Chapter 22: Pregnant and Giving Birth to Kittens (Three-in-One)

Chapter 22: Pregnancy and Kitten Birth (Three Chapters Combined)

No one answered.

On the way back to school, Song Ji called Fei Yu twice more, but still no one answered.

Song Ji gripped his phone tightly, looking down, thinking maybe the coffee shop was busy today and Fei Yu hadn't taken a break yet.

But a sense of unease began to creep into his heart.

The car stopped at the entrance of the commercial street. Song Ji rushed toward the coffee shop, not even realizing how grim his expression was.

He crossed the arched bridge and walked through the corridor, then suddenly froze, standing there dazed.

The coffee shop doors were tightly shut, an iron chain wrapped around the glass door, and the place was empty.

The once-clean sign was covered in a layer of dust, and fallen leaves piled up on the steps, uncleaned.

Fei Yu wasn't there.

The owner of the soy milk shop next door just happened to come out, and seeing the pale-faced young man, thought he had come to buy coffee.

After a moment's hesitation, he said, "You're too late. The coffee shop closed down a couple of days ago. Want a cup of soy milk instead?"

"No." Song Ji's face drained of color. The hand at his side balled into a fist, trembling.

Even now, Fei Yu's phone was still unreachable.

His heart throbbed with pain. The overwhelming joy faded, and a possibility he had been ignoring surfaced.

Where had Fei Yu gone? Why hadn't he told him the coffee shop was closed?

Or was Fei Yu avoiding him, leaving without a word on purpose...

Because last night had all been his own wishful thinking—Fei Yu didn't feel the same way.

Or even worse, he might have hurt him.

His nails dug into his palms until they hurt. The corners of Song Ji's eyes reddened, and a bitter taste spread in his throat.

No matter what, last night was his fault.

Now Fei Yu was jobless, alone somewhere unknown, silently suffering from being wronged by a friend, scared, helpless, and lost.

What had he done!

A strong wave of self-blame and frustration hit him. Song Ji's heart clenched with pain, and he suddenly swayed on his feet.

He had to find Fei Yu. When he did, no matter how Fei Yu wanted him to make it up to him, he would do it.

Song Ji turned and was about to leave, but the next moment, he froze again.

Only now did he realize how little he knew about the young man.

He didn't know where Fei Yu lived, didn't know his family situation.

He had no idea where Fei Yu might have gone.

After a long silence, Song Ji dialed another number.

Fighting back the bitterness in his throat, he said in a low, hoarse voice: "Auntie, I need your help with something..."

After hanging up, Song Ji sat down on a bench, looking disheveled, holding his head in his hands.

Soon the phone rang again. He answered and immediately heard Wen Jia's urgent voice: "Song Ji, Zhenzhu is missing!"

Song Ji's eyes widened in shock. He turned and ran toward the cat house.

"The freshman in charge of that area didn't see Zhenzhu, so he left its cat food near the cat house,"

Wen Jia's voice came faintly over the phone, carried by the wind. "But when we checked the surveillance footage today, we found that Zhenzhu had never been living in that cat house. The one living in there has always been Zongzong!"

"These past few days, other members of the feeding group haven't seen Zhenzhu either. We've completely lost track of it."

Song Ji stood in front of the pavilion, chest heaving, staring blankly inside.

A white cat was sleeping soundly in the cat house. Hearing the noise, it immediately jumped up, trembling and shrinking into a corner, staring at the newcomer in fright.

Song Ji didn't step forward.

This wasn't Zhenzhu.

The cats he had seen on the surveillance before weren't Zhenzhu either.

Song Ji's mind went blank. In a daze, he walked to the small garden.

He knelt down and pushed aside the bushes, and kept calling Zhenzhu's name.

How could Zhenzhu be missing?

It was just mad that he hadn't come these past few days.

He had to properly apologize to Zhenzhu.

Soon Song Ji's fingers were covered in mud, and his usually clean clothes and pants were stained with leaf debris and dirt.

His temples pounded painfully, and an iron taste of blood rose in his throat. His voice grew hoarser with each call: "Zhenzhu, Zhenzhu, are you here?"

Just then, Jitui, who happened to be wandering nearby, heard the sound and pushed through the grass, emerging with a rustle.

