Chapter Thirty-Two: Dear Mr. Qilin—A Bonus Chapter for the Many Accumulated Rewards and Love (Second Update)

I kept hearing that sound, so of course I instinctively covered my ears. There was no need to think—such a blaring loudspeaker, combined with a furious roar, meant the other party was practically right on top of us!

I braced myself for him to come crashing down from above, but instead, a melody from a music box drifted through the air. Delicate and clear, charming to the ear—it was an old song, "Orchid Grass."

With a dark expression, I wondered what tricks Pei Mu was up to now, when suddenly a green light appeared, descending from the sky like a giant jellyfish. It moved slowly—astonishingly slow—trembling as it came down. All the little cats looked up in wonder at this bizarre sight; only Rebecca’s mouth twitched.

As it drew nearer, I heard Pei Mu’s leisurely singing. “I come from the sky, carrying a parachute… the parachute didn’t open, so I’m about to fall…”

He sang, and then—bang! He really did fall down! There was another pit in the ground, and again, no sign of him—until he stood right before me!

He was clad in a dazzling bathrobe, hands on hips, lips pursed, gazing at the crowd of cats that had pinned me underneath.

“Are you playing human pyramid?” he suddenly asked, a radiant smile spreading across his face.

I was always witness to this lunatic qilin’s bizarre ideas and the chain of events that inevitably followed. My instincts told me to retreat, clawing to escape!

But the other cats, stacked above me, had no clue what was happening, standing dazed and unmoving, neither dodging nor fleeing.

I scratched desperately, trying to wriggle out from the tangled pile, but it was too late!

Pei Mu burst out laughing, then lifted his bathrobe, revealing two slender, pale legs, and shouted, “Qilin bomb incoming!”

With a whoosh, the qilin, wearing green shorts beneath, leaped into the air—landing with frog-like limbs!

The other cats scattered in a flash!

At the very bottom was me—pinned down, once again, by him.

With a splat, my eyes nearly popped out. I was crushed by this mad qilin, utterly helpless!

“Aha! Qianqian!” He sat up. “Turns out it wasn’t a pyramid at all!”

I lay on the ground, exhausted. “What did you think… it was just those cats…”

“So those cats are playing live-action slap game with you, aren’t they?” He laughed heartily. “But you’re the best—never wanting me to lose, always taking the bottom spot for me…”

With that, he scooped me up and rubbed his face against mine.

At that moment, I told myself not to cry! Told myself again and again!

At last, after suppressing that awkward tear born of a thousand tangled emotions, I was set down.

Rebecca had been standing nearby, her expression sour as Pei Mu appeared out of nowhere.

Once Pei Mu let me go, she flicked her tail, signaling the little cats to come forward and catch me.

“Playing again?”

Seeing the little cats rush toward me, Pei Mu lifted his bathrobe once more, displaying his gleaming long legs!

His weight was certainly not normal.

The group of cats had witnessed me being squashed beneath him earlier, so they shuddered, hesitating to approach.

Rebecca, seeing this, blinked in disdain. Unafraid, she strode forward with her tail raised, addressing Pei Mu.

“Lord Qilin, please refrain from interfering with our apprehension.”

“Oh, my!” Pei Mu’s smile blossomed. “Blue-eyed kitten, you used to call me ‘dear Qilin’ when we watched the moon together, but now you address me as ‘Lord Qilin’? My heart aches… How quickly you’ve changed, I must be blind in my qilin eyes. I knew it was right to let Wangchuan throw you out back then.”

“No—Lord Qilin, it’s not like that…” Rebecca’s gaze darted around awkwardly, avoiding Pei Mu.

Pei Mu laughed again, then began pacing around Rebecca, arms outstretched as if reasoning.

“Oh heavens! Even a little cat is so impressive now? Calling me ‘Lord Qilin’!” Pei Mu turned, pursed his lips, and grumbled, “Who knows if one day you’ll simply call me ‘Qilin’…”

“This, this…”

“What this, what!” Pei Mu suddenly shouted, startling Rebecca into stepping back.

“That won’t happen,” Rebecca forced herself to respond, clearly terrified of Pei Mu.

“Who knows! Anyway, I don’t like you. Get lost.” Pei Mu waved his hand, then turned to smile at me, “Let’s play another round!”

I trembled, looking at Pei Mu’s expression, then at Rebecca. Could I say, weighing the two options, I’d rather have Rebecca take me away?

Rebecca, too, looked at me with difficulty. “You know what you’ve done. Give yourself up, don’t hide behind Lord Qilin…”

“Bah!” Pei Mu turned. “I’m standing in front of her, are you blind?”

