Chapter 44: Iron Pot Stewed Chicken

Chapter 44: Iron Pot Stewed Chicken

Ji Geer ran until his face turned ashen, his chest heaving like a pair of bellows. Shen Miao quickly pulled him into the courtyard, rushing to get him some water. She chided him, "Have you forgotten everything I told you earlier? What's more important, passing the exam or your own health? Your health is your life's foundation!"

She nearly let those words slip but quickly caught herself.

As soon as they entered the house, before she could fetch the water, Shen Ji suddenly turned around and buried his face in Shen Miao's chest, hugging her tightly without a word.

Shen Miao, clutching two plump chickens in one hand, stood frozen in place.

Unlike Xiang Jieer, Ji Geer rarely showed such affection. Sometimes when Xiang Jieer would fling herself into Shen Miao's arms to act spoiled, Ji Geer would just stand to the side, teasing her for being so clingy at her age, saying she should be more mature.

At such times, Xiang Jieer would only lift her chin higher and hug Shen Miao even tighter.

Ever since Shen Miao returned to Bianjing and became a part of Ji Geer's life, this was the first time he had ever expressed his emotions so openly.

"I ranked sixth. Sister," his voice, muffled by the fabric, sounded subdued, but he was already trembling with joy, nearly in tears, "I actually ranked sixth."

Without a teacher's guidance, without classmates to encourage him, and without a father to advise him, he only had three old books gifted by Ninth Geer and countless lonely nights spent studying and solving problems.

Late at night, he often wondered if all this effort was truly worth it. Was he just wasting time, doing futile work? He felt like he was standing in a fog, lost and unsure, torn between pride and insecurity. Even with his closest sister, he couldn't bring himself to express all his doubts and fears.

With no one to confide in and no clear path ahead of him, he could only move forward in a haze of uncertainty, not even knowing where he was going.

Later, he couldn't help but seek comfort from his sister, like a traveler in the cold night longing for light. And indeed, he found comfort. He repeated his sister's words to himself as he tossed and turned in bed, trying to convince himself not to worry, not to expect too much, and not to exhaust himself over an outcome that hadn't yet arrived... He understood the logic, but his heart still raced.

Even on the way to the outer city with Li Tiaozi to check the results, his heart felt like a pot of boiling oil, each step filled with dread.

When they arrived at the Piyong Academy, the large board filled with names had already been posted, surrounded by layer upon layer of people. Li Tiaozi pulled him through the crowd, exerting great effort to squeeze in.

When they finally reached the board, his heart pounded like a drum, and he almost didn't dare to look up. Carefully, he started counting backward from the 100th admitted student. By the 70th name, he saw Hai Geer's name but still hadn't found his own.

His heart sank.

Hai Geer memorized texts faster than him and had a natural talent for writing essays. If Hai Geer only ranked 70th, what about him?

Had he failed?

He continued counting upward, reaching the 50th name, but still no sign of himself. He closed his eyes, not daring to look further. Li Tiaozi was also nervous. Unable to read, he could only twist his fingers and ask, "Ji Geer, have you seen Gou'er's name?"

Shen Ji shook his head and had to keep counting.

By the 20th name, the top twenty students had been placed in the "A Class," and even the ink used to write their names had been changed to a bright red, glaring into his eyes. The 20th name wasn't his, nor was it Gou'er's.

By the 10th name, still nothing.

His heart was about to leap out of his throat. Desperately, he glanced upward and suddenly saw a red "Ji" character. His gaze immediately stopped, slowly, slowly moving back to that line.

The name, hanging high on the board, seemed to shine brightly, crashing into his already dim eyes.

"A Class, sixth place, Shen Ji, second son, residing at Yongkang Lane, Jinliang Bridge, East Willow Alley..."

Shen Ji's body trembled, his eyes wide with disbelief. He read the words again, one by one, even standing on tiptoe to check the address three times to make sure it wasn't a case of mistaken identity. Once he was certain, the heart that had nearly jumped out of his throat didn't settle back down but instead surged with an impulse that felt like it was about to burst through the top of his head.

But soon, he forcefully suppressed that impulse because he noticed Li Tiaozi still standing there, tense and waiting. Even though he couldn't read, he was still scanning the densely packed board, trying to make sense of the various ink blots.

