The Cat Who Farms in the Post-Apocalyptic Wasteland – CH56

Chapter 56: Strawberries

Xia Huo Qu knocked on the door several times, but his younger brother still didn’t answer. Suspicion clouded his mind.

With all the noise outside, his brother should have woken up long ago. How could he still be silent after so long?

Yan Xi Nian came over and suggested, “Maybe knock again?”

People like them, who could shift into beast form, had excellent hearing and senses. Through the door, they could hear Xia Nong’s shallow breathing—it sounded like he was sleeping deeply. Aside from that, there were no other noises.

Xia Huo Qu knocked rhythmically once more, but there was still no response.

His face darkened, and without further hesitation, he broke down the door.

The wooden door slammed against the wall with a loud bang.

Xia Huo Qu rushed inside and immediately checked on his brother.

There was no sign of his big brother on the bed. Instead, wrapped up in the blankets, was a little kitten.

The kitten was snuggled up in a pile of clothes, its snow-white belly exposed, peacefully snoring away. However, the warm breath from its tiny pink nose and mouth felt a little too hot.

Xia Huo Qu’s expression changed. He touched the kitten’s belly to feel its temperature, then quickly turned and walked out.

Yan Xi Nian and Kong Zhi stood anxiously at the door.

Seeing Xia Huo Qu’s grim expression as he brushed past them without a word, Yan Xi Nian asked, “What’s wrong?”

Xia Huo Qu didn’t answer. He strode outside, heading straight for the strawberry patch.

Yan Xi Nian followed and immediately spotted a cluster of bright red strawberries hanging from one of the plants.

Yan Xi Nian shook his head with a mix of amusement and exasperation. “This stinky brat used his powers again, didn’t he?”

The noise from their actions had finally woken Xia Nong. He flipped over on the bed and overheard Yan Xi Nian’s remark. His little cat face showed clear guilt. He hadn’t expected that his body would become so fragile, turning him back into a cat just from using a bit of power.

Xia Huo Qu returned from outside, radiating cold anger.

The sight of his older brother’s demeanor made Xia Nong realize he was in for a scolding. His cat ears flattened against his head, and his little face was full of fear and guilt, looking as pitiful as possible.

When Xia Huo Qu entered the room, he rolled up his sleeves.

Xia the cat, with his excellent eyesight, immediately noticed his brother’s action and got even more nervous. “Meow—” he yelped as his four paws dug into the bed, leaving small indentations as he tried to hide behind the blanket.

Standing by the bed, Xia Huo Qu ordered coldly, “Come out!”

“Meow!” Xia the cat poked his head out from the gap in the blanket to meet his brother’s gaze, feeling that he could explain.

However, Xia Huo Qu didn’t seem to be interested in any explanations. He bent down and reached out, ready to grab the cat.

Xia the cat instinctively dodged his hand, pushing off the bed with his four paws. Using the force, he sailed through the air in an arc, diving straight into Kong Zhi’s arms.

Clinging tightly to Kong Zhi’s shirt with all four paws, the entire cat was now hanging off his chest.

Kong Zhi and the cat exchanged a glance. His arm muscles tensed, indicating that he was about to hand the cat over.

But Xia the cat firmly latched onto Kong Zhi’s shirt and began meowing loudly, full of complaint. He had clearly chosen to jump onto this guy, even though Brother Xi Nian had been closer to the bed. He was hoping this guy wouldn’t hand him over!

Kong Zhi paused at the sound of the cat’s meows, glanced down at the cat, and then retracted his arm.

Xia Huo Qu, usually a reasonable person even when angry, didn’t forcefully pull him from Kong Zhi’s arms. Instead, he stood there with arms crossed, looking down at the cat with a raised chin. “Xia Xiao Nong, well done.”

Seeing his brother’s stance, Xia the cat let out a small “meow,” trying to convey that there was no need for concern — he could still change back.

Xia Huo Qu’s expression changed several times, though it wasn’t clear if he understood the message.

Kong Zhi, however, found a pen and paper and placed them on the bed along with the cat.

Xia the cat quickly grabbed the pen in his mouth and scribbled messily in the notebook: Can Change.

