There are clues? she thought.

Xiang Wan’s heart skipped a beat. “I’ll tell him immediately.”

Bai Muchuan did not continue but asked a question instead. “Have you arrived at the pet care center?”

Xiang Wan mumbled a reply, “We just arrived.”

Bai Muchuan thought for a moment. “Wait there. We’ll meet up and talk about it!”

Meet up?

Xiang Wan did not know what Bai Muchuan had in mind.

However, regarding the questions about the case, she would never ask for more than what was necessary.

“Sure, see you later.”

After hanging up, she told Cheng Zheng about what Bai Muchuan had said.

Since there were clues about the identity of the deceased, anyone would be ecstatic to hear it.

Contrary to Xiang Wan’s expectations, Cheng Zheng hardly showed any joy when he heard about that finding. Maybe he had seen too many of such cases. He only blinked in thought and that was all.

“Let’s go in!” He lifted his head and pointed to the pet care center.

Xiang Wan then remembered her motive for coming here.

This street was not the main road of Xi City. It was a quiet and tiny street where trees lined up on both sides of the road alongside the colorful and patterned pavement.

Although the pet care center was not big, the environment there was clean and tidy.

The first impression it gave was impressive.

That was also the reason why Xiang Wan was willing to let Blackie stay there.

The owner of the pet care center was an amiable looking middle-aged lady. When she saw them entering, she heaved a sigh of relief.

“Your Blackie is so difficult to please! I’ve reared cats for so many years, but I’ve never seen a cat quite as stubborn as this one.”

She said that while smiling.

Xiang Wan felt a little apologetic since it was not nice to trouble someone so much although she had paid for her service.

Hence, she told her apology to the lady owner and gazed at Blackie who was curled up in the cat cage with a blaming look.

“Blackie! What happened to you?”

Blackie remained curled up in his position like a little ball of coal, unmoving and mute. He seemed alert since his eyes looked at what was outside warily…

He seemed distrustful of his surroundings when he looked at Xiang Wan, who was trying to get close to him.

He didn’t show much reaction.

This little thing was indeed difficult to please.

Cats generally tend to mind their own business.

As for Blackie, he was certainly one who did not like people to bother him.

“Meow, meow… Blackie… Meow, meow… Look at me…?”

Xiang Wan called him and tried to please him. She even coaxed him, trying whatever she could—

However, Blackie did not show any reaction at all!

He did not move and ignored Xiang Wan.

If it weren’t for that pair of intelligent-looking cat eyes, she would definitely wonder if Blackie had become a mentally challenged cat!

“Maybe he’s afraid!” Cheng Zheng walked over and stood beside Xiang Wan, looking at her as she tried to coax the cat. “Why did you bring him back when you didn’t even have any experience in keeping a cat?” He puffed a sigh. “It’s difficult to take care of a cat.”

It was nice petting a cat, but it was certainly not easy to take care of one properly!

Xiang Wan was well aware of that fact.

It was just that she had not officially started to take care of Blackie and did not know that he was such a difficult cat.

She touched Blackie’s hind paw gently through the cage. “You mean you’ve kept one before?” She said without turning her head.

She had used the coaxing tone she used to talk to Blackie earlier since she did not change it in time.

Hence, such mellow and gentle tone scorched Cheng Zheng’s heart aflame.

His whole heart felt like burning and his gaze became deeper.

“I did!”

His voice sounded soft and pleasant as well.

It did not sound like the usual Cheng Zheng.

This surprised Xiang Wan as she turned to look at him.

By then, Cheng Zheng had also squatted down and opened the cat cage. He focused his eyes on the little coal-colored ball curled up in a corner.

“Come out, young fellow!”

“Meow—” Blackie did not leave his cage but mewled at him with unease.

He stepped backed deeper into the cage, starting to make a sound that was a mixture of a meow and the beginning of a caterwaul.

As if he was protesting, pleading, or resisting—

However, he was looking at Cheng Zheng.

Xiang Wan could not understand what Blackie wanted and turned to look at Cheng Zheng.

Cheng Zheng reached out a hand to Blackie. “Come on, come over here!”

“Meow—” Blackie still remained at his position, looking as wary as ever.

Cheng Zheng turned to the lady owner to get some cat food pellets. He placed them on his palm and slowly extended his arm into the cage.

Blackie glanced at him apprehensively, unsure what he was thinking about. His little head tilted slowly for a moment as he looked at Cheng Zheng. Then, he extended his little paw and batted at Cheng Zheng.

Cheng Zheng looked at the kitty who was also looking at him.

After that swipe, Blackie did not move again.

Such a scene was like a battle between a human and a cat. Finally, Blackie decided to nudge.

His paw touched Cheng Zheng’s palm, and he started to eat the food pellets on it…

The difference between a cat and a dog might be that no matter how hungry they were, cats would tend to be more elegant when it was time to eat, like a nobleman. Xiang Wan felt like patting Blackie’s cute little head.

“Don’t pat him yet!” Cheng Zheng seemed as if he could tell what she wanted to do.

“Okay,” Xiang Wan puffed a sigh, totally unable to believe the sight.

“This is so unexpected. You’re such a cold-blooded person… Uh, no your profession. You actually know how to make a cat like you?”

Cheng Zheng furrowed his eyebrows slightly. “But I don’t know how to make people like me.”

