Chapter 12
Talent
“Meow, meow, meow, meow…”
As the little kitten meowed, it rubbed its furry cheek against Gu Yanfei’s chin coquettishly. The white whiskers on its lips swayed with its movements. It was as cute as it could be.
The Classic of Mountains and Seas said, “There are beasts in the mountains of stones, whose shape is like a raccoon with a white head and tiger claws. They are called Liang Qu.”
The furball in front of her was Liang Qu, a spirit beast in the Bright Spirit Realm. Moreover, it was her contractual spirit beast who had accompanied her for more than a hundred years. She was also the one who had given it the name Qing Guang.
In her memory, Qing Guang had always been majestic and invincible.
And now…
Gu Yanfei grabbed the back of the kitten’s neck and saw its four claws swaying helplessly in the air. The soft flesh at the bottom of its claws was like plum blossoms, making it look pitiful.
“Forget it, being a cat isn’t bad either,” Gu Yanfei muttered to herself. Her lips curled upwards, and a faint smile spread to her eyes, laced with a hint of gentleness.
How nice it was that Qing Guang was here. She was no longer alone.
Gu Yanfei hugged the kitten in her arms and stroked it gently. The kitten felt extremely comfortable and meowed non-stop in its sweet voice.
Its joyous cry resounded through the hall, giving off an imposing aura.
The sound of the cat could be heard outside the hall. Madam Gu heard it too and could not help but stop. She asked in a low voice, “Why is there a cat?”
“Madam, perhaps it’s a wildcat from somewhere,” the round-faced old maid replied respectfully.
“Quick, kill that cat and throw it out!!” Madam Gu ordered sternly with a dark expression.
As soon as she gave the order, the old granny turned around and headed back to the main hall with the old women. She held her head high and exuded a fierce aura.
Gu Yunzhen frowned slightly and tried to persuade her. “Grandma, it’s just a kitten…”
“Shut up!” Madam Gu interrupted Gu Yunzhen coldly.
Gu Yunzhen gripped her handkerchief tightly. Seeing that the women had already stepped into the hall, she quickly chased after them.
Madam Gu’s unhappy voice came from behind her. “Zhen’er!”
Gu Yunzhen did not stop. She took three steps back to the main hall.
“Second Sister…” Gu Yunzhen had only said three words when she fell silent. She looked at the scene in front of her in surprise.
The old granny and the old women all stared at the little kitten in Gu Yanfei’s arms in a daze.
“Good kitty, did they scare you?”
“Are you hungry? Shall I get you some dried fish?”
“I remember there was goat’s milk in the kitchen. I’ll fetch some over.”
“…”
The old women rushed to impress the kitten.
Gu Yunzhen was stunned.
Finally, she returned to her senses and asked, “Second Sister, is this your cat?”
“Meow~” The kitten in Gu Yanfei’s arms called out lazily.
Those clear green cat eyes were like the surface of a sparkling sea under the sun, or the brightest stars in the night sky. They were mysterious, charming, and breathtaking.
The moment she met its eyes, Gu Yunzhen felt as if her heart had been struck by something. It was numb, limp, and sweet.
“Meow!” The kitten struggled for a while before jumping off Gu Yanfei’s hand and running out of the hall.
Gu Yanfei laughed and called Gu Yunzhen to follow.
The three-colored fur ball nimbly flew over the high threshold and crashed into Madam Gu, who was outside the hall. The pair of furry sharp ears on its head trembled.
This, this… Could this be… a cat?!
Madam Gu’s expression changed drastically, as if she had seen something dirty. She hurriedly took two steps back and pointed at the kitten, shouting in a sharp voice, “Kill it! Kill it quickly…”
Her hysterical look had long lost its previous poise.
The kitten ran on, oblivious, and leapt up to a stone table. Then it casually licked its right front paw and glanced at Madam Gu.
Its green eyes were smooth like silk and tranquil like water.
At this moment, this soft ball of fur exuded a superior arrogance, as if it was looking down on all living beings. It was elegant, arrogant, and lazy.
What a beautiful cat!
Madam Gu’s expression softened visibly and became kind.
Her gaze was completely fixed on the kitten. She instantly forgot to speak or breathe, and even felt utterly subdued.
“It’s my fault.” Madam Gu’s eyes were blank, and she was about to kneel down. A sense of guilt rose in her heart, and it was so turbulent that it wanted to swallow her up.
This kitten was so small and cute. How could she want to take its life so cruelly!
She was really a sinner and deserved to die!!
“…” Gu Yunzhen watched this scene with a warm gaze and a gentle, gratified smile.
She thought matter-of-factly, ‘That’s right. It’s so cute. How could anyone not like it?!’
“Big Sister, why does Madam hate cats?” Gu Yanfei asked casually.
Gu Yunzhen leaned close to Gu Yanfei’s ear and whispered, “Grandma’s zodiac sign is a rat. Many years ago, she found someone to read her fortune. That Taoist priest said that cats will restrain her.”
As she spoke, she didn’t think there was anything wrong with what she was seeing.
Madam Gu bowed down, her gaze level with the kitten on the stone table. She asked solicitously, “Did I scare you?”
The arrogant cat waved a paw perfunctorily, as if to say, ‘Leave me alone.’
When it turned to face Gu Yanfei, its expression changed and it meowed a few times fawningly. “Meow meow meow!”
“Alright, I know you’re hungry.” Gu Yanfei patted the little fellow. She picked it up with one hand and placed it on her shoulder.
It seemed that after Qing Guang came to this small world from the Bright Spirit Realm, even if it had become a cat, its racial talent, “Charm”, had not been lost. Instead, it had taken to it like a duck in water.
Under the kitten’s urging meow, Gu Yanfei left and passed by Granny Xu.
Granny Xu did not even look at Gu Yanfei. She rushed straight to Madam Gu and reported solemnly, “Madam, I’ve asked around. When the Eldest Prince arrived in Danyang City, the magistrate ordered the entire city to be under martial law!”
Madam Gu instantly regained her senses. Her hand trembled slightly, and the sandalwood Buddha beads slipped from her hand and fell to the ground.
Gu Yanfei, who was not far ahead, also heard this. She could not help but stop and her eyes flickered.
Today in her previous life, she was already in the capital.
In the first few months after she arrived at the Marquis Mansion, she was almost placed under house arrest. She did not leave the house and both her ears and eyes were closed. She had never heard anyone mention that the Eldest Prince had been to Danyang City.
Gu Yanfei only stopped for a moment before continuing forward as if nothing had happened.