Chapter 32-Part 1: A Flower for My Wifey

– “Do you think I wanted to call you?”

On the other end of the line, Duan Yan’s mother’s tone was cold, like flowing ice water.

Even the bond of blood couldn’t bring a trace of warmth to this conversation.

Their relationship was more distant than that of strangers.

– “Then I’m hanging up.” Duan Yan’s voice was equally calm, without a ripple.

She didn’t want to get entangled in this issue any further.

– “Go ahead and hang up, if you don’t want the keepsakes your grandmother left behind.”

Grandmother!

Duan Yan’s pupils contracted sharply.

Tears shimmered in her eyes, but her thoughts remained surprisingly calm.

– “I remember I already took all the keepsakes. Are you trying to use this excuse to trick me into a blind date again?”

– “I’m doing this for your own good. What’s wrong with that man? He has the looks, he has the background. Are you telling me you still like women?”

On the other end of the line, Duan Yan’s mother’s words were laced with a hint of disdain, as if she looked down on Duan Yan’s sexual orientation.

Song Jin’s anger burned in her chest, and she was indignant and confused. ‘What does she mean by that?’

‘Is there something wrong with liking women? Is there something wrong with liking me?’

Homosexuality had been legal for many years, yet her views were still so conservative.

Fortunately, Duan Yan’s relationship with her mother was not harmonious.

Otherwise, she would have to endure the cold words of this “future mother-in-law.”

– “That’s right. I do like women. I liked them before, I like them now, and I will always like them in the future. Homosexuality has been legal for ten years. What exactly have I done wrong? I have self-respect and self-love, and I’ve always been disciplined. And you, who claim to be normal, have made a mess of your own relationships.”

Duan Yan did not back down, her sharpness on full display.

On this issue, she was resolute and would not yield.

– “That time, if you hadn’t lied to me about having grandmother’s keepsakes, I wouldn’t have…”

The woman on the other end of the line seemed to be thoroughly enraged.

She suddenly cut Duan Yan off, coldly threw out an address, and then hung up the phone.

– “Never mind. I don’t want to argue with you. I’ll have someone send her keepsakes over tomorrow. You can just go pick them up yourself.”

‘What? That woman actually treats Duan Yan like this? She’s truly despicable!’

Song Jin secretly gritted her teeth, etching this moment into her heart.

In the future, she would get justice for Duan Yan.

Duan Yan sat blankly on the wooden chair, seemingly lost in the past.

The warm yellow light gently enveloped her figure.

That lonely silhouette looked particularly desolate under the light, bearing a weight of sorrow and vulnerability.

A strong desire to protect surged in Song Jin’s heart.

She wanted to rush forward and give Duan Yan a warm embrace, but at this moment, she was just a little orange cat that couldn’t speak.

So, she carefully jumped down from the soft bed and walked to Duan Yan’s side with light steps.

The light cast down, stretching the little orange cat’s shadow on the floor.

One large, one small, the little cat’s shadow slowly approached Duan Yan’s shadow until the two isolated shadows merged and intertwined at the edge of light and dark, becoming inseparable from then on.

“Mewl~”

Song Jin rubbed her soft fur against Duan Yan’s calf, her tail quietly brushing against the fair skin of Duan Yan’s leg.

Her amber eyes, like a clear spring, were crystal clear, containing an extremely direct heartache and comfort.

Duan Yan’s body trembled slightly.

Her legs remained in a stiff posture, but as the warm, fluffy touch came, her heart gradually warmed from the cold memories.

She slowly moved her leg, turned her head to look at the little orange cat on the floor, and gently picked it up.

“Baby, are you hungry?”

So far today, the little orange cat had only eaten one fish in the morning.

Because it had been sleeping soundly, it hadn’t eaten since.

Its little belly must be rumbling by now.

“Mewl~”

‘I’m not hungry. I just want to make you a little happier.’

Song Jin rubbed her head against Duan Yan’s arm and looked up at Duan Yan’s face.

On Duan Yan’s face, undried tear-stains shimmered faintly in the light.

The corners of her eyes were slightly red, like a lotus flower mercilessly battered by a storm, its petals edged with wounds, looking incredibly fragile.

