Chapter 20
Cheng Xun's neighborhood has a very nice environment. The properties in this area are very expensive, and you can tell how high-end they are just by looking at them from the outside. Song Qiuxuan even had to register at the security booth to get in.
Song Qiuxuan followed Cheng Xun to the bottom of the apartment building. By the flower bed by the gate, she could faintly hear meowing. It was the sound of someone teasing a cat. Song Qiuxuan paused and turned to look.
At that glance, I saw a tall, handsome boy walking out from behind the flower bed, carrying an orange cat. He was petting the cat with his head down, and it was clear from his actions that he really liked cats.
That face looked somewhat familiar, as if I'd seen it somewhere before.
Cheng Xun followed her gaze and narrowed his eyes: "You've been lying in wait here?"
As Cheng Ting was petting the cat, he heard the familiar tone of voice and suddenly looked up. His eyes seemed to show a hint of surprise at having bumped into Cheng Xun downstairs carrying a large amount of food and drinks on her way home. He quickly calmed down and retorted to Cheng Xun, "Don't flatter yourself. You're not worth me waiting downstairs for."
Song Qiuxuan remembered where she had seen this face before. The photo on the school bulletin board matched the person in front of her. This was Cheng Xun's brother. He looked almost exactly like the photo. Apart from his eyebrows and eyes, he didn't resemble Cheng Xun in any other way.
"Isn't this your friend's cat? Did you steal it?" Cheng Xun looked at the orange cat struggling to jump down from Cheng Ting's hands, and was then soothed by Cheng Ting's gentle stroking of its soft fur.
Cheng Ting didn't answer, but instead curiously turned her gaze to the girl standing next to Cheng Xun who looked docile. She hadn't clearly stated on the phone that it was a female classmate. When did Cheng Xun become so obedient? Usually, if you tell him to go east, he'll go west. This time, if you ask him to bring a classmate home, he actually brings her home.
"Can you please stop staring at my classmate's face?" Cheng Xun showed no mercy and didn't know how to be respectful to his brother. He resisted the urge to stand in front of Song Qiuxuan.
Cheng Ting glanced at Cheng Xun, then greeted Song Qiuxuan cheerfully: "You're Cheng Xun's classmate? Let's get acquainted. I'm his brother, Cheng Ting. What's your name?"
Cheng Xun spoke first: "Song Qiuxuan, Qiu as in autumn, Xuan as in the sun radical."
Song Qiuxuan awkwardly tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. After Cheng Xun introduced herself, she politely replied, "Yes, my name is Song Qiuxuan."
Cheng Ting gave a warm smile. The cat, which had been lying in his arms, jumped down, raised its long tail, and circled around behind the flower bed. Cheng Ting looked at it helplessly, wanting to chase after it, but then stopped and turned back.
Cheng Ting treated Song Qiuxuan with the same care and friendliness one would show a guest, saying, "Song, you and Cheng Xun go upstairs first. I'm going to catch that naughty cat. I fed it some cat treats over there earlier, and it was so happy eating them that it thought there were more." He shook his head, "It's so greedy."
When visiting someone else's home, one should always be polite and courteous. Song Qiuxuan smiled gently and nodded obediently, "Okay."
Perhaps because Cheng Ting gave off a gentle and harmless vibe, she relaxed completely and said naturally, "That orange cat is so cute. Its fur looks so soft. You can tell its owner takes good care of it."
“My friend loves cats the most. If he hadn’t gone on vacation, he really wouldn’t have let me keep him.” Cheng Ting always raised his lips slightly when he spoke to people. He said with great pleasure, “If you like it, I’ll let you pet it to your heart’s content later.”
Is this orange cat not afraid of strangers?
"Don't be afraid at all. If you feed it something, it will keep bothering you and can circle around your legs ten times. It's the biggest foodie in the cat world."
Seeing the scene before him, Cheng Xun, whose presence had somehow become very faint, slightly curled his lips, a hint of sarcasm in them. He tightened his grip on the bag, making the veins on his arm stand out clearly. Cheng Xun regretted bringing Song Qiuxuan home. He knew perfectly well how likable his brother's personality was; neighbors couldn't help but chat with him whenever they met. If Song Qiuxuan met Cheng Ting, would she think Cheng Xun's personality was terrible in comparison?
