Chapter 209: When All Possibilities Are Ruled Out, Whatever Remains—No Matter How Impossible—Must Be the Truth!

No one knew that Gu Jianing could understand animals, not even Sheng Zexi.

This ability to understand animal speech was something she gained after saving Amber last time.

So far, she had only used this ability to communicate with Amber.

In this era, people were still struggling to meet their basic needs, so very few could afford to keep cats or dogs.

Ordinary families simply couldn’t afford it.

Back then, when Gu Jianing saw Li Shuyao keeping a cat, she just assumed Li Shuyao liked cats and that the Li family had the means to support one.

She never imagined that Li Shuyao had an ulterior motive for raising a cat.

“What’s wrong? Are you interested in my cat? Do you want to hold it?” Li Shuyao spoke, her tone seemingly gentle, but there was a subtle malice beneath the surface.

Gu Jianing noticed that Li Shuyao seemed to pat the cat a few times, as if giving it some kind of command.

And in the next second, Gu Jianing heard the cat’s voice.

[Ah, my owner actually wants me to scratch this nice-smelling beauty in front of me. But what if I don’t want to?]

[No, no, the owner gave an order, so I have to obey.]

[Smells so good, so good, I really don’t want to scratch her.]

...

Gu Jianing watched as the cat fell into deep inner turmoil.

Suddenly, she understood. She remembered that after she saved Amber, she also gained an “animal affinity” aura.

That must be why the cat was so conflicted right now.

She hadn’t expected Li Shuyao to actually try to use the cat to hurt her.

Especially considering she was heavily pregnant now.

“No, thanks. My grandma and I need to get going,” Gu Jianing said. Since she already knew Li Shuyao wanted to use the cat to harm her, why would she stick around?

“Oh, don’t go…” Li Shuyao drawled, but as Gu Jianing turned to leave, she caught a glimpse of Li Shuyao patting the cat again, clearly issuing another command to attack Gu Jianing.

[Smells so good, I won’t scratch, I won’t scratch.]

Gu Jianing thought: Does Li Shuyao take me for a fool? How many times is she going to try this?

Quickly, Gu Jianing opened the exchange shop and redeemed a “bad luck buff,” tossing it onto Li Shuyao. The effect would last a month.

It was the same bad luck aura she’d used on Li Shuyao back when she was in the Northwest Military District.

Clearly, Li Shuyao’s life had been going too smoothly.

Li Shuyao, seeing the cat refuse to obey her command twice, was furious.

What was so great about Gu Jianing that even the cat favored her?!

Fuming, and seeing Gu Jianing turning away, Li Shuyao, in her desperation, pinched the cat hard in a sensitive spot.

Hurry up and scratch Gu Jianing! Best case, make her go into premature labor—kill two birds with one stone.

The malice in Li Shuyao’s eyes was barely concealed.

Granny Sang, who happened to catch this out of the corner of her eye, was secretly alarmed.

She quickly shielded Gu Jianing by her side. What was Li Shuyao trying to do?

Could she be planning to hurt Ningning?

If she dared to hurt Ningning, she’d have to get past Granny Sang first.

After Li Shuyao pinched the cat—

[It hurts, it hurts so much!]

The cat immediately let out a sharp, piercing yowl and leapt up.

But instead of lunging at Gu Jianing as Li Shuyao had ordered, it sprang straight at Li Shuyao, its sharp claws raking across the back of her hand.

Li Shuyao’s hand was already scratched from before.

Now, in the exact same spot, the wound was torn open again, making it even worse.

There were several bloody gashes, oozing blood.

Li Shuyao’s hand throbbed with pain, and she was furious.

“You little beast! How dare you scratch me!”

Li Shuyao never imagined that not only would the cat disobey her, it would actually attack its owner.

Now, half-crazed with anger, Li Shuyao reached out to hit the cat.

But the cat arched its back, raising its claws in defense.

With her bad luck, Li Shuyao’s foot slipped, and she fell hard to the ground—right in front of the cat.

Her face landed right under the cat’s claws.

“Ah!”

The scream came from Li Shuyao.

It was a blood-curdling cry.

People nearby immediately gathered around.

“Oh my god, the cat scratched her face!”

“Wow, her face is covered in bloody scratches—she’s going to be disfigured!”

“That cat’s gone crazy! Shouldn’t we put it down? Let’s get out of here.”

“Miss, you’d better get to a hospital.”

...

While Li Shuyao was struggling in her “battle” with the cat, Granny Sang had already pulled Gu Jianing away.

By now, the area where Li Shuyao and the cat were was surrounded by a crowd, making it impossible to see what was happening inside.

“Ningning, let’s not get involved in this. You’re pregnant, after all,” Granny Sang said worriedly. “Ningning, are you scared?”

The sight of the cat scratching Li Shuyao was just too frightening.

“I’m fine, Grandma. I’m not scared.”

“That’s good, that’s good.”

“Grandma, since we’ve finished shopping, why don’t we head home?”

“Alright.”

In the end, Gu Jianing cast one last deep look at the crowd surrounding the department store, then turned and left.

Actually, if it hadn’t been for the bad luck aura, maybe the cat wouldn’t have scratched Li Shuyao’s hand and face.

But Gu Jianing had no regrets.

The look in Li Shuyao’s eyes had been vicious.

She wanted her dead.

And now, Gu Jianing was pregnant.

Li Shuyao wanted her and her baby gone.

So what was there to regret?!

Mercy toward the enemy is cruelty to oneself.

Li Shuyao wanted her dead—both her and her child. If she showed mercy now, what was she, a saint?

Of course Gu Jianing wasn’t a saint, so she felt no guilt at all.

Ignoring Li Shuyao’s situation, Gu Jianing went home with her grandmother.

While Granny Sang sorted things outside, Gu Jianing returned to her room and carefully thought over what had just happened.

“One thing’s for sure: Li Shuyao is a spy!” Gu Jianing muttered.

She thought of the mission Sheng Zexi had gone on before.

The mission had succeeded, but only because Sheng Zexi had anticipated the danger, wore an invisibility bulletproof vest, charged ahead, and brought a universal bandage to save people.

In reality, someone had leaked information about the mission.

In her previous life, because there was no such advanced technology, the leaked mission had resulted in heavy casualties.

Gu Jianing remembered that at the time, Li Shuyao was at the Northwest Military District for a New Year’s performance.

So, could it have been Li Shuyao who leaked the information?

Maybe she got wind of the mission through some channel and passed it on.

Gu Jianing thought this was highly likely!

“Brother Xi said they’re investigating the leak, but haven’t found any leads. Could it be that Li Shuyao’s Li family background is naturally shielding her?”

After all, with Old Master Li’s status and position, it seemed impossible for him or his family to be involved.

But when all possibilities are ruled out, whatever remains—no matter how impossible—must be the truth."