Chapter 117 Little Angel

"Xiaohua, could you eat a little bit of cat food?" Gu Ji looked at the tabby cat squatting in the corner of the living room, silently shedding tears.

Crystalline tears wet the white fur on Xiaohua's face. Her teary eyes stared blankly at the corner of the wall, without uttering a word.

Since returning home from Qingling with Dan Anwen and the others this morning, I haven't eaten or drunk anything.

Perhaps sensing that it would never see Fang Manjing again, it sat in the corner in a daze, tears streaming down its face, leaving a small puddle on the floor.

Gu Ji squatted down and took a step forward, gently touching Xiao Hua's head with his warm palm, his voice soft and gentle, "Xiao Hua, if you don't eat or drink, Grandma Fang will worry."

Upon hearing the name "Grandma Fang," Xiaohua blinked her watery eyes, trying to hold back the tears welling up, but the hot tears continued to stream down her face.

Seeing this scene, Gu Ji felt both heartache and distress.

These past few days, not only has Xiaohua lost her appetite, but she and Uncle Dan have also been feeling listless, especially Uncle Dan, who would often space out.

She had always known that Uncle Dan, though seemingly indifferent and ruthless, actually had extremely deep feelings for his family and was very loyal and affectionate. Grandma Fang's passing was a significant blow to him, even though he was a strong-willed man.

"Woof woof woof"

Two barks interrupted the girl's thoughts. Looking to the side, she saw Guoguo and Tangtang staring intently at Xiaohua.

The wariness and unfamiliarity between puppies and kittens cannot be eliminated overnight.

After Xiaohua was brought to Jinshan Villa, the two dogs and the cat remained on guard.

The indigenous dogs, Guoguo and Tangtang, weren't very friendly to Xiaohua, who had suddenly arrived. Xiaohua, in turn, looked at the two dogs as if they were idiots and didn't really want to talk to them.

Gu Ji thought that Guo Guo and Tang Tang were about to scold Xiao Hua again, and was about to tell Guo Guo and Tang Tang to leave when Tang Tang unexpectedly did something heartwarming.

Tangtang, with its chubby paws, pushed the cat bowl full of cat food on the tile toward Xiaohua and meowed softly a few times.

Gu Ji couldn't understand the meaning behind Tangtang's low growl, but he knew it was Tangtang trying to make amends.

Animals can sometimes easily sense each other's emotions. Tangtang and Guoguo sensed Xiaohua's low mood and, seeing that it wasn't eating or drinking, came over to comfort it.

Xiao Hua, who had been puffing up her fur and on guard, gradually relaxed. Her wary gaze towards Guo Guo and Tang Tang also softened. She tentatively leaned forward, her face still wet with tears, and pitifully lowered her head to eat her cat food.

After taking a few bites, it looked up and called softly to Guoguo and Tangtang, as if thanking them for their comfort.

Seeing that Xiaohua had started eating, Gu Ji rubbed Guoguo and Tangtang's big heads and praised them, "Guoguo and Tangtang, you two are great. You'll get a big bone to gnaw on tonight as a reward."

"Woof woof woof," the two dogs grinned, their tongues slightly sticking out, their smiles quite obvious.

After arranging dinner for Xiaohua and Guoguo, Gu Ji went upstairs to the study to find Dan Anwen.

As soon as you push open the heavy door to the study on the second floor, you see a man standing with his hands behind his back in front of the French window. His back view exudes loneliness and desolation. The last rays of sunlight from outside climb onto his sharply defined face, and his taut, chiseled jaw is taut.

"Uncle Dan, you can come downstairs for dinner now." Gu Ji walked to the man's side, looked up slightly, and her clear eyes were full of worry.

After returning to Jinshan Villa from Qingling in the morning, the man stayed in his study and did not make a sound all afternoon.

Dan Anwen blinked his narrow eyes slightly, his unfathomable gaze lowered, and his indifferent gaze fell on the girl. His voice was thick with hoarseness, "Teacher has really left this world. It can be considered a relief."

The word "liberation" is used extremely subtly. If a person's passing is described as liberation, then how much harm and suffering did they endure in their lifetime?

The man's dark eyes were fixed on the girl's bright eyes, clearly catching the surprise in them.

The man turned to face the girl, patted her soft hair with his large hand, and his face showed an emotion that was hard to understand.

"Let me tell you the story of your teacher."

A glint flashed in the girl's eyes, she pursed her lips, and obediently nodded in agreement.

