Chapter 7 Happy Birthday to Suokou Jiujiu and Jiang Haoxiang
The car stopped downstairs at Zheng Yi's house. Jiang Haoxiang held the cat bag, while Zheng Yi carried the plastic bag of medicine and her backpack on her back. The two children went upstairs first, and Xiang Li parked the car outside the community. She didn't have a parking space in this complex.
Opening the door, Jiang Hao wanted to take a deep breath of the reassuring scent. Before Xiang Li arrived, the two children were a little hesitant to let the cat out, worried they wouldn't be able to handle it. One of them sat on one side of the cat's pouch, quietly waiting.
"Let Jiujiu out. He's been suffocating in the cat bag." Xiang Li finally arrived home and pointed to the corner of the living room near the balcony. "Everything is ready."
That corner has been arranged properly, with a cat bed and a bowl for food and water. In another corner there is a simple table with a litter box underneath. Jiujiu can stand on the table to play and sleep. This area has the best sunlight.
"Auntie, are you ready?" Jiang Hao wanted to run over and touch the cushion of the cat's bed. It was soft.
"I discussed it with Zheng Yi last night and placed the order early this morning. The delivery was pretty fast." Xiang Li smiled, squatted down and opened the cat bag, "Come, let our little Jiujiu see his new home."
The calico kitten poked its head out, surveying its unfamiliar surroundings. Very bold! It took one quick step, then another. Its steps were a bit unsteady, but its tail held high.
Jiang Hao wanted to follow the kitten. Jiujiu walked to the cat's bed but didn't enter. Turning to the water bowl, Zheng Yi had already unscrewed a bottle of mineral water and poured it in. Jiujiu licked the water with his tongue. Then he scratched at it with his paw. The sound startled him, and he jumped back, his fur standing on end.
Jiang Hao wanted to grab the cat and put it into the litter box, hold its paws and teach it how to bury the litter.
After a while, Jiujiu began to explore the living room. He walked over to the sofa and scratched at the legs, but couldn't get anywhere. Then he walked over to the curtains and fluttered at the tassels. He was curious about everything.
Jiang Hao wanted to follow it, wherever Jiujiu went, she would follow.
Xiang Li looked at the two curious babies, one big and one small, and walked into the study: "You guys play, Mommy has some work to take care of, call me if you need anything."
Zheng Yi hummed a sigh of relief and went to the kitchen to cut some fruit for Jiang Haoxiang. Halfway through, he remembered the lemon ice cubes he'd frozen the previous night. He pulled them out of the refrigerator, added cold water and honey, and brought them out for Jiang Haoxiang to drink. Jiang Haoxiang was afraid of the heat, and Zheng Yi watched her face and neck flush the entire way. Although she was excited, he was still worried she might get a heat stroke.
"Drink some water." Zheng Yi put a straw in the cup as he handed it to her. Jiang Hao seemed like a fool. The cat couldn't run. What was she doing following it around?
Jiang Hao wanted to take the cup of water and sip it, but she was chilled and her neck shrank. Then she quickly recovered and whispered back, "It just got here, it will be scared. I have to accompany it."
Zheng Yi also got a glass of water and leaned against the dining table to watch. After a while, Jiujiu was tired from exploring and lay down in the cat bed to sleep. Jiang Haoxiang sat cross-legged on the floor, holding her chin with both hands, looking at the sleeping kitten. Zheng Yi felt a little funny, and a little indescribable feeling. He walked over and sat next to her without saying a word. He took out his mobile phone, turned it to silent mode, and started playing games.
The living room was very quiet. Zheng Yi had the air conditioner on very low volume, so the sound of the air conditioner never stopped, and it was always in working order. The sunlight only partially hit the cat, but it hit Jiang Haoxiang completely. Zheng Yi was playing a game when he suddenly looked up. Jiang Haoxiang, bathed in the light, unexpectedly became very strange, as if he suddenly didn't recognize him. Zheng Yi pinched Jiang Haoxiang's arm for some unknown reason, confirming that it was a real person. Jiang Haoxiang turned around to look at him, smiling foolishly, but her face was still blurry, with no facial features visible, only the light.
Could Jiang Hao be transformed by light? Zheng Yi thought.
Xiang Li came out of the study and stretched. "Are you hungry? I'll order takeout. What do you want to eat?"
"Pizza!" Zheng Yi didn't even raise his head.
"Fried chicken!" Jiang Haoxiang raised his hand immediately.
"What are you drinking? Milk tea?"
