Chapter 22 Infusion: "Can you understand cats?"...
"The IV has started. When it's almost empty, press the call button by the bed, and a nurse will come to remove the needle."
The nurse adjusted the IV valve and gave instructions to the boy sitting on the chair.
Ni Jiaqi nodded: "Okay, thank you."
The nurse drew the partition curtain and pushed the treatment cart away.
The emergency room was large, with several beds and several areas simply divided by curtains.
Xie Shijin was lying on the innermost hospital bed, still unconscious.
There was someone in the next bed; a child had broken his arm while skateboarding and was crying incessantly during the examination. The whole family had to try to comfort him, which was very noisy.
Ni Jiaqi leaned back in his chair, startled to find himself drenched in a cold sweat, his forehead covered in beads of perspiration.
He pulled up the hem of his sleeveless T-shirt and casually wiped his face.
"Damn it, what are you shaking for?" He punched his knee hard.
His legs stopped shaking immediately. He breathed a sigh of relief, but his mind was still not at ease.
Looking up, Ni Jiaqi's gaze fell on the person on the hospital bed. Xie Shijin was very thin, and even thinner after getting sick. Ni Jiaqi unconsciously looked at his face.
It was as pale as paper, as lifeless as ever.
It's like... being dead.
His hands and feet felt as if they were pierced by an icicle, the biting cold seeping deep into his muscles. He couldn't help but recall the image of Cheng Shiyun being wheeled out of the operating table.
Her face was even paler than the white sheet covering her body.
What was he doing the day Cheng Shiyun left?
In the morning, he and Cheng Shiyun went to the zoo, but the rain was too heavy and many animals did not come out. The two returned disappointed and instead went to browse the boutiques on Qianfeng Road.
In the afternoon, his new basketball shoes arrived. They cost over 700 yuan, but they turned out to be counterfeit. Cheng Shiyun accompanied him to return them.
That evening, he learned how to make sauerkraut fish from Ran Hongyin in the kitchen.
Cheng Shiyun called Cheng Jinghua from her bedroom, but no one answered after several attempts.
Cheng Shiyun was worried about her father, so she took an umbrella and went out.
He was stirring the base ingredients with a spatula, thinking that such a short distance should be fine; they walked that route every day, thousands of times.
But when he passed that road again, he rushed to the hospital.
What awaited him was no longer a vibrant girl, but a body covered in a white sheet.
He still couldn't believe it: "How could this be... how could this be, doctor? Her hands are still warm, her hair... her hair is still moving! Doctor, look! Please save her..."
"It's the wind," someone said.
The family arrived as soon as the body was wheeled out of the operating room.
Ni Jiaqi was slow to realize it.
In the dead of night, a fierce wind howled and thunder roared. The biting wind rushed into the corridor, as if someone had stuffed a handful of snow into his collar. It was so cold.
He kept blaming Xie Shijin for not seeing the vehicle that caused the accident clearly.
But why didn't he go with Cheng Shiyun that day?
He used to follow Cheng Shiyun wherever she went.
But on that particular day...
He seems... to deserve to die more.
Tears welled up in his reddened eyes, sliding down to his lips, salty and bitter.
Ni Jiaqi hurriedly raised his hand to wipe away his tears.
Cheng Shiyun saw it and was about to ridicule him again.
When he lowered his hand, he found that the person on the hospital bed had already opened their eyes.
"..."
Their eyes met.
Ni Jiaqi jumped up from his chair, awkwardly rubbing his fingers: "When...when did you wake up? Why didn't you say a word?"
Did you see him cry? No, right?
Ugh, what a huge embarrassment.
Xie Shijin didn't say anything, but moved his wrist, and the IV tube above his head was immediately pulled and shook.
His gaze fell on the IV needle on the back of his hand, and he pursed his lips slightly.
"Do you want some water? I'll get you some."
Ni Jiaqi went to get him a glass of water, and when he came back, he saw Xie Shijin had pulled out the IV needle.
The moment the needle was pulled out, a bead of blood the size of a bean appeared at the puncture site.
Ni Jiaqi was speechless: "Seriously, are you sick in the head?!"
