A Forum for Patients Chapter 126

Perhaps because she was using her own mobile, ‘Wide Sea and Sky’ didn’t recognise her number, so the call wasn’t picked up imdiately.

(‘Wide Sea and Sky’ 海阔天空: The na itself is a reference to a popular Cantonese song by the band Beyond, which symbolises freedom and open-mindedness.)

The phone rang and rang, each unanswered chirp a tiny hamr tapping away at Yu Xiao’s patience. Finally, after what felt like forever, she heard ‘Wide Sea and Sky’s’ gravelly voice on the other end, “Who is this?”

“It’s , Deaf Descendant,” Yu Xiao chuckled. “This is my number, so make sure you add it to your little black book.”

A beat of silence followed, thick and heavy like a wool blanket, before ‘Wide Sea and Sky’ responded with a gruff, “Hmm, you’ve co out of the instance.”

“Yes, I’m out,” Yu Xiao confird.”Anyway, how’s that fancy new phone treating you? Is there anything you’re not sure about?”

“No,” ca his curt reply.

Yu Xiao blinked, taken aback by his bluntness. “But… I just saw your post on the Sixth Hospital forum,” she began, her voice laced with concern, “You know, the one where you were asking for help…”

“…”

Another pause followed, leaving Yu Xiao to wonder if she had sohow stumbled into a conversational minefield.

“It’s been taken care of,” ‘Wide Sea and Sky’ finally responded, his voice shrouded in gloom.

“Really?” Yu Xiao was taken aback. So, there were kind-hearted individuals on the forum who believed in him after all. “How did you resolve it?”

“That’s none of your concern,” his tone turned icy, shutting down the conversation abruptly. “I’m going to sleep now. Goodbye.”

“Wait!” Yu Xiao interrupted him. “There’s sothing I want to discuss with you.”

Silence ensued once again, but he didn’t hang up. Yu Xiao knew he was waiting for her to speak, so she continued, “You gave

a lot of function cards before. You might not be aware, but our hospital forums have shops where we can exchange function cards for points. Your cards could fetch a high number of points. How many more do you need? I can assist you in selling them, so you can accumulate enough points even without participating in instances.”

Her offer was t with silence once more, leaving Yu Xiao utterly confused. What did this an? Was he overwheld with joy and unable to speak? Or had he zoned out and missed what she said?

Just as she was about to repeat herself, ‘Wide Sea and Sky’ suddenly spoke up, saying, “Who asked you to ddle?”

Yu Xiao recoiled as if slapped. She had anticipated a range of reactions, from suspicion to gratitude, but this icy dismissal was the last thing she expected.

“Everything I gave you, I didn’t need,” he continued, his words dripping with disdain. “Do whatever you want with them, just don’t bother

again,” and with that, he ended the call, leaving Yu Xiao staring at her phone with a mix of confusion and hurt.

Her good intentions had crash-landed with the grace of a drunken pigeon.

Nightmare, who had been listening to Zhou Xiao Zhen, shifted his attention to Yu Xiao. As a being born of darkness, he was acutely attuned to negative emotions, and right now, Yu Xiao was radiating disappointnt like a broken neon sign.

“Hey, why don’t you try transforming into soone else?” Zhou Xiao Zhen suggested, ever fascinated by Nightmare’s shapeshifting abilities. “Smiley has another man she’s smitten with…”

Without uttering a word, Nightmare stepped away from Zhou Xiao Zhen and positioned himself in front of Yu Xiao.

“What are you doing?” Yu Xiao’s voice crackled with annoyance, breaking the montary peace in the room.

Nightmare wasn’t exactly a ray of sunshine. Sure, he could create a nightmare faster than you could say “boo,” but happy dreams? Not his strong suit. So, confronted with Yu Xiao’s gloomy atmosphere, he was about as useful as a chocolate teapot. His options were quite limited to changing shapes.

“Who do you want

to beco?”

Zhou Xiao Zhen couldn’t help but compare Nightmare’s reactions. ‘I’ve been babbling away like a magpie, and he hasn’t even blinked,’ she thought, ‘But Smiley barely breathes and he’s all over her. That girl’s got so serious mojo.’ Still, curiosity sparked within her. Who was this mysterious heartthrob who had Smiley’s attention?

