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

  There was a silent confrontation going on between Zhang Zian and the young lady sitting across from him. The surrounding customers were all eagerly waiting for a show while playing with the cats. They were all interested in how things were going to unfold between the two of them, as they both were coming from two very different stances. Although Zhang Zian originally planned to leave the sensitive subject alone, the young lady obviously had no desire to do so.

  Everyone’s attention was on the two of them, and no one was paying any attention to the couple who had just entered the restaurant. It was only when they overheard the young lady expressing her interest in adopting a Calico cat that they realized a good show was just ahead.

  Indeed, the unfamiliar young lady looked as if she would explode with confidence, provocatively staring at Zhang Zian with a look that said, See that? Everyone supports the idea of adopting over buying.

  Zhang Zian remained silent, quietly watching for any changes.

  “Ting Ting, is this the Calico cat you wanted?” the guy asked his girlfriend after they had taken their seats.

  “Yeah, what do you think? Isn’t it so cute?” Ting Ting happily replied.

  “Well, it is cute.” The guy thought that the Calico cat was somewhat cute, but as long as Ting Ting liked it, he would agree with her.

  “Then, how about we adopt it? Should we?” Ting Ting eagerly pleaded.

  The guy’s lips moved like he wanted to say something. Then, he saw Aunt Li coming towards them with a menu, so he bit his tongue.

  “What would the two of you like to order?” Aunt Li asked.

  After the two of them placed their order, Ting Ting called out to Aunt Li and asked, “Ma’am, I’d like to ask about the cats in the bar. They are available for adoption, right?

  “Yes, they are.” Aunt Li was a little surprised. The cats had only been there for a few days and someone was already interested in adopting one of them. But this had been agreed upon earlier and a promise must be kept.

  “Then we would like that one.” Ting Ting pointed at the Calico cat.

  The guy spoke up, interrupting them. “Ting Ting, let’s eat first. We’ll talk about this after our meal, okay? We’re not in a rush anyways.”


  After the awkward incident earlier, Aunt Li was afraid of speaking up. She only said, “Call for me if you need anything else,” before she returned back to the kitchen.

  Ting Ting’s high spirits had been interrupted, and she became upset with her boyfriend.

  After a while, Aunt Li served the food that they’d ordered. Ting Ting pulled apart the disposable chopsticks, silently eating her food. Her boyfriend knew that he’d made a mistake and had upset her. He started giving her special attention, doing everything he could to make her happy, but nothing seemed to work. Their tension was uncomfortable, and even the other diners were breaking out in a cold sweat for him. Zhang Zian, on the other hand, was just glad that he didn’t have a girlfriend.

  After eating for a few minutes, Ting Ting spitefully placed her chopsticks down and sullenly said to her boyfriend, “Xiao Zhuang, what did you mean by what you said earlier?”


  Xiao Zhuang carefully replied, “I didn’t mean anything. Ting Ting, you told me that we’d be seeing an obedient cat when we left, but you didn’t tell me you had plans on adopting it.”


  What Xiao Zhuang said was true. Earlier, Ting Ting had been very excited to go see a cat that was especially nice and she wanted to bring him along to check it out, which he had agreed to. Although he had some clues, when he found out that Ting Ting had the intention of adopting it, he still couldn’t help but try to change her mind.

  Ting Ting simply nodded her head. “Okay. Let me ask you now, then. I want to adopt this Calico, so can I?”


  Her tone didn’t sound like she was asking a question. It seemed more like a fight.

  The young lady across from Zhang Zian gave the other girl a thumbs up in praise while Xiao Zhuang was crying inside. He braced himself and kept trying to persuade her. “About this, Ting Ting, why don’t we discuss it back at home?”


  “Why do we have to discuss it at home? Can’t we discuss it here? Aren’t we discussing it right now?” Ting Ting snapped back in a single breath.

  “Uh…”


  Xiao Zhuang was starting to feel embarrassed as he became the target of focus from everyone in the cafe. He was getting stared at by everyone like they were watching a TV show.

  “Ting Ting, if you like cats, why don’t we buy one?” He earnestly said, “I’ve asked my friends about it before, and there is a well-known pet store around the area and the cats there know how to dance! Why don’t we head down there and take a look? I’ve saved a few months’ worth of wages, and we can get a really pretty one without going through the hassle of adopting.”


  “No! I like this one!” Ting Ting firmly rejected him.

  “Hold on a second!”


  The young lady sitting by Zhang Zian was unable to pretend she wasn’t listening in on their conversation anymore. She looked at him grimly, as if he was a public enemy. With a dry smile, she said, “Sir, have you heard about the adoption over purchase movement?”


  Xiao Zhuang was busy trying to coax his girlfriend and was caught off guard by her question. Confused for a moment, he asked, “Who are you?”


  “It doesn’t matter who I am,” she confidently said with reason on her side. “I just want to ask if you’ve heard about adoption over purchase.”


  Ting Ting frowned lightly. Although she was arguing with her boyfriend, he was still her boyfriend and she had every right to act that way. But what right did this young lady have to be questioning Xiao Zhuang so rudely? Ting Ting held back her displeasure and didn’t snap back immediately.

  Xiao Zhuang was irritated by the unfamiliar woman’s questioning and tone. They didn’t know each other, so why should he answer her question?

  But since it was in front of so many people, and especially his girlfriend, Xiao Zhuang tried his best to show his maturity. He patiently replied, “Adoption over purchase? I’ve heard of it before.”


  “You have heard of it before?” The lady was stunned. “If you have, then why do you still want to buy a pet?”


  The reply wasn’t what she’d expected. She thought that anyone who had heard of the slogan “adoption over purchase” would unconditionally support the loving practice. Of course, with the exception of Zhang Zian, who was part of the black-hearted pet dealing industry.

  Her aggressive tone made Xiao Zhuang more annoyed. “It’s my money, and I can spend it any way I’d like to. What does it have to do with you?”


  “Do you know that with no transactions there would be no harm? Spending money on pets is in itself supportive of black-hearted pet dealers. It adds fuel to their flames of greed and makes them worse, endangering more animals!” The lady pointed at Zhang Zian, as she started to break down and lecture them.

  Hearing that, Xiao Zhuang turned to look at Zhang Zian. “You sell pets?”


  Zhang Zian nodded and pointed to the pet store across the road. “The pet store you mentioned earlier was probably mine.”


  “Is it true that the cats in your store know how to dance?” Xiao Zhuang asked, curious.

  “More or less,” Zhang Zian replied without revealing too much.

  Realizing that the conversation was headed in the wrong direction, the young lady quickly interrupted them. “Did you not hear what I said? If you’re not able to understand the pros and cons, I can explain them to you. Don’t get tricked by these crooks. They’ll definitely tell you that adopted pets will never compare to ones that you buy. They’re all wrong. You’ll know after giving adoption a try!”


  Unexpectedly, Xiao Zhuang smiled bitterly. “Of course I’ve tried before. Did you assume that I haven’t?”