Chapter 15 Nickname "Does this cat have a name? What is it called?"...

At 9:05 PM, Xie Shijin saw Cheng Shiyun making a phone call and heading towards the school.

At 9:34 PM, Ran Hongyin's last phone call to Cheng Shiyun went unanswered.

At 9:37 PM, he... witnessed her death.

Afterwards, the police conducted an investigation at the scene.

They found the victim's hair, bloodstains, skid marks from the car tires, and the blue umbrella, but not her cell phone.

Cheng Shiyun wondered, "Could it have been flushed down the drain?"

There was a torrential downpour that day, and the manhole covers on the road were washed away. Her phone was very likely washed into the sewer.

Xie Shijin said, "That's also the police's speculation."

The underground drainage pipes in Yichuan are a mess, and the police searched for three days but couldn't find it.

"I see..."

Cheng Shiyun looked thoughtfully at the gardenia on the windowsill, her expression grave.

Xie Shijin also became serious: "What are you thinking about?"

Cheng Shiyun: "I miss my new phone."

"..."

"If my memory isn't playing tricks on me, I only tested the machine that afternoon when I died, and it was flushed down the drain before I even used it for a day," Cheng Shiyun said, heartbroken.

"..."

Xie Shijin pursed her pale lips and asked, "You have absolutely no recollection of what happened that day?"

"No."

Last time, Xie Shijin also asked her what exactly happened that day.

But she remembers nothing, as if someone had removed that part of her memory, and she can't recall anything.

But she always felt... there was something very important on her phone that she had to find.

The notification light on Xie Shijin's phone was flashing. Cheng Shiyun patted him with her paw: "Is there a new message?"

I opened QQ, and Lao Zhao had replied: "Principal Guo has found a suitable person."

Principal Guo initially told me to ask you first, but since you didn't reply, I contacted other students instead.

Are you interested in tutoring? I can ask around among other teachers to see if there are any suitable opportunities.

12715: [Yes, thank you for your help, teacher.]

Cheng Shiyun tilted her head. Xie Shijin's profile picture was a sunset photo, and his nickname... was this his nickname before?

She flicked the tip of her tail across the table and said, "Your QQ nickname looks just like mine."

Her nickname is [12813], which is the number of strokes in her name. It's also her phone password, a custom five-digit number, which is quite unique.

Xie Shijin's fingertip slipped and accidentally poked Old Zhao.

"..."

He switched to looking at job postings, his finger scrolling down continuously.

"...Really? I didn't notice." His long eyelashes were lowered, and his tone was calm.

Cheng Shiyun narrowed her eyes.

I didn't notice you have a similar nickname to mine.

So guilty, he must have plagiarized her.

...

In the evening, someone knocked on the door.

Xie Shijin had just finished clearing the table and was taking the bowls to the kitchen.

When no one came to open the door after a while, the person knocking increased the force, banging and banging as if smashing the door, each knock more urgent than the last.

Xie Shijin put the cat bowl in the sink, wiped his hands, and went to open the door.

The door, which opens outwards, suddenly swung open. The sweating boy instinctively staggered back two steps, but his hand, which had been knocking on the door, remained suspended in mid-air.

Ni Jiaqi opened his mouth: "What the hell are you doing at home? I thought you were..."

Xie Shijin frowned and interrupted him: "What are you doing here?"

Ni Jiaqi chuckled and said jokingly, "I've come to collect your corpse."

"..."

He's definitely crazy.

Xie Shijin prepared to close the door.

Ni Jiaqi was prepared. He braced himself against the door crack with one foot and squeezed in sideways like an eel: "Don't close the door! I brought something."

Xie Shijin's gaze shifted downwards, and she noticed the plastic bag in his hand; inside was...

A pair of scissors.

"..."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not here to kill you to cover it up." Ni Jiaqi looked at him, pointed to his own head, "Don't you ever look in the mirror? Your hair is so long it's almost covering your eyes. I'm here to cut your hair."

Xie Shijin's hair is indeed very long, with stray strands hanging down, covering most of her eyebrows and eyes.

His hair fell behind his ears, revealing the pale tips of his ears, which made his already thin face look even narrower, thinner, and more gloomy.

"No need." Xie Shijin turned and walked towards the kitchen.

Ni Jiaqi followed behind him, showing no intention of leaving: "I'm not taking your money, why are you being so polite with me?"