In a corner unseen by them, Cheng Xun's brows and eyes were shrouded in melancholy, and she looked sad and heartbroken, as if she had been let down by someone.
"Song Qiuxuan, let's go." After calming down, Cheng Xun's melancholy expression disappeared. He went up and tugged at the girl's denim jacket. He wouldn't normally make any physical advances, but now it seemed like he was trying to prove something. However, his action made it seem like he and Song Qiuxuan had a very good and close relationship.
Cheng Ting paused for a moment, smiled knowingly, and turned to look for the cat.
While riding the elevator, Song Qiuxuan noticed a strange change in Cheng Xun's mood. He seemed to have suddenly lost interest. She couldn't figure out why Cheng Xun, who had seemed to be in a great mood the whole way, would change like this. He had been chatting with his brother downstairs and was even arguing with him energetically.
Just when Song Qiuxuan thought the elevator would remain quiet, Cheng Xun suddenly spoke up, his tone calm, as if asking the simplest question: "My brother and I have very different personalities, don't we?"
Song Qiuxuan didn't think there was anything wrong with their different personalities. One was outgoing and cheerful, while the other was introverted but also had a delicate side. She nodded slightly: "Yes, they are quite different."
She looked at Cheng Xun, whose expression remained unchanged after she finished speaking. She thought that perhaps many people had made similar comments, so he was used to it.
Upon entering Cheng Xun's home, Song Qiuxuan saw a girl lying on the sofa, playing a single-player game on her phone with the music turned up very loud. On the coffee table next to her was a completed jigsaw puzzle and a half-finished glass of milk.
When Cheng Ying heard the door open, she looked up from her phone and saw Cheng Xun first. She sat up a little straighter and called out, "Second Brother."
"Playing games on my phone again?" Cheng Xun walked over, picked up the puzzle and put it on the cabinet against the wall before placing the food and drinks on the table. He took the mung bean ice from the bag and placed it in front of Cheng Ying.
“I asked my parents, and they said you have two cell phones, and you can give me one of them.”
"Why are they asking me about my phone? Shouldn't they be asking for my opinion?"
Cheng Ying ignored Cheng Xun's words. Her attention was drawn to the older sister who had treated her to ice cream in the park, and her joy became visibly apparent. "Sister."
Cheng Ying acted as if she were on her own turf at home, completely losing the shyness she had shown in the park. She stood up and pulled Song Qiuxuan to sit on the sofa.
Song Qiuxuan placed her hands on the edge of the sofa and smiled, "Long time no see, Cheng Ying."
Cheng Xun stood to the side, opened the barbecue packaging bag, took out the meat skewers, and handed them to Song Qiuxuan. Song Qiuxuan thanked her and took them. She first asked Cheng Ying if she wanted to eat.
Cheng Ying shook her head while drinking her mung bean ice through a straw. Cheng Xun looked at her knowingly and said, "She doesn't like barbecue, so you don't need to worry about her."
Just then, with a "click," the door opened, and Cheng Ting returned carrying the cat.
"Big brother, you're back! Come over and have some late-night snacks." Cheng Ying waved, her other hand reaching for the egg waffles she'd been craving.
Cheng Ting put down the orange cat, went to the kitchen to wash her hands, and just as she stepped out of the kitchen, she saw Cheng Xun glance in her direction, then calmly sit down on the sofa. Cheng Ting smiled silently, as if she had seen through something.
Cheng Xun sat next to his classmate, while Cheng Ting had to sit on a single sofa.
Cheng Xun handed Song Qiuxuan another skewer of barbecue. Before he could even sit down on the sofa, Cheng Ying said she wanted to switch seats with him.
Cheng Xun frowned slightly and glanced at her sideways. Cheng Ying's eyes shrank back slightly, and she muttered, "Fine, I won't change it then, but how can I chat with my sister with you in between?"
