A series of mini theaters about life with Tai Long from his cat Xiao-Ji’s perspective.

1. After the teen Tai Long takes in the cat

Cat, gently booping the prince’s nose with a paw: You are a big, hairless, ugly, and unwieldy kitten, but I see that you lack love and are thus trying to desperately earn my affections through your attentiveness and offerings. I suppose I will take pity on you and adopt you as my son.

Tai Long, blinks: What is it, little cat? Can’t believe how handsome I look so you have to touch my face to confirm? You have good taste, so here, have another piece of chicken.

Cat, delicately nibbling the chicken: *sigh* My son is so insecure that he keeps sucking up to me like this. I suppose I can only indulge him. I can’t wait for when he grows up into a splendid adult cat and learns to speak so I can hear him call me Father.

Tai Long, watching it thoughtfully: It seems you like chicken a lot, little cat. Then let’s name you after something you like. I’ll call you Xiao-Ji.

The so-called divine messenger of Sui’s god is thus named ‘little chicken’.

2. Teen Tai Long being silly with Xiao-Ji in secret

Tai Long, waving around the little cat paws in his hold while meowing and cooing as if to a child: Meow-meow-meow, my adorable little Xiao-Ji~

Xiao-Ji, giving him a longsuffering look: My son has terrible language skills. He must be quite dumb. I suppose I have to look after him.

Tai Long, lifting the cat up: Does my little kitty want pets or cuddles or scritches today? I know, how about all three!

Xiao-Ji, expressionlessly letting itself be stroked and kneaded and scratched: *sigh* As a father, I have to put up with it when my child wants to play. I must endure― Ah, that feels quite nice. Scratch a bit lower, my filial son. Hmm, wonderful…

3. During the time Tai Long is chasing after Yan Yixuan

Tai Long, staring intently at Yan Yixuan: I will subdue that man and have him!

Xiao-Ji, gently placing a paw on Tai Long’s knee: Son, no, stop. I know you’re jealous that I, your father, adopted another kitten and have been spending time with him. But you can’t keep trying to bully him then keep getting hurt in return. I can’t take sides between you both, and I want you two kittens to get along well together.

Tai Long, absently patting the cat’s furry little head: Don’t worry, Xiao-Ji. Your illustrious master won’t fail the next time, and then I’ll give you your favorite chicken in a celebratory feast.

Xiao-Ji: *sigh* The communication barrier between adult cats and baby kittens is impassable. When is he going to stop babbling his baby talk and speak like a cultured cat?

4. When Yan Yixuan is packing up to leave the palace

Xiao-Ji, anxious: Little son? Are you leaving? Is it because your elder brother kept bullying you? Don’t be like this, stay and talk it out.

Yan Yixuan, pausing to pat the cat’s head: Look at you walking around me so worriedly. You look so much like my Ah-Wei when you do that. If you want to stay with me that badly, just ditch that stupid prince.

Xiao-Ji, pawing at his hands: Son, be good. Don’t make me come after you to drag you back home.

Naturally, Yan Yixuan doesn’t understand cat-speak, so he finishes packing up and leaves the palace.

Xiao-Ji: ……

You brats, not listening to me and fighting all day, then running away from home—you’re really not giving this old father any face!

5. When Xiao-Ji and Tai Long reunite

Xiao-Ji, aggrievedly: I’ve finally found you, you ungrateful runaway! How could you leave your father behind like the others? I had to search so long for you! I’ve never searched so hard for any of the other runaway children! Don’t blame this old cat when I punish you later!

Tai Long, kissing its head: Xiao-Ji, Xiao-Ji, you found me! Somehow, you found me!

Xiao-Ji, sighing and lifting itself up to butt Tai Long’s cheek: Ahh, I’ve missed hearing you babble things at me… I suppose I’ll forgive you this time. You better not go too far from me from now on.

A few moments later.

Tai Long, shouting at Lin Changyuan: What’s with that look―

Xiao-Ji, pressing a paw to his mouth: Hush, child. I know you’ve missed me a lot, but there’s no need to be so loudly enthusiastic about it.

Tai Long, trying to speak to Lin Changyuan again in a lower volume: As I was saying, why do you look at me as if―

Xiao-Ji, bumping its head into Tai Long’s lips: Fine, fine, you needy child. Here, I’ll let you act spoiled like you usually do by mouthing my head. You kittens and your strange ways of showing affection…

Tai Long, patting the cat’s head appeasingly and beginning to speak to Lin Changyuan once again: Don’t think I didn’t notice that you―

Xiao-Ji, nipping his jaw with dissatisfaction: Disobedient child, this is not what I assented to! And why do you keep looking over my head instead of meeting my eyes? Feeling too guilty for your misdeeds? Ha!

Tai Long, turning to the cat with fond exasperation: Xiao-Ji, stop interrupting me. Can’t you see that I’m trying to give someone a piece of my mind?

Xiao-Ji, blinking slowly: You finally looked at me again, you bratty kitten. Don’t feel too bad; even if you make mistakes, your father still loves you. And I never doubted that you keep me in your heart too.

Tai Long, scratching it behind the ear affectionately: Oh, what am I going to do with you…

Xiao-Ji, purring happily: Mn, good son, it seems you remember how to endear yourself to your father. That’s right, keep it up there. Hmm, perfect…

6. When Tai Long is sleeping with a fever in the storage shed

Xiao-Ji, disapprovingly: Son, this is why adult cats know not to go into rain. The water’s sticky and uncomfortable. No wonder you got so sick. You should watch and learn from your father how to stay under shelter when it rains.

Tai Long’s stomach grumbles as he sleeps.

