Against the Algorithm

Chapter 37: The One Who Stays

"Where's my biggest nightmare and favorite patient?"

Yao flushed faintly as she stepped forward, the carrier strap still looped around her shoulder. "Not today. He's fine. This one's his new brother."

"New—" Li Mei stopped, blinking as she rounded the counter and caught sight of the gray-striped fluff currently glaring through the mesh of the carrier. Her eyes flicked up—and then past Yao, finally noticing the tall, broad-shouldered man leaning casually near the door, arms crossed and amber eyes sweeping over the space with quiet calculation. "Well. This is new." She turned her gaze back to Yao, one brow arching with practiced amusement. "You didn't mention your plus one."

Sicheng didn't flinch under the look—just gave a faint nod of acknowledgment and murmured, "Lu Sicheng."

Li Mei blinked, the name settling in before recognition followed. "Ah. That Lu Sicheng." She smiled slowly, then turned back to Yao with a twinkle in her eye. "You've come a long way from showing up with Da Bing wrapped in a towel, convinced his sneeze meant he was dying."

Yao flushed deeper. "I was nineteen."

"You were terrified," Li Mei said fondly, gesturing them both toward one of the smaller exam rooms. "And now you're walking in here with a new kitten and your very tall, very famous boyfriend."

Yao spluttered, her ears turning pink.

Sicheng just smirked.

They settled into the room, Yao carefully unzipping the carrier and coaxing Xiao Cong out with gentle fingers and a soft whisper. The kitten gave a dramatic meow of protest before crawling into her lap, curling close but clearly alert.

Li Mei crouched, slipping on gloves and gently reaching for the small creature, already assessing his condition with expert fingers. "He looks good. Bit underweight, but nothing a few weeks of food and spoiling won't fix. Has he eaten yet?"

"Twice," Yao said softly, watching every move. "And he's been using the litter box without issue."

Li Mei glanced at Sicheng. "You two keeping him?"

Sicheng, without hesitation, nodded. "He's hers. So yeah."

Something about the firmness of his voice made Yao's heart thump hard against her ribs and Li Mei, perceptive as ever, caught it. But she didn't comment. Instead, she nodded and returned to her work, her voice clinical and calm, shifting into Mandarin as she murmured about vaccines and deworming, kitten vitamins and scheduling for a follow-up. And Yao, quiet but comforted, sat there the entire time with Xiao Cong in her lap and Sicheng watching from the chair beside her, arms still crossed—but his attention, entirely, completely hers.

The moment the needle cap came off, Xiao Cong froze, his pale gray eyes narrowing with full feline indignation as he glanced down at the syringe like it was a personal insult. His tail flicked, ears flattening just slightly as he pushed back against Yao's hand with all the dramatic resistance of a betrayed monarch about to be ousted from his throne.

Yao, trying her best not to laugh, adjusted her grip as the kitten twisted with an impressive level of protest for something so small. "I'm sorry, baby, but you have to get these," she murmured softly, gently scratching his chin to coax him still.

He let out a loud, pitiful meow. One that sounded more accusatory than scared.

Sicheng, still seated to the side, tilted his head as one dark brow lifted. "Is he actually...talking back?"

Li Mei, thoroughly unimpressed as she swabbed the kitten's shoulder with practiced ease, gave a short snort as the dramatic meows increased in pitch. "He's sassing me," she declared, amused. "Loudly. But honestly? It's a step up."