I Can Talk to Cats C37

Chapter 37: Upcoming Spring Festival

Translated by Lime

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3/3

Spring Festival = Chinese New Year

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Yu Lingling’s sudden appearance reminded Lin Lan that the holidays were approaching. Each year, Old Yu’s family would visit their relatives during this time, bringing back tons of gifts. Since it wasn’t convenient for them to bring back their free-range chicken… oops, cockatoo, it had to temporarily stay with the Lin family.

They would be gone for around seven to ten days and would usually be back on the third day after the Chinese New Year. The past few years, when they took back their cockatoo, Old Yu would also give some gifts from his hometown to the Lin family.

As for the Lin family, Xi City was their hometown, so they had taken care of the bird for six years-this year being the seventh.

“I have no problem looking after the bird, but are you sure you don’t mind?” Lin Lan pointed at the kitties inside her cat cafe. “We are keeping almost twenty cats right now. Auntie Yu, are you sure you’re fine with Xiao Kui being around so many cats?”

“He’ll be fine!” Yu Lingling interrupted, saying, “Last month, my Mom bought Xiao Kui a huge cage. He can eat, drink, and fly around freely in there. Even if you put it in the middle of all the cats, he won’t be hurt at all!”

Lin Lan: “…” So when the cat cafe was still being renovated, Auntie Yu had already begun to prepare to send him away.

“This year, we’re going to be gone for around eight days. Everything he needs has already been prepared.” The Yu family were the longest tenants to have lived in the building and Yu Lingling practically grew up in it, so she was extremely familiar with Lin Lan. “Lan Lan, is there anything in particular you want us to bring back? Maybe smoked chicken or smoked ham? Or perhaps bamboo shoots?”

“I’m fine with anything,” Lin Lan smiled as she replied, “Everything you bring back is yummy.”

“Then, probably smoked ham,” Yu Lingling decided, “Last year, my Grandpa prepared a large leg of meat. He said that it would take a whole year until it could be eaten. Maybe it’ll be ready this time.” The girl started salivating at the thought of the delicacy.

“It’s not even the New Year yet and you’re already beginning to think of just the food?” Lin Lan laughed as she patted Yu Lingling’s head and handed her a cat toy: “Go play with the cats.”

“Thanks Lan Lan!” After receiving permission, the girl happily ran away.

There were still around three days until Lin Lan would take in Xiao Kui. Before then, Tang Xiaoya was moving into the apartment on the second floor. She arrived in a moving truck, and the driver helped her carry her bags up.

Compared to Wang Jiayi’s absurd process of moving into her apartment, Tang Xiaoya was much more normal.

Lin Lan wanted to help, but she felt she would only get in the way after witnessing Tang Xiaoya’s efficiency.

Returning to the cat cafe, Lin Lan smiled as she watched the Maine Coon kitty slump on the cat tower and lick its paws.

Tang Xiaoya had asked for leave from work to move. After busying around for the better part of a day, she finally settled in.

She rested on her bed for a moment, before suddenly jumping up and running down the stairs to the cat cafe.

“Boss, I’m here!” Even if there were only two hours left until closing, Tang Xiaoya donned an apron and began to work.

Lin Lan immediately stopped her: “You must be extremely tired already from moving and you shouldn’t be working, go rest.” Then, she made Tang Xiaoya a glass of fruit tea.

Tang Xiaoya was surprised by Lin Lan’s caring actions and smiled, “Thanks, Boss.” She held the pretty glass and sipped a mouthful of sweet fruit tea. Blushing, she stammered, “I’m going to find Mercury!”

“Go have fun.” Lin Lan motioned at Tang Xiaoya.

Tang Xiaoya spotted Mercury and ran over. Mercury had become rather tolerant of her. In the whole cafe, Tang Xiaoya was the only person other than Lin Lan to meticulously take care of him, often grooming him and brushing his fur. If his fur accidentally became dirty after using the bathroom, Tang Xiaoya helped him clean it without hesitation.

So… 

“Mercury, I’m coming to find you!” When Tang Xiaoya reached up and hugged him, Mercury didn’t struggle, letting her rub against him.

Although the Maine Coon had been treated poorly and abandoned before by a human, after spending time at this cafe where he was treated well by both Lin Lan and Tang Xiaoya, he had begun to trust humans again.

However, Mercury was still reluctant to follow a human back to their house as he was now accustomed to the daily life of working in the cat cafe. If Tang Xiaoya wanted to bring Mercury home, she would have to spend more money to build up their relationship.

She wasn’t impatient or in a hurry to bring him home. Now that Tang Xiaoya had moved closer to the cafe, she could visit him after work, granted that she had nothing else to do.

As she played happily with Mercury, Wang Jiayi happened to spot them from her table. While she hugged the Persian kitty, Wang Jiayi wrinkled her nose and lightly cleared her throat.

Miss Wang still vividly remembered this woman rudely speaking to her, so naturally, she disliked her.

“Silver sweetie, we won’t ever play with them.” Stroking the little kitty nestled in the crook of her arm, Wang Jiayi turned her attention back to the video playing on a tablet in front of her.

The tablet was connected to her earphones, so the audio didn’t disturb any other customers. After running away from home, Wang Jiayi spent most of her time in this cafe playing with kitties, and watching videos was her only other pastime.

At first, Lin Lan thought that she watched TV shows or variety shows, but every time she passed by, there was a foreigner teaching something and the captions were inEnglish. Once, when Miss Wang noticed her curious stare, she bragged about the video being from a famous overseas university that she was able to acquire due to her family’s connections. She also mentioned that if Lin Lan was interested, she could always send her a copy of the video.

