Live Cat Appraisal: Starting with a Beast That's Got a Long Prison Record

Chapter 69 Chen Nian's Ambition (4,000 words!)

What's the purpose of this tracking card?

Within the consciousness space, Chen Nian 'watched' the playing cards being pried around and played with by Xiaomi, and asked with some confusion.

After dropping Mao Mao off at home, he and Xia Qiyue went to buy some groceries and then returned to the studio.

He was lying on the sofa, resting with his eyes closed.

Actually, they were discussing the new items they had received with Xiaomi.

[Cat Locator Card: Disposable. After use, it will continuously locate the position of one cat within your field of vision for half an hour.]

The card is made of a peculiar material, neither gold nor jade.

The surface has flowing, water-like patterns of light, with an abstract cat paw print pattern in the center.

Chen Nian thought it looked a bit like Xiaomi's paws.

Mimi: 'As the name suggests, meow, the location card is obviously used for location tracking~'

'Can it locate anything I see? If I'm lucky enough to spot a clouded lemur in the wild, hehehehe!'

Chen Nian gave a perverted smile.

Those rare and endangered felines are as elusive as ghosts in the forest!
Even professional infrared cameras can often only capture a fleeting, blurry figure or a few frames of images in the dark.

Tracking them with the naked eye in the complex and ever-changing natural environment is as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack. Often, they may be quietly moving through the bushes right under your nose, and you will not even notice them.

With this card, Chen Nian's mind was filled with anticipation: "If I'm lucky enough to spot my target, this half-hour of precise location tracking might give me the opportunity to record clearer and more precious footage of their behavior!"

This possibility ignited Chen Nian's boundless anticipation for the upcoming documentary journey!

Xiaomi sensed Chen Nian's excitement and stopped fiddling with the cards.

It cupped the card in its paws, like holding a precious snowflake, brought it close to its small nose and sniffed it. Then, seemingly finding it uninteresting, it loosened its paws, and the card floated down lightly, its light dimming slightly.

It crouched down, its tail tip gracefully circling, its tone carrying a hint of mystery:
'The items rewarded from the quest are amazing, meow!'

As for how and when to use it, that's up to you to seize the opportunity, meow~ You only get one chance, meow!

'clear! ’

"Good things should be saved for when they're really needed! Since I don't need them now, I'll just keep them with you for now."

Thanks to the evolution of Xiaomi's projection ability, the items rewarded from missions can be temporarily stored next to it and retrieved when needed, which is undoubtedly much more convenient.

Of course, this only applies to these amazing reward items.

'Oh, right, Xiaomi...'

Chen Nian remembered another question she was concerned about: 'How much intimacy level have I accumulated with my cat?'

'5 o'clock meow.'

'If I encounter felines in the wild, they probably won't avoid me, right?'

Chen Nian felt that 5 o'clock was quite a lot.

'No, no, no, meow!'

As if reading Chen Nian's mind, Xiao Mi shook her little head like a roly-poly toy: 'If you want to get close to big cats, this is far from enough, meow.'

How many points do you need?

'We need a lot more, a lot more, at least 30 points or more!'

'Huh? You need this much?'

Chen Nian was stunned.

Even when he only had 2 points of intimacy with the cats in his neighborhood, they were already very affectionate towards him, which made him think that the day when he could pet a leopard cat or a clouded cat was just around the corner.

Sensing Chen Nian's thoughts, Xiao Mi earnestly reminded her:

'Basic cat affinity only has a significant effect on city cats.'

"They've all been fed by humans to some extent, so they're not very wary of people. This is the main reason why the cat bond-building effect is so effective."

'As for those big cats in your dreams, that's a completely different story, meow!'

'Leopard cats, clouded leopards, lynxes. They are born in the wild, grow up in the mountains and forests, and only feel a deep-seated wariness and unfamiliarity towards humans!'

Xiaomi's eyes turned dangerous.

Temporarily playing the role of a cat from the depths of the jungle.

'Those 5 points of intimacy might only be enough to turn you from an 'extremely dangerous large bipedal' into a 'large bipedal that requires high vigilance,' meow.'

Want to get closer? Want to stick close?

'30 points of cat affinity isn't nearly enough, meow! Very likely.'

Xiao Mi paused for a moment, and a wild and cunning smile appeared on her small cat face, which did not match her cute appearance.

The sharp little white teeth were faintly visible:

'It will only make them think you're a suspicious, unwanted treat!'

'Forehead!'

Xiaomi's dangerous smile and blunt description made Chen Nian subconsciously shrink back, as if she could really feel a chill from the dense forest.

He immediately responded solemnly:
"Of course! I would never joke about my own safety!"

It was precisely because of his deep love and understanding of these beautiful creatures that he was more aware than anyone else of the dangers and uncontrollability they represented.

