Chapter 19: Meow
Jing Zhi knew Jiang Suifeng must have misunderstood something. He opened his mouth, about to explain, when the little cub in his arms spoke first: “Papa!”
His little head tilted up slightly, his amber eyes looking straight at the person standing by the bed, his voice filled with undisguised surprise.
Jiang Suifeng was stunned. Although this form of address sounded incredibly jarring to him, strangely, at this moment, he didn’t feel repulsed.
The little cub’s eyes were clear and passionate, staring straight at him, like a small animal that would pounce and act coquettishly in the next second.
And this “Papa”…
Jing Zhi’s subsequent voice confirmed the guess in his heart: “Don’t you think he looks a bit like you too?”
Jiang Suifeng felt a buzz in his head, blood rushing up, his heart pounding uncontrollably in his chest. His lips parted slightly, but no sound came out of his throat.
This “Papa” was indeed addressed to him.
What’s going on?
Although he found it somewhat absurd, Jiang Suifeng’s emotions inexplicably calmed down. After all, it was much better for the little cub to call him Papa than to call anyone else.
And Jing Zhi’s words did remind him that this little guy not only looked a bit like Jing Zhi but also a bit like him. However, he was too young and hadn’t grown into his features yet, so it wasn’t particularly obvious.
Jiang Suifeng’s lips moved, and he blurted out, “Is this a cub born from our technology? How was he born?”
Jing Zhi: “…”
Suddenly switching from the paranormal channel to the science channel made it even weirder.
Jing Zhi retorted, “Do you think I could create such a big cub for you in half a month?”
Obviously impossible. This little cub looked at least three or four years old.
Three or four years ago, Jing Zhi was only twenty-four or twenty-five. He was even extra careful raising a kitten, afraid of lacking experience and not raising it well. How could he have started making a cub at that time?
Jiang Suifeng couldn’t figure it out at all and asked, “What exactly is going on? Adopted?”
He could only think that Jing Zhi met a little cub who looked somewhat similar to both of them, felt destined, and wanted to adopt him.
But if that were the case, he wouldn’t have been so firm about breaking up on the phone last night.
Jing Zhi stopped beating around the bush and confessed the little guy’s identity directly: “He is Mimi.”
Jiang Suifeng was stunned again, as if a powerful electric current ran through his body, making even his nerve endings tremble.
He knew these words individually, but put together, he didn’t recognize them anymore.
Jing Mimi originally wanted to pounce directly. He missed Big Papa so much; he hadn’t seen Big Papa for a long, long time.
But he sensed the atmosphere between Little Papa and Big Papa was a bit subtle. Big Papa didn’t believe he was the kitten Mimi yet, so he chose to nestle in Little Papa’s arms and observe for a while longer.
Jing Zhi didn’t explain further.
For this kind of thing, believe it or not. If Jiang Suifeng insisted that he had mental problems like Fang Yuan, he couldn’t influence their thoughts.
But he felt Jiang Suifeng’s situation was different from Fang Yuan’s. After all, he had lived with the kitten Mimi day and night for so many years. As long as he interacted with the little human Mimi for a while, he would definitely feel the connection between them.
After a long while, Jiang Suifeng’s expression finally changed. He bent down slightly, leaned closer to the little cub in Jing Zhi’s arms, and asked him, “Are you really Mimi?”
Jing Mimi remembered the Cat God’s words, and his body was also restricted, so naturally, he couldn’t answer. He pursed his lips, his fingers tightening around the phone.
Jing Zhi knew this well and sensed the tension of the little cub in his arms. He explained for him, “He can’t answer these questions. Don’t make it difficult for him.”
Hearing this, Jiang Suifeng shifted his gaze upward and met the eyes of the person he had been longing for day and night.
Jing Zhi had a pair of long, narrow fox eyes, very alluring, especially when he occasionally wore low-prescription glasses at home. But his personality was on the cold side. When he was expressionless and silent, he felt very distant.
Only Jiang Suifeng knew how beautiful these eyes could be.
But at this moment, he couldn’t see the deeper emotions behind these eyes.
Actually, his subconscious first reaction was: The blow from Mimi’s departure was too great, and Jing Zhi has developed some mental problems.
It was indeed too absurd.
How could this little cub be the kitten Mimi?
But feeling was an elusive thing. Even though he thought it was absurd, his feelings told him it was reasonable.
Being stared at by round amber eyes, being called Papa by a soft voice, substituting a certain kitten into the picture felt completely natural.
In the past, when a certain kitten rubbed against his leg with its tail held high, meowing twice, he would also say excitedly to Jing Zhi, “Mimi is calling Papa.”
“How did you meet him?” Jiang Suifeng began to verify.
Even if it was absurd, he didn’t want to label Jing Zhi as mentally unstable casually.
Jing Zhi immediately recounted the process of finding the little cub concisely.
While listening, Jiang Suifeng pinched the little cub’s cheeks and small hands in Jing Zhi’s arms.
Soft.
He had always liked children, but he had no obsession with having a child of his own. He once thought that if Jing Zhi was willing, they could adopt a child from the welfare institute together.
