Chapter 38: Meow
Jing Mimi woke up before Jing Zhi.
Seeing Papa still sleeping, he deliberately lightened his words and movements, afraid of waking him up.
Xu Sumei watched his sensible little appearance and couldn’t help but think of Jing Zhi when he was little.
At that time, her ex-husband’s disgusting deeds hadn’t been discovered by her, and the family seemed calm on the surface. Jing Zhi was her only child. She had taken care of him personally since birth, holding him in her palm afraid of dropping him, holding him in her mouth afraid of melting him. Although she spoiled him, she didn’t spoil him rotten.
Little Jing Zhi would proactively massage her shoulders when she was tired, give her a hug when she was unhappy, and bring home snacks rewarded by the teacher to share with her…
The small figure gradually merged with Mimi.
Jing Mimi poked the bag containing the fermented rice wine with his small hand and asked her in a whisper, “Grandma, what is this?”
Xu Sumei immediately opened the bag and explained to him in a whisper, “It’s fermented rice wine, very delicious. Taste it, Mimi.”
Jing Mimi nodded his little head expectantly.
As the bag was opened, a rich sweet wine aroma instantly diffused, very tempting.
This was fermented by Xu Sumei herself using distillers’ yeast and glutinous rice. She made some every winter, and the taste was much better than those bought on the market.
Lured by the aroma, Jing Mimi twitched his little nose like a cat, and saliva began to secrete uncontrollably in his mouth—the kitten was about to drool with greed.
Afraid Jing Zhi didn’t have a spoon here, Xu Sumei specially put a spoon in, so one could eat directly by scooping.
Under the expectant gaze of the little glutton, Xu Sumei brought the spoon with less than half a spoonful of fermented rice wine to his mouth.
Afraid he wouldn’t like it after tasting, she didn’t dare to scoop too much.
Jing Mimi couldn’t wait to take a bite, “ah-woo,” and then his eyes burst with sparkling light.
So sweet! So delicious!
Even better than Little Dragon Man candy!
Casting a sparkling gaze at Xu Sumei, Xu Sumei was stunned and immediately scooped a little more for him.
The little guy ate until his eyes narrowed into slits.
However, she didn’t dare to feed him too much. First, he had just woken up from a nap after lunch and hadn’t digested much. Second, although it was rice wine, it still had the word “wine” (alcohol). The little guy was young after all, so it was best not to eat too much.
After feeding, Xu Sumei put down the spoon and covered the lid of the fermented rice wine again.
Jing Mimi licked his lips, not having enough. Seeing his gluttonous look, Xu Sumei found it very endearing and coaxed him, “Wait until Papa wakes up later, then eat a little more with Papa.”
Jing Mimi nodded obediently. Such delicious food should be tasted by Papa too.
Xu Sumei left because she heard some noise outside and found that the teachers of the welfare institute were taking some children to pick plum blossoms planted in the yard. She originally wanted to take Mimi to join in the fun, but Mimi said he wanted to stay and wait for Papa to wake up, so she went by herself.
She liked plum blossoms, not only because her name had the character “Mei” (Plum), but also because in her childhood, a large plum tree was planted in the yard at home. As the youngest daughter, she also grew up being doted on.
Every time she saw plum blossoms, she would recall some beautiful memories. At that time, her parents were still alive.
She didn’t expect an accident to happen when she came back in a good mood with a plum branch.
If she had known this would happen, she would absolutely not have gone out to pick plum blossoms.
After Grandma left, Jing Mimi waited for Papa to wake up while staring eagerly at the box of fermented rice wine in a daze, his two small hands supporting his cheeks.
So delicious… want to eat more…
Thinking and thinking, the kitten was about to drool again.
Jing Mimi swallowed several times and finally couldn’t hold back anymore. He reached out his small hand and carefully opened the lid.
Mainly because there was a lot of fermented rice wine inside, even if he ate some more, there would be enough for Papa.
He was just… just tasting a few mouthfuls in advance, it didn’t matter.
One spoonful, two spoonfuls, three spoonfuls…
Ah-woo ah-woo, chew chew chew.
Too delicious!
While eating, Jing Mimi’s body began to heat up slowly, and his head began to feel dizzy. The images before his eyes appeared blurry and doubled, but he didn’t find it strange at all. Suddenly, he really wanted to… really wanted to—meow a few times.
Since becoming a little human and getting used to human language communication, he hadn’t spoken cat language for a long time.
