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Chapter 42: If Only I Were a Cat Too

The tall, skinny delinquent didn’t even think; he seized Lu Li’s hand and gave it a vicious squeeze!

In the next instant, a tremendous force recoiled; the tall delinquent felt as if a pair of pliers had clamped his hand, steel bars grinding across his palm, about to crush all 5 fingers.

His face flushed red at a speed visible to the naked eye, and sweat beaded on his forehead.

“It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!”

The pain traveled from his hand up his arm and into his shoulder; he bent over, his knees buckled, and he half-knelt on the ground.

“L-let go!”

Lu Li ignored him and tightened his grip twice more.

The other delinquent noticed his companion’s agony and hurriedly reached to choke Lu Li’s neck.

Before Lu Li even moved, Little White, the cat perched on his shoulder, let out a “meow” and threw the first set of kitty punches, leaving several bloody scratches on the delinquent’s arm.

Taking the momentum, Lu Li hooked out a leg and tripped the delinquent, then slapped his face with his left hand; the fellow felt as if lightning had struck, his head reeling.

Lu Li then yanked the tall delinquent close and backhanded him as well.

Little White quickly followed up with several more kitty punches.

In the blink of an eye, the two delinquents lay sprawled on the floor.

Lu Li rotated his wrist and exhaled a heavy breath.

The amiable, peace-loving Lu Li never played favorites; any impolite bully, male or female, would receive an equally resounding thunderous slap.

“Good job.” Lu Li gently rubbed the cat’s head, and Little White nuzzled him obediently, its big eyes blinking as if claiming credit.

“Fine, you’re tough! Watch your back next time, kid!” The two delinquents now realized they had kicked a steel plate; they scrambled up, glared hard at Lu Li, and returned to their original seats.

They wanted to run off, but they had already paid for the food, and leaving before eating would be a total loss.

If they had money, they wouldn’t be reduced to acting like street punks in the first place.

So, swallowing their anger, they chose to stay.

Lu Li did not pursue the matter; if he had gone all out it would have been more than two slaps, and he didn’t want to end up breaking rocks with Electric Eel Bro in prison.

“Lu Li, why is Little White so close to you? She’s always been aloof; I’ve raised her for 2 years and she has never been this affectionate.” Shao Linlin looked at Lu Li enviously.

“Really? I think she’s quite clingy.” Lu Li rubbed the cat’s head again.

“No, Little White usually ignores me.”

Shao Linlin felt wronged; she had brought Little White hoping the cat could help her get closer to Lu Li.

Yet now Little White was closer to Lu Li, and Lu Li was more intimate with Little White; she herself felt superfluous, as if she should be under a car instead of here.

If she could reach Batman, she would tell him to stop searching Gotham; the Joker was right here.

“Maybe my fingers are more dexterous.” Lu Li tickled Little White’s silky chin, making the cat purr contentedly.

Shao Linlin stared dreamily at Lu Li’s fingers… long, fair, hot, and warm to the touch.

“If only I were a cat too…” Shao Linlin thought with a sigh.

Lu Li cleared his throat and asked, “Weren’t you scared just now?”

Shao Linlin shook her head. “No.”

“You’re pretty brave; most girls would be frightened by that kind of harassment.”

Shao Linlin lifted her chin and gave a sweet smile. “But you were here.”

Lu Li froze for a moment, then smiled gently.

So he had already become someone who could make a girl feel safe? Dad would definitely be proud.

Auntie Zhao soon came out of the kitchen and served the two delinquents their dishes.

The fight earlier had been swift and quiet; the janitor in the corner hadn’t even changed expression, so Auntie Zhao had no idea anything had happened.

The only thing that puzzled her was why the delinquents’ faces were so red… and only on one side.

“Why is one dish missing?” the tall delinquent asked Auntie Zhao.

Auntie Zhao replied, “There’s only one cook in the back, so it’s a bit slow; please wait.”

“Hurry up!”

“…”

Auntie Zhao brought over the teapot and refilled Shao Linlin and Lu Li’s cups; Shao Linlin thanked her as she accepted it.

“Auntie Zhao, how much longer for our dishes? I’m starving!” Shao Linlin asked in a coquettish tone.

“Don’t worry, don’t worry, yours are next… yours are next.” Auntie Zhao answered with a smile.

Auntie Zhao went to the janitor in the corner, glanced at the big mug in front of him, and asked, “Need a refill of tea?”

The janitor immediately drew the mug toward himself defensively and rasped, “No.”

His brow furrowed, the rough, sagging skin on his face forming deep creases. “Is my dish not ready yet? I ordered first, so why are theirs next?”

Auntie Zhao lowered her voice. “Your sweet-and-sour fish is almost done; yours is next. I just said that to keep the youngsters from getting impatient.”

Only then did the janitor’s tightly knit brows relax.

As Auntie Zhao headed back with the kettle, the tall delinquent stopped her. “Do you have any staples?”

“We have steamed buns and rice.”

“No sesame flatbread?”

“The shop next door sells it.”

“Go buy me some.”

“Uh…” Auntie Zhao thought for a moment. It was easy enough… three minutes at most… so she agreed and walked next door.

The tall delinquent exchanged glances with his companion, then stood up with a wicked grin and headed for the kitchen.

“Hmph! So what if you can fight? Let’s see how you handle this once you’re asleep!” He pulled a paper packet of powder from his pocket, ready to dump it into Lu Li and Shao Linlin’s dishes.

The kitchen was small, and as soon as he entered he saw Chu Zining in an apron, busy at the stove.

Chu Zining noticed him at the same time and asked softly, “Excuse me, what dish would you like to order?”

The tall delinquent panicked and hid his hand behind his back, but the moment he saw Chu Zining’s face he froze.

“Damn, what a gorgeous babe!” he swallowed hard, staring at Chu Zining; this girl was even prettier than the one outside!

“Excuse me, you are…?” Chu Zining assumed he’d come to place an order, but when she saw the lecherous look in his eyes she gripped the spatula warily.

The tall delinquent cleared his throat. “I’m not ordering; I’m here to check on my dishes. Where are they?”

Chu Zining breathed a sigh of relief and pointed with the spatula. “Two dishes over there are finished; which one is yours? I’ll bring it out.”

“No, no, I’ll take it myself. You carry on.”

“Thank you.” Chu Zining turned back to the stove and continued cooking.

The tall delinquent looked at the 2 dishes before him; one was his, the other was sweet-and-sour fish.

Remembering Auntie Zhao’s words to Shao Linlin… “Yours are next”… he took out the packet of powder.

“Heh-heh, eat this and sleep forever… if it doesn’t kill you!”

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