Uneasy daily life

The Ragdoll cat returned a gentle gaze, quiet and peaceful, full of the calm composure of time.

"Why isn't it moving?"

"Because of their strong patience, they have a gentle personality."

"A dignified feline, yet it has no fighting spirit; it's a disgrace to cats! Let's get a different one!"

The shop assistant felt a little uneasy. Today, a difficult customer had come in. Well, I'll bet my persuasive skills, which almost got me into a pyramid scheme, that I'll make sure you buy a pet!

He took a deep breath, and with eloquent speech, began to introduce each item in turn.

"This is a Persian cat, elegant and charming, known as the king of cats. Watching and photographing its gait is a truly enjoyable experience; this is an American Shorthair, muscular and fierce-looking, intelligent and gentle, its face alone exudes a fighting spirit of over 5,000; this is a Siamese cat, with short, soft fur, a slender and well-proportioned body, and you'll be pleasantly surprised to find it grows much longer when you pick it up, which is quite amusing; this is an Angora cat, agile, with long, clean fur, a unique and rebellious personality, and adept at making its owner both laugh and cry; this is a British Shorthair, with a large head, round face, and short, dense fur; this is a Chinese Li Hua cat, with beautiful fur, an M-shaped stripe between its eyebrows, easy to care for, and adept at catching small animals..."

"They are all healthy and strong, with unique skills, and are all rare and wonderful cats. You really can't find so many kinds of cats in other pet stores!"

So, are you tempted?

The shop assistant glanced at Yukinoshita's father, only to see him pacing back and forth with a slight frown, critically commenting on each cat: "Persian cat, elegant but lacking masculine beauty; American Shorthair, fierce on the outside but cowardly on the inside; Siamese cat, seemingly balanced, but with no redeeming qualities other than its length; Angora cat, disregarding military orders, not a good cat; British Shorthair, with a dull face, unsuitable for important tasks; Chinese Li Hua cat, tainted by its political stance, not to be trusted..."

The shop assistant felt a tingling sensation on his tongue from eating Sichuan peppercorns.

“Speaking of which, the cats here have very short paws,” Yukinoshita’s father observed.

"Yes, we regularly trim our cats' fur and nails..."

Yukino's father sighed, "Our fighting strength has greatly decreased."

The shop assistant quickly snapped out of her daze and asked, "Sir, what kind of cat would you like?"

Yukinoshita's father pondered for a moment and said, "It needs to be big and strong, intimidating, enough to scare the dogs out of their wits. It needs to be strong enough to easily beat up humans, and it needs to be hardworking, obedient, and a feline that can hit wherever it's told..."

"Sir, you're joking. We don't sell tigers here," the shop assistant said with a smile. "Perhaps you should go to the zoo."

“Then let’s settle for second best,” Yukino’s father continued, “We need unity, a fighting spirit, and the ability to guard the house and protect the community…”

The shop assistant continued with a smile, "Would you like to see some pet dogs?"

"If it's not a cat, then it's meaningless."

Yukinoshita's father said worriedly, "On the same track, a dog can't beat that guy. He's much more of a dog than a dog."

"Is something troubling you, sir?"

"The person my daughter likes is coming to visit," Yukinoshita's father said through gritted teeth. "I heard that kid hates cats, so I'm going to come and buy some strong ones."

"Whether it's an allergy to cat fur or simply a dislike of cats, it has nothing to do with a cat's fighting ability," the salesperson advised. "As long as you have enough, the little thief who stole your daughter's heart will surely run away at the sight of cats. I suggest you buy several and place them in different parts of your home to ensure there's nowhere for him to hide..."

good idea.

Yukinoshita's father nodded slightly: "Speaking of which, my daughter really likes cats..."

So your daughter is dating because she wants to challenge her weaknesses?

The shop assistant smiled and continued, "Isn't that perfect? ​​People who like cats often don't particularly like one type. A diverse range of cats will definitely make your daughter happier... Speaking of which, I'm quite worried about my daughter. I'm often afraid that she'll be deceived by someone. As for the problems she encounters, besides silently offering my support, there's not much I can do to help her solve them."

Do you have a daughter too?

