Part 3
The Big Cat’s ears twitched, but it didn’t look back.
Big Brother Ning glanced at it too. “It does seem less energetic than usual. Maybe it’s used to following Little Brother and misses its master now that he’s gone.”
The Big Cat twitched the tips of its ears: “…”
Whether it was because Professor Ning mentioned it or not, Zong Hao, who was lying there, suddenly felt a cold breeze and couldn’t help but sneeze loudly.
Ning Xiaomiao immediately stopped playing with the ball and trotted over to the Big Cat. He squatted down, worriedly mimicking his father, and extended a small hand to touch the Big Cat’s head.
But he couldn’t feel anything wrong.
The little guy’s face wrinkled in seriousness. “Cat-Cat, are you sick?”
Zong Hao flicked his tail and rubbed against the boy’s palm comfortingly. Sick? He only ever had severe injuries or spiritual riots; he had never really been “sick.”
Big Brother Ning and Professor Ning walked over. Professor Ning looked closely, then went into the living room. He returned shortly with a high-tech device and scanned the Big Cat’s forehead.
A mechanical voice announced: [Detected Temperature: 41.2 degrees. High Fever.]
Now, not only the three Nings but even Zong Hao was stunned. He… was actually sick?
Thinking back to crossing the water last night, had he, for the first time in so many years, fallen ill just from soaking in water too long?
After his livestream, Ning Yunyi packed six dishes, a soup, and a pot of rice into insulated boxes. He also brought back all the boxes from the Ning family’s attic secret room.
When he flew the spaceship into the Ning family courtyard, the first to greet him were the three Nings. Ning Xiaomiao ran in front, his small face exceptionally grave and worried. He trotted up to Ning Yunyi, looked up, and looked ready to cry.
Ning Yunyi picked him up, looking at the helpless expressions on Big Brother Ning and Professor Ning. “What’s wrong with the little guy?” Wasn’t he fine when I left?
Big Brother Ning explained, “The Big Cat is sick. The cub is a bit worried.”
Ning Xiaomiao hugged Ning Yunyi’s neck. “Father, Cat-Cat looks very uncomfortable. The whole cat… wilted. So pitiful.”
Professor Ning coughed strangely, his expression odd. “We’ve given him medicine. He’s actually fine.”
Ning Yunyi paused mid-step toward the living room. Thinking of his drunken actions last night, he felt a wave of guilt. Did I make the Big Cat sick by tormenting him last night?
Sinful, truly sinful.
However, when he entered the living room and saw the Big Cat lying on the sofa with its back to him—and then seeing the Big Cat turn its head to give him a resentful glare upon hearing him—Ning Yunyi couldn’t help but snort with laughter.
He finally understood why Father Ning’s expression was so weird.
There, taking up most of the sofa, lay the Big Cat. But its usually gray fur was now… colorful and chaotic.
It was wrapped tightly in messy, thin blankets—clearly the handiwork of the little kitten cub.
If that wasn’t enough, what made Ning Yunyi unable to hold back his laughter was the floral headscarf wrapped around the Big Cat’s head.
It was bright red with retro gold patterns, giving off a very “exotic” vibe.
Wrapped directly around the head, leaving only two pointed ears sticking out and blocking most of the feline face, it looked exactly like the Big Bad Wolf disguised as Grandma.
Ning Yunyi tried to hold it in, but the corners of his mouth kept twitching up. Under the Big Cat’s resentful gaze and the cub’s worried kneading of small hands, he forced the corners of his mouth down.
But they shot up again. After a few failed attempts, he simply turned his head away.
“Cough, how… how did he get sick? He was fine before. Pfft.” Ning Yunyi covered his mouth and coughed, nearly laughing out loud.
Big Brother Ning and Professor Ning also had laughter in their eyes.
Professor Ning said, “A bit of a fever. We gave him exotic beast medicine; it should go down soon.”
Ning Yunyi nodded. In the interstellar era, constitutions were different, and exotic beasts were strong. A few packets of medicine would fix it.
Suddenly sensing a gaze, he looked down to meet Ning Xiaomiao’s worried eyes.
Ning Yunyi had a bad feeling. “Cub?”
Ning Xiaomiao looked at his father anxiously. “Father, you coughed just now. Are you… sick like Cat-Cat?”
Nearby, the Big Cat, who had been wilting, suddenly shot its head up, its gray eyes lighting up.
Ning Yunyi stiffened. Good heavens, is karma this fast? “No, Father isn’t sick.”