Yin Xi Nian chimed in, “As long as he can change back. Xiao Nong must’ve been groggy from sleep, maybe just tired from all the work lately, and automatically reverted to cat form.”

Xia Huo Qu frowned. “If you’re tired, why use your ability?”

“Maybe it was just a whim, using it briefly. Don’t worry, Huo Qu, let’s step out and wait for Xiao Nong to change back before discussing it,” Yin Xi Nian suggested, winking at Xiao Nong as they left, hinting he should prepare an explanation.

Xia the cat breathed a sigh of relief, meowed at Kong Zhi to leave as well, and rolled over on the bed to transform back into human form, sprawling out with a long exhale.

He had been truly worried that he might not be able to change back. If that had happened, his brother would definitely have been concerned, and he would have been in for a scolding.

After a moment, he got up, put on a t-shirt and shorts, slipped into his sandals, and opened the door.

The moment he saw his brother, he raised his hands in surrender, speaking first, “I didn’t overuse my ability. I just used a tiny bit. I figured I could handle it.”

Xia Huo Qu stared at him for a few seconds. “Eat dinner.”

Xiao Nong let out a breath of relief, smiled sheepishly at his brother, and went to sit down.

But no sooner had he sat than his brother gave him a flick on the forehead, hard enough to leave a red mark.

Xia Lu Nong looked up at his brother with watery eyes, full of grievance.

His brother replied coolly, “You estimated your limits beforehand, didn’t you? Doesn’t that mean you weren’t certain whether you could handle it?”

Xia Lu Nong had no comeback for that.

Yin Xi Nian quickly intervened, “Let’s eat. Come on, let’s try the dishes Kong Zhi made.”

Kong Zhi helped bring the dishes to the table. Though not as skilled as Xia Lu Nong, his cooking had a homely touch and was good enough.

Everyone was starving after a long day, so they quickly devoured the meal.

Feeling guilty, Xia Lu Nong volunteered to wash the dishes afterward. When he finished, he kept glancing outside, obviously thinking of something.

Yin Xi Nian, noticing his behavior, suggested, “The strawberries are ripe. Let’s go pick some.”

Both of them turned to Xia Huo Qu, waiting for his approval.

Xia Huo Qu didn’t dwell on the earlier issue, simply instructing, “There are about a dozen ripe ones. Grab a big bowl to collect them.”

“Got it!” Xia Lu Nong’s face lit up as he dashed off to grab a large bowl. “I could already smell the sweetness this afternoon. These strawberries are going to be delicious!”

The aroma of the strawberries was strong, making them seem even sweeter than they actually tasted.

Excited, Xia Lu Nong rushed outside, taking a deep breath of the fragrant, sweet scent. He looked down at the strawberries. These weren’t ordinary strawberries — whether due to their variety or mutation, they were huge, each one about the size of a fist.

There were exactly thirteen strawberries in total.

He carefully picked them and placed them in the bowl, then took them to the kitchen to wash.

Kong Zhi asked, “Should we soak them for a while?”

“No need, they’re homegrown. No pesticides.”

Eager to share, Xia Lu Nong brought the strawberries out, choosing the largest, reddest one for his brother. “Quick, try our first batch of strawberries!”

He handed big strawberries to Yin Xi Nian and Kong Zhi as well, then picked the best remaining one for himself and took a big bite.

The ripe strawberry was soft, with very thin skin and plenty of juice. As he bit into it, pink juice splattered all over his hands.

But he didn’t care. The sweet, fragrant strawberry had completely captivated him.

He hadn’t expected it to be so sweet! Not sour at all! Just pure sweetness and coolness, with the scent of strawberries filling his mouth and calming the lingering heat of the early summer evening.

The juice was richer than canned fruit, three times sweeter, and had a fresh, natural fragrance. With just one bite, it felt like life itself had sweetened.

Xia Lu Nong squinted in satisfaction, savoring the first bite before slowly taking a second. In nearly twenty years of life, this was the first time he had eaten a strawberry that tasted like a mythical ginseng fruit, making everyone laugh at his slow, deliberate eating.

Xia Huo Qu, after eating just two strawberries, stopped, saying, “I’m full.”

