A Fake Holy Mother in the Zombie Apocalypse

Bei Nuan turned around and walked back down the steps.

She approached Xie Yuanqing and started a conversation. "Your little cat is so cute."

Several bodyguards behind Xie Yuanqing immediately tensed up and moved to intercept Bei Nuan.

Xie Yuanqing waved them back dismissively, then smiled at Bei Nuan. "My Dahua isn't a kitten anymore. She's almost ten years old, practically a senior cat."

"Her name is Dahua? What a great name, it suits her."

Indeed, she had tiger-like stripes.

It seemed this cat was named Dahua, but that didn't necessarily mean it was the Li Dahua.

Xie Yuanqing's surname was Xie. Even if his cat had a surname, shouldn't it be Xie Dahua, following its owner?

Bei Nuan tried to glean information. "It's a shame cats don't have surnames. If this cat had one, it could be Huang, Huang Dahua. Then everyone would know she's a yellow tabby."

Xie Yuanqing laughed. "She actually does have a surname. It's Li, Li Dahua."

Bei Nuan: "…"

Li Dahua really was a cat.

Bei Nuan mentally whipped Little Three a hundred times.

This was ridiculous. Putting a cat's name on the list to be drawn.

Bei Nuan asked Xie Yuanqing, "So your surname is Li? The 'Li' of 'plum tree'?"

Knowing full well his surname was Xie, Bei Nuan still asked, wanting to confirm "Li Dahua" beyond a doubt, afraid she had misheard.

The expressions of the men behind Xie Yuanqing were quite peculiar.

They had probably never encountered anyone who spoke so casually to their boss, a complete stranger directly asking his surname.

"No, my surname is Xie. I'm called Xie Yuanqing."

Xie Yuanqing's reply was surprisingly patient, offering both his surname and given name.

He added, "My Dahua's surname is Li, the 'Li' of 'plum tree.' She chose it herself."

Bei Nuan was puzzled. "Chose it herself?"

Xie Yuanqing stroked Dahua's head and explained.

"When I first brought her home, I thought she should have a surname, but I didn't know what she'd like. So I had someone write the Hundred Family Surnames on fish slices and let her choose."

Xie Yuanqing's tone was filled with unconcealed pride. "Dahua is very smart. She's a tabby cat, so she chose 'Li' for herself."

Right, letting a cat choose its own surname, how democratic.

So this yellow-furred creature truly was Li Dahua herself… herself the cat.

Now she had to strive to fulfill a cat's three wishes.

How does one even fulfill a cat's three wishes?

To make matters worse, this cat belonged to the mysterious and enigmatic Xie Yuanqing.

Bei Nuan attempted to get closer to the "target" and extended a hand towards its head.

The "target" immediately bristled.

It flattened its ears, tilted its head, and stared at Bei Nuan with its round brown eyes, its expression clearly saying: Who are you? What do you want? Are you trying to touch me? Touch me and I'll scratch you!

The target was decidedly uncooperative.

"Dahua!" Xie Yuanqing gently scolded, then said to Bei Nuan, "It's okay, you can pet her. She won't scratch you."

Really?

Bei Nuan tentatively reached out, her fingertips brushing against the thick fur on Dahua's forehead, ready to retract her hand at any moment.

But Dahua truly didn't scratch.

She looked utterly displeased, shrinking her neck, wishing she could curl into a ball of fluff.

The men behind Xie Yuanqing were stunned.

No one dared touch this cat. Everyone had to cater to it, a living ancestor, yet the boss was letting a stranger pet it.

Pretty girls certainly had their advantages.

"I live on the mountaintop," Xie Yuanqing said. "After you reach the top, look for a house with two large trees at the entrance and a black iron gate with red lacquered pillars. If you'd like, you can come visit Dahua anytime."

He smiled at Bei Nuan, his deep eyes meeting hers, and added, "I'll be waiting for you."

His voice was deep and resonant, a legendary baritone, incredibly pleasant to the ear.

"I'll be waiting for you," these four words sounded like a low and tender confession. Though only four words, they seemed to linger, making anyone who heard them instantly agree.

It was a shame this man wasn't a voice actor.

"Really?" Bei Nuan, eager to complete her mission, was more than willing. "Then I…"

"Bei Nuan."

Lu Xingchi's cold voice cut through the air like a hammer shattering ice, jolting Bei Nuan back to reality. She was standing in the middle of the road, and Lu Xingchi and the others were still waiting.

