The sun at Wu Tong Wai was extremely pleasant these two days. Old Man Ding’s doorstep was incredibly lively too — someone had set up a square table and short stools on the concrete floor, and a whole bunch of old people basked under the sun and played chess.
When Old Man Ding brought the Mute with him to fight on the battlefield of chess, Sheng Wang and Jiang Tian were dealing with the cat in the house.
It was rare that they were on a break, the two of them brought the cat to the pet hospital for vaccinations.
Due to the foreign environment as well as the fact that it got jabbed, the cat was being a huge coward for the time being. It clung onto Jiang Tian with all four limbs, and couldn’t be taken off him no matter how he tried.
Lint roller in hand, Sheng Wang had no idea where to even start. He poked at his cat son’s round and rotund head, saying, “This is really too much. Before we left the house, you were clinging on to me to the point that I got fur all over me like a dandelion. It’s barely been a while, and now you wouldn’t even look me in the eyes?â€
The cat shrunk its neck with a scowl, glaring at him woefully.
The young master stood off against it for a while. He looked up and said to Jiang Tian, “It hates me.â€
Jiang Tian: “……â€
There’s something wrong with you.
Sheng Wang poked at the cat’s head. “Look at it, it’s totally unhappy.â€
Jiang Tian: “It just got jabbed, how happy could it be.â€
Sheng Wang: “Then it’s just being unreasonable. I’m the one who hugged it outside, you’re the one who sent it onto the examination table. You’re the one it should be glaring at. Why were you spared? You get special rights just because it’s your birthday?â€
I really do get it.
The moment he finished saying that, it was as though the cat understood, and its head nudged against Jiang Tian with all its might.
The young master looked for a while, and held the kitten by the scruffs of fate, saying, “Nope, you gotta come down.â€
He extracted the cat who was being all huggy and kissy over Jiang Tian, glanced at his Ge, and then lowered his head to speak to the cat. “What am I supposed to do when I get home now that you have used these tricks up?â€
Jiang Tian stilled in the midst of drinking water, and looked at him from the corner of his eyes. A moment later, he said, “You can try it again.â€
“What, what? What try again?†Old Man Ding pushed the door open and entered. It was clear that he had won at chess, and was absolutely pleased.
Jiang Tian: “……â€
Sheng Wang saw the look on his Ge’s face, and doubled over in laughter with the cat in his arms.
The old man had no idea about the context at all, and patted Jiang Tian, “Why the long face on your birthday. Come, stick your hand out, I’m giving you something.â€
“What is it?â€
“It’s something good, hurry.â€
Jiang Tian stuck his hand out.
Old Man Ding gave him a white rabbit candy.
Jiang Tian stared at the milk candy meant for coaxing kids in silence. A certain person at the side was already in stitches.
The old man was sometimes clear headed, sometimes confused. Nobody could tell where the boundaries lie, so they could only let him be.
He was pleased as punch as he said, “Spoils of war, I’ve just won it. I kept this especially for you, hurry up, unwrap and eat it already.â€
Seeing Jiang Tian obediently unwrapping the candy, lowering his head and putting it in his mouth, the old man ruffled the cat’s head in satisfaction, turning around and leaving. “Wait, the Mute and I will cook up a table of food for you.â€
Shortly, Old Man Ding went back to the room for a pair of scissors, and saw an additional lump in Sheng Wang’s cheeks.
The old man was getting confused again. “Why is the candy with you instead?â€
The young master put his jacket back on again — now free of cat fur — and tossed this difficult question back to his Ge in retaliation. “Grandpa, it’s a long story. Let Jiang Tian explain it to you.â€
Jiang Tian: “……â€
The old man turned to look at him, waiting for an explanation.
A few seconds later, Jiang Tian figured he might as well screw it all. “I don’t know, either way it disappeared after I ate half of it. You should ask the candy itself.â€
END OF EXTRA.
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