SLLBTT Chapter 61
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
⋇⊶⊰Chapter 61⊱⊷⋇
The Secret of the Ragdoll Fairy —
Simply put —
— he was not a ragdoll.
Watching the flowing colored pigments on the floor, Liu Jiao stared in amazement. "Are you a white cat? Your... your main color is dyed?"
"I'm a Linqing lion cat." The "Ragdoll Fair" dropped the cute act, revealing a regional accent. "Linqing, familiar with it? It's in Shandong, just there..."
Liu Jiao listened in a daze. "So, you're not a ragdoll? You're a white lion cat with blue eyes? Are those dark fur dyed?"
"And the dye isn't that great." The Snow Wolf King looked at the paint on the floor. "Why not buy something more expensive?"
The lion cat nodded. "It's because of budget constraints! Despite my apparent prosperity, a lot of my money goes to Big Orange Brother. Sigh, I'm really pitiful! Do you think being a star is easy? Who can understand my bitterness? Wuwuwu!"
"Then why pretend to be a ragdoll?" Liu Jiao asked in confusion.
"Because everyone likes ragdolls!" The lion cat's tone was disdainful. "Look at cat livestreamers, as long as they're ragdolls, their clicks are several times higher than others. Of course, breeds like British Shorthair, American Shorthair, Siamese can still compete, but in the realm of internet celebrities, there's no place for us Shandong cats!"
Then, the lion cat burst into tears.
Liu Jiao figured it out but said, "You still shouldn't deceive people!"
"Still gotta earn a living!" the lion cat retorted, "And I'm not really deceiving! There are plenty of broadcasters whose appearance changes a lot before and after makeup! At least my species is a genuine cat! Have you ever seen a lion dog dye its fur to become a panda and host livestreams?"
Speaking again, the lion cat enthusiastically introduced, "Actually, the Linqing lion cat is truly beautiful! It can compete with ragdolls easily! Strong body, not as prone to illness as ragdolls!"
"Hold on—" Liu Jiao frowned, "Are you saying your body is really strong?"
"Of course!" The lion cat leaped and darted energetically, as if ready to unleash a set of powerful kung fu moves at any moment.
Liu Jiao was utterly astonished. "So, all that talk about a delicate body and special dietary needs was just..."
"All part of the 'cat persona,'" the lion cat replied. "Fans love delicate beauties, so what can I do? Besides, ragdolls are known to be delicate, so if I'm going to pose as one, I have to play that part too. Plus, I noticed that if I act delicate, the company won't assign me as much work..."
Liu Jiao thought for a moment, realizing the lion cat's recent schedule was packed — even with the company mistakenly thinking the lion cat was frail. If the company knew the lion cat was robust, they might make him do even more!
The Snow Wolf King said, "So, Big Orange Brother doesn't know you're a lion cat?"
"He definitely doesn't know. I initially gained popularity as a livestreamer, and their company discovered me. I've been setting up all sorts of barriers because I don't want their people getting too close to my life, lest they find out my fur is dyed."
The lion cat knelt down with a plop, holding Liu Jiao's hand. "Mom, please don't tell anyone! Otherwise, my 'cat persona' will crumble! I have a lot of devoted fans, and if they turn on me, I'm done for!"
Liu Jiao furrowed his brow. "The entertainment industry is really complicated."
"Not complicated, not complicated at all," the lion cat hastily said. "You all work so hard for money, right? I can give you money!"
Liu Jiao, however, replied, "Money is not something I lack."
The lion cat looked incredulous, doubting his words.
The Snow Wolf King spoke, "This club doesn't welcome cats. How did you get in?"
"While this club doesn't serve cats, the owner is my aunt. She originally worked as a yoga instructor."
It was quite common for cat demons to work as yoga instructors since they naturally perform movements with great precision.
When the lion cat came here, it first transformed into its cat demon form — it was less likely to be recognized. Entering through the back door of the yoga club, it took the staff route to the VIP room for a bath. Despite cats naturally disliking baths, the lion cat, now a celebrity, needed to maintain appearances and get touch-ups. So, it would often bathe and dye its fur in the guest room.
Today, while the lion cat was finishing its bath and doing touch-ups, the Snow Wolf King and Liu Jiao found their way in, startling it and causing the dye to spill on the floor.
The Snow Wolf King pondered for a moment but then said, "Where did you get your jade pendant?"
Perplexed, the lion cat asked, "What jade pendant?"
The Snow Wolf King pulled out his phone and showed the lion cat a photo.
It was a picture of the distinctive jade pendant that Bai Lingling wore as a symbol of commitment.
The lion cat looked bewildered. "What's this?"
"A jade pendant," the Snow Wolf King said, "Do you have this jade pendant?"
The lion cat shook its head in confusion. "Why are you asking about this?"
The Snow Wolf King then explained, "But someone saw you wearing this jade pendant."
"Really?" the lion cat asked, "When?"
"During the filming of 'Dominant Wolf King and Charming Cat Consort.'"
"Could it have been a prop for the costume? When I acted in that drama, I wore a lot of gold and silver jewelry."
The Snow Wolf King insisted, "Are you sure you've never seen this jade pendant?"
"Never."
"Really?" The Snow Wolf King double-checked.
The lion cat practically swore to the heavens, "Absolutely not! You're like a father to me, how could I lie to you?"
The Snow Wolf King, less than pleased, retorted, "I don't have a son like you."
Liu Jiao nodded vigorously. "Exactly, we don't have a son like you!"
The lion cat asked again, "You two won't spill the beans about what you saw today, will you?"
