Reborn Cat Sheriff

Chapter 368 A Poor Family, A Warm Home
The driver, Lao Wei, was named Wei Yixiao. His father was probably a fan of Jin Yong's novels.

Lin Ge saw the name on a memorial tablet in one of the rooms of his house. The tablet belonged to Wei Yixiao's father, and judging from the date written on it, he had died very young, and he was probably raised by his mother alone.

Then, there was no fourth person in his family.

There was no woman in the house, only his elderly mother with a limp and a daughter in a wheelchair, and himself. His mother had difficulty moving around, and his daughter was confined to a wheelchair; Lin Ge could hardly imagine what kind of life he led on a daily basis.

At the same time, Lin Ge finally understood why Wei Yixiao always had a serious and unsmiling demeanor in front of his neighbors.

This was a very stubborn man who refused pity and charity. Even though his family was poor, and it was difficult for one person to support the whole family on their income, especially since his daughter needed frequent hospital checkups and rehabilitation which cost a lot of money, he still stubbornly endured it all alone. He never gave up on his daughter's treatment, and named her Wei Li, a name that sounds masculine, hoping that one day she would be able to stand up again.

This family of three has supported each other until now, and the various troubles and inconveniences in life have never defeated them.

Lin Ge even discovered that Wei Yixiao was actually quite content. Especially when he showed off the various certificates of merit that Wei Li had posted on the wall to Lin Ge, Lin Ge could see the genuine pride and smile on his face.

"Dad, please let me go to school by myself when school starts. Grandma has difficulty moving around and has to push her wheelchair to take me every time. It's so hard for her."

Wei Li is a sensible child. She doesn't complain when talking about her disability and even tries to help ease her family's burdens. She handed in her winter vacation homework to Wei Yixiao for checking and even bent down in her wheelchair to play with the cat.

Lin Ge, unusually, did not flinch, allowing Wei Li to gently comb his forehead with her fingers. The girl's palms were covered in calluses, indicating that pushing a wheelchair was no easy task.

"Hmm... let's wait another six months. When you start junior high in the second half of the year, we'll rent a place near the school so it'll be more convenient for you to go to school."

Wei Yixiao checked the homework quickly, perhaps because he didn't understand English very well. After carefully checking whether Wei Li had filled in every question, he looked up and smiled, saying, "Lili, you don't need to worry about this. Maybe in another six months, you'll be able to stand up! Didn't the doctor say that the rehabilitation is going quite well, and there's a good chance you'll be able to stand up? Then you can run around freely like other kids."

"Renting a house costs money, right? I don't think it's really necessary. I'm already this old, and I can get to school by myself by pushing my wheelchair a little earlier each day."

Wei Li pouted, unable to bear seeing her grandmother's daily struggles. Her grandmother already needed a cane to walk, and after escorting her to school, she would slowly make her way back, also using the cane. It was truly too much for her. Their family wasn't well-off either; renting a place was too extravagant for them.

"It's okay! We can rent out our house to others, use the rent to rent another place, and there won't be any burden."

Wei Yixiao casually remarked, then looked up at his mother who was patiently folding paper boxes and said, "Mom, don't bother! You're working so hard folding these boxes and you're not earning much money. You might as well rest more! Just take good care of Lili for me, and leave the money-making to me. Oh, by the way, when we go to sweep Dad's grave in a few days, remember to remind me to buy a few more sheets of gold foil. This year is Dad's sixtieth birthday, so we need to burn more paper money for him."

"The person has been dead for so many years, why waste money burning paper money?"

Aunt Wei's eyesight wasn't very good, so she wasn't folding the cardboard boxes very quickly. She pretended not to hear her son's words and muttered to herself as she worked, "You drive a bus, and the safety of everyone on board is on your shoulders. Staying in good spirits is more important than anything else. Why do you have to work that night shift security guard job? I'm just kidding, but why don't you quit that security guard job? We may be short of money, but we don't need to risk our lives. I'm worried about you not getting a good night's sleep every day."