“I don’t want you to beco anyone,” Yu Xiao snapped, her temper simring like a pot about to boil over. She pushed him away with a huff, “If you’ve got nothing better to do, go sulk in your box and leave

alone.”

Zhou Xiao Zhen’s jaw nearly hit the floor. Smiley, the ever-optimistic, always-smiling Smiley, was throwing a tantrum? It was a sight to see.

Zhao Lan, however, seed to have a sixth sense for these things. While she shared Zhou Xiao Zhen’s admiration for the dreamy Leonardo DiCaprio, she also had a keen awareness of her surroundings. She knew Yu Xiao had just been on the phone, and judging by the stormy expression on her face, it was likely that the conversation with ‘Wide Sea and Sky’ hadn’t gone well.

Nightmare, being the obedient shapeshifter, dipped his head and transford into a dejected-looking, pale yellow kitten. Without a ow of protest, he padded over to his box, extended a tiny paw, and pulled the lid shut.

Zhou Xiao Zhen felt a twinge of disappointnt. She hadn’t had enough of ‘Little Leo’ yet, and now he was gone.

“Smiley,” Zhou Xiao Zhen cautiously ventured, her voice filled with concern, “What’s wrong? You seem like you’re about to bite soone’s head off.”

Zhao Lan got straight to the point, “Did you call ‘Wide Sea and Sky’ about selling the function cards? Did sothing happen?”

Yu Xiao, usually carefree and nonchalant, was indeed holding a grudge. She wasn’t known for her empathy, her heart rarely extending beyond Misty and Precious. So, for her to genuinely want to help soone, only to be t with rejection, was a bitter pill to swallow.

Yu Xiao sighed, a wisp of disappointnt escaping her lips like a deflated balloon. “I guess I was just ddling where I wasn’t wanted.”

“What do you an?” Zhou Xiao Zhen furrowed her brow. “What happened?”

Yu Xiao recounted the phone conversation with ‘Wide Sea and Sky’, her voice tinged with self-reproach. “He doesn’t need my help after all. I was just overthinking things.”

“Damn!” Zhou Xiao Zhen exclaid, her righteous indignation boiling over like a pot of water. “Even if he doesn’t need help, he shouldn’t have been so rude! Can’t he see you were just trying to be nice?”

Zhao Lan also couldn’t understand ‘Wide Sea and Sky’s’ behaviour either. “Don’t let it bother you,” she soothed, giving Yu Xiao’s shoulder a comforting pat. “Look on the bright side, he gave you all those function cards, so a few harsh words are a small price to pay. Besides, I suspect his ntal state might be a bit…unstable. He probably just struggles to control his emotions.”

“You’re right,” Yu Xiao agreed, her remarkable ability to bounce back kicking in. “If he doesn’t want them, then those cards are all ours now. I still think selling them is a great idea. We’ll split the points three ways, and that ans we can avoid those dreadful instances for a long ti.”

“Oh, yes please!” Zhou Xiao Zhen’s eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. “Let’s sell them all!”

With renewed determination, Yu Xiao decided to call Lu Xu and discuss their plan.

**

Lu Xu had just finished an instance, his mind still buzzing with adrenaline. He wasn’t just a businessman; he and Luo Jin tackled instances with the speed of seasoned marathon runners. If only the hospital gave out titles for completing instances quickly, they would definitely be the champions of productivity.

As they sat down to enjoy a well-deserved al, Lu Xu’s phone buzzed.

“It’s Yu Xiao,” he said, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. “Looks like we’ve got so business coming our way~”

Luo Jin looked up, his gaze eting Lu Xu’s with an unspoken question, before setting down his chopsticks and turning his attention to the upcoming conversation.

“Hello~” Lu Xu’s voice oozed with playful anticipation, “What can I do for you on this fine day~?”

“I have so function cards that I’d like to sell,” Yu Xiao stated, getting straight to the point. “Would you be interested in handling the sale for ?”

“Of course!” Lu Xu’s enthusiasm was evident, but a note of caution crept into his voice. “Are you absolutely sure you want to sell them? Useful function cards can be lifesavers in certain situations, you know. Are you certain you want to part with them?”

“Yes.”

“Alright then,” Lu Xu agreed, having perford his due diligence as a responsible businessman. “So, what kind of function cards are we talking about? And how many?”

