Chapter 69

The Sanhua Mao's fluffy fur puffed up, like a soft little fur ball, its beautiful sheen flowing like mercury above.

Ling Yue pinched her fingertips; having stroked the cute cat countless times, she knew how good this feeling was. The Sanhua Mao's body was patched with light and dark color blocks, yet it had a special sense of harmony.

Suddenly, Ling Yue's gaze sharpened, her eyes fell on the screen; the livestream was full of viewers, and in an instant they recognized it.

【!!! Holy shit what did I see?!】

【?? What's wrong with the person upstairs?】

【The cat has a patch of our country's map on its back, wow, it feels so surprising!】

This was also Ling Yue's discovery; as the owner, Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha naturally knew, she picked up the perpetually sleeping cat: 'Stinky Dou Dou, pretending to sleep again!'

As for the map on Dou Dou's back, she chuckled: 'Dou Dou is a stray cat near our company; when I raised it, it was tiny, a dirty little ball, and as it grew bigger I discovered it had such a beautiful marking.'

The livestream viewers looked at her enviously; indeed, the young lady is beautiful and kind-hearted—if they encountered a dirty little stray, they'd probably just feed it some cat food and then forget about it.

From Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha's practiced movements, one can see she is a gentle and meticulous girl.

Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha opened one side of the wardrobe; everyone thought it was a wardrobe, until she opened the cabinet door to reveal a cabinet full of cat snacks and toys.

Many viewers in the livestream keep pets; they treat their furry kids better than raising children, themselves comparing prices across three stores—furry kids mean a big wave of spending, buy buy buy!

Therefore, many people recognized it.

【This cat food—hiss—so expensive I glanced and moved away! Actually several big bags!】

【Wuwuwu it's all big-brand cans and little snacks; even my Ragdoll doesn't eat like this all the time!】

【I was wrong; turns out even workers differ from each other!】

Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha ignored the comments; she was holding small scissors, snipping open a cat treat, waving it under the closed-eyed Dou Dou's nose—the cat that had refused to wake up just moments ago sprang open its eyes, realized it was lying in its owner's arms, and began meowing.

Being both cozy and rubbing against people, not only could Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha not resist, but even the livestream viewers couldn't stand it.

【Ow ow ow hurry up and kiss it, suck on it! Rub it bald!】

【Such a clingy little cat, this size is that of an adult big cat, why is it still so clingy 【drool】【drool】】

【I turned my head to look at my two little troublemakers at home, who were again parkouring around; they'd yelp at the slightest touch, as if I were forcing them!】

【Sisters just touch and hug; a forcibly twisted melon is the sweetest!】

Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha hugged her own sweet little cat and smiled, but Ling Yue noticed her brows were tightly furrowed; from earlier she had sensed that the girl's facial features were somewhat unfavorable.

Ling Yue: 'What do you want me to consult Dou Dou about?'

Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha's motion stalled, she sat down: 'Host, my question is simple; I want you to help ask whether Dou Dou has done anything bad.'

A thousand yuan, just to ask such a simple question.

The livestream viewers didn't understand and couldn't help asking—

【The cat is still little; what does it know, and what bad things could it do? Has it reached the point where we need to ask the host?】

【We're both workers; sis, how can you be so willing to spend?】

Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha had long anticipated this situation; she lowered her gaze and spoke softly: 'I know, it's actually not a big deal, but I have my own considerations.'

On the other hand, Ling Yue, looking at her physiognomy, guessed something and said: 'I read your face; you likely recently encountered a choice related to Dou Dou, and this choice will probably affect your whole life.'

Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha stared at her in shock, lips slightly parted; in an instant she wondered if she had stumbled into a fortune-telling livestream—clearly she hadn't said anything, yet the host had figured it out!

The livestream viewers were even more shocked, looking at her as if seeing Ling Yue for the first time.

【What physiognomy, what major decision? I looked up at the livestream's name—I didn't enter the wrong place!】

【Holy shit, I can see at a glance that the host isn't human—you're a fairy!】

【Hiss, nowadays if you don't have a side hustle you can't keep up with the trend?】

Some also doubted, but Ling Yue didn't care; she looked at Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha on the screen, as long as the other party believed it was fine.

Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha clenched her fingertips; she appeared soft-tempered and good-natured, but actually she had strong resolve and decent luck.

Coming from a remote countryside, while peers her age dropped out of middle school to work, she relied on mediocre grades to get into high school, then took the art student path, graduated college, and has now worked three years.

At twenty-five or twenty-six, in her family's view it was prime marrying age; coincidentally, last year her family set up a blind date and she met a prospect—though his education was poorer than hers, her parents told her his character was good; although he was a technical worker, his salary was high, about half again higher than her take-home pay after tax and rent, now six or seven thousand.

The family arranged it, so they talked. To date it's been over three months; the other party also lives in her work city, but privately Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha feels somewhat unwilling.

She does freelance illustration online on the side, actually earning much more than her disclosed salary; having seen more of the world, those colorful lifestyles she has never experienced.