He saw the human who had helped him before—messy hair, looking devastated, kneeling on the ground, calling out his boss's name in a sorrowful voice.

The orange cat came closer and meowed twice in confusion.

Human, what's wrong?

You look like you've lost your wife.

Hearing the cat's meow, Song Ji's heart leaped. He turned and saw the orange cat, and the sudden flash of joy in his heart instantly turned into endless bitterness.

"Jitui, you're here."

He gave a bitter smile. "Do you know where Zhenzhu is?"

The orange cat tilted its head, furrowing its brows in confusion.

What does the human want with his boss?

But he looks really sad, like he's about to cry.

There must be something urgent. The boss probably won't mind.

After hesitating for two seconds, the orange cat rubbed against Song Ji's knee, meowed twice, and then ran ahead to lead the way.

Song Ji had originally asked, without much hope, but when he saw the orange cat actually seemed to understand and ran ahead to guide him, his heart raced, and he immediately followed.

The man and the cat left the small garden. The path first widened, and then narrowed, becoming more and more familiar.

It wasn't until Chicken Leg passed through the small woods and stopped in front of the coffee shop that Song Ji understood his intention.

Song Ji looked down at the orange cat and said hoarsely, "Do you want to see Fei Yu? I'm sorry, I can't find him either."

Pearl and Fei Yu had disappeared at the same time.

They had both abandoned him.

The orange cat circled around the former big demon king, meowing in confusion.

Human, aren't you looking for the boss?

This is the boss's territory. Why are you unhappy again?

"Are you hungry? Sorry, I only have this." Song Ji forced a smile, pulled out a freeze-dried treat from his pants pocket, but froze the moment he raised his hand.

In his palm were a few pure white cat hairs.

Smooth and soft like silk threads—they were Pearl's fur. He wouldn't mistake it.

But these snacks were stored in his hotel. How could they possibly have Pearl's fur on them?

Song Ji's expression suddenly stiffened.

Just then, his phone rang again. His aunt was calling.

"A Ji, I checked for you. Your friend took a car to the train station, but he didn't purchase a ticket. He might still be in the city."

The voice on the other end paused, then said gently, "But there's another thing I think you should know."

"In this city, none of the permanent or temporary residents named 'Fei Yu' match your friend's description."

"A Ji, do you... need me to keep looking?" The gentle female voice hesitated.

Song Ji gently stroked the cat fur between his fingertips, treasuring it. After a long moment, he said hoarsely, "No need. Thank you, Aunt."

He already knew the real reason why Fei Yu had left without saying goodbye.

---

*

On the train carriage:

"Mr. Lin Pangqiu, here are your documents. Please keep them safe. During the journey, please take care of your pet and avoid disturbing other passengers."

The ticket clerk checked the travel documents for the man and the cat, smiled, and returned the documents.

Pang Qiu: "Thank you."

The clerk lowered her gaze, finally glancing at the Lion Cat snuggled in the carrier, then she turned away, satisfied.

This was the smartest kitty she had ever seen—adorable, surprisingly quiet and well-behaved throughout the entire check.

Sigh, if only her own cat were this well-behaved.

Seeing the clerk walk away, Pang Qiu put the documents into his bag and muttered to Fei Yu, "Haven't used these in a while. Almost forgot our real names."

Legend says the Cat God's true surname was "Lin," so all Catfolk in Cat Village took 'Lin' as their surname before their given names.

"So that's all the more reason to travel around, Ah Qiu—" Fei Yu suddenly sneezed, then felt a tingling sensation at the tip of his tail, as if Song Ji's fingers were brushing over it.

Song Ji… Song Ji…

It was already late afternoon. Song Ji should have woken up by now and seen the note, right?

He must be wondering about Pearl.

Fei Yu was itching with curiosity, and he couldn't help urging Pang Qiu, staring at him with wide, pleading eyes.

"Senior, check my phone. Has Song Ji sent me a message?"

Pang Qiu glanced at the young cat. Hadn't Fei Yu's heat cycle ended? Why was he still so into that human?

He shrugged and reached into his pocket, agreeing, "Alright, alright, I'll check for you."

The next moment, his expression froze.

Fei Yu had never seen Pang Qiu react like this. He asked softly, "What's wrong?"

"My phone and wallet were stolen."

