amaotonovel Chapter 303 Subtle Persistence
Chapter 303 Subtle Persistence
The morning sun wasn't particularly strong, but it shone warmly on the flowers and plants in the courtyard, filling the air with the fragrance of grass and flowers.
Bai Li sat in a wicker chair in the courtyard, waiting.
Sanmao lay peacefully on its owner's lap, completely unaware of the impending agony of being born as an egg.
Bai Li took a sip of the freshly brewed black tea and looked at Sanmao's obedient appearance. She couldn't help but feel a little guilty, but not much.
It still has to be done.
Not only are they healthier, but they also get to spend more time with themselves.
Bai Li's fingertips unconsciously caressed the warm cup.
Even though it was just about Sanmao's neutering, and there was going to be a professional cat expert coming up, Bai Li was still uneasy.
Or rather, the source of her unease was this cat expert.
"Miss, everything is ready."
Ama's voice sounded from behind, and Bai Li turned around to look.
It was Ama, who was in charge of catching cats today, with two other muscular horse farm NPCs standing behind him.
The house has been cleared out for today's plans.
Including Ah Hu and all the NPCs, Xiao Hua was also taken elsewhere to play by them and Jing Ye.
At this moment, the three NPCs, all dressed in neat overalls, had solemn expressions, as if they were about to carry out some bomb disposal mission.
But it is indeed "egg dismantling" in another sense.
Bai Li almost spat out her tea when she thought of a pun and saw the way Ama and the other two looked.
However, she didn't say much, but just smiled and instructed, "Okay, we'll start when Teacher Zhang arrives. Be careful not to let the little one get scratched."
"Understood, Miss!" the three replied in unison.
Just then, light footsteps came from the courtyard gate.
Looking out, Bai Li saw a tall, slender figure passing through the courtyard gate.
Today, the cat expert has arrived.
Zhang Yu was dressed casually today; the light gray cotton T-shirt made her shoulders appear even broader.
With deep-set features and handsome face, his brows seemed to still carry the weariness of working non-stop, but the moment he saw Bai Li, a gentle smile bloomed on his face.
As Zhang Yu approached, his gaze lingered on Bai Li's face for a moment before politely looking away. Finally, it landed on the steaming teacup in front of her, and he asked softly, "President Bai, are you alright?"
His calm and composed demeanor instantly calmed Bai Li's previously chaotic heart.
But deeper still, indescribable ripples stirred once more.
“No, it’s just right.” Bai Li pointed to the empty seat next to her, gesturing for Zhang Yu to sit down. “It’s kind of you to make this special trip, have some tea first.”
Then he pushed the hot tea on the low table closer.
"No trouble at all." After sitting down, Zhang Yu picked up the teacup, his knuckles clearly visible and his wrist bones distinct.
Bai Li looked at his unintentional little gesture again and again, and it inexplicably reminded her of the time on the plane when he loosened his tie...
Thinking of this, Bai Li quickly lowered her eyelids and picked up her teacup to take a sip as a cover-up.
After picking up the tea, Zhang Yu did not drink it immediately, but instead turned his gaze to Sanmao, who was lying on Bai Li's lap.
Sanmao was curled up in a ball, his little belly rising and falling with his breathing, making a soft "snoring" sound.
"When disaster strikes, I sleep soundly."
Zhang Yu smiled slightly, teasingly bridging the gap between the two.
He could tell at a glance that Sanmao's physique had indeed reached the standard for sterilization: "She looks to be in good condition, it's time."
Bai Li nodded, turned and waved to introduce Ama and the other two to Zhang Yu: "The three of them will be in charge of catching the cats in a little while."
Upon seeing the three men's matching uniforms, Zhang Yu knew their identities—they were Bai Li's men.
He had noticed this a long time ago; it seemed that Bai Li had a lot of followers around her.
He nodded gently and explained, "Be sure to take precautions to protect yourself. Even if it is usually very gentle, it may struggle, kick its paws, or bite when it is caught because it is afraid."
Zhang Yu put down his teacup and gestured with his hands to explain further: "Avoid grabbing the stomach or limbs. When grabbing the back of the neck, be sure to support the buttocks at the same time."
……
Although Shirai didn't participate in catching the cat, she listened in from the sidelines.
At first I was listening attentively, but then my attention wandered.