Cheng Xun leaned back lazily on the sofa, took a bite of a skewer, and casually asked, "Why can't we talk through me? Is your voice too soft to carry? I can usually hear your shrill screams after you win a game, even from my bedroom."
"Second brother, you..." Cheng Ying didn't expect him to accuse her at this moment, and she felt a little wronged. She subconsciously looked at Cheng Ting, who would stand up for her.
Cheng Ting immediately spoke up: "Cheng Xun, you should say less things that are bad for your sister."
Cheng Xun, unrepentant, added, "I was just telling the truth."
Song Qiuxuan ate her barbecue in silence, watching them chatter away. The living room was far more lively than her own home.
Song Qiuxuan put down the skewer and nudged Cheng Xun's arm. "Shall we switch places?"
Cheng Xun hesitated for a few seconds, looked at Song Qiuxuan's face, and finally stood up.
Cheng Ying smiled smugly, but she only grinned without making a sound.
Song Qiuxuan was unaware that Cheng Ying was talking so much in her own home. She asked many questions out of curiosity, such as how Song Qiuxuan was going home with her brother that night, how they became friends, and even lowered her voice to say that her brother had a bad temper and that being his friend meant she would have to put up with his temper.
After finishing their barbecue, Cheng Ting got up to clean up the mess on the table. Song Qiuxuan felt embarrassed to see her so busy. At home, she would also take the initiative to do housework, so she instinctively went over to help clean up.
"You can just sit down." Cheng Xun gently pressed Song Qiuxuan's shoulder, helping her sit down. He was unusually considerate, standing up to get a trash bag.
"Sister Qiuxuan, let me show you my photo album." Cheng Ying held a thick photo album, sat down next to Song Qiuxuan, and opened the album from the back to show the photos.
The newly added photos are from Cheng Ying's birthday celebration a while ago. She is bowing her head and making a wish in front of the cake. Her face is covered in cream, making her look like a little kitten. One after another, the vivid and lovely photos come into view.
In the set of photos taken on Cheng Ying's birthday, there are several group photos with only three people in them. Pointing to the photos, she explained, "At that time, my older brother was studying at a university in another city, so it was just me and my parents."
Song Qiuxuan waited for a while, but didn't hear Cheng Ying mention Cheng Xun. Her gaze fell on the photo with a warm atmosphere, and she asked, "Where's Cheng Xun?"
He's a boarding student and always goes home at night, so there's no way he'd miss his birthday.
Cheng Ying said, "My second brother doesn't like taking pictures."
It's supposed to be Cheng Ying's photo album, but it actually contains many family photos, though Cheng Xun is almost never in them.
This time, Song Qiuxuan didn't ask. Cheng Ying pointed to the group photos and explained, "These were taken by my second brother."
Song Qiuxuan slowly looked up and saw a tall, thin figure in the kitchen. He was wearing a loose white short-sleeved shirt. Cheng Xun had finished cleaning up the trash, tied it in a knot, and placed it in the entryway. He was currently bending over to wash his hands in the kitchen.
Song Qiuxuan pursed her lips and lowered her head. She didn't voice her doubts. Why did Cheng Xun have to take the group photo? Couldn't they have asked a neighbor to help take a family photo? Was it just because he didn't like taking pictures?
Song Qiuxuan felt a mix of emotions, as if a wad of cotton wool was blocking her heart.
Because Song Qiuxuan is an only child, she is always surrounded by people in the middle of all the family photos, as if she is surrounded by happiness and always smiling happily. She feels that the photos are of great commemorative significance. Every time she looks at them, she feels emotional and thinks, "Oh, so that's what I looked like back then."
*
Cheng Ting is someone who can chat with anyone. Tonight, he tried to find topics to talk about with Song Qiuxuan, but was repeatedly interrupted rudely by Cheng Xun. He was so angry at Cheng Xun that he almost laughed.
Seeing Song Qiuxuan playing with the cat, Cheng Ting took a cat treat, walked over, squatted down, and handed it to her, saying, "Feed it this, and it'll let you pet it as much as you want."
