Chapter 13 Leon's Protective Instincts

"Are you sure the mission isn't a mistake?" Sophie asked, her voice quivering with a mix of disbelief and nervousness. This mission seemed so outlandish that she just couldn't wrap her head around it. "Nope." The short - legged cat system replied curtly, without a hint of hesitation. "Are you really sure?" Sophie persisted, still hoping this was some kind of cruel joke from the system. "Positive." The system's tone remained cold and emotionless. Sophie swallowed hard, her face a mask of astonishment and tension. Her heart was pounding like a drum, and this mission felt like an insurmountable hurdle. She quickly called out to the system, "Don't disappear just yet. I got another question." At this moment, her mind was in a whirl, desperately seeking some answers from the system. The short - legged cat system let out a disdainful snort, seemingly annoyed by her pestering. "Shoot." Summoning up her courage, Sophie mumbled, "Can't I kiss him on the lips instead of just the cheek?" Her face felt like it was on fire as she uttered these words. The short - legged cat system fell silent for a long while, as if trying to process this absurd question. Then it retorted, "You wanna do that? Ain't you worried Leon'll toss you outta the house?" Its tone was laced with sarcasm, as if looking at someone with a screw loose. Hearing this, Sophie was taken aback, as if someone had suddenly grabbed her throat. After a moment of thought, she said uneasily, "To be honest, I'm a bit worried, but I also think Leon wouldn't do that." As she spoke, she placed her paw on Leon's wrist, trying to find a comfortable position to lie down, hoping to calm herself down, but her heart was still in a flutter. " 'Cause I feel like Leon has some special thing for cats. What do you think?" She seemed to be asking the system, but also talking to herself, her eyes filled with confusion. "Uh - huh." The system's response was vague and unhelpful. "Ah... What exactly do you mean by 'uh - huh'?" Sophie was getting impatient with this evasive answer. "Just what it sounds like." The system continued to be uncooperative, which made Sophie roll her eyes inwardly. She decided to stop wasting her breath on it. "Hey, do you know why Leon likes cats so much? Or is it just me, this particular cat he fancies?" Sophie threw out another question. She was eager to understand Leon's feelings towards her. The short - legged cat system seemed caught off - guard. "You're getting pretty full of yourself, aren't you?" Sophie let out a nervous laugh. "Oh, you flatter me." Deep down, she wasn't really sure, but she was just trying to lighten the mood. The short - legged cat system was clearly fed up. "... You should ask Leon that. The mission's set. Figure it out yourself." With that, it fell silent, leaving Sophie alone with her thoughts. Sophie sank into deep thought, her cat face looking unusually serious. She knew this mission was extremely difficult, but the thought of becoming human again was too tempting to ignore. Leon, noticing Sophie's solemn expression, felt a pang of unease. He turned to Benny, who was driving, and said urgently, "Step on it." His eyes were filled with worry, as if he couldn't wait to get to the vet's as soon as possible. Benny glanced at the speedometer. He was already pushing the limit, but he increased the speed a bit more. "Sure thing. We'll be there in about ten minutes. Don't worry, the cat'll be fine." He tried to reassure Leon, but Leon was having none of it. Leon didn't respond. He knew better than anyone how serious the situation might be. That indescribable worry was making his heart race. He couldn't quite put his finger on what this feeling was. Was it because of that incident from his childhood, or was it simply that this cat in his arms was just too endearing? For the first time, Leon found himself unable to understand his own emotions. Looking down at the cat in his arms, the dappled sunlight from the trees outside the window fell on his handsome profile. The sunlight streaming in made the car bright and warm. Sophie happened to look up at Leon. In that moment, she thought she saw a hint of tenderness in his eyes. It was still a weekday. There weren't many people on the street, but the traffic was heavy. After a short traffic jam, fifteen minutes later, Benny and Leon finally arrived at the vet's they had been to before. Benny looked at Leon. "Hey, how about I take the cat in to see the doctor?" he suggested cautiously, unsure if Leon would agree. Leon stared at him for a moment, then pursed his lips without saying a word. His gaze made Benny nervous, and he couldn't figure out what Leon was thinking. Benny waited awkwardly. Just as he was trying to figure out Leon's attitude, Leon said, "I don't trust it." His tone was firm and unwavering. "Ah?" Benny was taken aback, not quite understanding at first. Leon gave him a sidelong glance. "I don't trust you to take care of the cat." His words were like a dagger to Benny's heart, reminding him of his earlier mistake of entrusting the cat to someone else. Benny was left speechless. He felt a twinge of annoyance but also understood. After all, the cat had been mistreated under his watch. The cat now looked as dejected as an eggplant hit by frost, completely lacking its usual vitality. "Kitty?" Benny called out softly, his voice tinged with a hint of pleading. Sophie's ears twitched, and she burrowed deeper into Leon's arms. Although she didn't really blame Benny, she was still a bit miffed about what had happened. Benny's eyes widened in surprise. "Wow, this cat can understand me?" His curiosity about this intelligent cat grew. Leon pursed his lips, looking at Benny like he was an idiot. "What do you think?" His tone implied that it should be obvious. Benny rolled his eyes and looked at the vet's nearby. "But if you go in now, I'm worried you won't be able to get back out. You know how crazy your fans are." He knew Leon was so famous that even the slightest hint of his presence could cause a stir. Leon pursed his lips and looked down at the kitten in his arms. He gently stroked her head. After a while, he said softly, "Go with Benny to see the doctor, okay? We'll go home together later, and I'll get you a can of tuna. How about that?" His voice was so gentle that it could melt