Shen Ji quickly scanned the board again, from top to bottom, and indeed found no trace of Gou'er's name. He had to quietly inform Li Tiaozi. Though a hint of disappointment flashed across Li Tiaozi's face, he soon smiled and said, "It's alright, it's alright. Gou'er is a year younger than you. He can try again next year."

Afterward, the two headed back home. Li Tiaozi had walked quickly on the way to check the results, but now, knowing his son hadn't passed, his steps slowed, dragging as if each one carried a sigh.

Shen Ji walked with him for a while but couldn’t hold back any longer, apologized, and then ran off on his own.

He didn’t want to show his overwhelming joy in front of someone who was disappointed, but he was eager to get home and be the first to tell his sister.

He made it, he really made it. So he picked up speed, running faster and faster, the wind whistling past his ears, his chest seemingly on fire. All his joy and excitement poured out as he ran, but these intense emotions vanished the moment he saw his sister.

Suddenly, for some reason, he felt a little wronged, a bitterness welling up from deep inside.

He wrapped his arms around his sister’s slender waist, the solitary days of exam prep flashing before his eyes like scenes from a lantern show. He managed to say, “I came in sixth,” before his voice choked up, leaving him speechless.

In response, his sister just gently patted his back.

His sister’s hands were rough from work, scarred and not at all delicate, but the warmth of her hands on his back soothed him almost instantly. When he finally calmed down, he suddenly realized what he had done.

What was he doing?

He was being so cheesy!!

Shen Ji leapt back like a startled rabbit, his face flushed, and bolted back into the house.

What’s with this kid being so jumpy? Shen Miao, clutching a fat chicken, gave a wry smile, then called out to his fleeing figure as usual, “Ji Geer, take a break inside for a bit, and remember to go to the alley later to find Xiang Jieer and Youyu. These two, always so unreliable, took the dog out and vanished.”

After a pause, she happily shouted toward his room, “Ji Geer, well done!”

After saying that, she joyfully hummed a song, “Good fortune, tonight we feast on chicken,” and went into the kitchen to chop the chicken.

Shen Ji buried his burning face in the quilt for what felt like ages, until he heard the familiar sound of a knife hitting a thick chopping board in the kitchen. Then he got up again and slipped out the back door of the yard to find Xiang Jieer as instructed.

He sneaked a peek around every neighbor’s back door but didn’t find Xiang Jieer, until he reached the deepest part of the alley, the Gu family oil mill, where he heard Xiang Jieer playing house with other children.

The Gu family’s place was bigger than the others, featuring a hefty stone mill, towering wooden levers, and a massive iron pot for frying oil. Beside it stood a towering warehouse, dedicated to storing oil supplies, with bags of sesame, rapeseed, and soybeans placed on raised wooden shelves. As soon as you entered the Gu family, you could smell the strong, fragrant oil.

The older generation of the Gu family had passed on, and now the head was the young Gu Dalang, only a few years older than his sister. His good nature seemed steeped in sesame oil, with a belly round as a watermelon, and he loved playing with children the most.

When Ji Geer arrived, Xiang Jieer was pretending to be a barber, and Gu Dalang lounged on a bamboo chair, playing the customer, letting Xiang Jieer have her way.

His twin children, A Bao and A Di, became Xiang Jieer’s apprentices, one pretending to hand over a razor, the other pretending to hold hot water, very excitedly waiting for Xiang Jieer, the barber, to assign tasks.

Thunder and Youyu sat dazed and confused on two other bamboo chairs, obviously the previous customers who had just been tormented, with Thunder’s dog head tied with two pigtails, and Youyu with two uneven braids.

Shen Ji curiously peeked in.

“Uncle, am I doing well? Do you want to use soap when you wash your hair later? Or not?” Xiang Jieer asked seriously.

Gu Dalang was amused and had to cooperate, so he held back his laughter and said, “What’s the difference?”

“There’s a big difference! Using soap, no lice, and then combing with a fine-tooth comb, the hair will be shiny and smooth without tangles for ten to fifteen days.”

“That’s good, then use soap.”

“Using soap costs an extra thirty coins. My soap is the best sheep fat soap.”