“There’s a bit of everything,” Yu Xiao replied, consulting her inventory list. “Let’s start with the single-use item cards. I have seventy-one of those, mostly ‘Give

a pair of roller skates’. (给我一双轮滑鞋)” She paused, then asked, “How do you usually price these single-use cards?”

“…”

Her question was t with a prolonged silence, heavy as a thick London fog.

Luo Jin noticed that Lu Xu had suddenly gone silent, his expression vacant, his mouth open, as if his brain had montarily gone on vacation. He looked like he might drool any second.

Frowning, Luo Jin waved his hand in front of Lu Xu’s face, trying to snap him out of his trance.

Lu Xu jolted back to reality with a start, jumping from his seat and exclaiming, “Where did you get so many item cards? Did you steal them from a patient? I’m warning you, stealing from patients is a serious violation of hospital regulations – the worst kind! You could be punished by the dical Disputes Office…”

Yu Xiao’s ears rang from the sudden outburst, her brain buzzing like an angry swarm of bees. She held the phone away from her ear, massaging her temples to ease the throbbing. Once the ringing subsided, she retorted, “Why are you yelling? Who said anything about stealing from patients? Who could I possibly steal from to acquire this many function cards?”

“…True,” Lu Xu conceded, finally regaining his composure. He couldn’t understand how anyone could possess such a vast collection of cards, especially so many of the sa type.

“Then how did you get so many cards?” Lu Xu asked, his eyes practically sparkling with greed. “Care to share your secret?”

“Soone gave them to .”

“Sister, lying is bad for your complexion,” Lu Xu scoffed, not buying her story for a second. “Even if your charm is irresistible, I refuse to believe that soone would just have so many function cards lying around to give away.”

“Suit yourself,” Yu Xiao shrugged, unfazed by his disbelief. “Why all the fuss? I just want to sell the cards.”

“You…” Under Luo Jin’s incredulous gaze, Lu Xu suddenly dropped to his knees, his voice filled with desperation. “Sister, please, I’m begging you! Just tell

how you managed to get so many cards!”

Yu Xiao rolled her eyes, feeling exasperated. “I already told you, soone gave them to !”

Lu Xu’s eyes filled with tears, his voice trembling with indignation. “Do you think so little of ? I don’t mind if you lie, but at least co up with a more believable story. The way you’re talking, it’s as if you think I’m a complete idiot.”

Luo Jin, who had been watching the scene with growing amusent, finally intervened. He snatched the phone from Lu Xu and spoke into it, “Hello, this is Luo Jin. Lu Xu seems to have short-circuited. Please tell

what you need.”

“I simply want to sell so function cards,” Yu Xiao explained, her patience wearing thin. “If you can’t handle the sale, I’ll find soone else. Can we please skip the theatrics?”

“No theatrics here,” Luo Jin assured her, his voice calm. “What kind of cards do you want to sell?”

“Single-use item cards,” Yu Xiao replied, “Seventy-one of them!”

“…” Luo Jin’s pupils contracted, his composure montarily faltering. “May I ask how you got so many?”

Yu Xiao threw her hands up in the air, on the verge of a ltdown. “I already told you, soone gave them to !”

“…Right,” Luo Jin conceded, taking a deep breath to regain his composure. “And may I ask who this generous person is?”

“Wide Sea and Sky!” Yu Xiao blurted out. “Do you know him?”

“…” Luo Jin paused, processing this new information before responding calmly, “I’ve heard of him, but I don’t know him personally. Did you encounter him in an instance? Is he’s quite the philanthropist, isn’t he?”

“Oh, he’s incredibly generous,” Yu Xiao confird, glancing down at her list. “I also have thirty-seven team-up cards and a bunch of other function cards that I’m willing to sell.”

“Lao Luo?” Lu Xu stared at Luo Jin, his eyes wide with disbelief. He had seen Luo Jin face near-death experiences without shedding a tear, yet now, his eyes were glistening with unshed tears. “What’s wrong?”

“We can definitely sell them on consignnt,” suggested Luo Jin. “It’s like a high-end card market – I’ll list them in the shopping centre’s digital catalogue. When soone wants one, we’ll notify you, and you can ship it directly. Of course,” he added with a slight cough, “we can’t do it for free. A small commission keeps things running smoothly, you understand.”

