Don't List Your Cat on Xianyu

Hang Sheng is a former HR manager who finds herself unemployed just before the Lunar New Year after being laid off from a foreign company. Burdened by financial anxiety and a mischievous black cat named Hang Tian, she attempts to sell the pet on a secondhand platform in a fit of frustration. A mysterious buyer, operating under the handle "Ugly Cat Weirdo," immediately purchases the cat despite the absurdly low price and later the exorbitant listing price, eventually contacting Hang Sheng to offer her a live-in part-time job caring for fifty-three cats. The employer, Fang Huajun, is a reclusive, pale young man who lives in a remote villa and spends most of his time in an underground basement. He requires her to stay on-site for forty-four days, from New Year's Eve to the Lantern Festival, offering a high daily wage with triple pay for the holiday period.

Hang Sheng moves into the villa, bringing Hang Tian along, and discovers that the cats are not ordinary pets but severely disabled rescues. Many suffer from burns, missing limbs, blindness, and other physical abnormalities resulting from abuse, accidents, or tragic circumstances. Fang Huajun reveals that he rescues these animals from situations where they had no hope of survival, such as a cat thrown from a burning building or another found with a bamboo stick through its eye. The atmosphere in the house is quiet and somewhat eerie, dominated by the presence of these injured animals and Fang Huajun’s detached, emotionless demeanor. Despite his cold exterior, he demonstrates deep compassion for the cats, preparing their meals and tending to their medical needs with meticulous care.

As Hang Sheng settles into her routine, she encounters Fang Huajun’s older sister, Fang Huaiyi, who visits specifically to ask Hang Sheng to also care for Fang Huajun’s well-being, offering double pay for the additional responsibility. Fang Huaiyi notes that her brother neglects his own health, subsisting on cat food and isolating himself in the basement. Hang Sheng refuses the extra money, maintaining professional boundaries, but she becomes increasingly concerned about Fang Huajun’s lifestyle. She confronts him about his diet and health, leading to a tense but revealing interaction where he invites her to visit him in the basement later to explain his condition.

The narrative explores the growing dynamic between Hang Sheng and Fang Huajun. While Hang Sheng is initially wary of the strange employer and the unsettling environment, she finds herself drawn into the world of the rescued cats. Fang Huajun’s pale appearance and reclusive nature hint at a deeper mystery, possibly related to a medical condition or past trauma, though he remains guarded. The story highlights the contrast between Hang Sheng’s vibrant, albeit struggling, life and Fang Huajun’s isolated existence. Their interactions shift from purely professional to slightly more personal, with moments of humor and unexpected kindness, such as Fang Huajun helping with her move and engaging in casual conversation about the cats.

Key turning points include Hang Sheng’s decision to accept the job despite her suspicions, her emotional reaction to the tragic backstory of one of the cats, and her growing curiosity about Fang Huajun’s true nature. The presence of Hang Tian, who behaves unusually well around Fang Huajun, serves as a bridge between the two characters. The story sets the stage for Hang Sheng to uncover the secrets behind Fang Huajun’s reclusive lifestyle and the reasons for his collection of disabled cats, while she navigates her own career uncertainties and personal growth during her stay at the villa.