Chapter 18 – Neutering

Qin Chen took Xu Jian to film the scene in Xin Cheng for half a month. During this half month, Xu Jian fully showed everyone what is called ‘other people’s cat’.

Qin Chen also completely affixed the label of ‘cat slave’ in everyone’s heart.

Xu Jian was carried to the set every day by Qin Chen and the latter ate and slept with him. When Qin Chen was filming, he did not run around, staring intently at Qin Chen with a pair of cat eyes opened.

Originally, Qin Chen was worried about him running around and hooked him up with a leash, but later on, he found that he had thought too much.

As long as he doesn’t move, Milk won’t definitely move, and his eyes seem to be glued to him.

In the past half month, not to mention Xu Jian running around, he didn’t even wander outside the set, so later Qin Chen took the leash off.

On the third day, a crew member took a mini work tag and gave it to Xu Jian, with a picture of his cat’s head pasted on it and his name written in the column: Milk (Qin Chen’s cat).

From that day on, Xu Jian became a cat with a work tag and could freely enter and leave the set.

Xiao Nan hung the mini work tag on Xu Jian’s neck and then took out her cellphone to take the pictures for Qin Chen.

The task of taking pictures of Xu Jian was given to Xiao Nan by Qin Chen so that there would be someone to capture my very cute moments of Xu Jian while he was filming. 

In addition to Xu Jian sticking to Qin Chen, everyone also found that apart from the food given by Qin Chen, Xu Jian who was fed by other people will not open his mouth.

Even if it’s his favorite dried fish is the same, he does not eat dried fish fed by others. It’s only when Qin Chen feeds, he will use two front paws clinging to Qin Chen’s hand to eat with relish.

Some people in the crew did not believe that there is such a smart cat. They came over to lure him with a dried fish and found that the white cat was not really moved.

Seeing such a well-behaved and understanding Xu Jian, everyone joked that it was either Qin Chen who taught him well or that the cat had become a spirit.

At this time, plush control Qin Chen felt extremely satisfied.

In this half month in Xin Cheng, Qin Chen’s biggest gain was not that he participated in another TV series, but to find that the degree of Milk sticking to him went up another level.

For this reason, Qin Chen was secretly happy for a long time, and become more and more precious baby Xu Jian, wishing to carry the cat on his back when filming.

Only Xu Jian who is hugged and held high every day by Qin Chen knows that he is not at all sticky to Qin Chen, but is just greedy for his acting skills.

After finally having the opportunity to watch the film emperor act up close, he naturally had to seize the opportunity and refused to let go of any details of Qin Chen’s acting.

Xu Jian watched Qin Chen shoot during the day on the set, and after returning to the hotel at night, he pondered over it in his mind. Sometimes he went to the bathroom to practice in front of the mirror while Qin Chen was asleep.

It’s almost being from a cat into a complete panda.

[*The word cat (猫) has the same character in the word panda (熊猫) and because XJ practices late at night, he also became a panda because of his dark eyes.]

Qin Chen’s days of filming with a cat passed by quickly, and in a blink of an eye, it was the last day, that is, the day when he finished.

After arriving at the set in the morning, the director smilingly approached Qin Chen and asked if he could temporarily add a scene.

Qin Chen asked, “What details to add?”

The director pointed to the cat he was holding in his arms, “You and him.”

Xu Jian, who was suddenly cued: “? ? ?”

[*English in the raw.]

Half of the apple in Xiao Nan’s hand almost fell out of fear, and she couldn’t help but ask, “Director, you mean Milk?”

Early in the morning, Xiao Nan thought she was hallucinating.

However, the director nodded firmly, “Yes.”

Compared to the astonished Xiao Nan and Xu Jian, Qin Chen was much calmer. He asked:

“What are the details?”

Hearing Qin Chen’s answer, the director knew that this matter had a chance, so he explained:

“Actually, it’s not a very complicated scene, it’s……”

After the director explained it, Qin Chen, Xu Jian, and the others realized that the director wanted to temporarily add a scene of the male boss and his cat due to the latter’s cleverness. He wants to make the role of the boss’s character more complete and grounded.

Although it was only half a month, Xu Jian gained high popularity on the set because of his superb looks, cold temperament, and sticky behavior to Qin Chen, and there are even next-door crews of admirers who came to ask for a photo.

The temporary addition of scenes means changes to the script. The director also considered it in his mind for a long time, and finally, put it off until Qin Chen’s last day to make a complete decision ——

Add!

Fortunately, because Qin Chen is not the male protagonist, the additional scenes aren’t heavy, so the script doesn’t need to be changed drastically.