But it was just a thought. After all, they weren’t a male-female household, and they inevitably worried that the adopted child would face malice from the outside world because of having two fathers.
Later, they had Mimi, their cat-child.
That was a very, very happy time. Occasional arguments were just catalysts for stabilizing their relationship.
If possible, he really hoped this little guy was Mimi.
Even the thought “Even if he isn’t Mimi, as long as Jing Zhi believes it, I’m willing to believe it too” sprouted in his mind.
Just a psychological comfort.
A needed psychological comfort.
Being pinched on the face and small hands, Jing Mimi couldn’t hold back anymore and threw himself directly into Jiang Suifeng’s arms.
Big Papa was stronger and had broader shoulders. The kitten Mimi used to love climbing onto his shoulders along the back of the sofa when he was sitting, stepping on him with paws and rubbing his face against him.
Sometimes when going out, Big Papa would also carry the kitten Mimi on his shoulders. Big Papa’s shoulders were wide, offering an excellent view and a full sense of security.
Listening to Little Papa recounting his previous “abnormal” behaviors, Jing Mimi suddenly had an idea.
Although he couldn’t personally admit he was the kitten Mimi, he could do some actions familiar to his papas.
Like sticking his little bottom up, burying litter with small hands, mimicking cat meows, etc.
He also had to work hard to make Big Papa believe he was their kitten Mimi!
He wasn’t a dumb kitten; his little brain was very clever.
Action followed thought.
Jing Zhi cleverly glossed over his stomach illness hospitalization. Just as he was talking about being discharged and preparing to go to the welfare institute, he saw Mimi, nestled in Jiang Suifeng’s arms, suddenly stand up and climb onto Jiang Suifeng’s back. His voice paused involuntarily.
Jiang Suifeng was also stunned. Soon, the little cub climbed onto his shoulder.
…
When Bai Ying returned with lunch, she saw a tall stranger carrying Mimi on his shoulders, wandering around the ward.
Mimi was very happy—few children could refuse such a game.
Bai Ying used to have a child too. When the child was very young, her husband also used to carry him on his shoulders like this. But later, the child was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease that couldn’t be cured. Despite spending all their family fortune, the child still left this world.
She and her husband couldn’t quite walk out of that shadow and didn’t have any more children. For years, they had been working to pay off the debts incurred during the child’s treatment.
Last year, the debts were finally almost paid off. She quit her original job and came to work at the children’s welfare institute, wanting to do something for more pitiful children.
Watching this scene, Bai Ying suddenly felt her nose sour again.
Sensing her presence, the three people in the ward stopped their movements and looked towards her.
Bai Ying suddenly felt annoyed for breaking the warm atmosphere, but since it was done, she could only continue walking in and ask, “Who is this?”
Before Jiang Suifeng and Jing Mimi could answer, Jing Zhi rushed to explain, “My senior and roommate from university. He has something to discuss with me. He likes children very much.”
Jiang Suifeng: “…”
What a distant identity relationship.
However, if Jing Zhi didn’t want to confess their relationship in front of outsiders, he wouldn’t force it. Not everyone could accept homosexuality, especially older people, which might cause some trouble.
Moreover, Jing Zhi didn’t admit he was his boyfriend anymore and wanted to break up with him. He hadn’t coaxed him back yet.
“Oh, oh.” Bai Ying didn’t suspect anything. She wanted to put some of the lunch in her hand on the bedside table but found a bouquet of very beautiful pink Chinese roses occupying a lot of space.
Seeing this, Jing Zhi hurried to take the lunch from her hand.
Sitting on Jiang Suifeng’s shoulder, Jing Mimi blinked blankly.
Although he listened in confusion, he knew this wasn’t the way to introduce a lover. Remembering the memory fragments about their breakup, his small hands hugging Big Papa tightened unconsciously.
He was so happy to finally see Big Papa that he almost forgot the main business.
—He had to work hard to get Big Papa and Little Papa back together!
Just as he was brainstorming, Big Papa suddenly put him down from his shoulder.
Large palms supported his little bottom and back, placing him steadily by the hospital bed to sit.
His dangling short legs swung casually, still savoring the wonderful feeling of being carried around on Papa’s shoulder just now.
Jing Zhi opened the lunch and handed a portion to Jiang Suifeng. “You feed Mimi… Senior.”
Although he added “Senior” as a patch because he was afraid Bai Ying would think he ordered Jiang Suifeng around too familiarly, hearing it in Jiang Suifeng’s ears made his heart flutter inexplicably.
Jing Zhi hadn’t called him by this title for a long time.
Jing Zhi didn’t know what Jiang Suifeng was thinking. Asking him to feed Mimi was also to let him interact more with Mimi.
It was obvious that although Jiang Suifeng listened seriously to his story and carried Mimi on his shoulder for a few laps around the ward, he didn’t fully believe Mimi was their kitten.
Although it was up to him to believe or not, out of selfishness, Jing Zhi still hoped he would believe. After all, they were Mimi’s only two parents. For the kitten Mimi, it would be too sad if even Papa couldn’t recognize him.
And Mimi missed Jiang Suifeng very much. Now that they finally met, letting him feed Mimi would definitely make Mimi very happy.