"You're really sick. You can even give yourself heatstroke at home. You pulled the needle out right after we put it in? Can't you stop adding to the nurses' burden?"
Xie Shijin pressed the bleeding spot on the back of his hand, his face pale but stubborn: "I'm fine, I want to go home."
"Go home to find the cat?" Ni Jiaqi saw through his thoughts at a glance, put the cup on the bedside table, and said calmly, "Don't think about it, the cat isn't home."
Xie Shijin looked up at him and asked, "Where?"
Ni Jiaqi crossed his arms and said, "Guess."
Xie Shijin glanced at him, then lowered her head to put on her shoes.
Ni Jiaqi: "..."
This person can't even take a joke. How can they be like this?
"Anyway, you won't find the cat when you go back," he said, raising an eyebrow. "Take a guess, and I'll tell you."
Xie Shijin said, "Thank you for bringing me to the hospital. Where's the cat?"
Ni Jiaqi twitched the corner of his mouth. Xie Shijin was really boring; even a cat would be bored to death if it were with him.
He lifted the partition curtain; the child next door with the broken bone had gone for a CT scan, leaving only the two of them in the emergency room.
Ni Jiaqi bent down and pulled a black backpack out from under the bed with his fingers.
"Ta-da!"
Unzip the zipper, and a fluffy cat head suddenly popped out, tilting its head to look at them.
Xie Shijin frowned briefly, then relaxed his gaze: "...Cats are not allowed in the hospital."
“I know, that’s why I brought it secretly.” Ni Jiaqi snapped his fingers. “Impressive, right?”
The schoolbag in his hand twisted wildly, and Little Tabby suddenly darted out, landing in Xie Shijin's arms like a cannonball.
Xie Shijin was knocked back by the impact and caught her steadily.
Cheng Shiyun: "Meow—"
She finally came out; she was about to burst.
Beside her, Ni Jiaqi gritted his teeth and flicked her head: "I've been carrying you on my back for so long and you won't let me hug you. As soon as we came out, you snuggled into someone's arms. You little ingrate."
That's right, she's a sucker for good looks.
I just like good-looking people.
Actually, Ni Jiaqi is good-looking. When he plays basketball, many girls would scream when he lifts his shirt. But they have seen each other in too many ugly and shameless ways. When their eyes meet, they often can't bear to look at each other.
Nestled in Xie Shijin's arms was much more comfortable than curled up in her schoolbag. Cheng Shiyun snored softly, but her vigilance remained undiminished. The moment Ni Jiaqi reached out, she brandished her claws.
The cat might have a grudge against him, so Ni Jiaqi gave up and sat back down in his chair.
Xie Shijin reached out and ruffled the little tabby's head twice, his voice still a little hoarse: "Where's my phone?"
"I didn't bring it, I forgot."
Xie Shijin: "What time is it?"
"2:20." Ni Jiaqi glanced at the time. "You had heatstroke and fainted at home. If it weren't for Xiao Mao calling me, you would have almost died."
Xie Shijin looked at the cat, then at him: "The cat? Called you?"
Cheng Shiyun raised her paw: "Meow."
That's right, it's me.
A little tabby cat who is both intelligent and beautiful!
"Hmm, otherwise how do you think I found out you were unconscious? Even the cat opened the door for me." Ni Jiaqi looked at the little tabby cat and praised, "Such long, smart fur, no wonder it can open doors at just over two months old, just as smart as your Jelly brother."
"Remember to lock the door when you go out in the future, so that the cat doesn't run out and get distracted by the world."
Tabby cats are very wild and have the highest abandonment rate among cat breeds. It's not that their owners abandon them, but rather that they abandon their owners and run away, never to return.
He took the opportunity to move the cat ears, and then happily received a slap from Cheng Shiyun.
"Hiss..." Ni Jiaqi pulled his hand back, both amused and exasperated. "Xie Shijin, you should trim its nails."
Cheng Shiyun elegantly licks her paw.
"Cut my ass! I'm not cutting my nails. I want to keep them long to catch mice and bad guys."
Xie Shijin gently stroked the tabby cat's fur and said to Ni Jiaqi, "Can I borrow your phone for a moment?"
"what?"
"Ask for leave."
