🌻Chapter 2: Buying a Cat

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Bian Xu felt that Zhou Zhao was probably still angry with him, because since last night, he hadn’t given him a single pleasant expression.

Bian Xu’s head ached a little. He felt like the more he said, the more mistakes he made, so after trying to coax him a few times and still seeing his cold face, he simply stopped talking altogether.

Only when they entered the cat café did Zhou Zhao finally speak in a calm tone.

“So, what cat do you want to buy?”

Bian Xu froze, then shook his head.

Seeing this, Zhou Zhao sighed. The tension in his expression finally eased. He reached out and tapped Bian Xu’s forehead.

“You, honestly.” His voice was soft and sticky, almost indulgent.

Bian Xu awkwardly rubbed his nose and smiled at him, subtly taking a small step back to create distance.

“Two handsome guys, what kind of cat are you looking for?” A staff member wearing cat ears approached them.

Bian Xu shook his head. “I’m not sure yet. Can we just look around ourselves?”

The staff smiled and nodded before stepping away.

In truth, Bian Xu didn’t really know what cat to get. He had only casually mentioned it to Zhou Zhao, not expecting him to remember it, or even find a nice cat café for him. He was grateful.

He loved fluffy things. He had always wanted a kitten, but someone in his family was allergic to cat fur, and his university strictly prohibited pets, so he had never been able to raise one.

Now being brought here by Zhou Zhao, he felt a little dazed, and a little moved.

Zhou Zhao really was good to him.

Lost in thought, he didn’t notice Zhou Zhao stepping closer.

Zhou Zhao slid an arm around his shoulder and leaned down near his ear.

“What are you thinking about? I called you and you didn’t respond.”

Instead of answering, Bian Xu pointed at a small white cat in the glass enclosure.

“This one is so cute.”

But Zhou Zhao’s eyes stayed fixed on Bian Xu’s face until Bian Xu raised an eyebrow, and only then did he nod.

“You take a look first. I’ll go sit over there.” Zhou Zhao said, ruffling his hair.

Bian Xu wasn’t fond of having his head touched, so he shook his head slightly and glared at him.

Zhou Zhao chuckled lightly.

Weirdo. Bian Xu cursed inwardly and went off to look at other cats.

“What’s this one called?” he asked the staff, pointing at a golden shaded kitten.

Before the staff could answer, a low male voice spoke first.

“It’s called Chips.”

Bian Xu turned and immediately stepped back.

It was summer, yet the man was wrapped tightly in clothes. A loose black hoodie hung on his frame, and he wore a black cap as well.

Seeing Bian Xu silent, the man looked over and forced a stiff smile.

Weird person.

“Chips is very well-behaved. Very affectionate. Usually just needs cat treats and some sunbathing,” the man said, eyes still on the sleeping kitten.

Bian Xu frowned. “How do you know that?”

“This gentleman comes here often to take care of the cats, so he knows them well,” the staff explained.

The man tapped the glass. The golden kitten suddenly woke up. It looked at his finger, meowed softly, then pressed its paw against the glass and rubbed against it.

It clearly liked him.

Bian Xu made a mental note of that.

He also liked the cat, but it felt wrong to take something someone else was attached to. He was about to ask about other golden shaded kittens when the man spoke again.

This time, he turned to Bian Xu.

His tone was stiff and awkward, like he was forcing the words out.

“Can you take it? It’s easy to raise.”

Bian Xu didn’t understand. From how attached the man seemed, he clearly liked the cat too.

The man seemed to read his thoughts and shook his head expressionlessly.

“I’m not suitable to raise it.”

Raising a cat wasn’t just about liking it. It also depended on whether you were suitable.

Bian Xu let out a confused “ah” before snapping back to reality, only to find the man already holding the cat.

The kitten meowed softly in his arms, rubbing its face against him.

“…Do you want to hold it?” the man asked hesitantly.

Bian Xu nodded.

When he took the cat, his hand brushed against the man’s.

The first sensation was cold. Not the temperature of a normal person.

But it was only a fleeting feeling. Bian Xu decided he must just be overheated.

He played with the cat for a while. When he looked up again, the man was gone.

In the end, he bought the golden shaded kitten. It was simply too well-behaved to resist.

