Chapter 8: Sigh! Rain & Capitalism

“Stop right there!”

Le Mans’s voice sounded blurred beneath the drizzle.

Lin Zhiyan finally stopped walking and turned around.

Blue streetlights intertwined with the fluorescent glow of pulse umbrellas, casting cold shadows across the side of her face.

Looking at Le Mans, she realized in surprise that he wasn’t holding an umbrella at all. One arm was raised over his head, reddish-brown hair plastered to his handsome face, green eyes reflecting the wet sheen of rain.

Even while visibly disgusted by the rainwater, he still stood upright with the arrogant bearing of a rich young master.

“Who said you were allowed to leave?”

Lin Zhiyan asked, “Aren’t you planning to save that cat?”

“What?” Le Mans paused for two seconds before lifting his chin again. “Of course I am. But that doesn’t mean you get to leave.”

He pointed at her.

“Until I figure certain things out, don’t even think about slipping away!”

Le Mans always spoke with a natural sense of entitlement.

Like the first time they met.

She and Aiwen had been talking when Le Mans appeared. The moment he spotted them, he stood among a crowd a few steps away, proud and aloof, casually calling out:

“Aiwen.”

The two girls looked over.

Le Mans merely beckoned without saying another word.

Lin Zhiyan immediately noticed the awkwardness and fleeting fear on Aiwen’s face, so she said:

“It’s okay. Go ahead.”

Aiwen said nothing and walked toward Le Mans.

But Le Mans didn’t even spare her a glance afterward. He simply turned to talk to someone else, leaving Aiwen standing beside him awkwardly while Lin Zhiyan remained abandoned in the distance.

The second time they met. The third time.

He always acted like that.

Only after realizing Lin Zhiyan genuinely didn’t care about those airy little humiliations did he finally lower himself to verbal mockery instead.

But clearly, a pampered young master like him could only insult people in an oddly academic way—calling her “poor trash,” accusing her of being calculating, and so on.

Every time Lin Zhiyan listened to his lines, she felt like she was trapped in a dating sim.

Well, not the exciting, heart-racing kind.

More like every time the romance target opened his mouth, she wanted to skip the dialogue and jump straight to the choices.

But life wasn’t a game.

No dialogue options popped up above Le Mans’s head.

So instead, she simply walked closer to him.

Le Mans frowned, half wary, half disgusted.

“What are you doing?”

Lin Zhiyan raised her umbrella over his head.

“Didn’t you want me to accompany you? Let’s go.”

“…Are you insane?”

Le Mans looked genuinely irritated now, fire flickering in his olive-green eyes.

“Who wants your company? I’m trying to ask you questions. Why were you here? Why did you just happen to rescue a cat? Why weren’t you surprised to see me? Do you have some kind of ulterior motive?”

The guy was incredibly suspicious.

But the proper way to be suspicious was to keep your distance and investigate quietly—not walk right up to someone and interrogate them directly.

Lin Zhiyan was about to answer when Le Mans suddenly turned around, stepped out from under the umbrella, and strode forward through the rain.

His back remained perfectly straight, as though walking through the downpour was the most natural thing in the world.

“Just follow me.”

The two of them entered the pet clinic again, one after the other.

Le Mans shoved the cat carrier into her arms, then immediately turned and walked outside again, leading her back to the car.

The vehicle restarted.

Autopilot engaged.

A robotic arm extended with towels while warm air hummed softly from the vents.

As he dried his hair, Le Mans asked:

“What were you doing around here?”

“I work nearby. I just got off work and happened to pass by the cat.”

Lin Zhiyan watched the kitten curled inside the carrier.

“It was in really bad shape. It probably wouldn’t survive much longer, so I decided euthanasia was the better option.”

Le Mans’s tone turned icy.

“You don’t have the right to decide whether it lives or dies.”

“Have you ever raised a cat before?”

Lin Zhiyan asked.

“Of course.” He lifted his chin proudly. “I already have one at home.”

“No wonder you think that way.”

Lin Zhiyan smiled faintly.

“Your family’s wealthy. I’m sure you’d never mistreat a cat. In your eyes, cats are cute creatures with soft fur that make affectionate little noises and rub against your legs.”

“In my eyes, cats are animals that fight each other, end up covered in wounds, starve half the time, get abused by people, drag around broken limbs while screaming in pain.”