The seasoned Catfolk's face fell as he gritted his teeth. "I knew it. I wondered why he bumped into us without so much as an apology. Turns out we ran into a thief."

By now, they were already on the train, and that person had long since escaped. Calling the police wouldn't do any good.

Pang Qiu apologized regretfully, "I'm sorry, Xiao Yu. It's my fault. When we get back, I'll pay you back."

Fei Yu comforted him softly, "It's okay, Senior. It's not your fault."

At least he'd left Song Ji a note. Song Ji wouldn't—

The train crawled over the mountains. After what felt like forever, a small, unremarkable hill gradually came into view.

Amidst the green mountains and clear waters, the hill was pointed at both ends and rounded in the middle, like a cute cat's head.

Around the hill, various cat-shaped buildings dotted the woods.

"Senior, we're home!"

Fei Yu pawed at the carrier door, his eyes brightening as he stared out the window.

He would only be staying in Cat Village for two weeks. After the festival ended, he would go back to school and explain things to Song Ji.

Two weeks—what could possibly happen in two weeks to stop him from going back?

---

A few days later, at the Cat God Temple:

A ten-foot-tall golden statue of a beckoning cat was moved into the courtyard. The cat smiled warmly, one paw raised as if waving, its body gleaming in the sunlight.

Legend says that three hundred years ago, a brave and kind little cat rose to godhood, vowing to protect every cat in the world. From then on, every brave and kind little cat in the world would have the chance to become a Catfolk.

Catfolk thanked the Cat God for His generosity, came together to build Cat Village, and every year on the Cat God's birthday, they held a celebration.

"Alright, finally got it clean!"

The calico cat surveyed the golden statue with satisfaction, wiped the sweat from her forehead with a towel, and climbed down the ladder.

Spotting a Lion Cat by the lucky cat's feet, she hurried over and asked worriedly, "Fei Yu, Fei Yu, what's wrong with you?"

"Huh?"

Fei Yu slowly lifted his head, his handsome face looking drowsy.

Dark circles hung under his round almond-shaped eyes, and he looked utterly listless.

Only after hearing his name called several times did he react. He rubbed his tired eyes and said weakly, "I'm fine, just a bit sleepy."

The calico cat was very worried. "Go rest for a while, don't overdo it."

"Okay." Fei Yu yawned again, his thick black lashes clumping from dampness as he stumbled out.

It'd been a few days since he returned to Cat Village. Recently, for some reason, Fei Yu kept feeling sleepy, often turning into a cat and napping mid-step.

He barely took a few steps before he didn't even have the strength to change back into a cat. His body tilted, and he collapsed onto a nearby table, falling asleep on the spot.

The boy rested his chin on his arm, breathing lightly, his hair neatly falling over his ears.

His soft white cheeks were slightly squished, and his lashes fluttered gently with each breath.

A few nearby catfolk who were working gathered and looked worriedly at the sleeping youth.

Fei Yu was the most special catfolk in Cat Village. He had grown up there since childhood, raised innocent and naive, naive about the world.

All the older catfolk in Cat Village looked after him well.

Because he forgot why he turned into a human, he hadn't changed into human form for over ten years. It was only a few months ago that he left Cat Village to spend his heat season outside.

But after returning, he always seemed sleepy and out of it.

The calico cat lowered her voice and asked, "What's wrong with Xiao Yu? After being outside for two months, did he have trouble adjusting when he got back?"

The Siamese cat chimed in, "Exactly, it's so strange. Pang Qiu said Xiao Yu's progress was smooth this time, and we were all happy for him."

The cow cat gasped: "Don't tell me the human he found can suck the energy out of catfolk?"

All the cats: "..."

The Siberian Forest Cat, who'd been quiet, thought hard and then blurted out, "I don't think so."

The catfolk talked in circles without figuring it out, and finally agreed to let Fei Yu rest properly.

So Fei Yu soon discovered that all the festival jobs had been taken over by other catfolk.

He scratched his cheek, had nothing to do, and trudged home.

Every day he stayed in his cat-shaped house, dozing in a hammock.

When hungry, he'd get up and eat some freeze-dried cat food. When cold, he'd just roll over and fall back into a deep sleep.

This continued until the day of the catfolk celebration.

To celebrate the Cat God's birthday, many catfolk from outside returned to the village, making the usually quiet Cat Village buzzing with activity.

