A Twisted Love Affair-Chapter 171: Luchen Zhou, sorry to bother you_1

Clutching her phone, she paced back and forth, without a clue who to turn to.

The residents of Yunding had never seen the cat.

She found a landline downstairs.

Shen Jing knew Zhou Luchen’s number by heart.

At this time, he was supposed to be awake.

The phone rang for a long while. Just as Shen Jing was about to give up, he finally picked up.

The familiar "Hmm?" came through the receiver, shattering the calm she had feigned for so long, sending her heart into a frantic dance within her chest.

Even just his breathing, just a simple "Hmm," always brought an unfounded sense of security that unveiled her vulnerability and helplessness, causing her to panic, her nose to tingle, her eyes to redden.

Her voice choked with sobs. "Miaomiao is missing."

Having voiced her heartfelt anxiety, an inexplicable sense of grievance filled her, nearly bringing her to tears.

Zhou Luchen remained silent for a long time, their faint breaths passing through the phone, stretching the silence between them.

One second.

Two seconds.

Thirty seconds.

He responded indifferently, "I see."

The handset felt almost icy against her ear as Shen Jing tightened her throat. "I’m sorry to bother you, but when you agreed to take care of her, you promised you’d look after Miaomiao if I wasn’t there. I hope you find her and bring her back to... Yunding."

The word ’home’ had become Yunding.

"Mr. Zhou, has the fish taken the bait yet?"

A woman’s charming and pleasant voice suddenly came through, suggestive of a certain intimacy.

A buzzing filled Shen Jing’s ears. She could even picture the scene: Zhou Luchen, the second son of the Zhou family, was probably nestled in some coastal hideaway, falling into a tender trap, fishing and frolicking. Pretty young women would always be by his side, vying for his favor.

"You’re busy, so I won’t disturb you. Goodbye," Shen Jing said quickly.

Zhou Luchen’s Adam’s apple moved slightly, as if he was about to say something but then swallowed it back and hung up the phone decisively.

A fishing platform on the coast.

The sea breeze howled.

The night was deep, the waves high.

The lights on the water’s surface shimmered, swirling into eddies with the yacht’s engine.

Zhou Luchen’s lips formed a tight line as he kicked away the fishing rod at his feet. "Zhuang Ming."

His voice was flat, without any inflection, startling Chen Yao, who was engrossed in his game, causing him to straighten up immediately.

When he spoke like that, the unpredictable Second Master Zhou was as frightening as a tyrant.

Zhuang Ming walked behind him, bowing. "Yes, Sir."

Zhou Luchen tugged at his collar. "Find the cat."

Weren’t they supposed to be ignoring everything and everyone from Yunding Number One? Zhuang Ming was somewhat puzzled, but he didn’t ask questions and set off to do as instructed.

Chen Yao gaped, casting a glance at the young woman who had just spoken.

"Next time, remember to be polite and not disturb others on the phone. Got it? Be careful, or that top personal bodyguard might throw you into the sea to feed the sharks. He’s colder than the Second Master."

The young woman nodded apologetically. "Was that his girlfriend’s call?"

"Don’t ask," Chen Yao said.

The young woman changed her tone. "I apologize, Mr. Zhou. I shouldn’t have interrupted your call."

Zhou Luchen sat in silence, bending down to swipe his phone, where pictures sent by Xie Qinyang appeared.

Shen Jing in a bridesmaid’s dress, the silver satin cinching her slim waist, holding a bouquet of pink roses, exuded charm.

Young Master Xie had no idea the two had already split up. He’d sent the picture to Zhou Luchen out of boredom, thinking he might want to see his woman.

Zhou Luchen deleted it and tossed his phone aside.

He hadn’t even glanced over. He was treating it as if it were normal. The young woman who had spoken had thought he would explode with rage, but thankfully, he hadn’t.

He might have the air of a romantic, but no one had ever witnessed a shred of warmth from him.

Before long, a helicopter landed on the rooftop. Zhou Luchen stood, taking steps towards the open-air staircase as the wind billowed his shirt tucked into his trousers, his robust figure exuding a mix of languor and sensuality.

