the concept of a “holiday” didn’t exist for him. However, he didn’t collect recycling on weekends; instead, he went to a classmate’s home in a nearby compound to tutor him.

The classmate’s parents had initially just wanted a playmate for their son, but after seeing the massive improvement in their child’s grades, Xu Yi’s weekend gig became a fixed job. Though it only paid five yuan a day, it was excellent for a boy his age.

Lin Xingmo saw everything. From his initial curiosity, he began to feel a new emotion: “heartache.”

One morning, Lin Xingmo woke as usual. After watching Du Hanrong leave, he jumped onto the laundry sink. He watched the residents below, his tail swaying.

Soon, he realized something was wrong.

He jumped down and checked the clock. It was past the usual wake-up time, yet the boy hadn’t appeared. Xu Yi was a disciplined child; he never slept in.

Lin Xingmo ran back to the bedroom. Jumping onto the bed was no longer a challenge for him. He saw the boy huddled under the quilt, still sleeping.

He moved over and used his head to nudge the quilt aside. Beneath the covers, the boy’s eyes were closed, and his face was flushed with an unnatural, feverish red.

The author says:

CEO Xu: [Twisted with jealousy.jpg]