Xie Shijin hadn't expected to suffer from heatstroke. It was probably because of the recent heat; he'd felt a little unwell yesterday, but hadn't taken it seriously. He had a tutoring session at 2 PM, and if he was sick and couldn't teach, he should at least let them know. It was basic courtesy.
“I’ve already spoken to Director Qian on your behalf.” Ni Jiaqi showed him on WeChat.
Xie Shijin glanced at it, then lowered his eyes and said, "Thank you."
"You're too kind." Ni Jiaqi's voice suddenly turned cold, a half-smile playing on his lips. "However, there's something I think you should explain to me."
Xie Shijin looked at him questioningly: "What is it?"
“Come on, explain.” Ni Jiaqi swiped his phone a couple of times and shoved it in front of him.
Xie Shijin: "?"
Ni Jiaqi raised an eyebrow.
After staring at each other for a while, Xie Shijin's gaze slowly moved to the phone screen.
SMS interface.
[Idiot].
Two huge characters.
Xie Shijin: "..."
He lowered his head, his unfathomable gaze sweeping over the cat.
The little tabby cat licked his fingers guiltily: ...Just admit it.
She often scolded Ni Jiaqi like this, and she couldn't help it when she got anxious.
Ni Jiaqi sneered: "Why are you looking at the cat? Do you think the cat typed the words?"
Cheng Shiyun: "..." It really is true.
Xie Shijin pursed her lips and took the blame: "My hand slipped, sorry."
Ni Jiaqi, with a sour face, snorted irritably: "It really is slippery, isn't it? Sliding all that way, it's almost to your grandma's house."
Xie Shijin said, "I don't have a maternal grandmother anymore."
Ni Jiaqi: "..."
Grass.
Xie Shijin's maternal grandmother passed away a month before the college entrance examination.
He scratched his neck, about to apologize, when Xie Shijin's cat pounced on him and punched him twice on the head.
I told you not to talk nonsense! Why did you have to bring up something you shouldn't have said!
The kitten was hitting the person with all its might, but it was so weak that it didn't hurt at all; it was like a tickle. Ni Jiaqi took the cat off his head and held it in his arms like kneading dough.
He glanced at Xie Shijin's face but couldn't discern anything; at least, Xie Shijin didn't seem angry.
Ni Jiaqi said awkwardly, "I forgot, I'm sorry."
"I don't care what you say to me."
For two years, he never gave Xie Shijin a kind look whenever they met.
He was always resentful of the other person, or rather, it would be more accurate to say that he was taking his anger out on them.
Because he was unwilling to admit that Cheng Shiyun's death was also related to him, he was incompetent and unable to face the fact that the driver responsible for the accident had not been found after two years, so he blamed Xie Shijin for everything.
It's all something he owes Xie Shijin.
“But you’re not allowed to call me an idiot or a lunatic,” Ni Jiaqi said awkwardly. “…just those two are not allowed.”
The cat in his arms rolled its eyes at him: "What? You registered the copyright?"
"Only Cheng Shiyun can scold me like that."
Xie Shijin stared at him intently.
Cheng Shiyun: "..."
It's confirmed, Ni Jiaqi is an M.
"Hey, where did this cat come from?" A clear female voice suddenly came from the emergency room door.
The nurse returned sometime earlier and was staring at the cat in his arms.
Ni Jiaqi's heart tightened, and he quickly came up with an excuse: "It's a stray cat, a stray cat. It came in by itself."
The nurse frowned: "A stray cat?"
The kitten was dressed in clean clothes; it didn't look like a stray cat at all, but rather like someone's pet that had run away.
The nurse said, "Um... I'm really sorry, could you please take the cat out? Our hospital doesn't allow animals in. Some patients might be allergic to animal fur and could complain about us."
“Okay, I’ll take it out right away.” Ni Jiaqi picked up the schoolbag from the ground.
Thank you.
The nurse nodded, pushed the treatment cart closer, and was about to ask the patient if there was anything else that was bothering her when she caught sight of the needle that was almost touching the ground. Her eyes widened like saucers: "Why did you pull the needle out?!"
Ni Jiaqi spoke extremely quickly: "He was sleepwalking. Please ask the nurse to give him another injection."