“Ni Jiaqi.” Xie Shijin stopped and turned to look at him.

"Grandpa is here."

"..." Xie Shijin glanced at him, "Take your things and get out."

"Meow--"

A cat's meow broke the standoff between the two.

The little tabby cat jumped off the chair.

She had already changed her clothes and was taking small, quick steps toward Xie Shijin's feet.

Ni Jiaqi's eyes lit up, and he squatted down to pet the cat: "Mimi, how about I give you a haircut too?"

"Cut your hair my foot!" Cheng Shiyun didn't even want to acknowledge him.

But Ni Jiaqi, being the jerk he is, added, "I forgot you don't have any hair, so I can't cut it for you even if I wanted to."

This was intolerable! Little Fox leaped at Ni Jiaqi's face, grabbed his hair, and started punching him with military-style boxing.

You're the only one with hair.

"Don't hit someone in the face!"

"Xie Shijin, you cat! You're even harder to tame than a pig during Chinese New Year!"

Ni Jiaqi frantically dodged, afraid of hurting the cat, but not daring to use force, feeling extremely aggrieved: "Damn it, its scratches hurt so much, aren't you going to do anything about it?"

Xie Shijin picked up the cat and stated calmly, "Can you leave now? She doesn't welcome you."

When the melee ended, Ni Jiaqi's hair was a mess from the cat's scratches, his face had several scratches, and his clothes had several loose threads. He grabbed a pair of scissors and cut them off.

When he looked up, Xie Shijin had already taken the cat to the kitchen to wash the dishes.

Ni Jiaqi sighed.

He lowered his eyes and realized that his hands had finally stopped trembling.

He raised his hand, rubbed his nose, and scoffed, somewhat self-deprecatingly.

What is he afraid of?

He was afraid that no one had opened the door for him, and he was also afraid that the person who opened the door would be a policeman, a doctor, or a neighbor.

They were afraid Xie Shijin had died.

When it came to collecting his body, Ni Jiaqi was no joke.

Once someone tries to commit suicide, they'll do it again; no one can stop someone who wants to die.

That day at the police station, he beat and scolded Xie Shijin, but he knew he couldn't blame Xie Shijin.

But he couldn't help but resent and hate.

Xie Shijin was not the culprit.

Yet they are always criticized and resented.

Gradually, he also became a victim.

...

The little tabby cat lay lazily by the pool.

Xie Shijin was washing dishes, her sleeves rolled up, revealing her wrists covered in crisscrossing scars.

His hair is indeed getting a bit long; if it gets any longer, it will cover his eyes.

“Ni Jiaqi also cut my dad’s hair; his skills are pretty good,” Xiao Lihua said.

The boy washing dishes frowned slightly, his prominent brows concealing the emotions in his eyes: "Did you get yours cut too?"

Cheng Shiyun scoffed: "How could that be? He would only dare to touch my head if he didn't want to live."

"Besides, my hair grows very slowly, and I only need to get it cut once every year or two, unlike you guys who need to get it cut every month." Cheng Shiyun flicked her tail, which was dangling like a little ball of fluff. "How long has it been since you had a haircut?"

Xie Shijin pursed her lips: "I can't remember."

Cheng Shiyun estimated that it would definitely be four or five months.

She had never seen Xie Shijin with such long hair before. When he slept on his desk, he always turned his face to the other side. The stubble of his jet-black hair at the back of his head was neat and clean, and the skin on his neck and earlobes was as white as porcelain.

"It's been so long since I got a haircut, it's about time. Doesn't getting a haircut symbolize... a fresh start?"

It has a very good meaning.

Amidst the sound of water, the girl's soft, expectant voice said, "...Xie Shijin, why don't you get one cut too?"

Since we are all still alive.

Let's start everything from the beginning.

...

"It's finished."

Ni Jiaqi pulled the towel with stray hairs off Xie Shijin's shoulder. Not finding a mirror, he simply turned on the front camera of his phone and shoved it into Xie Shijin's hand: "Take a look for yourself, not bad, right?"

Xie Shijin put on her hearing aid, lowered her eyes, and looked at the boy on the screen.

His overly long, messy hair was cut short, revealing his handsome brow bone and clear, bright eyes, making him look much more energetic.

"He's quite handsome." Ni Jiaqi leaned over for a look, grinning. "But compared to me, he's still a bit lacking."

"Smack—"

The cat slammed its tail on the table to express its displeasure.

