41: Orange cat

Lu Jianchuan rushed out of the Moral Education Office, but Li Zhe's figure was already gone from the corridor. The school bell rang just then, and a noisy crowd of people poured out of every classroom, instantly washing away all traces. Anxious, he relied on his intuition and understanding of Li Zhe's personality to avoid the crowded main roads and playground, heading instead toward the relatively quiet small garden and old bicycle shed behind the teaching building.

He passed through a vine-covered pergola and circled several untended holly bushes. Finally, in the innermost part of the bicycle shed, in a corner piled with discarded sports equipment, he saw that curled-up figure.

Li Zhe sat with his back to him on a dusty old pommel horse, his shoulders shaking slightly. At his feet, a large, glossy-furred Orange Cat was lazily stretching its body as if no one were around, then using its round head to rub against Li Zhe's hanging hand time and again.

The Orange Cat was so fat it looked almost like a furry cushion, its round belly sagging down, its flesh wobbling as it moved. Clearly, it was a "senior resident" of the school, living a carefree and plump life thanks to the feedings from students and teachers. At this moment, it seemed to sense the immense sadness radiating from the youth, offering a tiny yet incredibly pure comfort in its own silent way.

Li Zhe's hand unconsciously stroked the Orange Cat's warm, thick fur; that soft sensation seemed to be the only piece of driftwood he could grasp at this moment.

Lu Jianchuan stopped in his tracks and didn't step forward immediately. He watched the scene quietly for a moment—the angry, stubborn youth and a fat cat that knew nothing of human affairs yet was full of vitality. The stifling frustration, anger, and helplessness that had built up in the Moral Education Office just now seemed to be diluted slightly by this strange and heartwarming scene.

He walked over slowly and sat down on the old pommel horse next to Li Zhe, his gaze also falling on the fat Orange Cat.

“Back when I was in a bad mood,” Lu Jianchuan began, his voice calm as if chatting about an ordinary past event, “I'd also find a place with no one around to stay for a while. Sometimes, a stray dog or a cat would wander over. They wouldn't have to say anything, just lie there next to me, and I'd feel a bit better.”

Li Zhe's body stiffened for a moment. He didn't look back, but the movement of stroking the cat didn't stop.

“This cat is quite lucky, being remembered by so many people and fed so fat,” Lu Jianchuan continued. His tone didn't betray any particular emotion; he was simply stating a fact.

Li Zhe remained silent for a long time, long enough for the Orange Cat to roll over, expose its soft belly, and let out a satisfied purr. He finally spoke up sullenly, his voice hoarse: “...What right do they have to be like that? We clearly weren't wrong...”

His voice carried a heavy sense of grievance and a kind of daze after the collapse of his beliefs.

“Sometimes the world is just like this—it doesn't listen to reason, only to interests.” Lu Jianchuan looked at the blurred outline of the teaching building in the distance, his voice low. “Your dad... Uncle Li used to tell me often that once you put on that uniform, you have to know that not everything can go according to the right and wrong in your heart. But what's important is that you yourself have to know what is right and what is wrong.”

He paused and turned his head to look at Li Zhe: “What you did today was right. No matter who comes, they can't change that—not the principal, not any regulations.”

He didn't spout any grand platitudes like "just endure it and it'll pass"; he simply validated the youth's actions. This validation, at this moment, was more powerful than any comfort.

Li Zhe sniffed hard and wiped his face forcefully. He still didn't look up, but his tense shoulders seemed to relax a tiny bit. The fat Orange Cat under his hand, as if sensing the subtle change in his mood, let out a "meow," rolled over, and pushed its head harder against his palm.

【Consciousness Space】

Just as Lu Jianchuan's hand rested unconsciously on the old pommel horse while he shared that quiet corner with Li Zhe and the Orange Cat, the System's emotionless electronic voice rang in Han Chengyu's consciousness with a routine-like notification sound.

【Detected stable high-concentration evo factor source. Coordinates: 1.7 meters to the front-left of the Aptitude Holder. Target type: domestic cat, orange, male.】

【Real-time monitoring of target biological entity in progress... Scan complete.】 The System's voice remained steady.

