Chapter 27: Cautious Probing

Chapter 27: A Cautious Probe

Sizzle, sizzle—golden fish balls tumbled and floated one by one in the bubbling oil, releasing an irresistible aroma.

Suisui craned his neck, stretching up on his tiptoes and peer over the stall counter, but he was still too small, barely reaching the countertop.

He could only smell the fish balls, unable to see them with his own eyes, which made him impatient.

Pouting, he tugged at his daddy’s hand, a hint of expectation in his voice. “Daddy, how much longer?”

Fei Yu bent down quickly, scooping the baby into his arms. “Daddy doesn’t know either, but it should be soon. Let’s wait a little longer, okay?”

Suisui was content now, staring at the fish balls in the pot as he swallowed, his soft, milky voice saying “okay” in a small voice.

The fish balls were almost ready, a rich, savory fragrance wafting through the air. Fei Yu wrinkled his nose, unable to resist swallowing as well.

The stall owner laughed. He’d been working here for over a decade, and even the hungriest college students rushing from class had never given him such a hungry stare as these two.

It reminded him of his own greedy cat at home, staring at the fish he just bought.

The pair was too eye-catching in their appearance, simple clothes unable to hide the innate noble aura they carried.

The owner spotted the electric bike with a coffee shop logo behind them and instantly understood.

“You two are celebrities, filming a show, right?” he said confidently.

Fei Yu blinked in confusion and said, “No—”

Suisui instinctively covered his head, making sure his ears didn’t pop out.

He clamped his mouth shut and shook his head like a rattle. *Baby is not a celebrity, baby is a Little Meow, okay?*

The owner was unconvinced, raising an eyebrow mysteriously at Fei Yu. “I get it, I get it. You can’t reveal your identities. The cameras are hidden.”

He laughed heartily. “Don’t let my current appearance fool you—I used to work in Hengdian. No matter how well a celebrity disguises themselves, I can spot them by their aura alone!”

Seeing the owner grinning and lost in past memories, Fei Yu’s eyelashes fluttered, and he swallowed the words he was about to say.

Suddenly, Fei Yu’s back stiffened as if he sensed something, and he turned around.

Just after class ended, a tide of students poured out of the school gate.

The fish stall happened to be at the intersection of the main campus road and the off-campus food street.

After lectures, hungry college students swarmed in, a bustling and lively crowd.

Fei Yu looked left and right, but amidst the sea of people, all he saw were young faces—he didn’t recognize anyone.

Frowning in confusion, he thought, *How strange… Why does it feel like someone was watching me just now?*

“Daddy?” Suisui, in his daddy’s arms, scratched his ear, also looking around in bewilderment.

The stall owner called out warmly, “Your fish balls are ready, still piping hot!”

“Thank you, boss,” Fei Yu came back to himself, taking the fish balls with one hand while glancing at Suisui.

He said, “Baby, let’s eat them at home, okay? Daddy bought fish and will make you noodles tonight.”

Suisui nodded. “Okay!”

Fei Yu lifted the baby and placed him in the children’s seat on the back of the electric bike, strapping on the baby’s helmet and buckling the safety harness.

He then tightened his own helmet, sat in the front seat, and said with a soft smile, “Sit tight, baby. We’re going home.”

Suisui clenched his little fists and thrust them forward, declaring in his babyish voice, “Home!”

The electric bike moved against the tide of students leaving the campus, creeping slowly like a snail through the crowd.

After a long while, it finally passed through the school gate and disappeared completely.

On the other side of the main campus road, the atmosphere inside the Maybach was oppressively low.

The long-legged man in the back seat hung his head low, his bangs shadowing his cold eyes, making his expression unreadable, but exuding a lost and forlorn air.

Fei Yu had returned—and brought a child.

That child… had called Fei Yu “Daddy.”

It felt as if a dull knife had been thrust into his heart, piercing through his chest and churning his insides.

Song Ji thought bitterly, *So Fei Yu did understand human emotions after all.*

In the three years since his departure, Fei Yu had met someone else, fallen in love with them… and had a child.

That person—were they human, or another cat demon like Fei Yu?

Where was she now? Was she somewhere nearby?

Just thinking about it made his heart ache as if it were going to shatter.

Fei Yu had returned to the human world, yet refused to contact him—was it because he still resented him?

His nails dug deep into his palms. Song Ji squeezed his eyes shut, suppressing the surging pain.

In the driver’s seat, Zhou Xun stared straight ahead, barely daring to breathe, wishing he could vanish on the spot.

He had joined the Song Corporation after graduation and been promoted last year to Chief Secretary to the President.

The president’s office always had a tense atmosphere, and new secretaries couldn’t help but complain privately, but Zhou Xun had always thought it was bearable.

His boss had a simple social life, often going back and forth between home and office. Though he had a cold personality, he was emotionally stable and never made things hard for his subordinates.

Zhou Xun had never seen Song Ji so emotionally unstable before.

After what felt like an eternity, Zhou Xun felt his butt go numb, and finally, a sound came from the backseat.

The man’s voice was extremely hoarse, as if he was straining to suppress something.

“You said earlier that A University’s coffee shop hired a new employee?”

Today’s tomato fish soup noodles, complete with fish and fish balls, were delicious and especially satisfying for Suisui. He even drank every last drop of the sweet-and-sour broth.

*

After finishing, still wanting more, he sat in his children’s seat and announced loudly, “Baby wants more fish soup noodles!”

Fei Yu wiped the baby’s face with a towel and agreed happily, “Okay, next time Daddy will make you some tomato congee.”