Sometimes he also missed his former body as the kitten Mimi.
Could easily jump to high places, could purr and rub against Papa, could be groomed by Papa with a small comb all over his fur…
These were things the little human body couldn’t enjoy.
“Mi… Meow!” After his throat finally emitted a meow following his mind, Jing Mimi let himself go completely, thinking he had really turned back into the kitten Mimi, and meowed even more cheerfully.
Because of his experiences after becoming a little human, he learned to sing. Thinking of the melody hummed to coax him to sleep, he immediately imitated humming it with meows.
“Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow, meow meow meow meow meow meow…”
Thinking that Papa was still sleeping, he lowered his volume, meowing very quietly.
When Xu Sumei came back, she saw this scene, which scared her directly. The plum branch in her hand also fell to the ground.
Ignoring everything else, she rushed over quickly to check his condition.
It must be his first time eating fermented rice wine, and he ate too much, getting drunk. After all, he was such a young child.
“Meow meow.” Grandma.
Jing Mimi’s eyes were watery, rubbing against Grandma who suddenly appeared.
Xu Sumei immediately placed him properly on the chair, walked quickly to the bedside, and woke Jing Zhi up, leading to the scene after Jing Zhi woke up.
“Meow meow meow, meow meow meow, meow meow meow meow meow…” Jing Mimi arched in Papa’s arms and meow-sang the melody of “Jingle Bells” from not long ago.
Jing Zhi was both helpless and worried. He carried him to the bed, preparing to call the doctor in the welfare institute.
Generally speaking, getting drunk on fermented rice wine wouldn’t be a big problem; sleeping it off might be fine. Moreover, the little guy was so… um, lively. But it was better to be careful; checking it out would be reassuring.
As soon as he was laid on the bed, Jing Mimi turned over, sticking his little bottom up after a long time, still thinking there was a little tail that could stand high there.
“Meow meow!” Papa! Pet the kitten!
Jing Zhi was startled and had to continue comforting him while asking his mom to find someone to call the doctor.
Xu Sumei turned and left quickly, her steps hurried, accidentally stepping on the plum blossom branch that fell just now without noticing.
Jing Zhi had seen drunks.
Jiang Suifeng got drunk several times after social engagements.
Once he came back drunk and acted crazy, saying he was Mimi’s father, a big cat, crawling behind the kitten Mimi like a kitten, scaring the kitten into jumping onto the high cat climbing frame. He also wanted to eat cat food and cat treats. Finally, threatened by Jing Zhi to be taken for neutering if he didn’t sleep, he was forced to sleep obediently.
Once he came back drunk and insisted on Jing Zhi wearing the college uniform, saying he missed the feeling of campus romance, and wanted him to keep calling him “Senior.” Unfortunately, he couldn’t get hard after drinking and fell asleep whimpering aggrievedly in his arms.
Once he came back drunk and wanted to play Streamer X Fan roleplay with him. Scared by a horror game playthrough Jing Zhi casually opened, he lay straight on the bed honestly and fell asleep hugging him.
…
Every time there was a new identity.
But this was the first time he saw a little drunk cat.
Obviously, after getting drunk, Mimi mistook himself for the former kitten Mimi and substituted into the kitten’s identity.
Although everything could be blamed on alcohol, saying Mimi liked kittens too much and was imitating a kitten after getting drunk, Jing Zhi still wanted to help cover up his kitten vest a little.
He tried rubbing the little guy’s head, scratching his chin, and patting his little bottom, but the little human body was different from a kitten after all. These actions would make a kitten feel comfortable and happy, but a little human didn’t feel much.
Jing Zhi thought about it and suddenly had an idea.
…
When Xu Sumei came back with the doctor, Jing Mimi had stopped making a fuss.
Jing Zhi closed the lid of the fermented rice wine and tied a knot on the bag.
Before this, he tasted a mouthful. Mom’s fermented rice wine still tasted as he remembered; no wonder the little guy got drunk eating it.
On the bed, the little cub was rolled up by a blanket like a burrito, only exposing a fluffy head outside, obedient and well-behaved, already asleep.
Just like a kitten—the body became honest after being rolled up by a small blanket.
In his sleep, the little cub smacked his lips and mumbled a vague “Meow,” as if he had eaten something delicious.
What a little glutton.
***
Author’s Note:
Mimi after waking up: [Scared]
