Extra 2: The Cat and the Snake

The gentle sunlight streamed through the window, spilling into the room. The light beige quilt on the bed moved slightly, forming a small hill.

Yan Zhao turned over uncomfortably. For some reason, the air today was particularly thin and stuffy, his chest felt as if it was filled with stones, and the pitch-black vision was suffocating.

He couldn’t stand it anymore and wanted to throw off the quilt, but even the lightweight down quilt felt oppressive. His hand could only move the quilt up slightly.

“Yuanting…”

Yan Zhao called out, his clear and moist voice vanished, replaced by a lazy “meow meow.”

A bolt of lightning struck down, an electric current surged from head to toe. Yan Zhao instantly woke up, jumped up from the bed, but felt miserable being pressed down by the quilt.

[Yuanting?!]

“Meow meow meow?!!!!”

He stared blankly at the narrow gap between the quilt and the bed sheet, a gap created because he was sandwiched in between. The light illuminated every tiny hole in the quilt’s fabric clearly.

He crawled out of the quilt, finally breathing in fresh air, and his lungs felt much more comfortable. But Yan Zhao had no mood to care about stuffiness—

The pillow he rested on every day had become huge, and the table lamp on the bedside table seemed to have magnified more than ten times. Yan Zhao looked down, and two snow-white, fluffy front paws appeared before his eyes.

Yan Zhao was dumbfounded. He raised a hand, and the cat paw followed. He looked at his palm, and the cat paw turned over, revealing pink paw pads like plum blossoms. Sharp claws were hidden between the paw pads and white fur, resembling crescent moons.

[Yuanting! Yuanting…]

A series of sharp “meow meow meows” sounded. Yan Zhao anxiously called Shen Yuanting’s name—in this situation, he had no other thoughts, only a desperate need for security and Shen Yuanting’s company.

Footsteps sounded, and the door creaked open. Yan Zhao turned his head. A tall, handsome man appeared in the room, his face familiarly reassuring.

[Yuanting, what should I do? I’ve turned into a cat! Do you recognize me?!]

“Meow! Meow meow!”

Yan Zhao’s worried heart settled halfway. He walked towards Shen Yuanting but, unfamiliar with moving on all fours, he stumbled and fell onto the soft quilt.

Shen Yuanting walked over, lifted the cat’s hindquarters, and held him in his arms. “Zhao Zhao, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

[I’ve turned into a cat!]

Yan Zhao cried out, but to his horror, Shen Yuanting did not seem surprised. The man patted his head and, as if it were completely natural for him to be a cat, said, “You were injured, and your demonic power was depleted. It’s normal to revert to your original form.”

Yan Zhao’s mind was in chaos. What did he mean by demonic power and original form? It made him sound like a demon! He suddenly realized that although he was speaking in cat language, Shen Yuanting understood him!

Yan Zhao struggled out of the man’s embrace and fell onto the bed, landing smoothly thanks to his feline instincts.

He looked at Shen Yuanting and meowed in terror. The man frowned slightly, climbed onto the bed, and soothingly stroked the cat’s back. “Zhao Zhao, what’s wrong? Did something scare you?”

What on earth is going on…

Yan Zhao looked pitifully at the man. Shen Yuanting, seeing his beloved cat’s watery green eyes, gently petted his head. “Zhao Zhao? Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”

No matter the reason behind Shen Yuanting’s words, Yan Zhao’s emotions did stabilize a bit. He rubbed against the man’s palm, his throat instinctively producing a purring sound.

Shen Yuanting placed Yan Zhao on the dining table. The breakfast was sumptuous, but Yan Zhao had no appetite. He jumped off the table and quickly ran around the house, but found nothing else amiss—except for the absence of Wang Zai and Snowball.

Where are Shen Yuanting and my cats?

Have I traveled through time? Or is this a dream?

Yan Zhao asked, “Where are Wang Zai and Snowball?!”

Shen Yuanting hesitated and gave him a puzzled look. “Do you want Wang Zai snow cakes? We can buy some from the supermarket later.”

Yan Zhao: “…” He couldn’t communicate!

Yan Zhao wanted to know what he looked like now. He jumped onto the bathroom sink, and the mirror reflected a white tabby cat with emerald green eyes. In the corner of the mirror, Shen Yuanting leaned against the doorframe, observing Yan Zhao’s strange behavior.