"Yes! Add pearls!" Jiang Haoxiang said in a loud voice.
"I don't drink." Zheng Yi added.
After Xiang Li finished asking the two children, he did not want to be wronged: "Order two more stir-fries and a vegetable. And a fruit platter."
She ordered seven or eight takeouts in one go. "Okay, wait. It'll probably take a while."
Zheng Yi remembered that he had made yogurt popsicles, so he went to the kitchen to find some and gave them to Jiang Haoxiang. Jiang Haoxiang took a bite and didn't want to eat anymore, so he stuffed them into Zheng Yi's mouth.
Zheng Yi was so annoyed. Who wants to eat what you have eaten? He wanted to throw it away. Xiang Li said beside him, "Give it to me."
Jiang Hao wanted to look at Li Chi, and felt that it was delicious again. He kept looking at it.
Xiang Li was about to die of laughter and asked, "You want to eat again?"
Jiang Haoxiang nodded and waved to Li Zhao to ask Jiang Haoxiang to come over. The two of them shared the yogurt popsicle together.
Zheng Yi wasn't interested in the yogurt popsicles; she had made them for Jiang Hao, thinking she'd like them. She got up and went to her room to get something.
"Here you go." He handed a small bell to Jiang Haoxiang, but the bell did not ring. "I took the ball out of it. Now it's a dumb bell. You can put it around Jiujiu's neck."
"Thank you, Brother Zheng Yi!"
The doorbell rang. Zheng Yi ran to open it. The first takeaway had arrived. Others followed, and Zheng Yi made several trips back and forth until the coffee table was soon filled to the brim.
Xiang Li turned on the TV and tuned it to the cartoon Jiang Hao was obsessed with. The characters in the cartoon exaggeratedly savored the glowing food and exclaimed in amazement.
"Eat!" Xiang Li ordered, and the three of them gathered around the coffee table, not even using dishes or chopsticks, and simply started eating. The coffee table was a mess, and laughter mingled with the sounds of cartoons. Jiujiu watched curiously nearby. Xiang Li tore off a fried chicken drumstick and gave it to Jiang Haoxiang, while Zheng Yi tore off another drumstick and gave it to Xiang Li.
Xiang Li noticed Jiujiu was looking at them, so he tore off a small piece of the chicken breast that was already tasteless, rinsed it in water, and held it in his palm towards the kitten: "Jiujiu, come here, try it."
Jiujiu slowly approached and started eating.
"It ate it!" Jiang Haoxiang was excited.
This sense of ease was something Jiang Haoxiang rarely experienced in her own increasingly rule-bound home. She didn't have to worry about her table manners, about who to give the chicken leg to, or about whether the noise from the cartoons would disturb others. She could eat and laugh to her heart's content.
Jiang Hao wanted to laugh, but at the same time, he felt strangely panicked. It was like his emotions were constantly hitting a wall. He had been moving forward courageously, but then he hit the wall and started to quickly retreat. Every time he was happy, it was like this.
The cartoon finished an episode and the ending theme song started playing when the doorbell rang again.
"Who is it? Any takeout? Everything is here." Xiang Li was a little confused.
"I'll go open it." Zheng Yi walked to the door with half a pizza still in his mouth.
He opened the door and took a square box tied with a ribbon from the delivery man. He closed the door and walked back to the living room carrying the box.
"What's this? What did you order?" Xiang Li asked. Jiang Hao seemed to be blocking her view a little, so she couldn't see clearly.
Zheng Yi placed the box on the empty space in front of Jiang Haoxiang, untied the ribbon on it, and opened the lid.
Inside was a birthday cake, and in the middle of the cake, it was written with jam: "Happy birthday to Jiujiu and Jiang Haoxiang".
Xiang Li was surprised: "When did you order the cake?"
Zheng Yi pretended to be casual, but couldn't hide his pride. He said, "I ordered it when I just got home. Didn't Jiang Haoxiang change his birthday to September 9th? Jiang Haoxiang, happy birthday to you."
Jiang Haoxiang is so stupid, and the ending song of the cartoon is so noisy.
Zheng Yi didn't wait for Jiang Hao's answer. He stood there, his expression beginning to feel a little uncomfortable, as if he was being a little corny.
Jiang Hao felt as if a place in her heart had been struck. It was a strange feeling. In this world where she often felt stuffy, Zheng Yi was like an electric fan, not only dispelling the heat but also stirring the air, allowing her to breathe more freely. This electric fan, at some unknown time, had already been installed in her world.
