Chapter 105: A Good Girl
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Egyptian cats are the fastest among house cats.
Zhang Zian had seen Fina jump up as fast as lightning. The benevolent and righteous cat was an old Dragon-Li. If they started a fight, the benevolent and righteous cat would be beaten immediately. However, the benevolent and righteous cat didn’t seem to sense the tension in the air, nor did she defend herself with anything. She didn’t even look angry at all.
While Zhang Zian worried about how to solve the problem, Xinghai stepped in at the perfect time to introduce herself. “Meow, hello! My name is Xinghai!” Xinghai was standing right in between Fina and the benevolent and righteous cat. Fina snorted and jumped up to the highest rack of the cat tree. Although Xinghai had always been peaceful and friendly, Fina somehow respected her because she couldn’t determine Xinghai’s power level.
Zhang Zian took a deep breath.
The benevolent and righteous cat laughed. “I am too old to remember my name. You can call me Old Time Tea.”
It was quite difficult to believe that someone would forget his/her name. Maybe there were reasons that she didn’t want to mention her real name. Nonetheless, Old Time Tea was a perfect name for her. Her fur was an amber color with black stripes, and she loved tea.
He introduced himself. “My name is Zhang Zian. You may call me Zhang Zian or Zian.”
Xinghai walked around Old Time Tea happily and invited her to play, saying, “Old Time Tea, want to play hide and seek?”
“Ha-ha, I am too old for this. You go ahead and have fun.”
Old Time Tea declined the invitation gracefully. Fortunately, Xinghai didn’t care. Zhang Zian and the kittens would play with her.
Zhang Zian thought and asked, “Old Time Tea, you’ve travelled a long way. Would you like some tea? My tea may not be as good though…”
Old Time Tea smiled and her beard went upward. “That sounds great! Don’t be too humble. I have tasted the cheapest tea from street vendors…”
Zhang Zian was thirsty after the meal, so he walked upstairs to make tea. He found the best tea he could find from his parents’ bedroom, and dug out a tea set that hadn’t been used for a long time. He cleaned everything, made the tea, and brought it downstairs.
“Please enjoy,” he said to Old Time Tea.
He also dug out a stool from the storage room and placed the tea tray on the stool so that it was the perfect height for Old Time Tea.
Old Time Tea didn’t complain. She even praised the tea, saying it was good. Zhang Zian knew she was only being polite. Compared to the water, tea and tea set in the Teahouse in Hidden Fog, his tea was rubbish. Fina was aggressive towards Old Time Tea. Although he knew the best way to increase Old Time Tea’s friendliness would be to feed her good tea, he didn’t want to spend thousands of Yuan on tea and a tea set at this point.
After having one cup of tea, Old Time Tea stared outside and said, “I am getting old and all my friends have died. Who could have tea with me again…” She looked a bit depressed. She had to be thinking about the past.
“My new friend, the most important thing is not tea. It is the person who drinks tea with you.” She sighed.
Zhang Zian was still young. He was not able to fully understand Old Time Tea’s thoughts. Her words reminded him of some old friends from work and college. Although it had not been that long, he felt like it was decades ago.
He had not told anyone about his return to Binhai City for two reasons. First, it wasn’t necessary to announce it. He didn’t want to have worried his friends. Second, he was a bit embarrassed about his situation. Most of his friends were working hard in a large corporate company. On the other hand, here he was hiding in a pet store picking up dog waste…
Although it was a difficult and different route, he didn’t regret it.
…
His store was impacted by Stars Pet Chain Supermarket’s promotion. The number of customers had gone down in the afternoon. Most customers came for the cat bathing service. That was fine with him because the value proposition for his store had been “low in quantity and high in quality.” In his opinion, people’s quality of life had been getting better. Spending a few thousand more on a healthy pet that would live 10 or 15 years should not be a problem. Second quality pets equaled jeopardizing his own reputation.
Some stores did that anyways to increase their probability of a sale, but customers would find out sooner or later.
Wang Qian and Li Kun came as soon as it got dark to help him pick up the store and clean the pet area. They had dinner together. Zhang Zian gave them 100 Yuan, sent them back to school, and closed the store.
Fortunately, Old Time Tea was not picky about food. She ate whatever was provided. Zhang Zian bought some decent quality food, which he turned into whatever was barely good enough to eat.
Old Time Tea was polite to Fina, but she was not obedient like other cats. It was unacceptable to Fina. Zhang Zian was worried that one of them would initiate a fight, so he separated them at dinner. Fina ate upstairs and Old Time Tea ate downstairs. He was grateful that Old Time Tea didn’t mind it.
Zhang Zian felt that Old Time Tea was like an ancient scholar. She didn’t fight for wealth and fame and only wanted to live and enjoy tea.
The easier going she was, the more Zhang Zian took her seriously. “The benevolent and righteous cat”! What a name! She had to be somebody great to be granted that name!
Before going to bed, he wanted to clear the storage room for Old Time Tea. She insisted a blanket was enough and she could sleep downstairs.
He remembered that she was sitting close to the stove for warmth. Older cats usually liked a warmer place. He dug out a small electric blanket from when he was younger and tested it to make sure it worked. He put a thick blanket by the power outlet, put the electric blanket on top and had her try her new bed.
Old Time Tea was very happy and thanked him again and again.
Zhang Zian thought he would finally get his bedroom back, but Fina was mad. He could not let her stay with Old Time Tea downstairs.
“Xinghai, come.” He had Xinghai come upstairs.
“What’s up, Zian?” she asked.
Zhang Zian closed his hands in front of his chest to make a “thank you” gesture and said seriously, “May I ask for a favor? Could you keep an eye on them in case they start fighting?”
“Favor? Are you asking for a favor? From me?” Her grey eyes lit up upon hearing his words.
“That’s right. Only you can do this.”
“Sure! I am helpful now! YEAH! I am helpful!” She was so happy that she jumped up and down.
Although surprised, Zhang Zian was deeply touched when he saw Xinghai so happy.
He remembered when he was younger, he was always extremely happy when he could lend a hand to his mother.
Finally, he figured it out… He only wanted to protect and provide the best for Xinghai, so he never asked her to do anything. Now, he realized that Xinghai was longing for a chance to help him back.
“Xinghai, you are a good girl,” he said lightly, just like a mom talking to her child.
Zian, you are a good boy!
He seemed to hear his mom’s voice again.
“Xinghai is a good girl! Xinghai is a good girl!” Xinghai was delighted.
She walked around Zhang Zian’s feet and was told, “Xinghai, I have a mission for you.”
“A mission?” Xinghai stopped suddenly and looked at him with questions in her eyes.
“Yes, a very important mission!” Zhang Zian said seriously, “You’d like more friends, right?”
“Yes! Yes! Xinghai loves friends! We can all play hide and seek!” She nodded.
Zhang Zian smiled and said, “That’s right. You are going to get more and more friends. Among those…” he looked at Fina and lowered his voice, “There might be some short-tempered ones. You are the peace police in this home. Can you do that?”
“Of course!” Xinghai said proudly.
“Great! That is my important mission for you!” Zhang Zian encouraged her.
He understood that he would still have to consider Fina’s feelings. Cats are controlling in their own territories. If a new cat came into to their home, the original pets would not like it.
He moved Fina’s princess bed upstairs into his bedroom.
“You sleep in your bed and I will sleep in mine, okay?” he asked Fina.
Fina gave him a dirty look, jumped on her bed, closed the curtain and laid down.
Zhang Zian relaxed and laid down on his twin bed. Looking at the sky outside, he was happy that he had his bed back.
Fina’s friendliness might be going down again!
It was too difficult to keep everybody happy!
