Chapter 26
The dishes today were plentiful, more than enough to satisfy Zhong Ning’s appetite.
Xie Shiqing again put down her chopsticks after only a few bites. The assistant in the white suit they had seen yesterday had come to the villa at some point and whispered a few words into her ear. She frowned slightly and went to the study.
Zhong Ning watched her leave longingly, and even the sweet pumpkin porridge in her mouth suddenly lost its taste.
There was no “Good morning.”
So pitiful.
Turning her sadness into appetite, she drank another bowl of porridge.
Since Xie Shiqing was working in the study, Zhong Ning didn’t want to disturb her unless necessary. She grabbed the car keys, planning to visit the hospital to check on the little calico cat.
The video she had edited earlier had gotten promoted, and now the total view count across major platforms had reached well over a hundred thousand, with plenty of comments.
After all, there were countless people who loved small animals.
There weren’t many private messages, but Zhong Ning replied to each one. Many asked questions such as whether there were other cats in the house, whether the person was a beginner, whether the windows would be sealed, and whether they would consider neutering the cat in the future.
She immediately ruled out students and couples. People with stable housing and jobs were given priority, especially households with multiple cats.
Cats liked small group living, and people who had raised cats before were more experienced. Just by looking at photos of the existing cats, one could tell if they were well cared for.
After thorough screening, Zhong Ning had tentatively decided on an adopter. It happened to be the weekend, and since the person had the day off, they drove to the hospital to see the kitten.
The little calico had recovered quickly. Her vitality was impressive. Zhong Ning had consulted the doctor, then opened the cage and held her for a while.
That was when the adopter arrived.
She wore a dark green spaghetti strap long dress and had curly hair, carrying the maturity of fine wine, with a calm and quiet temperament.
Her name was Le Zhiyu, a member of the Le family, and a painter. She already had three cats at home and had been considering adopting a long-haired calico. She happened to see Zhong Ning’s video.
“Zhiyu-jie.” Zhong Ning greeted her with a smile. “Look.”
The little calico blinked her round eyes, looking curiously at Le Zhiyu. The latter stroked her head, and she immediately began purring, showing how affectionate she was.
“The doctor said she can be discharged tomorrow, but she’ll still need to come back for injections,” Zhong Ning said. “But she’s recovering quickly, and the treatment was timely. She probably won’t relapse.”
“That’s good,” Le Zhiyu said.
She offered to transfer the recent medical expenses to Zhong Ning, but Zhong Ning refused. She also said she would handle picking up the calico herself tomorrow, and that there was no need for Zhong Ning to buy food or other supplies.
After thinking for a moment, Zhong Ning agreed.
The main reason was that she felt Le Zhiyu seemed a bit socially anxious. She spoke softly and avoided eye contact. Zhong Ning had seen many people like that—at anime conventions.
She was someone who liked to immerse herself in her own world.
She had only offered to deliver the cat to its new home in order to take a look at the environment it would be living in, but since Le Zhiyu was from the Le family, there was no need to question her financial status.
The two didn’t have lunch together. Around noon, Zhong Ning said she would be leaving, and it was clear that Le Zhiyu was relieved.
She returned home right around mealtime, and while changing her shoes, she saw Xie Shiqing in the living room, with something laid out on the coffee table.
Walking over, she saw that they were invitation cards in various styles.
“Shiqing! Good afternoon. Why are you sitting in the living room?”
Xie Shiqing’s hand, which had been stroking the invitations, paused. Her tone was hard to read as she asked, “Where did you go?”
Zhong Ning had just settled onto the sofa when she answered, “Went to the hospital to see the kitten.”
Xie Shiqing gave a cold chuckle. “Do cats wear perfume now?”
The pheromones from yesterday had long faded. She had already been feeling a little unwell that morning. The assistant said that the traitor they had dealt with earlier had made new moves, so she had no choice but to endure the discomfort and go to work.
After finally finishing everything, she had wanted to find Zhong Ning—only to discover she wasn’t home!
Xie Shiqing’s expression darkened, gloomier than the storm clouds on the horizon.
Acknowledging her own desire and need was already frustrating enough for her. Not being able to find the person only intensified the irritation buried deep in her heart.
She sat in the living room just to see when that person would come back.
Perfume?
Zhong Ning lowered her head and sniffed, catching a faint trace of fragrance on her body. “It’s probably the adopter’s perfume.”
Dark Night Rose by DX—top of the most popular omega perfumes list, a classic.
Xie Shiqing knew very well.
Spent the whole morning out—was it really to see the cat, or to see someone else? She was clearly enjoying herself, while Xie Shiqing endured her heat and managed work at the same time.
She tossed the invitation onto the coffee table. As much as she wanted to mark her, she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
Coming home with another omega’s scent—did Zhong Ning have any awareness of being an alpha at all?
“Are these for the engagement banquet?” Zhong Ning picked up one with a red cover and opened it.
“It’s a divorce invitation,” Xie Shiqing said coldly.
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Xie Shiqing: You went to meet another omega behind my back!
Zhong Ning: Omega? What omega? The kitty is so cute!
Chapter 15
Zhong Ning’s hand loosened around the invitation card, and the stiff red cover dropped to the floor with a clack. “W-what do you mean, divorce?”
She was so shocked she stuttered. “You want a divorce?”
The card on the floor lay open, revealing the contents inside. Zhong Ning’s anxious heart settled once more. She thought Xie Shiqing was joking. “Come on, you scared me. Isn’t this just an engagement invitation?”
She picked it up and looked at the ones on the table again. They were all different in design. “Were these delivered this morning? Which one do you like?”
Xie Shiqing was almost laughing out of anger.
Was she doing this on purpose or was she just that clueless? Pretending not to understand?
She had made it so obvious, yet this person still didn’t see it!
Did she really have to spell it out?
—You have someone else’s perfume on you. I don’t like it.
That would make her sound like she loved her a lot, like some jealous and petty wife!