"..."
*
After finishing the IV drip, I left the hospital at nearly six o'clock.
The two people were waiting for the bus at the hospital entrance.
The roadside is lined with camphor trees, and July and August are the season for them to shed their leaves. The bus stop is covered with a layer of camphor leaves that have been sun-dried to a scorched yellow.
Looking up, I saw vibrant green new leaves alongside the withered old leaves. One side was decaying, while the other was flourishing—I've never seen such a strange tree.
"Hey, let's grab a bite together, it's on me." Ni Jiaqi stood next to Xie Shijin and casually bumped his arm.
Xie Shijin shook his head: "No, the cat is hungry."
"I knew you'd say that." Ni Jiaqi rubbed his nose, then suddenly curled one corner of his mouth up, as if he were plotting something mischievous.
Cheng Shiyun: "?"
"What are you laughing at?" Xie Shijin turned his face away, slightly wary.
The next second, Ni Jiaqi magically pulled a handful of cat food from his pocket and handed it to the little tabby cat: "Here, eat up. Your godfather treats you the best, doesn't he?"
"..."
"Dad my foot! He's covered in sweat," Cheng Shiyun said, disgusted.
Xie Shijin frowned as she looked at the unbranded product in his hand: "Where did you get this?"
Ni Jiaqi: "Where else could it have come from? Of course, I took it from your house."
He knew that kittens have small stomachs and get hungry easily, so he grabbed a handful of cat food while scooping up the kitten. He was so thoughtful.
He felt that he still had the ability to fight Xie Shijin for custody of the cat.
They went to a barbecue restaurant that Cheng Shiyun and Ni Jiaqi used to frequent. Their class even had a get-together there during their first-year high school sports meet.
This barbecue restaurant is pet-friendly, allowing cats and dogs to dine in.
But today is the weekend, and it's super crowded. There are even kids in the store. Every now and then, a child comes over with greasy hands and asks if he can pet the cat.
Sometimes kids are more annoying than cats and dogs.
Ni Jiaqi asked the owner to set up a table for them at the entrance of the store.
It was hot, so the boss brought out a large fan and placed it next to them to cool them down.
The meat in the shop was all marinated with barbecue seasoning. Xie Shijin asked the owner for a plate of unmarinated chicken breast and put it on the grill to slowly roast.
The electric fan was blowing loudly.
The little tabby cat held the dry, roasted chicken breast in its two paws and ate it with gusto.
More and more people came to eat, and several tables were gradually set up at the entrance.
"Boss, a dozen beers, please." Someone at the next table called out.
The beer was served, but the bottle opener was forgotten. The guy next to me was incredibly generous; he just picked up the bottle and smashed it on the corner of the table.
With a "bang," the bottle cap was blown off, and a burst of dense foam shot out.
Several people toasted together, and the atmosphere was great.
"Meow! Beer!"
Little Tabby blinked and tugged at Xie Shijin's sleeve: "Xie Shijin, I want to drink too. Ni Jiaqi is paying, you can have a cup."
"No." Xie Shijin refused her request and stuffed a shrimp into the cat's mouth.
"Why?" Cheng Shiyun mumbled, chewing on a shrimp. "I'm an adult now, I can drink beer."
In Korean dramas, coming-of-age ceremonies always involve drinking beer and eating fried chicken. She's 18 now too.
Xie Shijin: "Alcohol can cause liver and kidney failure in kittens."
Oh, really?
Cheng Shiyun had seen videos of kittens getting drunk before and thought that cats could drink alcohol.
She hadn't owned Jelly for very long and hadn't learned much about cat care. So, she bore some responsibility for Jelly's death.
Now Cheng Shiyun knows that there are two things cats can't eat, this and that.
She can't eat the chocolate she likes, and she can't eat many fruits either.
Next time, Cheng Shiyun hopes she'll turn into a crocodile and eat people too.
Awooo—!
"Xie Shijin," Ni Jiaqi called from across the table.
Xie Shijin raised his eyes and asked, "What is it?"
“You here…” Ni Jiaqi pointed to his temple, a question mark slowly forming on his forehead, “Is there something wrong?”