“No problem at all,” Yu Xiao responded. “Consider the list sent. Compared to Lu Xu, you’re a breeze to work with. That guy is wound up tighter than a mummy – impossible to have a normal conversation with…”

The call ended, and Luo Jin gave the phone back to Lu Xu, who seed ready to explode. “What in the world did she say to you? Did she threaten your deceased cat? Curse your family line? Why were you crying?”

“First of all, I wasn’t crying,” Luo Jin clarified, raising an eyebrow at his friend’s dramatics. “Secondly,” he continued with a wistful sigh, “she just made

wonder why I haven’t encountered such generous seniors in my afterlife.”

Lu Xu’s confusion turned into disbelief. “Hold on, did she actually say that soone gave her those ability cards? You don’t seriously believe that, do you?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Luo Jin countered, genuinely curious. “Is there another explanation? Or do you think there’s so secret thod to obtain a bunch of ability cards that we, two experienced mbers of the Fourth Hospital, sohow overlooked?”

Lu Xu was at a loss for words, finding it hard to accept the possibility. “But why? Why would soone give Yu Xiao so many valuable cards? Does she have so hidden charm that we can’t see? I’ve been on two missions with her, and all I felt was a bit speechless.”

Luo Jin shared his confusion. “Maybe… it’s a talent we haven’t seen before, a knack for attracting good fortune.”

“If that’s a talent,” Lu Xu grumbled, crossing his arms, “then I must have the opposite – a talent for repelling anything good.”

Luo Jin remained silent, acknowledging the unsaid truth. Even as adults, there are so things that simply don’t make sense.

**

As darkness fell, the curtains closed automatically, casting shadows across the room. The trio spent the evening sorting through ability cards. They kept a few essential ones and set aside the rest for trading.

By the ti they finished, it was late. With yawns and stretches, they headed to bed, seeking the peacefulness of sleep, where even ghosts could dream of a world that was less chaotic and a bit more generous.

That night, Yu Xiao dreamt of Nightmare again. In her dream, he retained the form of a small cat, his tiny body wracked with sobs.

She watched him weep throughout the night until she finally woke up. The clock showed just past six, and the ward was still in darkness. The rhythmic breathing of Misty and Precious provided a soothing lullaby.

Yu Xiao slipped out of bed, grabbed the box from the corner, and went into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

“You dared to manipulate my dreams?” she hissed, pointing an accusing finger at Nightmare inside the box. “Have you forgotten your promise to ?”

The cat-shaped Nightmare curled up, with its head drooping. “I didn’t manipulate your dreams,” he mumbled.

“Lies!” Yu Xiao’s anger flared. “If you didn’t, why was my entire dream filled with nothing but you and your constant crying?”

Nightmare paused, as if pondering her words. “I truly didn’t manipulate your dreams,” he insisted. “But I am, after all, a Nightmare. When my emotions are intense, they can unintentionally affect the dreams of those around .”

“And why were your emotions so intense?” Yu Xiao pressed. “Can’t you control it? Stop disturbing my sleep?”

Nightmare blinked, his voice muffled. “I can’t control it.”

Yu Xiao was left speechless.

“Can you at least manage your emotions then?” she attempted once more.

Nightmare buried his head in his fur. “I can’t do that either.”

Yu Xiao felt a surge of frustration engulf her. Based on Nightmare’s despondent expression, he was not being dishonest. However, she truly didn’t want to spend another night dreaming of a weeping cat, its sobs echoing through the darkness.

“Are you…” Yu Xiao hesitated, searching for the right words to na Nightmare’s lancholic state. “Unhappy?”

Nightmare stayed silent, burrowing deeper into his furry cocoon.

Taking a mont to reflect, Yu Xiao realised that her previous harshness might be the reason for his distress. At that ti, her own emotions were chaotic, causing her to montarily lose control.

“I’m sorry,” she sincerely apologised. “I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that.”

The little cat stirred, but didn’t raise his head.

“It was my fault, and I apologise. I was in a bad mood, and it wasn’t directed at you,” Yu Xiao continued gently. “Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?”

Finally, Nightmare peeked up, his ears twitching, and his round eyes filled with cautious hope. “Can I… sleep at the foot of your bed?”