“I…” Rebecca was speechless once more.

At this moment, I felt I really shouldn’t drag Pei Mu into this mess. He was already a little crazy; if he went mad over something trivial, the outcome wouldn’t be good.

So I stepped forward, looked at Pei Mu, and for the first time smiled from the heart.

“I did break the rules, so I really have to go with her.”

Pei Mu frowned. “Did you steal her food? Weren’t you just in that colorful human world?”

“Yes.” I smiled bitterly. “Anyway, I’m suspected of killing a cat, so I must be investigated, or else how can I clear myself…”

I hadn’t finished when Pei Mu put a hand over my mouth. “Did you do it?”

He kept his hand there, so I couldn’t speak, only shook my head to indicate no.

Pei Mu sighed in relief. “I knew it! When I met you this morning, you were being kidnapped by villains, how could you have killed a cat… Ouch! Were you hurt? Did the bad guys hit you? The manhole was so dark! After kind people rescued me, I almost got sent to some rehab center… Luckily, I escaped fast! So scary!”

His barrage of words left me stunned. In the end, I raised a paw and tapped his hand away from my mouth.

Once he released me, I finally spoke. “I’m fine, but I really must go back with them to be investigated, or else…”

“Or else what!” Pei Mu cut me off again. “Don’t push me, or I’ll play dead for you!”

“Play dead?” I was startled, then chuckled. “Don’t be ridiculous…”

“I’m not joking.” Pei Mu picked me up, for once holding me with a serious face. “Come, let’s play a game. I recently discovered…”

“Wait!” Rebecca suddenly leaped in front of us. “Lord Qilin, please don’t disrupt us further. We’re just doing our duty; please don’t…”

“I want to! I want to! What can you do? I’m biased! Why don’t you know any melodramas? Why didn’t you watch Pokémon? Hey, where’s my Poké Ball? Where’s my ball?”

As he spoke, Pei Mu began rummaging all over himself for his Poké Ball, searching everywhere—even inside his shorts—before finally pouting in frustration.

“Ah—my Poké Ball is gone!!!!”

The topic suddenly veered off, leaving everyone unsure how to respond.

Rebecca looked utterly forlorn, as if she’d suffered Pei Mu’s disdain and torment for ages, hence her fear.

“It must’ve been left at that rehab center! They tried to change my clothes! I…”

Pei Mu was still talking when I interrupted him gently, “No, no, I promise it wasn’t lost.”

“You promise?” Without even asking where it was, Pei Mu grinned. “That’s good. It’s not important anyway, just a little treasure forged from sixteen immortal beasts’ Xuantian iron over several years. Mainly, it’s our contract, so it can’t be lost!”

I broke out in cold sweat—sixteen immortal beasts forging some rare metal for years, and he calls it a little treasure?

But whatever this crazy qilin says must be true! Perhaps this is just how the immortal realm works—anything crafted casually is made from priceless materials!

“Lord Qilin…” Rebecca, feeling neglected, flicked her tail, looked at Pei Mu holding me, and spoke again. “Lord Qilin, please stop. We’re just following the law. Only Bai Qianqian refuses to be arrested. If she won’t let us catch her, we can’t investigate. Isn’t that right?”

“I wouldn’t dare say.” Pei Mu clicked his tongue. “You’re the head cat, so of course you decide! But, if Qianqian gets locked in the cat room and hasn’t killed a cat, will you lock yourself in to compensate? Can you make up for her days not playing with me?”

“Lord Qilin!” Rebecca was nearly losing her mind.

In front of Pei Mu, Rebecca had no pride—only speechless frustration, though she still tried to explain.

“This matter…”

“Enough, enough—” Pei Mu suddenly waved his hand, then curled his lips at Rebecca. “I don’t like talking nonsense with you. If there’s anything, go straight to Wangchuan. You have no right to catch anyone on your own here.”

His words sounded, for a moment, neither crazy nor playful, as if he were perfectly sane.

Rebecca pondered for a long while before nodding, agreeing to take me to Wangchuan.

Pei Mu laughed, hands on hips, then wandered around on the ground, searching for a small stone.

I was curious what he was up to, but saw nothing—until a metallic clang rang out in the distance, like a monk striking a bell!

Several little cats saw a dust mark left by the stone on the large cat statue, and gasped!

Everyone assumed Pei Mu was warning Rebecca, and dared not utter a word!

Only I wondered—did Pei Mu know I’d hidden food in that statue, and was warning me?

Was it him who spoke to me just now?

Heavens… If that’s discovered, what will I do?!