The kid is right.
It’s not just mother cats any animal that has just given birth tends to be highly aggressive.
I used to feed a stray dog.
After she gave birth, she would growl whenever I got close.
Only when the puppies got older did she allow me near.
Wait why did the screen go black while returning the kitten to its nest?!
There weren’t many viewers in the livestream.
Only a few people were chatting in the comments.
After typing their messages, they looked up and realized that the stream had gone completely dark.
If the platform hadn’t indicated that the host was still live, they would have thought she had ended the stream.
Wen You Ning said, “I’ll show you the kitten again in a bit.”
This building was occupied.
The hallway was cluttered with stacked items and discarded furniture that people didn’t want to throw away, nearly blocking the passage.
Navigating through was even harder than walking through an undeveloped alleyway.
The little orange cat moved effortlessly through the mess.
The boy, with his height advantage, also managed.
But for Wen You Ning, it was much more difficult.
Fortunately, there weren’t any gaps so small that only a rat could squeeze through.
After passing through a dense area of furniture, she realized they were on a connecting corridor.
Clothes hung over the railing, and cured meat dangled on the other side evidence of daily life.
Most of the buildings in this area had similar walkways linking them.
She didn’t know how long they had been walking, moving up and down, but there were no floor markers on the walls.
She had no idea which floor they were on.
“Meow…”
A faint kitten’s cry came from beneath a pile of furniture.
Wen You Ning crouched down and pulled aside a hanging piece of fabric to look inside.
A calico cat lay on its side.
Its round animal pupils stared unblinkingly at the outside world.
The moment the calico cat saw a human appear, it bared its teeth and hissed.
“Hiss !”
At the same time, its body lunged forward.
Its extended paw revealed sharp claws, scraping wrinkles into the fabric beneath it.
The boy noticed the calico cat’s aggression and reached out to pull Wen You Ning back.
“Be careful, sis.”
“Don’t worry, I can handle it.”
Wen You Ning bent down, her head barely protected by the makeshift cover.
The position was uncomfortable.
She decided to sit on a wooden shelf jutting out nearby.
The little orange cat hopped onto a table beside her.
Wen You Ning petted it, curling her fingers to scratch under its chin.
“Thanks, little guy.
You worked hard leading the way.
Stay here and don’t run off.
I’ll bring you some treats from the market later.”
“Meow…”
The little orange cat opened its mouth slightly, a soft rumbling vibrating in its throat.
It really led the way?
That little orange cat isn’t very big, but it sure is reliable.
It follows instructions so well!
First leading the way, now waiting patiently… I just want to hug it.
Wait a second nobody is questioning the fact that the streamer is talking to a cat?!
New viewer?
Watch for a while before commenting.
Yesterday’s followers are already clapping in approval.
Inside the nest, the calico cat pinned its ears back.
Its round head appeared even chubbier with its ears hidden.
Sharp fangs bared in warning.
It was furious, silently declaring its hostility toward the intruder.
The nest was lined with soft padding.
It looked clean—someone must have been taking care of the cats, likely a resident of this floor.
“Shh, keep it down.
No need to be so aggressive.”
Wen You Ning pressed a finger to her lips.
“Look, I brought you something!”
“Meow!”
The kitten’s cry was sharp and high-pitched.
She widened the gap in the cloth and lifted the tiny kitten in her hands, making sure the mother cat could see it.
She even moved it closer.
“Look familiar?”
As small virtual gifts floated across the livestream, the viewer count visibly increased.
Newcomers who clicked in saw Wen You Ning fearlessly extending the kitten toward the mother cat.
With more people watching, some started questioning her actions.
Wait, what?!
You’re just handing over the kitten like that?
Right in front of the mother cat?
Are you trying to lose a hand?!
That cat is going to scratch you raw.
Who taught her how to return a kitten like this?
Even if you want attention, don’t risk your life!
If your hand gets bitten, what will you do then?
Risky actions always attracted attention.
Wen You Ning noticed the comments.
But instead of pulling back, she spoke clearly into the camera.
“This is a dangerous action.
Please do not imitate.”
After that, she extended her hand even further.
“Come on, I’m bringing your baby back.”
The hissing calico cat hesitated.
It tilted its head in confusion, staring at Wen You Ning.
Then it looked down at the kittens nestled against its belly.
“One, seven, five…”
“They’re all here.”
“Not mine.”
