Chapter 27.3: A quiet life
On Zheng Xie’s birthday, Yang Wei Qi went over to his house really early.
She rang the doorbell and heard Zheng Xie said: “Come In.” After a while, there were no movement, so she rang the bell again. She heard him saying: “You have the keys to come in, right?”
The way she rang the bell frequency is very special, so Zheng Xie know from the doorbell that it is her.
She found her keys and open the door to a very funny scene. The cat, Xiao Bao is biting a slipper and had fled to the corner. Zheng Xie is on one foot confronting it.
Yang Wei Qi laughed: “Xiao Boa is naughtier than the last time I saw it.”
Zheng Xie saw her hang carrying something, so he left the cat. He took over the things in her hand and says: “This little guy is a big trouble. The house has been turned upside down this week. I had to pay three times the hourly wages to get it in order.”
Xiao Bao in order to prove that Zheng Xie is stating the truth, its voice fell with a small “Meow.”
Yang Wei Qi step into the kitchen while saying: “You really want to eat at home?”
“Don’t want to go out. It is cold outside.”
“Have you not taken your medicine? You still have not recovered from your cold?”
“What can I help you with?” Zheng Xie changed the topic.
“No need. I will be more nervous if you are around to help out. You just got and play with your cat, Xiao Bao.”
When Yang Wei Qi stepped out of the kitchen still wearing an ap.r.o.n to announced that dinner is ready, she saw the just now complaining about ‘troublesome guy’ Zheng Xie sitting on the floor while playing with the cat, Xiao Bao with a ball.
He was playing with a bunch of colorful plastic b.a.l.l.s rolling across the floor one by one while Xiao Bao pushed it back with his front paws.
Sometimes, Zheng Xie throw it high while Xiao Bao tried to make it stop. But Xiao Bao is trained, did not pounce instead hit the ball and let it elegantly fell to the ground. Then move towards Zheng Xie after he call.
Yang Wei Qi laughed out loud: “It seems that these days, you have got along very well with Xiao Bao.”
“You just said that Xiao Bao is now fat, so I am helping it to lose some weight.”
Zheng Xie threw the few b.a.l.l.s that were in his hands towards Xiao Bao. It then saw the b.a.l.l.s, and was afraid of being hit. Xiao Bao meow loudly and then hid under the sofa.
Zheng Xie got up from the ground, tidy up his clothes and wash his hands to get ready to eat.
From childhood days, Zheng Xie never had the birthday celebration tradition, even birthday gifts are spared. In addition, he recently caught a cold, so not much of an appet.i.te. So Yang Wei Wi in accordance to his request, cook very simple dinner of stewed pig trotters’ noodles.
Zheng Xie said while eating: “The noodle you cook is not bad.”
“Is it similar with what you have eaten in the past?”
“Ah. Where did you learned this? He He has always said that it is her secret recipe.”
Yang Wei Qi paused for a moment before saying: “He He shared the method to prepare this with me.”
Zheng Xie ‘Oh’ and then kept quiet. He buried his head and concentrated on his bowl. He finished the whole bowl of soup but did not touch the meat.
Yang Wei Qi refilled his bowl. Zheng Xie thanked her, and then suddenly casually asked: “Do you contact her often?”
“I met her the day before yesterday. Also helped her with some stuff.”
Zheng Xie hang his head and asked: “She is back?”
“I went on a business trip over there. And then b.u.mp into her.”
“You did not tell me about your business trip.”
“I went in the morning and came back in the afternoon. Later, I forgot to tell you.”
“Okay. I know.” Zheng Xie no longer asked any further question.
Later, Yang Wei Qi explained: “We have recently received a case so I went to the orphanage located over there to look at evidence. And I met He He there. She has been volunteering to teach art cla.s.s for over a month. Then, we talked for a while.”
“Oh.”
“She looks good and the children particularly like her. She asked me to say h.e.l.lo on her behalf to you.”
Zheng Xie kept quiet and cough for a long time. Yang We Qi had to come and pat his back.
A silent Yang Wei Qi did not know what to say.
His alert cat, Xiao Bao is at the kitchen door pacing and sneaking around.
Zheng Xie will use his fingers to signal Xiao Bao over, then it will blatantly walk out of the kitchen. Then it rolled around under the table a few rounds, studied Yang Wei Qi’s slippers before finally settling down at Zheng Xie’s feet, separated by a distance of a few centimeters.
Although this week, Zheng Xie had been friendly, but he rarely hug Xiao Bao. Even if he did, the held it stiffly. Xiao Bao the cat is a smart cat. It knows how to judge a person’s expression. So even though it loves to be pampered, it dare not go overboard with Zheng Xie. Instead it will try to choose a different way to attract his attention.
Before Zheng Xie had dinner, he had stuffed Xiao Bao’s bowl with a lot of delicious food that seems enough for it to eat. But when he saw the fish, it gave a little whine, while starring at the table.
The next moment, Yang Wei Qi was stunned when Zheng Xie stooped his chopstick of fish directly into the cat’s mouth and very patiently watched it eating it. Then he finally pulled a piece of tissue and wipe its mouth.
Until Zheng Xie sat up straight, Yang Wei Qi was watching him astonished.
Zheng Xie extended the chopsticks back and embarrasely smiled while saying: “I will go and change another pair of chopsticks.” He gently kicked Xiao Bao indicating it to go away but Xiao Bao did not move.
Yang Wei Qi stood up: “I go and get a plate for Xiao Bao. It seems that it like the fish that I cooked. You need to change your chopsticks, right?”
She went to help Zheng Xie change a new pair of chopsticks, and also brought Xiao Bao’s plate. When she returned, she saw Xiao Bao hanging on to Zheng Xie’s leg of the pants while rolling around. Zheng Xie tossed Xiao Bao while trying to get rid of it, but resulting in Xiao Bao playing happily.
“Both of you seems to get along very well.” Yang Wei Qi said with a smile.
“It will go back next week.”
“If you like it, why don’t you just keep it.”
“I don’t like cats. I am just kind hearted.”
Zheng Xie did not wait for Yang Wei Qi to prepare the fish for Xiao Bao. He just held Xiao Bao by the neck and pulled it from his leg and throw it further away.
Yang Wei Qi uttered a cry, fearing that Xiao Bao will be hurt when it falls. But his strength is just right. Xiao Bao’s leg gently touch the ground. Not only it was not injured, there were no signs of it even being frightened, as if it is already used to this game.
Yang Wei Qi placed the plate containing the fish in front of Xiao Bao. But it ignored her and went under the cupboard refusing to come out. She placed the plate in front of the cupboard.
After the trouble with Xiao Bao the cat, the meal continued in silence. Because Zheng Xie’s voice is very hoa.r.s.e, it was very difficult for him to say every words. So Yang Wei Qi no longer make him talk.