"Hehe... It's nothing. I mostly sleep during the night shift. How many people can come and go at night? I make money easily."

Wei Yixiao stubbornly refused as well.

"You! You drive a bus during the day and work as a security guard at night? Do you really think that night shift security guards don't have to patrol and can just sleep soundly? If you keep doing this for a long time, even an iron body can't take it, right?"

Lin Ge glanced at Wei Yixiao with surprise.

“Lili needs money for junior high! Her grades are so good, I can't let her fall behind. I asked Teacher Li from another school, and she said that families like ours can apply for tuition reduction, which would only cost 30,000 to 40,000 yuan a year. Hehe... Go to a good junior high, then a good high school, and then university! Once Lili graduates from university, she'll be successful! By then, I won't be so busy anymore, and I can even travel with you!”

Wei Yixiao chuckled as he spoke, his eyes filled with anticipation. Although his daughter was still many years away from graduating from university, Wei Yixiao already had a reason to persevere.

Lin Ge couldn't say anything about it; after all, he was just a cat and had no right to interfere in other people's families.

Unsurprisingly, Lin Ge wasn't assigned a chair at dinner. Wei Yixiao found him a not-so-clean enamel bowl, wiped it clean, poured in some rice and soup, and that was it. Lin Ge naturally didn't like this kind of food, but seeing Wei Li's expectant gaze beside him, he reluctantly licked it a couple of times.

Afterwards, the three of them ate dinner, while Lin Ge wandered around the house twice out of sheer boredom.

To be honest, there's not much to see or do. It's a traditional old house with two bedrooms and two living rooms, and there's almost nothing worth admiring. Wei Yixiao lives alone in the small bedroom, while Wei Li and his grandmother sleep together in the large bedroom. The large bedroom also has an old desk crammed in, with an old-fashioned large-bulb desk lamp and a few books on it. Even the chair that comes with the desk is just an ordinary wooden chair, with a worn-out cotton cushion underneath.

Apart from the wall of certificates of merit in the living room that made Lin Ge look at the girl named Wei Li with new respect, there was almost nothing else in the entire house worth praising. Even the television in the living room was an old-fashioned 32-inch model, with no broadband and instead a satellite dish brought in from outside.

Lin Ge found a clean open space and squatted down to lick his paws. Soon he saw Wei Yixiao hurriedly finish the rice in his bowl, pack his things, and head out again.

"Hey kitty, how about we spend the night at the factory? If you're so capable, you can catch some mice for me too. Those little rascals are really annoying when I'm trying to nap at night."

Wei Yixiao waved to Lin Ge, signaling the cat to come with him.

His next job was as a night shift security guard at a plastic products factory, a twelve-hour shift from 8 pm to 8 am. Apart from having to patrol every two hours, he could manage to doze off intermittently.

"Do I look like an idiot? Why would I stay in a quiet place and come outside with you to get windy and bothered by rats?"

Lin Ge rolled his eyes at Wei Yixiao.

"Tsk! Then behave yourself and don't cause any trouble, and get out of here first thing tomorrow morning. Oh! Lili, cover the vegetables in the kitchen with covers, so that this cat doesn't ruin them tonight. And Mom, don't stay up late, go to bed early!"

After giving his instructions, Wei Yixiao tightened his clothes, grabbed a military overcoat, and hurriedly left.

"Mimi, do you want some fish?"

As soon as Wei Yixiao left, Wei Li quickly pushed the wheelchair to Lin Ge's side. She looked at Lin Ge with curiosity and anticipation, and even took out a packet of spicy dried fish snacks from her pocket.

The little girl licked her lips, seemingly quite tempted herself. She thought for a moment, then tore open the packaging, picked out a small fish, and handed it to Lin Ge, saying, "I don't know if cats can handle spicy food, but this is my only snack. Hmm... actually, it's not that Dad won't buy it for me, it's just that I can't waste money. After all, my illness... actually, medical treatment is very expensive. I don't even want to see a doctor anymore, but Dad insists on spending this unnecessary money. Hehe... actually, I'm used to not being able to stand up."

