Chapter 115: The Cat Class Monitor’s Double Heist

“Let’s just go over there for now…”

The four of them set off once more, making their way to the entrance of the “Cat’s Paw Cafe”.

Through the expansive glass window, they could clearly observe the interior of the cafe.

Currently, the “Cat’s Paw Cafe” was not overly crowded, with roughly a third of its seats occupied.

Li Jianren and Bai Ruijin chose a two-person table by the window and settled in.

No sooner had they taken their seats than several cats gathered around them.

“Meow—”

A creamy white cat promptly leaped onto Bai Ruijin’s lap, meowing a few times as if overjoyed.

“Xiao Bai—long time no see.”

Bai Ruijin gently stroked Xiao Bai’s head, and the cat, highly cooperative, immediately lay down flat, purring contentedly.

“Meow—”

“Yes, yes, you’re all such good children.”

Bai Ruijin found herself almost entirely encircled by cats.

Only Li Jianren sat forlornly across from her.

“Oh, right.”

Bai Ruijin called over a server, pulling some cat treats from her pocket.

“Excuse me, may I feed the cats these treats?”

“Let me see…”

The server took the treats, examined them for a moment, then returned them.

“Yes, you may, but please don’t give them too much.”

“Understood, thank you.”

“Who wants some cat treats—”

Bai Ruijin dangled the treats before the cats, and they seemed to grasp her intention.

Some sat observing, others rubbed against her legs, while Xiao Bai, being the closest, directly reached out a paw to snatch them.

“Haha, don’t be so eager.”

“Haha, I have treats here too.”

At that moment, Li Jianren, seated opposite her, also waved a cat treat in his hand, attempting to capture the cats’ attention.

However, not a single cat even glanced his way; they remained entirely engrossed with Bai Ruijin.

“…”

“Meow—”

A low meow emanated from his feet, and Li Jianren’s heart leaped with joy as he promptly pulled out five or six cat treats.

“Finally, a cat has delivered itself to me.”

Li Jianren looked down to see a plump, dark blue British Shorthair.

“Hmm? That heavyweight physique, that expression like it’s owed two million… You, are you the Class Monitor??”

“Meow—”

As if responding to Li Jianren’s question, the cat meowed once, then leaped onto the sofa and settled beside him.

“It really is the Class Monitor?”

Li Jianren reached out, intending to pick up the cat, but before his fingers could even touch it, he was swatted by a ‘cat paw punch’.

“What the—!”

“What’s wrong?”

Bai Ruijin, surrounded by cats on either side, asked with a quizzical look.

“This cat, it seems to be our school’s ‘Cat Senior’…”

“Oh? No way…”

Bai Ruijin carefully observed the cat sitting beside Li Jianren, and gradually, its image aligned with the ‘Cat Senior’ she remembered.

“Is this little one from your school?”

The server who had previously spoken with Bai Ruijin approached their table, placing down the menu.

“It’s been wandering around our shop entrance quite often lately. I saw it was clean and well-behaved, so I let it in.”

“It really is you… Class Monitor…”

“Class Monitor…?”

“Oh, this fellow made our classroom its home,” Li Jianren explained, pointing at the Cat Class Monitor’s head, “and then our class elected it as our Class Monitor.”

“Meow—!”

The Cat Class Monitor swatted away Li Jianren’s finger with a paw, then leaped from its spot, swiftly snatching a cat treat from his hand.

“Hey! You hit me and then you steal my food!”

“Meow—”

The Cat Class Monitor stood on the windowsill, looking triumphant, before swaggering off to another spot.

“Once we’re back at school, I’m definitely going to give it a good rough-up.”

Having delivered his empty threat, Li Jianren slumped back against the sofa, feeling utterly deflated.

“I should have bought some catnip online earlier…”

With the only cat willing to approach him now gone, Bai Ruijin, though feeling pity for Li Jianren, found herself unable to persuade the other cats to go near him.

She could only stammer and change the subject.

“Um… perhaps we should order first.”

“Oh, alright, let me see the menu.”

Li Jianren picked up the menu, perusing it carefully.

****

“Why are all the cats running to Xiao Bai? Li Jianren really isn’t popular with them, is he?”

The four of them found an inconspicuous vantage point, observing Li Jianren and Bai Ruijin through the glass, witnessing Li Jianren’s ‘lost treats and lost cat’ predicament.

Jiang Nanjin, seeing this, was utterly delighted.

“Hahaha—Poor Li Jianren was utterly annihilated by the cats!”

“Hmm… perhaps that’s why he’s a dog person…?”

“Perhaps.”

“Meow—”

Just as the three of them were discussing, a meow echoed from behind Zhong Tian.

No sooner had Zhong Tian turned around than a dark blue streak darted onto him.

So swift was its movement that by the time Zhong Tian registered it, the swift shadow had already reached his chest.

“Whoa—”

“Meow—”

“Alright, apprehended!”

The dark blue streak—a plump cat—was seized by Jiang Nanjin just a split second before it could pounce onto Zhong Tian’s face.

“Oh, if it isn’t the Class Monitor!”

Jiang Nanjin immediately recognized the struggling cat in her arms, then chuckled as she rubbed its belly.

“What are you doing here, Class Monitor~”

“Meow!”

“The Cat Senior is carrying a treat,” Zheng Qiao observed, reaching out to gently take the treat from its mouth.

“So you’re the one who stole from Li Jianren…”

Still somewhat shaken, Zhong Tian put some distance between himself and the Cat Class Monitor, steadying his breathing as he clutched his chest.

“Meow—!”

The Cat Class Monitor struggled, waving its two paws in the air, but couldn’t quite reach the treat in Zheng Qiao’s hand.

Jiang Nanjin chuckled mischievously, “Want it? Meow twice more, and I’ll feed you.”

“…”

The Cat Class Monitor seemed to understand Jiang Nanjin’s words, promptly clamping its mouth shut, looking as if it disdained charity.

“Wow, such integrity,” Jiang Nanjin remarked, looking up.

“Qiaoqiao, open the package.”

“Oh.”

As the packaging was opened, the Cat Class Monitor, previously motionless in Jiang Nanjin’s arms, became restless.

“Oh, it’s quite strong! Qiaoqiao, you hold it!”

Zheng Qiao took the Cat Class Monitor in both arms.

Though it tried to struggle, Zheng Qiao completely suppressed it, holding it perfectly still no matter how it twisted or swatted.

“Nano arms, kid!”

“Meow—”

“That’s better. Still want more, eh?”

“Meow!”

“Here, have some.”

Jiang Nanjin offered the treat, and the Cat Class Monitor immediately latched onto it, devouring it with furious speed.

“It’s as if it hasn’t eaten in days,” Jiang Nanjin commented, gesturing for Zheng Qiao to set it down.

She then crouched beside it, watching it consume the treat.

In a moment, the Cat Class Monitor had completely polished off the treat.

“Meow—”

The Cat Class Monitor left the empty wrapper on the ground, then, without a backward glance, leaped back into the “Cat’s Paw Cafe” through the window.

“It… it seems to have gone back to Li Jianren…”

The four watched as the Cat Class Monitor jumped onto Li Jianren’s table, brazenly snatching another treat right in front of him.

“Hey, hey, hey! Why are you back to steal again?! Aren’t you full yet, huh?!”

“Meow—”

****