Maimai Chapter 40

Kitty people hotline.

“Hello, Kitty People Alliance. How can we assist you?”

“Hi, hello.” Maimai nervously gripped his phone and spoke quickly. “My partner is a human, but this morning he said he wasn’t feeling well—and then he turned into a black cat.”

He asked anxiously, “He can’t change back now. What should we do?”

“Oh.” The person on the other end paused before confirming, “Don’t worry. Did your partner happen to drink the new beverage from the café on the first floor of the organization yesterday?”

Maimai had the phone on speaker. He glanced at the black cat in his arms and asked, “Did you?”

The cat’s expression turned unnatural. After a few seconds, he reluctantly let out a “meow” to confirm.

“He says he did!” Maimai replied.

“The beverage is a newly developed product exclusively for kitty people. It contains a key secret ingredient designed specifically for them and works similarly to an energy drink. However, if humans consume too much of it, the secret formula might affect them, causing a temporary transformation into a cat.”

The woman on the line patiently explained and reassured, “Don’t worry. The effects will last no more than a day. However, during this time, he will remain in his cat form. If you need a medical leave note, you can get one at Window No. 3 in the lobby on the first floor of the organization.”

Maimai thanked her sincerely, hung up, and then asked, “Why did you drink that drink?”

The black cat had a stiff expression and stayed silent. It was just a strange combination of events.

Yesterday, the orange cat had gone to the Kitty People Alliance to participate in a labor skills competition. The human, who had tagged along, sat idly in the café during the event and noticed others ordering a drink called “Orange Star Glow.”

When Cheng Lin saw the word “Orange” in the drink’s name, he couldn’t resist. Without bothering to read the café’s notice board about consumption guidelines, he had downed two glasses in quick succession. After all, who would expect that these seemingly proper individuals were secretly kittens?

As a result, he suddenly felt unwell. His vision went black, and when he came to, his entire world had flipped upside down.

Looking in the mirror, he saw himself standing on all fours. He had turned into a black cat with golden eyes. His body was tall and sleek, his muscles faintly visible as he moved. He took a few hesitant steps, only to be immediately picked up and held.

Maimai placed the cat on his lap, rubbing its head curiously with his palm and fingertips. He remarked, “It’s really a cat—so fluffy.”

The black cat instinctively squinted in pleasure but then awkwardly blushed. For the first time in his life, Cheng Lin found himself held in Maimai’s arms, and he felt deeply strange, as though their roles had reversed.

Maimai gently cupped the black cat’s face with his hands, scrutinized it closely, and concluded, “You’re a little black cat.”

Cheng Lin let out a “meow” in protest, “What do you mean, little?” Perhaps because of his age, he looked fully grown, even twice as large as the orange cat. It was no different from how he was taller and more muscular than Maimai in human form.

When the black cat tried to jump off Maimai’s lap, he was promptly scooped back up into his arms.

“This is amazing.” Maimai’s eyes sparkled as he lifted the cat by its front legs and gently swayed him from side to side.

He seemed to be taking Cheng Lin’s transformation into a cat surprisingly well and said happily, “You once asked me what I would do if you turned into a cat. Now it’s my turn to take care of you.”

Maimai carried the black cat to a full-length mirror. The reflection showed a human and a cat with vastly different expressions—one excited, the other serious. After a moment, the excited one leaned in, rubbed his cheek affectionately against the serious one, and mimicked, “Sniffing a cat.”

Thus began Maimai’s day of taking care of a cat.

For some reason, this orange cat had a strong sense of conviction and followed through on his words. He was adamant about reenacting every single thing Cheng Lin had done to take care of him before on this one day.

Cheng Lin paced uneasily around Maimai, concerned about Maimai taking charge of the house and feeling a vague sense of nervousness and confusion about suddenly becoming a cat.

The perspective was entirely new—so this was how the cat used to circle around him. From Maimai’s point of view, Cheng Lin seemed enormous.

His body felt remarkably nimble and flexible, allowing him to jump higher than he had imagined. No wonder Maimai had easily conquered that giant cat tower.

In addition, Cheng Lin could now detect an array of scents he had never noticed as a human.