“That’s impossible! You only had two bowls of rice today.” Xia Lu Nong picked up a strawberry and held it near his brother’s lips. “Come on, don’t worry about us. One each is perfect; that’s the best way to enjoy them.”

Xia Huo Qu was momentarily caught off guard by his words. “What do you mean, ‘worry’?”

“Just eat.” Xia Lu Nong pressed the strawberry against his brother’s teeth. “Strawberries are delicate. If they sit for two hours, they won’t taste as good.”

With Xia Lu Nong’s insistence, no one tried to refuse anymore. Out of the thirteen strawberries, the extra one ended up in his stomach.

That night, even after brushing his teeth, Xia Lu Nong fell asleep with the sweet scent of strawberries lingering in his dreams.

The next morning, as dawn barely broke, he woke up naturally according to his internal clock.

But just as he was about to pull the blanket aside, he was met with a pair of furry paws.

Xia Lu Nong looked down at his fluffy white belly and then at his pink paw pads. He was completely dumbfounded.

How had he turned back into a cat?!

“Meow!” Xia the cat flipped onto his feet, trying to change back into human form.

This transformation was uncomfortable, making his whole body feel restless. He furrowed his brow, touched his hair, and got out of bed barefoot, intending to find some clothes.

But just as one foot touched the floor while the other was still on the bed, his vision suddenly shifted. A familiar pair of cat paws appeared before him again.

“Meow—!” Losing his balance, the cat tumbled directly under the bed, his emerald-green eyes full of disbelief. “Meow!”

He was so mad he could scream!

“Xiao Nong?” Someone’s footsteps approached the door.

Xia Lu Nong: “Meow!”

He tried to say he was fine, but Kong Zhi didn’t listen, pushing open the door he had kicked the day before and locking eyes with the cat under the bed.

Xia the cat: “Meow.”

Kong Zhi said nothing, but after a moment, he knelt down and pulled the cat out from under the bed.

Turning into a cat yesterday could be explained by exhaustion, but changing again after a full night’s rest suggested something more.

Xia Huo Qu, holding the cat in his arms, was so worried he skipped breakfast and took him straight to see Dr. Ou.

Dr. Ou was very familiar with Xia Lu Nong’s condition. After a thorough check, she was puzzled. “There’s nothing wrong. No injuries, and his ability levels are good. In fact, he’s in decent shape. Why would he be transforming uncontrollably into a cat?”

Xia the cat, looking dejected, grabbed a pen and wrote on paper: Uncomfortable transforming back into human form.

“Uncomfortable?” Dr. Ou probed further. “What kind of discomfort?”

Xia the cat thought for a moment and wrote two words: Restlessness.

“Restlessness?” Dr. Ou’s expression became slightly awkward. After a pause, she said, “I think I know what’s going on. This usually happens in spring.”

Xia Huo Qu and Yin Xi Nian instantly understood.

Kong Zhi, however, looked confused.

Dr. Ou glanced at him and explained, “In animal form, there’s typically a mating season, during which staying in that form feels more comfortable.”

Xia Huo Qu coughed lightly. “Thanks for your help.”

“No problem. It’ll pass in a few days. Just take it easy and stay calm. If he were a real cat, a simple surgery would fix it.”

Xia the cat: “???”

His bright green eyes widened in alarm. He wiggled his little paws in his brother’s arms, lowering his fluffy tail and clamping his legs together.

Just thinking about surgery made him shudder!

Dr. Ou chuckled and gave the cat’s head a pat. “It’s nothing serious. Stay in cat form for a few days and take it easy. You’ll know when the mating season passes.”

Xia the cat nodded furiously, dodging her slightly medicinal-smelling hand and snuggling closer to his brother.

Unfortunately for Xia Lu Nong, the mating season lasted several days. He even had to go on supply runs with his brother and the others in cat form.

Yin Xi Nian joked, “Being in animal form has its perks—better reflexes. Sometimes it’s even safer.”

Xia the cat: “Meow.”

Xia Huo Qu gave his brother’s head a gentle pat.

The three of them, along with the cat, sat in the cab of a truck, driving toward Yacheng town.

This time, they were bringing rice to exchange for supplies.