It was pretty late in the night when Wei and Lihua arrived at Lihua's apartment complex. Lu Bojing peeked out of his room's door and found Lihua stepping up.
He burst into tears and rushed towards her. "You are back! I-I was so worried! I couldn't reach you on your number...I thought you were...you were in danger…"
He was second away from contacting Mingshen and reporting him the situation that Lihua hadn't returned home yet. He sniffled and wiped his cheeks. He was grateful that Lihua was safe, or he would have been on the chopping board by now.
Lihua looked at him, surprised. "Oh! You didn't have to worry. Were you waiting for me?" She anxiously asked. "I am really sorry. I didn't know, or I would have told you."
Even though she still didn't understand why Lu Bojing was so particular about her safety, she was used to his behavior now.
"No, no. It's not your fault...I was careless. T-this is why I am so useless-"
"Bojing!" She glared at him. "I told you not to self-deprecate like that. You still blame yourself."
Lu Bojing bit his lip. "I am sorry…"
She sighed.
*Meowww*
Lu Bojing straightened up, and his sight fell upon Lihua, the cat, held in her arms. He blinked his eyes, leaned towards her and watched her closely.
He widened his eyes.
"Qingqing!"
T-this...this is Boss's cat who was kidnapped!
Though shocked, he was thrilled at the same time. It had been a long time since he met Mingshen's cat.
"Qingqing?"
Lu Bojing froze.
Ah, ah! That is her name…
He gulped. "No-Nothing…" he wiped his forehead.
Lihua blinked. "Huh?"
"No, I mean...it just slipped out. Qing is the perfect name for her because she has beautiful green eyes."
That was why Lu Bojing had named the cat Qingqing.
"Oh, yes! It suits her perfectly!" She beamed.
To Lihua, the human's shock, Lihua, the cat, jumped from her arms to Lu Bojing's shoulder.
Lihua, the human, thought that Lu Bojing would freeze in terror and cry again, but it was actually the opposite. He carefully scooped her in his arms and stroked under her chin. There was a gentle smile on his lips.
Lihua, the cat, was pleased. She even rubbed her head against his chest with a pleasant expression on her face.
Lihua, the human, was speechless. The cat never warmed up so quickly to her as she did to Lu Bojing. She was utterly amazed.
"...Wow. It's rare to see her approach someone on her own accord. Usually, she is very hostile to strangers."
Lu Bojing was about to reveal the truth, but he barely stopped in time. Of course, Lihua didn't know that he worked for Mingshen, so he knew the cat. He wasn't any stranger to her.
Well, I used to take care of her back in the lab, he thought.
As Mingshen's assistant, Lu Bojing was majorly in charge of taking care of her. And he did it quite beautifully. Mingshen didn't know if it was his quality, but Lu Bojing was good at dealing with animals. And the animals, for example, Lihua, the cat, liked him back too. So, the responsibility naturally came to him.
Otherwise, if the cat and Mingshen were left alone, they would always be at each other's throats. Their temperaments were similar, which was also why they couldn't stand each other at times. Almost all the time. Also, why the cat was quick to ditch him and happily went with Lihua and Wei.
Which terribly saddened Lu Bojing. After Qingqing left, he was in a great depression. He missed her a lot and cried for days. Mingshen was so fed up with him that he charged him with endless work to snap him out of that useless despair.
'Don't shed tears for a traitor!' was what he always shouted.
'If not for you always fighting with her, Qingqing wouldn't have thought of leaving from here!'
Lu Bojing rubbed under her chin, and Lihua, the cat, was satisfied.
Lihua, the human, observed. "She really likes you."
Lu Bojing was delighted.
How have you been, Qingqing? Did you miss me? I missed you a lot!
He took a good look at her and was pleased to see her healthy. Her fur was smooth and soft, which said she had been eating and sleeping quite well.
*Meowww*
Clearly, Lihua, the cat, was also thrilled with the reunion.
Lu Bojing was so excited that he had an urge to take her back home and play with her. But he pursed his lips. She was now Lihua's cat. He had no reason to put up such a request.
Suddenly, the hair on his arms stood up, feeling a chill. He lifted his gaze and found Wei standing behind Lihua but watching him with narrowed eyes that expressed his displeasure.
M-M-M-Mafia K-King! What is h-he doing here?
Is he furious that I am talking to Song Lihua? He sobbed.
B-But I saw Qingqing and couldn't help it...am I going to die? Should I call Boss and give my last message to him?
His body trembled hard. He didn't dare meet his gaze.
*Meowww*
Lihua, the cat or Qingqing, looked at him in disdain as she felt his shivering body.
This human is the same as ever!
Wei pursed his lips.
Why are they standing so close?
Lihua suddenly didn't know how to introduce them. Lu Bojing's part wasn't difficult, but Wei? Saying that her ex-husband was at home was…
"What are you doing here, you rich, evil capitalist!?"
Bobo came running out of his house and glared at him. Wei squinted his eyes at his little rival. Invisible lightning crackled between them.
"Lihua, why is he here?"
She coughed. "Well…"
He gasped. "Don't tell me you invited him!?"
"I-It's quite complicated."
"The complicated part is your brain that thought to allow him to come here."
"..."
Bobo was about to flare up once again when he saw Lu Bojing holding a cat. His eyes sparkled in delight. "A cat! She is so cute!"
Lihua, the cat, was pleased.
Good, good. You have an eye for beauty, I must say.
Wei took advantage of this chance, grabbed Lihua's hand, entered her house and shut the door.