Since they started keeping a cat, the house, which was already lively, had become quite noisy.
Moreover, Sheng Qingshan would always discover cat hair that had not been cleaned up from some corner or another.
Because of Sheng Yunshu’s previous remarks, she had not been fond of keeping living things in the house to begin with. Now, having to listen to the kitten’s inexplicable yowling, Sheng Qingshan felt somewhat vexed.
One weekend, after finishing work and stepping out of the study, Sheng Qingshan walked around downstairs but did not see Sheng Yunshu. She asked “01” (the AI house manager).
“The little master and Tuantuan are playing hide-and-seek in the garden,” the panda-themed robot said, pulling a bag of cat treats from a cabinet. “The little master forgot to bring snacks for Tuantuan. Master, why don’t you take them to her?”
Sheng Qingshan reluctantly accepted the bag of treats.
Their garden was on the top floor. When Sheng Qingshan arrived with the cat treats and pushed the door open, she thought she had walked into the wrong place.
The once-tidy garden looked as if it had been swept by a tornado. Several flower pots on the shelves were tilted, soil was scattered everywhere, and the blue hydrangea that Sheng Yunshu loved most was toppled over, its petals strewn across the ground.
The culprit responsible for this mess was napping on a recliner under the sweet-scented osmanthus tree. That little troublemaker was still tirelessly picking up flowers from the ground and placing them onto Sheng Yunshu.
Sheng Qingshan walked over for a closer look. Sheng Yunshu’s nightgown was covered in a trail of muddy paw prints, and her chest and neck were piled high with flowers by the kitten.
Seeing that her mother was not responding, the kitten, still holding a flower in its mouth, crawled onto Sheng Yunshu’s chest and began kneading.
However, after a few kneads, Sheng Qingshan picked the cat up and set it aside with a look of distaste.
The kitten took a few steps back, looked at this tall human, spat out the flower, dashed in front of Sheng Yunshu, and bared its teeth at her.
Sheng Qingshan could not be bothered to tease the cat. She opened the treat bag and poured a pile of snacks onto the side for it to eat.
The moment the bag opened, the kitten’s ears pricked up.
It looked at the pile of treats radiating an enticing aroma, then at Sheng Qingshan, and then back at the snacks.
“Meow.”
This sound was different from the usual. When it meowed at Sheng Yunshu, it was a coquettish, soft-toned sound; but to Sheng Qingshan, it was clearly tentative and hesitant, as if asking, “You will not do anything bad, will you?”
Sheng Qingshan ignored it and walked to the other side of the recliner, looking down at Sheng Yunshu.
The afternoon sun filtered through the gaps in the osmanthus branches, casting dappled light spots onto Sheng Yunshu. Her long pink hair was spread across the back of the chair, and a few osmanthus petals had fallen into her hair at some point, mixing in with the flowers the cat had piled up, making it hard to tell which were placed by the cat and which had fallen in the wind.
Seeing her sleeping soundly, Sheng Qingshan did not want to disturb her. She brushed the petals off her and took out a handkerchief to gently wipe the muddy paw prints off her chest.
Just as she finally got it clean, Sheng Qingshan felt her pant leg being tugged.
Looking down, she saw the now-sated kitten running over to shoo her away.
Sheng Qingshan had no patience for the cat. She bent down to snatch it away when suddenly a soft chuckle sounded in her ear.
“What are you doing? Bullying a child while I am asleep?”
Sheng Qingshan turned back, just in time to meet Sheng Yunshu’s smiling eyes. She stood up quickly. “She was too dirty, and your clothes were ruined by her.”
During their conversation, the kitten heard its mother’s voice. It hugged the chair leg, climbed up in a flash, dodged Sheng Qingshan’s hand, and threw itself onto Sheng Yunshu, rubbing its head against her chin while meowing.
“Tuantuan, Mommy’s treasure.”
Sheng Yunshu hugged the kitten and kissed it a few times. The kitten began meowing even more enthusiastically in her arms, high and low, interspersed with a few aggrieved whimpers, looking as if it had been terribly bullied.
“Alright, alright, Mommy knows,” Sheng Yunshu said, stroking the cat’s ears while glancing at Sheng Qingshan. “Did someone bully you, huh?”