“It is yours.
If you don’t believe me, sniff it.
Your counting is off one comes after two, not after seven.”
Wen You Ning listened to the calico cat’s confused counting.
Its awkward sequence of Arabic numerals made her smile.
She didn’t know the exact number of kittens.
But she was sure the one in her hand belonged in the count.
The calico cat froze.
Its mouth opened wider, pupils narrowing into slits.
Its ears shot back up.
“Meow!”
“Who says I can’t count?!”
“Don’t doubt a cat!”
“Wait humans can hear me counting?!”
“Meow!”
“It’s not all humans, just me.”
Wen You Ning grinned.
“Come on, take it.
It’s starving and has been crying the whole time.”
The calico cat hesitated but slowly got up.
Its eyes remained locked on Wen You Ning as it cautiously inched closer.
“Check if there’s a hole in your nest somewhere.
The kitten probably fell out by accident.”
Wen You Ning muttered as she adjusted the kitten.
“It might smell a little different because of unfamiliar scents.
But don’t worry, it’s safe.
The scent is from the kid who picked it up this one here.
Go ahead, introduce yourself.”
The boy stood frozen, his mind struggling to process what he had just witnessed.
When he heard her, he moved like a puppet following a command, awkwardly raising his hand in a wave.
The calico cat instantly hissed at him.
“Hiss !”
The boy flinched, stepping back.
Wen You Ning had been holding the kitten long enough for her scent to mask most of the boy’s, but it wasn’t completely gone.
She had to warn the mother cat in advance so it wouldn’t be startled when sniffing its baby.
The calico cat leaned forward, its nose nearing Wen You Ning’s hand.
It carefully sniffed
Trying to determine if this kitten was truly its own.
The boy opened his mouth, wanting to remind Wen You Ning to be careful.
At this distance, if the calico suddenly bit down, she wouldn’t be able to dodge.
But he was afraid that speaking would startle the cat and make things worse.
The elementary schooler clenched his fists nervously.
His mom had told him where to go if a stray cat bit him…
Even the viewers held their breath, waiting for the calico cat to snap at Wen You Ning’s hand.
But
At the last moment, the fierce-looking mother cat didn’t bite.
The expected puncture wounds from sharp feline teeth never appeared.
While everyone else was on edge, the calico simply… licked the kitten in Wen You Ning’s hand.
Then, after a pause, it licked her fingertips as well.
“Meow…”
The boy: “???”
Chat: ???
Wait, what?!
Tsk… What was I even nervous about just now?
Wasn’t the mother cat supposed to be aggressive after giving birth?
I was expecting a bloody battle.
Is it just me, or did the mother cat, who was hissing moments ago, suddenly turn gentle?
The streamer must have cast some kind of spell (confirmed).
The calico cat bit the kitten by the scruff of its neck.
Wen You Ning supported the kitten with her palm.
Seeing this, she let her wrist relax, allowing the kitten to dangle freely.
The moment the mother cat held the kitten, it became noticeably quieter.
Its cries were no longer as sharp as before.
“This platform edge is a bit dangerous.”
The cloth at the back had been torn.
Old fabric tended to be brittle and easily torn.
Wen You Ning felt that the kittens, wriggling and squeezing in the nest, could fall down again.
She stood up and searched through the abandoned furniture for something useful.
These items had probably been left here for a long time.
There hadn’t been any fire inspections, or they would have been cleared out.
She pulled out a wooden board.
“Ugh, cough cough”
A cloud of dust rose, making her cough.
“Alright, let’s use this.
It’s sturdy enough.”
“Good kitty, don’t move.”
Wen You Ning carefully placed the wooden board behind the cat’s nest.
If the kitten had already fallen once at this age, once they became more active and started crawling around, they’d be raining down like little furballs.
The calico mother curled around her kittens, looking up obediently at Wen You Ning’s actions.
The ferocity from earlier was completely gone.
The wooden board completely blocked the space behind the nest, near the window ledge, making it feel much safer.
Wen You Ning tapped the board a few times with her hand, making sure it was securely wedged in before letting go.
“Meow…”
The calico cat affectionately rubbed against Wen You Ning’s hand.
“Thank you.”
Wen You Ning smiled.
“You’re welcome.”
When she turned around, she met a pair of wide, eager eyes.
“Big sister, how did you do that?!
Were you talking to the kittens just now?