“…”

Yu Xiao had thought that sleep would be difficult to achieve after the emotional turmoil, but she surprisingly drifted off quickly upon returning to her bed. This ti, there were no weeping kittens or unsettling dreams – just a deep sense of comfort and rest. She slept soundly until eight in the morning, when she was awakened by the sound of a notification.

“Ding!”

Opening her eyes, Yu Xiao stayed still and noticed a warm presence nestled against her feet.

“Smiley, you’re awake!” Zhou Xiao Zhen had already gotten out of bed and was sipping her morning tea. “The news is about to start, and then it’s ti for breakfast. Should we let Nightmare out so we can all eat together?”

The blanket at the foot of Yu Xiao’s bed rustled, and a small yellow kitten erged.

“Holy smokes!” Zhou Xiao Zhen nearly spit out her tea.

Zhao Lan was equally astonished, her eyes shifting between Yu Xiao and the cat-like form of Nightmare. She couldn’t help but recall the day before, when Yu Xiao had shown a less-than-friendly attitude towards Nightmare. She had thought her friend disliked the dream entity, but now it appeared that, in the darkness, she had secretly welcod him into her bed.

Tsk tsk, it seems that Smiley was a tsundere.

Nightmare, on the other hand, seed to be in a great mood. His ears perked up, and his round eyes sparkled with innocent enthusiasm as he looked up at Yu Xiao.

Misty and Precious’s eyebrows did a synchronised dance of suspicion, their gazes ping-ponging between Yu Xiao and the purring yellow kitten nestled at her feet. Their faces said it all – their minds were lost in a sea of wild speculations. The air was thick with unspoken accusations, as if silently demanding “spill the tea, sister!” echoing in the room.

Yu Xiao, however, wasn’t in the mood for explanations. The re thought of unravelling the tangled web of misunderstandings was exhausting.

Just then, the perky voice of the morning news announcer cut through the tension. “A wonderful day begins now~ Let’s dive into the morning news~.”

“… Yesterday, there was a violent incident at St. Elizabeth’s ntal Hospital. It all started when a staff mber attacked the attending doctor, resulting in a full-blown brawl among the dical personnel. The consequences of this event are significant… The following punishnts will be imposed on the individuals involved: Gluttony, for the malicious assault on the attending doctor, will be dismissed, fined, and required to perform two months of community service. George will have his wages docked. Lolita, for neglecting her duties, will have her wages docked and will serve one month of community service. Gu Shu, for repeatedly violating hospital regulations, will serve two months of community service. Qing Shi, for neglecting his duties, will have his wages docked and will serve one month of community service…”

Good heavens! Yu Xiao was astounded. It seed that George had enlisted an entire entourage of familiar faces for his little escapade.

“… After unanimous agreent from our hospital leadership, we have decided to make so adjustnts to our promotion and demotion system. Our hospital prioritises the well-being of its people…”

“… Yesterday’s incident involving unruly patients at the Second Hospital has been thoroughly investigated. The patients responsible for instigating the disturbance will face a deduction of 50 points and a one-month ban from entering dungeons… We urge all patients to actively cooperate with their treatnt to ensure a speedy recovery…”

“… Yesterday, the patient known as ‘Zhuge Liang Burning the Spider Cave’ from the Fourth Hospital once again topped the leaderboard. Let’s congratulate them! This patient has shown exceptional progress during treatnt and has earned the esteed title of ‘Helpful and Upright Individual.’ Let’s give them another round of applause!”

“…”

“… Yesterday, the patient known as ‘Sister Rong’ from the Fifth Hospital demonstrated exceptional progress during their treatnt and has earned the title of ‘Clueless Tool.’ Let’s congratulate them.”

“… Yesterday, the patient known as ‘Handso Ye’ from the Fifth Hospital demonstrated exceptional progress during their treatnt and has earned the title of ‘Enslaver of Evil Spirits.’ Let’s congratulate them.”

“Yesterday, the patient known as ‘Deaf Descendant’ from the Sixth Hospital once again topped the leaderboard. Let’s congratulate them! This patient has shown exceptional progress during treatnt and has earned the four prestigious titles of ‘Master of Evil Spirits’, ‘Heart Deceiver’, ‘Chairman of the Ghosts’ Union’, and ‘Patricidal Daughter.’ Let’s give them a thunderous round of applause!”