Wei Li spoke with a grin, showing no particular sign of disappointment. The child's hair was a bit dry and yellowish, but it was still neatly combed. It was tied in an old-fashioned braid, clearly reflecting her grandmother's taste.

After thinking for a moment, Lin Ge obligingly took the little fish and ate it.

In an instant, his entire mouth trembled from the spiciness, and Lin Ge felt as if the fur on his body was prickling. He finally realized that cats really can't eat spicy food; their sensitive taste buds and delicate oral mucosa simply cannot withstand the stimulation of spicy flavors.

Most importantly, the spiciness in this snack isn't from real chili peppers at all; it's probably capsaicin or something similar. Lin Ge was panting and wincing from the spiciness, but he managed to swallow the whole little fish.

"What a delicate thing! Lili, we can't afford to keep this kind of cat."

Not far away, the old lady was still folding cardboard under the light, but she kept a close eye on her granddaughter and the cat. Seeing how much the cat struggled to eat a fish, she said disdainfully, "This cat probably can't even catch a mouse. Keeping it is a waste of food. If you like cats, we can go to Xiao Wang at the end of the alley and ask him for one. His female cat is about to have kittens. Those local cats are really capable; they're not picky eaters and are easy to raise."

"..."

Lin Ge was speechless. This was the first time he had ever been looked down upon like this.

The star police cat of Zhanghe Police Station, a well-known figure throughout the entire Zhangzhou police system, was actually looked down upon by an ordinary old lady. Catching mice is nothing! The criminals he's caught could line up from Zhanghe Police Station all the way to Longquan Street!
Wei Li was a sensible person after all; he played with Lin Ge for a while and then obediently went to do his homework.

As for Grandma's suggestion of getting a cat, she was somewhat tempted but ultimately shook her head and refused. After all, she was in a condition where she couldn't even take care of herself, let alone a kitten. It would be too unfair to leave the kitten in her home compared to its brothers and sisters.

Around ten o'clock, the old lady finally couldn't hold on any longer. She put down the cardboard and, trembling, leaned on her cane to go to the kitchen to boil water. After the water was boiled, she carried it into the bathroom with great difficulty, adjusted the water temperature, and then pushed Wei Li over to wash his feet.

To be honest, the sight of a disabled elderly woman pushing a wheelchair really evokes sympathy. She can barely stand on her own, yet she has to take care of another girl who is even more unable to care for herself.

The two arrived at the bathroom, where the old lady struggled to help Wei Li slowly move towards a small stool. Wei Li's legs were weak, so he could only use his hands to support his grandmother as they inching closer to the stool.

Unfortunately, the wheelchair wasn't parked in a particularly good spot this time; it was half a step too far from the stool. This small distance wouldn't be a problem for most people, but for Wei Li and his grandmother, it felt like an insurmountable chasm.

Grandma couldn't support Wei Li's weight, and Wei Li couldn't reach the small stool to sit down, so they had to give up and go back to the wheelchair to catch their breath.

"Ow!"

Seeing this, Lin Ge quickly ran over and used his head to push the wooden stool under Wei Li's bottom. Only when Wei Li could no longer hold on did he breathe a sigh of relief, hurriedly letting go of his grandmother and sitting down while holding onto the edge of the wheelchair.

"call……"

The old lady, who was almost unable to hold on, breathed a sigh of relief and quickly grabbed the cane that was leaning against the wall.

Looking at Lin Ge again now, she no longer showed the disdain she had just displayed, and even revealed a satisfied and delighted smile.

“It’s a good cat! It can help with chores and it’s also very observant. Lili, tell your dad tomorrow and ask him to keep this cat.”

"But Grandma, this cat belongs to someone else. Look, it's still wearing a collar, so it must have its own home."

Wei Li shook her head, bent down, and wet a towel to wash her face. She never asked her grandmother for help with these things; she insisted on doing everything she could herself. Only in this way could she be sure she wasn't useless and could take care of herself.

"Tch! Tie a rope around its neck, where can it run to? Keep it at home for a few days and it'll behave itself. How could it remember whose house it is?"

