Chapter Sixty-Five: Treating Her Like a Dog

“Let’s go, let’s head back first.”

Han Mingxuan held both cats in his arms, sighing as if talking to himself, shaking his head as he made his way home.

Of course, it wasn’t my home, but his.

It was my first time seeing such a beautiful little Western-style villa, with numerous uniformed security guards patrolling outside.

Good heavens, how much money does it take to build a house this grand?

Xiaoyun and I were crouched in the backseat of Han Mingxuan’s car at that moment, all four paws pressed against the window as we gazed outside.

Xiaoyun’s ears twitched as she admired, “What a beautiful three-story house!”

“This is called a villa,” I replied, lost in admiration at the Western-style residence and envious of such a standard of living.

If I’d had even a hundredth of this, my earlier years wouldn’t have been so hard, working myself to the bone just to send Xin’er to school.

As I spoke, Han Mingxuan suddenly turned around and gave each of us a light tap on the forehead.

“This is a villa, don’t be so clueless, will you?”

“Villa…” Xiaoyun and I echoed in awe.

Xiaoyun seemed not to know what a villa was, but I had some vague impression—those amazing houses rich people lived in on TV.

Han Mingxuan’s place was every bit as good as those on TV, complete with lawns, parking, fountains, and flowerbeds. The building itself was Western in style, three stories high.

Still, I found the term “little Western-style house” more pleasing to my taste.

In no time, Han Mingxuan’s car entered the courtyard. He didn’t even park himself—a man in the back immediately got out to take over and park for him.

With both of us in his arms, Han Mingxuan whistled once in the yard.

With a creak, the front door opened and a lovely young girl in a dress ran out, lifting her skirt as she moved.

“Brother Han, you’re back!” Xin’er, with her hair in two little pigtails, ran over beaming.

She looked as if she’d been waiting eagerly for Han Mingxuan’s return.

My own face fell at the sight. “You’re treating my sister like a dog?!”

“Nonsense! I just can’t get used to your shabby apartment. Besides, there’s nothing for me to eat there, and over time, it just gets aggravating.”

“I’m not talking about you moving! I mean why does my sister come running when you whistle? Are you treating her like a dog?!” I pounded his chest in outrage from within his arms.

“Hm, the dog on the second floor smells pretty good, though.”

As he spoke, he even smacked his lips and licked them, as if reminiscing about something tasty!

I was dumbstruck—second floor dog? That terrifying big black dog? Did he eat it?

I hadn’t seen it last time and thought it was out for a walk. But Han Mingxuan ate it?!

How terrifying!

I immediately went quiet, too intimidated to speak further, until Xin’er ran up to Han Mingxuan.

“Brother Han, do you think my new dress is pretty?” Xin’er spun around, showing off before Han Mingxuan.

“It’s lovely; you look good in anything.” Han Mingxuan’s smile was as roguish as ever as he led Xin’er inside.

He asked the housekeeper about Xin’er’s day, and I listened on in speechless amazement.

I had truly entrusted her to the right person. Today, Xin’er had taken etiquette lessons, piano, dance, art, and even classes I’d never heard of—floral arrangement, gardening, elocution.

These, I realized, were the sorts of things upper-class young ladies learned. Ordinary families could never afford such things.

After reporting on her studies, the housekeeper listed Xin’er’s meals, snacks, nap schedule, and shopping.

The more I listened, the more I wanted to cry. This was nothing like Xin’er’s life before… I suddenly felt, as her sister, that I owed her so much.

But then I worried: my Xin’er had always been so well-behaved—could this new life lead her astray under Han Mingxuan’s care?

Yet seeing her still so gentle and obedient, my worries settled somewhat.

Then I was swept back into guilt for not giving Xin’er a better life before.

Han Mingxuan patted me on the head, remarking thoughtfully, “Of all the pets I’ve had, this is the most expensive and high-maintenance; you’d better repay me properly.”

I turned my neck away, refusing to pay him any mind.

But Han Mingxuan was in no mood to ignore me. With Xiaoyun in one arm, he grabbed my bald tail with his other hand.

“Keep Xin’er company while she studies. I’ll deal with these two cats.”

“Yes, sir,” the housekeeper bowed respectfully and left with Xin’er.

I wanted to catch another glimpse, but the ache in my tail distracted me the very next second!

With no one else around, I shouted, “You jerk! My tail hurts like hell!”

“Good, then you’ll remember it.” He showed no sympathy as he carried me along.

Xiaoyun, sitting in his lap, looked at me with pitiful eyes, which only made me sulk silently and submit to being carried.

When Han Mingxuan reached the second floor and set me on a table, my tail felt numb at the root.

But then, to my alarm, he lifted my tail—so I quickly covered my backside!

“What are you doing?!”

“Applying medicine. What else?” Han Mingxuan still held the tip of my tail.

“No need! I’ll heal on my own in a few days.” I tried to wriggle away, narrowing my eyes in protest.

“No trouble, I’m happy to serve you.”

He grinned in the most indecent way, then pressed an alcohol-soaked cotton ball to the little wounds the razor had left on my skin!

It wasn’t excruciating, but it stung enough to make me clutch my bottom and hiss in pain for a good while.

Only when he’d had enough did he let me go.

I hugged my bare tail, howling softly. Inwardly, I grumbled—if Wangchuan saw me like this, the teasing would be endless…

Han Mingxuan, meanwhile, sat upright on a stool with his legs crossed. “So tell me, what were you two doing at my bar?”

I trembled, looking at Xiaoyun, unsure what to say.

But this little cat, who’d been treated so differently from me ever since she arrived, was clearly quite fond of Han Mingxuan.

Before I could hesitate any longer, she blurted it out.

“Our master sent us to find twenty souls. Someone was going to die at your bar, so we were lying in wait!”

I gasped—Xiaoyun was getting bolder by the day, emboldened by my recent favoritism! She was getting way too cheeky!

She deserved a good scolding!

Seeing my furious glare, Han Mingxuan flicked my forehead again, then said to Xiaoyun, “Go on.”

“That’s all!” Xiaoyun blinked her big eyes, playing cute, even resting her paw on Han Mingxuan’s hand.

Well, well, another Xiaomi in the making—has she got her eye on Han Mingxuan too?

No, this isn’t the first time, but Han Mingxuan isn’t like Fishball.

He never shows up by coincidence, yet seems to know everything. He tricked Pei Mu out of his spirit orb—for what, I don’t know. Even Wangchuan calls him a cunning wolf. Even if he means well, we ought to be a little cautious.

So I kept signaling Xiaoyun with my eyes, but she didn’t even look at me—just flopped right down on the table, belly up for Han Mingxuan to scratch! She melted into a cat pancake, purring away as she recounted for him how we met Brother Wang and were surrounded by thugs, and how Xin’er’s fate was nearly sealed before we entrusted her to Han Mingxuan.

I covered my face, watching this girl spill every last detail to Han Mingxuan—what a headache.

After listening, Han Mingxuan nodded. “So that’s how it is.”

He got up to fetch a bowl, mixing all sorts of meat and vegetables together, then wolfed it down noisily.

He ate so differently from Wangchuan, who was refined and delicate, eating as though performing a ritual.

Han Mingxuan, however, ate like a man with a steel stomach—meals were just meals to him.

Honestly, I’d always wanted to find a man like that, one who wouldn’t be bothered by anything—so much easier to handle.

In no time, Han Mingxuan finished, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and scooped both of us up again.

“Let’s go. Time to collect souls—and you’ll finally get your revenge on that little Wang.”