"Lady, you're back?" Zhao Zilong, carrying leftover food, rushed in as soon as he saw the courtyard gate open. Upon seeing Fu Wenwen, he exclaimed with excitement.
"Zilong, you've been cleaning for me?" Fu Wenwen nodded at him, asking with a smile.
"I was just free, and Brother Hu told me to keep an eye on things, so I'd come over to clean occasionally and feed your two ancestors," Zhao Zilong replied.
Fu Wenwen paused. Two ancestors?
"The black and white ancestors you keep in the yard. When I first came in, they were just lying there, staring at me. The moment I tried to enter your room to clean, they swiped at me with their claws," Zhao Zilong explained, showing the scars on his arm with a sigh.
He had initially thought they were stray cats, but seeing how they protected Fu Wenwen's room, he couldn't get in. He tried to tell them Fu Wenwen had sent him, and to his surprise, they seemed to understand. They stopped attacking him and let him enter Fu Wenwen's room, though they continued to watch him.
Fu Wenwen chuckled. "I'm so sorry."
"Xiao Xue, Xiao Hei!" Fu Wenwen called out their names towards the courtyard.
"Meow!"
"Wow!"
Hearing Fu Wenwen's voice, the black and white cats responded excitedly, darting out from a corner and rubbing against her legs.
"Sorry for not visiting you for so long! Are you both doing well?" Fu Wenwen soothed them, holding one in each arm.
"Meow~" Xiao Xue meowed towards the house, and three small kittens stumbled out, mewing adorably at Fu Wenwen.
Three kittens – two resembled Xiao Xue, entirely snow-white, and one was black and white… like a black cat sheriff?
Fu Wenwen looked at how big the kittens had become. It seemed Xiao Xue had taught them well; the three little ones were not afraid at all. They immediately nuzzled against Fu Wenwen's legs.
Fu Wenwen picked them up one by one and petted them. Lin An wanted to join, but he was a bit hesitant.
Sensing Lin An's longing, Fu Wenwen placed a kitten in his arms. Lin An's eyes lit up as he carefully held the kitten, which cooperated, allowing Lin An to pet it.
Zhao Zilong, watching from the side, also felt a pang of envy. He had been feeding them for so many days; surely he could hold one?
As he reached out a hand towards the kittens, Xiao Xue immediately let out a threatening growl.
"..." Zhao Zilong flinched at the fierce sound and quickly retracted his hand.
"I've fed them for so many days, can't I even pet them?" Zhao Zilong complained, feeling wronged.
"Xiao Xue and Xiao Hei are quite shy. Until they acknowledge you, don't try to touch them casually," Fu Wenwen told Zhao Zilong. "I only dared to pet them after they came to me on their own."
"Alright!" Since even the Lady Xia had said so, Zhao Zilong had no choice but to give up.
"Wang Hu and the others went to Fengcheng. Aren't you going?" Fu Wenwen asked, seeing Zhao Zilong putting the leftover food into bowls for them. The two adult cats and three kittens immediately ran to the bowls and began to eat ravenously.
"Brother Hu asked me, but I want to stay in Yong'an Town," Zhao Zilong replied. "My mother isn't in good health, and I want to spend more time with her..."
"It's right to spend more time with the elderly," Fu Wenwen nodded.
"Lady Xia, you didn't bring any ingredients with you today, did you? I'll go get you some vegetables," Zhao Zilong said quickly, seeing that Fu Wenwen and Lin An had nothing with them.
"That would be very troublesome, but thank you. We came in such a hurry and really didn't prepare anything," Fu Wenwen expressed her gratitude.
"Why are you being so polite with me, Lady Xia!" Zhao Zilong chuckled and waved goodbye before leaving.
Lin An squatted down, watching the cats eat. Fu Wenwen took the opportunity to do a quick clean of the house; they could stay here tonight.
The room was not dirty at all, thanks to Zhao Zilong's cleaning.
As soon as Fu Wenwen finished cleaning, Zhao Zilong returned with the ingredients. He cast an apologetic glance at Fu Wenwen. "Lady Xia, there's only some bone meat left from the fresh meat..."
"It's fine, I like eating this meat too!" Fu Wenwen smiled and asked him how much he spent on the vegetables, intending to pay him back.
Zhao Zilong couldn't refuse Fu Wenwen and eventually accepted the money and left.
After Zhao Zilong left, Fu Wenwen took the ingredients to the kitchen. Seeing that everything was still as she had arranged it, the corners of her mouth curved upward.
"Mom, can we take Xiao Xue and Xiao Hei home with us?" Lin An ran over and asked Fu Wenwen with some uncertainty.
"Mom is also thinking about that. We'll ask them later if they are willing to come home with us, okay?" Fu Wenwen didn't refuse; she was contemplating the same question.
Xiao Xue and Xiao Hei were stray cats, accustomed to their freedom. She worried that if they were forcibly taken to Fengcheng, they might become anxious and irritable, unable to adapt to a new environment.
"Okay." Seeing that Fu Wenwen hadn't refused, Lin An flashed a bright smile and happily ran off to play with the kittens.
Braised pork ribs, stir-fried Napa cabbage, scrambled eggs with chives, and a vegetable soup – a perfect meal.
When Fu Wenwen came out with the dishes, she saw the black and white cats sitting on either side, and the three kittens playing with Lin An, treating him like a climbing frame. However, the kittens, who had just learned to walk, could barely walk, let alone climb. Lin An tenderly picked them up.
"Lin An, wash your hands, it's time to eat," Fu Wenwen called out to him.
"Mom, I'm coming." Lin An carefully put the kittens down and quickly went to wash his hands and eat.
Fu Wenwen expected Lin An to take longer and was about to start eating when there was a knock on the door.
Opening it, she saw Lin Feng.
"Why are you back so soon? I thought you'd be back later!" Fu Wenwen smiled at Lin Feng and pulled him inside.
"Whose house is this?" Lin Feng asked, looking around the courtyard as he entered.
"It's a house I rented," Fu Wenwen explained. "Last time, I wasn't staying with someone else; I directly asked the elder aunties in the alley and rented this place."
"..." Lin Feng looked at Fu Wenwen. Fu Wenwen met his gaze calmly. "I admit I lied to you before. At the time... I actually considered divorcing you."
"No divorce," Lin Feng stiffened and quickly grabbed Fu Wenwen's hand, saying anxiously.
"But we talked it over later, didn't we? No divorce!" Fu Wenwen said with a smile. Lin Feng finally breathed a sigh of relief.
As long as they didn't divorce.
But this house still made Lin Feng's heart clench. She had considered divorce...
Fu Wenwen led Lin Feng to the well and said, "Hurry up and wash your hands, we're going to eat. We've been running around all day, and Lin An and I haven't eaten yet!"
"Dad, hurry up! I'm so hungry..." Lin An rubbed his stomach, truly hungry.
Hearing Lin An, Lin Feng quickly drew water to wash his hands.
Whatever it was, they could talk about it after eating. He couldn't let his wife and son go hungry...