Chapter-27: His Pet, Maple

Xin Yi and Shen Yu didn't notice him as they were playing with the kitten but Mu Chen who saw something was wrong with the Younger immediately ran towards him.

As Mu Chen passed them and held Xiao Bo in his hands, Xin Yi and Shen Yu looked back only to see their friend in a bad condition.

"Xiao Bo, breathe."

Mu Chen covered his mouth and rubbed the Younger's back to calm him down.

"Xiao Xiao!"

"A'Xiao!"

Both of them rushed to his friend looking worried,

"What is happening to you?"

"He was alright just a few seconds ago."

Xiao Bo couldn't hear either Mu Chen or his friends. He could only remember one of the traumatic pasts of his past life.

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It was an isolated place behind Shanghai University which was filled with trees and bushes that led to a small forest.

No one used to go there in fear of ghosts except one person who was squatting behind a tree and was smiling brightly looking at the orange cat rolling down on the ground and asking the person to rub its belly.

That person gently stroked the cat's belly with so much affection in his eyes and it was none other than Xiao Bo.

During break time Xiao Bo used to sneak out from the eyes of his bodyguards to come and play with the cat which was his only way to relieve all his stress and think of nothing else.

"Oho, Maple! You will get all dirty if you roll around like that. Stand up and eat these treats I brought for you."

Xiao Bo patted her head as he opened a tuna can and placed it on the ground.

As soon as it smelled, the cat started eating in a hurry. Xiao Bo gently caressed its head.

He remembered how when he found the cat when it was so little and scrawny almost dying from lack of food.

Xiao Bo secretly ordered the old maid in their mansion to bring the cat food and he fed it daily without letting his bodyguards know about it.

It has been nearly six months since Xiao Bo started raising the cat hiding from everyone's eyes.

He named the cat 'Maple' as it always loved to roll on the fallen maple leaves on the ground.

Now Maple was two months pregnant and was due soon.

It started being more affectionate and wanted more attention from Xiao Bo who was elated to give her that.

He was so looking forward to seeing the kittens and playing with them.

>>>I hope Maple has an easy labor. If I could I would have taken her to the veterinary doctor but those bodyguards will harm her if they know I am raising her.

But he didn't know then that his worries would be reality a week later he would find Maple's burned dead body along with its burned newly born litter lying on the ground when he excitedly visited them to see the kittens.

He was petrified to see the scene.

Then he saw the head of the bodyguard smirking at him and mouthing him.

"Know your place."

Xiao Bo fell to his knees and cried his heart out that day in front of the dead Maple and her kittens.

>>>If it wasn't for me...Maple would have lived happily with her kittens *hic* it was all because of me...all because of...*hic* of me...

He blamed himself for the death of Maple. He buried her and her kittens,

"I am sorry *hic* Maple...I should have never gotten close to you...*hic*...how much pain you must have been...*hic*...I am sorry. Please, God, if you are there let Maple and her kittens rest in peace...I beg of you," he prayed while sobbing hard.

He couldn't recover from it no matter what even after months passed. But then one day, a rumor started circulating in the University that Xiao Bo brutally killed a cat and its newborn kittens for his entertainment.

"You mean that cute orange cat that used to wander around the University grounds?"

"Yes, I heard that he waited for the cat to give birth and then burned her along with her kittens to death."

"And you know what it was bone-chilling that he laughed while the cat and kittens screamed as they burned to death."

"Ew, such a psychopath. Shouldn't he rot in jail!"

"Ugh! Disgusting, I hope he never dies a peaceful death. I want him to experience the torture the cat went through before dying."

"Me too! I curse him, that psychopath would never be happy."

Xiao Bo got more hateful glares at him from that day onwards.

But he accepted every hatred that came his way as he thought it was his fault for Maple's death.

He couldn't even eat the little amount of greens he was given as every time the image of Maple's and her kitten's dead bodies came to his mind.

His anorexia became more severe as he vomited out even before eating anything.

He couldn't sleep as he read all the hate comments on the University forum against him.

From then on he decided never to get close to anyone neither animals nor humans as he thought he was a jinx that led his loved ones to death.

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Mu Chen hugged him tightly and continued rubbing his back. Xiao Bo broke down in his arms,

"Maple...she is alive *hic*...her babies are alive..."

The three of them didn't understand what Xiao Bo was referring to but they knew he was in so much pain to cry like that.

He continued crying and mumbling the same thing for a long time until,

"Meow~~" he heard the kitten.

It looked just like Maple when it was a kitten.

He broke the hug and looked at it wiping his tears. He wanted to take it in his arms but,

>>>Am I even worthy to touch her after I caused so much pain to them...what if they die because of me again?

Xiao Bo's whole body trembled just at that thought.

He dared not to approach the kitten and just then a big orange cat followed by four kittens mewled louder as it was in search of her fifth kitten.

The kitten in front of Xiao Bo hearing her mother started running with tiny legs towards her while stumbling.

Xiao Bo's eyes widened,

"Maple..." he couldn't control his tears as he saw her all healthy and happy with her kittens this time.

The three of them looked at each other,

>>>Does Xiao Xiao know this cat?

>>>Is A'Xiao raising the cat?

