Chapter 20  

The lion cat didn’t get first place this time, and honestly, he felt a bit disappointed. Now, he could only hope that the simple-minded forest cat could take first place.  

Because judging by that simpleton’s personality, if he had the chance to pick a cat identity card, he would definitely prioritize the Cotton Ball.  

Since it’s known that Cotton Ball’s origin is on Hecate Goddess Street, then no matter whether the next identity involves occupation or age, as long as one of them is known, the range can be significantly narrowed. This would make it much easier to find Cotton Ball in reality.  

The lion cat thought this way because their romance variety show was split into two parts. After the first part ended, the production team would take a two-day break, during which the cats could return to their lives to deal with school or work matters.  

If he wanted to develop a deeper relationship with Cotton Ball and defeat the other competitors, his only option was to privately track down Cotton Ball and have genuine contact with him in real life. That way, Cotton’s chances of choosing him would increase significantly.  

As the lion cat contemplated this, he skated steadily alongside Cotton Ball by the frozen river.  

Suddenly, a dark figure appeared in the distance, speeding toward them on fiery red skis.  

The live stream audience erupted in excitement:  

【Holy crap, that’s the forest cat! He actually caught up!】  

【Even though the fool’s luck is bad, he’s putting in so much effort! Look, he actually took two detours to catch up with Cotton Ball!】  

【Forest cat’s got some skills! After reaching Tianmo Bridge and failing to find Cotton Ball, he tracked the trail left by the skis all the way here.】  

—

The forest cat skied quickly, while Cotton Ball loved to play and kept weaving in and out, slowing his speed. As a result, the forest cat quickly caught up.  

At first, the forest cat didn’t think much of it; he simply wanted to check on Cotton Ball and ski with him, not wanting him to be alone with the lion cat. But after chasing him down, he was stunned.  

That shameless bastard, the lion cat, was actually using the same ski board as Cotton Ball!  

Didn’t the lion cat know how heavy he was? Wasn’t he aware? What if he crushed Cotton Ball under him?  

The forest cat couldn’t quite explain why he was so angry, but seeing Cotton Ball curled up in the lion cat’s arms just made him upset!  

In his opinion, the lion cat wasn’t a good guy, and Cotton Ball was so naive, the type of cat who would ^[1]“be tricked and still help the other count the money” is a metaphorical expression. It describes someone who is deceived or taken advantage of but still continues to assist or support the … Continue readingbe tricked and still help the other count the money.  

No matter what, he had to take Cotton Ball away.  

With a swoosh, the forest cat sped over, executing a smooth turn, and then came to a complete stop right in front of the lion cat.  

The snowflakes kicked up by his skis hit the lion cat right in the face. Protecting Cotton Ball in his arms, the lion cat slightly tilted his head and closed his eyes.  

The forest cat pushed his goggles up to his forehead, smirking as he made a sound, then jumped off his skis and quickly charged toward the lion cat. He stretched out his front paw, ready to snatch Cotton Ball away.  

The lion cat had already anticipated this, his strong front paws tightly guarding Cotton Ball, baring his teeth and glaring at the forest cat. His fur was bristled, his presence intimidating, and he looked like he was ready to make a move if the forest cat dared to try anything.

This was a romance variety show, and a live-streamed one at that. No matter how big the conflict, the cat guests were always restrained; it was impossible for them to actually fight.

Even before, when the lion cat and forest cat were in the same group, they had fought all day, but it was just petty squabbling, nothing that actually caused harm to either of them.

But now, the lion cat’s expression was serious, his eyes fierce, and it seemed he wasn’t planning on keeping things small.

Because of the forest cat’s appearance, a large wave of viewers flooded into the lion cat and Bai Chengcheng’s exclusive live stream room.

Some of the viewers had followed the forest cat over, while others had heard about his exploits and specifically tuned in to watch the dramatic scene unfold!

