Only the even breathing of a few kittens remained in the pipe.
Li Yuheng changed his lying position, with his front paws crossed and his chin resting on his paws.
He stared at a piece of peeling plaster on the opposite wall for a while, then suddenly spoke, breaking the silence:
"Hey, mad cat."
Shu Bai didn't even look up: "Spit it out."
"Have you recently... found a new cardboard box to use as a nest?" Li Yuheng asked, his tone revealing no concern, more like a casual remark.
"I heard a few sparrows chirping by the roadside saying that this old neighborhood is going to be demolished soon. It's so noisy."
As far as he knew, Shu Bai's old cardboard box had been damaged during their fight, which was why Shu Bai had to find a new cardboard box to sleep in.
Shu Bai paused in his licking motion, then let out a short, mocking laugh: "Fake. A rumor that's been around for eight hundred years can only fool a newcomer like you, a stupid dog."
"Am I new here?" Li Yuheng flicked his tail in dissatisfaction. "I've been here for almost three months."
“Is three months a long time?” Shu Bai finally raised his head. “I’ve lived in this place for three years. These demolition rumors come out two or three times a year, and they’re never true.”
“Maybe this time it’s for real?” Li Yuheng said. “I’ve noticed those people in suits with blueprints coming in quite often lately.”
“What’s the use of coming often?” Shu Bai said firmly. “Those holdouts on the east side will never move unless the government piles mountains of gold and silver in front of their doors. Where does the government have so much spare money to waste on them?”
Li Yuheng narrowed his eyes: "How do you know the government doesn't have money? What if they're determined to demolish it?"
"Determined?" Shu Bai seemed to have heard a joke. "What's the use of being determined? There was a tough one two years ago, they even brought in bulldozers, but what happened? Those old men and women just lay them under the wheels of the trucks, and they still slunk away."
He paused, then added with a touch of cat-like superiority, "This place is all bark and no bite. If they were going to demolish it, they would have done it already. Who are you to worry about it now?"
“Who cares?” Li Yuheng retorted immediately. “I just find those sparrows noisy. Besides, your cardboard box is exposed to the wind and sun, it should be replaced anyway. If you really dismantle it, you might be able to find a better place.”
"I don't need your fake kindness," Shu Bai said coldly. "My new cardboard box is perfectly fine; it shelters me from the wind and rain, much better than some dogs sleeping on the concrete floor."
“I call that being down-to-earth,” Li Yuheng said sarcastically. “Unlike you, so delicate, always having to crawl into a cardboard box.”
Shu Bai retorted sarcastically, "Heh, it's better than some dogs that don't even have a fixed place to stay and wander the streets all day long~"
"So what if you're homeless? It's freedom! Unlike you, who treats a tattered cardboard box like a treasure."
“This broken cardboard box is my territory too.” Shu Bai squinted. “At least I don’t have to fight with my own kind every day for a place to sleep, like some dogs do.”
"That's called getting some exercise!" Li Yuheng retorted stubbornly. "It's better than you staying cooped up in one place all day and getting moldy."
"I'd like to."
"Fine, if you're happy with it. But once it's actually demolished, let's see where you'll be happy."
"I said I wouldn't tear it down." Shu Bai said impatiently, "Can't you understand cat language?"
"What if?" Li Yuheng insisted. "There's always a chance of something going wrong. Haven't you thought about a backup plan?"
"A way out?" Shu Bai seemed amused by the word. "What way out do I need? This neighborhood is my territory. Even if it's demolished, I can still live somewhere else. But you..."
He gave Li Yuheng a meaningful look, "You should worry more about yourself. Otherwise, you might not even be able to find a worthy opponent to fight with."
"Ha!" Li Yuheng was immediately enraged. "Don't worry, even if you roll to the ends of the earth, I'll still find you to fight. I'll recognize your annoying cat face even if it turns to ashes."
“Likewise.” Shu Bai didn’t back down. “I can’t forget your ugly scraggly hair and stupid appearance.”
After a while, Li Yuheng suddenly asked, "What about under that bridge on the west side? I think it's quite secluded there, and you won't get wet in the rain."
Shu Bai curled her lip in disgust: "It's damp and full of bugs. Besides, it's already been taken over by a nest of rats."
"What about that abandoned newsstand to the north?"
"It's drafty. You'll freeze to death in winter."
"The bushes in the southern part of the neighborhood?"
"There were security guards chasing them away, and their pet dogs barked all day long."
Li Yuheng suggested several places, but Shu Bai rejected them all without hesitation.
He was a little annoyed: "Why is your cat so picky? It won't accept this or that, no wonder it can only sleep in cardboard boxes."
“It’s not that I’m picky, those places are just awful,” Shu Bai retorted. “Do you think everyone is like you, able to just lie down anywhere? Don’t come here and tell me what to do about my place.”
"Who's pointing fingers? I'm just showing basic concern for my opponent, so you don't end up homeless and starving, and I can't even find a cat to fight with."
"Don't worry, I won't die even if you starve to death eight hundred times over."
