Chapter 97: Meow
The school was very far from the First Hospital. All the way, Jing Mi clutched Wang Qiyou’s clothes tightly, his forehead pressed against his back. The wind whistled past his ears, but it couldn’t cover the sound of his wildly beating heart.
“Do you want to buy candy?” Wang Qiyou asked suddenly while waiting for the traffic light.
Jing Mi had already told him the mission notified by the Cat God just now, which was to bring a Little Dragon Man milk candy to Great-Grandpa.
Jing Mi kept his forehead against his back and shook his head, “The Cat God said Great-Grandpa is fine for now. Let’s buy it next time we see him.”
Now, he just wanted to see Great-Grandpa as soon as possible.
It was early May, not yet very hot, but they were only wearing a thin layer of clothes. The touch of his forehead rubbing lightly was very obvious, like a kitten acting coquettishly.
“Okay.” The red light turned green, and Wang Qiyou accelerated again, driving forward.
…
When Jing Mi and Wang Qiyou arrived at the hospital, Grandpa Jiang was chatting with Jiang Yuanyuan.
Although Grandpa Jiang was transferred to the hospital in City A, many Jiang family members from City C still took time to come here and take turns taking care of him.
Although he was transferred because his condition worsened, Grandpa Jiang’s state wasn’t that bad at the moment. He just lost a lot of weight and had difficulty moving, needing support to get in and out of bed.
He heard that people easily get confused when they get old and sick, becoming very slow to react to surroundings, and even not recognizing people. Grandpa Jiang was quite afraid of this, so he insisted on finding someone to talk to for a long time every day to prevent Alzheimer’s, forcing himself to become a chatterbox.
Transferred to the hospital in City A this time, he was very worried about the cat at home and video called every day to see the cat.
The black cat was also old.
Didn’t know who would leave first, him or it.
He still hoped he could leave after the cat, so he wouldn’t leave with too many worries.
He already had too many worries; reducing one counts as one.
Chatting along, the topic turned to Mimi.
Jiang Yuanyuan said: “Don’t worry, Mimi’s grades are very good. Getting into the music department of University A is a piece of cake. No accidents will happen.”
Grandpa Jiang mumbled: “Just act better, don’t let him know I transferred to City A.”
As soon as the words fell, his phone received a call.
The caller ID was “Mimi.”
Panic flashed in Grandpa Jiang’s eyes. He exchanged a glance with Jiang Yuanyuan, and after enough mental preparation, he finally answered.
“Hello, Mimi, no class today?”
Jing Mi’s voice sounded from the other end: “Having class. Great-Grandpa, the pressure is a bit high before the college entrance examination. I wanted to see Little Treasure, so I sneaked out to call you with my phone.”
When Mimi was unhappy or stressed, he liked to pet cats. Grandpa Jiang knew this too.
One year during the New Year, a visiting child saw Jing Zhi was good at games and clung to Jing Zhi to play games for a long time. Mimi was left aside and got jealous, feeling Little Papa was snatched by another child, but felt too shy to say it. He sulked alone for a long time and petted Little Treasure all night.
Later, Little Treasure’s successful weight loss probably owed some credit to Mimi’s diligent petting.
Grandpa Jiang lied effortlessly: “Little Treasure hasn’t been well recently and was sent to the pet hospital. Come see it after your college entrance examination.”
After saying that, he added worriedly: “Don’t be too stressed. Great-Grandpa believes you can definitely do it. If you encounter any difficulties, you can tell Great-Grandpa…”
Jing Mi listened quietly. After he finished, he spoke leisurely: “Just have a question to ask you.”
Grandpa Jiang: “Hmm?”
Jing Mi: “What is your ward number?”
Grandpa Jiang: “…?!!”
Grandpa Jiang looked at Jiang Yuanyuan subconsciously.
Jiang Yuanyuan was also shocked, but reacted quickly, nodding to him, signaling him to answer obediently since the cat was out of the bag.
Unlike Grandpa Jiang’s stubbornness of the older generation, Jiang Yuanyuan also watched Mimi grow up. She understood his personality and knew his strength. She didn’t think Mimi’s college entrance examination results would be affected by knowing about Grandpa Jiang’s illness. On the contrary, he would feel regretful if he couldn’t accompany Grandpa Jiang well in the last period of his life.
The college entrance examination was important, but many other things also affected a person’s life.
Grandpa Jiang’s lips trembled, and he told the ward number to the phone.
“I’ll be there right away.” Jing Mi hung up after leaving this sentence.
Grandpa Jiang: “…?!!”
