Reborn Cat Sheriff

Chapter 353 Li Ping and the Cat
Upon seeing the fish head, the big orange cat immediately went over excitedly.

It rubbed against Li Ping's leg, then jumped up while Li Ping wasn't paying attention, snatched the fist-sized fish head from Li Ping's hand with its mouth, and quickly hid to the side to start eating heartily.

Li Ping was both annoyed and amused. When she saw the rascal orange cat putting the fish head directly on the ground, she quickly called out, "Hey! Don't put it on the ground! You jerk, I just cleaned this place this afternoon! Seriously, I gave you a plate to eat on, you idiot."

This woman has a mouth as hard as steel, but a soft heart. She thought for a moment, then pulled an unused enamel bowl from the cupboard, and went to get the fish head to put in the bowl.

The big orange cat had no idea what Li Ping meant. Seeing her coming over to snatch the food, it quickly grabbed the fish head and ran away. The two chased each other around the room for a while, but in the end, the cat couldn't catch up. The cat could only stand with its hands on its hips, panting, watching the big orange cat hide under the sofa.

"Cats are such a nuisance!"

Li Ping complained helplessly, but that didn't stop the other cats from eagerly crowding around Li Ping, meowing and whining, as the big orange cat got food.

"I owe you all from my past life."

With a sigh, Li Ping went to the kitchen and brought out the fish tails and other scraps. Unable to find enough bowls, she simply filled two large plates and left them on the floor for the cats to fight over.

But while she was doing this, she couldn't help but mutter to herself. One moment she was complaining that the cats were dirty, and the next she was scolding them for leaving food scraps on the ground.

Then, the big orange cat that had stolen the fish head appeared out from under the sofa at some point. With such a large fish head gone, it squeezed into the group of cats and began rudely scrambling for food, causing the other cats to meow.

This guy had no idea how heavy he was, pressing down on the yellow cat so much that its eyes were practically bulging out. However, the yellow cat wasn't one to back down easily; it rolled over and crawled out from behind the big orange cat, then started scratching it all over.

The two cats, forgetting about their food, immediately started making a ruckus.

Lin Ge watched this scene speechlessly, then hid on the sofa to avoid being implicated by these bastards. The old lady next to him smiled kindly, seemingly enjoying the lively scene.

"I'm really fed up with these ancestors."

Li Ping sighed, hands on her hips, and then suddenly burst out laughing for no apparent reason.

"What's going on here?"

Xue Yi came in from outside, breathing on his hands to warm them up as he curiously looked at the lively scene inside and said, "Where did all these cats come from? Oh, isn't this the infamous Baka Cat from school? How did you manage to bring him back, Li Ping?"

"What do you mean I kidnapped them? They were just a few living ancestors that Xiao Guai brought back."

Li Ping rolled her eyes, then glared fiercely at Lin Ge and said, "Let's get this straight, adopting them is out of the question. Get out of here after you finish eating this stuff. What if all these cats hurt the teacher?"

"Hehe... Actually, it's quite lively this way, and it's quite nice."

Liu Junshu chuckled, interrupting Li Ping. This girl of hers hadn't gone home for the Spring Festival; instead, she'd spent it with an old woman like her. To be honest, Liu Junshu was extremely satisfied with Li Ping, her student. Sometimes, when she couldn't sleep at night, she'd think that if her own clueless daughter had even a fraction of Li Ping's qualities, perhaps their family wouldn't be in such a lonely state, leaving an old professor like her to be pitied.

Li Ping glared at me. "Teacher, please give me a break! It's fine to be bothered by this stuff once or twice, but who can stand it for long? If you really make me angry, I might throw you into the lab to feed the mice one day!"

"Heh...using lab rats to supplement these cats' diet?"

"You're asking for it!"

Xue Yi gave a mocking laugh, immediately turning Li Ping angry. For reasons unknown, she bent down, picked up a cat, and threw it violently at Xue Yi. The cat yelped in mid-air, nearly hitting Lin Ge beside it.

"Meow! Waa ...

