Chapter 721

Before coming to the warehouse to see the cats, Ying Chanxi and Yan Zhusheng had no strong preferences.

After all, it was Xu Youyu who suggested adopting a tiny kitten.

Yan Zhusheng herself had no particular interest in cats, and although Ying Chanxi also liked kittens, before arriving she had no strong inclination—she felt any of them would do.

But when she truly cradled the small orange kitten in her palms and saw its wide, innocent eyes curiously gazing at her, Ying Chanxi felt her heart twitch as if scratched.

So adorable.

Beside her, Yan Zhusheng bent down curiously, one hand cradling the silver-white kitten in her palm, the other stroking its fur.

Although she had originally had no interest in kittens, the texture was quite pleasant, and the longer she touched it, the more addictive it became.

As for Xu Youyu, for some reason, she felt the brown tabby kitten in her hands—bolder in temperament—suited her well.

Seeing that the two younger girls both seemed drawn to the kittens in their own hands, Xu Youyu hesitated, wondering whether she should compromise.

"Looks like your choices are conflicting," Li Luo chuckled from the side, "Why don't you three discuss it and decide which one to pick?"

"Hmm…" Ying Chanxi's face immediately twisted into a look of deep indecision upon hearing she had to choose one from the three.

In contrast, Yan Zhusheng showed no particular struggle; she glanced at Xu Youyu and Ying Chanxi's expressions and saw they both clearly favored the kittens in their own hands.

So Yan Zhusheng gently rubbed the head of the silver-white kitten in her palm, then decisively returned it to the cage.

"You pick," Yan Zhusheng said. "I'm fine with anything."

Seeing Yan Zhusheng yield, Ying Chanxi grew even more conflicted—she felt her younger sister was so considerate, and if she insisted now, it would feel unkind.

After all, it was Xu Youyu who first proposed coming to pick a cat, and it was Xu Youyu who wanted to raise one; Ying Chanxi had merely come to offer advice.

Thinking this, Ying Chanxi hesitated repeatedly, then finally made up her mind—without Xu Youyu saying a word, she mimicked Yan Zhusheng's motion and prepared to return the orange kitten to the cage.

But the next second, Xu Youyu reached out and stopped her, then turned to Li Luo and grinned, nudging him twice with her elbow: "Look how much Xi Xi loves it—why not adopt two?"

Li Luo glanced at Ying Chanxi, then at Xu Youyu, then down at the brown kitten in her arms: "Then just don't take this one—you can take the orange one, it's cute too."

Hearing this, Xu Youyu pouted in displeasure: "You're so stingy."

"I never said I wouldn't let you keep it," Li Luo laughed at her adorable expression. "Two is fine, but…"

As he spoke, Li Luo glanced at Yan Zhusheng, then opened the cage again, pulled out the silver-white kitten, and placed it in her palm: "If two is fine, then three is fine too—it doesn't make much difference."

"If Zhusheng likes this one, just take all three."

"That way, each of you gets one, and no one has to feel left out."

Hearing this, Ying Chanxi's face lit up with a happy smile: "Yes yes~ This is perfect~"

But the next second, she worried for Li Luo: "But won't three be too many? Should we ask Lin Yi and the others?"

"No need," Li Luo waved his hand. "This villa is huge—what's a few kittens?"

"Then it's settled?" Xu Youyu said eagerly. "Hehe, three isn't bad at all."

"Mm." Yan Zhusheng hugged the silver-white kitten, nodding silently, already reluctant to let go, continuously stroking its soft fur.

At this moment, the head of the management team, seeing all three kittens successfully assigned and noticing Li Luo's empty arms, seized the opportunity to push for a "buy three, get one free" deal:

"You're already taking three—why not take all four?"

"You each get one, and Li Luo can take the last one too."

"Then all four of you will have a kitten."

Li Luo immediately waved his hands, finding it unnecessary.

But Ying Chanxi and the others instantly turned their gazes to the last kitten in the cage.

The black kitten in the cage blinked its innocent eyes, tilting its tiny head in confusion.

"To be honest," Xu Youyu leaned in and carefully evaluated, "this black cat's fur is really pure—is it completely black?"

"Yes," the attendant nodded eagerly. "It's a pure black xuan cat—said to bring good fortune and ward off misfortune."

