The appearance of Yu Lingling made Lin Lan realize that winter vacation had arrived. Every year at this time, the Yu family would pack up and head home for the New Year with loads of holiday goods. Due to the various inconveniences of the journey, the free-range chicken... ahem, the cockatoo they kept at home would be sent to their landlord, the old Lin family, for temporary fostering.
For a short period of seven days or up to ten days, they would basically return to West City by the third day of the Lunar New Year at the latest to pick the bird back up. Of course, as a token of thanks, the Yu family would also bring quite a few local New Year specialties for the Lin family.
It's just that the Lin family, being locals who don't need to travel far to visit relatives, have already taken in this familiar bird for six consecutive years... oh, counting this year, it's about to become the seventh time.
"I don't mind taking it in, but are you sure it's okay?" Lin Lan pointed at the cats in the teahouse. "My family is fostering almost twenty cats now. Isn't Aunt Yu worried something might happen to Little Kui among all those cats?"
"Not worried at all!" The middle schooler replied without hesitation. "My mom bought Little Kui a new big cage last month. It has food, water, and space to move around inside. It's safe even among the cats!"
Lin Lan: "..." So that's it. Aunt Yu had already prepared well in advance when her shop was still under renovation.
"Our family will probably stay in our hometown for about eight days this time. Water and food are already prepared. We can just carry the cage over to your place when it's time." As the oldest tenant in this building, Yu Lingling was truly born and raised here. Her familiarity with Lin Lan, who shared the same background, went without saying, so she spoke very casually and freely. "Sister Lanlan, what would you like to eat this time? We'll bring it back from our hometown. Smoked chicken or ham? Or maybe dried bamboo shoots or bamboo fungus?"
"Anything is fine." Lin Lan smiled. "Whatever is convenient for you to bring. They're all delicious anyway."
"Then ham it is." The middle schooler made the decision herself. "Last year when we went back, I was already thinking about those big hams Grandpa made. Grandpa always said they needed another year before they were ready to eat. We should finally get to have them this time, right?" As if recalling the delicious flavor of the ham, the little girl unconsciously swallowed.
"The New Year hasn't even come yet and you're already thinking about those big dishes?" Lin Lan patted her head, amused, and handed her a cat treat stick. "Go play."
"Thanks, Sister Lanlan!" Having successfully delivered the message and received permission to pet the cats, the girl ran off with a laugh, turning to go play with the cats.
There were still three days before Little Kui would be brought over for fostering. Before that, on Wednesday, Tang Xiaoya, who had rented the apartment, arrived in a van. Along with her was the driver who also doubled as the moving helper. The two of them together hauled all those big and small bags up to the second floor.
Compared to the moving scene of Miss Wang the other day, Tang's move was completely small potatoes, not even on the same level.
This girl was efficient and capable. Lin Lan, who wanted to lend a hand, found no opportunity to intervene during the whole process and had to return to the teahouse.
Back in the main hall, she caught sight of the Maine Coon stretched out on the large cat tree grooming its paws and couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips.
Tang Xiaoya, who had specifically taken time off for the move, busied herself in the newly rented room for most of the day, finally getting everything tidied and organized.
After collapsing on the freshly made bed to rest for a bit, she hurried downstairs without delay and dashed into the cat teahouse below.
"Boss, I'm here!" The part-timer declared that even if there were only two hours of work time left, nothing could stop her from putting on the teahouse apron and getting to work.
Lin Lan quickly stopped her: "Moving by yourself is tiring enough. Don't work anymore, go sit and rest." After saying that, she even made her a cup of fruit tea and brought it over.
Receiving such consideration, Tang Xiaoya was first taken aback, then she grinned: "Thanks, Boss." Holding the tempting, colorful glass, she took a sip of the sweet, warm fruit tea, her face turning slightly red. "Then I'll go play with Mercury."
"Go ahead, go ahead." Lin Lan waved her off.