Zhou Zhao reached out to touch it, but the moment he did, the kitten bared its teeth at him.

“Does it not like me?” Zhou Zhao tried again, only to be hissed at each time. He sulked and leaned against Bian Xu.

Bian Xu was busy comforting the cat and just laughed.

Zhou Zhao tugged at his arm. “Hey, seriously? You’re choosing a cat over me?”

Bian Xu raised an eyebrow provocatively.

Zhou Zhao gave up and stopped bothering him. After playing with the cat a little, he asked, “Have you named it yet?”

Bian Xu originally wanted to shake his head, but remembering what the man had said, he hesitated.

“It’s called Chips.”

“That name sounds like it’ll make you hungry. Come on, I’ll treat you to dinner.”

Before Bian Xu could protest, Zhou Zhao had already pushed him and the cat into the car and locked the door.

“Shao Xu, are you really moving out?”

Zhou Zhao asked again as he sat in the driver’s seat, looking at him through the rearview mirror.

Bian Xu sighed. “Yes.”

Not just because he wanted independence anymore. Now it was about survival.

The old Taoist’s words kept echoing in his mind, making him uneasy, and even Zhou Zhao felt… strange now.

Zhou Zhao was paying far too much attention to his move-out. More than what a normal friend should.

Zhou Zhao didn’t respond, only let out a quiet, unreadable laugh.

Despite his dissatisfaction, Zhou Zhao still got up early to help him move.

He looked at the small suitcase, then at Bian Xu holding the cat, and sighed again.

“You’ve sighed for three days already. Aren’t you tired?” Bian Xu laughed.

Zhou Zhao glared at him. “You’re leaving me alone in the dorm. Can’t I sigh?”

Bian Xu shook his head. “Sigh all you want then.”

Strangely, most dorms had four people, but theirs only had two.

Zhou Zhao and Bian Xu weren’t even in the same major. The counsellor had said one of their previous roommates dropped out and repeated a year, and Zhou Zhao had been moved in because there was nowhere else for him.

Bian Xu had always thought he was lucky.

Zhou Zhao was a good roommate. He brought breakfast, dragged him to the library, and helped him study before exams.

At first, Bian Xu had felt reluctant to move out.

Partly because of Zhou Zhao, partly because Zhou Zhao once said he hated sleeping alone.

Sitting in the back seat, Bian Xu hesitated before saying, “You should ask the counsellor to change your dorm.”

“No need. It’s more peaceful alone,” Zhou Zhao refused.

So Bian Xu dropped it and closed his eyes for a nap.

When he woke up again, half an hour had passed.

“Are we there?” he yawned.

“Yeah.”

The apartment was on the 8th floor. After dragging his luggage and pet supplies out of the lift, he was already slightly out of breath.

Room 8-401, if he remembered correctly.

He knocked.

The door opened.

Bian Xu froze.

“It’s you!”

The man who had recommended the cat that day was now standing in front of him.

His face was pale, and after a brief glance, he slowly formed a stiff smile.

“Hello, I’m Wen Xun.”

“You’re the landlord?” Bian Xu raised an eyebrow.

Without replying, Wen Xun took his luggage inside.

Everything about him felt strange.

After helping him move everything in, Wen Xun pointed to a room on the left.

“You’ll sleep there.”

Bian Xu nodded.

At that moment, the kitten suddenly meowed and jumped out of his arms, running to Wen Xun and rubbing against his leg.

“It likes you,” Bian Xu said with a smile.

Wen Xun’s expression remained calm, but when he picked the kitten up, he was unusually careful, almost like he was holding something precious.

He suddenly frowned while stroking it.

“What’s wrong?” Bian Xu asked.

Wen Xun looked at him.

His expression was still calm, but there was a faint hint of amusement in his eyes.

“Do you sleep with your cat every night?”

Weird question.

But Bian Xu still nodded.

Wen Xun sighed softly.

“Remember what the rental ad said. Watch your cat carefully.”

Thinking of that strange listing, Bian Xu nodded again.

“You can cook, right?” Wen Xun asked.

“I can make some home-cooked food,” Bian Xu lied, not daring to meet his eyes.

Wen Xun didn’t seem to mind.

He simply said, “Good.”

 

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TRANSLATOR NOTE

I will be posting two chapters per week. Every Friday.