Yan Zhao almost glared a hole through the mirror, but despite his anxiety, there was nothing he could do.

He dared not leave Shen Yuanting’s side. Only by staying close to him did the fear of being an animal become somewhat bearable. Yan Zhao leaped off the sink, stood up, and placed his front paws on Shen Yuanting’s leg. “Meow meow!”

[Hold me!]

“You’re so clingy today?” Shen Yuanting lifted his front limbs, and Yan Zhao felt his body stretch like elastic jelly under gravity. He kicked his hind paws, eliciting a laugh from Shen Yuanting.

Shen Yuanting gently held him in his arms. Yan Zhao stared at the ground, a height that was once normal now seemed terrifying to a cat. He burrowed deeper into Shen Yuanting’s embrace, his front paws hooking onto the man’s shirt.

Shen Yuanting worked in his study, with Yan Zhao sprawled across his lap. Yan Zhao thought about what he should do but quickly became drowsy, yawning and melting into a puddle of cat.

He couldn’t just sit and wait for things to happen!

Yan Zhao bounced up, his paw pads pressing against the man’s thigh.

He meowed, “Meow!”

[I want to play with my phone!]

“Get it yourself,” Shen Yuanting said, reaching out to scratch his chin.

“Meow meow!” [Don’t treat me like a cat!]

Shen Yuanting responded, “But you are a cat right now.”

Yan Zhao, embarrassed and angry, let out a string of cat sounds, turning his head away to avoid the man’s hand. But he forgot that he was now a cat, and Shen Yuanting’s hand was bigger than his head. So, Shen Yuanting effortlessly scratched his chin.

Yan Zhao struggled to resist, but the cat’s nature took over. He couldn’t withstand the man’s touch for long and quickly succumbed, letting the fingers work their magic on his chin.

Shen Yuanting asked, “Hmm? Does that feel good?”

Yan Zhao softly responded, “Meow…” It’s okay… Don’t stop.

Shen Yuanting continued petting the cat, his eyes fixed on the screen as he finished his work. When he looked down, the white tabby was docilely lying on his lap, paws tucked in, green eyes half-closed, purring rhythmically, and looking thoroughly content.

“Good boy.” Shen Yuanting’s hand moved from his chin downward. Yan Zhao rolled over under his touch but suddenly jolted, pinning the man’s hand beneath him, clutching Shen Yuanting’s wrist with his paws.

[Stop touching me!]

“Meow! Meow meow meow!”

He couldn’t let himself become complacent like a real cat!

“Be good,” Shen Yuanting said, lifting his upper body and flipping the cat over.

Yan Zhao’s milk-white belly was exposed, and he flailed his four paws at the hand pinning him down. But he couldn’t match the strength of a human. His soft belly was under the control of Shen Yuanting’s hand.

[Then I’ll let you pet me for another five minutes, but you have to let me go after that!]

“Meow meow meow!” Yan Zhao negotiated with Shen Yuanting.

Shen Yuanting replied, “Another ten minutes… no, half an hour.”

“Meow meow meow meow!”

[Get lost!!!]

Shen Yuanting’s hand moved from his chest to his hind legs, feeling the smooth, soft white fur. Yan Zhao, feeling wronged, sprawled out, his tail swaying as he cursed Shen Yuanting’s lack of understanding in cat language, but the purring from his throat betrayed his true feelings.

After Shen Yuanting finished petting him, Yan Zhao still felt the urge to nuzzle his hand. Realizing what he was doing, he immediately stiffened like a statue.

The tabby cat jumped off Shen Yuanting’s lap and quickly fled the scene, hiding inside a cardboard box.

The box was small, and once he squeezed in, the space was filled, turning the cat into a square shape. He peeked out with his grape-like green eyes, warily watching Shen Yuanting descend the stairs.

Shen Yuanting had changed clothes, his shirt casually tucked into his pants.

Seeing he was about to leave, Yan Zhao pushed down one side of the box and slipped out. “Where are you going?”

Shen Yuanting, seeing the little tabby cat looking up at him, felt a wave of tenderness. He squatted down and poked Yan Zhao’s cat ear.

The gray and white-striped little triangle twitched. Yan Zhao batted his hand away with his white paw, dissatisfied. “I asked you a question.”