The calico cat, brought in from outside the school, was quite frightened and got up to give Li Ping a good scolding. It was also a strange cat; its meows sounded like it was talking to a person, and even had a rhythmic fluctuation depending on its emotions.

"Oh ho, you can talk?"

Li Ping was stunned for a moment, vaguely feeling that she must have heard correctly. Was this cat questioning her about 'what'? And was it even calling her 'bad'? And the more it talked, the more enthusiastic it seemed, it inexplicably resembled a wronged child trying to pour out its grievances.

This piqued Li Ping's interest in the cat.

She curiously moved closer, but Sanhua immediately hid behind Lin Ge. While hiding, she muttered to herself, and coupled with Lin Ge's disdainful look, Li Ping felt a wave of embarrassing embarrassment.

Why would I, an adult, argue with a cat?
Li Ping sighed speechlessly, then turned back to glare at Xue Yi. This bastard is the only one who can make me angry all the time, and makes me lose face in front of this damn cat.

"Waaaah! Waaaah! Waaaah waaaah waaaah!"

Taking advantage of its position, Sanhua, seeing Li Ping turn around, arrogantly poked its head out from behind Lin Ge and meowed twice at her back.

Li Ping turned her head expressionlessly, pointed at the calico cat twice with her finger, and went back to the kitchen to continue her work. It was a rare treat for Xiao Guai to come over today; Teacher Liu finally had a family member by her side. She had to make something delicious to keep this rascal cat here.

"You can shut up a bit."

Lingo tapped Sanhua on the head, finally silencing it.

Afterwards, the cats finished the food that Li Ping had contributed, and one by one they sat down to rest and groom their whiskers. But then the big orange cat crawled under the sofa, fumbled around for a while, and finally scooped out the fish head, then continued to enjoy it triumphantly.

The other cats stared in disbelief at the cunning orange cat, never expecting that this guy would dare to hide something.
The yellow cat and another large orange cat were eager to snatch the fish, but this guy growled fiercely and protected the fish head under his belly. It glared at the intruders, then lowered its head and took a bite. It glared again, then lowered its head and ate again, leaving the other cats drooling with envy but helpless.

Seeing that the family didn't seem to be planning to offer any more food, the cats rested for a while, said hello to Lingo, and then started to build the door, wanting to go out.

After Xue Yi opened the door, they all turned and left without looking back.

"You little heartless one."

Li Ping muttered something in the kitchen.

However, Xiao Guai still squatted on the sofa and let Teacher Liu brush her fur, which made her feel a little better.

Half an hour later, a table laden with a variety of dishes—a rather lavish spread, though the taste was undoubtedly mediocre—was arrogantly and smugly placed on the table by Li Ping. Lin Ge immediately showed his disgust at the smell, while Li Ping wore an expression of utter admiration. She took out her phone, snapped photos of the dishes, then turned away and began editing them rapidly. Once finished, she beautifully posted the photos on her WeChat Moments, wanting everyone to know how virtuous she was.

"But...why can't I find a boyfriend?"

Li Ping was puzzled, wondering why, despite being quite attractive, no boy had ever pursued her. It was impossible for her to actively pursue any boy, but couldn't those younger guys be a little more proactive?

Even if she doesn't dress up much, even if her hairstyle is outdated and she doesn't wear makeup, she still has a great figure. Why can't those bastards understand the point?
"Teacher, do you think this part of my paper needs to be revised?"

Xue Yi sat down next to Liu Junshu, holding a tablet, and discussed a problem with the elderly woman wearing glasses. He twitched his ear as if he had heard Li Ping's mutterings, and a meaningful smile inexplicably appeared on his face before he quickly regained his composure.

"You should find an opportunity to explain things clearly to Xiaoping."

Liu Junshu knew perfectly well what was going on with her two students. Xue Yi's expression didn't escape her notice. She shook her head, both annoyed and helpless, as she offered some words of advice.

"hey-hey……"

Xue Yi didn't respond at all; he thought it was actually quite good this way. The silly girl had no idea that she was already considered taken in school! There was no way any other man would bother her now. Besides, Li Ping's rustic yet pleasing attire was also a deliberate choice by Xue Yi. This way, she wouldn't attract unwanted attention; only he could slowly appreciate the beauty of this butterfly emerging from its cocoon.

