Cat 235: Fickle-Minded Humans

Chapter 235: Fickle-Minded Humans

“What could I possibly be hiding?” Yan Jiyun made no excuses—he was open and aboveboard. He’d done nothing to betray Jiuyé; at most, he’d shifted from cat to human, but committed no misdeeds.

Jiuyé rolled the dark powder between his fingers, eyeing him with interest. “You’re speaking quite clearly now. I’m curious—why bother making yourself look ugly?”

Yan Jiyun hadn’t expected his disguise to be discovered, but in retrospect it was mainly to keep Jiuyé from realizing he’d visited his company—now it seemed he’d still given himself away. Jiuyé and his people were far too sharp. Luckily, he hadn’t actually done anything while inside.

Thinking quickly and factoring in his mission, Yan Jiyun figured that, since he’d been caught, he might as well cooperate with Jiuyé.

One more thing—if Jiuyé really was Qi Feng without his memories, maybe he’d help him. In a way, this was also a test of character. Though reluctant, he had little choice; Jiuyé was on the NPC side, not the players’.

Yan Jiyun winked at him. “I wore the disguise just for the sake of it. Why else?”

Jiuyé pressed, “To get into the Chamber of Commerce? My people tell me Boss Gu never had such a dark-skinned assistant before today.”

Yan Jiyun answered, “I asked him to take me along to the meeting.”

Jiuyé said, “Give me a reasonable explanation.”

Yan Jiyun replied, “I’m searching for a treasure map.”

Jiuyé chuckled. “The Chamber has a treasure map? What kind of treasure map?”

“I’ve seen a part of one,” Yan Jiyun said. “I wanted to see if the well-connected Chamber bosses had any news. But Jiuyé, you’re more resourceful than all of them.”

Jiuyé said, “So you set your sights on me?”

Yan Jiyun demurred, “I wouldn’t dare.”

Jiuyé: “You even snuck into my company—what wouldn’t you dare do?”

Yan Jiyun: “You know, people have needs. I just used your restroom, that’s all. I swear I didn’t take a thing—not even a piece of paper.”

He hadn’t lied; he merely dodged the question of how he’d entered the company in the first place.

But Jiuyé was even more curious now. “If I recall, there’s a public restroom near my offices.”

Yan Jiyun replied, “I was desperate.”

Throughout their exchange, Jiuyé never gave him a chance to pause or think—no time for fabricating lies. Anyone trying would need time to react, after all.

Jiuyé believed about half of what Yan Jiyun said. “Now I’m interested in this treasure map of yours. If you’re after a treasure, you must have some proof. Show me the map.”

It wasn’t a question, but an order.

Yan Jiyun answered, “I don’t have it on me, but I can sketch it out.”

While Jiuyé was testing Yan Jiyun’s credibility, Yan Jiyun was also gauging Jiuyé’s trustworthiness.

Yan Jiyun only ever trusted people he knew in the game. Though Jiuyé might be Qi Feng, at this moment he was still an NPC. Who knew what the system might be doing behind the scenes—or even how Qi Feng wound up here, or why he’d become an NPC.

Was this a new function of the master-pet system?

It hadn’t been two hours since Yan Jiyun left Jiuyé’s company, and now he returned in human form.

Jiuyé slid a sheet of paper and a pen over. “Draw the map.”

Yan Jiyun saw no greed in his eyes, so he drew it. His choice not to resist when he was first seized was already a kind of trust in Jiuyé—there was no way he wouldn’t notice someone approaching him, unless he was stone deaf.

Valuing time, he skipped any pleasantries and quickly drew out the quarter-section of the treasure map he’d seen, pushing it to Jiuyé only after double-checking for omissions.

“This is the portion I found,” Yan Jiyun said.

Jiuyé picked up the paper, studied the sparse lines, and frowned. “Are you messing with me?”

Yan Jiyun answered, “This really is what I saw.”

“Are you sure?” Jiuyé pressed. “What was the original map like: what material, old or new, worn or crisp?”

