Chapter 42 The Young Lady in a Wheelchair: My Cat Can Backflip
"Aaaaaaahhhhhh—I can't take it anymore!"
Standing by the door, Flora silently watched the arched shape on the bed, not uttering a word.
She has remained in this state ever since the young lady returned, and no one knows what kind of shock she received.
The bulge under the covers finally stopped, and a ruffled head poked out, staring at Flora.
Flora leaned against the door: "Is there anything I can do for you?"
For example, call a doctor, call a doctor, or call a doctor or something like that.
Logically speaking, she understood Cheng Zhishu's deep feelings for this country; there's even a saying, "the closer one gets to home, the more apprehensive one feels."
Rationally, she felt that Cheng Zhishu needed a doctor to check if there was anything wrong with her head, as it was very strange that she had been hiding under the covers to lay larvae ever since she came back.
"I don't need you to do anything." Cheng Zhishu only showed her head.
Flora felt that she still had something to say.
Sure enough, Cheng Zhishu asked again, "Flora, let me ask you, if you had a crush on your first love since you were very young but it didn't work out, and you even had a fight when you parted, but you met again a few years later and the other person was incredibly attentive to you, what does that mean?"
She wasn't worried that Flora would connect this matter with her and Xi Congshuang, because Flora simply couldn't imagine it.
Flora was a bit clueless in this respect; it seemed she traded emotional intelligence for intellectual intelligence.
According to the old housekeeper, Flora had eyes on the top of her head since she was a child. She met her mother at the age when she was most proud, and was then subdued by her mother, becoming her loyal confidante.
It can be said that Wen Lingwang was closest to only two people: Cheng Zhishu and Flora.
Flora frowned and pondered for a long time: "After arguing and meeting again, with several years passing by, can they still be so considerate?"
Cheng Zhishu's eyes just showed hope.
Flora then asked seriously, "Has your identity been revealed?"
In Flora's mind, there are no eternal feelings, only absolute interests.
People's hearts are fickle. If someone pretends nothing happened and continues to get close to you a few years later, it must be because there is something to gain.
Cheng Zhishu stared at her for a few seconds, then couldn't help but mess up her hair even more, burying her face in the pillow and mumbling, "Forget it, why should I talk to the knight?"
knight?
Flo stretched out her fingers, her eyes filled with confusion, her face saying: Me?
But Cheng Zhishu wasn't in the mood to care about her right now, so she waved her away.
"Alright, then you can have some peace and quiet by yourself." Flora left and went back to the suite next door to rest.
Cheng Zhishu tossed and turned in bed for a while, still very concerned, especially since her phone hadn't made a sound since she came back.
Their chat remained stuck on "message exchange," and neither of them sent a message to break the ice.
Cheng Zhishu couldn't understand herself either; why did she get dizzy and disoriented as soon as someone started talking?
So what exactly did Xi Congshuang put in the perfume that made her forget when she took out her phone to add contact information and when she was sent back to the hotel?
Now, not only has their contact information been revealed, but even their temporary hotel has been identified.
She could still hear Xi Congshuang's words when she saw her off: "So you don't stay at Ligong, you stay at Changting Hotel."
With a "buzz," the phone, which had been tossed aside and neglected, began to vibrate.
A hand reached out from under the covers, quickly grabbed the phone from beside the bedside table, and then tossed it back out a few seconds later.
"Why is it spam? What use are you?"
*
On Sunday morning, Xi Hanran, who felt she had some free time lately, came to Wenhai's place for a free meal again.
She was certain she hadn't come empty-handed, as she had brought an extraordinary gift—two cat toys she bought when she stopped at a pet toy store.
Nao Nao is very active and, even as she gets older, she remains lively and is a major consumer of cat toys.
It's not necessarily that the cat toy's feathers or the fish toy hanging on it were chewed up; rather, it would carry the cat toy around and hide it in various places in Xi Congshuang Garden, and every time the gardener tended the garden, a batch of cat toys would be cleared out.