When Tang Xiaoya went to play with the Maine Coon, Mercury no longer rejected her. In this teahouse, besides Lin Lan, she was the one who took the most meticulous care of it, often grooming its long fur, including cleaning things that accidentally got on its bottom when using the litter box. Aside from Lin Lan, only she would help clean it up without any sign of disgust.
So...
"Mercury, I'm here!" When the other party lifted it from the cat tree and directly hugged it to her chest, nuzzling back and forth, Mercury had long since lost its initial desire to struggle, letting her have her way with all the petting.
After all, it was a Maine Coon with a gentle temperament. Although it had suffered at its previous owner's hands and been abandoned, during its time at the teahouse, it had been treated kindly by Lin Lan, with whom it could freely communicate, influenced by so many affectionate feline companions around it, and felt Tang Xiaoya's care and affection for it. Mercury had actually already accepted humans again.
However, it still held a fear of going home with a human again. This big cat, who had originally stayed here "working to pay off its debt" reluctantly, now clearly preferred life at the teahouse. For Tang Xiaoya to make the big cat willing to go home with her would still require some more time.
But the person in question, who had already moved in, said she wasn't in a hurry at all. From now on, she could not only come to see it on weekends, but also go upstairs to play with it whenever she had time after work each day. She wasn't afraid she couldn't win the big cat's heart back.
While Tang and Mercury were having a good time, not far away, Wang Jiayi, sitting on the fabric-covered dining chair, was holding the Chinchilla cat and glanced over a few times before wrinkling her nose, giving a light hum, and looking away.
The young lady remembered that this was the person who had confronted her. The memory of her speaking without any courtesy was still vivid, so of course she couldn't like her.
"Be good, Silver. We won't play with her." She stroked the kitten in her arms, raising her slender neck very proudly, then tapped on the tablet propped on the table and started watching videos again.
The videos were connected to headphones, so there was no worry about disturbing other customers. The young lady was currently in a state of running away from home and spent most of her time at the teahouse. The fundamental reason she hadn't gotten bored after so long was that besides the cats, she had other ways to pass the time.
Lin Lan initially thought she was watching some TV drama or variety show, but every time she passed by, she saw it was some foreign teacher's lecture videos, with subtitles in pure English. The young lady, noticing her curiosity, even proactively mentioned that these were teaching videos from a prestigious foreign university, obtained through family connections, and she could send a copy to Lin Lan if she was interested.
Lin Lan, who graduated from university several years ago and had already returned most of her knowledge to her teachers: "..." Thank you, but such expensive (profound) video courses were better skipped. She was just a lazy bum who had lost her drive and only knew how to pet cats.
Unexpectedly, besides the initial impression of naivety and willfulness, the young lady also had a hidden attribute of being a top student. Everyone in the teahouse immediately viewed her quite differently. Indeed, no matter their personality, children from wealthy families definitely had their abilities cultivated to a high standard with ample resources.
Lin Lan, with a mix of complicated emotions, also cast a complicated look at the Persian cat she always kept close. The thought that Silver, this silly cat, might very well become the pet of a scholarly young lady in the future made her want to sigh at the unpredictability of a cat's life.
The young lady remained completely unaware, acting as she always did. As the shop was about to close, she very properly packed her things, said goodbye to the shop owner and the little cat, and left directly.
Compared to spending the winter alone and cooped up at home, Wang Jiayi still preferred the lively atmosphere of the tea house with its people and cats.
Treading in her handmade custom leather boots, the young lady, with her satchel on her back, walked towards the stairwell. After climbing for a bit, she felt something was off. Looking back, she saw the tea house part-timer she disliked following behind.
"What are you looking at? It's not like you're the only one living in this building," Tang Xiaoya said bluntly. "If you're not moving, then get out of the way."
"Hmph." Wang Jiayi pursed her lips, let out another soft hum, and continued walking forward, her steps slightly quicker. She even deliberately shifted more towards the middle of the stairs.
Such a child. Tang Xiaoya secretly sneered from behind.
