Arjier extended a finger and twisted the cat’s head in another direction, closing his eyes and trying to forget the mental assault caused by the ugly feline.
However, it was no use.
The insect race had never encountered creatures like cats. On the insect planet, apart from Luo Qi, there were no other beings as fragile.
Therefore, Arjier was very confused as to why so many people on Earth liked such fragile and… ugly creatures.
When Arjier wasn’t wearing that mocking smile, he could still be considered a relatively kind-looking individual.
So, in addition to subtly and not-so-subtly coaxing Arjier into buying a pile of cat supplies, the pet shop lady also told him that cats were very likable.
Arjier looked at the lump in Luo Qi’s arms and felt that the female clerk had just been trying to scam him.
Arjier coughed lightly. For the first time in his insect life, his thoughts synchronized with another person. He wondered if His Highness’s aesthetic sense… had a slight problem?
Luo Qi: “……”
Having his judgment questioned twice in such a short time, Luo Qi inwardly cursed 111: “You’re so ugly you’re dragging me down.”
111: “……”
Arjier gave a dry chuckle, trying his best not to focus his attention on the cat that was mottled black and white like a dirty rug, and led Ye Mu and Luo Qi inside.
As soon as they entered, they saw Cecil sitting on the sofa, tapping twice on the semi-transparent light screen in front of him, dealing with something.
Luo Qi’s face lit up with a smile. He casually tossed the cat in his arms and lunged towards Cecil.
111, flying in mid-air: “Meow meow meow?”
111 twisted its body and landed steadily on the ground, meowing furiously and incessantly while uncontrollably shaking its puffed-up fur.
Cecil caught Luo Qi, who was pouncing towards him, and frowned, asking Arjier, “Did something dirty get into the house?”
111: “……” How rude of you.
Arjier suppressed a laugh and picked up the cat from the ground to show Cecil. He swore that Cecil’s face went blank for a few seconds before he let out a deep sigh.
Cecil shifted his gaze away and looked at Luo Qi in his arms: “You brought this back? Is it some new species of monster?”
Luo Qi’s mouth twitched. He had nothing to say.
He hugged Cecil’s arm and acted spoiled, “Dad! I missed you so much!”
Cecil glanced sideways at the insect cub clinging to his arm and acting cute, and snorted:
“Who was it that insisted on staying at school the day before yesterday?
‘Most like Dad’? More like most liked the small cakes Dad sent over, right?
The current obedience is to coax me out of my anger about you getting injured the other day and not coming home,
Or is it to beg me to let you keep the little monster you picked up?”
Luo Qi gave a dry laugh. His little thoughts were seen through completely, but he still stuck out his neck and retorted in a low voice, “It’s not a little monster, it’s a cat.”
“Hmph.”
Cecil let out a cold laugh, and Luo Qi completely dared not speak.
Cecil rubbed his temples. He knew Luo Qi’s personality and that he would definitely stay at school to take care of Ye Mu, but because he had been injured somewhere he didn’t know, he still felt angry.
It was anger at himself.
Just like for many years, even though the insect planet was the safest place, he had still gritted his teeth and heartlessly sent Luo Qi to study elsewhere.
So now that he was injured, it was all because of him.
Cecil thought a lot in that moment. Luo Qi was too special, so special that he didn’t know how to take care of him.
But there was one thing he knew: the education and training methods of the insect race were not suitable for him.
So, no matter how conflicted and reluctant he was, he could only let Luo Qi leave the insect planet.
Luo Qi watched Cecil’s gaze fall on his hands, his expression on his face inscrutable. He smiled and extended both his hands, holding them up in front of Cecil.
The insect cub’s hands were now several times larger than when he was just born, but they were still as soft and tender. His fair and delicate ten fingers bent and straightened. His fair palms were without a single scratch.
“It was just a small abrasion, and it’s all healed now. Dad, please don’t be unhappy anymore.”
Cecil froze and instinctively grasped Luo Qi’s hand.
Luo Qi’s hands were warmer than Cecil’s. Cecil could hold both of Luo Qi’s hands in his own. He rubbed his thumb on Luo Qi’s palm, making the fingers of that hand curl up with itchiness.
They were indeed all healed.
Cecil chuckled and pinched Luo Qi’s cheek, “Be careful next time.”
Luo Qi nodded vigorously, “I know.”
Cecil didn’t say anything more. He picked Luo Qi up and walked towards the dining room. Glancing back at Ye Mu, who was holding the cat, he frowned:
“Come and eat. Throw that thing aside.”
111: “?” What thing? Tell this Lord Meow clearly!
Luo Qi was already eight years old, yet he was still picked up by Cecil in front of others. His face turned red with shyness. He struggled a bit but couldn’t break free, and was even patted on the bottom by Cecil.
When he looked back again, he saw Arjier sighing and dragging several bags from the doorway. The bags contained a cat bed, a litter box, food bowls, water bowls, and a small bag of cat food.
With a swipe of his hand, the cat food bag tore open. Arjier had Ye Mu place the cat on an empty patch of ground, roughly set a food bowl down in front of it, and poured a bowl of cat food.
Since it was poured casually, a few kibbles rolled down and landed at 111’s feet.
111: “Meow meow meow?”
Luo Qi peeked out from over Cecil’s shoulder. Seeing 111 being treated so carelessly, he tentatively asked:
“I think, it might possibly, perhaps, want to eat the same thing as me.”
The ugly cat meowed frantically upon hearing this, its cries sounding like ten thousand ducks crammed into the room.
Cecil’s forehead veins throbbed. He gave Luo Qi a death glare: “You still want that little monster in my dining room?”
Luo Qi swallowed. He felt that Cecil’s expression was as if to say that if Luo Qi asked one more question, he and the ugly cat would be kicked out to eat.
Luo Qi glanced at the expectant ugly cat, then at Cecil’s death glare.
As expected of him (111), he cowered and retracted his head.
“Oh dear, oh dear, I’m so hungry. Ye Mu, come quickly and eat dinner.”
111: “？？？!!!”
Cecil snorted, placed Luo Qi on a chair, and instructed the kitchen to bring the dishes. Everyone took their seats at the dining table. Arjier even thoughtfully closed the dining room door.
111 was furious. It kicked over the cat bowl in front of it, spilling the cat food all over the floor. The bowl even spun around on the ground for two turns before stopping.
“I, 111, would rather jump out from here and die outside than eat a single bite of cat food!”
Half an hour later.
The aroma of food still wafted through the crack in the door. 111 sniffed and, with tears in its eyes, picked up two kibbles and put them in its mouth.