Chapter 049: Bribing with Snacks

At this moment, Qin Shishen was wearing an apron, tidying up the table. When he saw Lin Luyu walk in, the smile at the corner of his lips grew even wider.
“You're here. Cute hasn't gone upstairs today, she’s curled up in her spot on the cat tree!”
His hands were occupied, but he still lifted his chin to indicate the direction.
Upon hearing this, Lin Luyu's brows arched and her eyes brightened; she no longer cared about SQL. She slipped her phone into her pocket and turned to head toward the place Qin Shishen had just pointed out.

The past two days, when you were awake, you barely acknowledged me...
Now you're asleep—let's see what you can do about it this time!

Her steps were gentle as she approached the cat tree. Sure enough, she spotted a little ball curled up on the platform.
She gently stroked it twice, but there was no response. She pressed a bit harder, scratching behind the little one's ear, and still the cat slept soundly. The little creature, evidently enjoying the sensation, unconsciously lifted her chin, then rolled over and exposed her belly.

Well, you're inviting this yourself!
I won't hold back, then!

Lin Luyu, having made up her mind, deftly scooped the cat into her arms.

Only then did Cute realize, belatedly: Had she changed nests?
She sniffed the air, apparently catching a familiar scent, and snuggled into Lin Luyu's embrace in a comfortable pose.
But before Lin Luyu could feel pleased for even two seconds, the cat seemed to finally process what was happening and twisted, determined to wriggle free.

How unfair!

Lin Luyu's expression at that moment was as if her freshly served braised pork rice had been knocked over.
“Cute is throwing a tantrum, isn't she?” Qin Shishen happened to notice, and watched the interaction between person and cat with a smile. “Her treats are in this cabinet. You can take some to feed her.”
Lin Luyu thought that was a good idea. She promptly opened the cabinet and took out a can of food, deliberately waving it before Cute.

It worked.
Drawn by the scent, Cute reluctantly approached Lin Luyu, her little eyes seeming to say:
I suppose I'll let you hold me, but hand over my treats!

It was no wonder Cute was so obedient; since Qin Shishen had bought those cans, he rarely fed them to her. Only when his younger sister visited did the two little pitiful cats get an extra meal.

Qin Shiguang often had designs on these two cats. If she hadn't been unable to keep them at the police academy, she would have loved to care for the furry little bundles herself.
As for Qin Shishen, he was usually too lazy to look after even himself, let alone devote extra attention to Cute and Coke. When the time came, he'd dump some cat food into their bowls, perhaps remind the kitchen to set aside a couple of pieces of meat to improve their meals.

Over time, the helpers at the shop remembered to do this themselves, without needing Qin Shishen to remind them. Sometimes, when he actually thought of giving the cats an extra treat, he'd find the meat already prepared, cleaned, and placed in their bowls.

The two little ones could be quite clingy at times. When they pestered him, he'd occasionally take out a teaser wand to play with them for a while. But most of the time, Qin Shishen was lost in his own world, tossing their toys to them so they could amuse themselves.

He was said to be their owner, their dutiful servant.
But in truth, it was these two small cats that brought forth blossoms of life from the soil of his loneliness.
It was precisely because he spent time serving his feline monarchs that Qin Shishen had no leisure to dwell on those unhappy days in the Middle East.
Though it was tiring, it felt like a rope anchoring him between the cliff and the summit, preventing him from falling into the abyss.