Universe Infinite Canteen

Ma Lu placed the furball in his hand, closed his eyes, and then opened them again.

"Right, I still don't know what to call you?"

"Wei Jingyan."

"Well then, Miss Wei Jingyan, if you're ready, let's begin."

Wei Jingyan nodded expectantly, and then she saw Ma Lu mutter under his breath.

After about half a minute, Ma Lu spoke again, "I've found your cat. You can ask any questions now."

"Really? Then, please, Mr. Ma, can you ask Mr. Furball where he is currently?"

"It says it's in a safe place, but it can't tell you the specific location."

"Look at me, I forgot cats can't read. Can it see any distinctive buildings and tell me what they are? I could search using Baidu Maps." Wei Jingyan pulled out her cell phone.

"No, it doesn't want to tell you, it's not that it can't."

"Eh?"

"It said it left home because something happened there that made it very uncomfortable."

"Something uncomfortable," Wei Jingyan said blankly. "Is it the new automatic drinking fountain it doesn't like?"

"No, it's because you were planning to neuter it." Ma Lu cut straight to the point.

"Ah?" Wei Jingyan was startled. "I indeed had that intention recently, but I was very careful not to mention it in front of it. How did it find out?"

"Maybe it went through your cell phone."

"What?"

"Nothing. Anyway, it probably doesn't want to be neutered."

"But neutering is beneficial for him. I consulted with people from the cat clinic. They said that it could help Mr. Furball live longer, relieve mental stress, promote appetite, and reduce the risk of reproductive and urinary diseases..."

Wei Jingyan earnestly continued, "I know cats don't live as long as humans, but I still hope to spend as much time with it as possible."

"I can understand your concern, but... even so, it still doesn't want to be neutered."

"Why?"

"It says it likes its little brothers. They have been together since birth. They've always got along really well and it doesn't want to lose them."

Wei Jingyan frowned, "So if I don't have it neutered, will it come back?"

"It also said it still wants to live with you. But a rift has been created, and it can't heal so quickly, so... it plans to live outside for a while, to give both of you some time to cool off."

"How long does it plan to live outside?" Wei Jingyan's frown deepened.

"This... currently, it doesn't have a specific timetable."

"Has it gone off to find other women?"

"Eh, what?"

"I'm asking you to find out if it's planning to find other women!" Wei Jingyan raised her voice.

"Ah..."

"I know it so well, it's always been a lazy glutton and would never become a stray cat. So since it doesn't want to come back, it must mean some other woman out there has taken it in!"

Wei Jingyan became more and more agitated as she spoke, "This cheating cat!! I've been so good to it, whatever it wants, I buy for it, working hard every day to earn money. Everything other cats have, it has, and even things they don't, it also has. And this is how it repays me, forsaking me to run off with another woman!!!"

"Uh, please calm down a bit, Miss Wei Jingyan." Ma Lu had no choice but to interrupt the cat medium ceremony, and opened his eyes to say, "As far as I know, it's not with another woman."

"What do you know?!" Wei Jingyan choked up, "That faithless cat never says a truthful word, always acting sweet and cute to cheer me up, and then turns around and runs off with another woman! How can I believe anything it says?!"

"Indeed... it's been a bit like that this time."

"Right, that's why I'm saying it needs to be neutered. Mr. Ma, tell it that as long as it's willing to come back, I will agree to anything it wants, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely won't go through with the sterilization."

Ma Lu was confused by her as well, "So do you want to neuter it or not?"

"Neuter of course, it's a must, it has run off with some other wild woman... If not neutered, this kind of thing is bound to happen again. Help me trick it into coming back. I'll call the doctor right now, let's wait for it here together. The moment it shows up, we'll grab it immediately, stuff it in a cage, and take it straight to the cat hospital for sterilization, without a minute's delay!"

"Ah... deceiving it seems a bit wrong."

"It's the one who betrayed me first! I'm the one who's been betrayed!!!" Wei Jingyan said, touching her chest, "I'm just doing to it what it did to me, and besides, I'm doing it for its own good. Only if it's sterilized can we be together forever."

Hong then thought of something and grabbed Ma Lu's hand, "Mr. Ma, you're on my side, right? You won't leak our plan to him, will you?"

"This..." Ma Lu was somewhat troubled.

"Help me just this once, I can pay you, 5000, no, 10,000, just as long as you can help me find it. I can pay you half in cash right now."

"It's not a matter of money, it just feels a bit wrong to do this. Our reputation as cat mediums is also very important."

Wei Jingyan stared into Ma Lu's eyes, and seeing he had no intention of compromising, she was the first to change her tune.

"Sorry, I was just too angry just now, blinded by rage. You're right, reputation is very important. Since I promised it I wouldn't take it to be sterilized, I won't do that, I ask you, Mr. Ma, please help me persuade it to come home. I'm really worried about it being out there all alone.

"Society nowadays is very dangerous, some shady women come up with all sorts of excuses to approach young kittens, so please, help me!"

"Even if you say that, Miss Wei Jingyan... it still sounds very suspicious."

"Then what should I do, should I swear an oath to heaven right now?"

"That won't be necessary," Ma Lu said, "And the connection with the other side has already been broken off, let's call it a day for now. In any case, your cat is fine now, living well in its new home, you don't need to worry at all."

"No, it's precisely because it's doing well in the new home that I am even more worried," Wei Jingyan said. "What if it doesn't want to come back?"

"That... I will try to persuade it for you. As far as I know, it doesn't want to part with you forever. Just give it some time, some time and it will probably come back... maybe."

"But what am I to do? I've gotten used to living with it," Wei Jingyan clutched Ma Lu's clothes tightly, her eyes reddening, "Without it, I won't be able to sleep at night."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"You could also try to find other hobbies to distract yourself." Ma Lu had already stood up from the couch, discreetly prying Wei Jingyan's fingers off, "It's getting late, I should be heading back."

"Don't leave, stay a little longer, let me talk to Mr. Furball again, help me ask if it's getting used to living there, if the food agrees with its stomach, or if I should send over its little blanket and litter box." Wei Jingyan didn't want Ma Lu to leave, blocking the door.

"Sorry, Miss Wei Jingyan, I've used up my quota of cat medium sessions for today, no, for this week. Let's add each other on WeChat, and you can send any questions you have, and when I've recovered my abilities, I'll convey them for you."

After repeatedly assuring her, Ma Lu finally added Wei Jingyan as a friend and she begrudgingly stepped aside.

It wasn't until Ma Lu had descended the stairs of the fire escape that he could still hear Wei Jingyan's plaintive voice behind him, "Ask it for me, what does that woman have that I don't..."