Reborn Cat Sheriff

Chapter 430 Household Matters
Throughout the rest of the journey, the rascal kept causing trouble.

It was either bouncing around on the seats on either side or jumping onto the small table, squeaking loudly. After playing for a while and getting tired, it would stare intently at the scenery outside the window, its eyes wide open. Not two minutes later, it noticed something interesting about the curtains next to it and frantically tried to squeeze through them.

At first, Li Siyu had the patience to play with it for a while, but she quickly lost her patience as well. The bird was so noisy that everyone was bothered by it, and even passengers in other seats were affected. Finally, Lin Ge offered up the wooden box that held Mulan and locked the bird inside, which finally calmed it down.

"Ka!"

The bird curled up obediently in the not-so-spacious box, looked up at Lingo and chirped once, then remained motionless and dozed off with its head down.

Lingo was beckoning to it from outside, but it acted as if it didn't feel anything. It was clear that the rascal was actually quite tired, and it was also clear that this thing could only truly relax its guard in such a confined space.

Nothing else happened after that. The train police officer who came over learned about the bird's situation and the identities of Zheng Mingxing and the others, and did not pursue the matter further, as it was the bird that had caused such a mess on the train. He didn't even know that Zheng Mingxing had grabbed the bird by the neck and moved it into a real birdcage that was somewhat rusty.

"Phew... thankfully it didn't get dirty."

Lin Ge put the wooden box back in, and seeing that the inside hadn't been damaged by the rascal, he breathed a sigh of relief. This box belonged to Zhang Yining, and even if Zhang Yining knew the whole story and wouldn't care, it was still best to avoid any flaws in the gift intended for the child.

The journey was smooth sailing from then on, and the high-speed train was much faster than the old-fashioned train. In less than two hours, we arrived at Zhangzhou Railway Station. With Zheng Mingxing and Lin Ge using their facial recognition, Jianniao was also smoothly escorted through security.

Of course, this was mainly due to Lin Ge's efforts. His involvement in two cases related to the train station had caused quite a stir among the train attendants, and the topics of conversation still linger. Several female attendants even approached Lin Ge for photos, forcing him to switch into business mode and appease them.

"Mimi is a big star now!"

Li Siyu smiled with pride, holding Lin Ge in one arm and carrying a birdcage in the other. Li Yiduo took care of all her luggage, pulling two suitcases and several handbags, and walked behind somewhat disheveled.

"Gah!"

The bird, arriving in Zhangzhou for the first time, was somewhat frightened by the unfamiliar surroundings. But the sturdy cage inexplicably gave it a sense of security, allowing it to chirp and chatter even amidst the bustling traffic.

"You better behave yourself from now on, you hear me? There are quite a few cats in the station, be careful not to provoke them and they'll catch you and eat you!"

Lingo's malicious intimidation of the rascal was a good preemptive measure. In short, given its cheeky nature, a conflict with the police station's cat was foreseeable.

"Cuck!"

The cocky bird responded arrogantly, not taking Lin Ge's threat to heart. Lin Ge also realized that whenever this guy imitated a crow's caw, it was definitely because he was about to lie or was planning to do something silly.

"Have I just caused trouble for the police station?"

Lin Ge sighed, but he couldn't really abandon the wretched bird. If he let it wander around Zhang City, given its wicked nature, it would inevitably be retaliated against or even bullied to death by other birds.

Outside the train station, the group soon spotted the familiar Passat parked by the roadside.

The driver's side door of the police car opened, and Nie Guoqiang was smoking with his legs sticking out. Seeing the group approaching, he stubbed out his cigarette, got out of the car, and went to greet them.

"You've worked hard! You did a great job this time!"

Nie Guoqiang greeted Zheng Mingxing and the other two, then casually tossed his cigarette butt into the nearby trash can. He glanced at the birdcage in Li Siyu's hand, but didn't ask any further questions.

"I'm sorry! My matter has delayed the office's work for so long. I will apologize to all my colleagues in person at the Monday morning meeting."

Zheng Mingxing nodded in response, then apologized with a serious expression.

"Hehe... How could it interfere with work? Business trips are part of the job. Besides, this time you've made Sichuan Province aware of the reputation of Zhanghe Police Station and let the outside world see the strength and level of Zhanghe Police Station. This is also official business."