Has another serious illness struck?

Ni Jiaqi put away the scissors, tilted his head and looked at the cat: "Why does this cat always seem to be glaring at me? Does it have a grudge against me?"

Cheng Shiyun rolled her eyes.

I'm glaring at you, you narcissist.

The next second, she suddenly felt a tightness around the back of her neck. Ni Jiaqi lifted her up and lifted the clothes covering her stomach.

It became clear immediately.

"She's a tigress, no wonder she has such a bad temper."

Cheng Shiyun: "..."

Utter disgrace!

This is outrageous!

"Meow--!"

She bristled and snarled, waving her claws wildly in the air.

Ni Jiaqi, you get itchy if you don't say something sarcastic, right?

Ni Jiaqi couldn't understand that the cat was cursing him, so he turned to Xie Shijin and asked, "Did you take her to be spayed?"

Xie Shijin was cleaning up the hair on the floor when she heard this and looked up at him: "...Cats need to be raised to six to eight months old before they can be spayed or neutered."

He doesn't even have common sense. How can I trust him to take care of my cat?

Ni Jiaqi pursed his lips. Jelly hadn't lived for more than a few months; how would he know these things?

He scratched the cat's chin, looking magnanimous: "Oh, well, you're still just a little kid, I won't hold it against you."

Cheng Shiyun raised her paw and punched him in the face.

Ni Jiaqi got punched twice, grabbed the cat's head, and stroked its fur gently: "Okay, okay, be good, don't make a fuss..."

He held the cat, pulled an old cloth mouse out of his pocket, and waved it: "This is your Jelly Brother's favorite toy, and now it's yours."

He tossed the cloth mouse far away, and the little tabby cat in his arms struggled a couple of times before jumping off and chasing after the mouse to play.

After catching up with the cloth mouse, Cheng Shiyun sniffed it from left to right.

This is something she bought for Jelly four or five years ago, and Ni Jiaqi still hasn't thrown it away.

Cheng Shiyun bit the cloth mouse and had a great time playing with it.

Ni Jiaqi squatted down next to the little tabby cat and patted her head: "You accepted my gift, so you can't scratch me next time you come."

"Thanks."

A soft, clear voice suddenly fell from above.

Ni Jiaqi turned his head and saw the boy's trouser leg: "Huh? What did you say? I didn't hear you clearly."

Xie Shijin blinked lightly: "Put the cat down, you can leave now."

"Seriously? You chased me away before I even had a sip of water. I wanted to play with the cat for a while." Ni Jiaqi sat cross-legged on the floor, playing fetch with the kitten. "Call me 'godfather' and let me hear it."

"By the way, does this cat have a name? What's it called?"

Xie Shijin opened his mouth, but said nothing.

Cheng Shiyun.

This cat is Cheng Shiyun.

But in this world, no one knows except him.

Ni Jiaqi looked up: "Xie Shijin?"

Xie Shijin's phone rang.

He answered the call and said, "Teacher Zhao."

"Hey, Xiao Xie."

The homeroom teacher, Lao Zhao, said through the receiver: "I asked for you. The tutor that Principal Guo hired is busy these days and needs someone. I'll increase your hourly rate to 300 yuan."

"I'll send you Director Qian's WeChat, which is Principal Guo's wife. You can contact her directly."

"Okay, thank you, Teacher Zhao."

Xie Shijin hung up the phone.

"Why do you only wear your hearing aid on one ear?" Ni Jiaqi tossed the cloth mouse high in the air, caught it, glanced at his ear, and casually asked, "Where's the other one?"

"Oh no." Xie Shijin went to the kitchen to pour him some water.

Cheng Shiyun then noticed that Xie Shijin was only wearing a hearing aid in his left ear.

"How did it break?"

Ni Jiaqi threw the cloth mouse out, but Little Tabby didn't pick it up.

In the kitchen, Xie Shijin paused as he poured boiling water, the cup opening slipped, and scalding hot water spilled onto the back of his hand.

He put down the cup, turned on the tap to rinse his hands, and said, "It got trampled on."

On the night of Cheng Shiyun's incident, he and other witnesses gave their statements.

He acted impulsively and lost control, and hit those people.

In the chaos, the hearing aid fell down and was stepped on and broken.

A note from the author:

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Sure! [Lop-eared rabbit head]

The video is expected to be available for purchase on Wednesday morning, with two chapters released simultaneously! [Applause]

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