Ferran: "Here?"

Lion, holding Fenix's terminal, slowly typed a question mark.

The kitten, after scaling the terrain of the front passenger seat, landed on Lion's lap. Its fluffy head nudged Lion's wrist, and Lion lifted his hand. The kitten then nestled comfortably within the space created by Lion's hands, adjusting until it found the perfect position to lie down.

Lion looked down at Fenix's head resting on his wrist. This little cat sure knew how to enjoy itself.

The content kitten then focused on the terminal screen. Ferran was typing, stopping, typing again, and pausing repeatedly. After a while, he seemed to come to his senses and furiously deleted his previous messages.

Fenix stared at the screen for a while, then turned to Lion, "Meow!"

Look at this! The kid has lost it!

Lion, understanding cat language as if he had passed level six proficiency, replied, "He's not crazy."

Clearly, it was Ferran who was being timid.

Any normal person would be intimidated facing a notorious space pirate leader.

But what did that have to do with Lion?

Look at Fenix, this little kitty wasn't afraid at all.

Not only was he unafraid, but he also dared to climb onto the space pirate leader shortly after meeting him.

Such courage was truly earth-shattering.

Lion conveniently ignored the fact that Fenix was unaware of his past identity.

Anyway, it was all because Ferran was being timid.

Fenix, fully aware of Lion's past career, kicked his legs.

He was indeed bold, even putting his head on the former space pirate leader's wrist and lifting his hind legs to rest on Lion's other hand.

Ferran deleted a long string of messages and finally calmed down, sending one message.

Ferran: "Hello, Chairman Lou [Cute Emoji]"

Fenix stared at the emoji for a while, then turned to Lion, "Meow!"

Look at this! The kid has snapped!

Lion felt he had mastered cat language.

"He won't go crazy," Lion replied with a smiley face, letting Ferran interpret it himself, then hung the terminal back around Fenix's neck.

Ferran, seeing the smiley face, felt his whole self was in turmoil.

What was going on with Lion?

Why did Lion send that emoji?

Was Lion mocking him or planning to kill him?

Ferran frowned, pondering deeply, and suddenly understood!

Damn.

Lion was in his early thirties, roughly equivalent to a half-old man.

An old man's smile was just an ordinary smile!

The young golden retriever with a milk flavor felt this made sense.

He wiped his face in the gym and sent a smiley face back with a serious expression.

Lion's brow twitched.

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Fenix was startled, turned to look at Lion, and closed the chat window with a paw, pulling up his notebook and typing: "Ferran might be depressed during his weight loss plateau."

Otherwise, why would he do something suicidal like this?

Lion stroked the kitten's chin, "What are you worried about? I'm not going to kill him."

Right!

Though Lion had never respected his persona since they met, the one thing Lion maintained was not using violence after whitewashing his past.

Fenix, chin up, became a puddle of cat under Lion's touch.

Killing wouldn't happen.

At most, he'd create some minor troubles for his business.

Lion recalled Ferran's earlier words and felt irritated.

What did he mean by "he can't stay with you forever"?

Strange question.

His cat, why couldn't he?

With a sour mood, Lion stroked the cat as the car slowly entered the underground parking of the new headquarters.

In fact, Lion's visit to the company was shocking not only to Fenix but also to the model employee bodyguard.

Sitting outside the CEO's office on the top floor of the main building, the bodyguard was usually stoic, but when he saw Lion's office light turn on, his face showed evident surprise.

Well...

Lion, when leading Lionheart, was a hands-off manager.

How hands-off? Well, everyone knew that Lionheart's leader was only responsible for fighting, intimidating with force, and suddenly proposing unreasonable goals, setting the entire organization in motion to achieve them.

Yes, Lion was the type of boss who would vacation in snowy mountains, grasslands, or seaside, get inspired by the scenery, and call executives for video meetings in the middle of the night, ignoring time zones.

... Oh, he didn't mean to call Lion an idiot.

He was just giving an example.

This example fit Lion perfectly, perfectly, perfectly.

—Lion's job was merely stamping documents, compared to managing the entire group, it was negligible.

But now, Lion came to the company voluntarily.

How could this not shock the model employee?

The secretary, holding a document, saw the usually attentive assistant Mr. Li staring blankly, and called, "Mr. Li?"

The bodyguard came to his senses, nodded, "Put it there, I'll go to the... boss's office."

The secretary was surprised but nodded, placed the document, and watched the assistant enter the boss's office. Just as she was about to share this news with her colleagues, a fluffy white kitten pushed open the small cat door beneath the boss's office door.

The kitten had short fur, probably recently trimmed, but it was already growing back. The fur on its head was left untrimmed, indicating it was originally a long-haired breed.

Around its neck was a blue bow tie with a gold bell pendant matching its golden eyes.

Fenix, shaking his fur, was startled to encounter someone right away and froze.

The secretary was equally stunned.

Her colleagues, noticing her standing in the doorway, turned around and were also stunned.