"Thank you..." Song Qiuxuan reached out and took the cat treat, but before she could finish speaking, she was interrupted by Cheng Xun, who seemed to be casually leaning over.
"Give me one too, I really like cats, and I want to see if it's true what you say about being able to pet them freely after feeding them." Cheng Xun stood like a wall between Cheng Ting and Song Qiuxuan, holding out his palm to Cheng Ting, his chin slightly raised, and a sly glint in his eyes.
Cheng Ting's lips twitched speechlessly. She raised her hand to brush his hand away, turned around and walked away. "Xiao Ju can't eat too much tonight."
Cheng Xun watched Cheng Ting's retreating figure, casually uttered an "oh," pressed down her upturned lips, and then joined Song Qiuxuan in feeding the cat.
Cheng Xun half-squatted down and gently stroked the orange cat with his pale hand. As expected, the cat became incredibly obedient when it was fed, even tilting its head back to cooperate.
Cheng Xun turned his head to look at Song Qiuxuan and said, "I'll take you home after I feed the cat."
"Hmm." Song Qiuxuan's attention was entirely on the orange cat, so she gave a perfunctory reply.
By the time we left the residential area, it was almost eleven o'clock.
Standing by the roadside waiting for a taxi, Song Qiuxuan shivered slightly from the night wind. Looking at Cheng Xun, who was still only wearing short sleeves, she asked softly, "Aren't you cold?"
Cheng Xun shook his head, his hair whipping wildly in the wind. "I'm not cold." He then noticed Song Qiuxuan's hands tucked under her sleeves and couldn't help but ask, "Are you cold?"
"Yes, autumn has truly arrived."
Cheng Xun glanced at the ride-hailing app; the car wouldn't arrive for several more minutes. As if he had made up his mind, he said, "Shall I go upstairs and get you a coat?"
Song Qiuxuan immediately refused: "No need, the car will be here soon, it won't be cold once we get in."
Song Qiuxuan's gaze fell on Cheng Xun, and the wind made her nose sting. Cheng Xun always spoke words of concern in a nonchalant tone, giving people the illusion that he was just saying it casually and could not be taken seriously, but in fact, he always did what he said.
"Cheng Xun, don't you like taking pictures?" Song Qiuxuan asked him, as if she wanted to verify something.
This question was completely unexpected and caught Cheng Xun off guard. His mind raced as he tried to figure out her motives for asking it.
After a moment of silence, Cheng Xun seemed to have found a clue and thought of today's music festival. At that time, Song Qiuxuan pointed the camera at him, so at this moment she was trying to test whether he minded.
Thinking of this, Cheng Xun lowered his eyelashes and carefully organized his words, because if he didn't answer well, it would affect whether Song Qiuxuan would still point the camera at him in the future. Some things are precious because they are scarce, and Cheng Xun obviously wanted to hold onto something precious.
"I like it." Cheng Xun finally decided to express it openly.
Under the streetlights, Song Qiuxuan's eyes became unfocused, as if she had lost her bearings. She nodded blankly, "I understand."
*
At midnight, Cheng Xun finished showering. A drop of water kept slipping from his short, still-dry hair. He ignored it and instead looked somewhat anxious as he pulled a blank book with a blue cover from the bookshelf.
Cheng Xun laid the notebook out on the desk, pulled out a chair and sat down. He turned to a blank, brand-new page, the front of which was a scribble he had done casually when he had nothing else to do.
In the stillness of the night, Cheng Xun picked up a pencil and kept recalling the events of the evening. Fortunately, not long afterward, Song Qiuxuan's image was still clearly visible in his mind.
Something flashed through Cheng Xun's mind, and the corners of her usually straight lips lifted slightly upwards.
Only the desk lamp on the table was lit in the bedroom. Cheng Xun kept his head down, and in the quiet night, the pen tip made a rustling sound as it scratched across the paper.
His shadow was cast on the wall, his expression even more focused and serious than when he was sitting in the exam hall writing math problems during the monthly exam. His emotions were calm, but his heart seemed to be pounding wildly. He sketched the outline of a girl, her clothes, and her joyful expression on the blank space.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