Have you ever seen the Wandashan No. 1 that chased after a car and slapped it so hard that it shattered the rear window?

太帅
No, it's too dangerous!

Therefore, it is unrealistic to get up close to wild big cats without thorough preparation, professional equipment, and sufficient experience.

Absolutely forbidden zone!
Even the relatively small clouded cat is far more wild and aggressive than a domestic cat.

Xiao Mi was very satisfied with Chen Nian's rationality.

'The journey of the big cat is long and arduous; the little cat owner has a long and challenging road ahead, meow~'

To give Chen Nian a glimmer of hope, it thought for a moment and then said:
'As long as your cat's affection level reaches 50 or higher, the big cats won't turn around and run away, meow. Maybe you can even pet them, meow~'

After saying that, Xiaomi lazily stretched out a big yawn.

(っω｀)
'Sleepy, meow!'

It slowly turned around twice, found the most comfortable position, buried its fluffy little head deep into its big, bushy tail, and made a satisfied purring sound.

'Time for bed, meow~ Good afternoon, Chen Nian.'

'good afternoon.'

Seeing this, Chen Nian nodded with a smile.

'50 intimacy points, one point per task, it won't take too long!' He seemed to 'see' himself again, leading a lion on one side and a tiger on the other!

What a blessing!

After indulging in a daydream, Chen Nian's consciousness returned to reality.

The afternoon sun streamed through the window, casting warm dappled patterns on the living room floor.

He stretched comfortably, his bones making a slight clicking sound.

However, an unusual sense of silence enveloped the studio.

"Hmm?" Chen Nian sat up, looking around in confusion. "Why is it so quiet?"

At this time normally, Xia Qiyue's rapid and rhythmic keyboard tapping, like a sudden downpour pattering on banana leaves, should have already begun.

They've all been added to Chen Nian's 'white noise' list.

It's so hypnotic!

But at this moment, that familiar 'work symphony' disappeared, and the only sounds in the space were the faint sounds of traffic outside the window and the low hum of the air conditioner. He subconsciously turned his head and looked at Xia Qiyue's workstation.

The warm sunlight slanted down, gilding that area with a soft golden edge.

Xia Qiyue was sitting in front of the computer, leaning slightly forward with her elbows on the table and her hands folded under her chin.

Her head was drooping uncontrollably, as if being pulled by invisible threads.

Each time she typed, her eyelids would close heavily, and then a second later, some remaining willpower would suddenly wake her up. She would struggle to open her eyelids a crack, and in those two or three seconds of clarity, her fingers would tap a few times on the keyboard, making a few scattered and short "tap-tap" sounds, as if stubbornly proving that she was still working.

Immediately afterwards, my eyelids closed again, and my head began to peek at rice slowly and steadily once more.

This cycle repeated itself, and drowsiness, like thick honey, enveloped Xia Qiyue tightly.

Right beside her right arm, Little Blue, with its fluffy front paws tucked in, curled up into a perfect ball of fur, lay sprawled in the sunlight on the table.

The little head was also making tiny 'pecking' movements in sync!
His frequency was perfectly synchronized with the woman next to him!
A human and a cat, bathed in the same golden halo, summoned by the same god of sleep, fall into a silent, drowsy dance together.

The tranquility and languor of the afternoon are embodied in this moment.

It's hard to tell whose drowsiness infected whom, or if the warm sunshine itself was the best lullaby.

Seeing this harmonious yet slightly comical scene, Chen Nian's lips involuntarily curled upwards.

He didn't make a sound, he just watched silently.

"Looks like he's really exhausted," Chen Nian thought silently.

No wonder.

Although Xia Qiyue quickly located Mao Mao's position today using Best's Ear, she still conducted a thorough search over a wide area, which consumed a lot of her energy.

Not to mention the later 'thrilling' climb up the three-meter-high platform, and the work of comforting the person on the platform that required immense patience and gentleness.

The intense mental concentration and physical exertion are twofold.

Even someone as strong as Xia Qiyue was finding it difficult to cope.

This girl, who was always full of energy and whose keyboard was always clicking away, showed signs of exhaustion for the first time.

"Shouldn't this be recorded?"

A mischievous smile flashed in Chen Nian's eyes.

He took out his phone and pointed the camera at the man and cat, who were taking a nap in the sunlight.

The film captured Xia Qiyue's every nod and Xiao Lan's adorable antics, as well as her dazed look as she occasionally woke up and groggily typed on the keyboard.

He recorded for more than ten seconds before finally putting his phone away, satisfied.

Looking at the adorable scene on the screen, she silently covered her mouth and chuckled.

Chen Nian made no attempt to wake Xia Qiyue.

Xia Qiyue deserves the most credit for successfully saving Mao Mao today, so let her peck at the rice a little longer.