A deep melancholy was gathered between her brows, and the corners of her lips drooped.

She looked extremely sad.

Song Jin’s heart felt as if it had been pricked by a needle, a dense pain spreading through it.

‘Without me, would Duan Yan have to process her emotions all alone? With no one to comfort her?’

“Mewl~”

Song Jin’s heart ached.

She loathed the woman who had brought Duan Yan such sorrow.

Even though she didn’t know her, loving someone was just that unreasonable.

She disliked everyone who hurt the person in her heart.

“Alright, Mommy knows. I’ll give you some dried fish snacks later, okay?”

Duan Yan pulled herself out of her sad mood, stroked the little orange cat’s head, and mistook its actions for hunger.

She prepared to get the little orange cat some dried fish snacks.

“Mewl~”

Song Jin thought for a moment.

The book of seduction techniques that Curly had imparted to her before leaving.

She had specifically repeated the mouse-giving method twice.

The best gift a cat can give to a human is a mouse, and the method is also crucial.

The ideal way is to place the mouse on the owner’s bedside table, so that when the owner wakes up, they will “be able to see this surprise at first glance.”

The owner will be very happy, will scream loudly, and may even be so happy they faint.

Song Jin imagined the scene and couldn’t help but smile.

If Duan Yan received such a gift, she would probably only be frightened.

Song Jin didn’t want Duan Yan to wake up in the morning and be scared out of her wits by a mouse.

She shook her head.

A mouse wouldn’t do.

Then she’d give her flowers.

Flowers could indeed make a person feel better.

While Duan Yan was away, Song Jin secretly slipped out and went to the greenhouse on the second floor.

The flowers here, under the meticulous care of the gardener, were all full of vitality, each one as exquisite as a work of art.

Although these flowers were technically Duan Yan’s property, Song Jin thought righteously: as long as she picked them, they were her heartfelt sentiment.

She looked around.

Before her was a sea of colorful flowers, their fragrance filling the air, making her a little dizzy.

Standing in the greenhouse, Song Jin was in a dilemma.

She rarely gave people gifts.

The only experience she had was giving gifts to Zhao Dan, but those were gifts given to her by others.

She had only passed them on, without much sincerity.

As for giving flowers, the most she had ever done was give them to her mother on holidays.

Other than that, there was nothing.

She considered various possibilities.

Roses?

Roses were beautiful, but they seemed a bit tacky in the current atmosphere.

This wasn’t a confession, so why give roses?

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the petals, casting mottled patterns of light and shadow.

Song Jin’s gaze wandered through the sea of flowers and finally settled on a cluster of weeping crabapple blossoms.

These flowers were small and exquisite, their petals as soft as silk, gently drooping and exuding a delicate fragrance, with a charming appeal.

However, the branches were too high.

Song Jin looked around, and after confirming there were no surveillance cameras, she silently reverted to her human form and carefully selected the most vibrant weeping crabapple blossom.

Crystal-clear water droplets hung on the petals, like morning dew, pure and heart-stirring.

Completely satisfied, Song Jin changed back into a cat, gently picked up the flower with her mouth, and full of anticipation, presented this gift to Duan Yan.

Duan Yan returned to the room with dried fish snacks in hand, only to find that the little orange cat that should have been in the room was gone.

She searched everywhere but couldn’t find a trace of the cat, and couldn’t help but feel a little anxious.

She lifted the curtains, checked the window, and confirmed it was closed, which eased her mind a little.

Suddenly, a faint rustling sound came.

Duan Yan looked up and saw a fluffy little cat ear poking out from the crack of the door, followed by the cat’s head.

It was holding something red in its mouth, which looked like a flower from a distance.

The little orange cat seemed to be looking for someone, peeking its head in and out, its whiskers twitching slightly.

So sneaky.

Hiding behind the curtain, Duan Yan couldn’t help but smile.

‘That flower, could it be for me?’

The little orange cat, anxious because it couldn’t find its owner, let out a “meow—” cry.

Only then did Duan Yan reveal herself from behind the curtain.

The little orange cat’s amber eyes instantly lit up.

It carefully picked up the flower and ran quickly towards Duan Yan.