Naturally, the cat toys were disposed of by its fastidious owner, who ordered that none of them be brought into the house.
Fortunately, Nao Nao has a short memory. Once she gets a new cat toy, she forgets about the old one that she hid away, fully demonstrating her tendency to get bored easily.
Carrying a bag containing two cat toys, Xi Hanran strolled over, acting as if she were entering her own home.
She saw Xiao Liu and quickly called out to her, "Where is she?"
Xiao Liu pointed to the garden: "At this time, Miss should be taking a walk."
Xi Hanran put her hands in her pockets and said, "Then you keep busy, I'll go find her."
Following the familiar path, Xi Hanran, who had come to this place year after year, noticed upon closer inspection that the layout had not changed at all over the years.
Even the flowers planted in the flower beds are exactly the same as before, they will never change, and I never get tired of seeing them.
She had heard from Xiao Liu that two years ago, a camellia tree in the garden was sick and could not be cured. Xi Congshuang bought a similar camellia tree at a high price and transplanted it, even making sure that the color of the petals when it bloomed was similar.
She personally flew to see the tree and carefully compared it before buying it, which Xi Hanran considered a lot of trouble.
But if you were to ask Xi Congshuang, she would never admit that she is a sentimental person; she would only stubbornly say that she is used to it.
Just as she was internally complaining, Xi Hanran found the person and called out, "Xi..."
Xi Congshuang stood in the garden, holding her phone. Hearing Xi Hanran's voice approaching from afar, she turned around, raised a finger, and silently said: "Shh—"
Xi Hanran: "?"
She shut her mouth and quietly strolled over.
After watching for a long time, I still couldn't figure out what Xi Congshuang was filming. There were no birds or insects around, so what was so special about her?
With a "whoosh," something darted out of the bushes, startling Xi Hanran, who was intently observing.
Seeing the white cat disappear in a blur, it darted through the grass and up the tree, scratched at the branches a few times, and then jumped down like a madman, scratching randomly at the empty stone path, as if its brain had suddenly short-circuited.
Its ears were tucked up like airplane ears, and its stubborn fur stood up high.
"Meow!" The cat meowed, its blue eyes narrowed into vertical pupils.
After Xi Congshuang finished filming, she squatted down and petted the cat's head. Xi Hanran, who was standing behind her, glanced at her and noticed that her photo album was full of all kinds of photos of white cats.
She didn't understand why she had to take eight photos of herself sleeping in the same position and post them so people could find the differences.
Seeing that Nao Nao was as energetic as ever, Xi Hanran squatted down and suddenly had an idea: "It's too lively. Why don't we find it a kitten to play with and burn off some energy?"
The more she thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed. She took out her phone and scrolled through her WeChat Moments: "My friend's cat had kittens and is looking for homes for them. Do you see if there are any you like?"
If the two cats played together, maybe none of them would bother Xi Congshuang while she was sleeping.
She finds it hard to accept being woken up by the cat scratching at the door at six in the morning. Even when she puts the cat in the room to sleep, it will scratch at the door every few hours, wanting to go out. In short, it's a life that never stops.
Xi Congshuang didn't look. She stroked the cat's head and turned it to her chin, saying, "I don't like keeping cats. In fact, I don't like keeping any animals."
Xi Hanran: "..."
You can't just spout nonsense because the cat can't hear you; you'll be punished.
Xi Congshuang said seriously, "Small animals are really troublesome."
Xi Hanran: "…………"
You should at least let go of your hand when you say that to increase its credibility!
Xi Hanran was silent for a moment, then pointed to Naonao rolling around on the ground and asked, "Don't you like cats? What's this?"
Xi Congshuang glanced at her speechlessly: "Cat."
Xi Hanran: "That's not what I meant. You said you don't like keeping animals, but what is this fat, healthy, and shiny creature?"
Xi Congshuang looked at him like he was an idiot: "A cat."
