With no one in his way, Qin Yi smoothly made his way back to the street where he had met Gu Rumeng the previous night.
At this hour, most of the shops were still open.
Some people were out walking their pets.
Others had gathered at a small corner store, playing cards and chatting.
In the distance, the upbeat music of a square dance echoed faintly.
The street was filled with the warm rhythm of everyday life.
“Hey, little brother! Just got back from school?”
Before he could find Gu Rumeng’s bakery, he passed by the clinic from the night before.
Kong Xinrui was sitting at the entrance chatting with an elderly woman. When she spotted Qin Yi walking by, she greeted him warmly.
“Hello, Sister Xinrui,” Qin Yi replied politely.
“Such a good boy. Come here, I’ve got a piece of chocolate for you.”
Kong Xinrui beckoned him over. Qin Yi hesitated for a few seconds but walked toward her.
He had a good impression of this doctor.
Not quite like Sister Rumeng, but definitely a kind person.
“If you have low blood sugar, you need to eat sweets regularly and avoid going hungry, alright?”
As she spoke, Kong Xinrui unwrapped the chocolate and held it up to Qin Yi’s mouth.
“Open up, ah~~~”
Qin Yi was visibly embarrassed.
He wasn’t a three-year-old, nor was he so weak that he needed to be fed.
“What? So your angelic Sister Rumeng can feed you, but I can’t?”
Kong Xinrui wrinkled her nose, pretending to be upset. “Such double standards—I’m hurt.”
“…”
Caught between awkwardness and helplessness, Qin Yi could only obediently take the chocolate from her fingers and eat it.
Sweet, with a faint trace of bitterness—
But delicious.
It was the first time in his life he had ever tasted chocolate.
“Good boy!”
“Yeah, it’s really good. Thank you, Sister Xinrui.”
Qin Yi discreetly took half a step back, escaping her “claws.”
“Whose child is this?”
The elderly lady beside Kong Xinrui had been watching Qin Yi carefully. “So handsome! Just a little too skinny—he needs to eat more.”
Clearly someone who had lived through hard times, the old lady immediately noticed Qin Yi’s thin frame, despite the loose long-sleeved clothes. She furrowed her brow in concern, as if her heart ached just looking at him.
“He’s Rumeng’s little brother,” Kong Xinrui said with a raised eyebrow.
“Oh my… Since when does that girl Rumeng have a younger brother? Why is he so skinny? Is she feeding all the food to that cat of hers? That cat’s gotten so fat!”
The old lady scolded Gu Rumeng a little, then gently took Qin Yi’s hand. “From now on, come eat at Grandma’s house, alright? Tell me whatever you like to eat! I live just downstairs from Rumeng.”
The sudden kindness left Qin Yi flustered.
Off to the side, Kong Xinrui was grinning ear to ear.
“Sister Rumeng treats me very well,” Qin Yi quickly explained, returning to his senses. “I used to live somewhere else. Last night was the first time she brought me home.”
“Ah, I see.”
The old lady nodded thoughtfully.
Her eyes, seasoned by the years, seemed to perceive something in Qin Yi. She gently patted the back of his hand and sighed.
“You’re a good child. I bet you’ve had a hard life, haven’t you?”
Qin Yi pressed his lips together and didn’t respond.
But anyone with eyes could see the truth in his silence.
Especially Kong Xinrui, who had already seen the scars on his body.
“By the way, where’s Sister Rumeng’s bakery?”
Qin Yi changed the subject, trying to lift the heavy atmosphere.
Kong Xinrui was about to answer, but a soft meow interrupted her.
“Meow~~”
Everyone looked down and saw a familiar calico cat suddenly sitting by Qin Yi’s feet.
It was Puffy, back from its walk, gently pawing at the hem of Qin Yi’s pants.
“What’s up?” Qin Yi looked puzzled.
“Looks like it wants to guide you.”
Qin Yi didn’t doubt it—he would never forget the night he met Puffy in the rain.
People often used the word “spirit” to describe animals with unusual behavior or high intelligence.
To Qin Yi, Puffy was exactly that kind of spiritual cat.
“Let’s go, Puffy.”
As soon as he spoke, Puffy retracted its paw and began walking ahead, slowly and gracefully.
Gu Rumeng’s bakery was just a few storefronts away from Kong Xinrui’s clinic.
Even without Puffy’s help, a few more steps would’ve brought it into view.
Qin Yi smiled wryly.
Puffy was so smart—did it think he’d get lost?
And sure enough, Puffy’s next few actions confirmed his suspicion.
Every few steps, the cat would turn back to check on him.
If he fell behind, it would meow and sit down, waiting for him to catch up.
At first, Qin Yi thought he was imagining things.
But after several tries—and a few scolding meows, complete with paw-tugs on his pants—he had no choice but to believe it.
“Why does it feel like Puffy is taking care of me like I’m a little kid?”
Qin Yi muttered to himself. But he didn’t mind it—on the contrary, he felt a warmth in his chest.
Animals were often more sincere than humans.
He could clearly sense that Puffy’s concern for him had no hidden motives.
“Thank you, Puffy,” he whispered.
“Meow~~” Puffy flicked the tip of its tail, clearly in a good mood.
Soon, the boy and the cat arrived at Gu Rumeng’s bakery.
As soon as he stepped inside, Qin Yi spotted a man sitting near the counter.
He wore a loose-fitting suit, had a delicate and refined face, dyed grey hair, and a row of earrings. A thin cigarette hung loosely between his fingers, unlit.
Must be a customer, Qin Yi thought as he opened his mouth to call for Sister Rumeng.
But the man had already heard him. He turned around instinctively—
And with that one glance, his face lit up with wild excitement, like he’d struck gold.
“Hey, handsome—Interested in becoming a star?”