Chapter 126

When Jiao Ba brought Bai Yang upstairs, Zheng Tan squatted downstairs waiting, not wanting to bother climbing up and down.

As for that noisy bird on the tree, without an audience to cheer it on it couldn't sing; it stood on the tree, glanced at Zheng Tan who had jumped up and was lying there, its gaze lingering on his cat ears for a moment, then after Zheng Tan gave it a threatening sideways glance, it let out two 'humph' sounds and flew to other parts of the courtyard to look for an audience. It had originally intended to bully that previous cat, but didn't expect to encounter Bai Yang as an audience; compared to bullying other cats, it still prefers to sing. If it doesn't sing, it will go look for a target to bully or hide in a corner to watch the commotion.

Zheng Tan knows this bird's temperament, so before it leaves he won't relax his vigilance; a moment's inattention and it will think about biting his cat ears; only after the 'General' flies away does Zheng Tan finally relax, yawn; although he hasn't eaten dinner, he doesn't feel too hungry, having eaten some peanuts earlier at Jiao Wei's small restaurant; he guesses Jiao Ba and Bai Yang will be chatting upstairs a while, so he can take a quick nap.

However, Zheng Tan hadn't even dozed for a few minutes when he heard a car horn, quite familiar. He opened his eyes, looked over, and saw Third Master Fang's car with four circles slowly approaching, window open, Third Master Fang poked his head out, looking around at the several tall trees, finally his gaze landing on Zheng Tan, his face immediately breaking into a smile as he waved at Zheng Tan.

Today the driver isn't Third Master Fang, but another person Zheng Tan hasn't met before, who looks quite steady; the driver's face shows little emotion, bland.

He got up, stretched, shook his fur. Zheng Tan jumped down from the tree and came to the side of the car.

Third Master Fang seems not prepared to get out of the car, another hand still holding a phone; seeing Zheng Tan approach, he gestures for Zheng Tan to get in the car to talk.

Although doubtful, Zheng Tan still jumped into the car, went to the back seat and stood there, then looked doubtfully at Third Master Fang. Zheng Tan feels that his coming over now isn't to take him out to play; if there were any arrangement, Third Master Fang should have notified earlier. But Zheng Tan hasn't heard anything about any arrangement from Third Master Fang's side lately; usually those who spontaneously come to take him out to play are Wei Leng.

Fang Shaokang, sitting in the back seat, carefully examined the black cat in front of him, 'Yo, your whiskers have grown nicely. Compared to before, you look much better. Going out like this, you don't have to worry about people noticing.'

While saying that, Fang Shaokang also took out his phone and flipped through previously taken photos. After confirming, he nodded slightly, then before Zheng Tan could lift the phone, he shoved his phone into his pocket, saying: 'Today I'm passing by the road next to Chu Hua Da Xue. I'll just stop by to have a look, introduce some people, and have to leave soon, so I won't go upstairs to sit.'

Before coming, Fang Shaokang had called Associate Professor Jiao; otherwise he wouldn't have known Zheng Tan was waiting in the tree downstairs. And the things that needed detailed explanation he had already said to Associate Professor Jiao on the phone, so he only needed to say a few simple things to Zheng Tan.

Jiao Ba, who was staying at home on the fifth floor, looked down from the balcony, then went back inside to continue talking with Bai Yang. Earlier he had plugged his phone in to charge, turned it on, and not long after, Third Master Fang's call came, saying there would be an activity next Saturday, and he wanted to take his family's cat out for a walk.

While Jiao Ba was on the phone with Third Master Fang, Bai Yang beside him also overheard some content, and during his time at the company he also learned some things, including the pure black 'Lucky Cat' ornament in the office of big boss Yuan Zhiyi. Just now, the 'Mr. Fang' that Associate Professor Jiao referred to must be that person from Shaoguang Group, right? Tsk, I never expected that this call was just about taking the cat out to play; when did social obligations get dumped onto the cat? This cat's business is busier than a person's.

Downstairs, in the car, Third Master Fang simply told Zheng Tan that next Saturday he would take him out to play, meet some new partners, and at that time would send a driver to pick him up, after all Third Master Fang definitely doesn't have time. And the driver entrusted with this important task by Third Master Fang is precisely the person now sitting in the driver's seat.

Fang Shaokang said, 'This is Tong Qing; you first get to know him. He'll come pick you up next Saturday. He's not bad, mentally strong, can drive and fight, just a bit dull.' He pointed at the person in the driver's seat and said to Zheng Tan, then also had the driver take a good look at Zheng Tan, because there are so many black native cats around, strangers easily mistake them, but once familiar, they won't mistake again.