Then, Chen Nian tiptoed to the desk, sat down, turned on the screen, and began to perform daily 'cloud diagnoses' for her cat lovers.

The number of cat lovers is growing daily.

The 'cloud diagnostics' process is also getting busier and busier.

But seeing so many happy cats being loved so well makes Chen Nian very happy!

Sunlight streamed through the blinds, casting dappled shadows on Chen Nian's focused profile. Only the occasional clicks of the mouse and the soft tapping of the keyboard broke the silence.

Time slips away quietly while you're focused.

Half an hour later, Chen Nian leaned back slightly in her chair, a relieved smile on her face, and silently nodded to herself.

"Yes! They're all very healthy!"

He felt genuinely satisfied.

Judging from the photos, videos, and descriptions of the feedback, cat owners have clearly taken his previous advice seriously, and have put it into practice in terms of dietary adjustments, environmental enrichment, and behavioral guidance.

Looking at the cat faces on the screen, some lazy, some lively, and some curious, Chen Nian knew they were being well cared for.

At that moment, a special message notification sounded.

These are the latest videos and messages from Haina Shirakawa.

Click to watch the video:

The once weak little white cat is now trying its best to jump onto the sofa.

On its first jump, its hind legs seemed to lack a bit of strength, and its little head gently bumped against the edge of the sofa with a 'thud,' causing the cat to bounce back to its original position. It shook its head in a slightly dazed state.

But it didn't give up. It took a few steps back, its amber eyes full of seriousness, and then it put its strength into it again! This time, its front paws firmly hooked onto the sofa cushion, and with a powerful push from its hind legs, it finally managed to flip over, albeit clumsily!
At the end of the video, Xiaobai stands on the sofa, raising its little head like a white lion wearing a crown, and meows at the camera.

His little face was filled with pride!
"Teacher Chen! Look! Xiaobai can jump on the sofa by himself!"

"Ha ha!"

Chen Nian couldn't help but chuckle softly.

Xiao Bai's persistent and adorable face after bumping its head is just too cute!

He typed back: "That's great! This shows that Xiaobai's physical functions are recovering rapidly, and he's more lively and energetic than before! Keep it up! Xiaobai's full recovery is just around the corner!"

After carefully replying to all the accumulated messages and inquiries, Chen Nian let out a long, silent sigh of relief, relaxed her body, and leaned back.

Meow?
The creaking sound from the chair back woke up Xiao Lan, who was sleeping with her chin resting on Xia Qiyue's arm.

It looked over, still a little dazed.

As Xiao Lan moved, Xia Qiyue, who had been relying on it to maintain her balance, suddenly lost support for her chin, and her head slumped downwards!
"Ugh!" She woke up instantly, letting out a short nasal sound, and looked up at Chen Nian with a blank expression, her eyes still sleepy.

A stray lock of chestnut hair was pressed down and stood up, curling playfully in the sunlight.

Her cheeks still had the rosy glow of sleep, her eyes were dazed, and there was a suspicious, slightly damp mark at the corner of her mouth, which seemed to be due to her lying on her side.

"I am asleep?"

Her voice was thick with nasal tone and hoarse from just waking up, like a dazed little animal.

Chen Nian suppressed a laugh, trying to keep her expression serious, and nodded: "Hmm, you slept quite soundly, but only for about half an hour. Do you want to lie down for a while longer?"

"No, no!"

Like a cat whose tail has been stepped on, Xia Qiyue instantly sobered up. She hurriedly raised her hand to wipe the corner of her mouth, her face flushed red, showing the embarrassment of being caught red-handed.

"How can you sleep during work hours! That's so unprofessional!" she tried to get back into work mode.

"I was serious."

Chen Nian pointed to the computer screen: "I haven't finished looking at the information of those content creators who are seeking cooperation. You can rest for a while longer, and I'll call you when I'm done."

Xia Qiyue shook her head resolutely, as if trying to shake off the last trace of sleepiness.

"No need! I'm not sleepy anymore!"

As she spoke, she let out a big yawn, as if she had switched to work mode, seamlessly transitioning back to her previous tasks.

Crackling!

The familiar white noise echoed in the room once again.

It was as if the person who had been nodding so sleepily just moments before was merely a figment of Chen Nian's imagination.

Seeing Xia Qiyue instantly enter battle mode, Chen Nian shook her head and chuckled, no longer trying to persuade her, and turned back to look at her computer.

Just then, a private message appeared, causing Chen Nian's expression to change slightly.

Orange House owner: "Teacher Chen! Someone has come to our door, saying they want to buy your family's heirloom cat food, and they're offering a very high price!"

(Blue and white porcelain makes a limited-time appearance~)

　Onion really put her heart into writing this book! I love cats, and I hope more people will love cats too!

　　The world is broken and dilapidated, and the kitten is patching it up!
　　Love you guys!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)