Gu Dalang was shocked, holding back his laughter as he sat up from the bamboo chair: “No, no, then I won’t do it.”

Xiang Jieer quickly pressed him back: “Oh, you’re a regular. I’ll give you a discount!”

“How much of a discount?” Gu Dalang couldn’t hold back anymore, forced back into the chair, his shoulders shaking with laughter.

“Twenty coins for you? Quick! A Bao, bring the soap! Bring the best for our uncle!”

"Aye! Coming!" A Bao responded, scampering into the house and then scampering back out, pretending to cradle something in her hands. She approached and enacted a playful betrayal of her father, shouting at him, "Uncle, here's your soap, ready for you!"

Gu Dalang laughed so hard his gums were on display: "Alright, alright, let's wash quickly."

"Uncle, do you want a shave? Ten coins for a shave."

Gu Dalang was shocked again and jumped up: "This is a rip-off! No shaving, no shaving!"

Xiang Jieer quickly held him down again: "Don't leave, I'll do it for five coins."

So the children played and laughed in the small courtyard filled with the aroma of oil, surrounding Gu Dalang, scrubbing his hair, combing his scalp, and even seriously shaving his face with small wooden pieces. After all the commotion, Xiang Jieer had A Di bring a mirror to show him, praising, "Uncle, look at you, after washing and shaving, you look dashing!"

Gu Dalang laughed so hard he almost fell off the chair. Is that supposed to be a compliment?

"Uncle, do you want to trim your beard? How about a mustache with curled-up ends?"

Gu Dalang could already guess what Xiang Jieer was implying, stroking his belly, squinting and smiling: "Is this going to cost extra?"

"Hehe, just five more coins, you're a regular customer, I'll give it to you!"

"You little entrepreneur, always finding ways to make money, must earn a lot in a day!" Gu Dalang couldn't stop laughing at her.

"Not at all, it's all hard-earned money!" Xiang Jieer rubbed her hands, showing a cute yet shrewd face. "You can't rely on looks alone, my sister says it's easy to get cheated! You've got to either hit the books or make some cash, one or the other!"

Gu Dalang burst out laughing, even Shen Ji, who was eavesdropping outside, couldn't help but laugh.

When he went in to collect them, Gu Dalang had already been left in a disheveled mess, with a bald patch on his temple and several beard hairs pulled out. Seeing Shen Ji coming to take them away, he quickly slipped away: "No more fooling around! Get home now!"

The guest had slipped away, and after washing hair, shaving, trimming the beard, and tidying the temples, there was still the split ends to cut! Xiang Jieer stomped her foot, then turned her hopeful gaze to her brother: "Brother, do you want a haircut too?"

"Cut it out, sis is calling you back."

Grabbing his mischievous sister by the scruff of her neck, and holding the bewildered You Yu with his other hand, calling Thunder to follow, Shen Ji took a whole bunch with him, finally saving the Gu family from the usual chaos caused by the kids.

As the three and the dog were walking home, passing by the Li family, they suddenly heard Li Gouer's piercing cries and Aunt Li's wailing and scolding: "You good-for-nothing, your mother sits with you every day to study, burning the midnight oil to read, how much money and effort have been spent, you... where have all these books gone to! All for naught!"

Xiang Jieer paused, instinctively wanting to peek through the door crack to see what was happening, but was quickly shushed by Shen Ji who pulled her away. Xiang Jieer worriedly asked: "Brother, will Gouer get beaten?"

Shen Ji wasn't sure, Aunt Li was famously competitive in the alley, always comparing with others, so he shook his head: "Anyway, don't go in, otherwise Aunt Li will be even angrier if she sees us."

"Why?" Xiang Jieer tilted her head.

Shen Ji hesitated, whispering: "I passed, Gouer didn't, if we go up, what do you think Aunt Li would feel? She wouldn't think you're worried about Li Gouer, she'd probably think you're here to laugh at her. Besides, Gouer is at his own home, with his parents, even if he gets beaten or scolded, it probably won't be too severe, Uncle Li loves him so much."

"You passed, brother!" Xiang Jieer finally realized, jumping up in surprise.

Shen Ji quickly covered her mouth: "Keep it down."