Throughout the process, the driver named Tong Qing's facial expression didn't change much, but his eyes still showed a bit of doubt, perhaps not understanding why the boss would say so much to a cat, just a cat, does it understand?

Tong Qing came after November this year, following Fang Shaokang from the capital; previously in the capital he had driven for Fang Shaokang for half a year; Fang Shaokang feels this person works well, is steady enough, should be able to withstand Zheng Tan's psychological impact, so he transferred him over. After all, not everyone can accept such a weird cat and remain calm while keeping silent.

Zheng Tan doesn't care; he's reassured that Fang Shaokang's chosen person is fine, as long as it's not like Long Qi, who is too fragile, easily frightened.

After saying a few words and recognizing the person, Zheng Tan jumped out of the car, watched Fang Shaokang's car leave the courtyard, climbed up the tree and lay there for a while, waiting for Jiao Ba to come down before going out to eat together.

Over the next week, knowing Zheng Tan had been invited by Third Master Fang to go out and play, Jiao Ma ran over to Xiao Guo's place several times, pondering how to make their cat look high-end, upscale, top-notch, after all, in terms of breed and lineage, those famous cats outclass Zheng Tan by several leagues; people like Third Master Fang would definitely keep famous cats.

Famous pets match famous people, can be taken out, can be shown off; truly someone as 'people-friendly' as Third Master Fang is rare.

Of course, Jiao Ma absolutely doesn't disdain Zheng Tan's 'rustic' lineage; she just fears that at the time Zheng Tan will be mocked by others, or perhaps others will out of respect for Third Master Fang not say anything, but just thinking of their cat being jeered at by a crowd makes her feel awful, so this week she's been thinking of ways to dress up their cat.

Unfortunately, Zheng Tan has no interest in Jiao Ma's ideas at all; he's not long-haired, so even if he went to Xiao Guo's for pet grooming there'd be no change. He also avoids things like little horse jackets, little bow ties, etc. Wearing those little trinkets makes him feel weak all over; even wearing a pure natural 'leather coat', what need is there for a little horse jacket?!

Jiao Ba is much more calm; although he doesn't really understand Fang Shaokang's idea, he believes Fang Shaokang won't let their cat come to harm.

Zheng Tan also feels there's nothing to worry about; it's just going to play, why be so nervous? It's not the first time he's been taken out to play.

While Jiao Ma was pondering how to dress up Zheng Tan, in Fang Shaokang's office Zhao Le sat at the other side of the desk. She had already received the Saturday invitation; her father had no time, went out of town. So she would go in his place. And a couple days earlier at Chu Hua Da Xue she had met Associate Professor Jiao. Knowing that the Jiao family's black cat had also been invited, she was puzzled.

Zhao Le knows roughly who will go there, including a few who like pets and like to bring them everywhere. But those are all famous pets. Bringing the rustic-lineage Hei Tan there—what's the point?

Although she thinks doing this is not good. Zhao Le's idea is similar to Jiao Ma's, but given her understanding of Fang Shaokang, she knows he sometimes appears extreme in his actions, or rather chaotic, speaking bluntly, that's called messing around wildly, yet the results always surprise people. Fang Shaokang's industry legend lies in that his thinking always turns in unexpected directions, veering off twice into the unimaginable.

After holding it in for two days, Zhao Le finally couldn't hold it anymore, so she ran over to ask Third Uncle what exactly his idea was.

Fang Shaokang finished reading a report in his hand, slowly closed the folder, then looked at Zhao Le and said: 'Last month when I chatted with your dad, your dad mentioned an interesting story: to improve the survival rate of those sardines that prefer calm waters but are prone to oxygen deprivation and suffocation during transport, they would put in a carnivorous, fierce fish, such as a catfish.'

'The famous catfish effect.' Zhao Le knew this; it's a relatively common method in management.

Fang Shaokang didn't elaborate on the catfish effect, but asked: 'Don't you think those kinds of gatherings are too stiff each time? It's always the same people, looking harmonious, formulaic socializing—so boring.'

Boring? Not really—at least Zhao Le felt each such gathering was still quite successful, mutually boosting each other, strengthening relationship networks, creating some cooperation opportunities, etc.; and generally gatherings of this nature are like that, right? Or, to put it bluntly, Uncle Fang Three thinks it's not chaotic enough?

'So, I think your dad's story makes too much sense!' Fang Shaokang flicked the tabletop roly‑toy printed with a cat pattern, then laughed.

Zhao Le: '……' That's not how that should be understood!

'My dad definitely didn't mean that!!' Zhao Le emphasized again. Joking aside, if something really went wrong and that blame landed on his father's head, that would be unacceptable.

