LAVW – Chapter 124 It’s an American Shorthair

“Letter? What letter? Tell me, maybe I’ll remember.” Expert Yuan asked curiously, eager to know what connection he had with Chen Niu’s backstory.

Shi Qian slowly closed his eyes.

But because his hearing was too good, Chen Niu’s voice sounded especially clear next to his ears.

“Let me start with the letter I wrote back then. My parents passed away together during the famine. When I wrote that letter…”

Catching sight of Qian Niuhua’s oddly stiff expression from the corner of his eye, Chen Niu hesitated for a moment, but since he was already speaking, he didn’t pause to introduce his cow.

Meanwhile, as Shi Qian listened to Chen Niu pouring his heart out, with none of his usual “helpers” around, a sentence suddenly flashed across his mind—Of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, running away is the best.

So he turned his head, lightened his hooves, and simply left.

The vast waves of rice fields rippled—“waves” on land—beautiful as a painting. But they were too short and would easily expose his movements, so Shi Qian headed in another direction, wandering around the houses nearby.

He teased chickens, played with dogs, and watched whatever commotion was happening.

As he wandered about aimlessly, he saw several cats surrounding a tiny dirty kitten.

The filthy little kitten was holding a half-eaten small fish in its mouth.

The fish was only slightly wider than two fingers. The bottom half of its tail was already gone, exposing bones and spines.

For cats in this era, this small fish was incredibly tempting. It was fish, and it was meat. Even humans didn’t get to eat much of that.

The kitten couldn’t fight back. It had been beaten several times and could only drop its food helplessly and shrink to the side pitifully, watching the scrawny adult cats fight over it.

Shi Qian looked at the pitiful kitten and let out a soft “moo” as he stepped forward.

Fighting with cats was something he wanted to avoid, so Shi Qian released a faint pressure to scare the skinny cats.

To cats, Shi Qian was a terrifying giant beast.

Combined with his fierce aura, the adult cats arched their bony backs, growling low, warning him while retreating.

Shi Qian walked forward, chasing the cats away, then withdrew his aura.

The little grimy kitten had already been scared stiff. Seeing the terrifying big cow approaching it, it let out a trembling “mew,” its round eyes widened, and its tiny body shook several times.

Shi Qian immediately found it a bit cute.

He walked behind the little kitten and pushed it gently with a hoof, nudging it toward its fish.

“Moo moo.”

Little cat, eat.

The kitten stared blankly with big eyes. “Mew?”

“Moo moo.”

Eat.

Shi Qian carefully lifted his hoof to gently “press its head down.”

This tiny thing was so small—he was really afraid of accidentally hurting it.

Unable to resist the temptation of food, the hungry kitten hesitated, then finally began chewing down the half fish. It almost choked midway, making Shi Qian speak instinctively.

“Moo moo.”

Slow down, no rush.

His voice was lowered, gentle, carrying a soothing tone.

After finishing the fish, the kitten looked up at the big cow, let out a “mew,” then curled its tail and tried to leave.

Shi Qian watched it toddle off on its short legs—its walk looked like a little wobbling dance, very adorable—so he glanced a few more times.

And because he looked a few more times, he noticed another cat squatting in the distance, watching.

Shi Qian couldn’t help thinking: He already ate it all… don’t tell me you’re still thinking about it?

Seeing how pitiful the little dirty kitten looked, Shi Qian took a few steps forward, grabbed the loose skin at the back of its neck with his mouth, and carried it back.

By the time he returned, Chen Niu had probably already “finished” whatever he was busy with.

As for that letter or no letter… he didn’t know anything, so don’t ask the cow.

A group of people were talking, and Chen Niu was standing toward the back. Shi Qian, carrying the kitten, squeezed through the crowd and found him.

Quite a few people recognized Shi Qian, and seeing the small thing in his mouth, they grew curious.

“A really filthy giant rat?”

“It’s a cat! Whose rat grows that big? It would’ve been caught and eaten already.”

“It’s just so dirty it looks gray. My eyesight’s bad, I mistook it.”

The crowd gathered in curiosity, watching Chen Niu reach out his hand to take the tiny dirty kitten—barely the size of one of his hands.

Chen Niu asked, “Qian Niuhua, you want to raise a cat?”

Shi Qian shook his head and tapped Chen Niu with his hoof.

Chen Niu understood immediately—this was him assigning a task.

A kitten wasn’t a big deal. Qian Niuhua liked it, and they could afford to raise it, so why not. Chen Niu nodded. “Alright, I’ll raise it for you. But next time you bring home a living thing like this, you have to discuss it with me first, okay?”

As for whether the kitten had an owner, there was basically no need to consider that. Just look at how filthy it was.

Shi Qian nodded obediently.

He normally didn’t go around pitying random creatures. If the kitten hadn’t been so small, he wouldn’t have meddled at all. That was simply how nature worked—strong versus weak, predators everywhere. But a bit of compassion for the young and fragile bubbled up in him.

Their conversation ended, and Chen Niu lifted the dirty kitten. “Let’s find some warm water and wash it. This thing is way too dirty.”

The kitten suddenly being transferred into new hands got frightened and meowed in tiny squeaks.

Hearing the young, tender cries, Expert Yuan—who had just been chatting with Chen Niu—paused, suddenly spoke, “Oh, maybe there was such a letter. I think I really did reply.”

Chen Niu: “?”

Before Chen Niu could react, Expert Yuan pulled him aside, smiled, and asked, “This kitten… probably didn’t have anyone taking care of it, right? I’ve been wanting a cat. For some reason, I suddenly want this one. Can you give it to me?”

The dirty kitten was something Shi Qian had brought back, but Shi Qian didn’t seem particularly attached. Chen Niu had only accepted it because he was assigned the job.

If someone genuinely wanted to raise it, that was a good thing.

Hearing this, Chen Niu turned to look at Shi Qian.

He saw Qian Niuhua staring wide-eyed, as if a bit incredulous.

Shi Qian truly was stunned—but since the other person wanted it, then they could have it.

Shi Qian looked carefully at the little filthy kitten, then nudged Chen Niu’s hand, indicating he should give the kitten to Expert Yuan.

Expert Yuan accepted the dirty kitten without any sign of dislike, smiling as he held it, and went off to find an old friend who knew some veterinary medicine.

Shi Qian followed diligently behind him.

An hour later, after being fed, watered, and bathed, the kitten—still being watched closely by Shi Qian—finally revealed its true appearance.

It was an American Shorthair!

A foreign breed showing up in this rural region, out of nowhere?

Chen Niu patted the clearly-disappointed Qian Niuhua and whispered, “You already agreed to give it away, don’t think about it anymore.”

Expert Yuan, whose hearing was excellent, caught this exchange between the man and the cow. His eyes bent in amusement. “It’s my cat now.”

Shi Qian shook his head sincerely. “Moo—moo—”

I really wasn’t thinking about your cat, Elder!