【I heard there’s a drama scene here, is it real? ^[2]“吃瓜” (chī guā), or “eating melon,” is a popular Chinese internet slang expression. It refers to the act of watching a situation unfold, especially when it’s … Continue readingEating melon jpg.】

【Are these two big cats going head-to-head over a mate? Wow! This is so exciting! This really isn’t scripted, right?】

【The one above is clearly new, they don’t understand the level of our Cotton Ball, the ‘sea king’.】

【The lion cat is so fierce, is he really going to fight this time?】

【But the forest cat looks pretty fierce too. After chasing all the way here, he doesn’t seem like the type to back down. It’s up to Cotton Ball to decide next.】  

—

The lion cat was fierce, glaring menacingly at the forest cat who was trying to snatch Cotton Ball away from his arms.  

But the forest cat, when serious, was just as intense as the lion cat. Both cats stood there, alert and facing each other, the tension thick in the air. At this moment, if either of them made a move, it seemed likely a fight would break out on the spot.  

Even the production team, who were constantly monitoring the live stream, were nervous. Director Zhang Song wiped the sweat off his forehead and said anxiously, “Do you think they’ll really fight?”  

His assistant, worried, replied, “Director Zhang, if they do fight, the forest cat might be in serious trouble…”  

Although at the moment, the two cats seemed evenly matched in terms of presence, Zhang Song remembered the information about the lion cat and wiped more sweat from his forehead. “It shouldn’t come to that. After all, the lion cat comes from a military academy, so he should know how to control himself.”  

The assistant director sighed, “But Director Zhang, love makes cats blind.”  

Zhang Song: “……”  

Just as everyone was worried about the tense atmosphere, suddenly, a small green head popped out from the thick fur collar of the lion cat.  

The forest cat lowered his head and saw Cotton Ball, wearing a knitted frog hat, somewhat confused as he crawled out from the lion cat’s arms.  

When the forest cat had arrived earlier, the lion cat had quickly covered him up, and he thought something serious had happened. After waiting for a while without hearing anything, he finally dared to poke his head out to take a look.  

And the first thing he saw was the cold-faced forest cat.  

Bai Chengcheng froze for a second, then meowed with a hint of excitement, using his four paws to climb out of the lion cat’s arms.  

The lion cat: “……”  

The lion cat glared at the forest cat, his gaze filled with both resentment and anger.  

This was a romance variety show! Cotton Ball was the object of his affection!  

Moreover, Cotton Ball was his teammate now. For the forest cat to disregard the competition and come over in the middle of the game to steal his teammate was way too much!  

Even if he disregarded the rules of the show, could he at least show some respect for the other cat guests?

Every cat’s opportunity should be equal. How could the forest cat just barge in and steal the chance he had worked so hard to get to be alone with Cotton Ball?

The lion cat’s gaze turned cold, staring at the forest cat with a chilling look.

The forest cat, excited, looked at Cotton Ball. He had taken two detours and climbed over a mountain just to catch up!

Finally seeing Cotton Ball, his heart raced with excitement, and his entire body suddenly became tense.

Bai Chengcheng walked over, surprised, tilting his head and looking at the forest cat: “Meow?”

Good grief, how did this fool end up here? Where’s his teammate?

Could it be that he got lost? Bai Chengcheng thought, feeling conflicted. If a cat got lost, it could indeed be a problem. As a cat with human-like thinking, should he help the other cat?

The forest cat happily bounded over, his round little head suddenly bumping into Bai Chengcheng’s forehead. “Awooo!”

Bai Chengcheng: “……”

The impact made Bai Chengcheng lose his balance and fall to the ground. The soft, thick snow sank under him, and Bai Chengcheng was immediately jolted awake by the cold.

The forest cat froze for a moment, feeling a bit guilty. He walked over and said, “Awo?”

At this moment, the lion cat, who had been staring at him, suddenly moved.

With a leap, the lion cat pounced, and “slap!”—he knocked the forest cat down onto the snow.

Caught off guard, the forest cat fell, and just as he was about to get up, the furious lion cat slammed his head down, pressing his entire face into the snow.