Lin Lan, who had graduated from college many years ago and had forgotten most of her schooling was speechless. Thanks, but she was only a salted fish who lost all motivation and spent her days petting cats. The expensive (and profound) teachings would be wasted on her.

Unexpectedly, Wang Jiayi was a top student hidden below her brattiness. Sure enough, the children of rich families always had the resources to further their education no matter their character.

With a complicated expression, Lin Lan glanced at the Persian cat who never left Wang Jiayi’s embrace. In the future, this foolish cat, Silver, would likely become the kitty of a top student.

Unaware of Lin Lan’s thoughts, Wang Jiayi carried on like usual and packed up her things before the shop closed and left after saying goodbye to Lin Lan and her favorite kitty.

Wang Jiayi preferred frequenting the cafe where there were people and cats moving around compared to being cooped up alone in her apartment during the bleak winter.

She had worn her custom, hand-made leather boots and stepped up the stairs leading up to her apartment when she sensed something behind her. Turning around quickly, Wang Jiayi saw the woman she disliked from earlier in the day.

“What are you looking at? It’s not like you’re the only one living here.” Without hesitating, Tang Xiaoya continued, “If you’re not gonna walk, move to the side.”

“Hmph,” Wang Jiayi pursed her lips and grunted underneath her breath before continuing to walk forward. She increased her pace and moved to walk in the middle of the stairs.

Tang Xiaoya cursed silently, ‘immature brat’.

In this manner, the two of them reached the second floor. Wang Jiayi expected the annoying woman behind her to continue walking up the stairs, but unexpectedly, she also followed her onto the second floor, even turning into the same hallway.

Behind her, Tang Xiaoya was even more surprised. Although she had known this rich missy was living in the same building, she didn’t expect that she would be living on the same floor.

“Why are you following me?!” Angrily, Wang Jiayi questioned her.

Hearing this, Tang Xiaoya chuckled, “Who’s following you?” As soon as she finished speaking, she fished out a key from her pocket and inserted it into the door in the far corner. “So you’re saying I can’t be a new tenant who just moved in today?”

In one swift motion, Tang Xiaoya opened the door, entered, and closed it behind her. Wang Jiayi stupidly stood in her original position, and her head stiffened at the slam of the door. Her face burned with anger.

It was really frustrating. She had gained an annoying neighbor.

Both the women had this thought.

This little incident between the two tenants was naturally unknown to Lin Lan. She had just returned home, and the kitties were curled up on the heating pad. Holding her phone, she texted Cheng Fengyang.

After resting for three days, his eyes had nearly completely recovered, they only looked a bit swollen from the outside. However, he still complained over the phone.

【Cheng Fengyang】: I think it’ll take another two days for my eyes to completely recover. Do you know what my Dad told me in the past few days?

【Lin Lan】: What?

【Cheng Fengyang】: He said just because of my injury, we had to delay our trip back to our hometown because I was holding them back!

Lin Lan burst out laughing. Before her laughter died out, his new message made her laugh harder.

【Cheng Fengyang】: Well, why should we even go back early? The only differences are that my uncles can get together to play mahjong all night, and in the day, I have to wait until the elders call everyone to eat. There’s nothing to do in my hometown either, it’s just another place to use my phone.

The phrase “just another place to use my phone” was really too funny. Smiling, Lin Lan also sent over a message.

【Lin Lan】: It’s the sad reality of growing up. When we were younger it was fun, but it’s no fun now that we’ve grown up.

When they were young and stupid, anything new was interesting. But now they were older, everything was boring and dull and once they returned to their hometown, they would lifelessly use their phone… wait a minute, how come no one ever gets tired of their phone? Now that was a good question.

【Cheng Fengyang】: Think about the positives! Before my family and I leave for our hometown, I was planning on helping out at your cafe for a few days!

【Lin Lan】: What are you even suggesting? Your injury is the most important priority! If your eyes aren’t healed, then don’t show up in front of me.

Smiling, Lin Lan concentrated on texting Cheng Fengyang. During their exchange, three kitties had secretly made their way up her leg and were sitting in lumps on her lap. Even more were rubbing against her legs.

A few naughty kitties even used their little claws to play with the accessory dangling from Lin Lan’s phone.

Wang Xiuzhi walked out of the kitchen and was ready to summon everyone to eat when she was faced with this sight; her daughter was completely absorbed in her phone while surrounded by rising lumps of cat dough.

How did she never realize her daughter was this fated to be with cats?

Mother Lin gave up trying to figure out her daughter and cheerfully called out: “Time to eat! Are you feeding the cats or setting up the table?”

“I’m coming!” Quickly, Lin Lan texted that she was going to go eat lunch before replying to her mother: “I’ll feed the kitties first, then set up the table!”

Just when she was about to stand up, Lin Lan finally realized the number of kitties gathered on and around her, meowing at her.

“Stop making noise, I’m going to get your food now.”

With one sentence from her, the group of noisy kitties fell silent. Lin Lan picked up a stack of cat bowls, and the army of cats sat in orderly lines, ready to eat.

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First off happy holidays and happy Chinese New Year! Sorry it’s taken me so freaking long to get these chapters out. I was gonna wait longer and try to get more out but life’s been so busy for me. I’ll definitely do a bigger/better mass release but not anytime soon bc I’m extremely overwhelmed with work and school and stuff (started a new job recently >.<). Right now I really don’t know about a release schedule so expect infrequent updates for now until I can find balance in my life. Thanks for reading as always, and hope you enjoyed!

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