After Death, I Became My Archenemy's Cat — and He Cries for Me Every Day?!

Xia Lening, a sharp-tongued and rebellious young man from a wealthy family, dies in a car accident on the day of his lifelong rival Gu Yucheng’s birthday. He had spent the morning shouting insults at Gu Yucheng before being struck by a truck. Upon waking, he discovers he has not died but has been reincarnated as a small, fluffy cat. His first moments in this new form are spent hiding under his bed as his sister, Xia Xiaoyao, and Gu Yucheng discuss his death. Gu Yucheng claims the cat as his own, despite Xia Lening’s protests, and takes him to his minimalist, sterile home. Xia Lening is horrified to learn that his funeral is scheduled for the next day and that his family is embroiled in a bitter succession war involving an illegitimate half-brother. He decides to stay with Gu Yucheng temporarily, believing it is safer than being with his sister or falling into the hands of his rival’s family, while secretly hoping to find a way to return to his human body.

Gu Yucheng behaves strangely toward the cat, whom he names Short Winter Melon. He is obsessively clean yet allows the cat into his personal space, even carrying it in his pocket to a noisy bar where he drinks heavily. At the bar, rumors circulate that Xia Lening died while rushing to pick up his first love, Lin Yangchun, at the airport, a misunderstanding that deeply unsettles Gu Yucheng. Later, Gu Yucheng is seen visiting a mysterious fortune teller who provides a cloth doll inscribed with Xia Lening’s name, intended for a ritual to communicate with the dead. Xia Lening, witnessing this, attacks the doll in a panic, scratching Gu Yucheng’s hand. The incident leads to a tense but strangely intimate moment where Gu Yucheng tends to the cat’s injured paw, revealing a vulnerability he never showed when they were human rivals.

At Xia Lening’s funeral, Gu Yucheng breaks down in tears, a sight that shocks the attending family and friends. During the ceremony, Lin Yangchun appears, further complicating the emotional atmosphere. After the funeral, Xia Lening attempts to leave with his sister, but when Lin Yangchun arrives, the cat instinctively gravitates toward her, only for Gu Yucheng to intercept and take him home. Back at the apartment, Gu Yucheng begins to suspect the cat is Xia Lening after observing his intelligent behavior and hearing his voice inside his mind. He tests this theory by using Xia Lening’s childhood nickname, Paipai, and notices the cat’s reaction. Xia Lening denies the connection internally but cannot hide his emotions, leading to a series of comedic and tender interactions where Gu Yucheng buys elaborate cat furniture and treats the animal with unusual affection.

As days pass, the dynamic between them shifts. Gu Yucheng becomes increasingly protective and attentive, while Xia Lening struggles with his growing dependency on his former enemy. Flashbacks reveal that their rivalry was rooted in deep, unacknowledged feelings and childhood proximity. Gu Yucheng’s feverish illness and subsequent dream about losing the cat highlight his genuine fear of solitude. Xia Lening, despite his initial resistance, begins to soften, realizing that Gu Yucheng’s cold exterior masks a profound loneliness. The story concludes with Xia Lening still in cat form, navigating a complex new relationship with Gu Yucheng, who is now openly affectionate, leaving Xia Lening to ponder whether he will ever return to his human life or if this new existence holds unexpected possibilities.