Nao Nao rolled over on its belly: "Meow."
Xi Congshuang: "Did you hear that? It barked."
"..."
Xi Hanran often feels that talking to Xi Congshuang has an age-reducing effect. Even if she is seventy or eighty years old, she can instantly become young and full of energy after talking to Xi Congshuang for a few words.
Compared to its effects, the side effect of increased blood pressure is negligible.
Speechless and parched, she sat down on a stone bench and placed the cat toy on the table: "Never mind, there are some things I can't explain to you. When is dinner?"
Her main purpose was to freeload a meal; eating alone was quite boring.
"Time remains the same." Xi Congshuang disassembled the cat toy and continued recording a video on her phone, filming as she played with the cat.
In the video, Nao Nao is lying on the ground, his pupils dilate instantly, and he pounces forward with a thud in his bottom.
Xi Congshuang lifted Naonao up, but Naonao's paws failed to catch the feathers. Naonao's body leaped up and did a backflip in the air before landing gracefully. Its interest was completely piqued, its long whiskers stood up, and its eyes were fixed on the constantly flying feathers.
Xi Hanran found it very interesting and quickly said, "Let me play with it too."
Xi Congshuang handed her the cat toy and sent a message while holding her phone.
At the Changting Hotel, the person nestled on the sofa stirred slightly. She wondered if she'd misheard, then swirled the ice in her glass and continued drinking.
When the second notification sound rang, Cheng Zhishu put down her glass and walked to the bedside: "What did Guan Yin say to me this morning?"
I picked up my phone, and the screen lit up with two messages.
Cheng Zhishu squinted to examine it.
[Snowflake]: [12s video]
[Snowflake]: Look, Nao Nao can do a backflip.
Flora opened the door and came in: "It's almost dinnertime. You want... the taste of whiskey today."
Flora approached the room where the curtains were not drawn and then drew them back.
The person on the sofa was momentarily blinded by the outside light, closed their eyes for a while to catch their breath, and then clicked on the video to watch it for the fourth time.
On the table was an opened bottle of wine, and next to it was a half-empty wine glass, with only the bottom of the glass filled with wine and ice.
Flora noticed that Cheng Zhishu seemed perfectly normal and wasn't sure how much she had drunk, so she asked, "How many cups did you drink?"
Cheng Zhishu, feeling dizzy, held up three fingers: "Four cups."
Flora: "...How many cups?"
Cheng Zhishu withdrew one finger and made a peace sign: "Three cups."
Flora: "..." How many is it exactly?
"You can ask your next question in five minutes." Cheng Zhishu held her phone with both hands and typed rapidly, but she was a little dizzy and the letters were blurry, so she kept making mistakes.
She disliked the typo and deleted it, retyping it again, repeating the mistake, and retyping it again.
My phone vibrated; it was a message from Xi Congshuang.
[Snowflake]: Although Nao Nao's backflip is very interesting, there's no need to write a long essay praising it.
Cheng Zhishu: "..."
Who wrote a short essay?
Looking at the few words in the editing bar, Cheng Zhishu felt embarrassed and sent it out.
[Snowflake]: The weather has been nice lately, and it always likes to climb trees. The first few times it climbed too high and was afraid to come down, but recently it has become more and more skilled at it.
[Snowflake]: [Video]
In the video, a small white piglet bursts out of the grass, leaps up a tree, and its size makes one wonder if it might break the tree branch.
Cheng Zhishu looked at it several more times and realized that she really wanted to make a fuss. It wasn't that big before, but now it's getting bigger and bigger.
Holding her in my arms would feel like holding a big, warm, and heavy doll.
Cheng Zhishu kept making typos and got a little annoyed, so she pressed the voice button and said, "Judging from this, it seems to get a lot of exercise, so why does it need to lose weight?"
Flora, staring at her watch, thought, "Who's talking?"
