“We’ve had Qiu Bi for two years. He’s a cat who knows gratitude—he wouldn’t just leave.” Xia Zhile sounded deflated, his voice dry. “It’s fine. We’ll keep looking. If you’re tired, you can go home first. I’ll keep searching.”
Lin Hening didn’t leave—not because he couldn’t bear to let Xia Zhile search alone, but because he was still worried about his precious baby, Salad Dressing.
It had been nearly 72 hours, and still no sign of the cat.
“We’ll look again tomorrow,” Xia Zhile said.
Lin Hening’s apartment complex was in the best area of Yuncheng. The property was huge, but the management services were top-notch. At his request, they had already searched the entire complex.
It might not have been as thorough as a police-led search, but it was close.
Lin Hening didn’t respond. He didn’t want to dampen Xia Zhile’s determination.
As he unlocked the door with his fingerprint, Xia Zhile instinctively tried to step inside, but Lin Hening didn’t invite him in. So, Xia Zhile stopped at the doorway and called out, “Baby, let’s have breakfast together tomorrow.”
Xia Zhile added, “I’ll come at six sharp. I’ll bring breakfast for you.”
Lin Hening replied, “Xiaowei said she’d bring me a sandwich. You eat your own.”
Xia Zhile’s gut told him that now was the time to apologize. Just like before, he should read the situation and act accordingly. He knew Lin Hening well enough to easily soften his stance.
But when he replayed everything that had happened, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he wasn’t wrong.
Lin Hening had lost the cat, right?
And wasn’t it weird to be enjoying hotpot instead of searching for the cat?
And wasn’t it even weirder to be eating hotpot with someone you supposedly owed a debt to?
If he wasn’t wrong, then why should he be the one to lower himself again? Why was it always him who had to make amends?
Feeling stubborn and unsatisfied, Xia Zhile held back.
After leaving, he sat in his car, staring blankly ahead. For some reason, he felt a little lost, as if he had nowhere to go and nothing to do.
Xia Zhile didn’t smoke or drink—something he and Lin Hening had always had in common.
Gripping the steering wheel, he zoned out for a while. His mind was a mess. Finally, he grabbed his phone and sent a message on WeChat:
[An Nian, are you free?]
The reply came almost instantly:
[Yeah! What’s up, senior?]
Xia Zhile typed: [Let’s go out for a drink.]
He paused, then deleted the message.
Half a minute later, An Nian couldn’t wait any longer and called, his voice warm with concern. “What’s wrong?”
Xia Zhile pinched the bridge of his nose and said, “Are you free tomorrow morning? Let’s have breakfast at the usual place.”
An Nian happily agreed. “Sure!”
“Fei-ge, what are you staring at?” Zhou Zhou was puzzled and stretched his neck to look outside.
The morning rush hour traffic was a bit heavy, but not completely gridlocked. A long line of cars moved forward at a steady pace.
Gu Fei withdrew his gaze. “Nothing.”
Then, he tossed the rag into the water basin, scrubbed it forcefully, wrung it out, and wiped down the table.
Zhou Zhou blinked. “Fei-ge, you already wiped that.”
Gu Fei froze for a second, then continued wiping. “One more time to make sure it’s clean.”
“Oh.”
The Fatty chuckled while cracking sunflower seeds. “Waiting anxiously, huh? Our dear—”
Crack. Spit. A small pile of shells accumulated on the floor tiles.
Gu Fei frowned. “I’m counting to three.”
“No need, I’ll clean it up right now.” The Fatty clapped his hands, grabbed a broom, and swept the shells while finishing his sentence. “Our dear Prosecutor Lin still isn’t here. The buns are fresh out of the steamer, the soy milk is hot, and even the tea eggs are peeled!”
“Ohhh~” Zhou Zhou suddenly understood and looked at Gu Fei in realization. “So, you’re waiting for Lin-ge!”
Gu Fei ignored him and instead asked, “Since when did he become your ‘Lin-ge’?”
Zhou Zhou grinned. “It just sounds friendlier! You’re my big bro, so I can call him second bro.”
The Fatty smirked. “Might as well call him sister-in-law and save yourself the trouble of changing it later.”
Zhou Zhou was stunned. Gu Fei immediately threw a rag at the Fatty’s face.
“Hey, I was just joking! No need to get mad!” The Fatty laughed shamelessly. Just then, an order came in for delivery, and Gu Fei called after him, “Go cook.”
“Of course! After all, only Prosecutor Lin can make Boss Gu personally step into the kitchen.” The Fatty took one last jab before dashing into the back kitchen.
A customer entered, and Gu Fei let the matter slide for now.
Zhou Zhou served tofu pudding and sesame balls, then ran to the cashier’s desk. “Big bro, do you really like Lin-ge?”
Gu Fei shot him a look. “Did you eat pig tongue for breakfast? What nonsense are you spouting?”
“Then why—”
Gu Fei rolled his eyes. “I just want him to come by every day, eat more, and pay off his debt faster.”
“Ohhh.” Zhou Zhou nodded in understanding.
Peeking his head out from the kitchen, the Fatty sighed. “Little Porridge, you really are an innocent fool.”
Zhou Zhou wasn’t the sharpest, but he was eager to learn. He immediately ran into the kitchen to seek wisdom from Master Fatty.