If he wasn't mistaken, Xie Shijin was talking to a cat. And it was a back-and-forth conversation, as if the cat was talking to him.
A pile of shrimp had already been peeled. Xie Shijin wiped her hands clean and calmly asked him, "Can you understand cats?"
“…” Ni Jiaqi hesitated for a moment, feeling that there was still a possibility, “Wait a minute.”
He took out his phone and searched: Will people become mentally disabled after suffering from heatstroke?
If he could understand what the cat was saying, he would immediately instigate the cat to leave Xie Shijin and run into his arms.
Ni Jiaqi is confident that he can raise the cat even better.
However, Xie Shijin would never give him the cat. Xie Shijin doesn't seem stupid, so why would he ask such a idiotic question?
Ni Jiaqi scoffed, finding it baffling: "You think you can?"
Cheng Shiyun raised her head.
Is Xie Shijin going to tell Ni Jiaqi that she has turned into a cat?
Ni Jiaqi is loose-lipped, loud and boisterous when things happen, and not very reliable.
Cheng Shiyun had been tricked by him many times, but... it wasn't necessarily a bad thing to tell him.
She died without warning, without even having a chance to say goodbye.
After her death, those who loved her could only find solace in looking at her belongings, only to fall into deeper sorrow.
Mom and Dad, Ni Jiaqi, and some of her friends.
They would be so happy to know she was still alive.
Cheng Shiyun imagined what the scene would be like later.
Ni Jiaqi might jump up from his chair, knock over the chopsticks and plates on the table, stare at her in shock, and maybe even make a monkey-like "ooh-ooh" sound. It would be absolutely hilarious, Cheng Shiyun thought, and she wanted Xie Shijin to turn on his phone to record beforehand.
But when she looked into Xie Shijin's eyes, she inexplicably sensed a trace of sorrow in them.
The street was bustling with people. The noise sounded to his ears like a drop of water splashing into a pan of oil.
But he felt out of place, as if this lively atmosphere didn't belong to him.
For some reason, Xie Shijin had a strong premonition that he might not be able to support Cheng Shiyun for long.
"Hello?" He was stunned for a long time before Ni Jiaqi tapped the table.
Xie Shijin snapped out of her daze, her lips slightly parted, her voice hoarse: "The meat is burnt."
"Holy crap, it's on fire! Go check it out..."
His question was somewhat nonsensical, so Ni Jiaqi didn't think much of it and just assumed he was crazy. He reached out with his chopsticks, picked up a piece of freshly grilled pork belly that was still sizzling with oil, and stuffed it into his mouth, almost burning himself to death.
Ni Jiaqi grabbed the Sprite on the table and tilted his head back to gulp it down his throat.
As he was drinking, he suddenly paused, pointed to a stir-fry restaurant behind Xie Shijin, and asked, "Isn't that Cheng Shiyun... her best friend?"
"I think her name is Feng Yue?" Ni Jiaqi said.
Feng Yue works at a local cuisine restaurant.
It was lunchtime, and the restaurant was packed with customers but short of servers. She was busy taking orders, serving food, and urging customers to hurry up with their orders all by herself.
Humans are not machines; they can easily make mistakes when busy. After making several mistakes with the wrong dishes, the boss loudly reprimanded her at the store entrance.
Feng Yue took off her apron and threw it on the table next to her that hadn't been cleaned up yet.
Boss: "Who are you giving me that attitude to? Are you trying to rebel?"
Feng Yue said, "I quit."
"You're quitting? There are so many people in the store, you're just going to quit like this?"
“Yes, I quit.” Feng Yue picked up her canvas bag from the cashier, slung it over her shoulder, and said, “Give me my wages.”
"You still want your salary?" The boss immediately became furious. "Every day after get off work, you steal several packs of toilet paper from the store, as well as the cigarettes and alcohol that customers haven't finished. You take it all home. Do you think I don't know?!"
"Plus, you made a mistake at checkout and served the wrong dishes. I'm still going to ask you for money for those losses!"
The boss was a man in his forties or fifties, wearing a tank top, and he had a very loud voice when he yelled at people.