Grandpa Jiang looked at Jiang Yuanyuan again. Jiang Yuanyuan shrugged and said: “Looks like he skipped class to see you.”
With the buffer of the phone call, Grandpa Jiang wasn’t startled when he saw Jing Mi and Wang Qiyou push the door open and walk in. However, he inevitably had a guilty expression on his face, like a child who did something wrong.
Naturally, Jing Mi couldn’t bear to blame him for hiding it from him. He asked about his physical condition personally, then received a call from Little Papa, answering cowardly that he was accompanying Great-Grandpa in the hospital.
This was Jing Mi’s first time skipping class.
And he took Wang Qiyou to skip class with him.
Not long after, Jing Zhi also came to the hospital, flicked Jing Mi’s forehead, and said: “Scared your Teacher Fang. He thought he ‘offended’ you again like that time when you were little, making you so angry you skipped his class.”
Jing Mi raised his hand to cover his forehead, finally revealing a faint smile.
When recalling some past events, it was always particularly nostalgic and joyful.
Because of the experience as the kitten Mimi, he remembered things very early after becoming a little human. Things that happened when he was 4 years old were still vivid in his mind.
He still remembered mistaking Great-Grandpa for a zombie when he was little, and trying to lock Great-Grandpa up, thinking he caught a zombie and protected Papa.
And now, Great-Grandpa lay on the hospital bed, his figure withered, moving with difficulty… really looking a bit like a zombie.
The smile on Jing Mi’s face faded again.
Later, Jiang Suifeng also came to the hospital. He didn’t flick Jing Mi’s forehead, just rubbed the top of his head vigorously as punishment.
Jing Mi raised his hand to protect his head again.
It was already lunch time. Originally, Jiang Suifeng planned to take them out for a big meal, but Jing Mi wanted to accompany Great-Grandpa more, so Jiang Suifeng and Jing Zhi went to pack lunch nearby and bring it back.
Jiang Yuanyuan also went with them, leaving the space completely to the great-grandfather and great-grandsons.
Skipping a few classes in the morning was fine, but they still had to go back for afternoon classes. Time was tight.
They didn’t suspect anything about Jing Mi discovering Grandpa Jiang’s transfer to City A hospital, guessing he might have accidentally seen the message on the phone.
…
When Jing Mi was chatting with Grandpa Jiang, Wang Qiyou casually raised his hand to smooth Jing Mi’s hair messed up by Jiang Suifeng.
Although high school didn’t allow boys to have long hair, Jing Mi’s hair wasn’t particularly short, feeling soft like cat fur. Wang Qiyou still liked rubbing it as much as when he was little.
Sometimes lining up on the playground for the morning assembly, Wang Qiyou followed closely behind Jing Mi, listening to the speech on the podium with one ear and out the other, while rubbing Jing Mi’s hair relying on his height advantage.
Sometimes when Jing Mi slept on the desk, the furry back of his head facing him, he couldn’t help reaching out to rub it.
Sometimes when they stayed overnight at each other’s homes, sleeping in the same bed, he would rub Jing Mi’s hair to coax himself to sleep like when he was little.
…
Like raising a kitten, rubbing whenever he wanted.
Jing Mi was used to it long ago.
First, because he was rubbed since childhood. Second, because his soul was a kitten, liking being rubbed.
Therefore, Jing Mi didn’t take it to heart this time either.
But Grandpa Jiang took it to heart.
Grandpa Jiang naturally knew this best childhood friend of his little great-grandson, but he lived in City C all year round. As he got older, it was hard for him to travel between City A and City C. After Jing Mi went to middle school, it was mostly their family visiting him in City C, and Wang Qiyou wouldn’t go with them, so he didn’t interact much with Wang Qiyou.
This was the first time he saw the grown-up Wang Qiyou smoothing Jing Mi’s hair so intimately and naturally.
Like planting a seed in his heart.
In just one week after this, it sprouted and grew wildly.
…
After finishing the lunch brought back by his papas and aunt, Jing Mi and Wang Qiyou were “sent back” to school.
Jiang Suifeng drove them back. They could take a nap on the way, so they would be more energetic for afternoon classes.
Before leaving, Jing Mi didn’t forget to remind Jing Zhi: “Little Papa, ride the electric scooter back as soon as possible. The hospital is crowded; I’m afraid the dolls on the rearview mirror will be lost again.”
Jing Zhi smiled and made an OK gesture to him.
Only then did Jing Mi leave with Wang Qiyou side by side, reassured.