"This is a great thing, not something to be ashamed of..." Xiang Jieer muttered, looking back again. Li Gouer's cries echoed like a tight string in the alley, making her heart ache, she reached out to hold Shen Ji's hand, and finally obediently stopped talking, quietly returning home.

Sister is better, sister never hits. She whispered in her heart.

Shen Miao was washing the blood off the chicken in the kitchen, she also heard the cries floating in from outside the window, her hands paused for a moment, and finally she sighed, continuing to wash the chicken in the big bowl.

She had thought, on such a fine day, perhaps inviting Aunt Gu's family over to celebrate Ji Geer's achievement, for which she had bought two particularly large chickens, fat and tender, with eggs still inside. But now hearing the commotion from the Li family, if she made a big deal about celebrating Ji Geer, she might be resented by Aunt Li for a lifetime.

Forget it, just a small family gathering.

After washing the chicken, she also prepared mushrooms, chicken blood, lettuce, bok choy, fried tofu skin, and other side dishes on the counter.

The firewood in the stove had already been lit, the flames roaring, and the pot was hot. A piece of lard was cut off, and once the oil was hot, she stir-fried green onions and ginger first, followed by Sichuan peppercorns and star anise to release a rich aroma. At this point, the chicken pieces were added and stir-fried until they turned slightly golden. Then, she added soybean paste, soy sauce, and salt for seasoning. Shen Miao also added a large bowl of yellow wine, pouring it along the edge of the pot. As soon as the wine hit the pot, white steam began to rise, mingling with the spices and chicken, creating a rich, savory aroma.

Once the chicken was stir-fried and the meat's aroma was fully released, she added enough water to cover the ingredients, and she covered the pot to let it simmer.

As the broth gradually thickened, the aroma of the chicken mingled with the other ingredients, filling the air. Other side dishes were then added, and the pot was left to simmer a while longer.

While waiting, she began to prepare the dough for the flatbread.

The flatbread for the iron pot chicken also had its own intricacies. In the past, Shen Miao liked to mix cornmeal with wheat flour to make cornmeal flatbread, which carried a sweet corn aroma and tasted even better. But since there was no corn available now, she used plain wheat flour, which was still quite good.

After kneading the dough until it was smooth, she divided it into small portions and soaked them in cold water for half an hour. Then, she took them out and stretched them into long strips, pressing them around the edge of the iron pot. She deliberately pressed them lower so that the bottom half of the flatbread would soak in the rich broth of the iron pot chicken. The bread would absorb the chicken's flavor, and the chicken would take on the taste of the bread, creating a dish so fragrant it could make your head spin with delight.

When it came time to eat, the flatbread wasn't served on its own. While the flatbread was steaming, Shen Miao used leftover bricks from building the house to construct a makeshift stove in the yard. She took an iron tray from the kiln, usually used for baking bread, filled it with charcoal, lit it, and placed it in the stove. This way, when eating the iron pot chicken, the entire pot could be brought out and placed on the stove, letting everyone gather around and enjoy the meal piping hot from start to finish.

By the time the iron pot chicken was ready, the sky had started to darken.

The two chickens, along with a pile of side dishes, filled the large iron pot to the brim. When Shen Miao, taking a deep breath, lifted the pot, the broth had just been taken off the heat and was still bubbling slightly, bubbling with a gentle gurgle.

After placing the pot on the brick stove, Youyu quickly brought over stools. Ji Geer and Xiang Jieer distributed chopsticks and bowls. The little dog, which had been out all day, somehow returned, drawn by the aroma. It wagged its fan-like tail and plopped down at Shen Miao's feet, refusing to budge no matter how much she tried to shoo it away.

Thunder, however, was much more dignified. It slowly walked over and eventually chose to lie down by Ji Geer's feet.

The sky hung low, with a few silver stars scattered across the dusky, indigo sky. A warm summer breeze gently swept over the courtyard wall, stirring the charcoal in the stove. The crackling of the burning wood and the occasional spark added to the ambiance. The chicken in the pot was boiling, and when Shen Miao stood up to lift the lid, the aroma burst out like a thick cloud, filling the air with Xiang Jieer's exclamation of "Wow!"

The four of them gathered around the large pot, with two extra stools placed between each pair for wine bowls and bone plates.