Zhang Yu's voice was deep and pleasant, and his speech was excellent.
His voice was gentle yet professional.
No wonder they don't need post-production dubbing for filming; they can just use the original audio.
They're both mouths, so why do their words have such different effects?
Bai Li's gaze fell on Zhang Yujun's handsome profile, her eyes casting fine shadows on his drooping eyelashes and his opening and closing lips.
"...Once you have a firm grip, immediately put it in the flight crate. Be decisive and minimize visual stimulation for it. You can cover the flight crate with a cloth." After instructing Ama and the other two, Zhang Yu looked at Bai Li again.
The two met eyes unexpectedly, but after a brief exchange, they both looked away in tacit agreement.
Zhang Yu turned his gaze to Sanmao on her lap and said, "We can begin."
……
Bai Li's movement of getting up woke up Sanmao, who was sleeping soundly.
"Meow~" Sanmao stretched out its front paws and gave a big yawn.
Seeing that Bai Li seemed to be heading out, it shook its fur and strolled lazily toward Bai Li, its tail swaying contentedly.
He stopped near the door and just squatted quietly in a secluded corner, watching Bai Li leave.
As planned, Bai Li opened the gate and left without looking back, as if she hadn't noticed Sanmao at all, leaving a crack in the door behind her large enough for a cat to pass through.
After Bai Li left, she got into the car that was already waiting at the street corner. From inside the car, she could observe the movements at the gate of the courtyard.
She waited for a long time, but Sanmao didn't appear.
Bai Li frowned in confusion.
what's the situation?
Sanmao has actually become well-behaved?
I left the door open for it, but it still won't come out!
If Sanmao doesn't come out, the previous plan won't work, and Ama and his men will have to forcibly arrest him at home.
Zhang Yu was already waiting in the car and was sitting next to Bai Li. Seeing her furrowed brows, he gently comforted her, "No one usually leaves the door open for it. This is probably the first time the little guy has encountered such a situation. Give it some time to observe and think."
Upon hearing this, Bai Li turned to look at Zhang Yu sitting next to her and realized that the two were standing quite close together because they were observing Sanmao's movements at the door.
Inside the enclosed space of the car, she could even smell the faint minty scent on Zhang Yu.
A faint, subtle flavor.
It doesn't look like perfume that was applied intentionally.
Rather, it refers to something else, a product used on the body.
It's a reassuring scent that only well-managed, disciplined men possess, a warm and tangible aura that surrounds them like an invisible, gentle net.
Zhang Yu continued, "Cats are such peculiar creatures. If you go against them, they'll rebel, but if you go along with them, they'll complain."
As he spoke, Zhang Yu kept his eyes on Bai Li and smiled gently.
Although he was talking about cats, Bai Li felt that he seemed to have some other meaning, especially when he said the word "awkward," Zhang Yu deliberately emphasized it.
Bai Li, feeling guilty, simply hummed in response, cleared her tight throat, and looked towards the courtyard gate again.
Just as Zhang Yu said, Sanmao did seem to be thinking about something.
It remained crouched in the same spot, staring at the half-open door, motionless, without even blinking.
If you look closely, you can see its little nose twitching constantly, as if it's sniffing something in the air, and its ears twitch every now and then.
Observing, feeling, thinking...
Just when Bai Li thought it wouldn't come out again and was about to notify Ama and the other two to catch the cat, a small orange figure finally appeared behind the courtyard gate.
Bai Li didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
The good news is that Sanmao has finally come out, so we can proceed with the next plan.
But what's truly heartbreaking is that Sanmao is still the same Sanmao; I was right about her. She'll sneak out whenever she gets the chance.
"That wretched cat," Bai Li muttered.
If it weren't for the tracking device on its neck, Bai Li would have been really afraid that it would get lost or encounter some unexpected danger outside.
The rest of the operation went very smoothly.
Sanmao, who was both greedy and affectionate, simply couldn't refuse food offered by "strangers" and easily let her guard down.
Because cats need to be deprived of food and water before surgery.
So after the three of them offered the cat treats as a lure, they seized them before Sanmao could even take a bite.
Following the method Zhang Yu had just instructed, the three worked together seamlessly and swiftly, successfully catching Sanmao in the airline crate.
