Chapter 30: Heartache

Chapter 30: Heartache

Han Xiao is an employee at a startup near A University, with low pay and too much work.

After pulling all-nighters to write a proposal, today his boss tore it apart and sent it back.

With days of overtime, Han Xiao was already in a bad mood, and his coffee fix for the day was delayed, so when he answered the call, he couldn't help but feel a bit irritable.

"Why isn't it here yet? Look at the time yourself. You have 5 minutes. If it doesn't arrive on time, I'm filing a complaint!"

The voice on the other end paused, then a deep, unhurried tone replied, "Hello, your coffee has arrived downstairs. Please come sign for it."

It's already here?

No job is easy, and Han Xiao felt a pang of guilt. His tone softened significantly. "Alright, I'll be right down."

He walked to the company entrance, glanced around, puzzled as to why he didn't see a delivery driver. Suddenly, his vision went dark.

A tall, long-legged man stood in front of him, slightly bowing, holding the coffee out with both hands.

Han Xiao was stunned, immediately regretting his attitude.

The man was totally unflappable, neither submissive nor arrogant, saying, "Your coffee has arrived. If you're satisfied, please give a good review. Thank you."

This guy was a full head taller than him. If he wasn't satisfied, it looked like he could knock him into next week.

"S-satisfied." Han Xiao let out a nervous chuckle, timidly taking the coffee from his hands.

The man gave him a slight nod, then turned and walked away.

Han Xiao watched in awe as he headed straight for a million-dollar Maybach parked not far away, opened the door, and got in.

He recalled the clothes the man was wearing—some low-key luxury brand; the most ordinary shirt could buy thousands of cups of coffee from him.

Han Xiao stood there dumbfounded before muttering under his breath, "Unbelievable. Rich people with nothing better to do, out here experiencing life."

Through the car window, Fei Yu silently watched Song Ji outside, observing how naturally the man bent down, reached out, and delivered the remaining orders.

Fei Yu slowly realized he had troubled Song Ji once again.

Suisui clung to his father, pointing excitedly at Song Ji walking back toward them, "Daddy, the kind big brother is back!"

A soft thud came from the driver's side door.

Fei Yu quickly dropped his eyes, pretending he hadn't been looking out the window.

The click of the seatbelt was accompanied by the man's deep voice, "All the coffee has been delivered."

Fei Yu's fingers twitched, looked up to the front seat, and said softly, "Thank you."

The corner of Song Ji's mouth quirked up. "No need to be so polite. We're still friends, aren't we?"

Fei Yu, who was keeping a huge secret from his friend, nodded guiltily. "Of course."

Song Ji looked at the father and son, paused, then said, "Then I'll take you home. Can I know this time?"

"Yay!" Suisui was the first to wave his chubby little hand in agreement.

The man stared steadily at him, his eyes dark and deep, hiding emotions Fei Yu couldn't read.

Fei Yu swallowed dryly and reluctantly gave the address of his home.

The apartment Fei Yu rented was on the top floor of the oldest building in the old neighborhood.

The hallway was dim, and the old neighborhood's corridors were narrow. With Song Ji already tall and broad, and carrying Fei Yu on his back, he took up most of the corridor, making it hard to also hold Suisui's hand.

Fei Yu wrapped his arms around Song Ji's neck, watching with an apologetic look as Suisui trudged ahead by himself, side-stepping up the stairs with his short, chubby legs, puffing and panting.

Song Ji took the key Fei Yu handed him and opened the door.

The moment he stepped inside, his heart ached.

The place was tiny, just a one-bedroom layout with sparse furniture, but it was cozy and tidy.

The sharp corners of the furniture were padded with foam, two pots of catnip sat on the windowsill, and the living room had a soft carpet with a scratching post and several toys clearly belonging to a small cat.

It was evident Fei Yu had done his best to make a nice home for Suisui.

Song Ji carefully lifted Fei Yu onto the sofa, and with his permission, took ice cubes from the fridge, wrapped them in a towel.

He rolled up his sleeves, naturally knelt down, and leaned in to check Fei Yu's ankle again.

In just two short hours, the swelling on Fei Yu's ankle had gotten even bigger.

