Final exams were finally over, and winter break had begun.
On the very first day of vacation, I got exactly what I wanted: the chance to pick out a cat of my own.
Unfortunately, my mom had a sudden emergency at work and had to rush back, so she just handed me some cash and left me to go by myself.
Going alone would have been boring, but having a friend along who happens to be a pet psychic? Well, it doesn’t get much better than that, right, Youning?
Zhang Youning nodded and scooped up a tiny kitten resting by my feet.
“This one is so cute!” I said, looking at her. “I love it. How about this one?”
“No way,” Youning’s hands flew as she signed rapidly. “It thinks you’re some kind of mutant. It says you have no fur, you’re wearing way too many loud, ugly colors, and you look like you have violent tendencies. It doesn’t like you.”
I looked down at my vibrant, checkered dopamine-style wide-leg pants. “…?”
I scanned the room until my eyes locked onto a long-haired white cat. Brimming with hope, I picked it up and held it out to Youning. “What about this one? How’s this?”
Youning stared at the cat for a long moment, her brow furrowing. “It doesn’t dislike you, but it doesn’t want you to adopt it.”
When I looked at her in confusion, Youning explained, “Its hearing isn’t good. It might go completely deaf when it grows up…that’s a common genetic trait for odd-eyed white cats. It thinks you’re a good person who deserves good fortune, and it feels like it isn’t good enough for you.”
“Besides,” Youning continued signing, “it has a friend. The friend is perfectly healthy but keeps getting passed over for adoption. It wants you to take that one instead.”
Intrigued, I followed the direction Youning pointed and spotted a calico kitten, barely a month old, tucked away in the corner.
I was deeply moved by the white cat’s selflessness. But why choose? Only kids make choices…adults take both.
Moments later, I walked out of the cattery carrying both kittens, with Youning trailing behind me, helping carry all their new supplies.
Both kittens were incredibly well-behaved. They didn’t cry or struggle at all along the way, merely stretching their little necks out in curiosity to look around.
The taxi swept through the city center, passed the main building of the Mengqiang Group, and finally pulled up at the entrance of my apartment complex.
Youning came upstairs with me to help organize the cat supplies and get the kittens settled in.
I don’t know what Youning whispered to them, but the two little things showed absolutely no fear or anxiety in their new home. Instead, they strolled around at total ease, sniffing here and there, and even affectionately rubbed themselves against my legs.
“Have you thought of names for them yet?”
Youning’s question made me realize I hadn’t even given it a thought. I wracked my brain, but nothing felt right. The names I found online were way too generic, and the kittens didn’t seem to care for them either.
In the end, I had to look to Youning for help.
Youning studied the white cat for a moment before replying, “Let’s call this one Ningyu (Serene Jade). It sounds elegant, and she likes it.”
Then she turned her gaze to the calico. “And this one can be Rongcai (Splendid Colors). Ningyu pairs perfectly with Rongcai, and it suits their looks beautifully.”
Ningyu and Rongcai. They were fantastic names…classic Youning.
“Ningyu, Rongcai, come to mama~” I called out, waving my hands.
The two kittens were incredibly smart. Hearing my voice, they immediately trotted over with their tails held high, sweet-talking me with affectionate nudges.
I whipped out my phone, snapped a couple of gorgeous close-ups of each cat, and posted them straight to my Moments.
Barely five seconds later, Sui Yue…who clearly possessed lightning-fast internet…liked the post and let out a virtual shriek in the comments: “Ahhhhhhh! Wen Ling, you got cats?! They are so cute and beautiful! I’m bringing a burlap sack, see you in three minutes!”
Sheng Yitang piped up immediately after: “Count me in! Let’s go cat-napping as a team! One for you, one for me!”
Sui Yue replied: “Deal! I want the calico!”
Sheng Yitang: “Then the white one is mine!”
Shen Leqing chimed in with a practical warning: “Just a friendly heads-up, Wen Ling: you better grab the cats and run. The three of us are already in the car.”
Me: “…Is this even legal?”
Sure enough, five minutes later, my front door was practically being pounded down.
The moment I unlocked it, Sui Yue shot inside like a bolt of lightning.
The sudden intrusion startled Youning, and it sent Rongcai bolting across the room like a rocket. Only Ningyu…who had poor hearing and an incredibly delayed reaction time…remained sitting blankly on the sofa, one leg hoisted in the air as she casually licked her backside.
The next second, the unflappable Ningyu was scooped up into Sui Yue’s arms for a aggressive cuddle session.
“Mee-owww—” Ningyu finally realized what was happening, letting out a tragic wail as she began to struggle wildly.
Worried, Youning walked over, gently took Ningyu out of Sui Yue’s arms, shook her head, and threw out a rapid string of sign language.
Unable to understand, Sui Yue turned to me for help. “Wen Ling, I don’t know sign language. Translate for me!”
Youning signed it again, and once I caught the meaning, I passed it along: “Youning says Ningyu is still small, and since she’s just arrived in a new environment, she needs time to adjust. You can’t just aggressively smother her like that.”
Sui Yue immediately realized her mistake. She leaned in closer and gently stroked Ningyu’s head. “I’m sorry, Ningyu. I didn’t mean to scare you just now.”
Fortunately, Ningyu was a brave little thing and didn’t stress out. She gave Sui Yue’s hand a sniff, looked her up and down, and apparently decided to grant her forgiveness.
On the other side of the room, the vibe was much more harmonious. Sheng Yitang and Shen Leqing were busy feeding Rongcai treats and playing with her. Motivated by the food, Rongcai was more than happy to entertain them, flopping over onto her back to expose her soft, fluffy belly for rubs. As they stroked her, she purred like a little motor, her eyes narrowing into blissful slits.
