```
After seeing off Erina Tiqie, Xia Yu opened the door and walked into the shop. He headed straight to the kitchen to prepare for work.
But just as he reached the kitchen door, a fleeting black shadow startled him.
His breath nearly stopped.
"Meow~"
Immediately after, a frantic cat's meow echoed from the courtyard. Xia Yu chased it out and saw a somewhat familiar Hua Mao sprinting down the corridor with something in its mouth. It finally stopped atop the courtyard wall, staring at him warily with amber eyes.
"Oh right, last night's failed dish hasn't been dealt with yet!"
Seeing the food clenched in the cat's mouth, Xia Yu slapped his forehead.
The street was full of stray cats, and his grandfather had repeatedly warned him to secure the trash properly. Cats sneaking in to steal food happened more than once, and each time Xia Yu got a scolding.