Actually, when Zhao Chang told that catfish effect story earlier, he was merely alluding to Fang Shaokang—he thought Fang Shaokang was the industry's biggest catfish, and Fang Shaokang's novel, strange, odd viewpoints, behavior, and habits had already, imperceptibly, stimulated the industry. Just as Zhao Lao Yezi said, the Fang family's third son, put nicely, is a genius; put harshly, he's a freak.

The same matter, the same story—different perspectives on thinking about problems lead to vastly different ways of discovering and solving them.

Watching the roly‑toy sway on the desk, Fang Shaokang raised his arm to rub his neck, then mentioned a few of the invited guests' names, and finally sighed: 'Going with the world's ups and downs, idle chatter, an unchanging pattern—it's gotten tiresome.'

'Uncle Three, there will be trouble!' Zhao Le said seriously. Thinking about those few invited people, she only felt her head swell—worse than she had imagined—and hoped things wouldn't get too chaotic. This isn't just about the Jiao Family's Hei Tan; even without Hei Tan, things probably wouldn't be peaceful.

'No, I have confidence in it.'

As for Zheng Tan, the initial topic of discussion between Uncle Fang Three and Zhao Le, he endured Jiao Ma's daily nagging until Saturday arrived.

After having breakfast and resting a while, the driver Tong Qing, whom Fang Shaokang had entrusted with an important task, arrived downstairs on time as agreed.

Zheng Tan still didn't wear the little horse jacket and bow tie that Jiao Ma had brought back, and he placed the cat tag he was wearing at Da Pang's home.

He jumped in through the open car window, found a comfortable position to lie down in the back seat, and was then taken away.

Just as Fang Shaokang said when introducing Tong Qing, this driver is mentally strong but rather dull—he doesn't talk while driving, doesn't play music, at most listens to traffic radio; even if he's curious about Zheng Tan, once he starts driving almost all his attention goes to the wheel, and he drives steadily, which is dutiful and responsible, unlike Wei Leng, who always has endless topics to chatter about and can't stop nibbling.

The destination of this trip is still some distance from Chu Hua Da Xue; it's a garden villa area developed by the Shaoguang Group, with Phase One completed, and to celebrate, Fang Shaokang invited some people over for a gathering.

The person responsible for external reception and safety checks knew Tong Qing and also recognized the vehicle; he glanced inside, saw no one, and wondered why the boss's car had already arrived yet Tong Qing was still driving over—but he didn't pursue it, as they had other duties and couldn't attend to Tong Qing's side.

After Tong Qing parked the car, he didn't roll down the window; instead, he got out and opened the car door for Zheng Tan.

Zheng Tan felt a little excited inside—he hadn't expected to receive such treatment after turning into a cat; when going out to play with Wei Leng, he basically always jumped in through the car window.

But after leaving the car, Zheng Tan's slight excitement faded; the parking spot was surrounded by some people who observed each incoming car, then, with eager hearts, glanced at the rare individuals stepping out—even if they were pets, they were rare famous pets, like the leopard cat that had gotten out of that car earlier, which was not only striking in appearance but also had a diamond‑studded cat tag on its neck.

But in comparison, the pair before him…

Driver, an ordinary driver.

Cat, a countryside cat, commonly called a native cat. Moreover, it lacks any adornments to show status—not even a flashy cat tag that would blind dogs' eyes. **Bare, it feels like this standard has suddenly plummeted to rock bottom.

In their eyes, Zheng Tan, described elegantly: present but wearing not a shred of clothing.

Putting their gaze into plain language gives: 'Holy shit, there's actually a shameless bastard over there!'

Those people felt that seeing such a cat in this setting simply lowered their status. Ordinary housecats that are everywhere, loafing outside, would be fine, but to come to a place like this is nothing short of embarrassing the owner. Still, even if they looked down on it, they didn't speak rashly; before figuring things out, they could suppress their own opinions—perhaps some celebrities just like keeping such cats, and there's nothing to be done.

Actually, Zheng Tan also wondered: does evaluating a cat's worth require using a cat tag, collar, or those specially made little outfits and such?

Could wearing a cat formal outfit with a bow tie indicate that this cat has considerable gentlemanly demeanor, or wearing armor comparable to a Golden Saint Cloth show its mighty, imposing aura?

Go to your grandma's paw!

Grandpa is just like that, lightly equipped for battle, pure natural, 100% original goods!

Zheng Tan turned his head, lifted his foot and walked forward.

Tong Qing beside took it all in, raised his eyebrows slightly, said nothing, didn't even glance at those people again, and followed the black cat ahead. (To be continued...)

PS: Everyone, have a good new week!

I took a week off before, but each day I would also take time to browse on my phone; I didn't expect that every day someone would vote and tip, and the recommendation votes also exceeded seven thousand, I truly thank everyone for their support!

Chen Ci thanks!