Before Cheng Zhishu could even listen to her own words through the voice message, her phone vibrated, and Xi Congshuang sent her a voice message.
Cheng Zhishu hesitated for a moment, then tapped the voice message bar.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Flora waiting to the side. She brought the phone to her ear and said, "Your voice sounds a little strange. Have you been drinking?"
The sound coming through the internet seemed a little different from before. Cheng Zhishu's ears felt a little numb, and she rubbed her earlobes uncomfortably.
It's a little itchy.
The other party was still sending messages. Cheng Zhishu, as if deceiving herself, turned her phone over and covered it on the sofa. She said to Flora, "Let's end the countdown early. Just ask whatever you want."
Flora actually asked, "What would you like to eat for lunch?"
Cheng Zhishu said, "I've had breakfast and I'm not hungry yet. Go eat by yourself and don't worry about me."
She felt a little dizzy, her ears were numb, and she wanted to sleep.
After Flora left, Cheng Zhishu sat back on the bed with unsteady legs and listened to all the messages Flora had sent her twice, once to her ear and once on speakerphone.
Because the first time, I didn't even have the brain to understand what the other person meant.
Cheng Zhishu pressed the voice button and said seriously, "My voice is normal. I think your voice is strange. I can't hear you clearly. I need to listen to it several times before I can understand what you are saying."
With this act of turning the tables and reversing the truth, the voice message was sent out, and Cheng Zhishu closed her eyes and squinted.
She did eat breakfast, but it was around 5 a.m., and she felt even more sleepy after drinking alcohol.
On the other side, Xi Congshuang suddenly stood up, holding her phone, and turned to leave.
Holding the cat toy, Xi Hanran hurriedly called out, "Hey, wait a minute, where are you going? Dinner's almost ready."
Xi Congshuang walked out without looking back: "I'm not eating at home today, you'll eat by yourself."
She left quickly, disappearing before Xi Hanran could say another word.
Xi Hanran stroked the cat's head and muttered, "Why are you in such a hurry?"
*
Cheng Zhishu didn't sleep for long. When she woke up groggily, it was still bright outside, and the sunlight was shining on the curtains. She checked the time and realized it was only a little past noon.
With her legs dangling on the ground, Cheng Zhishu felt as if she were walking on clouds. Dizzy, she shuffled out in her slippers and turned the doorknob.
She didn't want to leave, so she leaned against the door frame, rubbing her head as she spoke.
“Penny, I’m feeling a little dizzy. Could you please get me a glass of water? ... Wait, Penny isn’t here. Flora should have gone out.”
I'll just do it myself; self-reliance will bring me plenty.
Someone in the crowd asked, "Who is Penny?"
Cheng Zhishu was startled; that voice sounded damn familiar.
On the single sofa, someone slowly stood up, walked to the living room bar, poured a glass of water, and came over.
"How many girls are still in your room?" Xi Congshuang brought the water glass to her lips.
How familiar this scene and this conversation are!
Cheng Zhishu's dizzy mind instantly cleared, and she drank more than half a glass of water in one gulp, exclaiming in shock, "What are you doing here?"
"You don't want to see me?" Xi Congshuang turned her head away, seemingly dejected. "I know... I'm overthinking it. I'll leave now."
Cheng Zhishu's temples throbbed with excitement, and she grabbed the person before she could even think: "Don't go."
Xi Congshuang looked over.
Overthinking? What are you overthinking?
At the critical moment, a voice message flashed through my mind.
Xi Congshuang said, "Are you drunk? I'm coming to find you."
What was my answer at the time?
She held up her phone and said, "Okay."
Then I put down my phone, closed my eyes, and fell asleep.
Cheng Zhishu: "At the time, I was slightly drunk, and my mind wasn't quite clear, so I just said okay. Flora opened the door for you, right?"
A drop of water in need is repaid with a spring of water. Xi Congshuang gave two cups of water; how many springs of water would it take to repay her?
She felt bad about letting them leave like that.