"Then what if…" Ying Chanxi felt it was pitiful to take three kittens and leave the black one behind, so she kept glancing at it, then turned back to Li Luo with pleading eyes.

Li Luo could never resist Ying Chanxi's gaze; thinking the difference between three and four wasn't significant, he waved his hand: "Fine fine, four then."

"Then this mother cat…" the attendant's eyes darted, "Look, they're all a family."

"Hey hey hey, don't get greedy," Li Luo said, exasperated. "This big stray won't bond with us—after weaning, we'll get her spayed and release her. I'll cover the spaying cost."

Hearing Li Luo would pay for the spaying fee, the attendant beamed with joy and thanked him repeatedly.

After all, if Li Luo didn't cover it, she'd have to launch a crowdfunding campaign in the Qingxi Dormitory stray cat group or submit a funding request to Xu Youyu's external affairs department.

Too troublesome.

Now that Li Luo was willing to cover the cost, it was perfect.

"Since it's settled, I'll reserve them—no one else can adopt them from now on," the attendant pulled out red threads, tied a loop around each kitten's neck as a mark, then returned them one by one to the cage.

Seeing Ying Chanxi and Xu Youyu still looked reluctant to leave, the attendant reminded them: "They're still tiny—brief holding is fine, but don't hold them too long."

"Too much human scent might make the mother reject them."

"If she stops nursing, that'll be a problem—so for now, you can't take them home."

"Wait until they're weaned, then get their first vaccine—or better yet, wait until all three vaccines are done before bringing them home."

After listening, Li Luo nodded and asked: "How long until all vaccines are complete?"

"Usually three or four months," the attendant said. "The FVRCP and rabies vaccines start around two months after birth and take about two months total."

Li Luo rubbed his chin, thought briefly, then nodded: "In the meantime, please take good care of them. We'll cover the cost of cat food and everything else."

"Of course, of course," the attendant smiled, delighted with such a straightforward adopter. "You can visit anytime—just ask the dorm supervisor for the warehouse key."

After briefly discussing the precautions, Li Luo took Xu Youyu and the three girls back to Qingxi Dormitory, drove home to Bihai Lanting.

Back home, Xu Youyu flopped onto the sofa, pulled out her phone, and scrolled through the videos she'd taken just before leaving—like trying to quench thirst with a plum.

"So adorable~ Xi Xi~" Xu Youyu said, watching and turning to Ying Chanxi. "You think so too, right? They're killing me with cuteness!"

"Yeah," Ying Chanxi joined her on the sofa and watched the videos with her. "The orange one is so beautiful."

"I think my A Li is beautiful too," Xu Youyu said. "Look at this fur—it's like a little leopard."

When Xu Youyu said the name "Ali," Li Luo's step toward the kitchen to grab a small Pudding froze mid-air. He turned to look at Xu Youyu and couldn't help asking, "What did you just call the kitten?"

"Ali," Xu Youyu replied, puzzled. "It's a tortoiseshell cat, right? I feel its pattern is classic tortoiseshell—'Ali' fits perfectly, doesn't it?"

"Hmm…" Li Luo nodded slowly, walked into the kitchen, pulled out a small Pudding, and shoved it into his mouth. "Probably just a coincidence."

In his past life, after graduating university, Xu Youyu adopted a tortoiseshell cat and a Ragdoll—the tortoiseshell cat was named exactly that.

Unexpectedly, in this life, she adopted the kitten two or three years earlier—and still gave it the same name.

It's hard not to call it fate.

But he didn't know whether this life's Ali was the same cat as the one from his past life.

Li Luo thought about it, but didn't dwell on it.

What happened in the last life was over; this life was for enjoying, no need to overthink.

At that moment, Xu Youyu turned to Ying Chanxi and Yan Zhusheng beside her and asked, "You two should pick names for the kitten too—any ideas?"

"Hmm…" Ying Chanxi thought for a while, then said, "We've been calling it Xiao Ju—why not just name it Ju Bao?"

"Ju Bao?" Xu Youyu blinked in confusion.

"Yeah, 'Bao' as in treasure," Ying Chanxi explained. "When I held it in my hands just now, it felt like a little treasure—Ju Bao sounds right, doesn't it?"