“Meow! Meow-meow-meow!” The kitten’s tail stood perfectly straight. It flipped over in Sheng Yunshu’s arms to expose its belly, clawing at the air, acting the part with great effort.
Sheng Qingshan narrowed her eyes at it. “She is faking it.”
“She is just a little kitten,” Sheng Yunshu said, holding the cat up. “What does she know? It is because you always have a straight face; that is why Tuantuan is not close to you.”
Watching the two, person and cat, cheek to cheek, a flicker of confusion crossed Sheng Qingshan’s eyes, followed by realization, and finally, a sigh. “You coddle the child too much. When we have a child in the future, you cannot teach them like this.”
The moment the words left her lips, Sheng Qingshan realized that Sheng Yunshu did not have the time to carry a life of her own.
A look of pain flashed across her eyes. She wanted to say something to change the subject, but she was not good with words.
Sheng Yunshu saw the struggle in her eyes and felt a twinge of fear herself, but she kept a smile on her face, even teasing her.
“What is wrong? Do you want to have one with me?”
“No,” Sheng Qingshan instinctively retorted. “There is IVF, or perhaps when you find someone you like.”
Sheng Yunshu snorted coldly, hugged the cat, and rolled her eyes at her. “Telling your own wife to go have a child with someone else. President Sheng, or should I say, Assemblywoman Sheng, you really are broad-minded!”
The heavy, sorrowful atmosphere was dispersed before it could even settle. Now, Sheng Qingshan did not just have to find a way to fix what she said; she had to coax her.
But her coaxing skills were dry and repetitive. She said the same few phrases over and over, until even Sheng Yunshu was too tired to roll her eyes.
“Hold me.”
This was the signal for reconciliation.
Sheng Qingshan seized the opportunity and lifted her from the recliner.
Sheng Yunshu leaned on Sheng Qingshan’s shoulder, the kitten stepping on Sheng Yunshu’s waist and abdomen. Sheng Yunshu stroked the kitten and asked her, “Am I heavy?”
Sheng Qingshan answered immediately, “Not heavy.”
She quickly added, “Very light.”
Sheng Yunshu was amused by her reaction. Only after she finished laughing did she remember a serious matter.
“Mom called me earlier, asking us to go back for dinner tomorrow. If you do not have time, I will go by myself.”
Now that they were married, Sheng Yunshu had more confidence when calling her Mom.
“That is fine, we will go together.”
After the incident last time, Sheng Qingshan really did not feel at ease letting her meet Sheng Yanzhou alone.
Sheng Yanzhou was someone who did not value her own life. If Sheng Yunshu accidentally said something she did not like, there was no telling what foolish thing she might do.
Recalling what happened that day, Sheng Qingshan felt exhausted both physically and mentally.
She dared not even imagine how she would handle the aftermath if Sheng Yunshu were to really die.
Seeing her fall silent again, Sheng Yunshu guessed she was overthinking. She did not want her to dwell on it, so she raised the kitten to touch her cheek.
“Today is a day off. You are not allowed to think about anything else. Can you give yourself a break?”
The moment the kitten’s paw pad touched her cheek, Sheng Qingshan’s thoughts were pulled back.
Sheng Qingshan tilted her head, moving her face away from the cat’s paw. “I was not thinking about anything else.”
“Liar.” Sheng Yunshu pulled the kitten back into her arms. “If you cannot help but think, then think about me.”
Hearing this, the corners of Sheng Qingshan’s eyes curved. “You are right in front of me. What is there to think about?”
Sheng Yunshu leaned on her shoulder, her fingertip tapping against her chest.
“Then just look at me more.”
That weekend, at the Sheng family residence.
Calling them back for dinner served two purposes: to ease the tension between the sisters, and to check on Sheng Yunshu’s health. As for missing the children, that was not the case.
Whether it was Sheng Jiuyuan or Sheng Jiazhen, they both had their own affairs to attend to and had no time to ponder whether their thirty- or forty-year-old children were doing well.
At the dinner table, Sheng Yanzhou was still feeding Shi Yun, oblivious to everyone else, while Shi Yun’s hatred for her remained obvious to everyone.