Lu Xingchi, standing a few steps above, had been watching Bei Nuan play with the cat. Now he suddenly spoke.

Bei Nuan quickly withdrew her hand, stopped petting the cat, and said to Xie Yuanqing, "I have to go."

Li Dahua, as if relieved of a great burden, quickly twitched her ears.

"Your name is Bei Nuan? Good, see you next time," Xie Yuanqing replied with a smile.

Bei Nuan waved at him and hopped up the stone steps, thinking: Seeing you again is fine, but the key is, I definitely have to see your Dahua again.

Xie Yuanqing and his group descended the steps and left.

Xiao Ji and his mother were overjoyed, chatting non-stop by the roadside, oblivious to everyone else.

Xiao Ji's mother had been worried about her son in Huicheng. Knowing that Huicheng had been in trouble, and her son hadn't returned, she had been unable to eat or sleep. Now that Xiao Ji was safely home, she was overjoyed.

She held onto Xiao Ji, asking him in detail how he had returned safely. Learning that Bei Nuan and the others had rescued him from the bank, she was beyond grateful.

"If you're not in a hurry, why don't you all come to my house?" Xiao Ji suggested.

"Yes, stay for a couple of days. We have plenty of spare rooms. The conditions aren't great, but please don't mind," Xiao Ji's mother said, holding Bei Nuan's hand.

"Okay," Lu Xingchi unexpectedly agreed, seemingly not in a hurry to leave.

Bei Nuan had been wondering how to persuade him to stay for a few days to complete the mission. Since he wasn't leaving, it suited her perfectly.

So the group walked up the road, winding through the maze-like paths until they finally reached Xiao Ji's old house.

The old house, built of blue brick and wood, looked quite old, with strings of bright red chili peppers hanging under the eaves.

Xiao Ji's father was at home. Seeing Xiao Ji's return, he didn't say much, but his eyes reddened.

The family was finally reunited.

Yaozhen truly had no shortage of food.

Xiao Ji's family had a full rice store, probably enough for several years.

When Xiao Ji's parents went up the mountain, they even brought their chickens and ducks. A flock of roosters and hens pecked for insects in the yard's vegetable patch.

Inside the house, a large cardboard box held a brood of newly hatched, fluffy yellow chicks, like a group of chirping little fluff balls.

Bei Nuan was so enchanted that she lingered by the box, reluctant to leave.

With space to raise chickens and grow vegetables, and a spring on the mountain for fetching water, this place seemed entirely self-sufficient.

It was lunchtime. Since they had guests, Xiao Ji's father stir-fried some cured meat and ground meat with pickled sour beans, served with rice cooked in sweet spring water. It was delicious.

Bei Nuan asked them, "What if the rice runs out, and things outside haven't returned to normal yet?"

"We're not afraid. We can grow vegetables in the yard, and sweet potatoes on the back mountain," Xiao Ji's mother said.

"My great-grandfather said that during the chaotic times, the town gates were sealed. Back then, every family grew sweet potatoes. They're not picky about water or soil, they grow fast and yield a lot, so no one would starve."

Xiao Ji's father added, "The soil on this mountain is fertile. The sweet potatoes are big and sweet. Because sweet potatoes aren't worth much now, fewer people grow them. Those who do usually grow them to feed pigs and cattle."

Xiao Ji's father instructed Xiao Ji, "Go get a string of dried sweet potatoes for our guests to try."

Xiao Ji went inside and soon returned with a long string of dried sweet potatoes.

They were made by steaming sweet potatoes, slicing them thickly, and stringing them up to dry, like a large necklace.

Bei Nuan tried one. It was simply—too delicious!

This kind of homemade dried sweet potato was completely different from the ones sold in supermarkets. It was very hard, so hard that you had to gnaw at it bit by bit.

But it was sweet and chewy, incredibly addictive.

Bei Nuan wrestled with a piece, taking a long time to nibble off a small portion.

This place, with its beautiful mountains and clear waters, isolated from the world, was like a paradise, showing no signs of the apocalypse. It made one reluctant to leave.

After lunch, Bei Nuan said goodbye to Lu Xingchi and the others, pocketed a large piece of dried sweet potato, and set off.

The countdown timer was still ticking relentlessly. She had to hurry and find Li Dahua.

No matter how much time she had for the mission, she couldn't afford to waste it.

After all, no one spoke cat. Figuring out a cat's wishes would definitely take time.

Xie Yuanqing had said he lived on the mountaintop.