The director made a major change to talk about the additional scene, which really made the role of the boss much more vivid.

Qin Chen considered for a while and finally agreed to the director’s request.

The Xu Jian in his arms heard him agree and couldn’t help but meow at him.

Xu Jian: You didn’t even ask for my opinion when you pick up the scene for me??

After the director left with a smile on his face, Qin Chen lifted Xu Jian to look at him and said in a coaxing tone:

“Be good, Milk. When the filming is over, Dad will buy you good food, I won’t let you work for nothing.”

It’s a bit tempting for Qin Chen to be able to film with Milk.

Listening to Qin Chen’s words, Xu Jian’s tail swept on Qin Chen’s face: “Meow~”

Xu Jian: Since there is something delicious……I will reluctantly cooperate with you a little.

Qin Chen didn’t care whether Xu Jian understood or not. He put his fingers against his meat pad and said, “Give me a high-five, this thing is settled.”

Xu Jian who was forced to high-five Qin Chen with his meat pad: “Ao wu~”

Childish!

Xu Jian didn’t expect to be able to film a scene after he turned into a cat, even with the film emperor Qin Chen……

Although hearing what the director meant, after filming, after post-editing, the main feature of the film will only be three minutes at most.

But Xu Jian is already very satisfied. In the past, if there was a TV series starring Qin Chen, he would have starred as a passerby at most, and the shot would have been only three seconds at most.

Frankly, Xu Jian is still in a somewhat excited mood and feels that it is time to test the result of his half month of hard practice in the mirror.

Xu Jian rubbed his paws*, looking forward to the start of filming. As a result, when the shooting began, the director’s first request was:

[*the meaning is similar to gearing up; fig. to rub one's fists and wipe one's palms (idiom); to roll up one's sleeves for battle;]

Qin Chen, who was off duty, opened the door and went home. The cat at home heard the sound and came out excitedly to greet him, and then grabbed Qin Chen’s trousers and crawled up into his arms.

Xu Jian: "......"

This scene is slightly familiar?

After listening to the director’s words, Qin Chen also remembered when Xu Jian was scared by an excited husky before, he was like a wisp of smoke, instantly climbing to his shoulder. 

The black history of being scared by the stupid husky to hide in Qin Chen’s arms shivering is thus unintentionally turned up by the director. Xu Jian:

I suddenly don’t want to film anymore……

However, as an actor, Xu Jian still has professional training. Since he had agreed with Qin Chen to high-five and determined the reward —— delicious food, he will not temporarily go back on his word and run away.

For Xu Jian, there aren’t many opportunities to shoot a scene. This time, although he is a cat, he does his best to cooperate with the filming without being seen to understand human language.

The director asked him to roll on the sofa, Xu Jian stiffened for a few minutes before he rolled under the lure of a small dried fish in Qin Chen’s hand.

The requirements for animal actors have always been low. Coupled with Xu Jian's good performance, the filming process was very smooth.

After filming for half an hour, the only thought in Xu Jian’s mind was ——

It’s really hard to pretend that you can’t understand human speech.

Sometimes, when he heard Qin Chen and the director’s words, he subconsciously wanted to do that action, but after he reacted, he held back.

At the end of the film, the director personally gave Qin Chen flowers and stuffed two red envelopes for him.

In Qin Chen’s eyes, the director is in a very good mood and said:

“One of them is for Milk, he also worked hard today. Take it to buy him dried small fish.”

After hearing the director’s words, Xu Jian’s eyes lit up —— for me?

On the way back to the hotel, Qin Chen hugged Xu Jian lovingly and praised him:

“Milk, you’re awesome. You can earn money to support yourself.” 

Xiao Nan: “Is this the legendary —— you are already a mature cat, you should earn your own money to buy cat food?”

Pan Min also couldn’t help but look at Xu Jian and say, “It’s been hard on you.”

At this moment, Xu Jian was also quite happy and thought: Then should I cross my waist for a while?*

[*boasting oneself]

Xu Jian didn’t expect the director to give him a red envelope which was a windfall for him.

Happy.

............

After returning to Nanfeng City, in order to reward Xu Jian, Qin Chen bought him a lot of snacks and toys. Xu Jian was almost lying in a pile of small dried fish to sleep, he felt that he had gone to the peak of his cat life, and the whole person was in a state of elation.

However, Xu Jian’s elation did not last long. The next morning after he returned from Xin Cheng, Xu Jian felt that his emotions were a bit off, but he thought he was too excited after earning his first bucket of gold of cat life, so he did not care.