If she continues like this, her future is plain to see—dating, marriage, children—she fears it, feels deep dread, suffocated.

She does not want to marry.

Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha clutched the Sanhua Mao in her arms, lifted her gaze to the camera, voice somewhat urgent: 'I want you to ask Dou Dou whether it deliberately broke someone else's phone, targeting him for sabotage.'

Ling Yue tapped her fingertip lightly, gazed deeply at her: 'What difference does it make whether it's true or false?'

Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha startled; the words struck her heart, the Dou Dou in her arms seemed to sense her unease, abandoning its previous laziness, it lifted its head to kiss her nose.

Now even the livestream viewers became curious, for Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha's demeanor clearly showed she had something on her mind.

【Young lady, what's your problem? You can tell us all; three cobblers with their wits combined equal Zhuge Liang.】

A viewer analyzed the cause: '【Earlier the host said it was a life‑affecting major decision; for the young lady this must be very important, nothing outside work and feelings, the cat certainly doesn't go to the office, so it must be feelings?】'

【Makes sense!】

【That must be it; that guy, is he the young lady's boyfriend?】

【Makes sense!】

【Hahaha, upstairs sister, you're so cute, always making sense.】

【QAQ my brain isn't enough, I can only watch everyone analyze the host's explanation like this.】

【Me too, I firmly support the host!】

Ling Yue looked at Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha; she merely reminded her that the decision to speak or not lay in the other party's hands.

After a moment, Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha looked at the camera and said: 'It's my boyfriend.'

Anyway everyone had already guessed; she frankly explained the situation: 'It's the person I met through a blind date; recently he's been dating me, coming to where I live; at first it was fine, but several times he told me Dou Dou was mischievous.'

Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha continued: 'I thought he was joking, but he seriously told me Dou Dou broke his newly bought phone, the screen shattered and repair cost several hundred.'

Besides other things, like tearing his clothes and biting him, but my Dou Dou I know — although it's mischievous, it's never done something so excessive!

He said Dou Dou was targeting him, and that Dou Dou's personality was too mischievous, and he wanted me to send Dou Dou away.

In fact, Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha still had some things unsaid; their situation was basically just missing an engagement banquet before they could get married. The other party told her that they would still get married in the future and build their own small family, and Dou Dou has always been so fierce, which would surely be bad for their children.

The other party didn't know where they saw the news that animals could affect pregnant women; as a poop-scooper, Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha's expression at that time was: '⊙﹏⊙'.

Just felt dazed.

I thought we still needed to talk, but the other party hinted that they would get engaged this year and married next year, with that date being January 16, and they had already chosen an auspicious day.

Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha couldn't describe the feeling at the moment she heard those words; a sense of suffocation washed over her, and she finally realized that if she took even one step back, it would be a continual retreat.

Her family tried hard to matchmake, but only she herself knew what she wanted; their kindness toward her was never what she wanted from start to finish.

And there's Dou Dou — she's known him for only a few months, yet she's raised Dou Dou for nearly three years; the two are incomparable!

So Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha wondered: 'Did Dou Dou actually do such a thing, or is he framing her?'

Ling Yue: 'Then move the camera closer, and I'll ask it.'

When Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha was adjusting, Sanhua Mao Dou Dou stretched, stepped lightly and nimbly jumped onto the bed's edge; after hearing her words, it let out a haughty meow: 'No way! I don't even want to touch him!'

It was indignant on behalf of the poop-scooper: 'Ahhh you're just too soft, why did you agree to the blind date?!'

As a little cat that has followed the poop-scooper since work began, Sanhua Mao has witnessed her whole process, from a clumsy workplace newbie to now a newcomer; because of her goal, she began learning illustration in a halting way, and pulling all-nighters to meet deadlines has become routine.

Later her owner pulled through, now considered a big shot in the art circle, a manuscript fetching four figures; she also takes on commercial commissions part-time, buying her lots of treats, but her staple food is still homemade cat food.

They were eating at a table.

As things kept getting better, it didn't understand why the other party agreed to the blind date; she had told herself several times that she wanted to live alone, save up money to travel and see the outside world!

Sanhua Mao flicked its tail irritably, looking at Ling Yue; as a big cat, it was past the age of being easily startled.

Sanhua Mao said directly: 'I'm about to die of anger! My owner clearly doesn't want a blind date and doesn't like that man, so why agree to date? Isn't one cat enough?'

Ling Yue looked at it, knowing the kitten's thoughts were extreme, but this was also Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha's true intention; in the facial features she glimpsed, she saw the girl's fate line already split—if she chose engagement and marriage, sending the cat away, she would have three children and her husband would live to seventy.

Looks pretty complete, doesn't it?

The other possibility is her refusal; Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha's Fate Line is faint, this is her secondary peach blossom, also the one most likely to succeed, while the primary peach blossom is absent.

If she misses this, she will remain single her whole life, focus on her career, drawing manuscripts, publishing, meeting a benefactor in her career, sending away Dou Dou, achieving career success, living to eighty-five and passing peacefully.

