Chapter 91 Harmless Lies
"Your brother? Does he live nearby too?" Xu Songning asked casually.
This really stumped Cui Yuyue. She had been busy with her internship and finishing up her studies this semester. When her brother came to help her look at apartments, she forgot to ask him where he lived in Shanghai and if he wanted to meet any new people. Otherwise, she could have introduced him to this pretty lady.
My sister is kind and beautiful. Forget it, my taciturn brother doesn't deserve her.
"...I don't know, I'll ask him later. Sister, you look so young, do you have a boyfriend? If not, I'll introduce you two sometime. My brother is single too," Cui Yuyue said with a smile.
Xu Songning dared not respond casually, as most of the people living near the airport were captains, flight attendants, and air traffic controllers.
How awkward it would be if it were your colleague!
She had no choice but to tell a harmless lie, "No need, I have a boyfriend."
"With a sister as beautiful as you, it's no surprise you have a boyfriend. My brother is just unlucky."
Cui Yuyue stopped the conversation, afraid that Xu Songning would feel awkward, and turned on the music, playing it on shuffle.
The neighborhood near the airport is a bit far from the city center. They chatted about their experiences raising cats, and Cui Yuyue happily introduced her two cats. The atmosphere was harmonious and natural throughout the trip.
When parking, Cui Yuyue was still a little reluctant to end the conversation. It had been a long time since anyone had chatted with her like this, and the topics were all lighthearted, unrelated to work or studies, which made her feel relaxed and comfortable.
Cui Yuyue lives in a residential complex with large, single-level apartments, each with a large, open balcony.
The neighborhood is very quiet, and the landscaping is excellent.
Cui Yuyue pushed open the door and was greeted by a gentle breeze. There were two cats in the house, but there was no smell, which showed that the owner cleaned and ventilated the house regularly and paid attention to hygiene.
The house offers a wide view, and the open balcony has a net installed to prevent the mischievous cat from falling off while playing on it.
As Cui Yuyue described, it has a three-bedroom, two-living-room layout, plus a large balcony, making it far more than 150 square meters.
Xu Songning secretly admired the adopter, who indeed had the means to raise three cats.
"The two cats at home should be sleeping. They usually run to greet me when I come home. They should be in their room. Sister, why don't you go check on them first? I'll unpack these two boxes of things first," Cui Yuyue said softly.
"good."
Xu Songning carried Sanhua into the living room. In the spacious living room was an industrial-style iron rack, the same cat food rack she had seen in photos. It was filled with a variety of cat food and treats, and the opened ones were clipped shut to prevent moisture.
The far right corner is left empty, with the word "Three Flowers" written on a white label.
There's nothing there yet, just a space reserved for its food and treats. The adopter went to great lengths to welcome the calico cat, which put Xu Songning completely at ease.
Two of the rooms are open, and their interiors are clearly visible, while the master bedroom is closed.
One room was filled with various packing boxes that had been moved in. Two open boxes were piled up by the door, and unopened boxes were stacked on the desk, making it look like a study.
The other room is the cat's play area, with a cat tree as tall as a person. Next to the ceiling is a passageway connected by transparent ventilation ducts, allowing the cats to move around freely.
This must be a custom-made cat tree; Xu Songning had never seen it online.
Each cat has its own water bowl, food bowl, and litter box. These supplies are all chosen according to the cat's coat color. The calico cat hasn't arrived yet, but its supplies are already in place.
"Meow."
A meow came from above Xu Songning's head. She looked up and saw a blue cat nestled on the cat tree. Its imposing size was even larger than the one in the photos she had seen.
Blue Cat was indeed timid. He lay there looking at her timidly, then took two steps back and buried himself in his bed.
Xu Songning continued searching for the doll, but after looking around carefully twice, he found that the doll was not in this room.
She stepped out of the room and glanced politely and restrainedly at the balcony. A flash of white passed before her eyes. A plush toy wearing a little dress walked past the balcony door, gracefully leaped onto the hanging chair on the balcony, and lay down on the soft cushion, ready to sleep.
Xu Songning stroked the calico cat and whispered to it, "These will be your playmates from now on. Mom is too busy with work to come see you often. Don't blame Mom. When Mom has time, I'll bring you canned food, okay?"
"Oh right, and your brother too. You must miss him, right? I'll bring him along."
Sanhua was not as stressed as when it first left Xu Songning. It jumped down from Xu Songning's arms, curiously looked around its new home, and immediately regarded it as its own territory, tiptoeing to survey the surroundings.
When the blue cat saw that its companion had arrived, it mustered up its courage, climbed down, and cautiously stepped around the calico cat.
Three-flower was overjoyed and pounced on Blue Cat, pinning him down. Blue Cat cried out softly and pitifully.
Soon, the blue cat realized that the calico cat didn't hurt it and could only play with it, so the two cats slowly started playing together in the living room.
The calico cat has a more outgoing personality and is more comfortable in a large space, playing happily with the blue cat.
Xu Songning sat down in the living room and watched the two cats play.
"Sister, how are you? Is Sanhua settling in well? What do you think of my place? If it's too small for three cats, I'll move to a bigger house later." Cui Yuyue sat down opposite her and handed her a bottle of mineral water.
Xu Songning took the water, unscrewed the cap, and took a sip. "Thank you. It's nice here. Sanhua is adapting well. This little guy was also picked up by me. After getting used to my home, he slept soundly the first night. He's not shy at all. Besides, you have a companion here."
“I thought I wouldn’t be able to get it back today.” Cui Yuyue casually petted the calico and blue cat that were passing by.
The blue cat was affectionate with her, rubbing against her hand before leaving. The calico cat didn't resist her touch either, bumping her leg before running away.
"It seems Sanhua likes you too. It likes to bump its head against people it likes," Xu Songning chuckled.
This day was truly full of ups and downs, leaving her feeling utterly dejected, only hoping that Sanhua could be doing well.
“Sister, you can come see it anytime you want. We use a combination lock at home, so if I’m not home, you can just come in,” Cui Yuyue said.
"No, I'll come when you're home. I'm afraid I might not be able to resist stealing the cat." Xu Songning actually wanted to avoid suspicion, since the two weren't familiar with each other and the homeowner wasn't home. It wouldn't be appropriate for her to enter with the password.
Upon hearing the suggestion of stealing a cat, the two men, facing each other, couldn't help but laugh.
The phone on the table rang. Cui Yuyue glanced at it and suddenly became nervous. She covered the receiver and whispered, "I'm going to answer this call. Sister, please sit down for a while."
Xu Songning nodded in agreement, "Go ahead and do your work, don't worry about me."
Cui Yuyue went to the balcony to make a phone call. Xu Songning had no intention of eavesdropping on her conversation, but the balcony had no door and the walls were thin, so she could clearly hear Cui Yuyue shout into the phone.
"elder brother."
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