Since children couldn't drink alcohol, Shen Miao poured a bowl of cypress leaf wine, chilled in well water, for herself and Youyu. Ji Geer and Xiang Jieer both drank the sour plum soup sent by Mei Sanniang. She pinched Xiang Jieer's pouting lips, which looked like they could hold an oil bottle, and cheerfully urged everyone to raise their bowls in a toast:

"Today is all about celebrating Ji Geer's admission to the prestigious Biyong Academy! And not just any admission—he's in the top class! You're amazing! From now on, Ji Geer will study at the best academy, and his future will be smooth and successful!"

"Smooth and successful!" Xiang Jieer shouted in repetition.

"And happy!" Shen Miao added.

"Ah! Ah!" came Youyu's excited cries.

Four hands raised their ceramic bowls high, and under the night sky, the stove fire, and the boiling pot, they clinked together with a resounding "clang." Wine and soup splashed out, and laughter and well-wishes seemed to flow with the moonlight that had quietly climbed onto the tree branches in the courtyard.

After that, everyone focused on eating, as the food was so delicious that there was no time for conversation. The chicken was tender, and the flatbread, soaked in the broth, was so flavorful that it nearly made one bite their tongue in delight. Halfway through the meal, Xiang Jieer remembered to toss some large bones to Thunder and the little dog. They grabbed the bones and lay down again, chewing slowly and intently.

After the meal, Shen Miao fried the remaining flatbread that hadn't been soaked in the broth and mixed it with pork bone soup for the two dogs. Thunder, now full, lay down on the front porch, seemingly too stuffed to move.

Xiang Jieer, so full that she had to lean on a pillar to walk, collapsed onto Thunder, hugging it and closing her eyes, refusing to move.

Shen Ji wasn't much better, pacing around the yard.

Youyu obediently went to wash the dishes, while Shen Miao used a long bamboo pole to lower the lantern in the yard, light it, and hang it back up. As the lantern lit up, the moonlight that had spilled across the yard turned into a warm glow, shimmering like water.

Only the little yellow dog ran out again, returning after a while with something in its mouth.

Seeing the dog carrying something, Shen Miao's heart sank.

The little dog had grown more mischievous as it got older. Recently, it not only loved running outside but also enjoyed bringing home stinky shoes. It had done this several times, always picking the same shoe, and Shen Miao could only imagine how the owner of the lost shoe must be cursing.

Shen Miao had later placed a basket in the alley specifically for the dog's collection of tattered, smelly shoes, allowing people to claim them.

So, when she saw the dog excitedly bringing something back again, she assumed it had stolen another shoe. Her scalp tingled with frustration, and she quickly ran over, grabbing the dog's ears and scolding it: "How many times have I told you not to bring random things home! You never listen! If you keep this up, Thunder will teach you a lesson, and then you'll know what pain feels like! Where did you even get those shoes before? And what's in your mouth now? Hurry up and take it back..."

Before she could finish, the little dog spat out what it was carrying onto the ground.

Shen Miao looked down and saw that it didn’t seem to be a stinky shoe, but a large, furry, multicolored mouse, still wriggling on the ground.

She gasped and stepped back two paces. Upon closer inspection, it didn’t seem to be a mouse either—do mice have multicolored fur? Aren’t mice usually gray?

Moreover, this large mouse was making a "meow... meow..." sound.

Shen Miao felt a sense of foreboding. She crouched down and gently poked it with her finger. It was soft and warm. When she flipped it over, she saw that it was indeed a kitten with its eyes barely open! It had yellow, white, and black patches of fur, and its entire body was wet from the dog’s saliva. Only one eye was open, and it seemed to be struggling to see, meowing while it crawled aimlessly on the ground.

"Where in the world did you get this cat from!" Shen Miao pointed at the dog, exasperated. "What are we going to do now? There’s no mother cat or goat milk—how are we supposed to raise this kitten? Where did you get it? Quick, let’s return it before the mother cat notices."

The dog barked, looking completely innocent.

Shen Miao grabbed the basin she usually used to feed the chickens, placed the kitten inside, and led the dog outside, searching everywhere for signs of a mother cat with kittens. She walked from Willow East Alley to Willow West Alley, inquired with other cat owners, and even crossed Golden Beam Bridge to look, but found nothing.

