Chapter 36

Viewers chatted while watching the streamer's reaction; Ling Yue felt as if question marks were stuck all over her head, though it was no wonder they guessed wrong.

She gave a light cough: "You're looking at the cat, then at the ex-girlfriend—don't you feel something's off?"

After this reminder, the viewers' imaginations ran wild, even suggesting the cat might be the ex-girlfriend's reincarnated soul; a perfectly normal pet consultation instantly shifted tone.

Huang Meigui's heart jumped: "What reincarnation? His ex-girlfriend is still alive and well—don't scare me!"

Hearing this, the ragdoll cat Pudding slipped, nearly falling on its back; it struggled to get up: "Good grief, Pudding I'm totally stunned! What the heck is this?!"

Pudding looked pleadingly at Ling Yue, uttering a string of cat-speak.

"Streamer, save us, quickly tell them to stop guessing wildly QAQ"

After saying that, it clutched its head in pain, but its short limbs couldn't reach its head, so it could only cover its eyes.

Ling Yue's mouth twitched as she looked at the wildly imaginative comment section: "Have you heard of a stand-in?"

The viewers in the stream felt as if question marks were stuck on each of their heads.

Only the calm boyfriend of Huang Meigui's heart beside her suddenly changed color, his panic impossible to hide—even a blind person could feel it.

【Hahaha, didn't you know? Our streamer has a special skill—you scumbag, you're about to be exposed!】

【What is a stand-in? I can't make heads or tails of it!】

【No way, no way, it can't really be what I guessed—this is totally off the charts, folks!】

【Most annoying when someone keeps us in suspense—spill it already!】

Before that person could finish, Ling Yue looked at Huang Meigui's heart and said directly: "This might be hard to understand, but easy to grasp—the cat named Pudding is a stand-in bought by your ex-boyfriend."

Huang Meigui's heart: "???"

Stream viewer: "Meow meow meow?"

Is this supposed to be easy to understand? It's just Chinese characters put together—why can't I suddenly understand?

Huang Meigui's heart felt her brain slowing, asking Ling Yue for help: "Streamer, what did you just say? Pudding is a stand-in? It could stand in for whom——"

Before she could finish the word 'person', it was like a bolt of lightning striking her head; in just a few seconds, her outlook on life, values, and worldview completely collapsed.

Looking at her boyfriend again, her entire gaze changed.

Huang Meigui's heart held up the joint photo and compared it to the cat; it felt like a raging beast pounding in her chest, thump thump thump thump, hammering her into confusion, and she completely broke down: "You're a pervert!"

Her eyes were almost blinded; she could barely make out a detail—maybe the person and the cat share a similar pointed chin?

No way, I can't understand.

She's a normal person—she doesn't get the pervert's brain circuitry!

"Who the hell would use a cat as a person's stand-in? If your girlfriend knew you were doing this, even if she were abroad she'd fly back to beat you to death!" What a nice girl, she directly exploded with profanity.

Upon hearing this, the stream viewers all looked up; just then a thunderclap rang from the horizon. They thought things were already bizarre enough, but today they learned there's always something even more outrageous.

【What stand-in? What cat? Turns out it's a stand-in cat…… holy cow, this person is a heavyweight!】

【I didn't expect I was still being conservative—even the old lady at our village entrance wouldn't dare make this up; using a cat as your ex-girlfriend's stand-in, you damn well are a genius!】

【Ex-girlfriend: @%! \"# Having you is my blessing! 【knife】【knife】【knife】】

【Save me, save me, save my life—this is the most outrageous thing I've seen since I started lurking in the stream!】

【Who says otherwise? I'm totally stunned—this is totally off the charts!】

【Take a screenshot, witness biodiversity.】

Outrageous things happen every year; this year there are especially many, and this incident was submitted by viewers to an outrageous blogger, becoming the most outrageous event of the year.

The matter ended satisfactorily; the only one hurt was the scumbag himself—thanks to this, he's become thoroughly famous, famous to the point of darkness, dark as a pot bottom.

Everyone online knows that with such an outrageous person using a cat as a stand-in, one can't help wondering how this person's brain could possibly be wired.

Normal people simply cannot comprehend his brain circuitry.

Fortunately, the girlfriend who saw through things early—oh, now she's the ex-girlfriend—along with Pudding, was also taken away by the ex-girlfriend; previously disliked, she now feels a sympathetic pity for sharing the same fate.