Yukinoshita's father felt a sense of warmth even from the unfamiliar face. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the shop assistant had black hair, orange-red eyes, and facial features that didn't quite resemble a Japanese person: "A foreigner?"

"Italy."

The shop assistant smiled, revealing his teeth.

"You speak fluent Japanese."

"Because my wife is Japanese."

After some friendly international exchanges, Yukinoshita's father no longer hesitated and said, "No need for the Chinchilla cat, my daughter already has one. I don't want the Chinese tabby cat, but I'll take one of the other cats!"

Under the snow, the father carried a cage in each hand, and walked away with his back to the sky.

The shop assistant waved goodbye, tears welling in his eyes as he made his money.

……

……

It's approaching evening.

Ding dong——!

The white figure raised her hand and rang the doorbell of Xiangxue's house, carrying a bag in her hand.

The sound of footsteps approached quickly from inside the door, and then the door was opened with a click. Yukinoshita's father, dressed in a casual T-shirt and shorts, revealed a bright and radiant smile.

The next second, the flowers withered and the earth was covered in snow.

"Hello, big brother."

Bai Ying raised her hand in greeting.

Yukinoshita's father completely ignored the traitor, looked past him to the empty space behind him, and then looked left and right.

Yukinoshita's father turned his gaze back: "Why are you the only one here?"

"The brave warriors and 9528 are still to come."

Bai Ying said that he had personally (with cat's eyes) seen Yukino Yukinoshita (Mai) and Yukino Yukinoshita (Yukino) go out, then rush out of the house, take the shortcut, and arrive at their destination first without anyone noticing.

Yukinoshita's father laughed and said, "Oh dear, you're already leaving, why bring a gift? Take it with you."

"These are the books my aunt asked me to buy for her. It seems you have a lot to offer, brother. I'll go first..."

The white-clad figure made a move to leave, but Yukinoshita's father quickly and affectionately grabbed him, pulling him all the way into the house with an irresistible enthusiasm: "You're already here, why leave? Please come in quickly. I heard you were coming to visit, so I've prepared a very special gift for you..."

Yes, that's the truth.

A real lie.

The assessment was based on ulterior motives.

What's my brother up to now?

Shirokage walked into Yukinoshita's house with great interest and casually placed a bag of books on the coffee table.

"Cola or tea?"

The father, with a broad smile, decided to lay the groundwork a little.

"No need for drinks." Bai Ying observed the other person suspiciously. "Brother, has something happy happened?"

Yukinoshita's father realized his expression might have been too exaggerated, so he coughed lightly and said, "There will be some new members joining the family soon..."

The white-clad figure had a strange expression, but then said with utmost respect, "Brother, you are truly a remarkable man in your middle age, and in excellent health."

"...Is it possible that Yukino and Haruno will move back home from now on?"

"Nonsense," Bai Yingrui commented. "Leaving aside the brave one, 9528 is in university. You expect her to take the train from Chiba to Tokyo every day?"

“That’s true.” Yukino’s father smiled and sighed gently. “Shiro, you promised to help your older brother.”

"Didn't I persuade 9528 to come home?" Bai Ying boasted about her achievement. "With enough effort, even an iron rod can be ground into a needle. Big Brother's wish will definitely come true."

Yukinoshita's father chuckled dismissively, "What wishes could I possibly have?"

Bai Ying speculated, "A family going on a happy trip? Visiting shrines in spring, watching fireworks in summer, having picnics in the countryside in autumn, and having snowball fights in winter."

Yukinoshita's father: "..."

Do you want to? Of course I do, but some things can't be changed just by thinking about them, especially interpersonal relationships, which cannot be changed by human will.

"What is poison to one is honey to another," Bai Ying said with a shrug. "It's not an easy thing to get family members to suddenly feel the urge to go out and have fun together."

"It was really difficult before..."

Yukinoshita's father glanced at the white figure with a rather complicated expression. This traitor had done something...

"Brother, don't look at me," Bai Ying said matter-of-factly. "I'm just showing you what each other looks like. If you see the pain of your loved ones and still feel, 'I'm right, there's nothing I can do about it,' then nothing will change."