To this day, Sheng Yunshu still felt a lingering fear when seeing Sheng Yanzhou, even to the point where she could not eat when she saw that smiling expression.
She inadvertently swept her gaze over Shi Yun’s legs, and connecting this to Sheng Yanzhou’s character and violent behavior, a sudden chill rose in her heart.
“What is wrong?” Seeing her pale complexion in her peripheral vision, Sheng Qingshan reached for her forehead. “Are you feeling unwell?”
The eyes of the people at the table converged on her.
Sheng Jiazhen asked with concern, “Yunshu, should we have a doctor take a look?”
“No, no.” Sheng Yunshu waved her hands repeatedly, forcing a smile. “It must be because I stayed up too late playing with Tuantuan last night; I did not sleep well.”
Sheng Qingshan frowned. “I told you, do not spoil her so much. You are going to give yourself rhinitis.”
“Keep your voice down!” With the elders present, Sheng Yunshu felt embarrassed and tugged on Sheng Qingshan’s sleeve to tell her to stop.
“Tuantuan?” Sheng Jiazhen looked at Sheng Jiuyuan and asked, “You two are keeping a pet?”
“Yes, a tuxedo cat I found on set.”
“Sister-in-law has a kind heart, so loving towards little animals. Why not just have a child with my sister? Isn’t it happier to raise one of your own?” Sheng Yanzhou placed a peeled shrimp into Shi Yun’s bowl, looking at them with a smile. “Sister is not young anymore; you should have a child.”
Sheng Qingshan put down her chopsticks; they hit the rim of the bowl with a sharp clink.
Sheng Jiazhen hurriedly smoothed things over. “Alright, let us not talk about this while eating. Yanzhou, your sister will consider the matter of children; do not worry about it blindly.”
Sheng Yanzhou did not take the hint and stared at Sheng Yunshu, continuing, “Sister-in-law, what do you think? You grew up with my sister; you should know how important children are to her, right? My sister is forty this year, and Zhiqiu is four years older than her, and she is already having her second child. You two really need to hurry up.”
Every time she said my sister, Sheng Yunshu felt her head start to ache.
She held Sheng Qingshan down, met Sheng Yanzhou’s gaze, and then glanced at Shi Yun. “We are not in a hurry for children. As for you and Shi Yun, when are you two planning to get married? Shi Yun is with you every day, yet you insist on maintaining a single persona to the public. That does not look good, does it? Why do you not just pick a good date, have both sets of parents meet, and settle it?”
Before she could finish, Shi Yun, who had been on the sidelines, suddenly swiped her bowl and chopsticks onto the floor.
Her breathing was rapid. Her dark eyes swept over every face at the table, finally resting on Sheng Yanzhou.
A moment later, she operated her wheelchair and left.
Sheng Yanzhou hurriedly stood up to follow.
Before leaving, she looked at Sheng Yunshu.
Just like last time, she said nothing, and there was not a trace of mocking laughter in her eyes or on her face; only coldness remained.
While Sheng Yunshu was startled, she also felt it was inexplicable.
Last time was one thing, but this time she had not said anything excessive, had she? Given their current relationship and Sheng Yanzhou’s strong-arm tactics, if she wanted to get married, how could Shi Yun refuse? What was she angry about?
Anger aside, she realized her words had hurt Shi Yun.
If Shi Yun had not cried out last time, she might not even be here right now.
“Sister,” Sheng Yunshu tugged at Sheng Qingshan’s hand and whispered, “I want to apologize to Shi Yun. Can you come with me?”
Sheng Qingshan, who knew the inside story, also felt they should apologize to Shi Yun, so she agreed.
After dinner, Sheng Jiazhen looked at the suddenly cold living room and sighed, “Mom, do you think I will ever be able to hold a grandson in this lifetime?”
Sheng Jiuyuan, who was trying to invite Ji Jingsheng out for a ball game, did not even look up. “Who knows? As long as I have mine, it is fine.”
Sheng Yanzhou naturally did not want Shi Yun in contact with outsiders, but Sheng Qingshan had a serious matter to discuss with her.
“She is here to apologize to Shi Yun,” Sheng Qingshan motioned for Sheng Yanzhou to go up to the study. “I have something to ask you about the IFIB.”