The soft light of the setting sun slanted through the window, gently draping over the little orange cat’s body, outlining a dreamlike halo around it, as beautiful as a dreamscape.

Its figure, in the interplay of light and shadow, appeared even more vivid and adorable.

The little orange cat placed the flower at Duan Yan’s feet, then used its soft tail to gently tug at her leg.

The action was full of childishness, as if trying hard to make her notice the flower.

Its clear, amber eyes looked at her, conveying silent affection and expectation.

“Is this for me?” Duan Yan bent down, picked up the small flower from the floor, and placed it in her palm.

The flower in her palm was nothing special.

It was a weeping crabapple blossom picked from her greenhouse.

It had even wilted a little from the journey.

But Duan Yan felt that this was the most beautiful flower she had ever received in her life.

Although she already had an answer in her heart, she still couldn’t help but ask the little orange cat for confirmation, even though she knew the cat couldn’t answer.

“Mewl~” the little orange cat cried, as if to say, “Yes~”

Song Jin rubbed her body against Duan Yan’s hand, letting out a soft, sweet cry.

“Thank you, baby. Mommy likes it very much.”

Duan Yan seemed to understand the little cat’s words and gently held the flower from her palm to her ear.

Then she picked up the little orange cat, looked it in the eye, and gently placed a kiss on its face.

Song Jin was stunned, her heart racing.

‘As long as you like it. I just want you to be happy.’

At this moment, Duan Yan’s face was beaming with a smile, like a flower blooming in spring, warm and charming.

The corners of her lips were slightly raised, and her eyes curved into crescent moons.

Her dark, silky hair was draped over her shoulders like a waterfall, gently swaying in the breeze.

The vibrant flower by her ear formed a sharp red-and-black contrast, vivid and bright.

In the soft afterglow of the setting sun, her fair face seemed to be plated with a layer of golden light, like a fairy in a dream, both real and distant.

Song Jin stared blankly at this scene, thinking: this scene is as if Duan Yan is accepting her gift, confessing to her.

‘How is it not? I gave her a flower, she accepted my flower, and even said she liked it.’

Ignoring the fact that she was currently a little orange cat, wasn’t this Duan Yan’s response to her feelings?

As Song Jin was immersed in this sweet fantasy, a dried fish snack with an alluring aroma suddenly appeared before her eyes.

“Mewl~”

Song Jin’s meow held a hint of surprise.

Her nose twitched slightly.

The scent of the dried fish snack instantly aroused the greedy worm in her stomach.

She looked up at Duan Yan.

She had the flower she had given her tucked behind her ear, and she was gently holding out the dried fish snack, her eyes full of doting affection and gentleness.

Song Jin carefully took the dried fish snack with her mouth, enjoying Duan Yan’s meticulous feeding.

The next morning, the sun’s gentle rays pierced through the clouds, spilling onto the ground, bringing warmth.

Duan Yan brought the little orange cat to an old house in the suburbs of Shanghai.

The house had weathered through the years.

Small, vibrant green plants crawled all over the tiles.

They looked particularly lively under the morning sun.

Two women stood at the entrance of the house, seeming to have been waiting for a long time.

“This is what the madam asked me to give you.”

One of them handed over a sealed package.

Duan Yan took the box and breathed a sigh of relief.

It seemed she hadn’t been tricked.

Her tone was cold:

“Mm, thank you.”

“The madam also asked you to go back in a couple of days. There’s something to discuss.”

“I know.”

Duan Yan’s reply was calm, but a barely perceptible hint of sarcasm touched her lips.

After bidding farewell to the two women, Duan Yan gently pushed open the door and stepped into one of the rooms.

Duan Yan had hired someone to clean the house regularly, so there wasn’t much dust, and it could be used normally.

Duan Yan placed the wrapped box on the table, removed the outer packaging, revealing a tin box.

The mark on the box was her favorite anime pattern.

She used to pester her grandmother to play it for her every night, and would only go to sleep after watching it.

And this box was one she had drawn several times to get, because she cherished it so much.

“Yanyan, you have to be a good girl and go to sleep~”

Remembering her grandmother’s voice, Duan Yan’s eyes couldn’t help but turn red.

