Cat-Brand Apocalypse Shop

[Dramatic Human x Sharp-Clawed Cat]

Damn it, the moment Bai Jinxi opened her eyes, she had transmigrated to this godforsaken place. She’d barely managed to dodge the zombies and reach the safe house mentioned by the System, only to find a storage room piled high with junk.

The System huffed. “Don’t underestimate this storage room. It’s the foundation of your rise to become the God of Shops!”

Bai Jinxi put up with it. For the sake of a better life in the future, she worked without complaint, tidying everything up and cleaning the place from top to bottom.

Then, just as she finished, a little cat paw stepped right in without a care.

Bai Jinxi: “I just mopped that floor!”

Human and cat stared at each other. The cat was pure white, with smooth, long fur and an elegant posture.

It shook itself, sprang onto the counter, turned its head to glance at Bai Jinxi, then licked its paw.

Bai Jinxi: “…”

Stock your goods, sort your inventory, and sell your wares. Learn those three things, and congratulations, you can open a shop.

Bai Jinxi: “Sure, sure. Why don’t you mention that ‘stocking your goods’ means scavenging in the wasteland and fishing them out of dead people’s pockets?”

Searching for supplies in this dangerous post-apocalyptic world and selling them from her own shelves was the task the System had given Bai Jinxi.

But as Bai Jinxi watched the cat lounge on a shelf, stretching its long legs… Keeping a cat didn’t seem to be part of the mission, did it?

Bai Jinxi reached out to pet it, but the cat batted her hand away with its paw.

It was fine. Kittens were allowed to have attitudes.

With a great deal of effort, Bai Jinxi hung up a crookedly lettered sign: Kitty Cat’s Apocalypse Shop

Now open for business!

As she ran the shop, having a cat for company made everything better. Even if it had a temper and wouldn’t let her get close, that was fine.

The cat could be mean, but Bai Jinxi was nice. She’d keep trying to win it over.

But then, one day, the cat stopped being aloof. It raised its tail and wound it around her calf, arched its body, and rubbed against her again and again…

Bai Jinxi anxiously asked the System, “Oh no, how do you get a female cat spayed in this world?”

The cat swiped Bai Jinxi across the face and turned away.

At night, Bai Jinxi lay peacefully in bed. The cat had calmed down and was curled obediently in her arms. Other than making it a little hard to breathe, everything was fine.

Wait, why did she feel like she was getting heavier and heavier? Bai Jinxi jolted awake. A woman with dazzling white hair was lying on top of her, and when she reached out, she felt a pair of furry ears.

Bai Jinxi: “Aaaah! Turn back!”

Cat: “?”

A few things to know before reading:

1. The cat can turn into a human.

2. This is a lighthearted, funny apocalypse story about farming, opening a shop, and running a business. It shouldn’t get too heavy.

3. There’s a golden finger, and it’s a huge one.

Coming soon: A Deposed Crown Princess’s Rebellion Plan. Please add it to your reading list! Blurb below:

[Unpredictable, funny top x Hardworking, capable, gentle, resilient mute bottom]

What’s it like to transmigrate into the crown princess of the current dynasty?

As the sign-in System described her new identity, Li Zhaoxi thought she was about to start a wonderful new life. At last, she’d be free of that miserable cycle of working overtime, working, then working overtime again!

Then she opened her eyes and found herself soaking wet beside a river. Her new life came with a thatched hut, a deposed crown princess’s title, and a wife.

Li Zhaoxi froze. Wait, why did she have a wife?!

The ruling family was known for killing relatives to seize power. The current emperor was already over fifty, and the original owner had been crown princess for twelve years.

But despite Her Majesty’s boundless grace, the original owner had held the position for years without winning her favor.

With her deposition imminent, the original owner decided to strike first and force her mother to abdicate. But at the crucial moment, her subordinates betrayed her and sold the plan to her younger sister, the Third Princess.

After the plot failed, the original owner was deposed and exiled three thousand li away. On the journey, she was rescued by a mysterious stranger.

The stranger had already arranged a new identity for her and given her money. Afraid she wouldn’t be able to look after herself, the stranger also rescued a mute woman named Chen Shan to be her wife and care for her.

Though the original owner had been rescued, the failure of her rebellion left her utterly demoralized. She couldn’t adjust to life after losing her wealth and status.

Unable to adapt to life as a commoner, she spent her money drinking and gambling, and repeatedly took her anger out on Chen Shan. Sometimes she cursed her, sometimes she beat her, and she bullied her without restraint. Chen Shan was terrified of her, but wanting to repay her benefactor, she forced herself to keep caring for her.

At last, one day, the original owner fell into the water while drunk and died.

Li Zhaoxi: “Good riddance!”

System: “Ha ha, Host, Chen Shan thinks you’re the original owner now.”

Li Zhaoxi: “?”

The sign-in System gave the transmigrated Li Zhaoxi two tasks:

One: “The wheel of fortune turns! Take back everything that belongs to you!”

Two: “Take good care of your wife!”

Li Zhaoxi’s mind was full of questions. “Rebel? Me?”

But then she saw Chen Shan. Unable to speak, Chen Shan had endured constant bullying, yet remained strong and kept the two of them alive. When they had no money, she found ways to earn some. She worked for people all over town, then came home to look after Li Zhaoxi. Her body was covered in injuries from all the hard labor, and she still hid in a corner of the house to avoid her, silently applying herbal medicine to herself and drinking cold water to stave off hunger. Li Zhaoxi gritted her teeth and chose to make her first sign-in.

Rebel? Fine, she’d rebel!

System: “Ding! Congratulations, Host, successful sign-in. You’ve received two cabbages!”

Li Zhaoxi held the cabbages out to Chen Shan. “Wife, I’m going to give you a good life!”

Chen Shan had no idea why the woman who had always been so cruel had suddenly changed.

When Chen Shan was hurt, Li Zhaoxi worried herself sick and stayed by her side to care for her. When someone bullied Chen Shan, Li Zhaoxi fought back with everything she had until they begged for mercy on their knees.

Their lives steadily improved. At some point, her benefactor truly became her wife.

Chen Shan had thought they would keep supporting each other and living their modest life together forever.

Then, one day, Li Zhaoxi suddenly announced that she was leaving. Before she went, she handed over all their money, house deeds, and land deeds, saying she hoped Chen Shan would find a better life for herself. Li Zhaoxi was going to join the rebels and start an uprising.

Chen Shan held tightly to her. Li Zhaoxi turned back in silence to look at her tearful wife. In her panic, Chen Shan still managed to sign the words Li Zhaoxi had taught her:

“Don’t leave me… Am I not your accomplice?”

Theme: A life of plenty brings more happiness than mutual destruction.