Shen Yuanting replied, “To work.”

Yan Zhao said, “Take me with you.” After all, he was a small cat now, and it wouldn’t be strange to take him anywhere.

Shen Yuanting said, “Alright, but I might not be able to look after you. Just stick close to me.”

Yan Zhao: “…” Shouldn’t he be hiding instead?

Speaking of which, if he was a cat demon, there must be other demons in this world, right?

Yan Zhao asked, “You’re not going to catch demons, are you?”

Shen Yuanting said, “Not necessarily, I might be catching ghosts. Maybe you should stay home?”

Yan Zhao shuddered; ghosts were scary! But being home alone was even more terrifying!

After careful consideration, Yan Zhao decided to follow Shen Yuanting. He circled behind Shen Yuanting, leapt up, and landed on his back. Yan Zhao used his paws to climb up onto Shen Yuanting’s shoulder.

He wanted to perch on Shen Yuanting’s head, but lacking confidence in his size and balance, he settled for sitting on the man’s broad shoulder.

He rubbed his face against the man’s cheek and meowed, “Go!”

Their destination was a demolition site on the outskirts of the city. According to the plan, it should have been completed a year ago, but the site had been plagued by frequent accidents—cranes malfunctioning, workers getting injured.

As they neared noon, the sky was bright, yet the construction site was incongruously shrouded in layers of dark clouds, blocking the sunlight.

A cold wind blew, and Yan Zhao said, “It’s a bit chilly.”

Shen Yuanting opened his jacket and tucked the cat inside. Yan Zhao felt an invisible force supporting his hind legs, making him feel like he was floating in mid-air, with his head and front paws sticking out. He moved his limbs, feeling like he was moonwalking.

Shen Yuanting pinched his paw. “Stop fooling around.”

The client saw them approaching and hurried to greet them. “You must be Mr. Shen. I commissioned Master Wang last time, but he said this was a tricky case and recommended you…”

Apparently overwhelmed with worry and finally having someone to talk to, the client went on and on. Yan Zhao listened and realized it was nothing more than the typical supernatural occurrences found in ghost stories—demons, spirits, and such.

Shen Yuanting grew impatient and interrupted the client’s lengthy monologue, heading straight upstairs.

The empty floor was cold, damp, and smelled of mold and rust from years of neglect. Every sound echoed loudly.

The tabby cat’s ears twitched, and Yan Zhao said, “I hear water.”

Shen Yuanting said, “It’s blood.”

Hearing this, Yan Zhao felt a chill run down his spine, his fur standing on end from head to tail. He realized there hadn’t been any rain recently, and the building had long been without water or electricity. Where could the water come from? The faint rust smell was indeed the scent of blood.

The sound kept following them, never more than three meters away—

Boom!

A black shadow flashed quickly, followed by a deafening explosion. Dust shot from the ground to the ceiling. When the smoke cleared, a hole appeared in the floor, with rubble scattered everywhere.

The cat sneezed from the dust. Shen Yuanting pressed him back into the jacket. “Don’t come out.”

Yan Zhao couldn’t see what Shen Yuanting was fighting, but there were wails and howls all around. His cat ears flattened against his head, turning into airplane ears.

The sound of crumbling walls, combined with the angry and sorrowful howls of ghosts, filled the air. Yan Zhao was terrified of ghosts and even more afraid that Shen Yuanting might get hurt. He meowed, “Yuanting, are you okay?”

Shen Yuanting replied, “I’m fine.”

Yan Zhao poked his head out of the collar, bracing himself for a horrific scene. Fortunately, the opposite side was shrouded in a layer of black mist, rough and indistinct like crayon scribbles.

The opponent was babbling in some strange language, and the gravel at their feet swirled up like a tornado.

Yan Zhao’s pupils involuntarily dilated. Shen Yuanting patted his head and said, “Hold on tight to me.”

Yan Zhao immediately clung to his hand, pressing his cat head close to him.

With the little cat holding him, Shen Yuanting’s hand hovered in midair. “…Like this, I can’t move. Never mind.”

Suddenly, a fierce wind arose, and the ground seemed to reassemble, cracking into numerous large cement rocks. Yan Zhao finally understood why Shen Yuanting had told him to stick close—everywhere else, it seemed like an invisible, transparent tail was sweeping around. In a flash, the vaguely discernible creature was knocked aside, smashing into the wall and causing it to collapse.