What could possibly be wrong with a poor little kitten? The fault lies only with humans.

Pudding actually still quite likes the young lady—it jumped over on its own; even on those days when it was targeted, the other party didn't hurt it. As for the livestream cat-selling, that was just me being so angry my head felt dizzy; luckily, that weird boyfriend got kicked out.

Finally, Huang Meixin's Heart held Pudding and thanked Ling Yue.

She looked completely different from before; judging by her appearance, she was also a quiet, refined young lady. Recalling the previous incident, her cheeks flushed: "Sorry, streamer, I bothered you before."

Ling Yue hadn't even said anything when the chat viewers all spoke up.

【No bother, no bother, we just love watching this kind of bizarre stuff—your ex-boyfriend is hilarious!】

【More of this, please! More, please!】

【Thanks, miss, for letting us witness biodiversity!】

Ling Yue: "……"

What else could she say?

As for Pudding, it meowed twice, lay in the young lady's soft, fragrant embrace, raised both paws in a salute: "Thanks, streamer (≧▽≦)/"

The little cutie's well-behaved appearance made the viewers' hearts melt.

Huang Meixin's Heart hugged the cat and gave it a few kisses: "I don't find Pudding annoying at all now—it's super cute and pretty! I love it, forever!"

Ling Yue: "There's something I don't know whether I should say."

Huang Meixin's Heart blinked: "Just say it, streamer."

Ling Yue: "Pudding is actually a male kitten."

【So that scumbag found a male kitten to stand in for his ex-girlfriend?】

【Pfft hahaha, the whole family burst out laughing!】

After cutting the livestream connection, Ling Yue looked at the comments on the screen; the viewers were still caught up in the earlier jokes, unable to pull themselves away—truly adorable and lively.

It reminded her of the pets at home and the little animals at the stray animal rescue center—all so full of endless energy.

Ling Yue: "The two consultations are over; I've been a bit busy lately, so let's move the next stream to Monday, okay?"

Joy turned to sorrow—it seemed to describe them.

The livestream chat turned into a flock of chirping monsters, each calling out fondly.

【Don't, streamer, I haven't seen enough! Mo duo mo duo~】

【Won't you stream tomorrow? Push it to the day after? Streamer, without you I don't know how I'll go on!】

【Streamer, just chat a little longer—I just want to stay with you a bit more 【well-behaved】【well-behaved】】

【The calculations upstairs are so loud I can hear them even in the Arctic!】

【Streamer, I'm not like them—I just say I crave your body, I'm despicable!】

【Hey~ shameless!】

Ling Yue looked for a while, then curled her lips mischievously and said, 'I don't think I said that before—should we end the stream now?'

The livestream comments suddenly froze, then in the next moment, like hitting the accelerator, they swished swished swished straight up like a rocket.

However, to disappoint them, Ling Yue wasn't just chatting—she was promoting her stray animal rescue base. With such huge traffic in the livestream, not using it well is simply wasting heavenly gifts!

Ling Yue gave a brief introduction, then emphasized: 'The small animals at the stray animal base, having wandered outside, may not be very good-looking; some… may have wounds, but I guarantee they are all especially clever little cuties!'

'I will personally train them; when the time is right, everyone can come sign up to adopt.'

【Stray animal rescue base? So the streamer usually busy with that—I thought you just played all day.】

Thinking about tomorrow's plan, Ling Yue felt inexplicably guilty: 'Also, not entirely, right?'

【The streamer seems guilty, her face a little red】

Ling Yue subconsciously touched her face—how could that be? She still had some performing talent; seeing the screen, she realized this crowd was teasing her!

Ling Yue: '……'

She tried to change the topic: 'Ahem, let's continue; there are also lost small animals in the stray animal rescue base, they want to find their owners—if you have news, DM me, I'll try to check each one.'

'I have here a dog from Jing Shi that went missing—a three‑year‑old Labrador named Gua Gua; it was sold three years ago, later rescued by the base's person in charge, owner named Ge Ge…'

'I don't know if Gua Gua's owner can hear you, but Gua Gua misses you, has been waiting, and wants me to ask: do you still want Gua Gua?'

Ling Yue said briefly, thinking, with so many people, surely someone will know?

On the contrary, the livestream chat's reaction was huge, beyond her expectation.