Surrounded by his pale skin, the swollen blue-purple bruise was truly shocking.

Song Ji's eyes stung with tears, and his heart ached unbearably.

In the place he hadn't known about, this was the life the father and son had been living.

When he didn't see the kitten at Mirror Heart Lake earlier, he figured Suisui was with Fei Yu.

All day long, he'd been quietly tailing them.

Suisui sat on the back of the electric scooter, so well-behaved and mature.

Even out in the sun and wind, tagging along everywhere with his dad, he was all smiles, never a word of complaint.

And Fei Yu, even when a customer got mad for no reason, just stood there and took it.

When the customer left, he patted Suisui's cheek and smiled as he told him they had just been playing a game.

They were so busy they didn't even get a break at noon. The sun blazed overhead, and they'd huddle in the shade of a tree, splitting a single small rice ball.

Song Ji's heart ached unbearably. He couldn't stop wondering—did that person know that Fei Yu and the little one were living like this?

How could anyone be cold-hearted enough to abandon them?

Bitterness surged in Song Ji's chest, nearly suffocating him.

He wished he could bear it all for them.

He gently cradled Fei Yu's foot, the hand gripping the towel tightened involuntarily, carefully placing the ice over it.

His voice was barely a whisper: "It might hurt a little. If it hurts, tell me."

Fei Yu gave a little nod. "Okay~"

His left foot was cradled in a pair of broad, warm palms, the warmth radiating through the other man's palm.

Song Ji knelt on one knee, bowing his head before him, his movements inexplicably reverent.

From this angle, his shoulders were still broad, the muscles beneath his white shirt firm and strong.

Fei Yu couldn't help but rub his palm, as if once again feeling the firm hardness of the man's back muscles.

Song Ji really had great stamina—carrying him up seven flights of stairs without even breathing hard.

He looked at Song Ji's furrowed brow and grave expression, and the scene from three years ago came to mind.

Back then, he had only suffered a tiny scratch on his finger, yet the man had acted as if facing a great crisis, lowering his eyes and carefully dabbing iodine on the wound.

Three years had passed, but Song Ji seemed unchanged—still the same outwardly cold, inwardly warm kind-hearted young man.

Cats are good at enduring pain. After the initial sharp sting, Fei Yu had gotten used to the throbbing in his ankle.

But the moment the icy cold touch reached his skin, he still couldn't help but suck in a breath.

Suisui, heartbroken, hugged his father's waist, whimpering, "Daddy."

Seeing the tears welling up in the little one's eyes, Fei Yu quickly pulled him into his arms, patting his back and softly soothing him.

Suisui felt very comfortable being rubbed, and his little belly let out a series of tiny purrs.

Fei Yu's heart completely melted. He knew his little one had been hungry for a while, but seeing him injured, he had stubbornly kept quiet until now.

He quickly cupped Suisui's face, distracting him: "Daddy's a little hungry. Is baby hungry too?"

"Let Daddy rest a bit, then I'll make baby dinner, okay?"

But the usual trick of using food couldn't distract Suisui.

The little one struggled to wrap his arms around his father's waist, shaking his head like a rattle, refusing adamantly.

He looked up with tear-filled eyes, saying firmly: "Suisui isn't hungry! Daddy, don't cook!"

Song Ji stood up and placed the towel-wrapped ice pack on the coffee table.

A slight frown appeared on his brow, and there was a hint of disapproval in his gaze as he said gently, "You just finished icing. You should sit still and let me make dinner. Is that alright?"

Fei Yu could only nod, embarrassed, his voice barely a whisper: "Sorry to trouble you again."

Song Ji entered the kitchen, and Suisui was finally satisfied, obediently holding onto the hem of his father's shirt.

Fei Yu reached out and touched Suisui's soft white earlobe, letting out a helpless smile.

He never knew his little rascal could be so stubborn.

He wondered who Suisui took after.

The fridge didn't have much—just a couple of tomatoes and half a piece of chicken.

Song Ji suppressed the bitterness in his eyes and called his secretary to have him buy some ingredients.

As soon as he hung up, he heard a light patter of footsteps behind him.

