Hiring A Cat

"Cat Hiring" is a drama that features cute pets, sweet love and suspense. The story revolves around a "cat-hiring shop" in Lin'an, Southern Song Dynasty. When she was young, the proprietress Zhang Qiao'er learned some cat-training skills from the artisans who came and went in the teahouse. Since she opened the cat shop, families in the city who needed cat slaves would go to the shop and hire cats to take home according to the procedures. Unexpectedly, a major case in the city involved the proprietress Zhang Qiao'er, and she got to know Ma Qingshan, an honest young constable in Lin'an Prefecture. As the case goes deeper, Zhang Qiaoer's other identity is slowly revealed. It turns out that she is a well-known "little thief cat" among the people and the one that Ma Qingshan has been chasing. The two develop feelings for each other during the chase, and eventually they work together to find the murderer behind the scenes and protect Lin'an City.

Directed by Sun Xing, Hiring A Cat leans on a strong ensemble — Yu Xuanchen, Shang Xuan, Li Zhenglin — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The series landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2024.