Suisui’s eyes lit up immediately, and he giggled endlessly.

Catcat Village had no children, so Fei Yu only learned about the concept of "kids' food" after arriving in A City.

Seeing the little one's excitement, Fei Yu couldn't help but smile, feeling glad that he had brought the baby to the city.

Because of the delicious food, the baby was especially cooperative today.

He didn't even sulk during the bath time, holding the little duck toy in both hands and mumbling to himself.

Fei Yu dried the little one's body with a towel, applied baby lotion, and then dressed him in soft cotton pajamas.

Sui Sui finally couldn't contain himself. Lying on the bed, he looked at his father with eager eyes and asked, "Daddy, was I good today?"

Fei Yu had a good idea of what he was about to do.

Amused, he pinched the baby's cheek and pretended not to know, saying, "You were very good today. What's up, my good little sweetie?"

The baby, easily swayed by praise, rolled around on the bed, giggling excitedly.

He laughed for a good while before stopping, then continued, "So can Daddy reward his good baby and let me eat that meat we hunted today one more time?"

Catfolk loved cleanliness. Since there were no chickens in Catcat Village, Sui Sui had only eaten chicken-flavored cat food before.

Today, for the first time, Sui Sui tasted real chicken and was immediately won over by the taste of real chicken.

The appeal of the chicken was so strong that Sui Sui didn't even mind bathing anymore.

"Of course you can," Fei Yu's heart melted. He scooped up the clean, fragrant little rascal, hugging him close and tickling his armpits.

Sui Sui laughed nonstop, wriggling on the bed. When he tired of laughing, he turned back into a kitten and let his father scratch under his chin.

Remembering something, Fei Yu asked, "By the way, baby, do you remember who gave you that meat?"

Sui Sui: "I remember. It was a big brother. A tall brother dressed in dark clothes."

At Sui Sui's age, he couldn't always express himself clearly or correctly distinguish adult ages.

To him, anyone with a beard was an uncle, and anyone without a beard was a big brother.

As for "dark," he was probably referring to the color of his clothes.

It was graduation season at the university now, with college students everywhere dressed in black suits, heading to job interviews.

Perhaps it was some kind-hearted person who shared their lunch with Sui Sui.

Fei Yu didn't think much of it and gently pinched the baby's ear tips.

After running all over the school with Drumstick Brother and DunDun Brother, Sui Sui had worn himself out today and was drowsy from exhaustion.

He curled up into a kitten ball on the pillow, his paws resting against his cheek, and soon began to purr softly.

It was still early, so Fei Yu covered the kitten with half a blanket and got ready to tidy up the room.

Just as he stood up, his phone suddenly chimed.

Fei Yu opened his phone and saw a message from Lingling.

"Lingling: Xiao Yu, sorry to bother you after work."

"The boss usually doesn't meddle with recruitment, but maybe he had a sudden whim—he asked new employees to fill out an employee info form."

"I've sent it to you. Don't worry about it; just fill it in casually."

Fei Yu sat on the edge of the bed, holding his phone, and replied glumly, "Okay."

He hated employee info forms.

The last job he applied for fell through because of filling out such a form.

The manager had seemed quite satisfied with him. But once he saw the educational background section on Fei Yu's form, the smile vanished from his face.

Would the same thing happen this time?

Fei Yu wrinkled his nose in distress.

He took two deep breaths to gather courage before opening the file, frowning with worry as he looked at it.

Unexpectedly, there were only a few simple questions.

"Name, age, place of origin, marital status, family..."

Even romantic relationship was included, but missing was the question he dreaded most: education level.

It was so simple it didn't feel like an employee info form at all—more like a little friendship questionnaire.

Fei Yu's eyes crinkled with relief, and his tense mood immediately relaxed.

The innocent Catfolk boy didn't suspect a thing and lowered his head to type out the answers one by one.

The first few questions were easy. Fei Yu filled them in based on his ID card information.

Marital status? That was simple too—he was, of course, single and unmarried.

Romantic experience, romantic...

Fei Yu paused his typing, and the image of Song Ji suddenly flashed through his mind.

That night, the young man's arms were braced on either side of him, his athletic upper body bare, his handsome features striking, dark eyes deep and unblinking as he gazed intently at him.

His beautifully shaped thin lips were breathing heavily, leaning close to his ear, murmuring something...

Fei Yu's heart gave a jolt, and his cheeks and neck flushed bright red.

He shook his head, quickly banishing the uninvited young man from his mind.

Strictly speaking, he and Song Ji had only had a one-night stand. It didn't count.

Fei Yu honestly filled in "None" in the blank after "Romantic Experience."

Next was family members. Fei Yu filled in Sui Sui's basic information.

Finally, for the reason for applying, Fei Yu honestly wrote, "To enroll my baby in a city kindergarten."

By the time he finished, most of the form was still blank.

Fei Yu held up his phone, looking it over, feeling that something was off.

The Catfolk boy scratched his face in distress, and suddenly a lightbulb went off.

At the end, he honestly added, "I have received basic education and am qualified for the job of coffee shop delivery driver. Please rest assured, boss!"

How can the courses at Cat School not count as compulsory education for Catfolk, right?

Fei Yu raised his head and puffed out his chest, confidently clicking send.

Now that he has proof of education, President Song should be satisfied, right?

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Author's note: How much of his own agenda did President Song sneak into that application? All of it, obviously.

Tomorrow President Song will be back in heaven, and they should finally have their formal reunion in the next chapter.