【Wuwuwu, Gua Gua is so pitiful; our dog is a bit better than Gua Gua—it got lost, now we don't know where it is, I miss it so much.】

【Hope my family's dog can have a lovely home again.】

【I also want… but my dog wasn't lost; my mom sold it to a dog‑meat shop, back then I was little, didn't know that was our last meeting QAQ】

【Lurkers, come pop a bubble. I haven't kept pets for years; I can barely support myself, but every time I watch the streamer's livestream I'm really happy ^_^ Small animals really heal people!】

【Yeah, small animals heal people; animals are much purer than humans.】

【Once I earn enough money I'll return to my hometown, build a big courtyard, keep cats and dogs, watch mountains and clouds 【comfortable】.】

Ling Yue pursed her lips, didn't expect her livestream to resonate with so many; she paused slightly, then laughed: 'I'm also very happy! Very happy to have you keeping me company.'

After her mother passed away, she lost the last relative in this world; that period was also her worst time, but now everything is over.

She had loyal Da Hei, Duo Duo, the Xuan Cat Queen… the tolerant master, etc., plus a group of fans who like her and the small animals.

Ling Yue composed herself, looking at the screen, said: 'After a while I'll give everyone a gift, though details are still being planned—I can't reveal too much; this item is very practical, needed all year round.'

The chatters were stunned; a gift—first time seeing a streamer give free gifts without charge—and hearing her say it so temptingly, they eagerly anticipated it.

Wanting to ask more, all they saw was Ling Yue's smiling eyes, starlight glimmering as she said to them: 'Chatters, good night.' 'We'll see you the day after tomorrow.'

【Yi wu wu wu yi, streamer don't go, I can't bear to leave you QAQ】

【Gone, today again gone, tomorrow also none, can only wait till the day after tomorrow T^T】

【Good night.】

Ling Yue first checked the backend tips; unexpectedly, there were quite a few; she clicked withdraw, sending half to the stray animal rescue base's account.

The next morning, Ya Ya had already started tapping the window: 'Master! Master, wake up quick, the sun's already baking your butt!'

Ling Yue opened her eyes, half‑asleep.

She knew why Ya Ya was so excited—today was the day for the household animals' big team‑building, already set, going to the zoo to play!

Ling Yue posted a notice in the pet consultation point's WeChat group: not going in the morning, will open shop in the afternoon.

She had just risen leisurely, hadn't gone downstairs yet, when she heard the melodramatic, hot‑blooded voice of a teenage boy.

The TV was playing an anime; on the single sofa directly opposite, a huge fluffy mass lay curled up, like a giant snowball that had burst into bloom.

Noticing her gaze, the 'big snowball' swayed, its exploded fluff looking even puffier.

Ling Yue withdrew her gaze, gave a sly smile, then clapped her hands: 'All right, time to head out—everyone ready?!'

Half a minute later, Ling Yue looked at the few small animals at home.

Xunbao Shu Duo Duo wore a little satchel, slipped down with a squeak; lately it's been into spy movies, its whole body equipped with little gadgets Ling Yue custom‑made, and when idle it patrols with its underlings to guard its turf.

Ya Ya wore a newly bought rhinestone necklace, glittering brightly, looking utterly proud.

The Feng Shui Tortoise Master descended slowly: 'Wait, wait, this old man.'

The golden dragon fish in the big tank didn't care much, hopping through hoops with heave‑ho, heave‑ho, overcoming obstacles; to become dragon‑fish king ASAP, it even skipped today's team‑building, striving so hard it inspires awe.

The Xuan Cat Queen remained aloof, squatting on the ground surrounded by circles of kittens; Da Hei had gone to train, as a warranted police dog it cannot slack.

Now only Da Lao Hu Junjun remained, unnoticed.

It felt a bit panicked. It knew about the team‑building—yesterday it heard they were going to the zoo, which sounded fun, with all kinds of small animals, and they said there were tigers, which is its own kin!

Jun Jun waited patiently, but when Ling Yue was about to depart, it still hadn't heard the master's voice, and suddenly leapt up, fur trembling, asking: 'Me too? Me too?'

Ling Yue forced back a laugh: 'You? You said you wanted to watch anime at home—today the TV is all yours, happy?'

Jun Jun: '⊙﹏⊙'

'Not happy, I want to go to the zoo too!' It's a clever big tiger; anime can be watched anytime, going out to play is rare, mainly because it's directionally challenged—even wandering the villa district can make it dizzy.