The more Le Mans listened, the tighter his features twisted as if he physically couldn’t stand her descriptions.

“It’s uncomfortable to hear, isn’t it?” Lin Zhiyan looked at him seriously. “But I’ve actually seen those things. More than once.”

“You think I’m cruel for deciding whether it lives or dies. In reality, the only reason I even showed kindness today is because I happened to get paid for my day job.”

Le Mans pressed his lips tightly together, looking unable to argue—or perhaps simply unsure what to say.

Several seconds later, he finally said:

“But I was willing to save it. And I have plenty of money to give it the same life Rongrong has. You almost made it miss out on a better life.”

After saying that, Le Mans felt extremely justified.

He stared at her with renewed fighting spirit, ready to win the argument.

But under his intense gaze, Lin Zhiyan suddenly smiled slightly.

His irritation spiked.

“What are you laughing at?”

“Rongrong is your cat’s name?” Lin Zhiyan asked sincerely. “That’s a really cute name.”

Le Mans froze.

For some reason, he felt deeply offended.

“What’s it to you?!”

“As for what you just said…” Lin Zhiyan lowered her eyes toward the weakly mewing kitten in the carrier. Her voice became very soft. “I don’t really have anything to say.”

Le Mans was surprised.

Every time they met, things turned tense. She always acted like some cold, unyielding hardbone.

This was the first time she’d simply nodded along with him.

Feeling slightly smug, he declared:

“So you do know you were wrong.”

Lin Zhiyan lowered her gaze.

“I just think the world you see and the world I see are completely different. There’s no point arguing about it.”

“In your eyes, life is precious and beautiful.”

“In mine, it’s filled with uncertain suffering.”

“But you’re still alive, aren’t you?”

Le Mans spoke with an almost childish stubbornness, emerald light gleaming in his green eyes.

“People like you don’t seem killable at all, so stop talking to me about suffering and hardship. I don’t buy it.”

Lin Zhiyan: “…”

This guy’s mouth was so awful she genuinely couldn’t tell whether he was being cruel or simply stupid.

She said nothing.

The car continued driving slowly through the rain.

Le Mans glanced at her, then quickly looked away again.

Something felt strange.

He’d already felt strange several times tonight.

First, he found it strange that he’d actually stopped her to ask questions.

Then strange that he hadn’t mocked her more.

And strangest of all—that he was now sitting peacefully in a car talking to her.

Some things were like oil stains on your shirt.

If you never noticed them, everything was fine.

But once you did notice, it became unbearable.

Those tiny stains spread like sparks across your chest, burning wider and wider until you couldn’t sit still.

That was exactly how Le Mans felt right now.

His head was full of nothing but awkwardness and confusion.

Thankfully, the car soon stopped outside an extremely luxurious pet hospital.

People were already waiting to greet them.

The car door opened.

Le Mans immediately regained his arrogant composure. Stepping out, he grabbed the cat carrier and declared loftily:

“Alright. You can go now.”

Lin Zhiyan checked her terminal and looked speechless.

“…You could’ve just not started the car before interrogating me. The nearest public transit stop is a thirty-minute walk from here.”

Le Mans grew irritated again.

“Then take a cab home.”

Lin Zhiyan paused before opening her umbrella and getting out of the car.

“If I had money for taxis, I wouldn’t need to transfer between four different trains every day.”

Le Mans thought for several seconds.

“Give me your ID. I’ll transfer you money for a taxi.”

“No need. I’ll walk to the station.”

She rejected him directly.

“Consider this trip my fee for spending a little more time with the cat.”

After speaking, she leaned down and poked the kitten gently through the carrier.

Le Mans looked down.

The soft fuzz on her face glowed faintly beneath the lights.

“If you swear you’ll take good care of it,” he suddenly said, “I can give you money to raise it.”

Lin Zhiyan merely smiled and shook her head without answering.

Le Mans frowned.

But she had already turned away again.

His frown deepened.

“You’re seriously walking all the way there? Forget it. I’ll drive you.”

Without turning back, Lin Zhiyan lifted a hand and waved casually before continuing onward.

Curiosity was always either zero times or countless times.

If someone was willing to chase after you through the rain once, then there would definitely be a second time too.

She thought calmly as her footsteps splashed through puddles.