Xiang Wan didn’t know how to respond and tightened her lips instead. “…”

Cheng Zheng turned to look at her deeply. “I’ve saved his life before!”

Blackie was no longer a kitten. Hence, he had the ability to think.

Back in Nanmu, Cheng Zheng was the one who saved his life.

Maybe he trusted this lifesaver enough and felt safe enough to eat the food pellets on his palm…

That scene was heartwarming to watch.

The lady owner who was also looking couldn’t help but make a remark as well.

“Indeed, this cat only listens to its owner! He won’t eat no matter how much I coax him. This little fellow is really stubborn—”

The lady owner looked at Xiang Wan. “Your boyfriend has a big heart. It’s a rare sight to see young men having the patience to keep dogs and cats now…”

Xiang Wan’s mouth gaped. “…”

“He’s not—” Xiang Wan wanted to explain but before she could do so, Cheng Zheng lifted his head. “I need more cat food, he’s very hungry!”

“…”

Fine!

He interrupted her.

The lady owner went to get cat food while Xiang Wan squat down to look at Blackie eating.

She must admit that Cheng Zheng understood cats very well and managed to calm Blackie down…

That little thing kept eating and gradually, he was near the door of the cage. He no longer was wary of Cheng Zheng that even when Xiang Wan patted its back, he no longer tried to avoid that.

“He’s so obedient!”

Blackie’s behavior moved Xiang Wan.

She was also grateful to Cheng Zheng, who knew how to handle cats.

At the very least, Cheng Zheng’s image was no longer that of someone apathetic, holding a cold scalpel as he dealt with corpses all the time.

She asked, “Can I carry him now?”

Blackie was too adorable.

It was especially so when Blackie was now her pet.

Xiang Wan was filled with some kind of emotion that she completely could not resist the temptation of the cat!

Her eyes were flashing brightly as she looked at Blackie.

Cheng Zheng looked at her. “Go ahead!”

Xiang Wan took Blackie by the waist and wanted to carry it. Cheng Zheng frowned at that sight and stopped her gently. He took Blackie gently out from the cage and handed it to her. “Carry him like this. Cats would not feel frightened when carried in this manner. If they got frightened, they might claw you—”

“I see!” Xiang Wan was engrossed in the joy of carrying her pet!

Cheng Zheng glanced at her deeply.

Then, he asked the lady owner with a cold look.

“Did you not bathe him?”

“I did!” The lady owner seemed a little awkward.

“That means you didn’t wash him properly.” When Cheng Zheng pulled that sort of face, he could be quite intimidating as well.

“It’s not that I didn’t want to wash him properly… It’s just that Blackie… is too fierce… Look at the back of my hands, he clawed me too much…” The lady owner showed her hands, puffing and blowing as she explained. Cheng Zheng did not want to listen and interrupted her. “He clawed you because you treated him violently,” said Cheng Zheng sternly, “this cat is very smart. If you had treated him well, he would have cooperated with you and would have eaten what you gave him!”

The word ‘violently’ stunned the lady owner so much that she went pale.

“Me, violent? Please do not make such jokes! I’ve been in this business for many years. I’ve treated all the cats here like I treat my ancestors…”

“And are you not afraid that your ancestors might jump out of their tombs to hit you!?” Cheng Zheng continued to look at her coldly.

“…” The lady owner shut up for a moment.

“You’re bullying him because he can’t speak our language, right?” Cheng Zheng carried Blackie on his arms from Xiang Wan and found a red mark on his body. “May I ask you what this is?”

The lady owner responded, “I accidentally left that handling mark when he struggled—”

Cheng Zheng snorted in displeasure. “Your hands couldn’t have made that mark. This is a mark that only appears when you used a rope to tie him up violently. This is also not the only mark he has on him. What did you do to him when you’re bathing him? I seriously suspect that you’ve mistreated my cat!”

What he said left the lady owner speechless!

Actually, the marks left by the rope was very faint.

Regarding disobedient pets, they would take some measures to make these pets behave.

She definitely did not know that she would encounter someone who was so well-versed in forensic science. Just one mark alone and he could tell a lot—that was why he knew she had used a rope; her strength and the direction of the force dealt on the cat gave it away.

“If you insist that you did not mistreat my cat,” said Cheng Zheng, “I want to see the footage of your surveillance camera!”

“I didn’t mistreat your cat!” The lady owner denied flatly, “I don’t have surveillance cameras installed here as well. I’ve opened this pet care center for over 10 years. None of my customers are unhappy with me. Your cat is disobedient and refused to cooperate with me. I’ve contacted you immediately about his condition as well…”

Cheng Zheng narrowed his eyes. “You’re still trying to deny it?”

The lady owner was a little fearful of his cold, pressurizing look. She looked away and decided not to argue further.

“Nah, forget it then. I count myself unlucky! Since you’re not happy with my service, I won’t charge you a cent. You may take your cat and leave!”

“You must compensate!” Cheng Zheng demanded, “Although he’s only a cat, we need to fight for his rights too!”

“Compensate?” The lady owner looked as if a clap of thunder had struck her.

“You didn’t mishear me.” Cheng Zheng looked at her affirmatively. “If you don’t want to compensate more than you should, for instance, more time and money. Of course, you can also insist on not to compensate!”

…