Nie Guoqiang waved his hand, not intending to waste any more time on such ramblings with Zheng Mingxing. Besides, letters of thanks from Xizhong City and Jixi County had already been sent to the Municipal Bureau; it could be said that the entire Zhanghe Police Station had benefited from this.

"Chief Nie, has anything happened at the station these past few days?"

The group got into the car, and Li Yiduo took over the driver's seat from Nie Guoqiang. After briefly recounting his experiences over the past few days, Li Yiduo asked with some concern.

"What could possibly go wrong? The New Year is over, and people are back to normal. Apart from a few trivial matters, everything is back on track."

Nie Guoqiang was discussing something in hushed tones with Zheng Mingxing when he heard this and looked up to respond. But speaking of this, he couldn't help but say, "However, to be honest, it's not entirely without problems. A few days ago, there was a fire in the Baimiao district. A resident's house caught fire because they forgot to turn off the stove. Fortunately, the fire truck arrived in time, preventing further damage. However, the male homeowner suffered severe burns and is still in the hospital; the house was completely destroyed."

Seeing that the people and cat in the car had become serious, Nie Guoqiang said in a deep voice, "Because of this incident, the city has issued a notice to us, requiring us to cooperate in inspecting all fire safety conditions in our jurisdiction in the near future. In particular, we need to conduct a thorough investigation of private residences, roadside shops, and the small restaurants that have recently become popular for only doing takeout and building their shops in private houses, and eliminate all similar potential hazards."

"A restaurant that only does takeout? And doesn't even have a storefront. How can a business like that get a business license?"

Zheng Mingxing was taken aback, feeling that with the rapid changes in the world, all sorts of bizarre behaviors he had never imagined before were becoming increasingly common. Often, even the law couldn't keep up with these behaviors, making it difficult for the police to handle such situations.

Police officers are certainly required to act in accordance with the law, but some matters fall outside the scope of the law, which makes the police feel constrained. Even if some things are clearly wrong from a moral standpoint, the saying "anything not prohibited by law is permitted" allows some gray-area behaviors to run rampant in front of the police.

Incidentally, once the law restricts this behavior, new problems will be created. This is the lag in the law, and it's one of the things that police officers dislike dealing with most when handling cases.

They chatted about all sorts of topics along the way, and the leisurely atmosphere on the train quickly faded away. The group of people's identities changed swiftly from passengers to law enforcement officers in uniform, with no time to rest or catch their breath.

Lin Ge finally understood. Nie Guoqiang's offer to pick them up wasn't to show he valued them or express gratitude. He was simply there to conscript them, implying these men would only get one night's rest before heading back to work. There was still a lot of work at the police station that needed to be done by these men.

In the end, Nie Guoqiang didn't even intend to spare a poor cat.

"Mimi, you need to make proper arrangements for this bird. Don't let it disrupt the order of the service hall. If you really can't handle it, keep it in a cage and don't let it out. Anyway, you're in charge of your subordinates; no trouble allowed, understand?"

"Ah woo~"

Lin Ge yawned lazily, then rested his head on Li Siyu's lap and closed his eyes. He had contracted a condition where he would die if he did any work; for at least the next two days, no one could ask him to do anything!

Especially after all the gifts have been given out, anyone who takes a gift and still dares to order him around is his enemy!

Lin Ge made a decision in his heart: he would take a few days off. Besides sending out the gifts for the kids, he also needed to visit Lin Jia and Luo Jue. Speaking of which, Lin Jia had invited him to her home last time, but he hadn't had time to respond because he'd been so busy these past few days.

"Lazy cat!"

Seeing that Lin Ge ignored him, Nie Guoqiang muttered a curse and shook his head, giving up. Anyway, this cat was quite sensible; it would do things without being prompted.

"Good steel should be used where it's needed most. Don't make Mimi suffer with all the little chores. She's just a cat, but she's being treated like a beast of burden. How can she stand it?"

Zheng Mingxing smiled and spoke up for Lin Ge.

"You've changed pretty quickly!"

Nie Guoqiang's expression froze, and he glared at Zheng Mingxing with disdain.

"There's no way around it, I owe them a favor!"