In the end, she even found the tabby cat—ever since Shen Miao stopped setting up her stall on Golden Beam Bridge, it had led its gang to a kind fish shop, where it now helped watch the stall every day in exchange for a few small fish from the owner.

Shen Miao, feeling bewildered, led the dog and carried the kitten back, unsure of what to do. Suddenly, she heard someone calling her from a distance. She turned to see a carriage squeezed through the bustling crowd, a familiar chestnut-colored horse snorting as it struggled to make its way toward her.

"Whoa—"

Zhou Da wiped the sweat from his brow and finally brought the carriage to a halt in front of Shen Miao.

Xie Qi, surprised and delighted, quickly got out of the carriage. "Madam Shen, I didn’t expect to bump into you at the night market."

What night market? She had been completely let down by her own dog. Shen Miao managed a bitter smile. "I... well... I was out looking for a cat."

Xie Qi looked down and saw Shen Miao holding a flat ceramic basin with a kitten inside, barely larger than a mouse. He nodded. "Did you find it? Do you have another cat at home now?"

"Not at all, it’s all this dog’s fault!" Shen Miao, furious, spilled all the dog’s misdeeds—how it had stolen a shoe and now a kitten. Her anger made her tale even more vivid and amusing, which lightened Xie Qi’s heavy heart.

Tonight, he had been bidding farewell to Third Geer Xie Tiao as he left the city.

Xie Tiao had decided to leave without a second thought, and no one could persuade him otherwise. Even after Xie’s father returned from court and spent an hour trying to dissuade him, it was futile. So tonight, Xie Tiao packed his bags, took two horses, and set off with just two servants, leaving the city under the cover of darkness.

Xie Qi had accompanied him all the way to the outer city’s postal road before Xie Tiao urged him to return.

Under the clear night sky, the ancient road stretched out behind him. Xie Tiao mounted his horse and said to Xie Qi with a hint of guilt, "I’m no good, brother. From now on, I entrust our parents and grandmother to your care." He then chuckled self-deprecatingly, "But I’m probably worrying for nothing. You’ve always been more responsible than me. Even without my words, you’d do just fine."

Xie Qi didn’t know what to say, his heart heavy. In the end, he simply stepped forward and said, "Brother, take care of yourself."

Xie Tiao laughed heartily. "Don’t worry, I won’t die."

Though his words were light, his expression quickly turned serious. After a moment of thought, he motioned for Xie Qi to come closer and leaned down from his horse to whisper, "In my room, the fourth tile under the bed is loose. Beneath it, I’ve hidden evidence from the Xu family case—evidence I paid for with this broken hand of mine. Three years ago, I also found two night watchmen who witnessed someone climbing over the wall during the poisoning of the Xu family. Unfortunately, the very next day, a horse panicked in the inner city, trampling people. Not only were the watchmen killed, but innocent vendors were also harmed. The rider claimed it was an accident, that the horse had spooked, and he was injured too. The matter was quickly swept under the rug."

"If I truly manage to reopen the Western Regions route like the Marquis of Bowang and return alive, you can forget everything I’ve said—consider it nonsense. But if..." Xie Tiao paused, then smiled wryly, patting his brother’s shoulder. "If news of my death ever reaches you, don’t forget this case. If you get the chance, continue the investigation for me. Don’t let so many innocent deaths go unavenged."

With that, Xie Tiao straightened up, took one last deep look at Xie Qi, tightened the reins with one hand, and spurred his horse westward like a shooting star, never looking back.

After Xie Tiao left, Xie Qi stood alone in the night for a long time.

His parents and grandmother had wanted to see him off, but he had refused. He said he didn’t want to leave in tears, as it would make his departure even harder. He said he had already failed too many people in his life, losing teachers and friends to death, and only wanted Ninth Geer to accompany him on this final journey.

Perhaps he had already made up his mind, not wanting to burden his parents with more worry and sorrow, and wanting to leave these final words with him.

Thinking of Xie Tiao, Xie Qi looked at the kitten in Shen Miao’s arms and felt a pang of sadness. Xie Tiao’s courtyard had been home to two fat cats that never caught mice but loved to claw at the bed curtains. Because of this, every one of Xie Tiao’s bed curtains was frayed and tasseled. Now that Xie Tiao was gone, the two cats had been sent to their grandmother’s courtyard, and Xie Qi could only hope they wouldn’t shred her bed curtains as well.