The forest cat: “???”

The lion cat crouched down, using his strong, muscular front paws to forcefully press the forest cat’s head. Obviously, he wanted the forest cat to experience the cold, frozen sensation for himself.

The live stream audience was excited:

【Wow, they’re fighting! They really started fighting!】

【The lion cat looks like he’s trained, that was almost a ‘one-hit kill’!】

【I heard that the four male guests this time come from business, the military, entertainment, and military academies. Looks like the lion cat must be from a military academy?】

【Could Cotton Ball be from the entertainment industry? Shocked jpg.】

【Wow, wow, wow, the fool is starting to fight back!】

The forest cat really did have some skills. He suddenly pushed with all his might, kicking the lion cat in the stomach. The lion cat nimbly dodged, but the forest cat used the opportunity to get back up, and the two cats, nearly the same size, began to wrestle.

Of course, neither of them dared to truly go all out, but even so, it was enough to scare Bai Chengcheng.

Bai Chengcheng lay in the snow, still in the position he had fallen into, staring wide-eyed at the two large cats rolling around in the snow.

He blinked in confusion, tilting his head. Why did they suddenly start fighting?

He looked up at the live stream screen again, and instinctively started rushing over to break up the fight. However, after taking a few steps, when he reached the icy surface, he slid forward a little and stopped.

Wait a minute, Bai Chengcheng realized. The cats are fighting, what does it matter if a weak, pitiful, and helpless human like him tries to break it up?

Looking at the size of the two cats, one swipe from either of them and he might just pass out on the spot.

Forget it, forget it, it’s better to stay away from this mess.

Thinking this, Bai Chengcheng took a step back, but because the ice was too slippery, his paws slipped and he fell to the ground with a “thud.”

The two cats fighting in front of him suddenly looked up in unison and glared at him with fierce, and hostile eyes.

Bai Chengcheng: “!!!”

Bai Chengcheng was startled, and quickly moved all four paws, desperately scrambling forward on the ice in a dog-paddling manner. While paddling, he blinked his innocent eyes at the two cats and softly meowed, “Meow~ Meow~”

(I’m sorry to interrupt you, please continue, don’t mind me QAQ.)

Lion Cat froze for a moment: Cotton Ball fell and is acting spoiled towards him! Cotton Ball must have hurt himself!

Forest Cat: Ahhh, my brother can’t get up, I need to go save him!

So, the two large cats suddenly and instinctively released each other and quickly rushed toward the Cotton Ball nearby.

Bai Chengcheng: “???”

What are they doing?

This is a bit scary for the cats!

Instinctively, Bai Chengcheng rolled and scrambled to his feet, then began running forward at full speed.

The two large cats chased for a while, when suddenly, Forest Cat turned around and pounced fiercely at Lion Cat. Lion Cat was knocked to the ground, and his sharp claws made a harsh screeching sound on the ice.

At this moment, with a “crack” sound, the ice beneath Lion Cat suddenly split open, and the two large cats, tangled together, froze for a second. Then, with a “splash,” both of them fell into the ice hole.

Bai Chengcheng: “……”

Live stream chat: 【……】

【Did they just both take each other out?】

【Cotton Ball was so frightened just now, haha! Seriously, when they suddenly chased after Cotton Ball, it was really scary.】

【What the heck! Floating ice! Cotton Ball is on the floating ice!】

—

Bai Chengcheng, who had been worried and was about to check on the two cats that fell into the ice hole, suddenly realized that he was getting farther and farther away from them.

Bai Chengcheng: “???”

Bai Chengcheng belatedly realized that he was crouching on a piece of moving floating ice. The ice was drifting further away with the current, the river was widening, and the water flow was getting faster. Soon, the ice hole became a small black dot.

Bai Chengcheng: “……”

The two large cats, who had just fought under the ice, climbed out of the icy river, wet all over. However, they didn’t see Cotton Ball.

Lion Cat and Forest Cat were stunned. Where was Cotton Ball, who had just been sitting here?

Why is he gone?