Sanmao hadn't even had time to react to what was happening just a second before she was stuffed into the flight case.
Having been domesticated for so long, the sensitive nerves of her former days as a stray have long been worn away by all sorts of "sweet words".
By the time it realized what was happening and tried to resist, it had already entered the dark flight case.
"Jie Jie Jie."
After successfully catching the cat, Ama laughed exaggeratedly. In order to play the villain, he did his best to complete every detail, including the villain's laughter.
"Little kitty, you can't go out next time, and you can't eat things given to you by strangers, or you'll get kidnapped by bad guys!"
After finishing all his lines, Ama carried the flight case into the car, where the air conditioning was at a comfortable temperature. He secured it securely to the seat, closed the door, and called Bai Li, calmly saying, "Hello, Ms. Bai, it was a great success."
Ama gave an OK sign towards the direction of the white pear car.
"Well done." Bai Li's voice was filled with undisguised laughter, as if she was amused by Sanmao's adorable, helpless appearance. "Just take him directly to the hospital. My car will follow behind you."
"Yes, ma'am."
inside the car.
Poor Sanmao only then realized that she had been kidnapped. She cried out in grievance and anger, and would scratch the inside of the airliner box from time to time.
Later, realizing that it could neither get out nor receive any response, it gradually gave up, lying inside the flight case, despairingly letting go.
---------------------------------
Meanwhile, inside Bai Li's car, the atmosphere was relatively harmonious.
The car started slowly and followed steadily behind the car in front.
Bai Li leaned back in the soft leather seat, letting out a slight sigh of relief. Her gaze fell on the car in front of her, a smile still lingering on her lips: "Great, we finally got this little rascal down."
"Congratulations, the process went very smoothly." Zhang Yu's voice came from beside him.
He relaxed his posture, casually resting his arm on the armrest between the two seats.
Within the small space, the distance is endlessly shortened.
Bai Li subconsciously turned to look at him, only to meet his smiling eyes once again.
Her eyes were gentle, yet seemed to hold a hint of something more.
The morning light streamed through the car window, casting a soft glow on his silhouette.
Bai Li's heart almost skipped a beat again.
Teacher Zhang's face, which is so blatantly offensive, is a deadly weapon wherever she goes.
Even she couldn't help but be tempted time and time again.
Bai Li lowered her eyes, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the smooth leather of the seat, and said, "Success is inseparable from the professional guidance given by Teacher Zhang..."
Because the last word was a thank you, Bai Li looked up at Zhang Yu again: "...Thank you, Teacher Zhang."
But when Bai Li looked up, she found that Zhang Yu hadn't looked away and was still staring at her, his honest gaze making her heart tremble.
Perhaps noticing Bai Li's deliberate avoidance, Zhang Yu's voice deepened: "No need to thank me. What I said before still stands. You can contact me anytime regarding Sanmao."
A subtle silence fell over the air.
Beneath the silence, a silent tension was quietly growing.
Neither of them spoke, but their eyes met, conveying a silent communication.
—A form of communication that is far more direct than words.
Many tacit understandings exist only between adults.
Bai Li had already sensed that Zhang Yu's words today had a hidden meaning.
She could clearly sense the subtle, cautious probing emanating from Zhang Yu.
The presence of this probing was not strong; it did not create any sense of pressure, nor did it cause her any discomfort.
—This is a subtle approach unique to Zhang Yu.
What should have been an aggressive probing move carried a strange sense of reassurance in Zhang Yu's eyes.
Bai Li snorted inwardly, having to admit that she fell for this.
Even the most subtle expression still carried an electric current, constantly stimulating her senses.
She could clearly feel the temperature of her cheeks rising.
Bai Li admits that she lost to Zhang Yu.
—Defeated by this subtle yet persistent tenderness.
It's been a long time since that plane incident.
She had thought that after such a long cooling-off period, Zhang Yu would give up.
He has endless filming commitments, and he himself is also constantly busy with other things.
Their mismatched identities destined them to have only a fleeting, superficial relationship.
But Zhang Yu's favorability rating remained at 79 points; he had always been waiting for him, and that had never changed.
The signal given today was very clear: as long as I take this step, I can easily get him.
All the thought and weighing of pros and cons happened in an instant. Bai Li stared at Zhang Yu and asked in a deep voice, "Can I really contact you anytime?"