"Sigh, we’ve walked around twice now, and we haven’t found the kitten’s mother or any other nursing cat. Otherwise, we could spend some money and ask someone to let their cat nurse one more. That would be a solution. But now, this is really a headache," Shen Miao sighed deeply.

The flickering lights of the night market cast Shen Miao’s furrowed brows in a soft, rippling glow, like flowers seen through water, creating a distant, ethereal beauty. Xie Qi glanced at her and quickly looked away, instinctively saying, "I have cats at home. Perhaps I could help you raise it for a while, and once it’s weaned, I’ll return it to you."

Shen Miao was delighted: "Then I'll entrust it to Ninth Brother without hesitation!"

Xie Qi, blushing at her smiling eyes, automatically took the soft, palm-sized cat. Without thinking much about whether the cat left by his brother was male or female, he instead looked down at the cat, gently stroking its back, and asked, "What should we call it then?"

"We just met, and it hasn’t been named yet..." Shen Miao scratched her head, embarrassed, and pointed to the dog at her feet: "I’m terrible at naming things. This dog has been with me for so long, and it still doesn't have a name."

Xie Qi thought for a moment and smiled, "Since you already have Thunder at home, why not call it Wind? That way, you’ll have wind and thunder from the four symbols. And this little cat has a tuft of yellow on its forehead and a short, thick tail, so let’s give it the fire symbol from the four symbols and call it Qilin?"

Shen Miao nodded vigorously, thrilled that someone had finally helped her come up with a nice name.

In the future, Aunt Li wouldn’t have to glare at her anymore.

After parting ways with Shen Miao, Xie Qi now had a cat named Qilin in his arms. He looked down at the little cat burrowing into his chest, gently poked its soft fur, and murmured to himself, "You're Shen Miao's cat, even though you're staying at the Xie household for now. So your full name will be Shen Qilin. When you grow up, I'll give you a courtesy name..."

The carriage swayed, and Zhou Da, who was following, overheard Ninth Brother’s nonsense and shook his head.

The Grand Lady was right; Ninth Brother really seemed to have lost his mind.

When Xie Qi returned home, he hurried to the Grand Lady's courtyard to find the cats. But when he lifted the tails of the two fat cats, he was shocked—both of his brother's cats had two round, furry balls—how could they both be male cats!

The Grand Lady, who had been grieving over Third Brother’s sudden departure, had cried with Xie's father during dinner.

She had just been comforted by Xi and was beginning to feel better. But when she heard Xie Qi's idea of raising the cat, she laughed so hard that she sprayed her tea, forgetting her sorrow. She pointed at him, shaking with laughter, "Ninth Brother, oh Ninth Brother, not only are these two male cats, but even if there were a female cat, how could it have milk if it hasn't given birth? You've never raised furry creatures before, so you really have no common sense. Forget it, forget it. Nanny Yu, go and prepare a bowl of my usual goat milk cake for our Ninth Brother’s kind heart!"

Xie Qi breathed a sigh of relief, holding the goat milk and the cat, and dutifully spent the night as a cat father.

The next day, with dark circles under his eyes, he was called by his mother, Xi. He was so tired that his steps were unsteady—Shen Qilin meowed hungrily every hour and a half, so he had to get up every hour or two to feed it. At such a young age, he was already experiencing the hardships of raising a child.

As soon as he entered, Xi, still calculating accounts without looking up, asked while moving the abacus beads:

"I didn't have time yesterday, but today I remembered. How did your discussion with Shen Miao about the workshop go?"

Xie Qi stood there for a moment before remembering. He tapped his head, his mind filled with the sound of meowing. Looking at Xi's puzzled gaze, he smiled bitterly, "Shen Miao agreed, but... she mentioned something about a firewall and separating finances, and I forgot..."

Xi: "..."

Seeing Xie Qi yawning from exhaustion, she helplessly closed the ledger beside her, thinking, "Forget it, I'll go myself today."

This child had been acting oddly lately, so it was a good opportunity to see what was going on.