C6 The Messy Study Room

Bai Yanling was nearly beside herself with frustration these past few days. Ever since that troublesome cat moved into the Duke's quarters, it had been over two weeks, and the Duke hadn't called anyone to his chambers. The servants, after some discreet inquiries, reported back that the Duke was living and dining with that cat. Rumors spread among the staff that the cat seemed almost human-like, possibly even a supernatural creature, and had somehow bewitched the Duke.

Bai Yanling slammed her hand on the table, finding the situation intolerable. She summoned her attendant to find out where the Duke was, then set off with her to confront him. She couldn't believe that she, a Vice Consort and the daughter of a high-ranking official, was being overshadowed by a mere cat.

Meanwhile, Lu Xiaoxiao was in the study with Cang Xu. Cang Xu couldn't fathom what had possessed him to bring an animal into his study, knowing full well the potential chaos it could cause. Sure enough, within half an hour, books were scattered all over the floor. He watched the little creature, still busily pawing at the shelves, unable to sit still for even a moment.

In truth, Lu Xiaoxiao was simply bored and wanted to find something to read. Without hands, she could only knock books off the shelves to the floor and then try to open them. After flipping through several volumes of classical literature she couldn't understand, she finally found a storybook buried deep on the shelf. It looked like it hadn't been touched in ages. Although it was still in classical language, it was far more engaging than the others.

Cang Xu noticed the sudden quiet and glanced over from his paperwork to see the little furball, now more gray than white, engrossed in a book. Every so often, it would even turn a page with its paw. This little creature... could it actually read? It seemed to possess an uncanny intelligence. He doubted his younger sister could have trained a cat to this extent. Could it truly be a supernatural cat? Cang Xu squinted at it, a bold thought crossing his mind: if it were indeed a magical cat, could it transform into a human? And if so, what would it look like? Strangely, he found himself a bit curious.

Lu Xiaoxiao felt a chill run down her spine, and the next moment, a man's deep, magnetic voice sounded behind her, "Come here!" His tone was always commanding, leaving no room for refusal.

Reluctantly, Lu Xiaoxiao closed her book and turned toward the desk. She was tired of being picked up and moved around by him. Looking up at the desk's height, she thought, as a cat now, she should be able to jump up there.

With that in mind, she stepped back a couple of paces, crouched low, and gathered her strength. Then, with a swift leap, she jumped onto the desk. But she wasn't a real cat, so she didn't have the same quick reflexes. As soon as she landed, she accidentally knocked over the inkstone, spilling ink all over the desk.

Cang Xu's face darkened instantly, matching the ink on the desk. "Stupid cat!"

Realizing her mistake, Lu Xiaoxiao covered her face with her paws, leaving two paw prints on her face, making her look like a little spotted cat.

"Tuanzi!" Cang Xu's voice was filled with anger.

Lu Xiaoxiao cautiously glanced at him. Oh no, his expression looked like he was about to eat her alive. He wouldn't really take her to the kitchen and turn her into a dish, would he? Her heart trembled with fear, and just as Cang Xu reached out, she bolted, fur bristling. She couldn't let him catch her—she was doomed if he did! Lu Xiaoxiao dashed away, leaving a trail of inky paw prints on the documents.

Cang Xu's face grew even darker. He was so frustrated he could almost strangle the foolish cat.