Chapter 21: 21

Chapter 21: The Scheme Begins

　　“Cough cough… Ugh… Cough cough…”

　　It was almost noon when he woke up. Lin Ning rubbed his half-opened eyes. The medicine was great — his throat felt much better now — but this inner peace only lasted a total of three seconds. 

　　[Ugh, System!!! Why didn’t you wake me up?! I fell asleep! I fell asleep while Xizai’s still missing!!!] Lin Ning scrambled into his clothes, fingers fumbling over buttons.

　　The System hesitated. The owner might not take what happened yesterday night too kindly, but if it stayed quiet, that’d violate Lin Ning’s trust. Lin Ning already had his shoes on when the System made a decision.

　　[Wait!] The System rushed to stop him.

　　[For what? Look at the time!] Lin Ning nagged.

　　[But Xizai’s already back!] The System explained. [In the cat bed.] It didn’t continue. Maybe it’d be better if it left the rest for its owner to ascertain on his own.

　　Lin Ning’s heart stopped. He moved slowly towards the cat bed. In there snuggled a huge Siberian cat, its long, fluffy tail lounging across the floor. Lin Ning crouched down and reached a hand into the bed, rubbing the back of Xizai’s head, where he knew Xizai liked best. 

　　“Mrrooww——”

　　The cat’s shriek pierced through the room. It batted Lin Ning’s palm away awkwardly, poking its face out from the bed. Its face, though as expressionless as always, had a hint of uneasiness in it, as if it knew it was in trouble. Those obsidian eyes lowered, allowing Lin Ning to ruffle its fur without putting up a fight.

　　Lin Ning’s heart was going to melt. Stupid cat, the balls of it to come home just like that! He couldn’t let this slide that easily.

　　He put on a stern face, grabbing onto the kitty’s tail.

　　”Meow?” The cat yanked at its tail, but it didn’t budge.

　　“Wanna try straying out the house again? Huh? Which cat girlfriend did you try eloping with?! I waited way past midnight!” Lin Ning fumed. “Do you think you can do whatever you want just ‘cause I don’t give you a curfew? ‘Sthat it?”

　　“…..” The cat pressed its paws onto Lin Ning’s hand. Lin Ning kept his stern plastered on, unflinching, which oddly contrasted his gentle, mild face. If Lin Ning ever went to war looking like this, he’d be devoured the second he stepped foot onto the battlefield.

　　The kitty’s unimpressed face annoyed Lin Ning. His hands itched. He let go of the tail and slapped the kitty’s butt. The kitty shot up.

　　“Meow!!!!!” It scampered up the bookshelf likea bird. Lin Ning couldn’t help but click his tongue in wonder.

　　T-this guy! Did he not know that one does not simply touch a cat’s butt and tail?! The cat squinted, feeling violated. It scratched the bookshelf agitatedly.

　　“No next times.” Lin Ning, anger quelled with a kitty butt smack, got up to prepare breakfast.

　　The dishes he set on the table yesterday night weren’t there. Lin Ning opened the refrigerator, finding them arranged neatly inside.

　　[...Did Li Chengyan put these in for me?] Lin Ning asked the System.

　　[Probably… I was too tired at the time, so I didn’t notice.] The System replied timidly.

　　Lin Ning retrieved the dishes. He sniffed them. They still smelt fresh.

　　The pair sat before the dining table. The kitty kept its poker face on, but its eyes twinkled, waiting for its portion of breakfast. 

　　“Look at you,” Lin Ning said suddenly.

　　The cat cocked its head. “……?”

　　“We owe Mr. Li Chengyan a lot for yesterday. If only you could speak. Wouldn’t that be great? You’d be able to give me a shout whenever you leave the house.”

　　Xi-loves wandering around-zai: “……”

　　“Come home early next time. Got it?” Lin Ning sent a message to the property management office, telling them he’d found his cat. The kitty curled its tail around his arm gently.

　　“Meow…” Even if the cat didn’t think it’d been wandering, it still worried for this young man. It was its job to make things up to him.

　　Lin Ning nudged a piece of dried fish at Xizai’s mouth as a reward, then traded some of his Faith for snow pears in the System’s Market to make a large cup of iced snow pear juice. 

　　The cat watched the snow pears appear out of thin air in Lin Ning’s hands. It stared at it for a second, a thoughtful look in its eyes, before returning to its meal. Watching Lin Ning make things materialize out of thin air was an everyday occurrence by now. The cat was long unbothered by it.

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　　Maybe this was part of a plant-based power user’s abilities. Were plant powers that amazing? 

　　Lin Ning poured the kitty a small bowl of pear juice. His tablet buzzed. Lin Ning took a gulp of juice and a spoonful of breakfast before taking Zhang Zhining’s call.

　　“Hello?” Lin Ning wiped his mouth with a tissue, watching the screen.