Cat-shaped houses were decked out with colorful ribbons and balloons, a red carpet stretched far from the Cat God Temple, and catfolk packed together noisily.

When the celebration began, the catfolk lined up, walked up the steps, entered the Cat God Temple one by one, made wishes and said prayers in front of the lucky cat, then did various celebration activities.

Pang Qiu linked his arm with Fei Yu's, his eyes sparkling as he stared at an elegant-looking catfolk up ahead.

His voice brimmed with excitement: "Look, that famous Ragdoll cat is also here! I've watched so many shows he's been in, but this is the first time I've seen him in person!"

Fei Yu responded sluggishly with an "Ah," and slowly looked where Pang Qiu was pointing.

The elegant Ragdoll cat noticed them staring, took off his sunglasses, raised an eyebrow at them and gave a casual smile.

"He's doing pretty well, I hear he's won a bunch of awards," Pang Qiu said enviously, then perked up, eyes bright.

"Everyone is working so hard, I can't just slack off either. After the celebration, I'll go back to the city and open a coffee shop."

"Back then, I was curious why humans had to drink coffee every day, so I became a catfolk…"

Pang Qiu chattered on eagerly, but beside him, Fei Yu fell silent.

All catfolk clearly knew why they transformed—they were chasing their dreams.

Only he didn't know.

Now that he had finished his heat period and was a full-fledged catfolk, what was he supposed to do next?

What exactly made him want to turn from a cat into a human?

Fei Yu felt down, his long lashes drooping, his eyes growing dim.

Soon, it was their turn to enter the Cat God Temple.

In front of them, the three-meter golden lucky cat statue was adorably chubby, with a gentle gaze, smiling warmly to welcome everyone.

Pang Qiu knelt reverently, his palms together, closed his eyes, and murmured.

"Great Cat God above, bless my business to succeed, and let me become the coffee king of City A soon!"

Fei Yu also knelt, clasped his hands, rested his chin on his knuckles, and gently closed his eyes.

Everything went dark, and the surrounding whispers of wishes grew softer.

This was Fei Yu's first time as a catfolk celebrating the Cat God's birthday.

He'd originally wanted to make the same wish as before: to remember why he transformed.

What was it for? Was it to taste delicious food, or to see richer colors?

Or perhaps… for a certain human?

Suddenly, the image of Song Ji popped into Fei Yu's mind.

The tall young man stood not far away, head slightly bowed, dark bangs covering his brows, so you couldn't read his expression.

His figure was somewhat slender, the shirt hanging loosely on him like a curtain.

Fei Yu was stunned, instinctively opening his mouth, the name "Song Ji" slipping out.

Song Ji seemed to sense something and looked up, his face cold, pitch-black eyes staring straight at him.

For some reason, an inexplicable sadness welled up in his eyes.

Fei Yu's heart trembled violently, something threatening to surface.

Oh Cat God, please bless Song Ji and make him happy forever.

Jingle jingle, the wind set the bells chiming in front of the Cat God Shrine.

A gentle breeze swept past, tousling Fei Yu's hair, and a distant, clear "meow" reached his ears.

Huh?

Fei Yu opened his eyes in a daze, looking up blankly to see the golden statue of the Cat God smiling at him with a naive, charming expression.

He turned his head in a trance, only to see a dense crowd of Catfolk.

"Fei Yu, Fei Yu, what's wrong with you? We have to go," the tabby cat came up to Fei Yu, waving a hand in front of his face.

"Oh, okay." Fei Yu slowly came back to reality, rising with a sense of loss.

Pang Qiu looked Fei Yu up and down, muttering under his breath, "What's up with you? You seem out of it."

Fei Yu replied softly, "It's nothing, I just didn't sleep well last night."

Pang Qiu: "Hey, I see the Ragdoll cat. Let's go, let's go get his autograph. So many Catfolk are lining up over there."

"No, Senior," Fei Yu yawned, a wave of drowsiness washing over him, his voice drowsy and slurred, "I'm a bit sleepy. I'll go back and take a nap."

Pang Qiu watched Fei Yu stagger away, frowning worriedly: "Just like they said, could Fei Yu really be sick or something..."

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

"A Ji, A Ji, what are you looking at? The plane is about to take off. I called you, but you didn't respond?"