Lu Siyuan had said Second Master Zhou wasn’t driven by desire, that he was very self-restrained. Looking at him now, though, he seemed nothing like the man Lu Siyuan described.

Someone asked Chen Yao, "Why did he leave as soon as he arrived?"

"What do you know? Our Second Master is going back for his cat," Chen Yao said with a laugh.

"Shen Jing’s Miaomiao, huh?" The other person licked their lips. "Looking for a cat in the middle of the night? Why not just buy a new one?"

Chen Yao continued playing his game. "Mind your own business."

「 」

At dawn, a black sports car parked below the Yunding Number One building.

Zhuang Ming returned, cradling a small white cat in his arms.

He had mobilized contacts and personnel to search Yunding Number One for a cat, checking every corner.

When they couldn’t find it there, they extended the search to neighboring residential complexes and then nearby urban districts.

Finally, they found the little creature cowering in a corner stacked with cardboard boxes. It had escaped home and was fiercely mischievous, almost scratching someone.

At first, it kept MEOWING loudly, attempting to scratch and bite Zhuang Ming. But the moment it saw Zhou Luchen, the kitten’s demeanor instantly changed. It didn’t dare to act unruly, its keen instincts apparently sensing the man’s ruthlessness.

Its eyes, full of a feigned pitifulness, watched him as its meows grew weaker, turning into baseless whimpers.

Zhou Luchen quietly watched it put on an act, watched its performance.

Just like its owner. Runs away when neglected, scratches when unhappy. Yet, it never dares to be insolent with me.

"It ran far," Zhuang Ming said. "It went to a neighboring residential complex to eat breadcrumbs off the street, slept in cardboard boxes, hid in flowerbeds, and was even bullied by other stray cats."

Its snow-white fur was dirty and matted, making it look both hungry and pitiful.

"MEOW~" It flicked its whiskers, still trying to look pitiful.

How could Zhou Luchen possibly be someone to pity a cat? His slender fingers elegantly pressed the electronic parking brake. "I’ll indulge you just this once. Run away again, and the streets will be your home."

"Should I take it back to Night Mansion for care?" Zhuang Ming asked.

He gave a cold look. "It sheds."

Zhuang Ming nodded. "I’ll arrange it."

Unruly, disobedient, and it sheds. Where does Second Master find the leisure to bother with such a little thing?

The pet nanny occasionally peeked at the distinguished young master in the car and said cautiously, "Perhaps Miaomiao wanted to leave this place with you. In Yunding, Miaomiao has been kicking over her food bowl every day, throwing tantrums and refusing to eat, climbing the chandelier and swinging precariously, and damaging many things. When no one’s around, her heat gets even worse."

Zhou Luchen’s voice was deep, hoarse, and devoid of warmth. "You’re paid 100,000 a month. Are you useless?"

The pet nanny clutched the corner of her clothing, not daring to speak.

Zhou Luchen added before stepping on the gas, "Your sister hasn’t abandoned you. She can barely take care of herself, so how could she take care of you?"

The kitten instantly hid in Zhuang Ming’s arms, licking its fur, its eyes full of dejection.

Zhou Luchen didn’t have an ounce of pity to give.

Animals are animals, but ultimately, they have some understanding. How could it not know it was heartlessly abandoned here? It tried to escape its gilded cage to find someone. Pampered and spoiled as it was, it couldn’t even find enough to eat when it got out.

Zhuang Ming watched the black sports car drive away before handing the cat to the pet nanny. "Take good care of it. Your salary and benefits won’t be lacking."

Lacking? Far from it! In Shanghai, she’d never seen such a generous employer. A monthly salary of over a hundred thousand just to care for a cat—complete with a nutritionist, veterinarian, and pet sitters. They were practically raising it like their own daughter!

The food, the supplies—it was treated like a Royal Family’s cat. And yet it still ran away. How ignorant of the ways of the world.

The pet nanny understood. "Do you want to be with one of them? Oh, dear. That one is a young master; how could he possibly care about a cat like you? The other one is in Beijing and doesn’t have time for you."

"Think about it. Mr. Zhou spends so much money on you. To be a cat with such fortune in this lifetime, you should be content. I could work as a nanny for several lifetimes and still not afford the house you sleep in."

"MEOW~"