Sheng Yanzhou glanced at Shi Yun and followed Sheng Qingshan upstairs, albeit reluctantly.
In the living room:
“I am sorry.” Sheng Yunshu crouched halfway in front of Shi Yun with the kitten in her arms and said sincerely, “I was too busy bickering with Sheng Yanzhou just now and ignored your feelings. If what I said made you uncomfortable, I am sorry.”
Shi Yun only looked at her once before looking away, saying blandly, “It has nothing to do with you. I am not angry at you.”
As expected, it was all Sheng Yanzhou’s fault!
Sheng Yunshu wanted to complain about Sheng Yanzhou with her, but considering their different situations, she decided against it.
“By the way, thank you for last time!” Sheng Yunshu thanked her while petting the cat. “If it were not for you, I might not have lasted until the hospital. Thank you!”
Shi Yun’s reaction was still indifferent.
However, Sheng Yunshu noticed that she looked at the kitten several times, so she invited her to pet it.
At first, Shi Yun refused, but when Sheng Yunshu took her hand and placed it directly on the kitten’s head, she was drawn in by the warm little body.
The kitten raised its head, its emerald eyes curiously observing the stranger before it, then opened its mouth, trying to bite her.
Shi Yun’s fingers curled back, wanting to pull away, but she could not bear to lose the sensation.
“It is okay, she does not bite; she just likes playing with you.” To reassure her, Sheng Yunshu even offered her finger to the kitten.
The kitten did not bite, but it hugged Sheng Yunshu’s hand and chewed, making it wet.
Encouraged by Sheng Yunshu, Shi Yun began to touch the kitten slowly.
“Is her name Tuantuan?” Shi Yun remembered Sheng Yunshu mentioning the name at the table.
“Yes.” Sheng Yunshu smiled. “Because when I first saw her, she was curled into a round little ball in a cardboard box; she was especially cute.”
Shi Yun looked down at the kitten rubbing against her palm.
“Tuantuan,” she repeated, her voice very soft.
Hearing its name, the kitten’s ears twitched. It looked up at Shi Yun, then buried its head back into her palm, letting out a satisfied purr.
Sheng Yunshu crouched nearby, looking up at Shi Yun.
Shi Yun was very pale, but it was not a healthy pallor. Her wrists were very thin, and the veins on the back of her hands were clearly visible. Sheng Yunshu suspected that Sheng Yanzhou was abusing her in private; otherwise, how could an adult be so thin?
In Sheng Yunshu’s view, Shi Yun was like a porcelain doll—beautiful, delicate, and fragile. A little external force could shatter her.
How was such a person supposed to keep living by Sheng Yanzhou’s side?
After returning home, Sheng Yunshu kept mentioning it to Sheng Qingshan.
But it was just a complaint; in some matters, the best way to handle it was to maintain the status quo.
At night, after Sheng Qingshan finished washing up, she found the bedroom empty. She opened the door and went downstairs.
Sure enough, Sheng Yunshu was lying on a rug, teasing the kitten.
Sheng Qingshan walked over, her tone turning cold. “What time is it? Go back to the room and sleep.”
Sheng Yunshu looked at her, opened her arms, and acted spoiled. “Hold me, I cannot walk anymore.”
Over this period, Sheng Qingshan had grown accustomed to these tactics of hers. Do not argue with her; just do whatever she wants.
After carrying her back to the room, Sheng Qingshan pinched her cheek. “Do not stay up late. You held her all day; is that not enough time?”
Sheng Yunshu hooked her neck and pulled her down. “What is wrong? Are you jealous?”
Sheng Qingshan braced herself on the bed, keeping a distance between them. “Do not crack jokes; I am serious.”
“I am too.”
Sheng Yunshu pursed her lips, and before Sheng Qingshan could lecture her, she quickly kissed her.
“I love you! Goodnight!”
Sheng Qingshan was stunned by the kiss. When she came to her senses, she followed her request and kissed her on the forehead.
“Goodnight.”
When the lights went out and the surroundings fell into silence, Sheng Yunshu slowly opened her eyes, massaging her temples with two fingers, her expression pained.