Jing Zhi specially asked Bai Ying to buy a small portion of apple puree. Cooked apples helped treat diarrhea.
Jiang Suifeng feeding the little cub was very different from Jing Zhi feeding him.
Jing Zhi just scooped with a spoon, blew on it to cool it down, handed it over, waited for him to swallow, and then scooped another spoonful, remaining silent throughout the process. Jiang Suifeng, on the other hand, was very skilled at praising while feeding.
“Great job, have another bite of vegetables, okay?”
“Oh my, not picky at all, what a good child.”
“Eat full, grow tall, body healthier.”
…
Jing Mimi ate until his cheeks bulged, wishing he could devour another basin of rice under the praise.
Unfortunately, he was small, had a small appetite, and the lunch prepared for him was small. He finished it in no time, was full, and even let out a small burp.
Jing Zhi watching all of this: “…”
He only knew Jiang Suifeng was good with children, but he didn’t expect his parenting experience to be so rich.
However, Mimi wasn’t a picky eater and was always obedient when eating. Jiang Suifeng actually didn’t need to use these child-coaxing methods.
But seeing Mimi being coaxed so happily, Jing Zhi didn’t say anything and continued to bury his head in finishing the lunch in his own box.
Because of Bai Ying’s presence, the two tacitly didn’t continue the previous topic.
Actually, almost everything had been said.
He asked Jiang Suifeng to meet just to let Mimi see him and tell him the experience of finding Mimi. He had the right to know.
If not for Mimi, they wouldn’t have met today.
Now that the goal was achieved, Jiang Suifeng should leave.
If he wanted to see Mimi in the future, he could come to the welfare institute anytime. Before Mimi was adopted.
After eating his fill, Jing Mimi patted his little tummy, looked at Jiang Suifeng again, and asked, “Big Papa, aren’t you eating?”
Bai Ying’s confused gaze fell over instantly.
Big Papa?
What kind of title is this again?
Actually, it was strange enough for Mimi to call Jing Zhi Papa. After all, they had no blood relation and hadn’t established an adoption relationship yet.
However, Jing Zhi was undeniably good to Mimi. If Mimi’s family couldn’t be found within the notice period, Jing Zhi might really become Mimi’s father. She had gradually gotten used to their interaction mode.
Jing Zhi sensed Bai Ying’s gaze and was about to say something to cover it up, like Mimi liked to call people who were good to him Papa, just like he suddenly called him Papa back then. But then he heard Jing Mimi speak again: “Not eating will make your stomach hurt. Little Papa’s stomach hurt before, and getting needles in his hand hurt a lot.”
Jing Zhi: “…”
Jiang Suifeng’s eyes sharpened instantly, though his voice still sounded like a casual question: “Oh? When did that happen?”
Jing Mimi answered obediently: “Before going to the welfare institute, he even had a gastroscopy.”
Although he didn’t know what a gastroscopy was, he remembered the word.
Jiang Suifeng’s gaze fell instantly on Jing Zhi, wishing he could burn two holes in him.
In the story Jing Zhi told just now, there was no plot about him being hospitalized for stomach pain and having a gastroscopy.
Jing Zhi: “…”
Jing Zhi lowered his head even more, hastily shoveling a mouthful of food.
Really want to tell the cub to stop talking, but it’s completely exposed.
Jing Mimi naturally couldn’t hear the scream in Little Papa’s heart. Following his own little plan, he uttered the last sentence: “So you must eat properly. Let Little Papa take you to eat later. Here, this is the money I earned, buy yourselves something delicious.”
After saying that, he took out a one-yuan coin from his jacket pocket.
This one-yuan coin was exchanged for the small bell in the hospital back then. He had always treasured it and kept it on him, but never found a chance to go out and buy a gift. Now, buying delicious food for his papas was just right.
In the past, after his papas argued, Big Papa would buy lots of delicious food to coax Little Papa, and Little Papa would cook lots of delicious food after being coaxed. The kitten could also eat delicious hot cat meals.
And they would shut the kitten outside the door to have their couple time. After the couple time, they would really be reconciled as before.
He wanted to create couple time for his papas!
Jiang Suifeng’s heart softened into a mess.
Although he still maintained an observational attitude towards whether the little cub was the kitten Mimi and wasn’t completely sure, he roughly knew why Jing Zhi was so convinced.
Even if he wasn’t the kitten Mimi, just for these “Papas” and the clumsy but sincere concern and goodwill, he was willing to take care of him as his own child.
Jiang Suifeng cooperated fully, taking the one-yuan coin from the small palm, and rubbed his little head again. “Okay, when Little Papa finishes eating, we’ll use Mimi’s money to buy delicious food.”
Coincidentally, he wanted to ask Jing Zhi properly about the stomach pain, hospitalization, and gastroscopy.
Good cub, creating opportunities for Papa.
Jing Zhi, who was about to bury his face in the food: “…”
Cub, you’re pitting your dad.
***
Author’s Note:
Little Cat Mi (Takes out a huge sum of one yuan) (Cat head holding a rose) (Adjusts kindergarten uniform bow tie) (Sexy little milk voice): Take it, the kitten treats you to delicious food.
