Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

  The moment Zhang Zian decided to accept the legacy, it was equivalent to him taking over Cathy’s last wish.

  Upon hearing Zhang Zian’s agreement to accept the will, Adams’s face showed a relieved smile. His trip to this icy and snowy city half a world away was worth it.

  “Mr. Zhang, you gave your verbal agreement just now, but we still have a formal process to go through. Because I did not know your specific address and phone number before, nor did I know if you would inherit this particular will, I did not bring the eight cats with me. They are currently in the pet care center, and after you have signed these documents, I will arrange for air transport immediately,” he said.

  Adams pulled out a small video camera and tripod from his briefcase and explained to Zhang Zian, “The complete signing process is required to be recorded for notarization. Is that okay?”


  Zhang Zian felt that this American lawyer was very professional. Apparently it was not the first time he had dealt with related matters. Adams’s inquiry was only out of politeness, or he just wanted to remind Zhang Zian that he must not refuse the video shooting, otherwise it would be a gesture to reject the legacy.

  “Yes, of course, please,” said Zhang Zian. “Need anything?”


  Adams looked around the store, “Preferably an empty table and two chairs that allow us to sit face to face.”


  With a computer screen, a card reader, tutorials for novice pet raisers, and a few other things on it, the cashier desk did not fit Adams’s requirements.

  “Please come upstairs.” Zhang Zian led him to the living room upstairs.

  “Is it okay here?” he pointed to the couch and the coffee table.

  “This is fine,” replied Adams.

  Adams put down the briefcase, put up the tripod and set up the camera, and asked Zhang Zian to sit on the couch. He then adjusted the focal length, and made sure that there was no problem with the microphone.

  “Mr. Zhang, the parrot on your shoulder…” he pointed to Richard with a wry smile. “Could it please leave for the time being?”


  Without waiting for Zhang Zian to speak up, Richard had fluttered its wings and landed on the blade of the ceiling fan, looking down at them haughtily.

  “Wow, what a clever parrot! Can it understand me?” Adams opened his mouth wide in surprise. This was the first time he had forgotten himself after he set foot in this pet shop.

  “Quack! I can also talk, you moron! Close your mouth, or beware of bird feces dropping into your mouth!” Richard felt bored, lowered its head, and pecked its chest feathers.

  Adams quickly closed his mouth, as if worrying that Richard would actually attack his mouth with its excrement.

  “Fantastic! Mr. Zhang, how did you train this parrot?” he asked, pouting his lips.

  “Well, long story… it’s a troublesome process. And of course, it is a somewhat talented bird.” Zhang Zian glared at Richard, warning it to stay inconspicuous.

  “I guess so.” Adams believed him. After reminding Zhang Zian, he began recording.

  He spread the documents on the coffee table, explained to Zhang Zian the meaning of each document, and then instructed him where to put his signatures. Because the will involved the transnational inheritance of eight cats, during the transport process, Adams had to ensure that the eight cats would not die accidentally, otherwise it would affect the implementation of the will and the credibility of his law firm. This made the process more complicated than any ordinary succession of property.

  Adams explained the documents in detail, and that Zhang Zian could ask him anything should he not understand something.

  At first, Zhang Zian was still worried about whether the eight cats would encounter any problems during the transport, such as quarantine problems at immigration control, and even planned to remind Adams to avoid the routes bounded to Capital International Airport.

  However, he did not realize that Adams apparently had done his homework well before coming to China. Adams was more knowledgeable in terms of legal tax minimization and avoiding quarantines than Zhang Zian was. Clients really liked such a lawyer, because apparently Adams had prioritized the interests of his clients. As long as they paid him enough money, they could sit back, relax, and leave everything to Adams.

  Wicked capitalism…


  After answering all questions raised by Zhang Zian, Adams confirmed that there were no further objections. Adams then pointed to where Zhang Zian should sign for confirmation. In addition, Zhang Zian signed a power of attorney document to authorize Adams to handle the shipment of these cats.

  After everything was settled, about half an hour had passed.

  Adams stopped recording and exchanged contact information with Zhang Zian.

  “Ah, I almost forgot.” He removed a thick pile of documents that were neatly bound from his briefcase, “These are for you.”


  “What are these?” Zhang Zian took the documents, but he couldn’t understand the English on them.

  “Well… I do not quite understand them, but they should be the pedigrees of the eight cats, which I found when sorting out Ms. Ryan’s possessions. I thought I should give them to you with the cats,” Adams shrugged. “Of course, if you find the documents useless, you can handle them yourself.”


  Zhang Zian was surprised. These were indispensable in the normal breeding process of cats—from a smaller aspect, with these documents, the inbreeding of the breeding cats could be avoided; from a larger aspect, these could further optimize the lineage of the Abyssinian cats, so that they could give birth to better generations in the future.

  These documents had been Cathy’s breeding diary for over a decade, recording her experiences and lessons. Once the CFA admitted chocolate-colored Abyssinian cats, he could apply for proof of a studbook for them.

  He flipped through these handwritten documents, imagining Cathy holding the pen and writing this information over countless lonely nights.

  “Thank you… these are very useful,” he said. “Thank you for bringing them to me.”


  “If there’s nothing else, I’ll just say goodbye.” Adams shook hands with Zhang Zian, and looked up to Richard again, “Hi, little guy, goodbye!”


  Richard was napping while standing on the blade, and did not answer him.

  Adams put the video recorder, the tripod, and the signed documents one by one in his briefcase. Zhang Zian glanced at him. He noticed that at the bottom of the briefcase, there was a photo of a woman with beautiful silver hair in the corner.

  “Is that a photo of Cathy?” asked Zhang Zian.

  “Ah, did you mean this? Yes, because you met Ms. Ryan only once and I was afraid you might have forgotten her, I took one of her pictures.” Adams took a photo from under the files. “Do you want to keep it?”


  “May I?”


  “Sure, it’s yours.” He handed the picture to Zhang Zian.

  In the photo, Cathy was sitting on the lawn of her own yard, holding Wendy in her arms, and was surrounded by the seven other Abyssinian cats. She was facing the camera and had a very brilliant smile.

  “Thank you.” Zhang Zian could not remember how many times he had expressed his gratitude to Adams. The attentive lawyer had thought of almost every detail and gave Zhang Zian some solace.

  He found an old photo frame, wiped the dust off it, and put the photo of Cathy into the photo frame. Adams packed up the briefcase while watching him.

  “Sorry to keep you waiting,” said Zhang Zian.

  “It doesn’t matter.” Adams smiled.

  Zhang Zian took the picture frame, and gestured, “I’ll send you out.”


  Together they went downstairs. Zhang Zian looked around and finally chose a shelf behind the couch, putting the photo frame on top of the shelf. From here, Cathy in heaven would always be able to see her cats playing in the shop, and she would always be very happy.

  Zhang Zian sent Adams out of the shop, watched him flag a taxi and disappear at the corner of the street, and then returned to the shop.

  He sat back in the chair next to the cash register, but he was surprised to notice that Lu Yiyun was still concentrated on painting as if she had forgotten everything around her, that only the drawing board and the screen existed in her eyes.

  On the computer screen, a view of Zhang Zian’s back in the snow gradually became clearer, but unfortunately he was not handsome at all.