A young man asked with concern, looking at the person in front of him.

The young man, tall and lean, his sharp features even more striking, yet his brows were clouded with an unshakable aloofness.

Song Ji stared fixedly at the boarding gate for a long moment before withdrawing his gaze, his voice cold: "Nothing, Senior."

He'd just had another hallucination, thinking he heard Fei Yu calling him.

The senior followed his gaze but didn't see anything wrong.

He shrugged and rambled on: "This opportunity to exchange abroad is rare, and you were the first I thought of."

"The professors are also very satisfied with you. If you feel it's right, you might as well stay there. Let me tell you more about the compensation there..."

Song Ji pressed his thin lips into a line, listening absently while fiddling with something in his hand.

Studying abroad was never in his future plans; he just didn't want to stay at A University any longer.

With no news of Fei Yu yet, Song Ji could no longer fool himself.

Buying the coffee shop, keeping the original decor, and pretending nothing had happened to continue operations—it was already on the verge of losing control.

If he stayed any longer, he feared he would stop at nothing to find Fei Yu.

And that might not be what Fei Yu would want.

Finally, after a long pause, the chattering senior heard a quiet 'Let's go.'

The young man walked toward the boarding gate without looking back.

As if there was nothing to hold him back, and yet, as if if he delayed a moment longer, he wouldn't be able to bring himself to leave.

The senior was startled, then quickly caught up: 'Sure thing!'

*

Life in Cat Village was peaceful and happy—work at sunrise, rest at sunset.

The Catfolk were self-sufficient and united, no longer worrying about sleeping rough or going hungry—no more feast or famine.

The celebration that lasted over a week ended, and Fei Yu prepared to pack his bags and return to A University.

Although his heat period was over, Song Ji was still waiting for him outside the village.

Since he didn't know why he became human, he might as well stay with Song Ji and maybe figure it out someday.

Catfolk were naturally optimistic, so he soon cast aside the gloom of that day.

But before leaving, there was one thing that truly bothered him.

In front of the mirror in his bedroom, Fei Yu frowned, his expression serious, as he stared intently at his reflection.

The teenager in the mirror had long, slender limbs, but the curve of his belly was noticeably rounder.

Fei Yu's face fell, his round, almond-shaped eyes downcast, his soft lips pursed in grievance.

He really had gained weight.

After finally kicking his bad habit of getting sleepy all the time, Fei Yu's appetite suddenly grew huge.

His stomach would rumble from time to time, and he would down several bowls of kibble and freeze-dried food a day before he was satisfied, accidentally getting a bit chubby.

Fei Yu turned back into a cat and approached the mirror again.

The pure white Lion Cat took up most of the mirror's space, its belly round and covered in long fur, bulging noticeably.

A slight movement made it jiggle, making it look even more like a giant mochi.

Such a solid, hefty cat.

At this rate, he would soon be fatter than Chicken Leg Little Truck. 🙁

Fei Yu slumped onto the carpet like a puddle of milk, utterly dejected.

Did other kittens manage to get this fat in just a few weeks?

Would Song Ji be shocked if he saw him? Would he even be able to lift him anymore?

Fei Yu shook his head—no, no, this can't go on.

Fei Yu clenched his little cat fists firmly—he was going to lose weight!

The next day, behind Cat Village

In May, the bayberries in the orchard ripened, heavy clusters hanging from the branches, filling the air with a sweet fragrance.

Fei Yu held scissors, aimed at the branches, working diligently—snip snip, and he had a big bunch.

The sun hung bright in the sky, and before long, a thin layer of sweat formed on his chin, his normally rosy cheeks turning pale.

Pang Qiu stared at him and couldn't help but say, "Xiao Yu, you look terrible. After we're done, let's go to the Tortoiseshell Cat's clinic and get you checked out?"

Fei Yu's voice wavered: "No, I feel fine."

But after a moment, he lost his balance and suddenly tipped to the side.

The Tabby Cat was quick to catch his arm and said urgently, "Fei Yu, what's wrong? Where do you feel unwell?"

The nearby Catfolk quickly gathered around: "Are you overheated? Here, drink some water!"

Fei Yu was about to wave his hand and say it was nothing, when his stomach churned violently, and a wave of nausea surged up.