Xi Congshuang: "Yes, so everything said when drunk doesn't count?"
Cheng Zhishu lowered her head under her gaze and gritted her teeth: "No... not really."
Xi Congshuang suddenly asked, "Are you hungry? Do you want to eat?"
Cheng Zhishu was actually quite hungry, and being the quickest thinker, she nodded: "Okay, what do you want to eat?"
After saying that: "..."
I hereby swear that I will never drink alcohol again.
She doesn't drink much, but gets drunk quickly, which makes her seem both inexperienced and playful.
When attending banquets at home, she would disguise pineapple juice as champagne. Even if the other party noticed, they wouldn't dare to say anything, so her alcohol tolerance was never improved.
The same shallowness all the time.
Having already agreed, she wouldn't go back on her word. Cheng Zhishu changed her clothes and went out, not needing to go far, she ate at the restaurant downstairs.
After the meal, Xi Congshuang suggested going for a walk to aid digestion, a habit she has always had.
Cheng Zhishu thought it made sense, so she followed him downstairs and drove to a nearby park for a stroll. It was still lunchtime, and most of the people in the park had left, so it was quite empty.
A few couples remained, sitting together on the lakeside benches, whispering sweet nothings.
Cheng Zhishu also sat down on the bench, at a distance that was neither too close nor too far from Xi Congshuang. Surrounded by the lake breeze, they seemed no different from any other couple.
After dinner, we take a walk, sit together and share our lives, and when we get tired, we hold hands and go home.
This is a scene that Cheng Zhishu had imagined before.
As for now, she doesn't even dare to think about it.
After sitting for a while, she got up and went back without anything happening. Cheng Zhishu couldn't tell whether she felt disappointed or regretful. She walked absentmindedly to the inside of Xi Congshuang's side.
To get back to the hotel from the park, Cheng Zhishu had to cross an intersection. With something on her mind, she forgot to look at the traffic lights and assumed that the light was green as long as there were no cars passing by. She subconsciously started walking out.
Unexpectedly, a car turned around the corner, and Cheng Zhishu's arm was pulled backward, causing her to fall backward. A pair of arms wrapped around her and held her tightly.
She used a bit too much force, and Cheng Zhishu felt pain from being strangled. A feeling of fear belatedly welled up inside her.
The car sped past before the traffic light started its countdown.
The arms wrapped around Cheng Zhishu were still tightly clasped, as if afraid she would disappear.
"It's just a car coming, no need to be so nervous, and I'm fine..."
When the word "no" was mentioned, Cheng Zhishu saw Xi Congshuang's expression clearly, which was definitely not pleasant; her face was pale in the warm early summer.
"..."
Cheng Zhishu paused, suddenly remembering that Xi Congshuang had been in a car accident.
He realized he had indeed frightened her just now. He slowly raised his hand and patted Xi Congshuang's hand, saying, "The car has already passed."
Little did she know that what Xi Congshuang was still afraid of was not this. She had not seen Cheng Zhishu for too long. Even though she was prepared to spend her limited life to see him one last time, she could not suppress her emotions when she saw him again.
It's not outwardly apparent, but subconsciously, he's almost to the point of being extremely nervous.
She released Cheng Zhishu, took a few steps back to create some distance, and her expression was not as calm as usual: "I'm sorry, I overreacted."
Cheng Zhishu didn't know how to feel. She reached out to touch her: "You..."
“It’s best not to touch me now.” Xi Congshuang stood opposite her, looked up, and said with utmost seriousness, “I’m afraid I’ll do something you don’t like again.”
"..."
The traffic light, standing alone on the opposite side, counted down again, the numbers gradually reaching zero, and the green light turned red.
Vehicles from the opposite intersection started moving this way again.
This time, there were even more vehicles coming and going, whizzing past one after another, making people restless.
The two stood on the other side of the zebra crossing, each turning their heads away, waiting for the green light to come on again.
