Chapter 3: A Cat’s Justice, A Dog’s Pain, and a Clueless Doctor

Chen Xue was practically holding the man down and beating him, while the tabby cat waited on the side, ready to strike with its claws.

It was summer, and clothing was thin.

Unlike pet cats that had their claws trimmed, wild tabby cats relied on their sharp claws to survive.

Their hooked claws were razor-sharp, easily piercing through fabric.

“Fck, Chen Xue, are you crazy?!”

The man shielded himself with one hand while trying to back away.

But the agile tabby struck so fast that he only realized he had been scratched when a sharp pain shot up his leg.

Enraged, he grabbed a rock from the ground and threw it at the cat.

Damn, this is intense.

Wait, hold up so the streamer was telling the truth?

Huh??? Does she really have mind-reading powers for animals?!

Come on, guys, there’s a security camera. The footage would show everything.

Maybe the streamer saw the guy cheating downstairs while she was out for food and just acted like she heard it from the cat.

It’s such a ridiculous story, and you guys actually believe it?

I’m noting your usernames gonna sell y’all some miracle health supplements when you’re old.

The police car arrived quickly.

It was unclear which bystander had called the cops, but someone must have had enough of the scene.

The crowd had formed a tight circle, blocking the area completely.

The police car slowly made its way through, sirens blaring.

“Stop it! No more fighting!”

The moment the officer spoke, Chen Xue delivered a final kick to the man’s leg.

“We’re done!”

“AHHH!”

The man screamed as he collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain.

Chen Xue exhaled deeply, straightened her messy hair, and stepped forward to speak with the officers.

Seeing that the police had taken control of the situation, Wen Youning dusted off her clothes, turned around, and got back in line to buy her rice noodles.

Because of the commotion, many customers had stepped outside to see what was going on.

The line was now much shorter.

After taking just a few steps forward, it was already her turn.

The vendor held a pair of tongs.

“Hello, what would you like?”

“One bowl of extra-spicy rice noodles.

Less noodles, more toppings.”

Wen Youning glanced at the lineup of side dishes from crispy fried egg puffs to tiger-skin chicken feet and braised pig trotters.

After a moment of thought, she pointed at everything.

“I’ll take one of each.”

“Alright.

For takeout or dining in?”

The vendor quickly started assembling the dish.

“Takeout,” Wen Youning replied.

Her phone was still streaming, and eating outside would cause bad audio quality.

Since her place was just upstairs, she didn’t have to worry about the noodles getting soggy.

The vendor handed her a small round token.

“Scan here to pay.

Once the order is ready, we’ll call your number.

Pick it up at the left-side window.”

Taking the token, Wen Youning found a shaded spot under an umbrella and sat down.

She glanced back the police car had already left.

A few bloodstains remained on the ground from where the man had fallen.

The cat scratches weren’t deep, but there were many of them, and the bleeding had been quite heavy.

“Meow…”

Something soft brushed against her wrist.

The tabby cat had jumped onto the chair beside her.

Wen Youning rubbed its head, running her fingers down its back.

“Back from serving justice?”

“Ugh!”

The tabby flopped onto its side, its paws pawing at her wrist as it snuggled against her.

“Trying to act all pitiful now?”

She chuckled, lifting her hand.

The tabby followed her movements, going up and down with each lift.

“I’ll bring you some food next time.”

She squeezed its soft paw pad, making the claws retract and extend as she pressed her thumb against it.

“Look at these.

Tabby cats are basically the kings of wild street cats.

They’ve been training their claws since kittenhood.”

Releasing her hold, the claws snapped back in, giving the impression of a sword sliding into its sheath.

She held the paw up to the camera and swiped it across the screen.

“With these claws, catching mice or birds is no problem.”

The tabby lay flat on its back, totally relaxed.

Even though she was holding its paw, it showed no signs of resistance.

Nothing about its posture resembled the ferocious warrior it had been just minutes ago.

Forget catching mice if I tried this on my cat, I’d already be on my way to get a rabies booster shot.

Wait, is this really a stray? It’s way too chill for a feral cat.

Aww, even fierce kitties have soft pink toe beans! So cute!!

The tabby was lying just at the edge of the umbrella’s shade.

Sunlight warmed its belly but didn’t hit its eyes.

Its tail flicked lazily as it purred contentedly, half-closing its eyes.