He bent over and retched a couple of times: "Ugh—"

An even more unbearable sickness followed, his vision darkening, and the Catfolk's concerned voices faded away.

The Big Cat who managed the orchard stepped forward quickly and said steadily, "No good, we need to take Fei Yu to see Jiang Dai."

"Xisen, Pang Qiu, I'll go get the car. You two get Fei Yu into it."

The usually silent Xisen grunted in agreement, and together with the Tabby Cat, they each supported one of Fei Yu's arms and carefully helped him into the car.

The orange pickup truck rumbled, stirring up dust, and drove toward the only clinic in Cat Village.

As soon as he got in the car, Fei Yu turned back into a kitten, uncomfortably curled up on Pang Qiu's lap.

The whole kitten was droopy and listless, his whiskers tight, his ears flattened into airplane ears, and his tail hung limply at his side.

Catfolk are naturally robust and rarely get sick. Cat Village has no hospital, only one clinic.

The doctor at the clinic was a Tortoiseshell Cat. In her youth, she was a well-known veterinarian in the outside world, having treated countless animal ailments.

But at that moment, her gloved hand skillfully pressed the Lion Cat's belly, her expression was somewhat uncertain.

The affected area was darker in color, protruding, with an abnormal bulge in the abdomen that was elastic.

All signs indicated that this little cat might be pregnant...

Jiang Dai frowned deeply, muttering to herself as she examined him, "Strange, strange... it shouldn't be..."

If Fei Yu were a female cat, she could confidently say these were signs of pregnancy.

But Fei Yu was a Catfolk, and clearly a male cat. How could he be pregnant?

Seeing the Tortoiseshell Cat's grave expression and the lengthy, inconclusive examination, Pang Qiu's heart sank.

His eyes widened as his voice quivered: "Could it be... that Xiao Yu has a terminal illness?"

The Director and Xisen stared at each other in shock, speechless.

Fei Yu raised his head, his eyes suddenly wide.

Terminal... illness?!

The Tortoiseshell Cat quickly waved her hands: "Oh, it's not that serious, not at all."

"I remember now," she suddenly jumped up, an inexplicable excitement in her eyes, "The clinic just got a new set of equipment. Today is the perfect chance to try it out."

"Don't mind the shaving, Xiao Yu. I need to do it for accurate results."

Fei Yu sighed in relief and obediently nodded: "Okay."

The fur on his lower belly was slowly shaved off, then coated with a layer of clear gel, leaving his bare belly felt cool.

"Alright, alright, now let's take a look." The Tortoiseshell Cat muttered to herself, holding the probe and moving it back and forth over his abdomen.

Several Catfolk crowded around the machine, watching as a small dark oval slowly appeared on the screen.

In its center, a white speck the size of a bean flickered, like a star in the night sky.

Fei Yu stared at that little white spot, and for some reason, his heart suddenly pounded faster.

The Tortoiseshell Cat's eyes lit up in surprise: "By the Cat God above, this is a miracle!"

Pang Qiu stared for a while, then scratched his head, confused: "Is this... Fei Yu's tumor?"

"Tumor? You're the one with a tumor."

The Tortoiseshell Cat glared at him and said excitedly, "Fei Yu is pregnant! This is his baby—more precisely, a small embryo."

Huh?

Pregnant... him?

Fei Yu's mind went blank, his eyes wide.

The Tabby Cat, Xisen, and the Black Cat behind him were all dumbfounded, their mouths hung open.

"How amazing! A male Catfolk can nurture a life."

The Tortoiseshell Cat chattered excitedly: "See that white speck? That's the baby's heart."

Fei Yu's mind was completely blank, and he almost wondered if his ears were deceiving him.

After an awkward pause, he finally stammered, "But... but... I'm a male cat, aren't I?"

How could he have a baby?

Pang Qiu couldn't believe it: "No way, are you joking? How could Fei Yu be pregnant?"

The Tortoiseshell Cat gave him a look that said 'you're so inexperienced': "Since our cats can turn into humans, and Fei Yu isn't neutered, what's so strange about him being pregnant?"

"But there's no precedent for a Catfolk becoming pregnant," she said, looking at Fei Yu, her kind face turning serious, "Whether you decide to keep this embryo or not, consider it carefully."

Fei Yu: "Okay."