Zheng Mingxing laughed and waved his hand, saying, "Mimi still remembers us. Every time she goes on a business trip, she never forgets to bring gifts for everyone in the institute. It was the same when she went to Sichuan Province this time. She worked hard to prepare specialties from Sichuan for everyone. Compared to her, I came up empty-handed and didn't bring anything."

Li Yiduo and Li Siyu chuckled together.

Now Nie Guoqiang really couldn't say anything more. He'd been beholden to the cat's generosity. And honestly, aside from being a little willful, this cat really had no flaws. As a police cat, it had done an excellent job.

"Caw!" Seeing that everyone was ignoring it, the mischievous bird couldn't help but squawk. It had rested enough and now wanted to survey its new world. Mainly, the creatures here hadn't yet experienced its teasing, and it couldn't afford not to make a name for itself quickly.

"You'll get what's coming to you sooner or later! There are far more cats in Zhangzhou than in Sichuan! When that time comes, do you think you can survive for more than a few days without my protection? You idiot!"

Lin Ge glared at it fiercely.

"Qua~"

Lin Ge's gaze made the timid bird cower, and it quickly lowered its head and let out a soft chirp.

This cowardly and bullying behavior made the people in the car exchange glances and burst into laughter.

The car soon returned to the police station, where, as usual, no one was there to greet them. After all, the station was always busy, and no one ever had a truly free moment.

Zheng Mingxing got out of the car and went straight to the office with Nie Guoqiang to work. As the most hardworking employee, he didn't even plan to take half a day off.

Li Yiduo and Li Siyu were mercifully granted half a day's rest by Nie Guoqiang. Li Yiduo would come again tomorrow, but Li Siyu had to work the night shift tonight.

But the two couldn't leave yet; they still had to help Lin Ge distribute the smoked rabbits he brought from Jixi County. They also had to endure the glares, teasing, blessings, and jeers about having a son soon.

Li Siyu blushed crimson with embarrassment, while Li Yiduo, with his thick skin, chuckled as Zhu Jun and Zhang Ke hugged and playfully punched him. The two brothers were genuinely happy for Li Yiduo's progress in their relationship.

Of course, the happier they are, the harder they hit—that's the friendship between men! Right, Li Yiduo? Don't struggle!

"Tch! What a childish fool!"

Lin Ge took a step back speechlessly, watching with disdain as Li Yiduo suffered in silence under the combined attack of Zhu Jun and Zhang Ke. The friendship between men is so strange; even though he was being beaten to a pulp, Li Yiduo could still laugh arrogantly.

Lin Ge and Li Siyu didn't have time to deal with these childish antics. They distributed the items to everyone at the police station, including the chef in the backyard and the warehouse manager, before returning to the cat shelter.

The brand-new cattery looked comfortable to the cats, and the birdcage surrounded by several cats made Lin Ge feel a sense of schadenfreude.

The poor bird dared not move, surrounded by several cats. It habitually played dead, but the curious snowclaw tiger-striped cat stuck its paw into the cage and pawed at its tail feathers.

The guy's arrogant manner frightened the rascal so much that it jumped up and flapped against the crossbar of the birdcage, chattering and squawking at the cats.

Unfortunately, its calls only excited the baby tiger cub and the snowclaw tiger cub, offering no protection whatsoever. The baby tiger cub was eager to overturn the cage, while the mother hawksbill turtle licked her lips nearby. Luckily, Lin Ge and Li Siyu returned in time.

"Get out of here! What nonsense are you talking about? This isn't food!"

Lin Ge quickly herded the little tiger-striped hawksbill turtle and the snow-clawed tiger-striped hawksbill turtle aside, while the mother hawksbill turtle arrogantly walked away with her head held high and tail held high before Lin Ge could even make a move. The little hawksbill turtle, uninterested in the lowly bird, only chirped twice to greet Lin Ge when it saw him.

Li Siyu was also helpless with these cats. After thinking for a moment, she went to the warehouse to borrow a ladder, climbed up the tree, and tied the birdcage to a tree trunk.

We definitely can't open the cage for now. If the little magpie gets flustered and runs away in this unfamiliar place, it might not be able to fly back. Besides, the cage is also for its protection; at least for now, the two tabby dogs can't reach it.

"Stay here for a couple of days, and once you get used to the cats, they won't bully you anymore."