"Blow out the candles!" Zheng Yi, feeling a bit uneasy at her gaze, interrupted her daze with a shout. Xiang Li found the included candle from the takeout bag nearby and stuck it on the cake, forming the number 9. Zheng Yi went to the kitchen to find a lighter.
Xiang Li clapped his hands and took the lead in singing: "Happy birthday to you~Happy birthday to you~"
Zheng Yi also hummed twice. Jiang Hao wanted to close his eyes and put his hands together.
From now on, I will celebrate my birthday with Brother Zheng Yi, Aunt Xiang Li, and Jiujiu every year.
Jiang Hao wanted to make this wish in his heart and blew out the candle.
"Happy birthday!" applauded Xiang Li.
"Cut the cake, cut the cake!" Zheng Yi shouted.
Jiang Hao wanted to cut the first piece of cake and handed it to Zheng Yi first.
Zheng Yi took the plate: "You have a conscience."
She cut another piece and gave it to Xiang Li: "Auntie, this is for you."
After finishing the cake, Xiang Li started to clean up the coffee table. Zheng Yi helped pack up the trash, while Jiang Haoxiang wiped everything with wet wipes.
"Haoxiang, you go and play with Jiujiu, we will clean up here." Xiang Li said to Jiang Haoxiang.
Jiang Hao wanted to be like a primary school student. No, she was actually a primary school student. She raised her hand: "Auntie! I want to help too!"
Today is Saturday, and Jiang Cheng will be back on Sunday. Xiang Li looked at Jiang Haoxiang and asked, "Haoxiang, why don't you sleep here tonight? I'll take you back when your father comes back tomorrow. Go take a shower. You've been in the hospital for a few days, and a shower will make you feel better."
Jiang Hao wanted to nod, and Xiang Li went to find some clean clothes for Jiang Hao.
After taking a bath, Jiujiu was already awake and playing with Zheng Yi, who was holding a feather cat toy.
"It likes you." Jiang Hao wanted to say.
Zheng Yi hummed: "I like this cat toy."
No one responded, and Zheng Yi noticed that Jiang Hao seemed a little depressed.
Zheng Yi beckoned her to come over and sit down. Jiang Hao wanted to sit next to him obediently.
"Jiang Hao misses you." Zheng Yi's tone suddenly became serious.
"Hmm?" Jiang Hao wanted to turn around and look at him.
"You'll be home tomorrow. Your dad's coming back too."
Jiang Hao wanted to nod, feeling a little unhappy. But then she thought, "Dad is coming back, how can I not be happy? It's not right." She added, "But Dad promised to bring me a gift."
I don’t know if he was comforting himself or proving to Zheng Yi that going home was not entirely without benefits.
Zheng Yi rolled her eyes. What gift? Didn’t he give her enough?
“If you feel uncomfortable when you go back, or if those two say something that upsets you,” he said, referring to his stepmother and step-grandmother, “just ignore them.”
Jiang Hao seemed confused: "Ignore it?"
"Yes. If they say anything to you, just pretend you didn't hear it. Don't argue with them, and don't take it to heart. Just say "um", "oh", "I see" when they say anything, and just deal with it. OK?" He knew that it would be too difficult for Jiang Hao to want to argue, so she should just learn how to fool around.
Jiang Hao wanted to whisper, "But that's rude."
"What politeness? Are they polite to you? Cat—" He braked and swallowed the rest of the words. "Anyway, remember, don't talk too much to them. If they ask you to do something you don't want to do, just say you haven't finished your homework or that you're tired and need to rest."
Jiang Haoxiang only nodded. Zheng Yi couldn't help but pinch his face. "If you feel uncomfortable, just call me or come over directly. Do you hear me? My mom wishes you could come over every day! I, I'm used to it too. Anyway, don't think too much. Just treat this place as your own home."
Jiang Hao didn't want to hide and let him pinch her, but then he raised a new question: "What if you are playing games when I run over and don't open the door for me?"
Zheng Yi was almost laughing with anger: "When did I not open the door for you? What did I say last time you called me in the middle of the night to wake me up from the game?"
"You called me a nuisance!" Jiang Hao wanted to accuse me immediately.
"I was talking to my teammates!" Zheng Yi defended himself feebly. Seeing her expression, he had no choice but to surrender. "Okay, okay, okay, next time you come over, I'll open the door for you immediately no matter what I'm doing."
Jiang Haoxiang was still worried, so he stretched out his little finger and insisted on making a pinky promise: "Pink!"
The author has something to say:
----------------------
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