“Wow, that’s incredible!” Zhou Xiao Zhen burst into applause, her eyes shining with admiration. “Smiley, you’ve really outdone yourself this ti!”

Yu Xiao responded with a humble smile. “I’ll continue to strive for excellence.”

“…The patient from the Sixth Hospital, also known as the ‘Talisman Shop — Only three points each!’, has shown exceptional progress during her treatnt and has earned the impressive titles of ‘The Flower-Wrecker’ and ‘Mahjong Empress’. Let’s congratulate her!”

(Flower as in soone innocent and virgin like an unplucked flower.)

“…The Sixth Hospital patient known as ‘Nickna Hassle’ has shown exceptional progress during her treatnt and has earned the impressive title of ‘The Reliable Ally’. Let’s all congratulate her…”

“Hehe, Smiley, you’ve struck gold this ti!” Zhou Xiao Zhen exclaid, her voice bubbling with excitent. “Why not have Nightmare transform into your dream guy to celebrate?”

Yu Xiao sat up in bed, a mischievous smile playing on her lips as she glanced at Precious. “My dream guy?”

She was about to reply when the sudden shrill of a phone call interrupted her. To her surprise, the caller ID displayed the Bureau of Health and Wellness Director’s office. A mix of curiosity and apprehension sent a shiver down her spine. What could the director possibly want with her?

“Deaf Descendant,” the director’s voice ca through the receiver, as strong and authoritative as always. “Your recent suggestion was really great. After careful consideration, we’ve decided to put your proposed changes to the promotion and demotion system into action. We’ll be moving to a regular assessnt system and forming a team to conduct random evaluations of staff performance in all departnts…”

“That’s amazing news!” Yu Xiao exclaid, her voice filled with genuine excitent. “This is a positive step forward for both the patients and the staff.”

“Absolutely,” the director affird. “And in recognition of your outstanding performance and your comndable act of reporting Gluttony’s little… indiscretion, we’ve decided to appoint you as the leader of this new inspection team. What do you say?”

“…” Silence filled the room as Yu Xiao processed the unexpected offer. Her heart raced with a mix of excitent and nervousness.

“Why the silence, Deaf Descendant?” the director asked. “Are you hesitant?”

“Not at all, Director! I’m incredibly grateful for the trust the leadership has placed in , and I especially want to thank you for your guidance and support. I won’t let you down.”

“Hahahahaha…” The director’s laughter bood through the phone, a sound that could shake the cobwebs off a haunted mansion. “I’m just here to guide you, but it’s your hard work that’s gotten you this far. Keep excelling, Deaf Descendant, and never let

down.”

“You can count on , Director!” Yu Xiao’s voice filled with determination as she ended the call and turned to her companions.

Zhao Lan, Zhou Xiao Zhen, and the kitten-shaped Nightmare stood in a neat row, their eyes wide with anticipation, like a trio of curious kids waiting for a spooky tale.

“Smiley,” Zhao Lan asked, “what’s got you grinning like a Cheshire Cat?”

“Misty…” Yu Xiao swept Zhao Lan odd her feet, swaying back and forth in a mont of shared joy.

After releasing Zhao Lan, she then scooped up Zhou Xiao Zhen, twirling her around like a spectral ballerina. Precious, a mix of excitent and confusion, exclaid, “Smiley, what’s going on? What’s the good news that has you so ecstatic?”

Gently setting Xiao Zhen back on her feet, Yu Xiao reached for Nightmare, showering him with enthusiastic head scratches and chin rubs.

Finally, with a heart bursting with excitent, she announced, “I’ve been promoted!”

“Seriously?” Zhao Lan’s eyes widened, reflecting Yu Xiao’s elation. “What’s your new position?”

“Rember the suggestion I made to the director?” Yu Xiao puffed out her chest with pride. “Well, he’s decided to create an inspection team to evaluate the performance of hospital staff in all departnts.” A dramatic pause, then the grand reveal: “And guess what? I’m the leader of that team!”

“Holy smokes!”

“Heavens above…”

“Aaaaaah!” Zhou Xiao Zhen and Zhao Lan erupted in joyous shrieks, enveloping Yu Xiao in a group hug that bounced them all around the room like popcorn kernels.

Nightmare, perched at the edge of the celebration, watched with a hint of envy in his feline eyes.