Her fingers gently slid across the surface of the box, as if touching memories of the past.

Opening the box, an orange ball of fur came into view, as if woven from the fur of an orange cat.

Song Jin was nestled in Duan Yan’s arms, her attention fixed on the contents of the box.

She saw the ball of fur.

A surge of jealousy instantly welled up in Song Jin’s heart.

Duan Yan had actually had other kittens before.

Her gaze sharpened, as if she had discovered a rival, and she stared intently at Duan Yan.

But Duan Yan seemed a little confused by the ball of fur.

Her brows furrowed slightly, not knowing the origin of this furball.

Song Jin breathed a sigh of relief.

It seemed Duan Yan probably hadn’t raised any other kittens.

‘Hmph, I am the only kitten in Duan Yan’s heart. If Duan Yan dares to reminisce about other kittens behind my back, I won’t be polite.’

Although that was the case, Song Jin still couldn’t accept Duan Yan having things from other cats.

She saw that Duan Yan was about to touch the furball.

Song Jin quickly rushed forward, picked up the furball with her mouth, and threw it to the other side of the table.

‘You are not allowed to have things from other kittens.’

If she really liked furballs, she could make them from her fur.

In short, there could be no items from other kittens on her person.

A pair of large, watery eyes glared at Duan Yan, as if she would bristle if Duan Yan went to pick up the ball of cat fur.

Duan Yan’s original sad mood was swept away by Song Jin’s cute and slightly jealous behavior.

She smiled, shook her head gently, and secretly thought this little cat was really childish.

“Mommy has only ever raised you, one little cat. There are no others.” Duan Yan picked up the little orange cat and gently stroked its head.

Song Jin was satisfied.

She obediently stayed on the bed and, after checking the contents of the box and finding no other cat-related items, she was relieved.

After looking at these things, Duan Yan took the little orange cat for a walk around the courtyard.

When she saw the patch of daisies, Duan Yan’s mood clearly fell.

Song Jin keenly caught this and, heartbroken, pressed her fluffy body and tail tightly against Duan Yan, giving her as much warmth and comfort as she could.

Duan Yan sat on the small stone bench near the daisy patch, holding the little orange cat and stroking its soft fur.

The unique warmth of the cat’s body dispelled the shadows in her heart.

She hadn’t dared to set foot in this place for a long time, because she was afraid of remembering her grandmother and showing a distraught expression.

But now, Duan Yan found that it wasn’t so unbearable.

Her grandmother’s death was not her fault.

Everything had passed.

She had grown up, had a career and an independent life, and also a little orange cat that obediently accompanied her.

Song Jin observed Duan Yan’s mood and pressed her paw into Duan Yan’s palm, a gesture of supportive comfort.

Duan Yan felt that her little cat was especially psychic and very sensitive to her emotions.

It was truly a unique gift from heaven, filling her empty heart to the brim.

Duan Yan gently kissed the little orange cat’s ear.

Her mood instantly brightened, and a faint smile hung on her face.

Duan Yan’s gaze suddenly fell on the tip of the little orange cat’s nose.

A mischievous thought suddenly occurred to her.

She gently picked a foxtail grass and playfully tickled the little orange cat’s nose.

Song Jin’s eyes instantly widened into saucers.

Unbelievable! How could she do this to her!

She was seriously comforting Duan Yan, and Duan Yan still had the mood to tease her.

So despicable!

“Hahahaha.”

Seeing the little orange cat’s reaction, Duan Yan couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

The little orange cat immediately raised its paw and slapped Duan Yan’s hand hard, but Duan Yan dodged the cat’s paw.

Song Jin stared at her empty paw, her eyes widening even more.

???

Duan Yan had never refused to be hit by her before.

Song Jin got angry, jumped down, and started chasing Duan Yan.

Duan Yan laughed and ran away, like a little girl, lightly hopping on the grass, dodging the little orange cat’s pursuit.

Song Jin chased after her angrily, her little tail swaying gracefully in the sun.

The surrounding daisies, like scattered stars, swayed gently in the breeze, exuding a faint fragrance.

An indescribable sense of familiarity washed over Duan Yan’s heart, as if the scene before her had been enacted here before.