Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Today was the tenth day since Lu Maomao had transmigrated, and also the tenth day since he transformed from a cat spirit into a human. Having died once, he lost the meager magical power and supernatural abilities he had cultivated over the past hundred years.

Before transmigrating, the decree that "after the founding of the nation, monsters cannot become spirits" weighed heavily, stifling the yaoguai's cultivation and making it hard for them to advance. Lu Maomao didn't know if he could live until the day that restriction eased, so he wasn't particularly dedicated to cultivation. After ensuring he could protect himself, Lu Maomao spent his days stirring up trouble in the mountains where he practiced, provoking every creature in sight until the whole place was in an uproar. Finally, one day, he offended a powerful monster elder. Driven away by the elder, he descended the mountain and plunged headfirst into human society. Relying on his beautiful appearance, elegant posture, and a little cleverness, Lu Maomao ate at one house and then another, playing happily here before moving on there, ensuring the *rain and dew were evenly distributed*. Fortunately, although he was keeping many irons in the fire, acting like a tyrant in the homes of his shovelers, he never once capsized.

Self-proclaimed as a master of time management, Lu Maomao once took great pride in his superb skills in this area.

Of course, proud as he was, he absolutely refused to admit that he was "serving others with his looks." He firmly believed his relationship with those shovelers was a mutually beneficial exchange. He provided them with personal protection (though moments where this was actually needed were few), and they provided him with food, shelter, toys, and companionship.

If no accidents had occurred, Lu Maomao, who had no drive, would probably have happily spent his life eating, drinking, and having fun.

But perhaps he lived too comfortably, so much so that even Heaven couldn't stand it and arranged a calamity for him. This time, good fortune did not favor him. A silver lining in the misfortune was that, due to his own kindness, he was sent to another world for rebirth by the parents of the little creature he had saved.

Lu Maomao was tinkering with a panel when a sentence appeared on it: "You have harvested five bibs. Remember to change bibs frequently to stay clean~"

Oh, what 'oh.'

"A koi that only brings luck to itself is not a good koi!"

Yes, Lu Maomao was feeling exceptionally charitable and saved a koi. But this koi was an unconventional one, exceptionally good at bringing luck to itself, while its ability to bring luck to others was... debatable.

Ten days ago, while patrolling his territory, Lu Maomao passed by a middle-aged woman buying groceries and noticed she had purchased a spiritual creature. Lu Maomao went to investigate and found a Little Carp that had gained sentience, trapped in a transparent plastic bag. The little carp spotted Lu Maomao immediately and tearfully begged him for help.

Moved by the little carp's tearful pleas, Lu Maomao decided to be a good cat again.

So, right there on the street, he played the part of a bully cat, snatched the woman's fish, and fled in a panic! From afar, Lu Maomao could still hear the woman's curses of "that damned cat" several times.

And then Lu Maomao really died.

Following the little carp's guidance, Lu Maomao took it to search for the river basin where it lived. Unfortunately, on the way, they encountered two great demons fighting. One moment, Lu Maomao was admiring the might of these pre-founding era monsters; the next, he was swept into the river by the shockwaves of their battle.

For the fish, it was a return to its element. For a cat who hadn't cultivated diligently, it was a death sentence.

Although the little carp desperately wanted to save Lu Maomao, being so tiny, it simply couldn't drag the sleek, well-fed great benefactor cat.

By the time the little carp's family found him, Lu Maomao's soul had long since departed. The little carp's family was immensely grateful to Lu Maomao, but a dead cat cannot be revived. They could only send Lu Maomao's soul into the body of Lu Maoer, an orphan in another world. The little carp's elders also casually gave Lu Maomao the Children's Farm System, used by their clan to entertain young fish, as a pastime.

This Children's Farm System was very simply set up, with only one plot of land. Every morning at eight o'clock, you could receive a blind box seed, with a harvest and planting cycle every two days.

Transforming from a cat who had lived a life of luxury into a poor boy, Lu Maomao felt life wasn't worth living. So, upon arriving in this other world, he lay at home for ten days, playing with the system for ten days.

During these ten days, he farmed five times, harvesting respectively: baby milk sticks, young fish food, delicious waterweed, baby wipes, and this time's bibs. Each item surprised Lu Maomao, yet not entirely, as this Children's Farm System was originally meant to amuse children.

Lu Maomao lay sprawled out, a milk stick in his mouth. "If I don't solve the household registration issue soon, I'll be sent to the mines for forced labor."

"Damn feudal old society, not even sparing a cat."

Although Lu Maomao grumbled, he actually had no intention of moving at all. He was still mourning his lost, wonderful life.

"Lord Cat, I have found the family that bought the Lu family's tiger skin back then," said Old Cat, who had hurried in from outside, to Lu Maomao.

Apart from the Children's Farm System, the abilities Lu Maomao retained were communication with his own kind. And this old cat was special; he had ties with the ancestors of the body he had crossed into.

"Why look for that? They bought it with real silver; it's not like they'll give it back," Lu Maomao said indifferently.