"That would be best."
The dialogue has once again reached a stalemate.
Shu Bai was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "There's an abandoned parcel locker in front of the convenience store on the back street."
Li Yuheng's ears twitched: "That metal box? It'd be unbearably hot in the summer and freezing cold in the winter."
“The bottom shelf is in the dark, and the cabinet door is broken and won’t close properly,” Shu Bai continued. “There are some old clothes lining it inside, so it’s barely habitable.”
Li Yuheng paused for a moment, then looked at Shu Bai: "When did you find it?"
"None of your business." Shu Bai turned his head away. "I'm just telling you that you don't need to worry about it. Even if I leave that cardboard box, I have plenty of places to go."
Li Yuheng stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed: "Well, you little rascal, you had a trick up your sleeve."
“We always have to guard against unexpected situations.” Shu Bai said calmly, “Unlike some dogs, who are simple-minded and just take things one step at a time.”
“I call it taking things as they come!” Li Yuheng emphasized, “Unlike you, who lives such a petty and calculating life.”
"Say what you will." Shu Bai was too lazy to argue anymore. "Anyway, let me make this clear: the demolition news is fake. My place is safe for now, so don't worry about it."
"Who bothered?" Li Yuheng immediately denied. "I just wanted to confirm, so I wouldn't have to search the whole world for you if I wanted to fight you in the future."
"Don't worry, I'll still be on this street before you get taken to a shelter."
"Same to you. I was definitely still around before you got kidnapped by some pervert."
After exchanging a curse, they both fell silent.
Shu Bai asked casually, "And you?"
Li Yuheng was nibbling on a knotted patch of fur on his front leg when he heard this, and without even looking up, asked, "What about me?"
“If,” Shu Bai paused, seemingly feeling the question was somewhat redundant, but ultimately said it anyway, “I mean, if this area really is demolished, where will you go?”
Li Yuheng stopped moving, raised his head, and revealed an almost arrogant expression on his dog-like face: "Me? The world is so big, where can't I go? Under the park bench in the east, the back door of the vegetable market in the south, the second floor of the bridge in the west."
"Oh, by the way, that underpass you complained about, the upper level is actually quite dry, it's just a bit strenuous to climb up. There are plenty of empty houses in that area of buildings slated for demolition to the north."
He shook his head, his tone carrying his usual arrogance: "Three-legged toads are hard to find, but there are plenty of places to sleep. Why do you need to worry about it?"
Shu Bai scoffed, "Who cares about you? I'm afraid you'll starve to death on the street and make this alley stink."
"Don't worry," Li Yuheng grinned, revealing sharp teeth, "Even if I starve to death, I'll definitely die far away, so as not to pollute your territory."
"You'd better remember what you said," Shu Bai said coldly.
Li Yuheng stared at Shu Bai for a few seconds, then suddenly turned around, facing away from him, and said in a gruff voice:
"Alright, that's enough arguing. I'm sleepy, going to bed. Goodnight."
He spun around twice, found what he thought was a comfortable position to lie down, and buried his head in his front paws.
About half a minute later.
Li Yuheng suddenly raised his head and turned his neck to look in Shu Bai's direction:
"Hello!"
Shu Bai was curled up to rest when his shout made her ears twitch. She looked up impatiently and asked, "What now?"
"Don't you have any manners?" Li Yuheng's tone was clearly displeased. "I just said 'goodnight' to you, didn't you hear me?"
Shu Bai was almost amused and exasperated by his unreasonable behavior: "You mean saying goodnight? You mean giving an order."
"Did I say 'goodnight'?" Li Yuheng persisted.
"...What's the point of saying it?"
"You should have replied! It's basic courtesy!"
The sparse white tail smacked the ground in annoyance: "So annoying. What kind of manners does a stupid dog have?"
“So what if you’re a stupid dog? Even a stupid dog knows to respond when someone says goodbye!” Li Yuheng said, sticking out his neck. “Hurry up and say ‘goodnight’.”
Shu Bai buried her head even deeper, trying to ignore him.
Li Yuheng began rhythmically pawing at the ground with his claws, making a rustling noise, while muttering to himself:
"Impolite cat...can't even say goodnight...what a waste of such a big head..."
Shu Bai was kept awake by his noise, and suddenly looked up, her eyes glaring as if she wanted to kill a dog:
"Can you just shut up?"
I'll shut up if you say 'goodnight'.
"..."
Shu Bai stared at him intently, her chest heaving slightly with anger.
Li Yuheng glared back without backing down.
I won't let you sleep until you tell me!
Finally, with extreme reluctance, Shu Bai squeezed out a low, rapid word from his throat:
"……good evening."
After saying that, he immediately buried his head back down, as if what he had just said was some kind of great humiliation.
Li Yuheng was satisfied and stopped digging.
He lay back down and muttered, "That's more like it."
The pipes finally fell completely silent.
The two nestled on opposite sides, closing their eyes in the darkness filled with the sound of kittens breathing.
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