Mu Chen patted Xiao Bo's back,

>>>It seems that cat's name is Maple...and this little one somehow seems happy and regretful seeing it.

"Maple..."

Xiao Bo called but the orange cat didn't look at him as it was busy licking her kittens.

>>>Right, she doesn't remember me now...but now she is happy...she will be as I am not in her life now.

Xiao Bo wiped his tears after taking a last glance at Maple and stood up with the support of Mu Chen,

"Let's go."

"Are you sure you are okay, Xiao Xiao?" Xin Yi asked looking worried.

"I am sorry for worrying you all...I...had a past with cats...I am sorry for overreacting," Xiao Bo apologized.

"A'Xiao! Why are you saying sorry to us? It's okay. We are just worried for you," Shen Yu gave him a side hug.

Mu Chen just silently stood by the Younger's side observing him,

>>>Just how much have you suffered for you to become breathless just by seeing a kitten?

"If you are not feeling well, we don't have to go to the party. I will tell Father about it, we can always meet later," Mu Chen suggested.

Xiao Bo bit his lower lips,

"No, I am fine...it will rude of me if I don't go in the last minute. I don't want anyone to hate me."

"No one will hate you, Xiao Xiao. Uncle and Aunt are very understanding. So if you are feeling unwell we can just stay back,"

Xin Yi stated and Shen Yu nodded, "That's right."

Xiao Bo smiled, "Thank you, guys. But I am really fine because I have you all beside me. So, shall we go?"

"If you put it that way, we can't say anything now, can we?" Xin Yi sighed.

"Yeah. But if you feel anything wrong you have to tell us and we will come back, okay?" Shen Yu asked.

"Right, you don't have to push yourself," Mu Chen said squeezing the Younger's hand.

Xiao Bo nodded, "I promise. I will tell you all if I feel sick."

They all nodded and just when they were about to leave,

"Meow~~~"

Maple was rubbing her body to Xiao Bo's leg.

Xiao Bo was shocked by that,

"Maple..."

"Meow~!"

She mewled at him with a smiley face.

He crouched down to hold her hesitatingly and as soon as he touched her, a bright light sparkled blinding his eyes and when he opened his eyes the location changed.

It was the white void hall his soul was summoned when he died which has neither a start nor an end.

"Why am I here again?"

Xiao Bo looked here and there scared carrying Maple in his arms.

>>>Did I die again? But...

"Bobo, nya~~" Maple spoke.

Xiao Bo looked at her shocked,

"Y-You...can speak?"

Maple nodded as she rubbed her nose to Xiao Bo's nose.

The Goddess of souls, Valeria appeared before them,

"So, finally you met your owner," she smiled at Maple.

"Yes, thanks to you, nya~"

Maple bowed her head to the Goddess.

Valeria then looked at the surprised Xiao Bo,

"Don't worry. You didn't die. This pure soul asked me for a favor when she died. Her will was so strong that I couldn't refuse," she patted Maple's head.

"Maple asked you for a favor?" Xiao Bo was shocked.

"That's right after she was killed she saw you blaming yourself and crying in front of her grave every day. She asked me if there is a chance for her to meet you again she wanted to talk with you and I granted her last wish at that time," Valeria explained.

Xiao Bo looked at Maple with tears in his eyes,

"I am sorry Maple. Because of me...you and your kittens...I am sorry."

Maple lifted her forearms and wiped Xiao Bo's tears.

"It wasn't your fault, Bobo. Remember you are the one who saved me when I was lost from my mother. You treated me like your own child, gave me food, and played with me, if not for you I wouldn't have lived in the first place, to meet my lover and have babies Nya~~!"

"Still... it's because of me they killed you in such a horrifying way. You didn't deserve that," Xiao Bo wailed.

"It was them who did that, not you. And they will get their karma soon enough. So please stop blaming yourself. I waited for you all this time to show my babies to you. You were excited to see them, right Nya~~"

Xiao Bo nodded.

"I had five babies two boys and three girls. They are very naughty and energetic, Nya~. I can't get a hold of them, so help me in raising them, if you still feel guilty, Nya~~"

"Maple..."

Xiao Bo hugged her tightly and cried. Hearing her freed him from the guilt he had been carrying for a long time.

Valeria, the goddess of souls smiled at both of the pure souls,

>>>Everything is going in the right path for now. I hope the World Tree has done its part by now.

She clapped gaining their attention,

"Now, you can do the reunion later. I can only keep you here for a few more minutes. But before I send you back, Xiao Bo I would like to give you a gift."

"A gift?"

"Yes. As you have shown great affection towards Maple. I grant you the gift of understanding the animals. From now on you can speak with any animal you wish to talk to."

Valeria blessed him as he sparkled brightly for a minute.

Xiao Bo smiled widely,

"That means I can talk with Maple and her babies too, right?"

Maple too smiled seeing Xiao Bo happy again and nodded.

"We can talk with each other Nya~"

"And I am looking forward to seeing the changes you bring to this world, Xiao Xiao. Live happily, " Veleria then backed off as she snapped her fingers.

Xiao Bo opened his eyes, Maple was in his arms and he was surrounded by Mu Chen, Xin Yi, and Shen Yu.

"We are back, Nyaa~~" Maple cuddled in Xiao Bo's arms.

"Yes," Xiao Bo beamed happily.

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