Li Siyu offered a few words of comfort to the bird, then went to the warehouse and got a piece of black cloth. She cut a hole in it and covered the birdcage with it, which would block the wind and rain and prevent other animals from peeking in.

After the birdcage was plunged into darkness, the mischievous bird calmed down and stopped chirping.

At this point, Lin Ge finally breathed a sigh of relief. Looking around, he realized that the lame guy wasn't at the police station again, and Lin Ge couldn't help but wonder if he had something going on or if he was out chasing girls.

Anyway, after winter, it often went out early and came back late, a stark contrast to its well-behaved and lazy behavior before the New Year. Of course, Lingo didn't have any requirements for it, as long as it came back safely every day, it was free to do whatever it wanted at other times.

For the next hour or so, members of the cat army would occasionally slip into the yard. Most of them would just come to mooch a meal, say hello to Lingo, meow at the female tortoiseshell cat a couple of times, and leave again once they were full.

Occasionally, a cat that was on good terms with the tabby or snow claw tabby would come over and play around with the two cats, making a racket that annoyed Lin Ge to no end.

However, they would all eventually get a good beating from the angry little hawksbill turtle, so Lin Ge didn't even need to lift a finger.

The little hawksbill turtle is becoming more and more like an elder sister. Even though it is smaller than the little tabby and the snow claw tabby, those two don't dare to show their quills in front of it.

Around 7 p.m., Zhang Yining and her four classmates also got out of school. For some reason, their workload had become much heavier this semester. They used to get out of school around 5 p.m. every day, but this semester it often dragged on until 6:30 or 7 p.m.

Moreover, as their studies progressed, the pressure on the kids increased. Xie Zaiqi, whose grades were particularly poor, was even studying hard on his way home, his worried face making the cat laugh.

However... when Li Siyu smiled and took out the swords that Lin Ge had prepared for the three boys, all her worries vanished!

No boy dislikes a sword, especially such a natural treasure. Its straight, seamless blade and smooth, well-designed hilt captivated the three boys. It was as if holding this sword transformed them into imposing and powerful martial arts heroes.

"I am Garen, take this!"

Xie Zaiqi's shouting made Lin Ge sigh. Well, for city kids, martial arts heroes are outdated; they prefer the hero characters in games.

"Then... I'm a Ghost Swordsman! Take this Dragon Slash!"

Zheng Jiacheng was not to be outdone, but the game he was playing seemed to be different from Xie Zaiqi's.

Nie Zhuangzhuang, the only one who wasn't particularly interested in the game, was stunned. He imagined rushing up to Xie Zaiqi, bumping him with his stomach, and then saying unreasonably, "Looking at the size, I'm Garen! You're so skinny, think of a new character!"

"Then I...then I am Saber! I am King Arthur! Take this: Excalibur! EX! Excalibur!"

The three boys immediately started playing around together.

"Phew... at least there's an anime character! I thought the generation gap between boys would be so big that even a cat couldn't understand it! If kids these days only know how to play games, it seems a bit terrible!"

As Lin Ge sighed, he turned to look at Hu Miao and Zhang Yining, who were being entertained by Li Siyu.

The two girls were anime fans, having cosplayed at least one heartwarming anime several times. Fortunately, they weren't the type to become obsessed; they still really liked the wooden carving Lin Ge had given them, even showing it great appreciation.

Perhaps because they've grown a year older, Zhang Yining and Hu Miao seem much more reserved than last year.

Girls, after all, mature earlier and develop their own thoughts earlier than boys. It's normal for their behavior to change in various ways. Fortunately, the two girls didn't neglect Lin Ge. After talking with Li Siyu, they secretly came up behind Lin Ge and pulled him into their arms in a surprise attack.

"Mimi, have you missed me?"

Zhang Yining buried her head in the downy hair on Lin Ge's neck and took a deep breath, then happily rested her chin on Lin Ge's head.

"I'll forgive you for leaving without saying goodbye since you brought us gifts! Siyu said you personally chose these two wood carvings, so tell me honestly why you chose a sunflower for me? Hurry up and tell me the truth!"

Haha! I love Mulan!

The two little girls were making a ruckus, and Lin Ge, who was being held and unable to move, had no choice but to pretend to be dead.

I really overestimated them. Aren't they just as lively and energetic as wild girls? What ladylike, what sensible? It's all too early to say.

(End of this chapter)