It seems she has become a lonely widow.

But this is only superficial; choosing the first option, her career line is cut off, due to the daily grind of life she can no longer hold a brush, her husband lives to seventy, she can live to seventy, serving him until the end.

Choosing the second option, she remains single alone until death, fulfilling all her wishes, living for herself; on the day of her death, her relatives and friends surround her, with no regrets in her life.

Ling Yue withdrew her gaze, Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha touched her chilly arm, and for some reason, at that moment she felt the host had completely seen through her.

Dou Dou couldn't help but meow: 'Humans have come to their senses!'

Ling Yue looked at it, Sanhua Mao: 'What are you looking at, old…… I didn't scold you; can you help me, tell my poop-scooper that I absolutely disagree with this marriage! Clearly I don't like him, why force myself to suffer?'

Saying this with head held high, chest puffed out, very proud: 'Someone like me is great—those male cats gather in droves for me to pick, I don't take initiative, I don't take responsibility~'

As a cat whose life only knows the poop-scooper, it doesn't realize that the poop-scooper has parents.

Ling Yue's eyes flickered as she looked at Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha: 'Dou Dou told me it didn't do anything.'

The other's shoulders slumped, she completely relaxed, her tightly furrowed brows easing into a smile: 'Then thank you—'

Ling Yue interrupted her words, flashing a faint smile: 'Wait, I haven't finished yet.'

The livestream chat saw her expression and instantly perked up.

【Guessed it, absolutely couldn't be that simple, host hurry up and speak!】

【Great, another story to hear—I brought my stuffed toy back, petting the cat while watching the livestream!】

【Ah, am I the only one who has nothing?】

【Sisters, you still have me! We are glorious proletarian warriors!】

Ling Yue looked at the anxious Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha, her smile growing brighter, and said: 'Your Dou Dou entrusted me to tell you: this marriage it absolutely opposes!'

Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha looked in surprise at her own calico cat, which stepped over with a cat's gait and snorted: 'What are you looking at? Pay attention, Hai Yan!'

That guy is especially bad; he just wants you to quit your job and go home to have kids—you've come out after all that hard work, of course you don't want to go back!

Sanhua Mao said, tilting its head and rubbing against its owner, Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha's heart melted completely: 'Why, Dou Dou?'

She has now made a decision, yet curiously wonders why her own cat resists the other party so much.

Ling Yue, however, was somewhat curious; Dou Dou knew quite a lot, she said it out, and the other replied with a proud face: 'I know even more.' It has many suitors; to find out anything, it only takes a sentence or two.

After the owner's inquiry, it proceeded to tell everything it knew; Ling Yue frowned, and only after listening did she look at Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha.

The livestream chat's anticipation was fully maxed out.

【I knew it, it's that time again—host, speak up quickly!】

【Wuwuwu I'll really lose interest, host don't keep me hanging!】

【Front row selling melon seeds, cola, popcorn; small stools are ready!】

Ling Yue: 'Dou Dou said he secretly sent voice messages to another woman behind your back, calling her baby.'

He has already quit his job and lives in the neighboring estate; this whole time he's been deceiving you, just to get you and return to his hometown to marry.

Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha stared at her in shock, suddenly gripping her collar; thinking of that future, she couldn't breathe.

'I disagree!' Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha suddenly spoke.

After she truly spoke those words, it was as if the heavy stone weighing on her heart was finally pushed aside; she exhaled, and her whole body's pores relaxed.

Outside the window, the dark clouds that had lingered for days dispersed at some point, letting through rays of sunshine that soon covered the entire bed.

Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha: 'Actually I don't like him, I also don't want to get married; I just want my Dou Dou.'

Her voice remained gentle, yet it carried a firm strength.

Hearing this, the Sanhua Mao lowered its head, rubbed against its owner's cheek, and sweetly meowed: 'Dou Dou will always be with you.'

Dou Dou is a cat, yet it understands the owner's true thoughts better than anyone; it only wants to make its owner happy.

Upon hearing this remark, the netizens in the live-stream room reacted unexpectedly intensely.

【Why don't women get married when they grow up? Are they worthy of their parents and family?】

【What kind of weirdo is upstairs? Not getting married and being unfilial to parents—what's the relation? Do they even have to cut ties?】

【Everyone has their own choice; if you want to be a housewife, be one; if you want to work, work. Now it's the 21st century—no more parental orders, matchmaker's words!】

【Not just boyfriends, but more so parents—parents try to persuade you with their experience, but the times have changed!】

【Being alone can be great too; having a cat or dog is also nice. Miss, keep it up!】

Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha has worked these years; setting aside other things, first she has a strong heart. She deliberately replied to the warm-hearted netizens, ignoring other comments, treating them as air.

Ling Yue also laughed, suddenly, her eyes flickered slightly as she looked at the space between Man Bei Mao Mao Nai Cha's eyebrows, and she blurted out: 'You're going to get rich today!'