Time Has Grown Dim, And Evening Has Already Fallen - Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Lu Xingchu had a bit of luck on his side after all; the plastic bag Cheng Xun had provided ended up being unnecessary.

They finally reached the station. After getting off the bus and breathing in the fresh air, Lu Xingchu finally managed to steady himself. Grandpa Zhao’s house was still a bit of a distance from the station, so after disembarking, the three of them had to walk along a narrow country path.

Unfamiliar with the way, Lu Xingchu followed silently in the footsteps of Grandma and Cheng Xun. Most of the path was easy enough to walk, but as they got closer to Grandpa Zhao’s place, the muddy country roads became more frequent.

Occasionally, someone would ride an electric scooter through the narrow passage. Every time this happened, they had to stand sideways to make room, with the fields just a step away—it required careful footing.

Seeing Lu Xingchu walking with such extreme caution, Cheng Xun couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Lu Xingchu, if you really can’t handle it, just grab onto my clothes.”

As he spoke, Cheng Xun tugged at his thick, long black down jacket, which made his skin look even fairer by contrast.

Lu Xingchu: “?” “No need.” Lu Xingchu pointedly looked away, trying not to pay too much attention to the black figure in front of him. “I’m just not familiar with the terrain.”

“Oh.” Cheng Xun’s response was a bit dismissive, his tone drawn out and slightly rakish. “It’s fine. When Grandma and I first came here, my foot slipped and I fell right into the field. You’re doing way better than I did; at least you haven’t wiped out yet.”

Lu Xingchu: “…” Even someone as blunt as him could tell this was Cheng Xun’s way of comforting him.

As fate would have it, just as the words left Cheng Xun’s mouth, an electric scooter came barreling toward them. Lu Xingchu overcompensated while dodging; his right foot slipped, and his balance tipped dangerously to the right.

Fortunately, Cheng Xun was quick. He grabbed Lu’s arm with a firm grip, pulling him toward himself with significant force.

Lu Xingchu instinctively used that momentum, clutching onto Cheng Xun like a literal lifeline. He lunged forward and hugged Cheng Xun, his arms wrapping tightly around the other boy’s shoulders.

Having regained his balance, Lu Xingchu breathed a secret sigh of relief. Cheng Xun had a lean build; even in the thick down jacket, he didn’t feel bulky, making it easy for Lu Xingchu to pull him into a full embrace.

Cheng Xun reached up and gave the back of Lu Xingchu’s head a playful pat, scolding him with a laugh, “Let go once you’re standing steady.”

This sudden bear hug had actually caught Cheng Xun off guard.

Grandma turned around to look at them. “Did Xiao Shu fall?”

Lu Xingchu immediately took a step back, releasing his hold on Cheng Xun’s back and creating a slight distance between them. “I’m fine.”

Hearing this, Cheng Xun found it funny but still extended his arm toward the other boy in a friendly gesture. “Just hold on. I’ll be your crutch, alright?”

Lu Xingchu’s eyes darkened slightly before he reached out and gripped Cheng Xun… just above the wrist. The down jacket was thick enough, anyway.

Cheng Xun turned back to glance at him, his round cat-like eyes full of mirth and a hint of mockery.

Though it had only been a year since he last saw Grandpa Zhao, Cheng Xun noticed the old man had more white hair at his temples. Even though Cheng Xun’s household registration was merely under Grandpa Zhao’s name for administrative reasons, the old man’s kindness toward him was genuine.

Grandpa Zhao now lived alone in the countryside. Surrounded by neighbors who were also old friends, he seemed more cheerful than he had been back in the county town.

In the courtyard lived two local cats—a sleek, plump orange tabby and a common calico—along with a beautiful little mixed-breed dog. As the three of them entered the yard, the little dog began to bark. Grandpa Zhao quickly came out to greet them, heartlessly tethering the dog as he did.

Every time Cheng Xun visited, he tried to win over the cat and dog, but the dog never seemed to remember him, barking fiercely every single time.

The calico cat, Hua Hua, was aloof, usually lounging around like a lump of fur. Cheng Xun’s favorite was the fat orange one, Pang Pang. Perhaps because he was naturally dim-witted, he was always defenseless and would let anyone pet him.

“Grandpa,” Cheng Xun called out with a smile, his curving eyes looking particularly endearing.

Grandpa Zhao acknowledged him, but seeing the gifts in their hands, he feigned a stern face. “You’re here, that’s enough. Why bring things?”

Grandma replied with a smile, “It’s the New Year; we have to bring something.”

“This is my grandson, Xiao Shu.” Grandma took Lu Xingchu’s arm, introducing him to Grandpa Zhao.

“What a handsome young man.” Grandpa Zhao’s smile was kind, his expression full of approval as he looked at Lu Xingchu. “I haven’t seen you around before.”

“There was some trouble at his father’s place… sigh, it’s a long story. Anyway, Xiao Shu is living with me now, sharing a room with Xiao Xun.” Grandma didn’t go into detail, brushing past the topic lightly.

Cheng Xun originally wanted to help the two elders prepare lunch, but he was ruthlessly kicked out. Grandma told him to stop worrying and just stay in the living room to watch TV.