“Wen Ling, what are their names?” Sheng Yitang asked.
I squatted down next to them to join in on the belly rubs. “The calico is Rongcai, and the white one is Ningyu.”
Shen Leqing praised, “What beautiful names. They match their personalities so well.”
“Of course they do,” I said, glancing over at Youning. “Youning picked them out, so they had to be good.”
“Wow, Youning, you’re amazing,” Shen Leqing added admiringly.
Youning was sitting on the sofa looking at her phone, deeply engrossed in a conversation with someone. Her fingers were flying across the screen, her eyes intensely focused.
She suddenly looked up, locking eyes with me for a brief second. She seemed to be pondering something, then abruptly dropped her head and started typing again.
The next second, my phone buzzed.
“A massive order just came in at the shop and needs to ship tonight,” her message read. “Cheng Yu can’t handle it alone, so I need to go back and help.”
I looked up at her, then looked down to type back: “Do you need me to come help?”
Her reply came instantly: “No need, the two of us can manage. Stay and play with your friends. Just remember to be gentle with the kittens, and text me if you have any questions.”
“Got it. Go ahead, take care.”
After Youning left, the four of us lost track of time playing with the cats, even ordering takeout for lunch so we wouldn’t have to leave.
By the afternoon, the two kittens were completely exhausted, curled up together asleep in their brand-new cat bed. The four of us, stuffed from lunch, were lined up like sardines on the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling.
The chicken pot we ordered for lunch had been incredibly delicious, but I had overeaten, and now my stomach was aching.
“Burp. I am so incredibly full,” Sui Yue said, patting her stomach after letting out a loud hiccup.
I followed suit with my own hiccup. “Me too.”
“What are we doing next? We can’t just lounge around Wen Ling’s house all day,” Shen Leqing interrupted.
Sheng Yitang suggested, “I wonder if Youning is still busy. I really want to go to her shop for afternoon tea. Her strawberry mousse is to die for.”
“Only one way to find out,” I said, pulling out my phone and opening my chat with Youning.
I wasn’t sure if they had finished fulfilling that massive order yet, and I didn’t want us to burst in and disrupt her work.
Me: “Youning, are you done with the order yet? Can we come over to the shop to hang out?”
Youning usually took her time responding, so I figured we’d have to wait a bit.
“I want to see Jinhu and Wuxue too! It’s been ages, I miss them so much,” Sui Yue said.
Shen Leqing laughed. “Me too! I wonder if Jinhu still tries to steal biscuits. I remember last time I went, Youning was in the middle of scolding him. Apparently, he stole a fresh batch of biscuits right out of the oven and managed to crush several bags of them. Youning was absolutely furious.”
I chimed in, “Jinhu doesn’t steal food anymore. Now, he’s obsessed with the oven. Every time Youning bakes, he’s right there, flopping down next to the machine to keep warm while watching the food rise. No matter how much you try to shoo him away, he won’t budge.”
“But isn’t she worried he’ll get burned?”
“Nah, don’t worry,” I waved my hand dismissively. “He’s too smart for that. He positions himself perfectly, and Youning laid out a special little blanket for him. No matter how much he rolls around, he’s safely out of harm’s way.”
“Wen Ling, hearing you talk about it makes me want to go even more,” Sheng Yitang said, her eyes wide with anticipation.
I glanced down at my phone. Youning had replied.
Youning: “Sure, the shop is quiet right now. Wuxue and Jinhu are both here. Come on over.”
Seeing her message, I rallied the girls, and we quickly headed out.
The wind was howling outside, and a light snow was beginning to fall. Bunched up in our thick winter clothes, we didn’t feel the chill at all. Instead, we spent the whole walk skipping, chasing each other, and throwing snowballs.
Snug in my scarf, I scooped up a handful of snow and hurled it right at Sheng Yitang. Caught completely off guard, she spun around, realized it was me, and immediately dropped to the ground to pack a counter-attack. Sensing immediate danger, I turned on my heels and bolted, checking over my shoulder to dodge whatever was coming.
“Wen Ling! Don’t you dare run!” Sheng Yitang shouted, chasing after me with a snowball in each hand.
As if I was going to stop! I picked up the pace, making sure to look back and taunt her.
“Wen Ling! Stop right there!”
“No way! Catch me if you can~”
“Sui Yue! Look over here!”
We all turned around at the sound of the shout. Before Sui Yue could even process what was happening, Shen Leqing’s snowball smacked her right in the face.
“Shen Leqing, you’re dead!” Sui Yue screamed, tearing after her.
Sheng Yitang stood on the sidelines watching the chaos unfold, laughing hysterically with zero regard for her dignity. Seizing the perfect opportunity for a sneak attack, I chucked another snowball right at the back of Sheng Yitang’s head.
She put a hand to the back of her head. By the time she realized what had happened and spun around to hunt me down, I had already run half a mile away.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, another stray snowball struck Shen Leqing. She let out a sharp cry. I was in the middle of wearing a smug, mischievous grin when our eyes locked.
“Wen Ling! You hit me!”
Uh oh. Time to fly.
I sprinted away, yelling back my defense: “It wasn’t me! Don’t chase me, I’m innocent!”
Meanwhile, Sui Yue was standing off to the side, looking utterly delighted by my misfortune.
“It was her! Shen Leqing, it was Sui Yue! Go get her!” I immediately ratted her out to shift the target.
Before Sui Yue could react, two snowballs struck her in rapid succession.
In an instant, the tables turned, and Shen Leqing and I were chasing Sui Yue down the street.
Sheng Yitang stood frozen in place, utterly bewildered by how fast the alliances were shifting. She looked at me, then looked ahead at Sui Yue, who was running for her life while shielding her head. Finally, with a grin, Sheng Yitang dove right back into the fray.