So it wasn't cat food, canned food, or freeze-dried treats in his belly—it was a little greedy kitten cub.

Fei Yu looked down blankly at his rounded belly for a long while, still finding it hard to digest.

He instinctively stretched out his paw toward his belly but retracted his claws just before touching, and gently pressed against it with his paw pads.

In a daze, he thought, Song Ji is really amazing, to get a little tomcat like him pregnant.

With a baby in his belly, Fei Yu's plan to leave the cat village had to be put on hold for now.

Unable to return to A University and having lost his phone, it had been so long since he'd been in touch with Song Ji, who was probably worried.

He asked the Tabby Cat to go back to the school and pass along a message for him.

Pang Qiu puffed out his chest, confident, "Don't worry, leave it to me. I'll explain everything to that human."

It should have been a smooth trip, but a few days later, the Tabby Cat came back looking dejected.

"Fei Yu, I'm sorry. I didn't get to see Song Ji."

Pang Qiu hung his head, "I went to the Cat Association at A University, but they told me Song Ji had gone to Country X."

"They also said he might be studying there from now on, and that he might not come back."

Fei Yu blinked and repeated blankly, "Abroad?"

Country X was across the ocean; how could Song Ji have gone so far away?

Studying abroad... so suddenly? That meant it'd be hard for him to see Song Ji again.

He couldn't even say goodbye in person.

Why hadn't Song Ji told him? Or was it because of what happened that night that Song Ji didn't want to see him anymore?

Fei Yu suddenly felt a tightness in his chest, a vague confusion and bitterness rising from deep within.

The baby in his belly seemed to feel his sadness, gurgling like a little fish blowing bubbles.

Fei Yu's lips curled into a smile. He lowered his head, touched his belly, and whispered, "Don't be afraid, little one. I'm here with you."

It didn't matter—even if they'd rarely meet in the future, he would still bless Song Ji.

Because he'd already left behind the best farewell gift.

The late stages of pregnancy felt strange. The baby was mostly well-behaved, rarely fussy.

*

His formerly troublesome appetite and sleep returned to normal. Fei Yu ate and slept well, barely experiencing morning sickness.

When the baby kicked for the first time, Fei Yu had turned into a cat and was lying on the scratching board in the yard.

He was just lifting his hind paw to lick his fur when suddenly he felt a sensation like a little fish tumbling inside his belly.

Fei Yu instantly froze, carefully putting down his paws, savoring this strange feeling for a long time.

When the Tortoiseshell Cat heard about it, she was deeply moved. "That means this is a healthy little kitten. I've seen many lively babies that make their mothers miserable while still in the womb."

"Xiao Yu's baby is so well-behaved. When it's born, it should be a quiet little one."

Fei Yu's lips curved into a smile.

No matter what the baby was like, he would love it.

Two months later, the first kitten in the cat village was born.

The newborn kitten couldn't open its eyes yet. It was all wet, curled up into a ball, no bigger than the palm of a hand, with little shell-like ears pressed flat against its head.

Its white fur was very light, and its skin was pink, making it look just like a little meatball.

The Tortoiseshell Cat wiped tears from her eyes, overjoyed, "Blessings from the Cat God! Fei Yu is in good shape, and the baby is a healthy little kitten!"

Pang Qiu and the other cats, who had been holding their breath, finally relaxed.

Fei Yu lay nearby, the anesthetic still wearing off. He felt as if he were still dreaming, his round eyes unblinking as he stared intently at the little ball of fluff before him.

This was his little kitten.

He had really given birth to a kitten.

Catfolk recovered amazingly fast. In just a few days, Fei Yu was able to shift back into human form.

But for the sake of his health, the Tortoiseshell Cat didn't feel comfortable letting him take care of the baby by himself.

Every day, Fei Yu would turn into a big cat to lick the baby clean and soothe the kitten, then change back into human form.

He could only sit by the incubator in the clinic, tilting his head, quietly staring at the cub inside.

The kitten was still too small, lying in the warm, comfortable incubator, sleeping with its eyes closed, its belly barely rising and falling.

But since he was a male cat, he couldn't feed the baby milk.

At first, to feed the baby, they had to use a very thin dropper to drip formula. The kitten lay on a soft pad, tilting its head up, trying hard to suck up the goat milk.

