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

  The world was a weird place. A thousand people had a thousand different personalities, none were similar.

  Some people obsessed about checking to see if they locked their door. Some people obsessed about washing their hands.

  Tang Yuyun was special. She particularly disliked things that were leftovers. Her personality certainly made her life difficult, but overcoming the OCD was difficult. It wasn’t a life-threatening condition, so not many people paid attention to it.

  At the end of the day, Tang Yuyun’s OCD took root in the fact that she had money. If she were poor, or as cheap as Zhang Zian, she would’d overcome her OCD a long time ago.

  She said, “I don’t plan on getting a lot of cats. One is enough, but I want a perfect cat. I think purebred cats are the best for me. They’re expensive, as all pedigree cats are, but at least I’ll never grow tired of it, right?”


  Zhang Zian nodded. To some extent, her words made sense. It demonstrated that she was rational, and not just impulsively getting a cat.

  Buying a cat was just like buying a cellphone, there were two kinds of people. One bought an expensive phone, which could last for a few years. The other bought a cheap phone, and changed it for a new one every year. Both choices made sense. However, a cat was a long commitment. If one bought a cheap cat, he/she might covet someone else’s expensive cat, but if one had a pedigree cat, he/she was unlikely to covet a cheap cat.

  Tang Yuyun continued, “I’ve been following the pet shops in this city. I browse Weibo and Wechat every day. As soon as there’s a kitten for sale, I go immediately in order to be the first one to pick. Unfortunately, I’m always too late, and I wasn’t quite satisfied with the breeds. I heard that you were starting to sell the Abyssinian cats in your shop, and I paid a deposit at my earliest convenience.”


  Zhang Zian comforted her, “I can assure you that no one has picked out their kittens.”


  “That’s great!” Tang Yuyun was relieved. “I was worried that I may have arrived too late. I was out of town during the Spring Festival. I cut my trip short when I heard the news, and came back.”


  “Normally, very few people start picking the kittens this early. They’re too small, and you can’t see anything. Most pet shops would wait until they grow up and start selling them when their characteristics are distinguishable. However, since you’re our first customer of the Abyssinian cats, I’ll give you a special privilege.” Zhang Zian told her honestly.

  If the kitten was picked at birth, the condition it ended up with largely depended on luck. It was like cat betting, even the most experienced couldn’t be certain of what they’d get because most pet shops didn’t allow customers to pick kittens at such a young age.

  Zhang Zian had faith in the kittens bloodline. He trusted the breeding handbook Kathy had written. Any of the kittens were good enough for breed shows when they grew up.

  When Yu Liyun showed up for work, he asked her to watch the shop. He took Tang Yuyun into the shop next door.

  After soon as Tang Yuyun entered the shop, she felt a wave of heat. “It’s so hot in here.”


  “Abyssinian cats, especially kittens, like heat.” Zhang Zian took her upstairs. “You said that you wanted to get a cat?”　　”


  She nodded.

  “Abyssinian cats are a good fit. They’re jealous and want to keep their owners for themselves. They get along with dogs and other cats, but it’s best to keep them alone,” Zhang Zian said.

  Tang Yuyun thought for a while. “Like Siamese cats?”


  Zhang Zian was surprised. Most customers didn’t know much about cats or the difference between breeds.

  “That’s right,” he agreed. “They’re like Siamese cats in a way. Siamese cats are known as ‘the dog of cats’. They’re very clingy, but Abyssinian cats are more so. If you’re home, it’ll barely leave your side.”


  “Really?” Tang Yuyun’s eyes widened. “I thought all cats were aloof.”


  “Most of them are, but a few aren’t.”


  Zhang Zian handed her a mask, gloves and shoe covers, all of which were disposable. Unlike Snowy, she was a stranger. The kittens weren’t vaccinated and were very fragile. He didn’t know if she had contact with other cats before coming here, and he didn’t want her to spread germs.

  Tang Yuyun took off her coat and placed it on the hook. She put on the mask, gloves and shoe covers without question.

  Zhang Zian opened the door of the delivery room. The mother cat glanced at him, then stared at Tang Yuyun, and stood up from the nest with alertness.

  The Abyssinian cats were friendly, but they were cautious with strangers during nursing the period.

  The kittens’ eyes weren’t open yet, but they all turned towards the door and meowed. The voice was so soft and bone-melting.

  “Wow! Those are the kittens? How come they look different than their mother?” Tang Yuyun bent down. She didn’t get closer without Zhang Zian’s permission, so she stretched her neck, and glanced at the adorable kittens.

  The biggest difference between the kittens and their mothers were the ears. Adult Abyssinian cats had large and flexible ears, but the kittens had small ears, which made them look like Shiba Inus.

  “They’re like this when they’re young. It’ll change when they grow up,” Zhang Zian told her. “If you want to know how they look like when they grow up, we can look at their father later, they should look similar. If you don’t like any of them, there are a few more next door.”


  She glanced her eyes over them, and thought that they were all adorable.