Bei Nuan asked for directions along the way and easily found his house.

Because the house was simply too conspicuous.

Xie Yuanqing, with his generous spending, had rented the best old house in Yaozhen.

It was the clan leader's house, belonging to the largest family in the area. It had clearly been renovated recently, even the red lacquer on the pillars was fresh.

Flowers and plants grew in the courtyard, and a large cluster of pink blossoms peeked over the snow-white walls, a stark contrast to Xiao Ji's old house.

Bei Nuan's target was clear: the cat.

Xie Yuanqing's origins were unclear. It was best to avoid interacting with him if possible.

Bei Nuan circled the wall of his house like a thief, pondering: Was Li Dahua an indoor or outdoor cat?

Judging by its pampered demeanor in its owner's arms, it probably didn't even go outside. If that were the case, it wouldn't be easy to approach.

As she was thinking, a small, fluffy yellow head poked out from the wall.

Li Dahua jumped onto the wall, stretched languidly, then sat down regally with its tail curled, looking down at Bei Nuan haughtily.

It seemed to be saying: Oh, you actually came? What do you want?

This time, Bei Nuan came prepared.

She took off her backpack and pulled out a large bag of baked cod fillets, tearing it open.

No cat could resist fish.

Yesterday, Xie Yuanqing had also said that when Li Dahua chose her surname, the characters were written on fish slices.

Bei Nuan tore off a small piece of fish and, standing on tiptoe, held it up to Li Dahua on the wall.

The walls of the houses here weren't very high, so Bei Nuan could just barely reach.

Offering this as tribute should win a cat's heart, right?

No matter how nice Yaozhen Ancient Town was, it was still remote. The shops only sold local specialties and tourist souvenirs. The snack selection was limited, so there probably weren't any fish fillets of this quality. Although a bit salty for cats, a little bit shouldn't hurt.

Li Dahua looked at her, then at the fish fillet.

She hesitated for a moment, then abandoned her aloofness, leaned forward, and sniffed.

Then she violently gagged.

Bei Nuan, for the first time in her life, saw a cat retch at the sight of fish. She was dumbfounded.

This was fish! Weren't cats supposed to love fish?

This precious cod fillet, saved from Du Ruo's mouth and personally certified by Du Ruo as the most delicious among the dozen or so types of fish fillets in Bei Nuan's space—what was there to be disgusted about?

After a long moment of stunned silence, Bei Nuan encouraged herself and pulled out another bag of Du Ruo's favorite crispy dried small fish.

A golden, perfectly formed dried fish was presented to Miss Li Dahua.

This time, Li Dahua was prepared, her eyes full of distrust for Bei Nuan.

She cautiously moved forward, maintaining a safe social distance from the small fish, and sniffed.

Then, with a flick of her tail, she turned and jumped back into the courtyard, disappearing.

Bei Nuan: "…"

"Li Dahua? Li Dahua? If you don't like fish, I have other things! Do you want beef jerky? How about pork jerky?"

Bei Nuan persisted, softly calling its name, trying to lure it back.

She didn't summon the cat, but she did summon a person.

A gentle voice asked from behind, "You're here? Why not come in? What are you doing?"

What was she doing? Trying to bribe your cat, of course.

Bei Nuan turned around awkwardly to face Xie Yuanqing and his men, forcing a smile. "I was passing by and saw your Dahua on the wall, so I thought I'd play with her for a bit."

This was the mountaintop. Passing by was quite a coincidence. Xie Yuanqing, with a knowing look, gestured for Bei Nuan to enter the courtyard.

"Come in and play. I'll call Dahua out."

The courtyard was tidy and beautiful, with various flowers and plants arranged harmoniously. It was late spring, the earth was warm, and many flowers were in full bloom.

Li Dahua sat beneath a large cluster of azaleas, meticulously washing her face.

She washed very carefully, probably feeling that the lingering fishy smell from the two fish attacks was ruining her beauty.

"Dahua, come here," Xie Yuanqing called as he entered the courtyard.

Li Dahua strolled over unhurriedly, tail held high like a flagpole, and rubbed against her owner's leg.

Xie Yuanqing bent down, scooped her up, and placed her directly into Bei Nuan's arms.

Bei Nuan and Li Dahua: ?

Bei Nuan held the surprisingly heavy Li Dahua. Dahua didn't dare resist, her fur bristling, her neck shrinking as she looked up at Bei Nuan with wide, frightened eyes.

Both parties were reluctant.