The old lady muttered something to herself, clearly reluctant to part with a cat that could help her and take care of her granddaughter. Of course, she was just saying that; given her humble circumstances, how could she dare to provoke someone she shouldn't?
"grandmother!"

"Just kidding! Lili, Grandma will pour you some more hot water. Put your feet in while the water is still hot, warm up your blood vessels and improve blood circulation so your leg will heal faster."

The old lady changed the subject and patiently poured more hot water into the basin. Seeing the steam rising from the basin, she quickly urged her granddaughter to put her feet down.

"..."

Wei Li remained silent, only pursing his lips and controlling his thighs to lower his feet into the basin.

The scalding hot water made her frown slightly, and her feet and ankles were visibly turning red. But Wei Li neither complained about the heat nor struggled, letting her grandmother press her feet firmly into the hot water and rub them vigorously.

The old woman didn't find the water too hot; at least she could bear it. And what did a little heat matter if it was so her granddaughter could stand up?

She squatted down opposite Wei Li and patiently rubbed his feet, showing focus and patience.

Wei Li gradually adapted and finally smiled, even playfully reaching out to comb his grandmother's gray hair.

"Don't make trouble!"

The old lady smiled and glared at Wei Li; both the old woman and the young boy seemed very happy.

"This girl is really good at enduring things!"

Lin Ge squatted on the toilet seat, staring dumbfounded at the scene. This water, which even he found scalding hot, the little girl had actually endured it. He could understand if an older person wasn't afraid of heat or didn't feel it, but this little girl's delicate skin…

He could have told the old lady that the water was too hot and could hurt her skin or even her feet, but Wei Li silently enjoyed his grandmother's kindness, regardless of whether it was good or bad.

However, perhaps because she had washed her face or the water was hot enough, the little girl's cheeks looked rosy and much healthier than before. After the water cooled down a bit, the old lady added hot water and repeated the process before helping her granddaughter dry her feet and supporting her back into her wheelchair.

"Phew... In another two years, Grandma won't be able to carry you anymore. So you really need to get your leg healed as soon as possible! Lili, when you go to the doctor in a few days, remember to tell him to prescribe more medicine and take it more often so it will heal faster."

As she spoke, the old lady pushed her wheelchair back into the room.

Wei Li didn't object, just smiled and said okay. When she returned to her desk, she took out a notebook and continued doing her homework, while the old lady went back to the bathroom to wash her feet with the water she had just used, and then went back to bed and lay down fully clothed.

"Grandma, why don't you go to sleep first? I'll study some more English words. I'll turn off the light for you now."

Wei Li turned on the desk lamp, then turned it to face the wall so as not to shine on her grandmother. She then wheeled herself to the door and turned off the room lights, waved to Lin Ge who had followed her, and returned to her desk to continue memorizing vocabulary.

'Clang clang clang...'

Suddenly, the sound of small animals running around quickly came from the ceiling, followed by squeaking. The running sounds came and went quickly, and silence returned soon, but after only ten seconds or so, they came running back from another place.

The constant noises—some still, some moving, some startling—made it impossible for Wei Li to concentrate. He forced himself to memorize a few more words, then sighed and decided to go to sleep.

"Holy crap, there really are rats!"

Lin Ge looked up at the ceiling, seeing for the first time a rat dared to be so brazen above him.

It is said that there were rats at Zhanghe Police Station at the beginning, but with the arrival of Lin Ge and the move-in of the mother hawksbill turtle and her family of four, the rats disappeared without anyone knowing when.

At first, you could occasionally see the mother hawksbill turtle carrying a live mouse and dropping it in front of her three cubs, teaching them how to hunt. Unfortunately, as mice became scarcer and the mother hawksbill turtle grew lazier, this task was gradually abandoned.

This time, Lin Ge actually heard the sound of mice again.

These guys are so reckless, daring to cause trouble right above a police cat! Isn't this just provoking a tiger? They deserve to die and are courting death!

(End of this chapter)