Fenix shook his ears, crawling out of the cat door, taking a few steps forward, and realized the secretaries were wearing skirts, presenting an awkward perspective from his current viewpoint.

Fenix stopped, frozen.

He had imagined countless difficulties, such as allergies, fear of cats, dislike of fluffiness, or simply not being liked...

But he never expected this to be his first challenge!

After a moment's silence, Fenix instinctively turned to head back to Lion's office for help.

But he retracted his paw.

Fenix thought he shouldn't always seek Lion's help when encountering difficulties.

Thus, the kitten squatted, looking up and "meowing" at the lady.

The lady came to her senses, smoothing her skirt without revealing any skin, then crouched in front of the kitten, extending her hand tentatively.

Fenix looked at the pretty hand, then placed his fluffy paw on it.

The lady smiled, picking up the kitten and bringing him to the secretary area, placing him in a soft cat bed.

"I was wondering what this was..." the ladies gathered, "It's a cat bed."

One lady said, "I saw one in every office, and downstairs too."

"!"

Fenix lay in the bed, jolted.

"Cat doors are everywhere except the pantry and cafeteria."

Fenix: "!!"

"I saw a huge cat tree in the innovation department downstairs."

Fenix: "!!!"

"Is this the boss's cat?"

"Who else? Does any other cat get such treatment?"

"True." One lady scratched the kitten's chin, "Miaow~"

Fenix purred, "Miaow~"

The kitten's soft, sweet voice melted the ladies' hearts.

Who doesn't love fluffiness?

Nobody!

Who doesn't love kittens?

Nobody!

Holding the kitten, one lady glanced at the bow tie around his neck.

On the bell was a tag with the words: "Chairman Lou's Official Designated Psychological Comfort Officer."

Though a day early, Fenix officially began his new role!

Fenix, lying on his back, let the ladies scratch his chin. After a while, he glanced through the glass walls at the other offices.

He spotted cat beds scattered around.

Fenix's heart skipped a beat.

He heard the ladies say every floor, every office, had them!

Even downstairs had a cat tree!

Fenix couldn't sit still, leaping from the bed, bidding farewell with a "meow", and rushing out to inspect his new domain... er, work environment.

Today was Sunday, but many were working overtime.

Fenix knew this well.

Despite the intense competition, Lion Corp. attracted people due to transparent management and high benefits.

The company cafeteria prices were almost as cheap as Marina City University's.

Moreover, the Lion Corp. headquarters complex had a gym, stress relief center, lounge, cinema, arcade, and more.

Except for a large mall and dorms, it was almost a city within a city.

And working overtime earned extra pay.

It was a win-win situation.

Fenix trotted on his tiny legs, taking the elevator down one floor.

Exiting the elevator, Fenix saw the innovation department covered in sticky notes and plan boards, and a massive cat tree dominating the space.

Fenix widened his eyes.

...Wow, it's so luxurious!

Almost rivaling the one at home!

Fenix felt drawn, running over.

This was Lion Corp.'s core department.

Strictly speaking, the top five floors were all innovation technology department.

This floor was the highest level, bustling with employees working overtime.

Fenix cautiously dodged busy tech workers, climbing the cat tree, overlooking the office below, a sea of bald heads, shining brightly!

Alfred, studying information technology, clearly couldn't compare to these geniuses.

His hair was even thicker than Fenix's!

Seemed quite weak.

Fenix sighed, worried about Alfred's future.

Then, he looked out the window.

He was brought up via the exclusive elevator and hadn't properly seen the new complex.

The main building wasn't particularly tall, just 26 floors. With Fenix's enhanced vision, he could clearly see the large square below.

And there, he saw a giant cat tree... no, sculpture.

Sculpture!

Hollow sculpture!

Colorful sculpture!

With spiral structures floating!

Oh my god!

How could there be such a perfect cat tree... sculpture for this cat!

Fenix was entranced.

For a moment, he felt like an emperor surrounded by luxury, with thousands of beauties to choose from.

Today, he'd visit a department, tomorrow the square sculpture, the day after the gym, the next the lab coats, and so on.

Fenix came to his senses, feeling dizzy.

Thinking about it, becoming awakened wasn't so bad after all!

Fenix gazed at the sculpture slowly rotating below, finding the luxurious cat tree beneath him dull!

Beautiful people of Innovation Department, I'm tired.

I'm going to pamper Lady Statue!

The kitten retracted his gaze, ready to jump down, but faced several intense gazes.

These brilliant geniuses, having received prior notice, pulled out various cat treats and toys upon noticing the kitten's attention.

Feathers and laser pointers flew, fish treats and cans gleamed.

The kitten sniffed the air filled with treat aromas, eyes darting between toys and laser spots.

Fenix shook his head, sitting on the cat tree.

Damn!

Have I stumbled into paradise?

Fenix took a deep breath.

From today, Fenix lives here!

No one can take me away!

Author's note:

Lion: ?