This girl was a new hire he made last month. Every night after closing, she would secretly steal the unfinished drinks from the customers and the cigarettes from the counter. Although toilet paper was cheap, she was greedy and didn't run away.
She also frequently serves the wrong dishes, meaning customers who eat those dishes have to pay for their own meals and apologize to the other table. If the cashier makes a mistake, undercharging is fine, but overcharging leads to complaints and a wasted day's work!
The boss snapped, "You can leave if you want, but make sure you calculate all the losses you've caused the store!"
"Let go!" Feng Yue's wrist ached from his twisting.
"Feng Yue!"
Feng Yue heard someone calling her name.
She turned around and froze.
It's Ni Jiaqi.
The boy who comes to class to see Cheng Shiyun every day.
Ni Jiaqi walked closer and closer, and behind him was a boy holding a cat.
Xie Shijin looked at her quietly, expressionless.
Feng Yue felt a chill run down her spine. She immediately tried to leave, but her boss held her tightly, saying, "Hey! Who said you could leave? You're not allowed to leave! How are you going to calculate these losses?"
"Deduct it from my salary, okay?" Feng Yue twisted her wrist, tears welling up in her eyes. "You're hurting me."
The boss wasn't buying it. This little girl was shrewd; she ran away as soon as he let go.
“She said it hurt, didn’t you hear her?” Ni Jiaqi jogged over.
The shopkeeper sized up the two teenagers in front of him: "Who are you?"
Ni Jiaqi: "Her classmate."
Feng Yue: "I don't know them."
The two spoke at the same time.
Ni Jiaqi: "?"
Feng Yue's seat was by the window. He used to often ask Feng Yue to pass notes and snacks to Cheng Shiyun, and sometimes he would bring some for Feng Yue as well. They weren't exactly close, but surely they wouldn't have forgotten each other after two years.
Feng Yue pulled her hand back, covered her bright red wrist, and said to the boss, "Calculate the losses now."
You don't realize how much it is until you calculate it: "After deducting my salary, I'm still short 300."
Not only did I work for free for a month, but I also had to pay out of my own pocket 300 yuan.
Feng Yue forced a weak smile, saying, "Okay, here you go."
She opened her canvas bag, took out her wallet, and counted out three hundred dollars in ten and twenty dollars increments over a long time.
Is it okay now?
The boss was taken aback; he hadn't expected her to be so agreeable.
Ni Jiaqi was also dumbfounded.
The girl walked away quickly.
They quickly caught up, and Ni Jiaqi said, "Feng Yue, that boss is obviously lying to you—"
"What's it to you?" Feng Yue interrupted him. "Is it any of your business?!"
Ni Jiaqi choked, put his hands on his hips and was about to retort that her kindness was being taken for granted, but seeing that she was a girl with eyes as red as a rabbit's, he felt sorry for her: "Fine, no good deed goes unpunished, we were just meddling."
Feng Yue left without looking back.
Xie Shijin called out to her again: "Feng Yue."
Feng Yue turned her head, suddenly feeling very irritated, and yelled at Xie Shijin, "I told you I don't know anything! Why are you still bothering me? Do you want me to pay for Cheng Shiyun's life?! I just want to live a normal life, can you please stop bothering me?!"
"You dropped something," Xie Shijin said.
He spread his hands.
Feng Yue was speechless.
It's a photo booth picture.
The date of the photo is on the back.
On May 10, 2016, she and Cheng Shiyun took the photo at a boutique on Qianfeng Road. The two girls, wearing deer antler headbands, smiled and looked at the camera.
She looked slightly surprised.
She threw away everything Cheng Shiyun gave her, so why... was there a photo?
-----------------------
Author's Note: There will be another chapter at midnight. Thanks for following along! [Sprinkling flowers]
Thank you to the following little angels for feeding me nutrient solution in Chapter 21 before 11 PM on November 29, 2025: 厌厌厌, 你看看好像好像好好好吃, 可达呀, 小镜子, 雎曦, c, DEVIL, 想要翻身的咸鱼, 多肉小姐, 62284249, 小魔仙爱吃大白兔奶糖, etc.!
Thank you to "Read Too Few Books" and "Author, Are You Asleep?" for the landmines they fed me in Chapter 21!
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