Yingqu Liuzi was pampered by her wealthy daddy.

Shen Yu'an stood in the foyer holding the cat.

It had stopped trembling, its body had warmed up, and its light yellow eyes were looking around.

The butler walked over, glanced at the wet ball of fur in Shen Yu'an's arms, then at Shen Yu'an's soaked cuffs, and asked what needed to be prepared.

Shen Yu'an said to take it to the hospital for a check-up and get it vaccinated.

The housekeeper nodded and reached out to take the cat.

Shen Yu'an bent down and handed the cat to him. The cat's paws gripped Shen Yu'an's sleeve and wouldn't let go. He gently pried its paws open and said he would be back in a little while.

The cat, carried by the butler, glanced at Shen Yu'an but didn't meow.

The housekeeper wrapped the cat in a towel and turned to make arrangements.

As the door closed, Shen Yu'an stood in the foyer, looking down at his hands, where the cat's warmth and a slightly damp touch still lingered.

Caesar stood beside him, watching him look down at his palm, and said, "It'll be back in a bit."

Shen Yu'an looked up at him and said, "I know."

He turned and walked into the living room. The living room lights were on, casting a warm glow on the sofa and carpet.

Shen Yu'an sat down on the sofa, and Xize sat down on the single sofa next to him.

The two sat quietly for a while. Shen Yu'an looked down at his cuffs, where the cat's claws had left several very fine streaks.

"Won't it be scared in the hospital?" Shen Yu'an asked.

"The housekeeper will accompany you."

"It's so small, the injection will hurt."

Xize leaned back on the sofa, looking at him: "You were cold when you were sheltering from the rain at the station back then. You're not cold now."

Shen Yu'an was stunned for a moment, then turned her head to look at him.

Xize's expression didn't change much, as if he were stating a fact that had been confirmed many times before.

Shen Yu'an looked away and down at his knees.

About an hour later, the door opened again. The butler walked in carrying a large paper bag and holding the cat in his other arm.

The cat was wrapped in a clean, light-colored blanket. Its fur, which was mostly dry, was a bit fluffy and looked a little plumper than when it was first found.

Its eyes were open, and it was looking around; it no longer seemed tense.

Shen Yu'an stood up and walked over.

The housekeeper handed the cat to him, saying it had been checked, was less than a year old, had no parasites, had received its first vaccination, and would receive its second vaccination in a while.

The paper bag contained cat food, a litter box, a small bed, and a cat toy. Shen Yu'an took the cat and looked down at how it huddled in his palm.

Its fur was dry, and the tabby stripes became clear under the light. The tuft of white fur on the tips of its ears stood up, and its tail was wrapped around his wrist.

"It's called Rain Stop," Shen Yu'an said.

The housekeeper glanced at the cat, nodded, and turned to put away the cat supplies.

Shen Yu'an carried the cat back to the living room and sat down on the sofa.

Xize sat down next to the cat and reached out to touch its head. The cat looked up at him, then nuzzled his fingers, as if remembering the scent.

"It recognizes you," Shen Yu'an said.

"It recognizes you." Caesar withdrew his hand. "You picked it up."

Shen Yu'an looked down at the snoring ball of fur in his arms.

It made a very slight vibration in its throat, and its round belly rose and fell against Shen Yu'an's palm.

He placed the cat on the sofa cushion. The cat stepped on the sofa surface, then lay down, tucked its paws in, and curled up into a ball. Shen Yu'an reached out and stroked its back. The cat squinted its eyes and purred louder.

Xize picked up the cat toy that the butler had placed on the coffee table and shook the feathers at the tip.

The cat's ears immediately perked up, its head turned in the direction of the feathers, then it stood up, stared at the cat toy for two seconds, and pounced on it.

With a flick of his wrist, Xize raised the cat toy a little higher. The cat stood up, its front paws resting on the back of the sofa. Unable to reach it, it swayed its tail a couple of times.

Shen Yu'an watched Xize holding the cat toy. His movements were usually restrained and precise, but now he was holding a plastic stick with feathers, his fingers gripping the end, in a posture similar to when he held a pen.

The cat jumped up and pounced twice but couldn't reach it. It then sat on the sofa with its head tilted back, its tail tip swaying gently.

Xize lowered the cat toy a little.

The cat pounced on the feather, hooked its paws onto the plastic stick and held on tightly, biting the feather with its mouth, its whole body hanging on the cat toy. Xize picked it up and shook it a couple of times.

Shen Yu'an chuckled, reached out and took the cat off the cat toy. After landing, the cat clung to the feathers and refused to let go, its four paws holding the feathers together, its belly pressed against the carpet as it nibbled on them.

"Look at it," Shen Yu'an said.

Xize placed the cat toy on the coffee table and looked at the kitten on the carpet that was clutching the feather.

After nibbling for a while, it loosened its grip, brushed the feathers aside with its paws, pounced again, then lay down, its tail slowly sweeping from side to side.

Shen Yu'an sat on the carpet at the edge of the sofa and reached out to touch its back.

The cat rolled over, exposing its belly, its four paws curled up, looking at him. Shen Yu'an pressed his palm against its belly; it was warm, soft, and gently undulating.

"It trusts you," Caesar's voice came from the sofa.

Shen Yu'an looked up at him.

Xize sat on the sofa, one hand on the armrest, watching him.

His gaze moved from Shen Yu'an's face to the cat, and then back again.

"It showed its belly on its very first day here," Shen Yu'an said.

"Um."

Shen Yu'an lowered his head and stroked the cat's belly again. Its paws gently held his wrist without applying any force.

The soft, warm, and gentle touch of the cat's paw remained on Shen Yu'an's wrist.

Xize got up from the sofa and sat on the carpet next to Shen Yu'an.

The two people sat side by side, with a cat lying on its back between them.

Shen Yu'an glanced at Xize. He rarely sat on the carpet, and the cuffs of his shirt were rubbing against the fur. The top button of his collar was still fastened.

What are you doing sitting on the ground?

"I'm tired of squatting."

Shen Yu'an did not expose him.

He picked up the cat and placed it on the carpet between the two of them. The cat stepped on the carpet, then lay down, resting its head on Shen Yu'an's feet and its tail on Xize's trouser leg.

The two of them looked down at it at the same time, remained silent for a while, and neither of them moved.

The rain outside had stopped, and the sound of the butler walking around could be heard from the foyer, soft and distant.

The warm light from the living room lamp shone on the three people, and the cat's purring continued quietly.

Shen Yu'an reached out and touched the tip of its ear; it didn't flinch.

"Is it really called Rain Stop?" Xize asked.

"Um."

Why?

"Because it's still there even after the rain stopped."

Xize didn't reply. He looked down at the tail draped over his trouser leg; the tip of the tail brushed against his skin briefly before stopping.