Chapter 28: Operation Capture the Bad Kitty

After returning from the market with groceries, Chen Zhou took a stroll through the flower, bird, fish, and insect market. He prepared a small bag of cat food and a feeding bowl for his feline guest. Chen Zhou himself didn't have any particular attachment to the creature, viewing it merely as an interesting patron; after all, plenty of people came and went from his street stall every day.

However, that morning, as his daughter was getting dressed and learning to button her own shirt, she suddenly remarked to Chen Zhou, "The bad kitty doesn't have a mommy or daddy to teach it; it's so pitiful."

It was enough to make the old father's heart melt. So, Chen Zhou decided that if he encountered the "bad kitty" again that evening, he would ask it if it had any interest in receiving some "family education."

The feline guest, just as the intelligence reports had suggested, appeared at the bun stall once again that evening. Chen Taotao had already arrived early, waiting at the stall. She carefully counted out the cat food, placing it into the small bowl. Seeing the "bad kitty" appear, the little girl waved at it: "Bad kitty, come over here, eat up!"

Taotao placed the bowl by the roadside and then retreated back to Chen Zhou’s side. Ms. Lin, who had likely spent the day researching cat care, said to Chen Zhou, "I checked. Even domestic cats are obligate carnivores. They can't digest rice or steamed buns, so it’s normal that it doesn't eat the bun skins."

Between a long-married couple, no words were needed to express their mutual understanding. If their daughter wanted to raise the cat, she could. "But since you're in the food business, you should avoid close contact with animals. You'll need to make sure the kitchen door is kept shut at home." Cooking for oneself was one thing—a cat lounging on the stove wouldn't matter—but when running a food business, there were many hygiene standards to consider. Chen Zhou nodded, agreeing with his wife. If they really were going to adopt it, they would need to take the cat for a check-up, deworming, and vaccinations.

Just then, someone nearby called out, "Kitty!" The feline guest paused its meal and looked toward the source of the sound. Chen Zhou’s family of three also turned their gaze to the person who had called out. Lin Yifan asked offhandedly, "Who is that? Is that the cat's owner?"

Chen Zhou actually knew this young man. "It’s Tony from the barbershop. I didn't remember him having a cat." Chen Zhou held a membership card there and was a valued client—a conservative estimate suggested that a third of the men in the residential complex got their hair cut by him, mostly because he actually understood what "just a little trim" meant. Yet, whenever Chen Zhou visited each month, he never saw a cat in the shop.

The man recognized his regular customer as well. Ignoring the cat, Tony greeted Chen Zhou, "Brother, you're selling buns here?"

Chen Zhou smiled and replied, "Yeah, thought I'd try my hand at a street stall." He then invited the man to try a bun. Tony waved his hand in refusal, "Not much business at the shop, I already ate. I’ll buy some next time."

Chen Zhou struck up a conversation about the feline guest. "Is this cat called Kitty?"

Tony nodded. "I just called it that at random, and eventually, it just stuck." ...After all, even a cat wandering into a barbershop had to have an English name. Chen Zhou thought to himself, *No wonder it reacts when I call it Kitty; even a mixed-breed wouldn't understand a foreign language.*

He continued, "Is this your cat? I thought it was a stray."

Tony gestured toward the row of storefronts across the street. "In the winter, it goes wherever it's warm; in the summer, it goes wherever the air conditioning is on. I’ve never seen it stay permanently anywhere. People just feed it a bit when they see it. Actually, I had some leftovers, so I was just going to toss them to it."

System prompt: [Intelligence confirmed!]

Chen Zhou said, "My daughter likes this cat quite a bit and wants to take it home."

"Sure, go ahead," Tony smiled. "Kitty has a good temperament; it doesn't scratch. You guys taking it home would save it from sleeping out in the wind and rain every day." He then greeted Lin Yifan briefly, though his gaze lingered on her hairstyle. Tony began pitching his business, "Sister-in-law, your hair has such great quality. It would look amazing dyed. A dye-and-perm job at our shop is only 298, and we can give you a discount using your husband's membership."

Ms. Lin had a small social circle with her colleagues and usually went to other salons with them to get her hair cut. Facing Tony's invitation, she could only smile and say, "Maybe next time."

At that moment, Taotao walked over, her gaze shifting to Chen Zhou’s snack cart. "Daddy, I think... the bad kitty prefers the meat."

Leading by example is the best way to raise a child, and Chen Zhou didn't want to waste food this time. He broke open a meat bun, scooped out the filling, put it into a small bag, and handed it to Taotao. "Here, be careful."

"Okay!" The little girl took the meat filling and tiptoed over to drop it into the bowl. This time, the feline guest didn't snatch it and run; it even let out a few "meows."

When Chen Zhou turned back, he noticed Tony staring at the bun skin he had left over. The man seemed to cherish food as well. He said to Chen Zhou, "Brother, it’s a waste to throw away these bun skins..."

Just like a cat needing an English name when it enters a barbershop, someone who had already eaten might still want to taste a bun when passing by a stall. Chen Zhou generously handed him a whole bun. "Here, have one with the filling!"

Tony laughed sheepishly, "I just ate, why do I want another bun? I'll take it home for later." Lin Yifan pointed to the condiment containers, reminding him that he could help himself to the vinegar and chili oil. Tony grabbed a small bag of vinegar. "Thanks, sister-in-law! Remember to come to my shop for a haircut next time."

He scanned the payment code and prepared to return to his shop. After walking a few steps, he happened to see the cat eating the meat filling. Under the streetlamp, the oil on the meat glistened, with bits of fat and lean meat clumped together, garnished with a few specks of green onion.

"You're eating pretty well." Tony swallowed hard, watching the cat. He didn't walk far; he opened the bag right there on the sidewalk and began to eat. From behind, Chen Zhou could only see his hunched back as he ate fervently. Looking at him, he didn't seem like someone who had just eaten at all—more like someone who had been starving for three days.

Tony didn't forget to give a live review, turning back toward the cart. "Brother, your skills are really top-notch."

Chen Zhou laughed. "Of course! Everything is wrapped fresh, and I use fresh meat filling, so it's bound to be good."

Tony nodded. "You can taste it!" He seemed to hesitate for a moment, but finally said to Chen Zhou, "You know that breakfast shop across the street? Their buns are no good."

Of course, there were other restaurants and breakfast spots in the neighborhood. That was why Chen Zhou chose to operate in the evening—to avoid direct competition. But regarding Tony’s trash-talking, Chen Zhou didn't have much to say. "I recall they have a wide variety of items—buns, pancakes, lamb soup, they have everything."

Tony whispered, "He owns the shop, doesn't have to pay rent, so he just does whatever he feels like."

It seemed there was a little social circle among the shopkeepers here as well... Chen Zhou smiled and said goodbye to Tony. "Alright, take it easy. Come by whenever you want a bun!"