Yan Jiyun gestured to the crude lines on the page. “This is just a sketch, but it’s clear enough. The map was calfskin, not brand new, not too old.”

Jiuyé paused, then took the pen. “You talk, I’ll draw. Tell me everything you remember.”

At times like this, when not being domineering, Jiuyé was exactly like Qi Feng.

Though Yan Jiyun’s drawing skills weren’t great, his memory was sharp. He indicated lines on the sketch. “Here’s a thick line, here’s a finer one. The map had four types of lines: thick and thin, short and long, and a pair of parallel thin lines.”

Jiuyé asked, “What goes here?”

“A thick line,” Yan Jiyun specified.

Jiuyé colored it in.

The two collaborated smoothly; with Jiuyé’s deft touch and Yan Jiyun’s precise descriptions, a crudely-marked quarter map quickly became something much richer.

When the section was complete, Jiuyé joked, “Don’t try to draw in the future—you’ll mislead students.”

Yan Jiyun: …

So his drawing lacked finesse—did he have to rub it in?

Jiuyé, seeing Yan Jiyun’s wide-eyed glare, took the heated towel Yang Er had just brought and draped it over Yan Jiyun’s face. “Get all that black off your face.”

Pressing the towel to his skin, Yan Jiyun grumbled, “Troublemaker.”

[“Wanna Be Human” Livestream Room:]

“Hahaha! Why is watching Cat Cub’s livestream always this hilarious? I can’t bear to leave!”

“I wanna squish that little face too! If only the game had tactile feedback—I’d feel whatever Jiuyé’s feeling.”

“It’s just too cute. I could watch this scene forever.”

“Still, I want to see some plot development. What are Cat Cub and the rest supposed to accomplish in this instance?”

“Haven’t any other players made progress? No one’s died? This doesn’t feel like a mid-level scenario; even beginner-level ones are usually harder than this.”

“Usually, instances that seem benign at first are the most dangerous. If you can’t clear this one, the whole team gets wiped. The only hope is success; so far, this one just feels hopeless.”

“Ugh, master-pet interactions are too funny. Jiuyé doesn’t even doubt Cat Cub at all—he must subconsciously trust him.”

“But what’s the point of this map, anyway?”

While the audience speculated, Jiuyé and the freshly cleaned Yan Jiyun discussed the matter of who might hold the rest of the map fragments.

Yan Jiyun asked, “Jiuyé, you really have no part of the treasure map?”

Jiuyé replied, “No. This is the first I’ve heard of it.”

Yan Jiyun sprawled on the desk, head close to Jiuyé, no longer affecting timidity. “Do you want it? It could be mountains of gold.”

Jiuyé looked at the fair face before him, strangely more attractive than Liu Rongzhi’s. His throat tightened slightly. “Do I look like a man who needs more money?”

Yan Jiyun said, “No, but I think you’re just as curious as I am. Otherwise, why ask me to draw it?”

Jiuyé pressed a hand to his head. “True. Now I am curious.” Only afterward did he realize the gesture was too familiar. He didn’t quite understand—this was only their second encounter. By rights, he ought to be suspicious.

He withdrew his hand as if nothing had happened, assuming it was curiosity about the man’s neatly curled hair—nice texture.

Yan Jiyun didn’t seem to care. Qi Feng used to press on his head all the time—if this weren’t just a “trial card,” he’d worry about being squished shorter. All that mattered now was the quest, and the treasure map.

He looked directly at Jiuyé. “Is there a way to find the other three pieces? If we have all four, the puzzle’s solved.”

Jiuyé had contacts—he’d gather information far faster than Yan Jiyun could stumble blindly.

“Don’t be in a hurry,” Jiuyé said.

He summoned Yang Er. “Call Uncle Ming over.”

Shortly, a gentlemanly man in his fifties entered in a neat suit.

“You wanted me, sir?” Uncle Ming asked.

Jiuyé nodded. “Just a few questions.”