Song Ji turned to see Suisui had somehow appeared, his little hands holding up a bunch of green grapes, looking up at him expectantly.

Song Ji's back stiffened. He had never been alone with little Suisui before, and now he felt a little flustered.

He crouched down so his eyes were level with Suisui's, asking softly: "What is it, Suisui?"

Suisui held up the grapes, pushing them toward him, and said clearly: "Big brother, can you wash these grapes for me? I want to give them to Daddy."

Song Ji paused, then said, "Of course." He took the grapes, rinsed them, and placed them in a bowl before carefully handing them back.

Suisui's eyes crinkled with a smile as he said cheerfully, "Thank you, big brother."

Song Ji hesitated, then suddenly called out to Suisui as he was about to leave, lowering his voice to negotiate: "Suisui, would you call me 'uncle' instead?"

He was happy to be close to Suisui, but if he wanted to pursue Fei Yu, the 'big brother' title would be the wrong generation.

"Huh?" Suisui held the fruit bowl and scratched his little face, his black grape-like eyes full of confusion.

He stared at the big brother's smooth chin, puzzled.

A soft, milky voice asked in bewilderment: "Why is big brother an uncle? Big brother doesn't have a beard?"

The child's innocent words were so simple and naive.

Song Ji felt a flush of embarrassment at hearing that, as if his hidden intentions were completely exposed.

He closed his eyes briefly, pretending to be nonchalant, and leaned in to whisper something in Suisui's ear.

Suisui let out two "oh"s of understanding and nodded seriously.

Okay, the sensible little one immediately accepted that.

He gave a sweet smile and said loudly, "Thank you, uncle."

Song Ji watched Suisui trot out of the kitchen, kick off his shoes, use his little hands to climb up, and scramble onto the sofa.

Then he lay across Fei Yu's lap, pinched a small grape, lifted his chubby arm, and fed them to Fei Yu one by one.

Fei Yu lowered his head, whispering something in Suisui's ear.

Suisui's ears turned red, and he shyly covered his face, giggling.

The interaction between father and son was warm and ordinary, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Suisui's features were so much like Fei Yu's—the same round, lively eyes, so adorable.

Fei Yu took very good care of Suisui.

Song Ji breathed softly, feeling a corner of his heart quietly cave in, softening beyond words.

Zhou Xun delivered the ingredients, and Song Ji continued to busy himself in the kitchen.

Soon, tempting aromas began to waft from the kitchen.

The father and son who were playing on the sofa simultaneously stopped their movements, their eyes sparkling, and they both looked toward the kitchen.

Suisui swallowed and said softly, "It smells so good."

Fei Yu's Adam's apple also bobbed up and down, and his voice was equally soft: "Yeah."

Song Ji, wearing an apron, came out of the kitchen carrying a dish and immediately saw the father and son on the sofa, looking at him with eager, expectant eyes.

They looked exactly like two greedy cats, one big and one small.

Song Ji couldn't help the corners of his mouth lifting as he put down the plate.

He walked over to Fei Yu, bent down, and squatted.

In a magnetic voice, gentle and gentlemanly, he said, "I'll carry you over, okay?"

Fei Yu's mind was full of the lavish feast on the dining table, and he nodded, almost impatiently.

The next second, Fei Yu felt his body lighten as he fell into a broad, warm embrace.

Song Ji supported his waist with one hand and his legs with the other, lifting him steadily in a princess carry.

Fei Yu instinctively wrapped his arms around Song Ji's neck, his heartbeat skipping a couple of beats.

This position was even more intimate than before. Song Ji's handsome face was so close that Fei Yu could see the shadow cast by his lashes.

Fei Yu's eyes widened slightly, and he quickly looked away, his long lashes fluttering in a panic.

Suisui trotted along beside them on his short legs, following closely.

When his father was carried to the stool, he looked up at the kind uncle and said in a soft, expectant child's voice, "Daddy flew high! Baby wants to fly too!"

"Okay, uncle is coming right now."

Song Ji turned around, lifted Suisui under his armpits, and raised him up.

His arms mimicked the arc of flying, spinning him around twice in the air.

Suisui kicked his legs excitedly, his joyful laughter as crisp as wind chimes.