Bei Nuan thought: You're so heavy, I really don't want to hold you. I just wanted to be friendly.

"Dahua is so cute!" Bei Nuan exclaimed loudly.

"Isn't she?" Xie Yuanqing said. "I found Dahua as a stray. When I picked her up, she was only two or three months old, thin and small, with an injured leg and matted fur that I couldn't comb through."

Xie Yuanqing smiled. "She was starving back then, eating non-stop, as much as I gave her, as if she thought there wouldn't be another meal."

Bei Nuan was about to ask him about this. "You said last time that when you let her choose her surname, you wrote the characters on dried fish. She likes dried fish, doesn't she?"

Xie Yuanqing stroked Dahua's head in Bei Nuan's arms, his tone indulgent.

"She hadn't seen much of the world back then. She'd tremble with excitement at the smell of dried fish. Now she won't even eat it."

So that was it.

"So what does she like to eat?" Bei Nuan asked humbly.

Xie Yuanqing thought for a moment. "She loves the cat food my chef makes. Unfortunately, the chef turned into a zombie when we were leaving."

"Cat food?"

"Yes," Xie Yuanqing said. "It's made with minced Angus beef eye fillet, mixed with goose liver, and a bit of Persian sturgeon caviar, I think?"

Bei Nuan: "…"

A hint of worry appeared on Xie Yuanqing's face. "With the chef gone, she hasn't eaten properly for days. I've tried everything, but she refuses to eat."

Bei Nuan didn't have Angus beef eye fillet or sturgeon caviar in her space either.

Bei Nuan thought: Doesn't your little princess have any simpler needs?

Seeing Bei Nuan struggling to hold Dahua, Xie Yuanqing had someone bring two wicker chairs into the courtyard.

Bei Nuan was determined to discover the little princess's hobbies, and Xie Yuanqing, seemingly with nothing better to do, patiently chatted with her. They seemed to get along well.

Xie Yuanqing casually inquired about Bei Nuan and her group's background.

Bei Nuan fabricated a story, more than half of it false. Her mind was entirely focused on Li Dahua's wishes.

"So, what does Dahua like to play with?" Bei Nuan decided to try a different approach.

Her diet was too picky. Fulfilling her wishes through food seemed difficult. Finding something for her to play with should be doable, right?

"Well, I had the rooms in my house connected to create a three-story playground for her."

Xie Yuanqing pointed to the top of the tallest tree in the courtyard.

He continued, "About that high. It has cat trees, catwalks, and I even had someone design a maze. Inside the maze are self-propelled electric mice and teaser wands. Dahua could stay in there all day."

Xie Yuanqing stroked Dahua's head, his eyes full of distress. "Unfortunately, it's too big to bring along. Dahua has nothing to play with here, she's almost depressed."

Bei Nuan thought, I don't have a three-story playground or electric mice to play with, and I'm not depressed.

Suddenly, a local-looking person hurried into the courtyard and whispered something in Xie Yuanqing's ear.

Bei Nuan vaguely heard him say something about "the clan leader asking for you."

Xie Yuanqing stood up. "Excuse me, I have some urgent business to attend to."

Bei Nuan quickly stood up as well. "Then I'll be going. I'll come again next time."

But Xie Yuanqing placed a hand on her shoulder, gently pushing her back into the wicker chair.

"It's alright, you can stay and play with Dahua. I think you two have a connection. It's rare for Dahua to like someone so much. You can leave whenever you want, no rush."

His voice was particularly deep and pleasant, and his tone sincere, making it easy to be persuaded.

Bei Nuan thought: Staying, and being alone with Dahua, might be a better way to figure out what she wants than with Xie Yuanqing present.

Xie Yuanqing left with the other person.

The moment he was out the door, Dahua jumped off Bei Nuan's lap, not bothering to pretend for a second longer.

Although this cat was aloof and arrogant, she was incredibly docile in front of Xie Yuanqing, never defying him. No wonder she was so spoiled.

Bei Nuan squatted in front of the wicker chair and tried to reason with her.

"Actually, I don't really want to hold you either. Listen, I need to fulfill your three wishes. Let me finish this, and we can go our separate ways, no hard feelings, how about that?"

Dahua tilted her head, staring at Bei Nuan warily, as if unsure whether she understood.

She suddenly took two steps forward and sniffed at Bei Nuan's pocket.

What did that mean?

October 3, 2024

• The previous raw source contained issues. A new source has been identified, and this chapter has been updated accordingly.

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