Several minutes later, a car pulled up beside her.

The window rolled down.

Le Mans looked extremely unhappy, turquoise-green eyes narrowed.

“I said I’d drive you. Get in already.”

He truly was unhappy.

But when asked exactly why, he couldn’t explain it.

So he spent the entire drive looking displeased while taking her home.

And after the long trip, he felt even more irritated.

Like something was wrong with his brain.

Should’ve just called a driver.

Le Mans sighed.

Soon, the car stopped in front of a rundown, isolated neighborhood.

Le Mans looked around in disbelief.

“What kind of hellhole is this? People actually live here?”

“Relax, young master.” Lin Zhiyan wasn’t surprised by his reaction at all as she opened the door. “Not only do people live here, there’s even a night market.”

“Thanks for kindly bringing me home.”

Le Mans rubbed his arms as if physically uncomfortable.

“Tonight never happened, understood?”

“Don’t worry.”

Lin Zhiyan looked at him.

“Even if you drag Aiwen away from me again tomorrow, I’ll still dislike you.”

Le Mans snorted.

“I dislike you even more.”

But silence was the only response.

Turning his head, he realized she had already gotten out of the car.

Le Mans: “…”

Why did this person always walk away so quickly?

He restarted autopilot, reclined the seat, and stretched lazily.

His terminal vibrated several times.

Messages from the hospital.

[A full-body examination has been completed. No major problems detected.]
[Vaccinations and parasite treatment have been completed.]
[There is currently some inflammation. Observation is recommended for several days.]
[Would you like to register a name for the cat?]

Le Mans instinctively typed:

Sure. Name it Maomao.

But immediately after typing it, he remembered Lin Zhiyan’s smile when she heard his other cat was named Rongrong.

He suddenly felt annoyed again.

He had the strange conviction that behind her compliment about the name being “cute,” there had been hidden mockery.

Maybe she’d been laughing at how childish it sounded.

Le Mans fell into deep contemplation.

Two days later.

The weather was bright and clear.

The dismissal bell rang, and students gradually streamed out of their departmental buildings.

In the garden, several students from the Department of Wealth sat around a fountain.

One of them asked:

“Le Mans, what breed was that kitten you posted yesterday? It’s adorable.”

“No breed. Picked it up off the street.”

“Oh… won’t Rongrong get infected with bacteria, then?” the student asked worriedly. “Rongrong’s bloodline is so good. What if it gets sick?”

Le Mans looked displeased.

“It won’t. It already got checked. What’s wrong with having no breed?”

The other student awkwardly changed the subject.

“Right… so what’s its name?”

Le Mans fell silent for several seconds before saying calmly:

“Alexander Caesar Bowles.”

The moment the words left his mouth, laughter sounded from behind him.

Instantly enraged, Le Mans spun around, green eyes blazing murderously beneath his brown hair.

But when he turned—

He met a pair of pitch-black eyes.

Lin Zhiyan.

She was sitting nearby.

Le Mans frowned.

“Were you eavesdropping?”

“I was just waiting for someone.”

Le Mans folded his arms.

“Then what are you laughing at? What’s wrong with the name?!”

Lin Zhiyan paused, then leaned closer and whispered:

“Don’t you think the difference between ‘Rongrong’ and ‘Alexander’ is kind of like Li Siheng and Zephi?”

Le Mans’s green eyes widened slightly.

Several seconds later, his lips twitched as he tried not to laugh.

…She kind of had a point.

Both cats.

Both brothers.

Yet completely different.

Le Mans was about to respond when she suddenly stood up and walked away with several students from the Department of Culture.

He abruptly lost interest in the conversation.

Then another voice spoke nearby.

“You seem to get along with her a little better now.”

Le Mans looked up.

A tall figure stood there.

Li Siheng.

Several books rested in his arms as he walked over, expression calm.

Le Mans shrugged.

“I’m just too lazy to waste energy arguing with her anymore.”

Li Siheng nodded.

His voice was soft, almost casual.

“That’s good. I’ve always felt Zephi targeted her a little too much.”

Le Mans raised a brow, curiosity flickering in his green eyes.

“Really?”

Li Siheng lowered his gray-black gaze and said nothing, like something lurking silently within shadows.

Looking at him, Le Mans suddenly wanted to laugh again.