【Factor concentration: 0.098%. Status: Stable, deep dormancy. Evolutionary tendency: None. Energy reserves: Extremely high. Comprehensive evaluation: Threat Rank, extremely low.】

“A cat?!” Han Chengyu's consciousness was instantly pulled back from observing the outside world, becoming highly alert. “In a place like this? Could it be stimulated and suddenly evolve?”

【Evolutionary probability evaluation in progress... Evaluation complete. Probability: Negligible.】 The System's answer carried a mechanical certainty.

【The individual's physiological indicators are extremely stable, and survival pressure is near zero. Based on a comprehensive judgment of its body fat percentage, behavioral patterns, and energy reserves—】

The System paused subtly for half a second, as if choosing the most appropriate words.

【Master, it cannot be considered a cat right now.】

“Then what is it?” Han Chengyu's curiosity was piqued by this statement.

【A unit of cat.】 The System's electronic voice was rippleless, as if stating a law of physics.

【Its life form has become highly specialized as 'existence' itself. As long as it does not encounter an extreme survival crisis, it will maintain its current form and complete its life cycle in a near-silent manner.】

Han Chengyu: “...”

Silence is the Cambridge of tonight.

He looked at the Orange Cat outside—so fat it was like a plush cushion, purring as Li Zhe scratched its chin. Its round belly rose and fell with its breathing; it really... did look like some kind of vehicle filled with fuel.

“Fine,” he accepted this ridiculous yet vivid description, his tense consciousness relaxing. “As long as it's just a unit of cat and doesn't suddenly transform.”

His attention refocused on Li Zhe, and that "fully fueled" cat-shaped vehicle was temporarily removed from his priority list.

【Reality World】

Lu Jianchuan looked at the blurred outline of the teaching building in the distance and said in an even lower, clearer voice: “Xiao Zhe, I know you feel stifled. I also understand that you feel this world is unfair.” He paused to ensure Li Zhe was listening. “But don't you want to wait for a time when no one can do anything to you, and then settle today's score in full, with interest?”

Li Zhe's hand stroking the cat stopped. He slowly turned his head, his bloodshot eyes carrying a hint of confusion and inquiry.

Lu Jianchuan met his gaze, his eyes showing no sign of joking: “That settlement agreement—if it's signed, it's signed. But we have the truth in our hands. We have Liu Yang as a witness, the surveillance as physical evidence, and we have every word the principal said today engraved in our hearts. These are the bullets.”

He leaned forward slightly, his tone carrying an unquestionable firmness: “We aren't firing now not because we're afraid, but because the timing isn't right. Your College Entrance Exam is more important than anything. Wait until the exams are over in June and the admission notice is safely in your hands. Then—”

The corner of Lu Jianchuan's mouth curled into an extremely cold, faint arc. “Your Brother Lu is a police officer, after all. We'll send this evidence to the Education Bureau, to even higher departments. When that time comes, let's see if that Teacher Zhang can still be a 'backbone' teacher, and let's see how that principal can still 'prioritize stability above all else.'”

These words were like a beam of light, instantly piercing through the confusion and despair in Li Zhe's eyes. He had originally thought this matter had ended in such humiliation, but he hadn't expected Lu Jianchuan to point out a more satisfying and thorough path for him. This wasn't backing down; this was a tactical shift!

The youth's breathing became slightly rapid, and a light mixed with anticipation and the pleasure of revenge ignited in his eyes. He nodded vigorously. Though his voice was still a bit hoarse, it had regained its strength: “Brother... I believe you!”

“Mm.” Lu Jianchuan patted his shoulder. “So, going back now isn't to admit defeat; it's to gather strength. Put all that frustration into your studies and get a good grade. That will be our best counterattack. Understand?”

“Understood!” Li Zhe replied heavily. He took a deep breath, as if pressing all his grievances and anger into the depths of his heart to transform them into fuel. He gave the fat Orange Cat's head one last forceful rub and stood up, the look in his eyes already completely different from the broken youth who had rushed out earlier.

Lu Jianchuan also stood up. Looking at the revitalized youth, he felt a slight sense of relief. He knew the immediate crisis had passed, but a seed seeking justice had been deeply planted in this young man's heart.