"Sounds kinda dumb," Yan Zhusheng commented from beside her.

"What did you say?" Ying Chanxi instantly glared at Yan Zhusheng, cheeks puffed. "Then what name would you pick for your kitten?"

"I don't know," Yan Zhusheng shook her head, then looked at Li Luo. "I'm bad at naming—Li Luo, pick one for me."

"Me?" Li Luo glanced at Yan Zhusheng—he knew she had naming difficulties; nearly all her online accounts were named "Shengsheng Bu Xi."

After thinking a moment, his gaze fell on the photo of Ali taken on Xu Youyu's phone, and an idea struck him. He said casually, "It looks cute as a little silver-white ball—how about 'Cotton Candy'? Nickname: Tang Tang."

"Eww~ Such a lame name," Xu Youyu couldn't help complaining.

Li Luo: "..."

Hearing Xu Youyu's complaint, Li Luo twitched his lips—he thought, This name was yours in your past life, and now you dare call it lame?

"Simple names are easier to raise," Li Luo shot her a look.

Yan Zhusheng had no objections—whatever Li Luo said, she agreed obediently. "Then it's Cotton Candy."

"What about your little black cat?" Xu Youyu grinned. "Should we call it Black Cat Cop?"

"You don't get it," Li Luo immediately corrected her seriously. "Black Cat Cop has 'black cat' in the name, but it's actually a tuxedo cat—it has white fur!"

"..." Xu Youyu stared at him, speechless. "Then what should we call it? Just name it Xiao Hei—simple names are easier to raise."

"Why must a black cat be called Xiao Hei?" Li Luo shook his head. "That's too stereotypical—no good, no good. Can we avoid the word 'black' entirely?"

"How about Coal?" Ying Chanxi raised a finger.

"That's still black!" Li Luo looked baffled.

"But at least it doesn't have the word 'black' in it," Ying Chanxi said, slightly embarrassed. "What else could we call it? Nothing else feels right."

"How about Ink?" Xu Youyu suggested offhand. "Or Oreo?"

"Oreo's a sandwich cookie—it has white in the middle!" Li Luo pointed out.

"You're so picky," Xu Youyu rolled her eyes. "Fine, you pick then—I'll see what name you come up with."

"I'll pick myself..." Li Luo rubbed his chin, sucking on the small Pudding.

After finishing the entire small Pudding, Li Luo spat the stick into the trash—and suddenly remembered a good name.

"I've got it."

"What's it called?" Ying Chanxi asked curiously.

"Bai Gei."

"What?" Xu Youyu blinked, confused. "What's 'Bai Gei'?"

"It means 'free gift,'" Li Luo said. "'Bai' as in 'free food and drink'—got it?"

"It's pitch-black, and you use 'bai'?" Xu Youyu stared at him, half-laughing, half-exasperated. "Does that even make sense?"

"Why not?" Li Luo said. "We never planned to adopt it. If the shelter worker hadn't recommended it, and if you hadn't felt sorry for it being left alone, we wouldn't have taken it in."

"It's practically a free gift."

"That's the name!"

"Yeah, good name," Yan Zhusheng nodded in agreement—anything Li Luo named was good in her eyes.

Ying Chanxi and Xu Youyu had no energy to argue further and let it slide.

Thus, the four kittens' names were settled.

The black kitten was Bai Gei, the brown tabby was Ali, the orange cat was Ju Bao, and the silver-striped one was Cotton Candy.

After confirming this, Xu Youyu eagerly pulled Ying Chanxi to shop online, determined to buy cat supplies ahead of time.

Yan Zhusheng had little interest in this—she only liked the feel of petting cats. Seeing them enthusiastically shopping, she got up and went to the piano room.

Li Luo glanced over for a moment, then returned to his room to write.

As afternoon quietly passed.

In the evening, the four had dinner at home. Xu Youyu sat at the table, scrolling on her phone while eating, when suddenly a new group announcement appeared in the class group.

She opened it.

The next second, a scream echoed across the dining table.

"What happened?" Li Luo asked, bewildered.

"It's over... completely over..." Xu Youyu dropped her chopsticks and phone, looking utterly defeated. "How am I supposed to live now?"

(End of Chapter)