During this time, Xi Congshuang picked up her phone, sent a message, and then stood silently with her hand down.
Although Xi Congshuang didn't say it, Cheng Zhishu vaguely sensed that this was a signal that she was about to leave. Her mind was in turmoil, and she didn't know how to react.
What reason should I give to keep her?
Let her go; it's her freedom, though I'm a little reluctant to accept it.
In the silence, neither of them spoke. The traffic light across the street turned green again, and the two of them crossed the road. A few minutes later, they arrived at the entrance of Changting Hotel.
A Maybach was parked at the entrance, and the person standing next to the car looked very familiar.
It's Li Mi.
It turns out she had just sent a message to Li Mi.
Xi Congshuang seemed a little tired, and a faint smile appeared on her lips: "I'm going back first, I won't see you upstairs this time."
Cheng Zhishu: "...Hmm."
She even added "See you next time" without any guile. Oh no, she's really taken aback.
Cheng Zhishu wanted to say something, but Li Mi, who was standing next to the car, had already noticed them and opened the back door, waiting for Xi Congshuang to get in.
The words swirled in her mind, but in the end, she couldn't say anything. She only said, "Be careful on the road."
Xi Congshuang's smile deepened: "Okay."
Then she turned around and walked to the car. Xi Congshuang got into the car, and Li Mi closed the car door.
He nodded slightly to Cheng Zhishu, who was not far away, and walked towards the driver's seat.
Cheng Zhishu forgot whether she nodded in response or not. Even after the car drove away, her mind was still filled with the scene she had just witnessed.
Sitting in the car, Xi Congshuang leaned back, closed her eyes, and looked visibly tired.
Before I could see any more, Li Mi had already closed the car door, and the last impression I had of her was her profile with her eyes lowered.
*
Cats are crepuscular animals, and Nao Nao spends most of the afternoon sleeping.
Nao Nao loves to sunbathe, and in many sunny spots, people have placed a scratching post so that Nao Nao can sleep whenever she gets tired of playing.
When Xi Congshuang returned, she found Naonao fast asleep near the small living room. It had curled up in a ball, sleeping on the scratching post, its belly rising and falling.
Because of congenital deafness, Nao Nao cannot hear any sound and is unaware that Xi Cong Shuang is approaching.
When a cool hand touched the cat's belly, it opened its blue eyes, glanced at Xi Congshuang, sighed, and turned its belly over to be touched.
Cats have their own virtues, but people don't. You can wake a cat up, but it will still let you pet it.
"What a spineless person."
A self-deprecating voice rang out, and Xi Congshuang withdrew her hand, not wanting to disturb the cat's peaceful slumber.
The cat was much quieter now. It moved its body and curled itself into a white vortex again, with the tip of its tail dangling from the edge of the cat bed, swaying back and forth.
Xi Congshuang sat down on the single sofa, doing nothing but watching the cat sleep, just like countless times before.
It was so quiet around that Xi Congshuang felt like she was hallucinating, as if someone was talking nearby, and the voice sounded very familiar.
"Miss just walked this way. Nao Nao likes to sleep by the window in the small living room at this time of day, where the sun is most comfortable."
The person on the sofa opened their eyes and looked towards the half-open door.
The speaker was Xiao Liu.
Another voice answered her: "Is that so?"
Someone approached the door, and someone else pushed it open. Xiao Liu stood behind the door: "Miss is indeed here."
After her, Cheng Zhishu came out, looking rather uncomfortable.
Xi Congshuang was stunned.
As Xiao Liu was saying that she wanted to cut some fruit, she realized there was a pink pineapple that she hadn't killed yet, so she killed it for Cheng Zhishu, who liked to eat it, and then she left.
Only two people remained, one in front of the door and one inside, no longer silent and looking at each other.
Cheng Zhishu coughed and cleared her throat: "I came back to see Nao Nao. Didn't they say it can do backflips? I'd really like to see it."
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NaoNao: Would I? [frightened]
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