Wen Youning placed her palm on the cat’s throat and felt the deep vibrations.

“Order number 17, extra-spicy deluxe noodles ready!”

“My noodles are done.”

She gave the tabby one last ear rub.

“Sleep tight.

I’m heading off.”

The drowsy tabby rolled over and sat on the table’s edge, watching her leave without blinking.

The deluxe meal had so many toppings that they couldn’t fit in one container.

A separate box was used for the side dishes, with some of the noodle broth poured in.

Since all the toppings were fried, a quick soak would absorb all the flavors.

“Doesn’t this look absolutely delicious?”

She lifted the noodles to the camera.

A thick layer of chili oil floated on top.

She couldn’t wait to dig in.

Hurrying home, she took the stairs two steps at a time.

Beep, beep.

The fingerprint lock scanned successfully.

As soon as she cracked open the door, a small shadow darted inside.

“Huh?”

Wen Youning raised an eyebrow.

That looked… familiar.

She stepped inside, shutting the door behind her.

The tabby cat had perched itself on the sofa.

“You followed me home?”

The cat tried to act casual, but after making a bold entrance, it suddenly seemed nervous.

It sat on the armrest, tucking its paws neatly together, tail curled tightly around itself.

“Like.”

Wen Youning chuckled.

“If you like it, you can stay for a few days.”

A few days?! What kind of answer is that?! Just adopt it already!

The cat came home with you willingly! How can you be so heartless?!

As a cat lover, I cannot bear to watch this QAQ.

Viewers flooded the chat, begging to adopt the cat themselves.

As she unwrapped her noodles, she explained,

“Tabbies have a very high abandonment rate.

If they weren’t raised indoors since birth, they usually struggle to adapt to domestic life.

Of course, if one follows you home voluntarily, you have to adopt it.”

“So it’s not about whether I want to keep it it’s whether it wants to live with me.”

It will adapt!! I swear! Just don’t abandon it!

I’d take care of it for life who wouldn’t love such a smart cat?!

Wen Youning adjusted the camera.

“Tabbies are as smart as Border Collies maybe even smarter.

Border Collies might think their owners are stupid, but they’ll still stick around.

Tabbies, though?

If they think you’re dumb, they’ll actually leave you.

They’ll abandon YOU.”

The chat was silent.

That was brutal.

“Just kidding,” she laughed.

“But I’ve heard that some tabbies, even if they don’t like being kept indoors, will still check on you from time to time.

If you’re doing fine, they leave for good.

If you’re struggling, they might even bring you food.”

Now that’s a responsible cat.

“Meow…”

The tabby cat pawed at Wen Youning’s leg, trying to jump onto her lap.

But as soon as its paws pressed down, it hesitated.

Wen Youning was wearing a skirt if the tabby dug in its claws, her legs would be covered in scratches.

“Want to come up?”

She lifted the cat and placed it on her lap.

“You can’t eat this.

I’ll buy you some cat food later.”

The strong scent of chili oil in the noodles was overwhelming.

Feline noses were incredibly sensitive, and even from a distance, the tabby squinted its eyes and turned its head away.

Burying its face into Wen Youning’s arms, it shook its ears, looking like it was ready to doze off.

One hand stroking the cat, one hand picking up noodles, Wen Youning ate leisurely.

Each bite of flavorful, spicy broth-soaked meat was deeply satisfying.

The bowl of noodles wasn’t too large.

With the extra toppings, it was just the right amount for a full meal.

After finishing the side dishes, she set down her chopsticks and checked the time.

“Hmm… today’s stream has hit the maximum duration.

I’m logging off for now.

Same time tomorrow don’t miss it!

Bye-bye!”

This time, she really ended the stream.

She needed to visit the pet hospital before it closed.

Before the chat could even start spamming question marks, she tapped her screen, closing the live room immediately.

The tabby cat was already fast asleep.

Curled up on her lap, it slept deeply.

She pinched its ears.

The little thing twitched its paws but didn’t wake up.

So, she let it sleep.

“Let’s go.

Time for the vet.”

Thankfully, it was still a kitten.

If it were a fully grown tabby, carrying it all the way there would have been a serious workout.

Where Wen Youning lived wasn’t exactly a shopping district, but it had everything she needed nearby.

Her apartment complex was well-equipped with all kinds of local businesses.