Ling Yue feigned surprise: 'Ah, what to do? I don't have any extra tickets.'

Jun Jun drooped its head listlessly, even its most lively tail flopped to the ground; the next moment a ticket suddenly appeared before it, it looked up and met Ling Yue's smile: "Jun Jun is so adorable, how could I not let you go!"

Jun Jun finally understood: humans were just teasing it—despicable, they dared to deceive the kind and pure tiger!

It was both angry and aggrieved, its big tail flicked, and suddenly its whole body went stiff.

How bold of the humans to actually dare to hug it!

Ling Yue had wanted to do this for a long time; seeing that fluffy big snowball, her heart felt like a thousand big cats incessantly scratching, her fingers sinking into the fur, as if touching a piece of silk, soft and smooth.

Ling Yue's sweet words were thrown out like they were free, making the big tiger unable to bear it: "You, you don't say that anymore!"

"I'll agree to anything you want to do, tiger!"

Ling Yue's eyes lit up, she lay beside the tiger's ear and whispered softly, the tiger going from initial surprise to compromise: "Whatever you want!"

As it spoke, it raised its two big paws to cover its face; if not for the thick fur blocking, everyone might have noticed the blush on its face from the start.

The gossip‑loving treasure‑seeking mouse beside them couldn't resist poking its head out, but didn't hear a word, and instead got flicked on the forehead by Ling Yue.

Capital Zoo.

Exactly, that's the Capital Zoo that has some history with Ling Yue; just after eight in the morning, right as it opened, there were already groups of visitors coming to check in.

The zoo seems to have recovered well; Ling Yue didn't give it a second thought, but the little animals following her were dazzled.

"Wow!" Jun Jun, now turned into a little ornament, exclaimed enviously, looking at the three bachelor tigers in the tiger enclosure: "There really are tigers here! Do they not have to do anything all day and still get to eat this much meat?"

Ling Yue looked over, raised her eyebrows—it was an old acquaintance, the keeper Xiao Liu, who was just dumping out chunks of meat, presumably the tigers' breakfast.

Ling Yue nodded: "Yeah, but the price is freedom—just like you were once trapped in a painting, they can hardly leave the tiger enclosure for their whole lives."

Da Lao Hu Junjun shook its head: "No thanks, I don't want to live like that."

Ya Ya stared at the birds of prey area, puzzled: "Why aren't there any crows among these animals? Crows are protected animals too."

That remark drew laughter from the sparrows on the branches: "Hahaha, look at that crow daydreaming!"

A slightly smaller sparrow tilted its head: "We sparrows are also state‑protected second‑class animals, yet we're not in the zoo either—and as for you, you're even less likely to be."

"Humans aren't philanthropists either—there are too many of us, we're everywhere, and humans only like to look at precious animals."

"Besides, crows are naturally ominous—look at our cute sparrows, people even feed them; ah, after all that, where are you from, you wild bird?"

Ling Yue listened, eyebrows rising, a bit angry—those sparrows were mocking Ya Ya with flowery gestures, not even caring whose bird it is.

Ya Ya sort of understood, feeling it wasn't something nice, but it didn't matter; it perched on Ling Yue's shoulder and watched with her: "I probably isn't a wild bird, because I have an owner!"

Saying that, it gazed pleadingly at Ling Yue—what could she do? She pulled out a handful of birdseed, millet and mixed grains, fragrant and delicious!

The mocking little sparrow stared with wide eyes: "What the heck, you're being unreasonable!"

After saying that, it flapped its wings and flew away; far off, you could still hear its angry squawk: "mmp, such a green‑tea bird—just because you have an owner!"

"Hey big brother, stop—yeah, it's got—uh, big brother, why are you hitting me?"

Ling Yue burst out laughing.

All along the way, everyone could say their eyes were opened; even the little feng shui turtle in the cart exclaimed in surprise: "Unbelievable, there are even foreign animals here!"

Referring to those few herbivorous giraffes, the feng shui turtle, afraid of heights, felt dizzy just looking at them.

It turned into a hundred‑thousand‑questions‑asker, and Ling Yue, introducing things as they walked, ended up having a fulfilling time.

Without realizing it, they ran into a human wall; Ling Yue looked up and saw that the crowd ahead had blocked the path.

She heard someone excitedly say: "Hey look, it's the celebrity tiger dad!"