Higher Level Wife – 269 – Mister Cat’s Provocation

Chapter 269: Mister Cat’s Provocation

Author: White Pear Flower

Raws: https://book.qidian.com/info/2386994/

Translated by Gumihou

Proofread by Pill Bug

Gumihou: Gonna maintain the stance of ‘[1] allowing Jiang Wanying to work until the end’ and ‘[2] Fu Qiuning opposing JFJ just because’.

 

As if to disperse the mood which he had ruined before, Jin Fengju laughed and said, “What would women know about these matters? Be at ease, those Eastern Barbarians will not enter Quanzhou City. Now, let me enjoy my meal first. I may have to leave in a few days again. It may take me ten days to half a month before I can return, so please take care of things at home. Wanying, I see that your complexion is still not very good. I believe your body has always been weak, right? The weather here is indeed different from the capital, no wonder you’re having trouble adapting. Well, Qiuning will just have to work a little more. I see that you look fine even after a few days here. After all, as a family, we should not allow each other to become too exhausted.”

[1] Fu Qiuning narrowed her eyes at this. Jiang Wanying already had a closed-off look on her face as she stared at the man she had married and had two children with. Finally, Fu Qiuning said, [2] “Lord Husband should know that Little Sister has been carrying more than half of the household work until now, and if not for her, the household would have been more chaotic.”

[2] Then, ignoring Jin Fengju’s pleading face, she turned to Jiang Wanying and said, “Dear Little Sister, though it is presumptuous of me, it would help me ever so much if Little Sister would continue to assist in housekeeping duties. I fear that I still do not have a good grasp of everything.”

“Qiuning, ah,” Jin Fengju started.

[2] “Especially given that everything was suddenly thrust upon me on the way to this place.”

Well, at least that had shut Jin Fengju up. She had always said she did not want housekeeping responsibilities. To think that the man would try to force it upon her right now…

“W-well, if that how Qiuning feels… Wanying, you should keep doing whatever it is you are doing. Be sure to rest when you need to.”

“Be at ease, Lord Husband,” Jiang Wanying said with a faint smile. “I am not so weak that I must rest for five years.”

“This–!!”

 

Please read this at kitchennovel dot com ~

 

After dinner, the children were sent away, the extra-annoying women were gone and Jin Fengju quickly signalled to the maids to do their thing. [3] Trustworthy Yu Jie gave him a discreet thumbs up, and sure enough, the hallway was clear and not a single maid was left to disturb his private time with his beloved Qiuning.

The bed had already been prepared by Jian Feng, and, at the sight of the lovely bed, he could not help himself but suddenly sweep Fu Qiuning into his arms and whisper, “I have missed you so much these few days.”

Before he could hear Fu Qiuning’s no doubt equally heartfelt reply, something interrupted them.

“Meow.”

He froze and nearly dropped Qiuning. Luckily, they were close enough to the bed for him to put her there before whipping around in search of the source of that horrible, dreadful-

“Meow.”

Behind him!

Jin Fengju quickly whirled around, only to see a large cat sitting on the bed next to Fu Qiuning. He was licking his front paw, but those terrible green eyes were already staring straight at Jin Fengju as if to say ‘This is my territory’.

“Th-this…”

Jin Fengju pointed at the cat. “W-wasn’t it sleeping on the couch? H-how did it… I have only been away for half a month, but this beast has already taken over? Qiuning, ah. Why do you spoil it like this?”

The cat narrowed its green eyes at Jin Fengju, “Meow.”

“You stinky beast! You dare threaten me? I, too, am your master, understand? So long as I give the order, none in this place would dare to… dare to…”

In fact, there was one person who would dare. Moreover, he was still trying to earn this person’s favour. To think that he would now be competing for favour against a dirty beast! No! He must be brave! He must show this stupid beast just who dominates this house!

The cat eyed the shaking finger in front of it, unconcerned about the person behind it. Suddenly, its paw went up and batted at the finger.

The Young Marquis was so frightened that he actually leapt backwards with a scream. Jin Fengju glared at the cat, which was now walking on the bed towards Fu Qiuning before plopping its dirty bottom down next to his wife.

