Chapter 16: Every Day from Now On Is a Good Day

She couldn’t just stand by and watch a small life be tortured like this, so she wanted to give it a try.

Pei Ji saw the hope in her eyes and glanced at the nearly dead cat. “Jiang Huaiyue, put away your pitiful compassion.”

A cat that was almost dead wasn’t worth him wasting his breath, or lending her money.

Besides, in this world, compassion was the most useless thing.

Jiang Huaiyue lowered her eyes and quietly said, “Just consider it me begging you, alright?”

She knew how ridiculous she looked—weak and powerless, yet determined to save such a tiny creature.

But whether animal or human, who wouldn’t want someone to reach out a helping hand when on the brink of despair?

Pei Ji’s dark eyes locked tightly onto her. Though he was disdainful, for some reason he still called to Mo Ying.

“Mo Ying, give her the money.”

“Yes.” Mo Ying responded and pulled out a silver note worth fifty taels from his pocket, handing it over with both hands. “Mistress.”

Jiang Huaiyue pursed her lips and softly said thank you, then reached out to take it.

A little while later, Jiang Huaiyue wrapped the little cat in a handkerchief and found a medical clinic. Turning around, she said to Pei Ji, “Prince, I’m going to find a doctor to check on the cat. You might as well wait outside.”

She thought he would be impatient and leave after hearing this, but to her surprise, he strode into the clinic.

His aura was sharp and intimidating. The doctor inside, upon seeing such a noble young lord, trembled and asked nervously, “Young lord, may I ask what’s the matter?”

Jiang Huaiyue stood at the door and saw Pei Ji cast the doctor a cold glance that made the man’s face turn pale.

She hurried inside holding the cat: “Doctor, it’s not him who needs treatment, it’s this cat. Can you see if it can be saved?”

The doctor relaxed when he saw the gentle expression on the young lady’s face, but when he saw the cat in her arms, he frowned: “How did it get like this?”

“Doctor, please take a look first.” Jiang Huaiyue handed over the cat, her eyes full of worry.

“Alright.” The doctor, seeing how weak the cat was, wasted no time, carefully examining it on the table.

Jiang Huaiyue watched silently as he inspected it, her heart sinking painfully.

She glanced at Pei Ji out of the corner of her eye — he sat down decisively, as if he owned the place, with a stern face and strong presence, not uttering a word.

But thinking back to the fact he lent her money, she suddenly felt maybe he wasn’t that bad after all.

“Madam, the cat is severely injured and extremely emaciated. I’m afraid it will be hard to keep it alive,” the doctor sighed, shaking his head.

Jiang Huaiyue lowered her eyes. “Is there really no hope at all?”

She had thought she might be able to save it, but didn’t expect otherwise.

“I will try my best. Whether it succeeds or not depends on fate.”

“Alright, thank you, doctor.” Jiang Huaiyue smiled faintly, sensing there was still hope.

After a long while, Jiang Huaiyue carefully carried the cat out of the clinic. Looking at the little cat, mostly wrapped in white cloth, she gently stroked it.

“Little one, you have to try hard to survive. Every day from now on will be a good day.”

The little cat seemed to understand her words, stretching out its tongue to lick her finger.

“Life is unpredictable. What guarantees do you have that every day will be a good day?” Pei Ji sneered mockingly at her words.

Jiang Huaiyue steadied the cat and replied calmly, “In this world, dying is the only big thing; everything else is minor. Besides, to live safely is already the greatest good day.”

Pei Ji glanced at her and then turned on his heel to leave.

He was really crazy—he actually wasted so much time on her today.

Seeing him quicken his steps, Jiang Huaiyue frowned slightly and hurried after him, “Prince, wait for me!”

Qiuchan lagged behind by a few steps, watching the princess chase after the prince’s retreating figure, and somehow felt that the two of them looked quite a good match from behind.

Lost in these thoughts, she suddenly heard Jiang Huaiyue shout, “Qiuchan, hurry up!”

“I’m coming, Princess.”

After all the fuss, by the time they returned to the mansion, it was already completely dark. Lanterns hung on either side of the main gate, lighting the way. Jiang Huaiyue followed Pei Ji inside, one after the other.

The steward, Uncle Lin, greeted them with a smile: “Prince, the princess has returned.”

Pei Ji nodded in response. Jiang Huaiyue smiled and greeted, “Uncle Lin.”

Uncle Lin was infected by Jiang Huaiyue’s lively demeanor and smiled even more brightly: “The meal is ready, Prince and Princess can eat now.”

“Thank you, Uncle Lin.” Jiang Huaiyue handed the cat in her arms to Qiuchan and whispered softly, “Qiuchan, take it back to my room. I’m going to eat now.”

“All right, Princess,” Qiuchan replied.

After a whole day of troubles, Jiang Huaiyue was so hungry her stomach was growling. Perhaps because Pei Ji had helped her today, her fear of him seemed to lessen a bit.

After washing their hands, the two sat facing each other. Jiang Huaiyue spoke first: “Prince, thank you for today. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely pay back the silver soon.”

She needed to figure out a way to earn some money quickly—this feeling of having no money was really unpleasant.

Pei Ji’s expression was calm: “Don’t worry about it, mind your own business.”

He noticed that since she arrived at the mansion, she hadn’t had a moment of rest—a real handful.

Jiang Huaiyue pouted: “Got it.”

She wasn’t meddling; she just had a heart. It was a pity she had a little change of opinion about him today, but in the end, he was still the same as before.

Thinking this, she quickly ate her meal.

Pei Ji ate elegantly, taking a bite every now and then, like an immortal who didn’t understand earthly delights, which made Jiang Huaiyue feel exhausted just watching him.

After finishing her bowl, she put down her chopsticks. “Prince, I’m done eating. I’ll go back to my room first. You take your time.”

With that, she stood, lifted her skirt, and turned to leave.

Back in her room, she first looked at the little cat. Seeing its weak, droopy form, she tenderly petted it: “Get well soon, okay?”

Looking at the cat’s two differently colored eyes, she smiled, “Let me give you a name—what should it be?”

Jiang Huaiyue thought for a while, noticing how skinny it was, and suddenly said, “How about ‘Rice Ball’? I hope you’ll grow fat and have food to eat every day.”

“Rice Ball, Rice Ball~” Jiang Huaiyue softly called it. After a moment, she heard a weak voice: “Meow~”

Surprised, Jiang Huaiyue looked at the little cat: “Are you responding to me?”

Rice Ball lay in its little nest, staring at Jiang Huaiyue without blinking, which melted her heart.

---

In the study room,

Pei Ji was handling memorials when Mo Ying came in from outside the door: “Prince, someone is approaching.”

“Bring them in,” he said with a faint smile.

Finally unable to hold back, recalling what Jiang Huaiyue said in the carriage earlier today, he was a bit curious about what she would do next.