The Snow Wolf King replied, "We won't, but you have to accompany me somewhere first."
"Where?"
"You'll find out when you get there."
The lion cat, sensing danger, bristled. "But... but I can't! What if you take me somewhere to sell me? What would I do then?"
"Exactly, what would you do?" The Snow Wolf King smiled. "Are you coming or not?"
The lion cat swallowed hard and nodded obediently. "I'm coming."
Speaking of which, the lion cat added, "But could I put on some clothes first?"
"What clothes do cats wear?" The Snow Wolf King firmly refused, scooped up the lion cat with its white fur flailing in protest, and tossed it into a cat carrier. Carrying the bag, he walked out. This was a specialized cat carrier used for catching cat demons, soundproofed so the Snow Wolf King and Liu Jiao could chat without the lion cat hearing. Thus, Liu Jiao gathered the courage to straightforwardly ask the Snow Wolf King, "Great King, where are you taking the lion cat?"
"To my brother's house," the Snow Wolf King replied, "To cure his blindness."
"But your brother isn't blind."
"He's still too young."
Liu Jiao nodded with a hint of confusion. "I've heard that the divine snow wolves might lose their senses when they're young, but it's like fixing a computer, just a couple of kicks and it's fine."
The Snow Wolf King found it amusing. "You've heard about that too?"
"I occasionally read about it in the palace library."
"Seems like reading does broaden one's horizons," the Snow Wolf King casually remarked, holding the Northland Snow Leopard Beauty with one hand and carrying the Linqing Lion Cat with the other.
The two discreetly left the "Definitely Slim Yoga and Fitness Club" and walked onto the streets. Far from the city center, it was desolate, especially at this late hour, where you wouldn't encounter a soul for a kilometer. Streetlights were hit or miss, casting a dark, chilly ambiance. If an ordinary person strolled here, they'd likely feel uneasy and fearful.
However, the Snow Wolf King and the Snow Leopard felt nothing. They could see the road clearly even without streetlights.
"They fixed this streetlight," the Snow Wolf King said. "According to studies, there's a correlation between streetlights and crime rates. If the streetlights on a road are always out, nighttime crimes tend to increase."
"Oh, I see?" Liu Jiao nodded, admiringly saying, "The Great King knows so much!"
The Snow Wolf King laughed. "It's all from the civil service exams."
"Even you have to take exams?"
"Yes," the Snow Wolf King recalled, "Back then, after the previous Snow Wolf King stepped down, there were discussions on how to select the next one. The civil service exam was one of the criteria."
"But you mentioned before that you were chosen because of the close blood relation with the previous Snow Wolf King, right?"
"That's also one of the factors," the Snow Wolf King replied, "But at the time, due to the unfavorable personality of the previous Snow Wolf King, and considering historical cases of noble rulers with close blood ties being incompetent, there was debate. People wondered if choosing a successor solely based on blood relation was a wise decision."
"So, exams were introduced?" .
"Yes," the Snow Wolf King answered, "Anyway, I ranked first in the exams."
Liu Jiao admired, "Great King, you're amazing!"
The Snow Wolf King smiled and said, "You're pretty amazing too."
Saying this, the Snow Wolf King gently kissed Liu Jiao's forehead.
At that moment, several hyenas suddenly emerged on the road, snarling menacingly, "Holdup!"
The Snow Wolf King remarked, "I told you, darkness breeds crime."
Liu Jiao nodded. "You're truly amazing!"
The hyenas cursed, "*, homos are such pests! Hurry up and hand over your money!"
The Snow Wolf King lightly stroked Liu Jiao's head again. "Your hair is a mess."
Liu Jiao blushed and lowered his head.
Despite the broken streetlights casting darkness, the hyenas were about to be blinded by this couple. One of them scoffed, "Damn gays, can't you show some respect for the robbers!"
The Snow Wolf King sighed. "Ah, Xiao Jiao, go ahead."
Liu Jiao nodded and pounced on the hyenas, engaging in a fight. As was well known, hyenas never fight all at once. There were always a few standing by, waiting for an opportunity. One of these bystanders, observing Liu Jiao's fierce moves, remarked, "What the heck kind of cat is this! Can really throw a punch!"
The hyena, glancing back and seeing the Snow Wolf King standing motionless, thought, "This guy must be weak. I'll sneak up and ambush him."
Silently, the hyena circled behind the Snow Wolf King, then suddenly opened its mouth to bite. Simultaneously, the Snow Wolf King swiftly turned around, delivering a punch to the hyena's face. The hyena was instantly sent flying a meter away, losing a couple of teeth in the process.
However, just as the Snow Wolf King turned with his right hand to strike the hyena, he felt a loosening in his left hand. Turning back, he saw a vulture swooping down, snatching the cat carrier away.
After the vulture flew off, the Snow Wolf King leaped onto the rooftop. In an instant, he witnessed the vulture carrying the cat carrier, disappearing into the night sky amidst the layers of clouds.
Despite the Snow Wolf King's agility, being a terrestrial animal meant he couldn't chase after a vulture. He could only gaze at the layers of clouds with a sigh.
"What happened?" The snow leopard, having scared off the hyenas, also jumped onto the rooftop and asked the Snow Wolf King.
"A vulture suddenly appeared and snatched the lion cat."
"Ah!" Liu Jiao exclaimed in shock. "Why?"
The Snow Wolf King opened his phone and said, "But the cat carrier has a locator."
"So, where is the cat carrier now?"
The Snow Wolf King frowned, "It went to the Bai manor."
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