Xiao-Ji, nuzzling him affectionately: Are you hungry? I’ll go and catch you something good to eat. So won’t you wake up soon? Your father is getting lonely without you…

Tai Long, mumbling in his sleep while drooling: Ah, hungry…wanna eat…mushroom and bamboo shoots soup…that royal chef’s nine treasure rice…peach blossom and almond cakes…spicy braised fish…noodles with tasty little chicken pieces…

Xiao-Ji, twitching its ears at its name being called near the end: Are you dreaming of me even in your sleep? I suppose I will have to look after my adorable kitten better. Sleep well and wait for me to bring you food.

Bumping the young man’s cheek lovingly, the cat slinks away to hunt.

7. When Tai Long returns to his dorm bed after buying medicine

Xiao-Ji, pushing a disemboweled rat towards him: Here, son. You always eat such weird things; that’s why you continue being sick. Your father caught you a nice, big, and juicy one. Eat it and get better.

Tai Long, smiling and pushing it back: No, you eat it. You must also be hungry.

Xiao-Ji, confused: His son was refusing to eat. What to do? Had his baby kitten reached his rebellious stage?!

8. Xiao-Ji meeting Yan Yixuan again

Xiao-Ji, rubbing against Yan Yixuan’s legs while feeling happy and anxious: Second son, you’re here! Quick, help me feed your elder brother. He’s sick and hungry but being stubborn about not eating the food I hunted, so give me some of the food you kittens like. Maybe he’ll eat that.

Yan Yixuan, crouching and holding out a hand incredulously: Xiao-Ji?!

Xiao-Ji, rubbing its head into his palm and receiving scratches behind its ears: Now I understand why you left me so abruptly, my second kitten. It seems you found a mate and even mingled your scents. Since he’s a male cat too, you can adopt kittens to raise like I’m doing. Ah, how it gladdens me to see you on the path to emulating me. You must look up to me a lot. Your father won’t disappoint you! I must treat you kittens well to set an example! Especially your elder brother when he’s sick―ah, good, scratch a little to the side… As I was saying, um, your elder brother needs kitten food.

Yan Yixuan, looking at Ning Wei in disbelief: Ah-Ning, this is really that cat from Sui! How did it get here?!

Ning Wei crouches down to study the cat.

Xiao-Ji, approvingly: Hello, my kitten-in-law! You seem to treat my kitten well. Continue being a good, upstanding cat.

Ning Wei, smiling and speaking to his husband: Maybe it followed that prince over. You did say he treated it well. Dedicated and loyal pets tend to try and find their way back to their owners when separated. Maybe it followed that prince’s scent, or maybe it marked the carriage he took with its scent and followed that. Who knows?

Yan Yixuan appreciatively rubs the cat’s head more. The cat sniffs the air and realizes that food is near. It stares intently at the leaf-wrapped package in Ning Wei’s hand.

Yan Yixuan, taking the package from Ning Wei and showing it to the cat: Hungry? Does this smell appealing to you? Shall I open it and let you have your pickings?

Xiao-Ji, misunderstanding and taking the entire package: Good son, I thank you on your brother’s behalf. Father will come by later to see how you and your mate are doing. Keep some more food ready for your brother, alright?

9. When the people at the dorm hall want to play with Xiao-Ji

Tai Long, concluding his long list of warnings: …and if you want to play with his front paws, make sure you don’t hold both of them at the same time.

Dorm mate 1, curious: Why?

Tai Long, serious: So that if any of you annoy him too much, he can use the claws in his free paw to slash your throat.

All dorm mates: ……

Dorm mate 2, hesitantly: In that case…wouldn’t it be more prudent for us to not leave any of the front paws free to avoid injuries to our throat?

Tai Long, harrumphing: How naïve. If you restrain his paws, Xiao-Ji might just switch to sinking his fangs into your throat, and that’ll be much worse than just a few scratches, believe me.

All dorm mates, frightened: ……!

Tai Long, proudly: Don’t underestimate a predator just because he’s small and adorable. Treat him well or your throat will pay.

All dorm mates, convinced: Understood!

Later, as the dorm mates take special care while playing with Xiao-Ji–

Xiao-Ji, contentedly: Ah, it’s quite nice that I have a forepaw free at all times. I do get a bit uncomfortable and off-balance when I have to support myself on just my haunches. It must be my kitten who told these smelly and noisy kitten friends of his about my discomfort to make them so considerate. They seem like such good friends to my kitten, so I suppose I’ll be more tolerant with them.

The dorm mates, blissful: The little cat is being much more indulgent with us than usual today. It must all be because we listened to Apprentice Tai’s advice. We must make sure to always follow his advice in the future as well!

Tai Long, eyes narrowed watchfully: Don’t think you can treat my Xiao-Ji any worse when you eventually realize how sweet-tempered he is. Even if he won’t slash your throats for the offense, I will!

And thus the playtime with the cat continues peacefully.

10. Following lunch at the Lin residence

Lin Meihui, after meowing at the cat: Brother Tai, you try it too! Speak to Xiao-Ji and see what he says!

Tai Long, startled: Ah? I don’t think…

Lin Meihui, pleading: Try it, just once!

Tai Long, caves: A-Alright then. Just once. *turning to the cat and poking its nose* What do you want me to say, Xiao-Ji?

Xiao-Ji, after being impressed by the little girl’s attempts earlier: Come on, son. Even this little one is making an effort to learn the language of adults. Try and say ‘Father’.

Tai Long, trying to imitate the cat’s final meow in its string of cat sounds: M-Meeeow?

Xiao-Ji, first surprised then delighted as it rubs its head against him: You finally called me Father! Good son, I’m so very proud! It seems you are learning to become an adult after all!

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