Uncle Ming sat and ordered a coffee from the secretary. Rich aroma soon filled the room. Yan Jiyun twitched his nose, catching the scent; Jiuyé noticed his interest.

“Want a cup?” Jiuyé asked him.

“No thanks, just water.” Yan Jiyun regretted that he couldn’t have coffee—too long since he’d tasted it.

The secretary brought him a glass of water.

Uncle Ming got to business. “What is it? I’m heading out soon.”

Yan Jiyun didn’t know Uncle Ming’s precise relationship to Jiuyé, but it was clear—Ming felt both intimidated and not entirely fearful.

Jiuyé cut to the point. “I arrived late in Jiangnan. Have you ever heard rumors about a treasure map here?”

The fewer people who knew, the better—but getting the map quickly required spreading the word.

At the word “treasure map,” Uncle Ming frowned, fell silent, and pondered as Jiuyé and Yan Jiyun waited. “Do people still believe in Jiangnan’s treasure?” he finally asked, bemused.

“No need to explain,” Jiuyé said. “So there really was such a rumor?”

Uncle Ming replied, “Yes. But that was decades ago. I was seventeen or eighteen at the time; the whole town was searching for this so-called treasure. I joined others combing every mountain, turning over every stone and tree—never found so much as a sign of treasure.”

“Did you have a map?” Jiuyé asked.

Uncle Ming said, “Believe it or not, I did. Everyone had one back then—no one knows who first handed them out, but if you wanted to dig, you had a map.”

Yan Jiyun: … Dammit, he’d been treating the map as a precious artifact, but back then everyone in Jiangnan had a copy!

“Bring it to me,” Jiuyé said.

Uncle Ming wasn’t sure. “I don’t know if it’s still around. I always thought it was a scam so I just left it at home. I’ll need to check.”

“I’ll have Yang Er go with you,” Jiuyé said.

“But I have to meet Mr. Jiang to discuss a contract. If I find it, I’ll bring it to your house tonight—but I can’t promise it’s still there.”

Yan Jiyun whispered, “Isn’t that too late?”

His time was getting short.

“Then I’ll come to your place,” Jiuyé said flatly.

Uncle Ming protested, “You don’t stand on ceremony.”

Jiuyé said, “I’ve stayed there before.”

Uncle Ming shrugged. “Fine, I’ll have my butler help you search. He’s the one who organized my things anyway.”

Leaving the office, Jiuyé and Yan Jiyun rode to Ming’s house—Jiuyé shot him a look. “If I help you find the treasure map, what do I get in return?”

Yan Jiyun: … Was this really Qi Feng?

The Qi Feng he knew was always generous, never calculated repayment, quick to help, kind to newcomers, responsible, and never shirked duty.

But Jiuyé—so different from that idealized memory—was unexpectedly lively, and not at all jarring. In fact, it was refreshing.

“What kind of reward does Jiuyé desire?” Yan Jiyun smiled back. “If you help me find the map, you shall be my second father.”

Jiuyé sized him up. “Not much meat on you. I’ll think on it.” After a beat, he added, “Tsk. Always thinking of money.”

Yan Jiyun sighed. “I’ve been poor too long—often went hungry.” He wasn’t even lying; since entering the game, finding anything edible had been a struggle, every meal begged from NPCs. He really was that pitiful. The more he thought about it, the more aggrieved he felt, and it showed in his eyes.

He said again, “I’m really too miserable.”

Why couldn’t he be allowed to live peacefully as a pampered pet cat—eating, sleeping, and sunning himself in comfort until the end of his days?

Up front, Yang Er had never seen a grown man act so cute in front of Jiuyé. Usually, Jiuyé abhorred affectation and would have booted this sort out of the car.

But after waiting a while, he heard no such order—just Jiuyé’s low chuckle.

“You’re welcome to follow me. I’ll make sure you always have food and shelter.”

Yan Jiyun thought, That’s what I’ve been doing anyway—as a cat.

“But I’m not doing anything criminal,” he declared.

“Nothing so extreme,” Jiuyé said, hooking his chin with a finger. “But I have to say, you have a rather pretty face.”