　　“Ning Ning!” Zhang Zhining’s anxious voice answered. “Have you checked the trending page? It’s bad news!”

　　“The trending page? Nope.” Lin Ning’s heart sank. He flipped his photon tablet on and logged into his Interstellar account. Just a glance at the comment section under his #PrayForTheMarshal post was enough to stun him. It was tornadoes and rains of blood in there, and every single oneof them was aimed towards him. There were two tags hanging on the trending page’s first row:

　　#LinNingInDebt

　　#LinNingScamsTheFilmKingComebackSuspected

　　“Ning Ning, that person there… is that you?” Zhang Zhining hadn’t been the least bit interested in the hottest gossip today, but when he spotted Lin Ning’s name, he couldn’t help but tap into it. The face in those pictures was exactly the same as Lin Ning’s… Though Lin Ning had a handsome, pretty face, it never crossed his mind that he’d debuted as an idol once — even being popular for a moment — or that he’d even had a dark past.

　　“That’s me,” Lin Ning laughed drily. He drew in a deep breath, then stood up to stare at the view outside his window, “They’re taken out of context, though. I haven’t done anything wrong.

　　“There’s someone trying tomess with me, but I don’t have what it takes to take them down yet, so all I can do is suck it up for now.

　　“Would you believe me if I told you I’m not that kind of person?”

　　Zhang Zhining stared at his curved eyes and upturned lips. Those eyes were clear and calm, clean and pure. His family always had strict expectations of him, but always trusted him when it came to his eye for people.

　　“I trust you, Ning Ning,” Zhang Zhining let out an easy smile. “Who would’ve thought you used to be an idol? That’s pretty cool, huh?”

　　“What, you think I can’t make a debut just ’cause my voice is damaged?” Lin Ning put on a hurt face.

　　“Hey… That’s not what I meant, I mean — Oh, yeah, what’s up with your voice? You sing and all, but why d’you sound even worse than before?” Zhang Zhining took a while to put two and two together. Once he did, though, he waved his fist angrily, “Did someone bully you? I’ll rough ‘em up for you! Lemme pack my things. I’m coming over right now.”

　　“I’m fine! Really, I am. Besides, you’ve got a thesis to write, don’t you? Don’t go running off.” Lin Ning shook his head. He preferred talking about good things, anyway. “Oh, right. Xizai went missing yesterday. I almost died of worry, you know. Here, let me show you my lost little baby.” He moved the camera angle to face Xizai. A huge, cold cat face loomed over the screen.

　　Kitty: “……”

　　“If you ever lose that stinky, dumb cat again, leave it be,” Zhang Zhining whined, waving his hand, “That kitty never gives me the time of the day! What a snob. And its appetite’s bigger than a barrel!”

　　Lin Ning: “Ah…”

　　Zhang Zhining sounded unnaturally hopeful. “Take me instead! I’m super well-behaved. And I’ve got my animal powers, which are pretty cool even though I don’t have cat ears…”

　　The cat’s face darkened. A paw flew down on the screen’s end call button.

　　“Beep beep beep…”

　　Lin Ning: “……” Wasn’t this kitty a little too smart for its own good?

　　Lin Ning went through the messages and the situation online as he ate. He’d gotten so much hate, the place was darker than a black hole. Especially under his own Interstellar account’s only post — the #PrayForTheMarshal one. Every single fan was gathered under its comment section to curse him. The worst comments came from Jiang Feng’s fans, for the most part. The Film King’s and marshal’s fans were alright, he guessed, but they did warn him not to piggyback off others…

　　[How can someone as dirty as Lin Ning be considered an idol? He really needs to be shut out so he’ll never climb back up!]

　　[Exactly. He’s going around cornering the Film King just so he can make a comeback! But it’ll backfire since the Film King can’t be cornered that easily. He’s flawless!]

　　[Praying for the best marshal in the world? Don’t try earning brownie points using the marshal, please and thank you. You’ll just pull him down you second-rate asswipe. What’s the meaning of him deleting all his posts and leaving just a #PrayForTheMarshal tag behind?]

　　[A D-list has-been tried to piggyback off a big name and became the top trending topic within a day. Riding on the Film King and the marshal’s wave? Wow. You’re so not making a comeback. See you never.]

　　Lin Ning traced the comments and posts back to their original source — Spy Entertainment. Spy Entertainment was still just some deflated tabloid yesterday. After everything that transpired today and yesterday, it rose like bread dough. Its following grew, and its viewer rates were shooting up scarily.

　　“……”

　　Lin Ning scrolled through Jiang Feng’s messages to him. Every single word mocked him with pleasure, an ugly face waiting for Lin Ning to come crawling back to him.

　　Hmm… Lin Ning let out an amused smile. Prance all you want. The higher Jiang Feng turned the heat up now, the prettier his fall would be.

　　And Lin Ning, for his counterattack, would have the Film King deal the first card.

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