"You scoundrel!" Lin Ge glared at Xue Yi, fully aware of the bastard's thoughts.

Poor Li Ping, so carefree and impulsive, had no idea that she had long since grown accustomed to everything Xue Yi had around her. She bitterly lamented her inability to find a boyfriend, unaware that she was actually one of the most envied couples at school. To be honest, Xue Yi was quite handsome, and his graduate degree was certainly respectable within the university. He was known among acquaintances for his gentle temperament, always polite and courteous. It's just a pity that he was completely captivated by a country girl…

"What are you talking about? Are you saying bad things about me?"

Li Ping placed all the bowls of rice and chopsticks on the table before calling the damned men and teachers to come and eat. From beginning to end, she didn't ask anyone for any help, and even stacked a few books for Lin Ge so that it could sit on the chair and be two heads above the table.

"I feel like you've put in too much garlic again? There's minced garlic in every dish, isn't that a bit excessive?"

Xue Yi picked up a piece of chicken with his chopsticks, ate it, and then complained.

"What's with all this talk when you have food to eat? You should know I'm from Dongshan, isn't it only natural for me to like garlic?"

Li Ping glared at Xue Yi, but obediently placed two plates of garlic-free dishes in front of him. She knew Xue Yi didn't like garlic, but her actions and thoughts were different. "I'm going to eat a lot of garlic, I'm going to suffocate you with its stench, hmph!"

"Mimi, you should eat some garlic too, it can kill parasites."

After Liu Junshu and Xue Yi were seated, and Xiao Guai had also taken her seat, Li Ping was the last to sit down. She placed a lump of pickled garlic in Lin Ge's plate, regardless of whether cats could actually eat it.

"Nonsense, cats can't eat garlic."

Liu Junshu frowned slightly, chuckled and scolded Li Ping, then picked up the clove of pickled garlic and put it into her own bowl.

"whispering sound!"

Li Ping pouted, then looked at the dishes on the table and saw that most of them contained garlic. She could only sigh in frustration and give one of the two dishes that were specially reserved for Xue Yi to this pretentious cat.

"Next time you cook, let me help you."

Xue Yi picked up a piece of crispy pork with his chopsticks and offered it to Li Ping. Li Ping wanted to refuse, but Xue Yi's words distracted her.

Suddenly something popped into her head, and she stared blankly at the meat in the bowl.

To be honest, as a girl from the countryside, Li Ping had witnessed many of Dongshan's customs and traditions when she was young. Although she gradually understood after starting school that these were feudal dregs, the habits had already been formed, and it was not easy to change them.
She wasn't a very sociable person and didn't have many true friends. Rather than going out for meals, parties, or karaoke, she preferred staying in the lab with Xue Yi, hiding in a corner and cooking hot pot. This kind of situation, where someone might criticize her, had only ever happened to Xue Yi. It was quite normal for the two of them, but suddenly remembering the phone call her mother had made the night before, Li Ping's mind wandered, and she inexplicably froze.

"what happened?"

Xue Yi didn't think he had done anything wrong, but it was indeed the first time he had seen Li Ping holding a bowl and staring blankly.

"nothing."

Li Ping shook her head, feeling a little guilty for some reason. Her mother had told her yesterday that she was getting on in years and was planning to arrange blind dates for her. She had refused, prioritizing her studies, but now her mother's words were inexplicably echoing in her ears.

Lin Ge found the meal particularly unpalatable.

The main issue was that Li Ping, who is usually outspoken, short-tempered, and talkative, was unusually quiet at the dinner table today. She no longer led the conversation, and when she did respond, she only hummed in response, appearing absent-minded from beginning to end.

Liu Junshu and Xue Yi naturally saw it too, but neither of them said anything. After a simple meal, Lin Ge was about to say goodbye and leave, but the old lady hugged him and wanted him to stay overnight.

"Then I'll keep you company for New Year's Eve."

Lin Ge didn't mind, since this was also his home, and the old lady was now considered a trustworthy family member by Lin Ge.