anyone's heart. He was trying to use the promise of food to coax Sophie. At first, Sophie's expression didn't change. But when she heard the word "tuna," her eyes lit up instantly. She climbed up from Leon's lap and meowed. "Meow." She looked up at Benny, her eyes seemed to say, "What are we waiting for?" Benny's eyes brightened. "Damn, this cat is smart." He was both amused and a bit exasperated by Sophie's reaction. Sophie thought to herself, "Hmph, you and your whole family are smart." Although she couldn't speak, her thoughts were quite vivid. Benny pointed at her. "What does she mean by that?" He was really confused about this cat's intentions. Leon looked down. "She's showing disdain for you." He couldn't help but smile at the interaction between the cat and Benny. Benny was left speechless. He let out a sigh. "Sorry, I didn't mean to mess up this morning." He sincerely apologized to Sophie, hoping for her forgiveness. Hearing this, Sophie sighed inwardly. After a moment, in full view of both of them, she stretched out her paw to Benny. Benny picked her up, and they walked towards the vet's. As they walked, Sophie struggled in Benny's arms, constantly looking back at the car, hoping to catch a glimpse of Leon. But due to the tinted car window, she could only see a black reflection. Sophie let out a sigh and lost her spirit. As soon as they entered the vet's, Sophie became even more listless. The place was packed with people, and they had to queue up to get a number. Benny got the number for the same doctor as last time and then sat down with Sophie to wait. The waiting area was filled with the chatter of people, and the noise was overwhelming, making Sophie even more irritable. Benny was sitting alone, wearing a hat and sunglasses. But because of the indoor lighting, he had to take off the sunglasses. Suddenly, a woman sat down next to him. At first, they didn't interact, and they got their numbers one after another. Then, the woman's dog barked at Sophie. Benny was startled and quickly pulled Sophie closer to his chest, protecting her. The woman smiled apologetically. "Sorry, my dog is a bit rambunctious." Benny pursed his lips and shook his head. "It's okay." But he was secretly annoyed. Suddenly, the woman stared at the cat in Benny's arms for a long time. Her eyes lit up. "This cat looks so familiar. Is it a internet celebrity?" Her curiosity was piqued. Benny froze. His hand holding Sophie tightened. He didn't turn his head, keeping his face averted. Benny was somewhat well - known himself, and he was worried about being recognized. "Yeah." He replied vaguely, hoping to brush her off. The woman nodded, but her eyes remained fixed on Benny and the cat. Benny buried Sophie's head in his arms. "Sorry, my cat is shy. Could you not stare at her?" He tried to use this excuse to get the woman to stop. The woman seemed a bit taken aback but stopped staring. Just then, their number was called. As Benny got up and walked towards the doctor's office with Sophie, she stuck her head out and meowed. The woman's eyes widened. "Is this... Leon's cat?" she murmured to herself. Luckily, no one else heard her. Otherwise, it could have caused a huge commotion in the vet's. Benny felt that just carrying this cat into the vet's was attracting almost as much attention as if he and Leon had come in together. Sophie was simply adorable. She had short legs, a fluffy white coat, and her eyes were bright, clear, and incredibly charming. Her chubby body made her look even more cute and irresistible. The first time Benny saw her, even though she wasn't very clean, he was immediately drawn to her. Those eyes were truly captivating. So, while he was initially puzzled by Leon's affection for the cat, he could now understand. After all, she was just too lovable. As soon as they entered the doctor's office, the doctor smiled. "What seems to be the problem?" he asked in a warm voice. Benny pointed at Sophie's paw. "There are a lot of red marks. It looks like she was pinched. Can you prescribe some medicine? Also, I wanted to ask about what you said last time regarding getting her spayed. When would be a good time?" He explained the situation, a hint of worry in his voice. The doctor frowned as he examined Sophie's leg. "Who did this? How could they be so cruel? These are clearly deep pinch marks. They must have used a lot of force." He was visibly angry at the mistreatment of the animal. He continued to examine carefully. "Look, there's also a scratch on her leg. It looks like it was made by a fingernail. The mark isn't too deep." His eyes were filled with pity, as if looking at an injured child. The doctor's anger grew. "What kind of pet owners are you? How could you let others handle your cat so casually? Look at how much she's suffering." He scolded Benny, making Benny blush with shame. Benny was left speechless, feeling deeply guilty towards Sophie. "Sorry." He lowered his head, unable to meet the doctor's gaze. The doctor snorted. "You should apologize to the cat." His tone was firm. Benny sighed. While the doctor was getting the medicine, he gently stroked Sophie's head. "Sorry, I won't let anyone else hold you so casually again." His voice was sincere, hoping Sophie would forgive him. Sophie reached out her paw and placed it on Benny's hand, as if to comfort him. In fact, she didn't really hold a grudge against Benny. She was just a bit scared and upset from the earlier incident. After getting the medicine and noting down the doctor's instructions, Benny carried the cat back to the car. He was nervous about facing Leon. "What did the doctor say?" Leon reached out to take the cat from Benny's arms. He looked at the listless cat and asked, his eyes filled with concern. Benny hesitated for a moment, then told Leon everything the doctor had said. After that, he nervously watched Leon's expression. As expected, Leon's face darkened. After thinking for a moment, Benny asked in a low voice, "What are you going to do to that girl?" He was curious about how Leon would deal with the person who had hurt Sophie. Leon let out a cold snort. "She did to my cat, I'll do to her." His voice was filled with anger and determination. After a pause, Leon added firmly, "No one messes with my cat and gets away with it." He held Sophie tightly, as if declaring his protection to the world.