She Really Is Quite the Treasure 

The next day. 

Fei Yan had once again been busy for most of the day. By the time the medicine hall finally closed at sunset, she was so exhausted that she barely had the strength to hop into Chen Miansheng’s arms. 

Instead, she plopped her round little butt onto the floor and feebly waved her paws at him. 

Seeing this, Chen Miansheng couldn’t help but smile wryly and shake his head. He bent down to scoop up the little cat into his arms, gently pinching the back of her neck in a fond gesture that made Fei Yan purr in contentment. 

But just as the two of them stepped out of Tong Yao Hall, a young man’s voice suddenly called out anxiously behind them. 

“Shopkeeper Chen—please wait!” 

Unfortunately, Chen Miansheng couldn’t hear him and kept walking with Fei Yan in his arms. 

It was Fei Yan who raised a paw and tugged lightly at his collar. Only then did Chen Miansheng glance sideways and notice someone approaching, prompting him to stop. 

Fei Yan had a faint impression of the young man. She vaguely remembered that he ran the spice shop across the street and was called Lin Xu. He had even stopped by the medicine hall a couple of days ago to pick up some herbs. 

Lin Xu looked barely eighteen, and there was always a cheerful smile on his face. Yet, for some reason, Fei Yan found herself instinctively disliking him. 

Fortunately, Gu Wu was present, so communication wasn’t a problem. He stepped forward and said, “Brother Lin, the hall is closed. If you’re here for medicine, please come back tomorrow.” 

Lin Xu had jogged over and was slightly out of breath. Hearing this, he quickly waved his hand and explained between pants, “Brother Gu, you’ve got it wrong. I’m not here for medicine. I just have a small favor to ask of Shopkeeper Chen.” 

Gu Wu frowned slightly. “You’re looking for my master?” 

“Yes,” Lin Xu replied, though his gaze had already drifted toward Fei Yan. “I heard that the cat Shopkeeper Chen keeps is very clever—obedient and well-behaved. There are too many rats in my backyard, and no matter what I do, they just keep coming. I was hoping to borrow his cat for a bit. Maybe the smell alone would be enough to scare the rats away.” 

Gu Wu had indeed heard about the spice shop’s stock being ruined by rats recently. He hadn’t expected Lin Xu to come for this reason. Since it wasn’t his decision to make, he simply relayed the request to Chen Miansheng. 

In Dongfeng Town, Chen Miansheng was well known for two things: his deafness and his soft-heartedness. Anyone who asked for help would almost certainly receive it from him. Lending a cat seemed like a small request—surely this time would be no exception. 

Lin Xu had already reached out, expecting to receive the cat, when he saw Chen Miansheng lower his gaze. His long, slender fingers gently stroked the fur of the little orange cat in his arms, and then he shook his head softly. 

“I’m sorry,” he said gently. “I can’t lend her to you.” 

The moment Lin Xu finished his request earlier, Chen Miansheng had felt his cat instantly bristle in his arms. He had been confused at first, but after seeing Gu Wu’s hand signs, the situation became clear. 

His little orange cat wasn’t like other cats. She was afraid of live fish, could understand human speech, liked herbs… so it wasn’t strange at all that she hated mice—something completely against typical cat instincts. 

Since it was something the little orange cat disliked, he wasn’t going to force her to do it. 

Lin Xu and Gu Wu were both taken aback by the refusal, though for different reasons. 

What shocked Gu Wu was how fiercely his master was now protecting this cat. 

He had been with Chen Miansheng for a long time and knew firsthand how accommodating he usually was. This was the first time he had ever seen him outright reject someone’s request so directly. 

And all for a cat. 

Lin Xu hadn’t expected that Chen Miansheng would actually refuse to even lend him a cat. His expression instantly turned a bit sour. 

“Come on, it’s just a cat. Do you really need to treat it like a treasure? Brother Gu, help me talk to Shopkeeper Chen, will you? I promise, it’s only for two or three days. Everyone in town knows Shopkeeper Chen is kindhearted. It’s not too much to ask, right?” 

The moment she heard that, Fei Yan was instantly furious. Not too much to ask? Yeah, right. Lending it to you is a favor; not lending it is perfectly reasonable. Chen Miansheng isn’t some great philanthropist, so why should he agree to everything you say? 

Of course, that was all in Fei Yan’s head. She nervously lifted her little cat head, worried that Chen Miansheng might actually be swayed by Lin Xu’s smooth-talking and hand her over to catch mice. 

Never mind that she had no idea how to catch a mouse—in fact, if she ever saw one, she’d definitely be the one running away in terror. 

She’d gotten used to staying by Chen Miansheng’s side. These days, even when Gu Wu or Ah Chu touched her, she felt uncomfortable all over—let alone staying at someone else’s place for a few days. 

Gu Wu paused for a moment while signing, but eventually decided to convey the first part of Lin Xu’s plea to Chen Miansheng. 

Chen Miansheng lowered his gaze to the little orange cat. Her fluffy tail draped over his arm, and her eyes were bright and round—so clear, they almost looked like they could speak. 

He tilted his head and looked at her a little longer, then finally said softly, his voice warm and gentle as it fell in Fei Yan’s ears like a soft caress: 

Fei Yan heard him quietly say, “She is quite the treasure.” 

Fei Yan froze. 

A few seconds later, she could only mutter in her heart, Damn. 

Chen Miansheng quickly lifted his gaze and gave Lin Xu a polite smile, though there was a hint of distance in it. 

“Sorry, Brother Lin, I think you’ll have to borrow a cat from someone else. I need to head back. The little one hasn’t eaten much today—she’ll get hungry.” 

With that, he gave Lin Xu a polite nod and, without looking at his ugly expression, turned and walked away with the orange cat in his arms. 

Fei Yan’s mind was still in a daze, and all she could hear in her head was that one line from Chen Miansheng: “She is quite the treasure.” 

Of course, she knew that in Chen Miansheng’s eyes she was just a perfectly ordinary orange cat. But hearing him say that aloud still made her heart skip a beat. 

For the first time, Fei Yan felt thankful that the system had turned her into a cat. Otherwise, the heat on her face would’ve completely given away what she was really feeling. 

While she was lost in thought, a shadow suddenly fell over her. Chen Miansheng’s warm palm landed on her head and gave her a gentle rub as his soft voice sounded by her ear: “What are you spacing out for?” 

Startled, Fei Yan snapped out of it and looked up at him with wide, confused eyes. 

Seeing the silly look on the little orange cat’s face, Chen Miansheng let out a low chuckle, his tone soft and light: “Don’t worry, Little Orange—I won’t hand you over to anyone else.” 

After speaking, the corners of his long, narrow eyes crinkled mischievously, as if he’d suddenly thought of something devious. “You haven’t even caught a mouse for me yet. How could I let you catch one for someone else?” 

After spending so much time with the orange cat, he was certain she could understand what he meant. 

He waited, expecting to see her fur puff up in anger—but instead, the little orange cat curled into a ball, her fluffy head burrowing against his chest again and again, obedient as could be. 

Fei Yan’s ears drooped. Every sound around her felt unusually clear. 

Chen Miansheng’s strong, steady heartbeat thumped right by her ear. The deep scent of pine and cool herbs lingered at her nose—so vivid, so impossible to ignore. 

She figured it had to be that scent messing with her head. Otherwise, how could she even entertain such a ridiculous thought as: 

Fine… maybe catching mice for Chen Miansheng isn’t so bad after all.