Lu Xingchu was sitting quite comfortably on the sofa watching TV. Surprisingly, the calico cat that had been so cold to Cheng Xun was now squatting obediently by Lu’s side, melted into a pile of fat. The oranges they had brought were peeled and placed in a bowl on the coffee table.

Grandpa Zhao lived in a single-story house with concrete walls and a loosely latched iron gate. The walls were painted white—all the houses in the area looked like this, apparently a “beautification plan” implemented by the village committee to meet higher-level requirements.

Lu Xingchu didn’t seem particularly interested in cute pets, but Hua Hua was clearly in a “pet me” mood. Lu, however, remained indifferent.

Seeing the fat cat being unusually proactive, Cheng Xun reached out to pet it in Lu’s stead. To his surprise, Hua Hua immediately shifted her posture, flicked her tail aloofly, and jumped off the sofa.

Cheng Xun: “…” Lu Xingchu: “?”

“Pang Pang is still the best.” Dejected, Cheng Xun scooped up the orange cat lying on the floor showing its belly, calling its name affectionately. He held the orange cat with both hands and lifted it up in front of Lu Xingchu, the cat’s fluffy roundness very prominent.

“Look, Pang Pang hasn’t been ‘sent to the eunuch’s quarters’ yet.”

Lu Xingchu: “…” He didn’t have a great interest in a cat’s business.

“Hua Hua must be so mean because she was fixed,” Cheng Xun added, throwing shade at the aloof calico.

“Is that so?” Lu Xingchu expressed doubt. He wasn’t sure if a cat’s temperament had much to do with being neutered. “Why is one fixed and the other isn’t?”

Generally, if a household had male cats, they’d get them fixed at the same time.

“Hua Hua was already fixed when Grandpa found her.” Cheng Xun smiled and rubbed Pang Pang’s head, a trace of loneliness flickering in his expression. “Her previous owner probably fixed her before abandoning her.”

Lu Xingchu lowered his eyes slightly, turning his face to look at the calico cat lying by the door. If the cat comes over again, I’ll pet it, he thought.

When lunch time approached, Cheng Xun volunteered to fill the cats’ bowls and go out to feed the dog. The little dog was incredibly dense; it barked at him every time, yet turned docile the moment it finished eating.

Watching the practiced way he fed the dog and remembering how he hadn’t been angry at all when it barked at him, Lu Xingchu understood.

“You like animals that much?” he asked naturally.

Cheng Xun stood up, holding the bag of dog food. Hearing the question, he smiled before speaking. “Not all of them. I like the fluffy ones.”

Lu Xingchu seemed to want to ask more, but Grandma’s voice boomed from the living room. “Dinner’s ready!”

After eating his fill, Cheng Xun went back to teasing the cats. This time, Lu Xingchu didn’t remain aloof; instead, he gently stroked the little calico that was showing him affection. Hua Hua meowed obediently, circling around Lu Xingchu’s feet.

Seeing the aloof cat act so spoiled was a surprise even to Grandpa Zhao.

“Xiao Hua really likes your grandson.” Grandpa Zhao joked with a smile. “It’s rare to see her this close to someone. Sometimes she ignores even me.”

“It’s fate, I guess,” Cheng Xun chimed in. “Just like Pang Pang and I have fate.”

“Pang Pang has fate with everyone,” Grandpa Zhao couldn’t help but roast him.

Unlike the abandoned calico, Pang Pang was from a litter belonging to a cat three houses down. When the neighbor was giving away kittens, Grandpa Zhao had adopted one. Growing up surrounded by the love of older cats and dogs, the orange cat grew fatter and fatter, becoming mellow and even-tempered.

“If you really like her, Hua Hua can go home with you.” Seeing how much the cat liked Lu Xingchu, Grandpa Zhao was generous enough to offer.

Lu Xingchu looked at the calico sleeping at his feet, finding her cuter the more he looked.

“How can we take a cat you’ve raised for so many years?” Grandma instinctively refused. “Hua Hua is just enjoying a moment of novelty. Besides, these two boys start their senior year this summer; they won’t have time to care for a cat.”

“True.” Grandpa Zhao’s expression turned nostalgic and slightly sad. “Senior year already…”

“Endure this most bitter year, get into a good university, and you won’t have to suffer anymore.”

“Yeah.”

Cheng Xun smiled but didn’t join the conversation. Lu Xingchu remained silent as well.

Life is full of bitterness; the future always seems to dangle a tiny bit of sweetness to keep you going. But there’s no such thing as “suffering through the worst and then it’s all sweet.” Every stage of life has its own unique bitterness. Now it’s the hardship of studying; later it will be the difficulty of finding a job; in middle age, it might be layoffs and starting over…

Thinking too far ahead was pointless. No one’s life can be seen clearly until the very end. Focusing on the present and leaving no regrets was enough.

Cheng Xun’s thoughts were wandering, but he finally decided to focus on the present… and happily pet the cat.

If he truly achieved “cat-owning freedom” in the future, he wanted to raise a fat orange one too.