Song Ji really knew how to cheer up kids.

Fei Yu sat in his seat, his frantic heartbeat gradually calming down.

He rested his cheek on one hand, looking at the happy baby with a smile in his eyes.

After a moment, Fei Yu's smile froze, and he pursed his lips uncomfortably.

He couldn't help wondering, "Song Ji... wasn't he treating me like a child just now?"

After flying for a while, Suisui finally felt satisfied and obediently sat in his child's seat.

The dinner on the table had never been so lavish: tomato fish, milk steamed eggs, shrimp in tomato sauce...

And many foods the baby had never eaten before.

Suisui's eyes lit up, his mouth wide enough to fit a goose egg.

He raised his spoon, puffed out his cheeks, jiggled his baby fat, and announced loudly, "Baby is going to start eating!"

Fei Yu put the meat dishes into the baby's special compartment and let the baby scoop them himself.

He himself picked up a piece of fish and took a small bite.

The fish was tender and melted in his mouth. The delicious taste exploded in his mouth like the popping candy Suisui loved.

Fei Yu's eyes lit up, and he praised sincerely, "So delicious."

Beside him, Suisui held his spoon and took bite after bite.

The baby focused on eating and didn't talk, oh.

The father and son looked even more similar when eating.

With half-lowered eyelids and thick lashes drooping, their cheeks puffed out contentedly as they chewed slowly and carefully, eating as if treasuring every bite.

It seemed that all their hearts and eyes were focused on only one thing: the food.

Even the curve of their puffed cheeks was identical.

Song Ji curled his lips, feeling that even ordinary food became delicious.

The baby ate two big bowls of rice today, his belly round and full.

He patted his belly, glanced at the tomato soup, and said seriously to his father, "Daddy's tomato meat porridge is also delicious. Baby likes it very much."

"Thank you, baby." Fei Yu was amused by Suisui's sweet talk and wiped the tomato stain from his mouth with a tissue.

He remembered something, looked at Song Ji, and asked curiously, "Song Ji, how do you know how to cook?"

Song Ji lowered his eyes and said, "When I was a child, my family was often away, so I learned to cook by myself."

"Family often away... alone?"

It was as if a small ripple stirred in Fei Yu's heart, and he blinked gently.

Had Song Ji also been alone, growing up lonely?

The person in front of him spoke calmly, as if talking about something ordinary.

Yet a trace of heartache slipped through Fei Yu's heart.

Although Cat Village had many Catfolk, none of them were like him, who had forgotten the reason for becoming human and had remained a cat for over ten years.

Fei Yu had also been lonely many times before.

The Catfolk's gazes were either curious, sympathetic, or cautious out of consideration.

Sometimes he couldn't stand it and would secretly skip class at the Cat School,

hiding alone in a big pit under the peach blossom tree on the back mountain to sleep.

When he woke up, he would look at the distant green mountains shrouded in mist and let his mind wander aimlessly.

Where was he born? How did he grow up? Had he always been a stray, or had he been adopted by humans?

According to the Catfolk who brought him back to the village, they had found Fei Yu in City A on a snowy Christmas Eve.

So Christmas Eve became Fei Yu's birthday, and when Fei Yu finally managed to get a human form, the first place he chose to go was City A. Although many years had passed, what if? Fei Yu couldn't help thinking, what if he could really remember the reason for becoming human again?

Fei Yu moved his lips and whispered, "But you're not alone anymore."

In this world, there's still someone connected to you by blood.

Even if you don't know each other, fate still brings you together.

Song Ji was stunned, and looked up to see Fei Yu's sincere and clear eyes.

Those almond-shaped eyes were jet black and clear, staring without blinking, eyelashes slightly fluttering, with a hint of barely concealed sympathy deep within his eyes.

Song Ji hesitated for only two seconds before swallowing his complaint that the nanny's cooking didn't suit his taste.

He kept his brows furrowed and eyes downcast, and after a long while, he let out a low "mm."

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Author's note: CEO Song is playing the innocent card, this man really knows how to make his wife feel sorry for him, hehe.

"Turn into a cat, turn into a tiger, turn into a puppy soaked in the rain."