I knocked on the door and waited, the cat tucked carefully under my arm. It didn't struggle, just blinked up at me with those lazy, half-lidded eyes like this whole thing had been a mild inconvenience at best.
A few seconds passed before I heard slow footsteps approaching from inside. The latch clicked, and the door opened just enough for Mrs. Jeng to peek through.
Her eyes widened the moment she saw what I was holding.
"Oh… oh my…" Her voice caught in her throat as she pushed the door open wider. "Is that…"
I lowered the cat gently toward her. "Found him."
For a second, she didn't move. Then her hands came up, slightly trembling, and she took the cat from me as if it might disappear if she wasn't careful. The moment the cat settled into her arms, it let out a soft, annoyed meow, like it was complaining about being moved.
Mrs. Jeng laughed. It wasn't loud, but it was full. Relieved.