He turned to Fu Qiuning and said bitterly, “See how you spoilt that thing? It… it does not recognise me as its master at all! How dare this beast go against me? I shall have it taken out and skinned! Isn’t there a famous dish in Ling Nan called the Dragon-Tiger Battle [4]? I just happen to want to have a taste. After all, you, Feng’er and Jiao’er also like eating snakes…”

Jin Fengju trailed off in the wake of a cold silence. [5]

“Qiuning… I-”

“I see that Lord Husband is the type to repay good with evil. To think that you would skin and eat the poor creature that protected your house and children just like that. I fear that this humble woman dares not presume too much on your favour for fear of being thrown aside once this humble woman is no longer useful to you…”

“No, wait, that’s not what I-”

“No need to elaborate,” said Fu Qiuning coldly. [5] “I understand it well. The dead kittens were nothing but vermin to you and this cat is nothing but a dirty beast. If that’s the case, I shall take myself and this dirty beast elsewhere to sleep.”

Fu Qiuning rose from the bed, preparing to leave, when Jin Fengju suddenly grabbed her [6] by the waist with a laugh. “Now, now, don’t be angry.”

“Let me go!” Fu Qiuning tried to kick Jin Fengju, but he easily evaded her.

One hand shifted up to grab Fu Qiuning’s ample breast as he said, “The one who strikes first wins. Qiuning, ah, I shall hear you beg for mercy before the night is- auughhh!!!”

Pain shot up Jin Fengju’s foot and he had no choice but to let go. There were four bloody lines on his foot and an angry cat hissing between him and his wife.

“No!”

Fu Qiuning sounded distressed. However, if Jin Fengju thought that he would receive some sympathy for his injuries, he was dead wrong. Instead of tending to her fallen husband, Fu Qiuning scooped the still-hissing cat into her arms. She pinched the bloodied claws, muttering something under her breath as she admonished it in a stern voice.

“Lord Husband, I shall call for someone to care for your injuries,” she finally said, still cradling that blasted cat in her arms.

“This-”

“You really should not have raised your voice just now. Surely you have not forgotten how this cat had killed two people already?”

“Qiuning, I’m injured…”

“So you are. Jian Feng! Bring some salve and other materials to treat an injury. Your master accidentally hurt himself somehow.”

What followed was an incredible commotion as maids ran into the room, only to shriek at Jin Fengju’s injury. The physician was called. More people peeked in. It was a while before things finally settled down.

For some reason, it was decided that Fu Qiuning should stay in another room with that blasted ‘Mister Cat’, for Jin Fengju’s safety. After that, it was rare for Qiuning to be seen without the cat. It was only much later that Yu Jie finally confided to Jin Fengju that the Madam feared that someone would try to skin and cook the cat, which was why she never let it out of her sight…

 

However, those were all things that would happen in the future. For now, Jin Fenju found himself alone in Fu Qiuning’s bed. His foot throbbed with pain as he tossed and turned restlessly, alternatively cursing the blasted cat as well as himself for forgetting just how sensitive Fu Qiuning was about issues of betrayal.

He should have known better than to talk about cooking and eating a creature that had rescued the children…

However, surely Fu Qiuning should know that it was all said in jest, right? How could she not know it was just some light teasing? The sight of a cat, especially one with such destructive power made him nervous. After all, he had seen up close just what kind of damage it had caused those people…

It was quite late before Jin Fengju finally managed to fall asleep.

The next morning, when he finally blinked awake, it was already mid-morning. He was still alone in the room.

“Meow.”

Jin Fengju froze.

Before he could move, he felt the bed depressed, followed by the feeling of something walking alongside the mattress. The hairs on his body stood up one by one as he dared himself to turn his head.

The cat was there.

It had settled down within his reach to stare down at him. Its expression was haughty and arrogant, as though it had found a vermin in its nest.

Jin Fengju glared back, unwilling to concede to this interloper.

“This is my place. As Qiuning’s husband, only I have the right to sleep next to her!”

That’s right, the best way to exert dominance is to establish who is in power. He had to let that cat know just who was in charge. After all, it was just a cat. Even the children played with this cat many times, right? Why should he be afraid of a creature that barely reached his knees?

A slap from him would send this interloper flying.

Suddenly, Jin Fengju thought himself quite generous about not killing this cat immediately for its prideful arrogance. That’s right, as the gentleman, he should be the benevolent one and lend a hand of peace first.