Even though its eyes were still closed, it ate very vigorously.

Fei Yu was amazed: "This little one is really a little greedy cat."

Mmm, the little greedy cat smacked its lips contentedly, closed its eyes, and fell back asleep purring.

Fei Yu watched the sleeping baby, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

He decided to name the baby Sui Sui.

"May your life be peaceful and smooth."

He hoped the little kitten would have a safe and smooth life.

The vitality of a kitten was astonishing. By the time the scar on Fei Yu's belly was covered with new white fur, Sui Sui could already hold a bottle and drink freely.

By then, Fei Yu had already brought Sui Sui home.

The kitten, half-squinting its eyes, would hug a bottle bigger than itself with its paws and each time manage to drink all the goat milk.

Fei Yu had to strictly control the ratio of formula to water, afraid that one careless moment would let the kitten drink too much and get overfull.

September came, and the lingering heat of the Indian summer still remained.

That evening, after the sun had finally set, Fei Yu planned to take the kitten out to bask in the moonlight.

His neighbor, the Siberian Forest Cat, gave him a small basket. Fei Yu lined it with a soft cushion, placed the sleeping Sui Sui inside, and covered him with a small kitten blanket.

This was Sui Sui's moonlight basket.

Pang Qiu, who came by for a visit, took a look at the kitten and casually said, "Isn't Sui Sui growing a bit slowly?"

Fei Yu blinked and replied, "Yeah, that's right."

He had no experience raising kittens either—the only little ones he'd ever taken care of were the calico cat's three naughty kittens.

Fei Yu reached out a hand, held his hand lightly in front of Sui Sui, and quietly measured him up.

Now the little kitten was covered in soft white fur, all fuzzy and cuddly, with his head resting on the pillow like a glutinous rice ball.

But Sui Sui was still very small—only a tiny bit bigger than Fei Yu's palm.

Plus, those three little rascals were clearly much livelier than Sui Sui.

Sui Sui was nearly two months old but slept most of the time and was awake only rarely; he only got excited during bottle feedings.

The tortoiseshell cat also found it strange, but every check-up showed that Sui Sui was a perfectly healthy kitten.

Pang Qiu looked at the snow-white kitten, thought of something, and had another question: "Will Sui Sui always stay a kitten? Can he turn into a human?"

Fei Yu shook his head. "I don't know. Dr. Jiang can't say for sure either."

After all, Sui Sui was the only kitten in the world that was a Catfolk.

Pang Qiu pondered. "Maybe when he grows into a big cat, he'll become a Catfolk like us."

But at this rate, when would Sui Sui ever grow into a big cat?

And so the little kitten grew at a snail's pace—slow but steady.

When Sui Sui was nearly seven months old, a rare heavy snow fell on Catfolk Village.

Outside the window, snowflakes like goose feathers swirled, turning the whole village into a silver wonderland.

In the bitter cold, Fei Yu got up as usual to prepare Sui Sui's milk formula.

While he was preparing the formula outside, suddenly a loud cry came from the bedroom.

Startled, Fei Yu dropped the cup in his hand and rushed frantically into the bedroom.

On the soft bedding, the snow-white kitten puff was gone, replaced by a delicate, precious little baby.

The baby waved his chubby little arms, wailing pitifully.

After ten whole months, the baby had finally arrived.

The little kitten had finally turned into a little human baby!

As Fei Yu's figure came into view, the baby's crying stopped instantly, as if soothed by some magical comfort.

He inherited the good looks of both his fathers—soft, fair skin, lively and adorable features.

His big, grape-like eyes stared without blinking, quiet and intent on the person before him.

Fei Yu held his breath and gently reached out to him.

The little baby stretched out his arm, his small hand instantly curling around Fei Yu's finger.

As if he had found some amusing toy, Sui Sui, with tears still on his cheeks, let out a little giggle.

"Sui Sui," Fei Yu laughed, then couldn't resist poking his tender cheek—soft, squishy, and delicate.

"You're a Little Meow baby now."

Sui Sui, welcome to the world.

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Author's note: Welcome, Baby Sui Sui!

Babies, I hope Monday's ranking on the list looks decent; please support the thousand-word chapter. Today's update has been moved up. Not sure if I'll update tomorrow—if not, then I'll add more on Monday night. Thank you for your understanding, babies.