Until lunchtime, Xu Jian still had dried fish in his mouth, but his four legs were out of control, and walked towards Qin Chen……

By the time Xu Jian reacted, he had already rolled twice on the ground and was now hugging Qin Chen’s calf and rubbing it around for a while.

Qin Chen still had chopsticks in his hand. He looked down at the sudden sticky Xu Jian, and he couldn’t help but hook the corner of his mouth:

“Milk, why aren’t you eating properly but instead hugging my leg?”

Xu Jian with half a fishtail on his mouth and two front legs still resting on Qin Chen’s calf: “? ? ?”

Who am I? Where am I? What did I just do?

Thinking back to the scene where he just rubbed Qin Chen, Xu Jian who was in a trance slowly opened up his mouth, and the small dried fish in his mouth fell off in fear:

Did I just go crazy ma?

To Qin Chen’s smiling eyes, Xu Jian wanted to explain but what came out when he opened his mouth was a sticky purr:

“Meow~~wu~~meow~~~”

Not only was Xu Jian frightened by his own uncontrolled prolonged tone, but even Qin Chen was stunned.

The voice Xu Jian just made was low and muffled and the tone was dragged softly for a long time.

Frowning and putting down his chopsticks, Qin Chen bent down to hold Xu Jian from the floor to his lap. He said worriedly:

“Milk, what’s wrong with you? Where do you feel uncomfortable?”

When Qin Chen’s warm hand touched him, Xu Jian seemed to have been turned on by some great switch in his body and began to roll around on his lap while twisting and opening his mouth to meow.

Xu Jian felt like another fire burning in his heart, his body was gradually out of his control, his fluffy tail swept back and forth on Qin Chen’s wrist, his head rubbed against his belly and palm, and his purring grew longer and longer. 

But Xu Jian still retains the last shred of sanity. He looked at himself as if he was out of his body, watching himself with half narrowed eyes and rolling around on Qin Chen. He didn’t know where to put his four legs……

At this time, there was a group of huskies barking wildly and running through Xu Jian’s mind, and finally, the huskies formed two words——what the f*ck?!*

[*Translated in three words but only two words in raws.]

Xu Jian began to doubt the cat life: What the hell am I doing now??

In the face of Xu Jian’s anomaly, Qin Chen also seemed a little at a loss, so he only used his hand to gently rub his body to help him smooth the fur, but soon he found that smoothing the hair does not work, Xu Jian purring became more joyful and rolled more intensely.

Looking down at Xu Jian who was about to twist into a Mahua* on his legs, Qin Chen’s brain flashed——

Milk couldn’t be in estrus, could he?

Qin Chen who has been a cloud-sucking cat for many years has also seen many cat movies, including what cats are like in heat, so his theoretical experience tells him that Milk should still go into estrus.

However, Qin Chen wasn’t sure, he didn’t eat anymore, picked up Mahua Jian,* and went to the hospital.

[*Twisted (into a doughnut) Xu Jian]

After arriving at the hospital, the veterinarian only took one look at Xu Jian in Qin Chen’s arms, and spoke with certainty:

“Not sick, it is indeed in heat.”

And the conscious Xu Jian was shocked: “!!!”

I beg your pardon? What’s wrong with me?

But Qin Chen breathed a sigh of relief and asked, “Then, what do we do now?”

The veterinarian pushed the eye (glasses) on the bridge of his nose and spoke calmly:

“There are many ways. The best way is to neuter, once and for all, or find a suitable partner for your cat.”

Neutering?!

Xu Jian who was licking the palm of Qin Chen’s hand was revived, his half-squinted eyes instantly opened wide, and he couldn’t care less about complaining that he was in estrus. There was a deep panic in his big eyes——

He doesn’t want to be neutered!

Feeling a certain part of himself cold, Xu Jian opened his mouth to the calm veterinarian and revealed his sharp teeth, “Meow——"

You’re not a doctor, you’re the devil, aren’t you?!!

As if sensing Xu Jian’s inner roar, the veterinarian spoke again:

“But it seems that your cat isn’t quite willing to be neutered.”

Looking down at the horrified eyes of his cat, Qin Chen also nodded, “……I can see that.”

Xu Jian was already suffering but he was even more frightened by the veterinarian. He even felt like he was going to die in this damned estrus period.

Qin Chen couldn’t find a suitable partner for Xu Jian for a short period of time, and he (the vet) couldn’t perform surgery for a short while, so the doctor told him to go back. The cat won’t be in estrus for long, so just get through it.

Xu Jian listened and nodded in his heart repeatedly——

It’s better to get through this ah, compared to finding a partner and neutering, this is a great way! Perfect for me!

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