Thus, with this thought in mind, Jin Fengju gingerly held out his hand and said, “Mew Mew, come here.”

While he knew that Fu Qiuning and the rest of the women called this creature ‘Mister Cat’ there was no way he was going to call it something so dignified. Moreover, he remembered when he was younger that all the cats cared for by his aunt were called ‘Mew Mew’. This kind of cutesy was really beneath him, but he was willing to put up with it in order to foster a deeper relationship with this no doubt undeserving creature.

“Meow…” said the cat as its long tail waved left to right. Then, the cat suddenly pounced.

[7] Jin Fengju shrieked as something furry and prickly landed on his face. More than potentially having his face ripped open, the thought of a dirty beast being so close to him made every hair on his body stand on end.

[7] He shook his head, trying to get the cat off his face without actually touching the beast. Fortunately, the cat left as soon as he stood up.

“You stinky beast! I shall have you ripped apart and cooked in a stew! I don’t care what Qiuning say, I shall have your bones ground to a powder-”

“What is going on here.”

Fu Qiuning stepped in to see an angry man screaming at her beloved cat. [7a]

“Meow.”

[7] The cat cleverly ran towards Fu Qiuning and leapt into her arms. Jin Fengju could only watch helplessly as his wife stroked the beast as though it was the one suffering.

[7] “Th-that wretched cat attacked me! It attacked my face!” Jin Fengju howled, feeling extremely wronged.

“If Mister Cat attacked you, you must have done something to him,” said Fu Qiuning, sounding utterly unsympathetic.

“Qiuning, ah. Let me tell you, I didn’t do anything at all. I was just… I was just waking up and it attacked me!!”

“… …”

[7] “In- in fact, I was trying to befriend that beast, but it attacked me without warning!”

[7]  “…you say Mister Cat attacked your face?” said Fu Qiuning.

“Yes!”

[7] “Then, he must have just been playing with you,” said Fu Qiuning reasonably. “After all, you’ve already seen the result of people that he actually attacked. Rejoice, Lord Husband, it looked like Mister Cat likes you after all.”

[8] “… I see, haha ha…”

[8] What could Jin Fengju do but laugh like an idiot at such a moment? He had already been left to sleep alone in bed, despite having to endure gruelling days hunting down pirates and not even seeing a shadow of his beloved wife. That beast had Qiuning’s favour because it had defended his children while the rest of the guards and servants were doing heaven knew what.

[7] How could he win against such a formidable opponent?

 

[Gumihou: Removed the cartoonish and unlikely iyann~ relationship with something more realistic. No steamy sex for JFJ. Also, removed apologetic, ‘even tho he is a hole of the ass, he good-hearted’ thing.]

 

[1] allowing Jiang Wanying to work until the end

[2] Fu Qiuning opposing JFJ just because

[3] Adjust details so that it is all the maids’ cooperation rather than AR Qiuning’s kyaa-ing all over the place

[4] Tiger-Dragon Battle – Is a real dish. It’s made with snake and cat meat, with cat meat representing the ‘tiger’ and snake meat the ‘dragon’. It is considered a ‘warm’ food and presumably good for health.

https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1702910944464904608

[5] Cold silence when one’s pet/rescuer is threatened, rather than whatever this shit was:

“Alright, alright,” Jin Fengju said, while Fu Qingning smiled. She had never seen her husband show this kind of youthful stubbornness before, and seeing it occasionally now, she found it indescribably charming.

It was followed by more OOC ‘iyaan~~’ attitude. All very yucky indeed. 

[6] Have dear Mister Cat prevent the steamy sex scene

[7] Author really doesn’t know how to write action: In response to Jin Fengju’s gesture of goodwill, the old cat flicked its tail, then raised its head arrogantly, like a victorious general, and stepped over Jin Fengju’s face… trampling on it.

Let’s just scrap that scene. It’s meant to be funny, so Gumi will replace it with something that would actually deliver the funnies

[7a] There were a lot of words spent on JFJ. Deleted them.

[8] Deleted all words backtracking JFJ’s cat hate. Gumi ripped off the bandaid covering the filth underneath.

 

Come join kitchennovel’s subscription!

Or, you can still support us through Patreon or tip us via Kofi~!

     

Although… it’s, um, you only get half the benefits… but, the decision is in your hands!

Do also comment at Novelupdates and raise our ratings!