The battle was almost overwhelmingly one-sided. Yan Zhao’s eyes widened. Before he could watch for long, the monster was already kneeling and begging for mercy, revealing its true form—

A goosefoot weed.

The goosefoot spirit wailed, “They demolished the place and used my main body for cooking. I’m almost dead. Can’t I retaliate a bit?”

Yan Zhao: “…”

The client waited in the plaza, expecting the ordeal to last until evening, but Shen Yuanting came down quickly.

Mr. Shen’s white tabby cat was carrying a bunch of goosefoot weeds in its mouth and disdainfully dropped it in front of the client. “Meow!”

The client was baffled. “What does this mean?”

Yan Zhao: “Meow meow!”

Client: “Cook and eat it?”

Shen Yuanting: “Take it back and plant it.”

With the job done, Shen Yuanting and Yan Zhao returned home.

Shen Yuanting intended to start cooking but saw the tabby cat biting his pants leg, trying to drag him to the bathroom. “Meow!”

[I want a bath. Go run the water now!]

Shen Yuanting: “You want to take a bath now?”

Yan Zhao firmly replied, “Meow!”

In the bathroom, steam filled the air. The tabby cat floated on the water with a small swimming ring, his head covered in white foam, his fur clumping into strands.

He closed his eyes, enjoying Shen Yuanting washing his fur, and asked, “Didn’t they say no creatures could become spirits after the establishment of the country?”

Shen Yuanting: “So they all have no legal status.”

Yan Zhao: “Are you also without legal status?”

“No,” Shen Yuanting rinsed him off. The already small cat looked even more pitiful when soaked.

Yan Zhao: “…” Is Shen Yuanting human? Is he even human?

Yan Zhao: “I want to see your true form!”

Shen Yuanting raised an eyebrow, “Are you sure?”

The little cat nodded.

Three seconds later, a harrowing cat scream pierced the air.

A black snake’s body emerged from the bathroom door, coiling all the way to the stairs, from the second floor down to the first.

The king snake’s massive body nearly filled the bathroom, its golden eyes larger than Yan Zhao’s entire cat form.

The snake’s red tongue flicked out, giving the cat a friendly lick.

Yan Zhao shivered, staring at the snake for a moment before recovering. He dog-paddled a few times, standing at the edge of the bathtub, and said to Shen Yuanting, “Lower your head.”

The king snake lowered its head, sensing a wet little bundle climbing up onto it.

The white tabby cat then said, “Raise your head.”

The king snake lifted its head, forming an arc with its body.

Yan Zhao lay on his back, spreading out his belly, moving a few inches toward the snake’s neck (do snakes have necks?). Shen Yuanting’s scales were very smooth, and he slid down them easily.

Yan Zhao exclaimed, “This is so fun! I want to slide again.”

Shen Yuanting: “…”

The king snake allowed the white tabby to frolic and roll on him, resting his head on the ground, quietly watching the little creature chase the light reflecting off his scales.

A cat’s endurance is quite poor. Yan Zhao, exhausted from playing, waddled over to the king snake and, following a cat’s instinct, began to lick the snake’s scales.

Of course, Shen Yuanting, being a cold-blooded creature covered in scales, didn’t offer much surface for licking.

Yan Zhao said, “You should turn back into a human.” At least human skin was soft.

Shen Yuanting hummed in agreement. The snake scales gradually receded, his bones shifting back into the shape of a man, although he retained a long snake tail below his waist.

Suddenly, Yan Zhao remembered something. “When will I be able to turn back into a human?” Shen Yuanting had said he was injured, but he didn’t feel anything. Although being a cat had its perks, he missed his human form.

Shen Yuanting asked, “You want to change back?”

Yan Zhao replied, “Of course.”

Shen Yuanting nodded, lifted his hand to his mouth, and bit his finger.

Yan Zhao jumped three feet high in shock. “What are you doing!”

Shen Yuanting extended his finger, now with a drop of blood, to Yan Zhao’s mouth. “Didn’t you want to become human? Drink it.”

Yan Zhao stammered, “You don’t have to go that far.” Like in many stories, a demon’s blood was said to contain power.