The pet hospital she found on her GPS was a small storefront.

It wasn’t big, but its description listed a wide range of pet services.

“Hello?”

She pushed open the door and looked inside.

The shop was completely empty.

Huh?

She glanced at the business hours posted at the entrance.

It wasn’t closing time yet.

The lights were on, so why was there no one here?

“Anyone here?”

She walked in a little further, checking if someone was behind the shelves.

Still no one in sight.

But faint voices could be heard from the back.

“Dr. Zhang, hold it still, I’ll put on the muzzle.”

“Careful with your hands!”

“Get the sedative!”

At the same time, a clear, distressed voice echoed in her mind:

“Pain! Pain! Ow, it hurts! Woof!”

A dog’s painful cries.

The tabby cat perked its ears, listening intently.

Following the voices, Wen Youning stepped inside.

In the main treatment room, soft mats covered the floor.

A fully grown Samoyed lay on one of them, hooked up to an IV drip.

But the dog was in obvious pain, rolling on the ground, howling in agony.

Dr. Zhang was at the back of the room, surrounded by a team of nurses and veterinarians.

A young woman knelt on one knee, trying to hold the Samoyed down.

But the dog’s struggles were too strong, and each time she reached out, it slipped away.

Watching her beloved pet suffer so much, her eyes turned red.

“What’s happening?!

You told me it was just a mild cold so why is Honey in so much pain?!”

Dr. Zhang, the one who had initially diagnosed the dog, looked panicked.

He examined its pupils.

“It really is just a cold.

You saw the test results yourself its vitals were completely normal.

It really”

The woman cut him off.

“Completely normal?!

Then why is my dog screaming in pain?!”

Sweat formed on Dr. Zhang’s forehead as he hurriedly removed the IV tape.

“Miss Lu, please calm down.

There are many possible reasons for this reaction.

It could be an internal organ issue, bladder stones, or even rabies.

We need to run full-body tests a blood test and a CT scan to confirm the cause.

Go to the front desk to pay first, and leave your dog with us.”

Miss Lu frowned deeply.

Dr. Zhang didn’t explain further.

He turned to grab a syringe from a nurse’s tray.

“I’ll give it a painkiller first.

Hold it down.”

“Awoo!”

Pinned down, the Samoyed threw its head back, howling even louder.

“My tail! My tail hurts! Ow, ow, ow!”

Hearing this, Wen Youning stopped in her tracks.

She lowered her gaze and noticed something.

Under Dr. Zhang’s shoe, the edge of a rolled-up rug was pressed down

And inside the fold… was the dog’s tail.

Her eyes widened.

Right as Dr. Zhang grabbed the dog’s paw to inject the painkiller, she spoke up.

“Wait a second!”

The tense atmosphere of the room snapped.

Dr. Zhang flinched so hard that his hand trembled.

Annoyed, he turned.

“Unrelated persons, get out.

This is a medical procedure don’t crowd the room!”

Instead of backing off, Wen Youning stepped forward through the crowd.

Before Dr. Zhang could chase her away, she spoke.

“It’s not sick.

Doctor, you’re stepping on its tail. That’s why it’s screaming.”

Dr. Zhang clicked his tongue.

“What tail?

Who even are you?

If you don’t understand, don’t interfere”

His words caught in his throat.

Tail?

Miss Lu froze.

Her gaze slowly moved downward.

A tuft of fur stuck out from the rolled-up carpet.

Dr. Zhang realized it too.

In the middle of the Samoyed’s loud wailing, he quickly lifted his foot.

With its support gone, the folded rug unrolled immediately.

The dog’s flattened tail flopped limply onto the floor.

The room fell silent.

Only the Samoyed’s soft whimpering remained.

The vets and nurses exchanged glances, all looking awkward.

The people holding the dog down slowly let go.

When people were embarrassed, they tended to pretend to be busy.

One scratched his head.

Another rubbed his nose.

But no one dared to speak first.

The freed Samoyed wagged its tail weakly, then curled up and licked the sore spot.

Its eyes glared at the doctor.

“Woof!”

You almost killed me, you idiot!

Still fuming, the Samoyed rolled on the carpet, barking angrily.

“Woof!

Woof woof woof awoo!”

Bad doctor!

Wanted to stab me!

Bad doctor!

You’re the one who’s sick!

I’m perfectly fine!

Woof!