Chapter 9: The Home Flower Is Not As Fragrant As the Wild Flower
Yan Rouwan thought that Young Master Sang would cruelly torment her.
But after Young Master Sang said those words, her pretty face couldn’t help but turn pale.
Having to choose one from the two,
meant abandoning the other.
To be honest, Yan Rouwan had no idea how to choose.
Jiao Jiao was her beloved, her companion for many years, and their time together had even given it some spirit.
Yan Rouwan regarded it as her own flesh and blood, making it hard to part with.
But while Xiao Hei and she were just fleeting acquaintances,
that day and night, when she was at her most desperate and helpless,
it had bravely stood before her like a prince riding a white horse, guarding her.
These days, in the cold and lonely prison,
it had similarly accompanied her with care and tenderness, easing her worries.
Without it, Yan Rouwan didn’t know if she could have endured these days.
Now, Young Master Sang insisted she choose between the two cats.
Yan Rouwan couldn’t choose at all.
Whichever she picked, it would be a matter of life and death.
“How strange, I thought this question would be an easy choice for the fairy Yan,”
Young Master Sang added fuel to the fire, seeing her pale face and tightly bitten cherry lips, full of pain and struggle.
“I thought for sure you’d choose your precious Jiao Jiao without hesitation.”
“After all, this little black cat is just a wild stray, and you’ve only known it for a few days.”
“Jiao Jiao has been with you all these years as your beloved.”
“Surely, a long-time pillow cat…” Young Master Sang said leisurely, “wouldn’t be overshadowed by a common stray cat, right?”
Yan Rouwan could not find her voice.
Her beautiful eyes were filled with sorrow and pain.
Logically speaking, she should choose Jiao Jiao.
But at this moment, looking at Xiao Hei being dragged by the neck,
its black fur hiding its pitifully helpless eyes staring at her.
Yan Rouwan felt her heart shatter.
Looking into those amber-like clear cat eyes, she couldn’t utter the words.
“Alas.”
Seeing Yan Rouwan say nothing, Young Master Sang sighed.
“Since you don’t want either, I have nothing more to say.”
“In that case, you should rest well. I will return this wild thing to its original owner and then make a trip to the tavern in the city…”
As Young Master Sang was about to leave, Yan Rouwan suddenly panicked.
“Wait, wait a minute!”
“Fairy Yan.”
Young Master Sang pretended to be a bit impatient and turned his head: “You don’t want to choose, and you won’t let me go; isn’t that a bit too disrespectful to me?”
“I’ll only give you one last chance.”
“Choose it,” he lifted up the trembling little black cat.
“Or Jiao Jiao.”
The struggle in Yan Rouwan’s beautiful eyes grew clearer.
Her heart was battling fiercely, but whichever choice she made would cause her grief.
“I… I really can’t choose…”
“Three.” Young Master Sang’s voice suddenly turned cold.
The dignified and heavy countdown made the entire cell feel extraordinarily frigid.
Yan Rouwan was so frightened that her hands and feet went cold, and she hurriedly spoke, “Wait, don’t rush…”
“Two!”
Under the pressure of the countdown, Yan Rouwan was almost driven to tears.
She desperately begged, but only received Young Master Sang’s cold indifference.
And Xiao Hei was in his hands.
With its innocent eyes looking pitifully at her.
It didn’t understand human speech.
It didn’t know what fate awaited it.
All it knew was that it was struggling desperately to escape Young Master Sang’s clutches and return to her side.
As if she were everything to this little life.
The very meaning of its existence.
“…One!”
“Heh.”
“Fairy Yan… you really disappoint me.”
Young Master Sang sneered, turned coldly, and took the little black cat out.
“Wait a second!”
A trembling wail suddenly came from behind.
Yan Rouwan exhaustedly slumped to the ground, her beautiful eyes filled with despair and sorrow.
Her lips trembled as if using all her strength to squeeze out a few words.
“I…”
“I choose, I choose Xiao Hei…”
After saying this, the light in her eyes completely dimmed.
It felt as if she had fallen into the dust.
Between the struggle of life and death, Yan Rouwan ultimately couldn’t bear to see Xiao Hei perish.
After all,
if it returned to its original owner, Xiao Hei would probably not survive.
And while Jiao Jiao would be sent to the tavern in the city to be toyed with and displayed, living her days in gloom,
at least her life would be safe.
The lesser of two evils, Yan Rouwan finally chose Xiao Hei.
She chose the one that had accompanied her and saved her existence when she was at her weakest.
Upon hearing this choice, a satisfied smile finally appeared on Young Master Sang’s face.
Not just satisfied.
But with a hint of cunning, like an old fox whose scheme had succeeded.
“Good.”
“I, Young Master Sang, always keep my word.”
He lightly tossed the little black cat, which adeptly landed and instantly darted into Yan Rouwan’s embrace.
Yan Rouwan held it tightly.
Afraid that if she loosened her grip, it would again leave her.
…Jiao Jiao.
…I’m sorry. Her beautiful eyes filled with sorrow, and her nose tinged with a bitter sweetness.
“Life, you know, is full of choices that you might regret.”
Young Master Sang continued to mockingly say from the side: “But I really didn’t expect it.”
“I truly didn’t think that you would abandon your cherished companion of many years to choose a wild cat you’ve known for just a few days.”
“Tsk tsk. If I were Jiao Jiao, I’d be heartbroken.”
“In the end, the home flower is certainly not as fragrant as the wild flower,” Young Master Sang lamented.
Yan Rouwan no longer had the strength to curse Young Master Sang.
She sat there like a dazed doll, holding tightly onto Xiao Hei, speechless.
“Oh, right.”
As Young Master Sang was about to leave the prison, he suddenly seemed to remember something and turned back to add.
“There’s something I forgot to tell you, Fairy Yan.”
“Actually… I was just fooling you.”
Yan Rouwan’s dazed eyes slowly lifted, her gaze revealing a hint of confusion.
“Actually, Xiao Hei doesn’t have any so-called original owner.”
“And I had no intention of sending Jiao Jiao to the tavern in the city.”
“The choice just now was merely for a laugh.”
“As for the fun factor, I truly got my fill of it.” Young Master Sang suddenly laughed wickedly, “But for some people…”
“Oh, wait.”
“…For some cats.”
“They probably don’t find it very amusing.”
Yan Rouwan felt something ominous.
Her dazed eyes slowly glimmered with struggle.
Then came the pain.
Finally, when the pure white and adorable Ragdoll cat slowly appeared before her,
“Jiao Jiao…” she instinctively called out, reaching to pet it like usual.
But it suddenly took a step back.
In its eyes, a hint of disappointment flashed,
coldness.
…even disgust.
At that moment, Yan Rouwan felt something within her heart,
shatter completely.