The old lady is actually quite pitiful, all alone during the Lunar New Year without any family by her side. That woman named Ma Xiaomi truly abandoned her biological mother. For the sake of so-called love, she didn't hesitate to sever ties with her family. The things she caused last year may have been big or small, but ultimately Liu Junshu definitely couldn't bear to part with her daughter. But seeing that this woman didn't even come back for the Lunar New Year or even make a single phone call, it's likely that she has completely abandoned the mother-daughter relationship.

"It's alright, I'll come see you whenever I have time. Besides, Li Ping is here, so just treat this girl like your own daughter."

Lin Ge could only let out a cry to comfort Liu Junshu.

"Hehe... Putting myself in her shoes, Li Ping didn't do a good job either! She didn't go home for the New Year and stayed here with an old lady like me. Her parents must be so worried and missing her."

Liu Junshu watched Li Ping and Xue Yi leave side by side, and then saw Li Ping inexplicably regain her composure and punch Xue Yi hard on the shoulder. Her previous dejection miraculously vanished, and she viciously chased after Xue Yi, her mood becoming extremely good.

"These two kids are actually quite well-matched, aren't they?"

An old man and a cat stood quietly at the doorway, watching the two people chase after each other as they left, enjoying the breeze.

"Perhaps I am interested, but he is not?"

Lin Ge grumbled angrily, absolutely unable to believe that Xue Yi would fall for such a tomboy. Li Ping's Dongshan cuisine was terrible; it left him reeking of garlic, and the smell made him want to sneeze.

"It will be alright. I believe in Xue Yi; he's smarter than anyone else imagines. He'll definitely be able to give Li Ping a satisfactory answer regarding Li Ping's affairs and her little schemes."

Liu Junshu watched with a smile as the two disappeared into the night.

Looking down at Lin Ge, who was panting and looking impatient, she smiled and walked back into the house, beckoning him, "Come in, it's windy and cold outside. Sit over there for a while, I'll get you some warm water to rinse your mouth. And as a cat, why are you bothering with that garlic? Cats can't eat garlic or onions, both of them will make you sick and harm your body. I've already taken that clove of garlic away, why do you still insist on tasting it to be satisfied?"

"How was I supposed to know cats can't eat garlic? Besides, that bastard Li Ping said garlic can kill parasites, didn't she?"

Lin Ge sighed in exasperation, finally realizing that so many foods are harmful to cats. He knew the common knowledge that chocolate and lactose intolerance were things he would never touch. But he didn't know that even cooked onions, tomatoes, spinach, and garlic are harmful to cats. Furthermore, undercooked potatoes, most grapes, and raisins are also foods that cats must avoid.

He only ate a tiny clove of garlic, barely the tip of his fingernail, and now he's already feeling unwell. Heaven knows if that whole clove of garlic Li Ping put in his bowl in the first place would have required an immediate hospital visit after he ate it…

"That woman is definitely my natural enemy."

Lin Ge muttered unhappily, gulping down water in hopes of diluting the garlic in his stomach.

Fortunately, he ate relatively little, and his tolerance was stronger than that of ordinary cats. After a few minutes, Lin Ge felt the garlic smell on his mouth and body had dissipated. Of course, it was also possible that it was because Li Ping had already left.

Later, when Lin Ge yawned and felt sleepy, Liu Junshu was still leaning against the recliner wrapped in a blanket, quietly sitting at her desk reading.

The older a person gets, the harder it is to fall asleep. In addition, Xue Yi is ambitious and wants to publish his paper in a more influential journal, so as his teacher, she definitely needs to take a look and provide more guidance.

Suddenly, I heard various soft noises around me. When I looked up, I saw the cat staring at me impatiently, as if blaming me for not resting on time.

Liu Junshu suddenly smiled, feeling that the usually quiet, even empty room had inexplicably gained a bit more life and a sense of presence. Mimi's temper tantrum really reminded her of Xiao Mi when she was little; how well-behaved and caring she was back then.

"Hey!"

The old man sighed, but still smiled as Lin Ge urged him to go to bed.

(End of this chapter)