Dan Anwen led the girl to the rooftop terrace, where the two sat on a swing set entwined with vines. He spoke slowly and deliberately, “At this age, the teacher has no family left in the world.”

At this point, the man paused noticeably, a smile playing on his lips as he corrected himself, "No, it's family members without blood ties in this world."

This surprised the girl. She had thought that Grandma Fang at least had relatives, but she never imagined that she was all alone in the world with no blood relatives left.

"Because the teacher was infertile, she never married and had no children. After her parents passed away more than ten years ago, she has been living alone ever since."

"In those days, women who did not marry and have children would always bear a lot of gossip, be criticized, and be pointed at. This was an unfortunate thing in her life. As she got older, she had to endure loneliness. So, passing away peacefully might have been a relief for the teacher."

"So how did you and Grandma Fang become acquainted?" Gu Ji asked, curious about the answer.

"My connection with her stems from the fact that she saved my life in high school."

Gu Ji looked at the man in surprise, his incredulous gaze making him slightly curl the corners of his mouth. "When I was young, I was also reckless and impetuous. A teenager can hardly predict and judge dangerous areas. Our class went to the beach together, and on the way back, I stopped alone to watch the tide receding."

"And then?" Gu Ji saw the man's thin lips purse slightly, and stopped speaking.

The man was at a loss for words, and what followed was a truly embarrassing situation.

Dan Anwen stared at the girl with his deep, dark eyes, his gaze unwavering. He said slowly, "Later, when it got dark, I realized I had fallen behind. Just as I was about to head back towards the camp, I was swept into the sea by a sudden wave."

"I'm a pretty good swimmer, and getting to shore shouldn't be a problem for me, but at the crucial moment, both my legs cramped up."

At this point, the man chuckled softly, a hint of bitterness and relief on his face.

"It was the teacher who realized I was missing and came back to look for me. She found me in the sea calling for help. Without hesitation, she plunged into the sea and pulled me to shore with her small body."

As he spoke, the man's voice trembled slightly, a choked emotion that the girl sitting beside him noticed keenly.

To help the man stop dwelling on his sadness, Gu Ji smiled slightly and said, "Uncle Dan, you are very lucky to have met Grandma Fang, just like I met you and was reborn."

Her words were not merely to comfort the man; they came from the depth of her feelings. He was an indispensable part of her life, giving her a second chance at life.

The girl's words broke the gloom and sadness in Dan Anwen's eyes. His long, slender fingertips ran through her soft hair, and he rested his chin on her shoulder.

Gu Ji was startled by the man's sudden action and didn't know where to put her hands for a moment. In the end, she wrapped her arms around his firm back and patted him gently.

Feeling the slight pressure on his back, the man's pale lips curved upwards, his reddened eyes concealing a faint sadness as he lingered in the warmth of the girl in his arms.

The two held each other in this position for more than ten minutes, until the girl's legs, which were sitting sideways on the swing set, went slightly numb, and she finally let out a soft moan.

Dan Anwen then realized that her legs were stiff. She raised her chin slightly, and her expression returned to its usual calm and indifference, all the gloom and dejection of the past few days gone.

"Thank you for helping me sort out my emotions, little one." Dan Anwen affectionately pinched the girl's soft cheek, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, and his lifeless eyes regained their brightness.

"Uncle Dan, if you've calmed down, let's go down for lunch. Aunt Zhang has been waiting for a long time." Gu Ji was a little worried about the man's stomach, as he hadn't eaten much at noon.

She only recently learned that Uncle Dan had a serious stomach problem, caused by his long-term dedication to work.

"Okay, I'll go downstairs for dinner." Dan Anwen pulled Gu Ji's wrist and went downstairs together.

When we got downstairs, we saw Xiaohua and Tangtang playing together. Perhaps because of the bond they had formed over the bowl of cat food, Xiaohua no longer had her usual aloof demeanor towards the two dogs.

Tangtang and Guoguo weren't as hostile towards the cat that had only been with them for a few days as before; perhaps this is the friendship that exists in the world of foodies.

Dan Anwen was a little surprised to see this scene when he went downstairs, after all, Tangtang and Xiaohua had fought fiercely last night.

"So you've made up?" the man asked the girl.

Gu Ji smiled and said, "Xiao Hua and Guo Guo are furry children, they are little angels, so naturally they won't hold a grudge overnight."

The little flower, running freely on the carpet, temporarily forgot the sadness of Grandma Fang's passing. Playing with the two little angels, Tangtang and Guoguo, she was less likely to be reminded of her sorrow.