Shen Yuanting said, “If you don’t drink it, it’ll go to waste.”

With a “meow,” Yan Zhao cautiously licked his blood.

A cold sensation spread to his stomach, gradually turning into a fiery heat.

Yan Zhao shut his eyes tightly. When he opened them again, the world had returned to the proportions he was familiar with as a human.

Just as he was about to cheer, he felt a strange weight at the base of his spine. Turning around, he saw a white cat’s tail standing upright.

Yan Zhao: “………………”

He rushed to the mirror. While his face had returned to normal, his human ears were gone, replaced by a pair of furry cat ears on top of his head.

Touching his cat ears, Yan Zhao despaired, “Why am I still a cat!!!”

Shen Yuanting’s snake tail slithered over. He embraced Yan Zhao from behind, saying, “Maybe the blood wasn’t enough.”

Yan Zhao exclaimed, “I can’t go out like this!”

Shen Yuanting suggested, “Then drink a bit more?”

“No, no, no!” Yan Zhao shook his head repeatedly, his cat tail wrapping around Shen Yuanting’s arm, rubbing against him affectionately. “You can’t just bleed yourself. Doesn’t it hurt?”

Shen Yuanting replied, “I don’t feel anything.”

Seeing Yan Zhao sighing and lamenting over his cat ears, Shen Yuanting suggested, “Actually, there’s another way.”

Yan Zhao perked up, looking at him expectantly. “What is it?”

Shen Yuanting played with his cat tail. “Dual cultivation.”

Sensitive to the touch, Yan Zhao’s body went limp, and he pushed him away. “…No.”

Shen Yuanting’s snake tail coiled around him, scales beneath his abdomen parting.

Yan Zhao’s body stiffened. “…Is it just me, or are there two?”

Shen Yuanting said, “Snakes naturally have two.”

Yan Zhao tried to escape. “…I think I’d rather stay a cat!”

Shen Yuanting chuckled lowly, his snake tail tightening, pulling Yan Zhao into the bathtub.

With a splash, water overflowed, spilling onto the tiles.

…

In a daze, Yan Zhao murmured, “Both together… no way…”

“What both?” The man’s deep, magnetic voice sounded, and Yan Zhao, embarrassed and angry, opened his eyes. “Your two!”

Shen Yuanting: “…”

Yan Zhao stared blankly at Shen Yuanting. Weren’t they dual cultivating in the bathtub? How did they end up in bed?

Yan Zhao hurriedly checked his backside. Good, no cat tail. He then touched Shen Yuanting’s lower abdomen. Although it was impressively large, there was indeed only one.

Earlier, Yan Zhao had been restless in his sleep, clinging to Shen Yuanting like an octopus, rubbing against him incessantly. Shen Yuanting held down his restless paws. “It’s Saturday. Think about the consequences before you act.”

Yan Zhao protested, “You’re bullying me!”

His accusation was sudden and confusing. Shen Yuanting asked, “When did I bully you, in your dream?”

Yan Zhao pouted. “Yes, in my dream!”

Shen Yuanting raised an eyebrow. “What happened in your dream?”

Yan Zhao shared his dream with Shen Yuanting, omitting the detail about the “two things” because he couldn’t let Shen Yuanting know that he was thinking about that even in his dreams.

It must have been the lamb soup from last night! Yan Zhao blamed the innocent dish for his dreams.

Shen Yuanting laughed as he listened and kissed Yan Zhao’s forehead. “My cat doesn’t want a tail?”

Yan Zhao grumbled, “Not when I’m in human form.”

Shen Yuanting pressed him down. “But can you meow?”

Yan Zhao pushed him. “Meowing is also not allowed!”

Yan Zhao meowed through the morning, exhausted to the point where he could hardly close his legs.

In the evening, Shen Yuanting signed for a package and handed the box to him. “This is for you.”

The wrapping paper had dancing cats, which was very cute. Yan Zhao happily unwrapped the gift. “We’ve been together for so long, why are you still surprising me—”

His praise stopped abruptly as he stared blankly at the cat ear headband and cat tail toy inside the box. He picked up the cat tail, carefully examining the instructions to confirm where it was supposed to go.

Yan Zhao asked, “Do I really have to use this tonight?”

Shen Yuanting replied, “It’s up to you.”