Chapter 512 - 511: IF Story: Did the Big Shot Compete for Favor Today? 80

Chapter 512: Chapter 511: IF Story: Did the Big Shot Compete for Favor Today? 80

However, He Hanshi had returned to the Capital for a while, which was why it had taken so long to get any new information about him.

Yan Huoshui took out the photographs from inside. As he looked at the woman He Hanshi was gazing at with such gentle eyes, he tapped a finger on Shi Lan’s face in the photo. "Interesting. Isn’t this woman one of the ones he took with him on the day of the concert?"

A slight smile touched his lips as he opened the tracking log. He Hanshi had bought an apartment on the floor above this woman’s. ’How bizarre,’ he thought. ’A major CEO from the Capital, running off to a second-tier place like L City to buy property.’

As he mulled it over, he looked at the photos of Shi Lan again. His gaze fixed on her eyes, and his expression grew more profound.

He Hanshi had been investigating Pumpkin, but his operations had recently stalled. Instead, he was spending all his time with this woman. ’Could it be she has the information they’re looking for?’

Even Yan Huoshui hadn’t initially made a connection between Shi Lan and a cat. He was just wondering what on earth He Hanshi wanted from her.

But no matter what, he was certain this woman was the key to finding his Benefactor.

’Conveniently, she attended my concert and even took a souvenir meant for my Benefactor. Heh, my Benefactor must have seen that, right?’

’Little one, you’d better hide a little more carefully. Don’t let me catch you.’

Yan Huoshui tossed the file aside. He plucked a flower, crushing its petals between his fingers. As the red juices stained his fingertips, a sinister smile crept across his face.

’Fickle little kitties have to be punished by their master.’

——

Yan Huoshui had been so busy preparing for his concert and other work lately that he was barely getting four or five hours of sleep a night.

So, the moment he was jolted awake after what felt like only a brief moment of sleep, a murderous rage boiled up inside him.

He snapped his eyes open, his icy, murderous glare fixed on the source of the sound. ’This is a society of laws, I can’t do anything illegal,’ he thought, ’but if they don’t have a good reason for this, I’ll make damn sure they regret it.’

Yan Huoshui was staying in a hotel, so he assumed it was a member of the housekeeping staff. But unexpectedly, his eyes met a familiar face.

It was the woman from the photographs last night, the one who had attended his concert—Shi Lan.

Shi Lan was startled by her Ping’an’s expression. She instinctively pulled back the hand she’d been about to use to stroke his head and shifted back cautiously. She remembered Ping’an had thrown a fit once before when woken up, so she tried to soften her voice to soothe him. "Ping’an, don’t be angry. I’m sorry, Mommy woke you. Be a good boy, you can go back to sleep now."

"Mommy won’t wake you again."

Ping’an hadn’t been grumpy upon waking for a while now; he usually woke up even earlier than she did, so Shi Lan had completely forgotten about it.

The only reason Shi Lan couldn’t resist waking her cat was that Ping’an slept so soundly, his breathing incredibly faint. She’d worry something had happened to him when she’d finish washing up and find him still lying quietly on the bed.

’Mommy?’

Yan Huoshui raised an eyebrow. ’This woman has a child already? She looks so young.’

’And what is this situation? How did I end up here?’

Yan Huoshui could tell this wasn’t the hotel. After recognizing the person in front of him as Shi Lan, much of the killing intent in his eyes dissipated.

However, he felt his point of view was very low. Everything around him seemed to have been magnified. Even Shi Lan, a woman who had seemed petite compared to him, now looked like a giant.

Stunned for a long moment, he vaguely sensed what was happening. He glanced down at his own fluffy paws and almost laughed in exasperation.

’A child? A cat?’

’Is my soul in a cat’s body right now?’

Yan Huoshui was only stunned for a moment before his surprise turned into delight. He was already curious about the connection between Shi Lan and his Benefactor. Now he’d been delivered right to her doorstep. Wouldn’t this make his work twice as effective with half the effort?

At this thought, his brow smoothed, and his expression became calm and pleased.

Shi Lan watched Ping’an for a moment. Once she was sure his earlier grumpiness had vanished completely, she breathed a quiet sigh of relief. She tentatively stroked his head, then went to the kitchen to make breakfast.

She moved so quickly that Yan Huoshui had no time to dodge. He felt a pleasant warmth on his head, but it vanished in an instant—so quickly that he forgot to be angry about having been taken advantage of.

Belatedly, he sneered and jumped off the bed.

As soon as he landed, he stumbled. Ping’an only had three legs, and he wasn’t used to it. He instinctively tried to stand on two legs like a human. Once he stabilized himself, he stared at the disabled leg, then slowly adapted to a normal feline gait.

After leaving the room, Yan Huoshui glanced at the busy figure in the kitchen before going to find a mirror. At the same time, he didn’t forget to survey Shi Lan’s home, searching for any information about his Benefactor.

Shi Lan’s home was quite large. Even though she lived alone, she had bought a three-bedroom apartment with two large balconies for the sake of comfort.

She had covered the balcony off the living room with green turf and installed a hanging swing chair. The balcony was fully enclosed with windows and decorated with potted flowers, giving it a lush, comfortable feel.

The rooms were full but didn’t look cluttered. There were even fresh flowers on the dining table. The entire place exuded a sense of homey warmth and life.

Clearly, Shi Lan was someone who enjoyed life.

Yan Huoshui found a full-length mirror in the entryway. Looking in it, he saw a pair of emerald-green cat eyes staring back, confirming once again that his soul was in a cat’s body.

As he stared into those eyes, he felt as if he could see his own soul within the cat. In that instant, an idea flashed through his mind. He tried biting himself. After feeling a real jolt of pain, he abruptly walked to the kitchen entrance and stared intently at the person methodically preparing breakfast inside.

’Shi Lan...’

He repeated her name silently in his mind. Connecting this to He Hanshi’s recent strange behavior, he narrowed his eyes. He felt he was just one step away from the truth.

Shi Lan noticed Ping’an’s stare and turned to smile at him. "Ping’an, did the smell draw you over?"

"You clever boy. As it happens, Mommy made you some cat food today."

Shi Lan looked at the cat gently, her hands never ceasing their work.

Yan Huoshui stared at her soft, almond-shaped eyes, which seemed to hold a natural smile. For a moment, he couldn’t connect this woman with the Benefactor who used to always roll her eyes at him.

’Could she... be the one?’

He averted his gaze so as not to startle her and give himself away.

A short while later, Shi Lan found Ping’an on the sofa. Holding his food bowl in one hand, she scooped him up under her other arm, carried him to the pet room, and placed the food in front of him.

"Go on and eat, Ping’an."

To improve Ping’an’s diet, Shi Lan had started making him special meals three or four times a week. Ping’an loved them, and she’d noticed they were more effective than regular kibble—she hardly saw any cat fur on the sofa anymore.

Yan Huoshui hadn’t even had time to get angry about the way she’d just carried him when he looked down and saw the stuff she expected him to eat. He nearly kicked the bowl away.

’This slimy goop... Is this really something a person would eat?’