“Hey there, little lady! Where’d you come from with all these stray cats?”

Chen Meng had a genuine love for animals, especially cats. He could never turn a blind eye to a stray. Seeing these scruffy but oddly obedient felines, he was both surprised and intrigued.

“Manager, these cats are from my neighborhood. I figured letting them roam around like this forever wasn’t a solution, so I brought them here for a check-up. Sorry to trouble you! Please examine them—if any of them are sick, treat them; if they’re fine, just give them a bath and their shots. Don’t worry, I’ve got money this time!”

Gu Yingying felt a little guilty, remembering how last time she’d ended up making the store owner cover the costs.

But Chen Meng never once thought she lacked money. One glance at her dress was enough—Chanel’s latest design, a cool thirty to forty grand. Anyone who could afford something like that wasn’t short on cash for stray cats.

“You’re a kind girl. Beautiful and big-hearted, huh?”

He quickly got his staff to start working on the cats. First up: health checks. But under Bastet’s silent dominance, the strays didn’t even dare to twitch. Even when faced with humans—creatures they usually feared—they remained utterly still, letting the staff and pet doctors do their work without resistance.

“Man, cats that come with you really are something else—so well-behaved they barely seem like strays anymore.” Chen Meng chuckled, throwing a teasing glance at Gu Yingying. Then, he thought of Ji Ran.

“The store’s going to be a bit chaotic for a while. You want to stay and watch, or head out?”

After all, the smell of so many animals could be a bit overwhelming, and with this many pets around, the store had a pretty strong scent.

“I’ll stay.”

Cradling Bastet in her arms, Gu Yingying decided to remain. She gently stroked Bastet’s fur, knowing he was feeling uneasy. He cared about these cats, too.

“Alright then. There’s a lounge over there—why don’t you go rest for a bit? I’ll take care of the cats first, and once we’re done, I’ll come find you with the results.”

Chen Meng trusted Gu Yingying completely. He never once doubted she’d pay, and honestly, even if she didn’t, he would’ve found a way to treat the cats anyway.

“Okay. But, Manager, I’d rather pay upfront. I don’t know how much it’ll cost, so let me put down 100,000 first—should that be enough?”

Some of the cats were injured, and the medications would be expensive. Not to mention the baths, vaccines, and everything else—it all added up.

“Works for me. Go ahead and make the payment, and I’ll get started.”

Chen Meng nodded, knowing full well that 100,000 was nothing to Gu Yingying.

Without hesitation, she went to settle the bill. Then, cradling Bastet in her arms, she headed to the lounge with Butler Liu and Ah Yin. The rest of her people waited outside.

Once inside, Gu Yingying found herself lost in thought. What was she going to do with all these cats in the long run?

“Uncle Liu, do you think we can find homes for them?”

A hundred cats. Technically, she could afford to take care of them, but the thought of sending them back to the streets tugged at her heart. Stray cats had it rough—she couldn’t just turn her back on them now.

Butler Liu had already seen through Gu Yingying’s thoughts. He knew she felt deeply for these cats, and after some consideration, he came up with an idea.

“Miss, if these cats were raised from a young age, you could open something like a cat café. But these are strays—they might be too aggressive, and some may never fully warm up to humans. The best options would be either leaving them here at the pet store to be put up for adoption or hiring professionals to care for them. Whatever you decide, we can make it happen.”

Gu Yingying had thought about something like a cat café too, but these strays weren’t exactly the friendly, fluffy kind. Some looked downright intimidating, and even the better-looking ones might lash out unexpectedly. Keeping them all together would be a challenge.

She lowered her gaze to the cat in her arms.

“Bastet, what do you think? Do you want to find them owners?”

These cats had followed Bastet here, so the final decision belonged to him. Gu Yingying understood that Bastet wasn’t an ordinary cat—he was a cat spirit, intelligent enough to rival humans.

Faced with the choice, Bastet raised his left paw. Just like in their little game—left meant yes, right meant no.

Seeing his agreement, Gu Yingying finally felt at ease and continued stroking his fur.

“Don’t worry, Bastet. The pet store owner is a good man. He’ll make sure they find loving homes.”

After nearly an hour of waiting at the pet store, the results were finally in. More than thirty of the stray cats had various injuries—none life-threatening, but they required proper treatment. The rest had minor health issues, nothing serious, and could be taken care of with standard procedures.

“Manager, please take good care of these strays. Once they’ve fully recovered, find them proper homes—but make sure it’s a paid adoption. I’m afraid if they’re given away for free, people won’t cherish them.”

Gu Yingying swiped her card again, another 100,000, ensuring the cats could stay at the store until suitable owners were found.