Ning Xiaomiao wrung his small hands, conflicted. “Really? Father, you told me not to hide sickness from the doctor. If you’re sick, you have to be good and take medicine, and wear a warm headscarf.”
Ning Yunyi met the gaze of the Big Cat, lying not far away, suddenly looking spirited. That guy didn’t need to smile so happily; even from this distance, I can feel his fur bristling with excitement.
Why must we hurt each other?
Ning Yunyi calmly put the kitten cub down. “No, Father isn’t sick. I just remembered I forgot the food boxes. If we don’t eat, it’ll get cold.”
Leaving that sentence behind, he wooshed away.
Big Brother Ning finally couldn’t help but grin broadly; it was the first time he’d seen his little brother run so fast.
He followed to help carry the food boxes. Meanwhile, Professor Ning—who had heard on the way back that his youngest son had found a great opportunity, met a powerful master who saved him, awakened his spiritual power, and even given him a collection of rare Ancient Blue Star species developed on a desolate planet—was still processing it.
These ingredients were supposedly grown personally by the master. Very rare, some even extinct.
Professor Ning believed it, but hadn’t truly grasped how “rare” the word “rare” implied.
He thought his son was exaggerating to reassure him.
But when the six dishes, one soup, and a basin of distinct, white rice were brought out, the aroma instantly filled the living room, making everyone dizzy with delight.
Professor Ning’s hands shook as he held the kitten cub, and he quickly put the little guy down, afraid of dropping him.
Big Brother Ning closed the doors and windows before smiling. “Little Brother made these. Father, taste them. They are delicious.”
Professor Ning was in a trance. “These were made from the… Ancient Blue Star ingredients your master grew?”
Ning Yunyi nodded without a hint of guilt. “Yes.” I am my own master, so nothing wrong with that.
He planned to use soil from his space to plant some later, so it wouldn’t be a lie.
Accidentally meeting the gaze of the Big Cat, who had jumped off the sofa and was slowly walking over, Ning Yunyi coughed lightly. “Big Cat, come here. I brought your rice bowl. Eat more later; nourish yourself.”
Hopefully, he wasn’t really sick because of my tossing him around last night. Poor thing. That headscarf is truly a work of art; I might wake up laughing from dreams about it.
The Big Cat paused, about to lift a paw to tear off the headscarf, when Ning Xiaomiao turned back vigilantly. “Cat-Cat, you’re not being good. You have to listen when you’re sick. You can’t take it off.”
Zong Hao: Who the hell said an exotic beast with a fever needs to sweat it out?
Ning Yunyi walked over kindly, adjusted the headscarf for him, and moved it to reveal the mouth. “Doesn’t interfere with eating. Perfect.”
Zong Hao: “…” I feel like he laughed again just now.
True to his word, Ning Yunyi added half a bowl of extra rice to the cat’s bowl. However, the dishes were mostly light. He didn’t give the cat the Sweet and Sour Ribs or the Sweet and Sour Fish.
Ning Yunyi said, “Can’t eat heavy oil or salt when you’re sick. Once you’re better, I’ll make what you like. And… you won’t have to wear this headscarf anymore.”
After the family finished eating, Professor Ning was still reminiscing. He had never thought eating could be such an enjoyment; the taste was simply wonderful.
In the afternoon, the family—fed and satisfied—marched spiritedly with the IOUs toward Ning Second Uncle’s house.
Big Cat and Ning Xiaomiao stayed behind to watch the house, primarily to protect Ning Xiaomiao from being seen too much.
After Ning Second Uncle’s family was kicked out of the Ancestral Home by Ning Yunyi, they had intended to stay with their eldest son temporarily, figuring they would move back once they reclaimed the Ancestral Home.
Unexpectedly, the eldest son refused. He claimed it would look bad if his colleagues found out. He had spent millions of Star Coins to secure his job, and while the allocated housing was nice, it wasn’t big enough for the whole family.
If colleagues gossiped, it would affect his image with his superiors.
Ning Second Uncle relied on his son’s job to support the family, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and take the whole family back to their old residence.
The old house wasn’t dilapidated—it was near the Ancestral Home and bought with the Star Coins they received when they moved out years ago.
But Ning Second Uncle was a high-profile man. When they moved out, he had been arrogant, offending all the neighbors and declaring he would never return to this “shabby place.”
And now… he was back, tail between his legs.
Recommended Reads
thanks for the chapter!