I feel like you were actually having a conversation with them!”
The boy loved animals.
Because of his interest, his mother had worried he might try to pet stray cats on the street.
She had given him plenty of educational material, teaching him that newly postpartum mother cats were as dangerous as rabid stray dogs.
So, he had always been terrified of them.
When he lifted the cloth earlier, the mother cat had hissed aggressively.
Yet, this young woman had said just a few words, and suddenly, the calico had turned gentle.
The transformation was magical.
“Yes.”
Wen You Ning stood up.
With the kitten safely returned to its nest and feeding, her mission was complete.
She looked at the little boy beside her and playfully teased, “Amazing, right?”
“It’s incredible!
Big sister, you’re amazing!”
The boy’s eyes sparkled.
Children at his age didn’t overanalyze things.
They believed what they saw.
It wouldn’t be until they grew older that they started questioning reality.
So, there was no need for Wen You Ning to explain further the little boy believed her completely.
“You’re the best grown-up I’ve ever met.
When I found the kitten and asked for help, everyone ignored me.
You were the only one who offered to take it home.”
The boy seemed to remember something.
He pulled off his heavy backpack.
“Mom says good deeds should be rewarded…”
Wen You Ning crouched to his level.
“You don’t need to give me anything, kiddo.
Protecting and helping animals is my responsibility.”
She had a gift that others didn’t.
Animals had always been her priority.
The boy was stubborn.
“No way.
Mom said there must be a reward.
But I didn’t bring any snacks with me today.”
“Really, it’s okay…”
The boy rummaged through his bag.
“Here, take this!”
He handed something that looked like a book to Wen You Ning.
She blinked.
“What is this?”
“‘Math 100’ People’s Education Press, latest edition!
It’s an extracurricular book my mom bought for me.
It’s not a school textbook, so I can give it to you as a reward!”
The boy beamed.
An old fear surfaced in Wen You Ning’s mind the horror of ‘Five Years of College Entrance Exams, Three Years of Simulations.’
She quickly refused.
“No, no, no.
I really can’t take this.
That’s way too generous!”
Hahaha!
Look at how sincere the boy is.
Streamer, how can you bear to reject him?
Just take it, it’s a gift from a child.
I’ll donate one too.
Put it on the streamer’s account.
@Math100Official, this kid is amazing.
He deserves an official reward.
“Xiao Haoyu?”
Before Wen You Ning and the boy could settle the matter, someone appeared at the stairwell below.
The person hadn’t even reached them yet but was already calling his name.
“Mom!”
The boy excitedly waved toward the woman coming up the stairs.
She wore high heels and crossed her arms.
“I thought I heard your voice from downstairs.
Why aren’t you in school yet?”
Her gaze then shifted toward Wen You Ning.
“And you are…?”
Wen You Ning nodded politely.
“Hello.
I was passing by when I saw Xiao Haoyu had found a kitten.
I helped him return it to its nest.”
“Yes, Mom!
This big sister is amazing!”
Xiao Haoyu eagerly raised his short arms and began recounting the entire story.
His mother listened attentively.
Even when he got to the part about ‘this big sister can read minds,’ she only smiled gently without refuting him.
Wen You Ning glanced at the window, then at the stairs.
“You live in this building?”
The woman nodded.
“Yes, we live on the first floor.”
“That explains how Xiao Haoyu found the kitten.”
Wen You Ning guessed that the kitten had probably pushed through a loose cloth and accidentally fallen onto the platform below.
Near the window, there were piles of discarded cardboard.
Since this building had low floors, the kitten must have fallen onto the pile and was then picked up by Xiao Haoyu on his way to school.
But…
She had found Xiao Haoyu quite a distance from here.
She asked, “Why didn’t you take the kitten upstairs to look for its family?”
Xiao Haoyu thought back.
“When I found it, there were no other cats around.
Then, I saw Little Orange pass by, so I followed it.
Little Orange kept running and didn’t stop until we reached the staircase.
Maybe it doesn’t like baby kittens.”
Wen You Ning: “…?”
Wait, liking them or not wasn’t the issue.
At the very least, the orange cat had run.
That meant something else was at play.
The little orange cat sat quietly on the table, licking its paws.
Its fluffy face looked like it had seen the hardships of life.
“I just went out to find some food.”
“Then he started chasing me, yelling at me to stop and not to run.”
“I was absolutely terrified…”