Yan Jiyun’s heart skipped a beat. He recoiled immediately, slapped away the hand, and nearly leapt up in the car. “I’m not doing anything improper!”

Jiuyé was active in both legal and illegal circles—surely he wasn’t considering using him for… that sort of business?

“What’s got you excited? I never said anything improper.” Jiuyé smirked. “’That sort of business’? As long as it isn’t politics, of course.”

Relief flooded Yan Jiyun—at least Jiuyé’s thoughts were purer than his own. “Red” was a color—but he’d been thinking of… well, improper business, mainly because he had a certain confidence in his own looks.

Ming’s house was not far from the company—a cluster of European-style townhouses, his being one.

Inside, Yan Jiyun noted the Western façade belied a traditional Chinese interior.

The butler greeted them at the door. “Sir, please wait a moment; Master told me to look for the map. We’ve started searching the storeroom.”

Jiuyé nodded. “I’m pressed for time. I’ll send more helpers—just direct them.”

The butler, seeing Jiuyé take the master’s usual seat, hastily complied.

Yang Er led the guards to aid the search; the butler instructed them on where to find things.

Surveying the space, Yan Jiyun asked, “Who is Uncle Ming? He seems a little wary of you.”

Jiuyé replied, “I acquired his company. He works for me now.”

“A family business?”

“Yes.”

Yan Jiyun pondered the issue of the maps—why did the Liu family treat theirs as a precious artifact, while Uncle Ming’s was treated like junk? There’d been a gold rush for treasure maps forty years ago—surely the Lius knew of it then. Why had mention of the map resurfaced now? Was the Liu family’s copy the only genuine one?

The way forward was to get Ming’s map and compare it—then they’d know which was real, and the truth of the past could surface.

As he mulled this over, a longhaired white cat descended the staircase.

Yan Jiyun eyed it warily—where had this come from?

The white Persian was lovely, snowy as purest winter, with vivid blue eyes—the image of a foreign-bred, pedigreed pet.

It strolled up to Yan Jiyun, scrutinized him, then bared its teeth. Yan Jiyun locked eyes with the outsider: whoever blinked first lost. He wouldn’t yield to this foreign interloper.

And after all, he was the one trespassing in this cat’s domain.

Ultimately, the foreigner lost the staring match, lowering its frame and circling Yan Jiyun before padding over to Jiuyé’s side, rubbing against his legs.

Jiuyé, well-practiced, scratched its chin. “Snowy, you hungry?”

Yan Jiyun was unimpressed. “You know it?”

“Uncle Ming keeps it,” Jiuyé explained. “I dine here from time to time—of course I know it.”

Yan Jiyun changed posture, crossing his legs with a thump. “You even pet it.”

Jiuyé replied, “Why shouldn’t I? It’s very affectionate. You, on the other hand—it’s terrified of you.”

Yan Jiyun glanced pointedly at the foreign cat curled in Jiuyé’s lap; his voice grew shrill. “You actually let it sit on your lap!” How could Jiuyé betray his own cat?

Jiuyé continued to stroke the white cat’s plush fur. “It’s friendly and soft. Are you jealous that a cat can be close to me?”

Yan Jiyun stared wide-eyed: …

He stood up, ready to yank that foreign cat off Jiuyé’s lap, but just then, Ming’s butler and Yang Er emerged from the storeroom.

Many hands made light work.

Yang Er announced, “Sir, we found the treasure map.”

Yan Jiyun snatched the map from his hands and stomped outside, unable to hide his agitation.

Tsk! Humans are fickle creatures, never content with what they have—always chasing novelty.

Truly, the wildflower always seems more fragrant than the garden rose!

Yang Er: “Sir? He actually lost his temper with you!” That’s one rookie in desperate need of discipline!

Jiuyé set Snowy down, remarking without concern, “He’s sulking because I petted Snowy, who doesn’t care for him at all.”

Yang Er was scandalized. … Had their relationship already reached the point where they could be mad at each other?