After a good while of fumbling around, Ruan Shu still couldn’t find it. She pulled her little paws back in and then poked her fluffy head out. Her fur had puffed up like a dandelion, making her look soft and round.
Her large blue eyes, taking up almost half her face, glanced around until they finally spotted the little ball she was after in the corner.
Fixated on her ball, the little kitty completely forgot the previous embarrassment. She wriggled out from under the blanket and began playing with the ball in the hanging basket.
As she rolled around, she eventually tumbled out of the basket. Her feline instincts kicked in, flipping her midair so she landed steadily on all fours.
She gave the ground a little tap, flicked her tail, and chased the ball again.
After a while, playing alone wasn’t enough, so she brought Xiaomi, the little robot, along to join her.
She dashed back and forth until she finally worked off her meal, and with her tummy no longer full, the kitty began feeling a little lazy. She gracefully leaped onto the head of the robot Xiaomi.
“Meow meow~”
Xiaomi took Shushu along for a little ride.
Robot Xiaomi had no complaints—carrying the adorable little kitty around all day was no problem at all.
So Ruan Shu sprawled lazily on top of the robot’s head. This mode of transportation was quite to her liking, and her tail wagged happily a few times.
The weather was bright and sunny, which the kitty enjoyed. As she sprawled out, she began to doze off.
But just before she drifted off completely, a pair of large hands picked her up.
The drowsy kitty’s ears perked up immediately, and her eyes opened wide.
“Meow meow!”
She was thrilled, jumping into the arms of the person who had picked her up, rubbing her little head affectionately against his neck and chin.
Daddy, Daddy!
The soft, tender sounds coming from the little kitty were very pleasant to hear.
Ruan Xiao held the little kitty, who was practically hanging from his neck like a fluffy scarf. The little one was so soft it was as if her bones were made of mush.
“Meow~”
Ruan Shu happily clung to her dad, purring endlessly in a sticky, chatty way, as if she had tons of things to tell him.
Ruan Xiao’s expression softened as a smile appeared on his usually stern face.
Watching from the side, Ruan He felt a pang of jealousy. In this family, Shushu was closest to her dad; as soon as he showed up, it was as if no one else even existed in her eyes.
Ruan Shu finally realized that all her words were just coming out as “meow, meow, meow.” She jumped onto her dad’s arm and, in the next instant, transformed into a small, soft bundle wearing a pretty little dress.
Her tail and ears remained, with her fluffy tail still swishing back and forth. Her bright eyes looked up at her dad, and she smiled with a cute dimple on her cheek.
“Daddy, Shushu missed you so much.”
The little girl’s voice was soft and filled with happiness, and her tail swayed even more joyfully.
Ruan Xiao patted her smooth, snow-white hair. “I know.”
Ruan Shu’s eyes sparkled as she looked at her dad, noticing how tired he seemed. She sweetly urged him to go and rest.
She slipped down from her father’s embrace, grabbing his hand as they walked into the house together.
“Daddy, my injuries are completely healed now! Look, not even a single scar left. Grandpa gives me milk juice every day, and there’s this green fruit too. Big Brother Qingran also helps me change my bandages often…”
Holding her dad’s hand, Ruan Shu chattered on as they walked, her enthusiasm undiminished even though her father didn’t respond much.
Ruan Xiao listened patiently. Although these were just small, trivial things, he found this new experience rather enjoyable—and surprisingly didn’t mind it at all. Plus, seeing his daughter so cheerful made his heart grow softer.
After a while, Ruan Shu realized she might be talking a bit too much. She glanced up at her dad, only to find him seriously listening instead of getting annoyed.
Her eyes curved into a bright smile.
“Daddy, have you eaten yet?” she asked.
Ruan Xiao replied, “I had a nutrition supplement.”
When out on the battlefield, he mostly relied on these supplements since they were convenient, fast, and provided all the necessary nutrients.
Despite this, Ruan Shu went to fetch him some fruit. She picked a fresh blackberry from a small vine and handed it to him.
She sat beside her dad, waiting for him to finish eating, then urged him to go upstairs and get some rest.
Even though she wanted to spend more time with him, she didn’t want him to overexert himself.
Ruan Xiao patted her head, saying, “No need to go through all that trouble.”
As he spoke, he shifted into his beast form. He planned to rest in the sun outside for a while.
Seeing the majestic qilin-tiger form of her father, Ruan Shu’s eyes lit up. She immediately transformed back into her cat form, rolling around at his side and taking the opportunity to cling proudly to her dad’s massive forearm.
She eyed his thick fur with a bit of envy and began plotting in her mind.
“Mew meow meow…”
Daddy, let Shushu groom your fur! Big Brother says it feels really nice. And I can use the shed fur to make you a felt doll!
Finally settling down, the little ragdoll cat sat quietly in front of her dad, her fluffy tail curled around her tiny paws, looking up at him with hopeful eyes.
Ruan Xiao lowered his head, gently nudging her on the head with his snout, signaling his approval.
Ruan Shu happily rubbed her little face against his mouth, then trotted off to fetch a brush.
She returned with a special comb meant for grooming animals, cheerfully heading outside with her dad.
On the way, she waved happily at her grandpa and the others.
Seeing the comb in the little girl’s hands, everyone except Ruan Linzhan instantly understood her intention.
As soon as Ruan Xiao lay down on the lawn, the tiny, fluffy Ruan Shu approached him with the comb, ready to start brushing his fur.
Her dad, like her big brother, had a bit of a shedding problem.
Joyfully, she carefully gathered all the fur she combed out.
Ruan Linzhan watched, bewildered, wondering, What exactly is going on here?
Ruan He commented, “Last time, Shushu only braided a little braid on my tail. It looked quite nice, but she didn’t brush my fur.”
Ever since he found out how his grandson’s felted dolls were made from brushed fur, he’d been waiting for his little granddaughter to give him the same treatment.
As for keeping her at a distance? That was out of the question! His little granddaughter was so small and harmless that no one would ever think of being wary around her.
Ruan Qingran chimed in, “She said she’d groom my fur after her injuries healed.”
His younger uncle tried to cut in.
Ruan Linzhan was at a loss for words, thinking he must be hallucinating.
Meanwhile, the tiger being groomed displayed no tension whatsoever, fully relaxed as the comb teeth glided through his thick fur. It wasn’t just a physical comfort—it seemed to ease his mind as well.
At that moment, Ruan Xiao truly resembled a giant cat, lounging contentedly on the grass, closing his eyes to rest.
Ruan Shu glanced at her dad, a happy smile playing on her face as she continued her work.
Wow… Daddy is shedding so much fur.
She carefully combed through each side, then climbed onto his back to reach higher.
The massive tiger didn’t move an inch, with no signs of waking up.
Grooming such a big fur coat was satisfying, but it was absolutely exhausting too.
Daddy’s fur was looking smoother by the minute, and Ruan Shu felt a deep sense of accomplishment—though her arms were now aching badly.