“Miss Gu, rest assured, I’ll carefully vet everyone who wants to adopt. These cats are adorable—I’m sure they’ll all find good homes. You really are a kind-hearted person.”

Chen Meng finally understood why Ji Ran, who had visited the store countless times without ever talking to anyone, actually enjoyed talking to this girl. She was just that kind—someone who made people feel at ease.

By the time everything was settled, the afternoon was already slipping away. Exhausted, Gu Yingying returned home, curled up with Bastet, and soon drifted off. Eventually, even that wasn’t enough—she gave in and climbed into bed.

Bastet, who had been nestled in her arms, suddenly leaped out. He moved with a rare solemnity, pressing his soft, black-furred head against her forehead.

A gentle meow echoed in the quiet room.

In an instant, a massive golden magic circle flared to life, enveloping both girl and cat within its radiant glow.

This was a true soul-binding contract with a cat spirit—a sacred pact that could only be formed when the cat spirit willingly chose a human partner. Once the ritual was triggered, the bond was sealed. From that moment on, the master would bear the mark of the cat spirit, and if they ever faced danger, the cat spirit would take the hit in their place.

As the old legends said—cats have nine lives. And so did cat spirits. To form a contract meant willingly sharing their lives with a human. But throughout history, very few cat spirits had ever done so of their own free will.

When the dazzling golden light finally faded, a small black cat-shaped mark appeared on Gu Yingying’s collarbone—an exact replica of Bastet. This was the symbol of their contract.

Gu Yingying, however, knew none of this.

When she woke up, the first thing she heard was a voice—young, unfamiliar, and unmistakably boyish.

“Hey, woman! I owe you for today.”

The sudden voice startled her so much that she instinctively glanced around the room. But aside from Bastet, there was no one else there…

Confused, she stared at Bastet, while the black cat, exasperated by her slowness, sauntered over with an air of superiority. He extended a paw and placed it on her hand.

“Gu Yingying, it’s me. I am Bastet.”

Gu Yingying’s mind went completely blank.

Five hundred years.

She had cared for Bastet for five hundred years, and never—not once—had he spoken.

“You—you—you… How the hell are you suddenly talking?!”

Gu Yingying was so shocked she started stammering, staring at Bastet’s deep blue eyes—eyes that were full of disdain for her reaction. But when she paired those judging eyes with that adorably smug little boy’s voice, she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“I’ve always been able to talk. Or rather, my true master can hear my voice. And now, I declare—you are officially my master! From this moment on, I will protect you!”

Bastet lifted his head proudly, his dignified words completely at odds with his soft, childish voice, leaving Gu Yingying utterly speechless.

Then, as if something suddenly clicked, she hurriedly lowered her head—and there it was.

A tiny black cat mark on her collarbone.

Her senior brother had told her before: Cat spirits can choose their masters. When one willingly forms a bond, the mark appears on the master’s body. No matter how much she had tried to win over Bastet in the past, he had never agreed to a contract before.

But this wasn’t Anlan Continent anymore. This was an entirely different world…

“Bastet, are you stupid?! This isn’t Anlan Continent! If you form a contract with me here, you’ll die—do you even realize that?!”

Ever since arriving in this world, Gu Yingying had avoided thinking about one thing—lifespan.

Back in Anlan Continent, they had long lives. Her senior brother was over three thousand years old, she herself had lived for 1,400 years, and even Bastet had reached 500.

But here? In a world where humans barely lived a hundred years?

She couldn’t even imagine lasting a thousand years here.

Hearing her panicked outburst, Bastet’s heart softened for a brief moment.

But, being his usual arrogant self, he simply scoffed.

“Hmph! Stop worrying about what I think. Weren’t you begging to be my master before? And now that you finally are, you’re blaming me?”

That tiny, sulking figure, paired with his proud little boy’s voice, finally made Gu Yingying realize something—Bastet was still just a child.

Cat spirits had incredibly long lifespans, stretching tens of thousands of years. Their first stage of adulthood didn’t even begin until they reached 5,000 years old.

And Bastet? He was only 500.

Still just a kid.

“Alright, alright, I’m not blaming you,” she sighed, her heart aching. “I’m just worried. I don’t know how long I’ll be here… But you, Bastet—you still have a long, long life ahead of you. If the day comes when I die, I want you to keep living. I want you to ascend, just like your mother did, and become a true celestial cat spirit.”

She gently stroked his fur. After all these years, Bastet was family to her. And the last thing she wanted was to hold him back.

Bastet hated this kind of sadness. With an annoyed flick of his paw, he pushed her hand away.

“Enough of that! Of course, I’m going to ascend!” he declared.

“More importantly—if my guess is right, your senior brother is already in this world too. But… he’s probably been suppressed by the Heavenly Dao.”

=^_^=