Even if they were willing to sell it, he didn't have the silver to buy it.

The poor boy, Lu Maoer, had no money to spare at home. He only had a Children's Farm System for amusing children, and the things he grew weren't easy to sell. After all, who would buy delicious waterweed? It's not delicious catnip.

"That family's old master used to be an official in the court. Now he has returned to his hometown with his grandson to stay temporarily. Perhaps we can ask him to mediate," Old Cat said, his eyes deep and bright.

"Is that possible?" Lu Maomao hesitated.

Hasn't it been over ten years? Can you really ask the buyer to provide after-sales service for the seller?

Old Cat's response was, "It's worth a try."

Wouldn't this really annoy people? Lu Maomao thought. But it seemed he couldn't afford to worry about that now. If he didn't start moving, he would really end up doing forced labor.

Damn feudal dynasty, sending people to the mines so casually.

However, Lu Maomao felt somewhat awkward. In the past, people always begged to keep him; he had never actively sought help from others. "You said that old master was an official. Can we even get through his door directly?"

Old Cat thought for a moment and said, "I remember back then, that family bought the tiger meat, skin, and bones. Mao'er's father kept the tiger penis to make wine, hoping for a child. There should still be some tiger penis wine at home."

Tiger penis wine!

Lu Maomao was shocked, his eyes widening into circles. This household actually had something like that.

With Old Cat's help, Lu Maomao turned the house upside down before finally finding a small, tightly sealed jar of wine in a corner of the woodshed.

"Ahem." Lu Maomao brushed the dust off his nose. "Isn't this stuff very precious? Why was it just left here? Ahem."

"Alas, after Mao'er's mother died, Mao'er's father didn't remarry and lost interest in having offspring. The tiger penis wine became useless to him," Old Cat said.

The adoptive father of the body Lu Maomao had crossed into was a hunter. Twenty years ago, he killed a large tiger, becoming quite famous in the area. Later, after his wife died in childbirth, Hunter Lu became disheartened and never remarried, living alone. Later, while hunting, he found a child and adopted him. The father and son depended on each other, naming the child Lu Maoer.

At that time, the tax burden was severe. Hunter Lu never registered Lu Maoer for household registration, living in the mountains with his unregistered adopted son.

Two months ago, Hunter Lu passed away. Lu Maoer handled his funeral affairs and then lived alone, hunting for survival. A month ago, the authorities suddenly began investigating unregistered households. It was said that a high-ranking official from their region had fallen from grace. An investigation revealed he had acquired over a hundred thousand *mu* of land in his hometown and concealed tens of thousands of people to train a private army. The Emperor ordered a thorough investigation of all unregistered households in their prefecture to find the remnants of the corrupt official. Ordinary commoners who failed to register within the stipulated time would all be sent to the mines.

Thus, the mountain folk suffered. The authorities continuously sent people to force them down the mountain to register.

Lu Maoer, who was half mountain folk and half villager, was led by the village chief to the county yamen with the family's last few taels of silver to register.

Who knew that the County Clerk in charge of household registration would take the money and, upon hearing Lu Maoer was the son of that Hunter Lu who killed the tiger, immediately change his expression? He demanded the tiger skin from Lu Maoer before he would process the registration. Even though Lu Maoer and the village chief repeatedly explained that the tiger skin had been sold twenty years ago, the County Clerk refused to relent, insisting Lu Maoer produce a tiger skin.

Thus, Lu Maomao ended up being sent into Lu Maoer's body.

"If Lu Maoer had known there was tiger penis wine at home, perhaps he wouldn't have had to die," Lu Maomao said with pity.

Lu Maomao knew that human men, in their pursuit of offspring, had a perverse fascination with the genitalia of animals. Without the tiger skin, perhaps the tiger penis wine could have appeased that corrupt official.

"Not necessarily," Old Cat said with a calm expression, relaying information obtained from some kittens to Lu Maomao. "The County Clerk wants the tiger skin to curry favor with the father of a powerful figure in the prefectural city. That powerful figure's father is old, fears the cold, and wants a tiger skin blanket to keep warm. Even if Mao'er produced the tiger penis wine, the County Clerk would still force him to find a tiger skin."

Lu Maomao wanted to sigh again. As a modern cat from a socialist background, even without actively studying mainstream culture, Lu Maomao was imperceptibly influenced by the prevailing environment's concepts of people-oriented values and the primacy of life. As a spirit, the most morally corrupt thing he had done was eat at a few extra houses and deceive the hearts of a few shovelers. Suddenly arriving in ancient times, his clashing values made Lu Maomao feel that, with his standards, he could be a mascot for human rights.

"Perhaps it was fate. I hope the little koi's good luck can bless the father and son to be reborn into a good family in their next life," Lu Maomao said.

"It will," Old Cat said, his deep gaze fixed on Lu Maomao. This Cat King bore the Dragon God's blessing. Even if he shared just a sliver of that fortune with Hunter Lu and his son, it would be enough for them.

Author's Note:

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