“That’s your skill too.” Yukino’s father thought of the current situation at home, and the darkness in his heart unconsciously dissipated, and a warm light flowed out. “Yonota is able to endure, his wife won’t turn back until she hits a wall, and they can have a fight and redefine their way of getting along. That’s a great thing. You don’t need to deny the credit. I say you did a good job, so you did a good job.”

Bai Ying said proudly, "Whenever you decide on the trip and finish the preparations, remember to include me. I want to join in the fun."

Just joining in the fun (×).

The whole place was bustling with activity (√).

Yukinoshita's father's forehead bulged slightly as he recalled this guy's entanglement with some unknown actor, and how he himself had lost a keyboard battle to him online, only to be drowned in a sea of ​​words... This scoundrel's true colors are definitely not those of a kind!

Darkness surged.

"Haha, speaking of which, what I meant when I said there were more members in the household were actually the retainers I recently recruited, each of them possessing unique skills..."

"Are they all just petty thieves?"

"Look at what you're saying! Let me introduce it to you!"

Under the warm invitation of her father, Bai Ying crossed the wooden corridor and arrived at the spacious backyard.

"This place is quite spacious, perfect for running around like crazy..."

Bai Ying's words came to an abrupt end.

The demons, who were playing in the backyard, poked their hairy heads out from different places, their eyes gleaming.

Ragdoll, British Shorthair, Norwegian Forest Cat, Siamese, Persian, Angora, American Shorthair...

"Brother, take a look at my Big Dipper formation, what do you think?"

Under the snow, the father smiled broadly and warmly embraced the white figure, imprisoning her with his own body.

"Meow-!"

"You audacious thief, get out of here!"

"Don't panic, my dear brother! Your elder brother is here—I am your master! Why are you scratching me?!"

"Big Dipper, heed my command! This place is Xuanwu Gate!"

……

……

in the living room.

The white figure, covered in cat fur, was lost in thought, its spirit slightly wounded.

The father was cleaning and disinfecting the wound, applying bandages; his body was quite injured.

Yukino Yukinoshita (Yukino) and Yukino Yukinoshita (Mai) who arrived a step late looked at each other in bewilderment.

“Father…” Yukino Yukinoshita (Mai) smiled, “H. Haku-kun hates cats because cats like Haku-kun.”

Yukinoshita's father was so shocked that he stammered, "Ah, oh?"

What's going on? He just smiled.

Yukino Yukinoshita (Mai) has a sense of defeat, as she falls down as soon as she appears.

"Ahem, Father." Yukino Yukinoshita quickly intervened, glancing around and noticing the seven cats in the cage in the distance. She asked in her usual indifferent tone, "Where did Mother go?"

The Chinese goddess is going to have a solo match with the great goddess?!

"Uh, oh... she went out shopping..."

The cotton swab in the father's hand fell to the ground under the snow, his heart filled with a sense of utter fear and unease.

He quickly looked at the white figure—Brother, what's going on?!

Baiying: The number you dialed is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later.

Chapter Seventeen: On the Street

In the living room, the four people sat facing each other, the atmosphere somewhat heavy and awkward, and for a moment no one spoke to break the ice.

What happened?

Why do all the young and beautiful girls seem to be in a bad mood? Do they have a big problem with me?

Yukinoshita's father pondered the matter with lightning speed, concluding that he was completely clueless. He cautiously observed his two daughters, and the more he observed, the colder his heart felt. The little goddess's slight smile had faded, her expression becoming flat, yet there was still a sense of a smile lingering. Simply put... her demeanor seemed gentler than usual—something was wrong! The middle goddess, on the other hand, maintained a cold expression, not even wanting to look in his direction—that wasn't right either! He needed to find an opportunity to ask his younger brother for advice privately!

Is silence the norm for Yukinoshita at home? Or is it a matter of her laughing just now? Wouldn't it be something that made Yukinoshita laugh if the hater and Uncle Yukinoshita ended up hurting each other over the cat?

Yukino Yukinoshita (Mai) pondered: Where is the trigger for Yukinoshita's humor? Where are the production standards? Where is the quality control? She needed to find an opportunity to ask the hater how to portray Yukinoshita flawlessly!

Cats! Seven cats! Seven kinds of cats!