Maimai bustled about, eventually deciding to start with the comb. Sitting cross-legged, he called out, “Kitty, come here. I’ll brush your fur.”

And just like that, Cheng Lin’s real name was forgotten.

The black cat circled Maimai reluctantly, maintaining a slight distance. However, his tail shot up instinctively at the sound of Maimai’s voice, betraying his true feelings.

The moment Maimai touched him, the cat sat down with a solemn expression, placing his front paws on Maimai’s thigh. Cheng Lin noticed a fragrance on Maimai that he had never detected before.

Maimai imitated what he had learned, patiently running the brush along the sleek fur of the black cat’s back while praising, “Good kitty!”

This only made the black cat’s expression even more bizarre.

After brushing, Maimai said, “I’ll prepare some kitty food for you.”

His tone was an exact replica of how Cheng Lin used to speak to him when Maimai was hungry: “I’ll make you some kitty food right away,” or, “Baby, come eat your kitty food.”

“I’m not eating canned cat food,” Cheng Lin protested. “That’s for cats.”

“But you’re a cat now,” Maimai replied. “It’s really tasty.”

“Opening a can is too dangerous.” Cheng Lin relented further. “Just pour me some dry food.”

“I open cans for customers all the time at work. Don’t worry,” Maimai reassured him, gently patting the black cat on the head. The black cat fell silent and simply stared at him.

The cat water fountain was reactivated, and the colorful, adorably patterned cat food bowls were retrieved from the cabinet. Acting as the temporary head of the household, Maimai began preparing the cat’s meal with patience.

Over time, Maimai had long ceased being a clueless kitty person. Now, he was well-informed, cheerful, and capable of doing everything properly and presentably.

However, Cheng Lin had always handled trivial everyday matters single-handedly. Now that Cheng Lin was the one being cared for, he found it difficult to accept the role comfortably.

But as he watched Maimai holding the can with his left hand, the platinum wedding ring on his ring finger glinting in the light, Cheng Lin suddenly felt a surge of pride and happiness.

Perhaps it was because he had turned into a cat, but the canned cat food tasted delicious and incredibly satisfying. After finishing the meal, the black cat followed Maimai in and out of the rooms, tail held high and expression serious.

On the surface, he seemed intent on offering care and assistance, but in truth, he just wanted an excuse to stay close to his partner.

It was only now that Maimai realized how many tasks filled a single day.

Even though he usually followed Rongrong’s teachings and fulfilled his role as a husband, Cheng Lin had always dismissed the effort, managing most things effortlessly on his own. The cat had previously only handled a small fraction of the responsibilities—about 30%. Now, Maimai had to take on 100% of them, and he was truly out of his depth.

The black cat sat on the bed with a headache, watching Maimai fold clothes. He reached out a paw to press them down. “Leave it. I’ll do it tomorrow.”

“How could I leave it like this?” Maimai, struck by sudden inspiration, flattened the black cat where he lay, leaned in, and kissed his head—just as Cheng Lin would usually kiss him.

Cheng Lin was flustered and used his paw to push against Maimai’s cheek, saying, “Enough, enough.” His black face flushed as red as a ripe fruit.

“I’ve never rejected you!” Maimai unexpectedly perked up. “We’re an old married couple now, so why are you still rejecting me?”

The black cat wanted to argue that this was entirely different; after all, their roles in the relationship were distinct. He was supposed to be the uncivilized, occasionally perverted one. However, it was rare for Maimai to take the initiative, and the experience was surprisingly refreshing.

Cheng Lin didn’t resist further and withdrew the paw he had used to hold him back.

Finally, the much-needed rest of the evening arrived. Maimai suddenly shrank and transformed back into his cat form. Jumping onto the sofa, he poked out his round head and suggested, “Let’s watch TV together and use my blanket.”

The black cat sat upright on the floor beneath the sofa, looking up at him. “Got it, I’ll fetch it.”

“And bring Little Bear.” The comfort object couldn’t be forgotten. Only after giving all the instructions did Maimai realize that he was supposed to be in charge today.