The two of them reached the second floor one after the other. Wang Jiayi thought the annoying person behind her would continue upwards, but to her surprise, not only did she also turn onto the second floor, but she was also walking down the same hallway. Wang Jiayi was instantly displeased.
Tang Xiaoya behind her was even more surprised. Although she had known this young lady also rented here, she never imagined they would live on the same floor.
"Why are you following me?!" the other girl glared at her angrily.
Tang Xiaoya was so angry she laughed upon hearing this. "Who's following you?" With that, she pulled a key from her pocket and walked towards the door of the apartment at the very end of the hallway. "Is it not possible that I'm the new tenant who just moved in today?"
Then, opening the door, entering, and closing it again was done in one smooth motion. The sound of the door slamming made Wang Jiayi, still standing in place, flinch. Coming back to her senses, she looked even angrier.
So annoying, I've got a horrible new neighbor.
Both girls had the exact same thought at that moment.
Lin Lan knew nothing about the little friction between the two tenant girls in the building. After closing the shop and returning home, she was sitting on a heating pad in her living room with a group of cats, warming herself while exchanging messages on her phone with Cheng Fengyang.
After three days of rest, his eye was almost completely healed, though it still looked a bit swollen from the outside. On his phone, he was still complaining to Lin Lan.
[Cheng Fengyang]: It'll take another two days for me to fully recover. And because of this, do you know what my dad said about me?
[Lin Lan]: What did he say?
[Cheng Fengyang]: He said that because they have to wait for me, the family's trip back to our hometown, originally scheduled for tomorrow, has been pushed back again. He said I'm seriously holding the family back!
Lin Lan chuckled. His message wasn't finished, another text bubble popped up.
[Cheng Fengyang]: But really, what's the point of going back to the hometown so early anyway? It's nothing more than meeting up with uncles and relatives we don't see often to play cards and mahjong all night, then waiting around to be called for meals during the day. There's nothing much over there in the hometown. It's just changing locations to play on our phones. It's so unoriginal.
The phrase "changing locations to play on our phones" really made her laugh. Lin Lan, also pursing her lips, typed out a message.
[Lin Lan]: Isn't that just how Chinese New Year is nowadays? To be honest, it's not as fun as when we were kids, but that's not the New Year's fault. It's the fault of us growing up.
When we were little, we hadn't seen much of the world, so everything felt new and fun. As adults, everything seems boring, uninteresting, or something we've already done before. In the end, when we go back to our hometowns, everyone just slouches around playing on their phones... Huh, why do we never get tired of playing with our phones? That's a good question.
[Cheng Fengyang]: Thinking about it makes me so mad! I had planned to help out at your shop all these days before going back to the hometown!
[Lin Lan]: Don't be silly. Your eyes are more important, okay? You're not allowed to show up in front of me until your eyes are fully healed.
She was focused on sending messages, the corners of her mouth consistently curled up in a smile. She didn't even notice that three cats were already lying on her crossed legs, with another half-circle of them leaning against her sides.
Some of the more mischievous ones were even stretching out their little paws, trying to reach the tassel pendant attached to Lin Lan's phone case.
Just as Wang Xiuzhi came out of the kitchen to call everyone for dinner, she saw the scene of her daughter being completely surrounded and occupied by that group of fluffy "steamed buns," while her daughter herself remained oblivious, engrossed in her phone.
I never noticed before that my daughter had such a way with cats?
The mother wondered in her mind, but still called out with a mix of amusement and exasperation, "Dinner's ready! Are you feeding the cats or serving the food on the table?"
"Ah, coming!" Snapped back to attention by her mother's call, Lin Lan quickly sent another message saying she was going offline for dinner, then hurriedly tried to get up. "I'll feed the cats first, then help you serve the food and set the table in a bit!"
It was only upon standing up that she realized the kittens had all crowded onto her at some point. Her movement caused many of the cats to start meowing.
"Alright, settle down. It's almost time to eat."
With that one sentence, the previously chaotic and noisy cat group quickly quieted down. By the time Lin Lan came over carrying a stack of cat bowls, they had even lined up, each with their tail held straight up.