The kitchen was filled with the sizzling sound of stir-frying, making it impossible to hear what they were saying.
Like Lin Hening?
As if.
Looking back on his love life, Gu Fei felt pretty clueless.
Not that he minded admitting it—his romantic history was a complete blank. He had even been teased by the always-blunt Fatty: “Don’t tell me you’re still a virgin?”
A nearly 30-year-old virgin was quite a rare specimen in this day and age.
Then, he had to listen to the Fatty bragging, saying he kissed a girl back in middle school and lost his virginity in high school.
Gu Fei had been single since birth, and he didn’t think it was a big deal. But his close buddies—and the nosy neighbors—were deeply concerned. Once, an auntie from the braised food shop next door even set him up on a blind date.
Gu Fei, for once, put effort into his appearance. He even bought a suit for 2,180 yuan. Following his friends’ advice, he added a pair of sunglasses, making himself look like Arnold Schwarzenegger—cool as hell.
But as soon as he sat down, the girl burst into tears.
???
Gu Fei was dumbfounded. Why was she crying? Did he look that scary?
His first-ever blind date ended with the girl running away in terror.
Gu Fei was heartbroken.
Heartbroken over his 2,180 yuan.
Gu Fei had even tried holding the suit and asking the store clerk if he could return it. When he was gently refused, he felt even more heartbroken.
It wasn’t like no girls had ever expressed interest in him. With his good looks and great physique, he was definitely popular.
But Gu Fei’s response was always lukewarm—he barely reacted at all. Even the most patient and devoted admirers eventually gave up.
The Fatty joked that he was frigid. Gu Fei knew he was just… uninteresting.
Maybe it was the complicated family situation that left him no time for romance. Even at the peak of his youth, he didn’t have much of a need for intimacy. When necessary, he handled things himself. As for finding a partner to ease loneliness? His first thought was: What a hassle.
Think about it. Dating costs money, right? Not that he was stingy—after all, a man earns money to spend on his partner! But dating meant going out, shopping, watching movies, visiting theme parks, taking cute photos, posting them online… And all of that took a ridiculous amount of time, right?
And with that amount of time, how much more money could he be making instead?! Worst case, he’d rather just stay home and catch up on sleep.
Gu Fei wasn’t missing common sense. He had business smarts, loyalty to his brothers, a strong sense of justice, and gratitude for those who helped him. But when it came to romance? That part of his brain just didn’t exist.
He had no feelings for anyone—men or women. It never even crossed his mind.
So he really didn’t get why Zhou Zhou and the Fatty were joking about Lin Hening so early in the morning.
Besides, Lin Hening already had a boyfriend.
Gu Fei started craving a cigarette. He told Zhou Zhou to watch the shop and walked out with half a pack in his pocket.
Wandering around as he smoked, he didn’t realize he had walked two bus stops away. Snuffing out his cigarette, he turned to head back—only to spot two familiar figures sitting by the window of a fast-food restaurant ten steps away.
“Really? Zhile-ge, you’re amazing—like a modern-day Hua Tuo!” An Nian’s eyes sparkled with admiration.
Xia Zhile looked proud for a moment, then his expression dimmed. “You’re the only one who thinks so.”
“Doesn’t Mr. Lin praise you?”
“He does, but only in the beginning. Later on, he stopped. He doesn’t think I’m impressive or capable anymore, let alone feel proud of me.” Xia Zhile sounded disappointed, laughing at himself. “Makes sense, though. He’s from a rich family, he’s seen it all, and he’s a big-shot prosecutor who deals with high-ranking officials. Even the city committee invites him for drinks. Of course, he wouldn’t think I’m anything special.”
An Nian’s heart ached. “Zhile-ge, don’t put yourself down. You’re already outstanding—so many people admire you!”
Looking into An Nian’s sincere, almost urgent eyes, Xia Zhile’s heart softened, and he finally smiled.
But An Nian was still worried. “Last night, when you asked if I was free… did you and Mr. Lin have a fight?”
Xia Zhile hesitated for a few seconds before nodding. “We’ve been arguing a lot lately.”
“Is it about… the same thing as last time?” An Nian asked anxiously. “Should I talk to Mr. Lin for you?”
“No way!” Xia Zhile’s voice shot up in alarm. “His temper is terrible, and he never watches his words. What if he bullies you? No, don’t go.”
“But—”
“Listen to me.” Xia Zhile was firm.
An Nian smiled. “Okay.”
The sun was bright, the weather perfect.
Xia Zhile felt warm inside. He reached across the table and grasped An Nian’s wrist. “Thank you, An Nian. Talking to you makes me feel so much better.”
An Nian froze for a moment, his cheeks flushing pink. “Senior…”
He was holding a spoon filled with eight-treasure porridge, and some spilled over.
Xia Zhile suddenly realized and tried to pull his hand back, but his fingers seemed glued in place. No matter how he tried, he couldn’t let go of An Nian’s fair wrist.
An Nian blinked, his long lashes fluttering like butterfly wings, stirring the air between them.
“Senior, eat up before it gets cold.”
“…Okay.”
Gu Fei crushed the cigarette between his fingers.
“Shit.”