But the black cat had already deftly picked up the teddy bear in his mouth and brought over the blanket from the small sofa nearby.

With the blanket draped over his head and his paws on the remote, Maimai casually flipped through the channels. When he finally found something he liked, he snuggled up next to the black cat and lay down. “Now we’re the same size again.”

The black cat commented, “Having such a high IQ feels a bit suspicious.”

Maimai: “Does it?”

“Mm.” Cheng Lin said, “I can’t manage it, anyway.” He pressed his paw against the side; it was noticeably larger than the orange cat’s and too clumsy to handle such precise tasks.

In the dark, the two cats on the sofa formed a shape that looked like a yin-yang symbol. After a while, that shape shifted into two snugly pressed blocks of color—the black one larger and the orange one smaller.

No matter what scenes played out on the TV, the two blocks of color never fully separated.

Maimai became engrossed in the TV drama, draping the front half of his body over the black cat’s back. After a while, he even began kneading, his paws opening and closing in a steady rhythm. The black cat showed remarkable patience and didn’t make a sound. However, during a brief quiet moment from the TV, the alternating rumble of their purring could faintly be heard, like the hum of engines.

When the clock struck ten, Maimai declared it was bedtime and promptly turned off the TV. He bit down on his blanket, ensuring both cats were properly covered so they wouldn’t catch a cold. He carefully arranged his teddy bear as well, by now so sleepy that he could barely keep his eyes open.

Curling up against the black cat, he asked with a meow, “How did I do today?”

“Perfect.”

“It was kind of tiring.” Maimai remarked, “Wife, you’ve been working so hard all this time.”

There was silence beside him for a long moment. Only as the orange cat drifted off to sleep came the response, “Not at all.”

Cheng Lin added, “It’s my choice. I’m happy every day.”

The orange cat felt a warm, fuzzy, and slightly damp sensation on his cheek. The black cat seemed to kiss him. Forcing his eyes open, he saw a pair of gentle eyes gazing back at him.

Maimai’s day of taking care of a cat had come to an end.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Maimai woke groggily to find himself fully dressed and lying in the bedroom bed. In front of him was Cheng Lin’s chest, with an arm draped around his waist.

Cheng Lin, now unmistakably human, was wearing pajamas that matched his pattern, propping up his head and watching him idly. Seeing that Maimai was awake, Cheng Lin reached out to ruffle the hair on the back of his head, then lightly touched his cheek.

“Awake?”

Still dazed and unable to distinguish dream from reality, Maimai asked, “You’re back to being human?”

Cheng Lin had been woken earlier in the morning by faint noises. It turned out the kitty person was talking in his sleep, letting out soft “mew-mew” sounds. Though he seemed quite excited, it didn’t sound like a nightmare—what it meant, however, was anyone’s guess.

Hearing the question, Cheng Lin chuckled and asked, “What did you dream about? Did I turn into a cat?”

Maimai nodded, then slowly gestured with his hands, saying, “You turned into a very handsome black cat.”

“Really?” Cheng Lin clasped both of Maimai’s hands easily with one of his own, giving them a squeeze before kissing his fingertips. “Want to get up? Don’t you have to participate in the labor skills competition this afternoon? What do you want for breakfast?”

“Oh, right.” Maimai bolted upright and said, “I need to practice some more.” He had signed up for the coffee-making category.

Maimai’s café was reopening today.

Both of them got out of bed. Cheng Lin headed to the kitchen to start toasting some bread. As he strode through the living room, he noticed the grooming kit next to the cat bed in the corner. It had been neglected for some time, with the tools inside left unused.

The comb, once used for brushing the orange cat’s fur, had been stuffed into the corner. Now, it bore two mysterious black strands of fur.

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Author’s note:

Sorry for the wait! This was Cheng Lin turning into a cat, as requested by some readers. Actually, the original version I wrote was set in an alternate universe where Cheng Lin was a kitty person, and Maimai was his classmate, but the logic felt a bit inconsistent, so I scrapped it and rewrote it entirely into this version orz

Next up is the husband-husband compatibility Q&A! I’ll finish it over the weekend. If anyone has more questions, feel free to leave them in the Weibo comments~