The next day was Saturday. Jing Mi and Wang Qiyou took the subway to the hospital early in the morning and bought some Little Dragon Man milk candies.
Grandpa Jiang naturally couldn’t eat them, but he asked Jing Mi for one, saying he was quenching his thirst by looking at plums, but thinking in his heart that he would “eat a good meal” when he really had to leave. He wanted to leave with a sweet taste in his mouth.
Jing Mi completed the mission assigned by the Cat God, but couldn’t be happy at all.
Actually, most of the missions he completed over the years were somewhat depressing. After all, the cats in the stories were already dead. But he intervened as a bystander. Even if he empathized, he wouldn’t be sad for too long.
But this time, he was no longer a bystander.
Grandpa Jiang’s observation continued until the day before the college entrance examination, when he finally couldn’t help telling Jiang Yuanyuan.
After listening to Grandpa Jiang’s narration, Jiang Yuanyuan, who was yawning, instantly woke up.
She came to City A for a business trip and study tour to accompany Grandpa Jiang. She was busy with work some time ago, and other relatives took her place. She was only free these few days. Mimi was about to take the college entrance examination, and she planned to wear a qipao (cheongsam) to pick him up with the family on the day the exam ended to wish him success.
Therefore, during this time, she didn’t have the chance to see the ambiguous interaction between Jing Mi and Wang Qiyou mentioned by Grandpa Jiang.
Grandpa Jiang: “Little You always likes playing with Mimi’s hair, very frequently. I can see it every time they come to the ward. Mimi got used to it long ago and has no reaction to him playing with his hair.”
Jiang Yuanyuan: “…Playing with hair is indeed quite ambiguous, but some straight men also lack boundaries when getting along.”
Grandpa Jiang: “They also use couple avatars on WeChat! One kitten, one puppy, same style.”
Jiang Yuanyuan explained: “Little You drew that himself. I even asked Little You to draw for the CP I ship. You know, Mimi has liked kittens since childhood.”
Grandpa Jiang: “I asked Mimi when he would find a partner after graduating from high school. I want to see him find his other half.”
Jiang Yuanyuan couldn’t help interrupting: “You are too impatient… Mimi just turned eighteen. Many campus romances don’t lead to marriage.”
Grandpa Jiang gave her a look to calm down and continued: “Mimi still humors me. Hearing this, probably afraid I would leave with regrets, he said he would try hard, feeling like he was treating it as a task.”
Jiang Yuanyuan listened quietly, not interrupting again.
Actually, there’s nothing wrong with trying to date after graduating and becoming an adult.
Grandpa Jiang: “After Mimi finished speaking, Little You’s mood changed slowly.”
Jiang Yuanyuan became interested.
She kept refuting not because she was unwilling to accept the two children being together, but because she was afraid it was Grandpa Jiang’s excessive sensitivity, so she wanted to verify it constantly by refuting.
Grandpa Jiang: “I don’t know how to describe it. Anyway, I just felt he wasn’t very happy. He didn’t talk much originally, and later he talked even less.”
Grandpa Jiang concluded: “They probably aren’t together. Little You is interested in Mimi, but Mimi doesn’t know.”
Jiang Yuanyuan couldn’t wait to ask: “Then what’s your plan, Grandpa? You’re not going to break them up, are you?”
A melodramatic plot instantly appeared in Jiang Yuanyuan’s mind where Grandpa Jiang deliberately threatened with death to make Mimi find a girlfriend quickly to prevent the two from being together.
Grandpa Jiang’s eyebrows stood up instantly, snorting through his nose, “Is this how you see your own grandpa?”
After so many years, he had long been open-minded about sexual orientation.
Not to mention that after so many years, more and more people can accept diverse sexual orientations. Just seeing Suifeng and Little Jing living so well and raising Mimi so well over the years, he couldn’t have any worries about those groups anymore.
On the contrary, some heterosexual families lived a chaotic life, with many divorces, affairs, and neglecting children. How could he not know that people should find a suitable and reliable partner, regardless of whether the other party’s gender is the same or different from their own?
Grandpa Jiang murmured: “I feel they are quite compatible… They grew up together and know each other best. Little You is more steady and treats Mimi very well. I’ve seen it all this month. If Mimi likes him too, I support it.”
The more he spoke, the deeper the smile on Grandpa Jiang’s face became.
Jiang Yuanyuan took his reaction into her eyes and finally couldn’t help sighing after he finished: “Grandpa, when I get old, I want to ship CPs like you too.”
***
Author’s note:
Grandpa Jiang: Old man trying to keep up with the trend.
