Chapter 31: Stay Tonight

Chapter 31: Stay Tonight, Then

The man lowered his gaze, his bangs falling, casting dappled shadows across his face, revealing a rare touch of vulnerability.

Fei Yu had never seen Song Ji like this before. His heart felt as if someone had tugged at it, and he opened his mouth without thinking.

But realizing nothing he said would be appropriate, he swallowed his words back.

For a moment, the only sound at the dining table was Sui Sui drinking tomato soup from his bowl, gulping it down noisily.

After a long while, Fei Yu heard Song Ji ask, "What about you? How have you been these past few years? Why did you decide to come back to A City?"

"Good—I've been good," he mumbled hesitantly. "Sui Sui is almost two now. I heard the education in A City is good, so I thought I'd send him to a city kindergarten."

"I finished work early today and was planning to take Sui Sui to check out the nearest kindergarten."

He touched his baby's soft, chubby face, apologizing, "I'm sorry, baby. Dad didn't keep his promise today."

"It's okay." Sui Sui nuzzled his father's palm, his eyes sparkling.

Song Ji's heart softened as he looked at Sui Sui, "Has Sui Sui's household registration been taken care of?"

Household registration? What's that?

Fei Yu's eyes went round, blinking in confusion, and asked innocently, "What's household registration?"

The two aunties from the small town never said anything about needing that for kindergarten.

Song Ji was taken aback and explained carefully.

Fei Yu's brow furrowed slightly as he listened, and he instinctively glanced at his baby, who was completely oblivious.

So getting into a city kindergarten wasn't that simple—you needed other things too.

The baby was born in Cat Village, so his household registration was naturally there too.

Did that mean all his effort to bring the baby to the city was for nothing, and the baby would have to go to that rundown kindergarten back in the small town?

An idea came to Song Ji, and he parted his lips to say, "Actually, I happen to have a presumptuous request..."

"I've only recently taken over the family business. There's a lot going on at the company, and I'm lacking a trustworthy assistant. I've been wondering who to turn to."

Watching Sui Sui trying to scoop up little meatballs with his spoon, he smiled, "If you're willing, the company’s staff kindergarten isn't bad. I hear the lunches are decent, and the pick-up and drop-off times are convenient."

Fei Yu's expression went blank for a moment before he asked uncertainly, "But I don't have a diploma. Would that be suitable?"

No one in the world is more suitable than you.

Song Ji softened his voice, "Of course it's suitable. But the company is quite far from here, and the commute is long, so you might need to move again."

"It's okay, take your time to think about it."

Fei Yu nodded slowly and said, "Alright, I'll think about it."

After dinner, Song Ji applied another ice pack to Fei Yu's ankle.

The stinging pain had eased, and the purplish bruising hadn't spread further.

Song Ji's face relaxed. "A few more ice packs, and the swelling should be gone by tomorrow."

Fei Yu looked down at the swollen lump on his ankle. As a Catfolk, his healing ability was astonishing; by tomorrow, his injury would probably be fully healed.

With this delay, it was getting late.

Outside, the sky had darkened, and the dim streetlights of the old neighborhood gradually came on.

Fei Yu was wondering how to thank Song Ji when he heard him say, "Since it's inconvenient for you today, I'll give Sui Sui a bath."

Ah—Sui Sui, sitting beside his father, pouted.

Did the baby really need a bath today?

Fei Yu immediately looked at his baby. The little one had been running around all day and was dirty as a little stray cat—the baby definitely needed a bath.

He asked for the baby's opinion, "Sui Sui, would you like Uncle to give you a bath?"

Sui Sui looked down and twisted his fingers, not answering.

After waiting a long time and seeing his father wouldn’t budge, Sui Sui knew he couldn't escape, so he finally mumbled a reluctant "Okay."

Once in the bathroom, Sui Sui immediately closed his eyes tightly, his face scrunched up like a little sour lemon.

He was stone silent, as if enduring some terrible torture.

The bathroom was cramped. Song Ji's tall frame squeezed in, and with Sui Sui's large bath basin, there was hardly any room left.

Song Ji sat awkwardly on a tiny stool, his long legs with nowhere to go, forced to splay out uncomfortably.

He had never taken care of such a small child. As gently as possible, he clumsily lathered Sui Sui with soap.

Even though Sui Sui was being very cooperative, when the slippery bubbles were rubbed onto his skin, he couldn't help but squirm in the basin, getting foam everywhere.

Seeing Sui Sui's scrunched-up face, Song Ji remembered that cats usually dislike water, so he hurried to rinse it off faster.

But this turned into a mess—his clothes were covered in foam and water stains, making him look completely disheveled.

Naked little Sui Sui saw him like this and suddenly laughed, his voice soft and sweet, "Uncle took a bath too."

"Yes, Uncle took a bath too."

Taking care of a child wasn't simple. He still had a lot to learn about taking care of kids.

Song Ji smiled lightly and wrapped Sui Sui in a towel.

As soon as he opened the bathroom door, Sui Sui, now dressed, flew out like a bird.

"Daddy!" Sui Sui climbed onto the sofa, his eyes bright and sparkling, laughing as he reached out for a hug from his father.

The little one quickly let go of his upset; now he wasn't upset at all.

"Good baby." Fei Yu hugged his child, the corners of his mouth lifting on their own.

The freshly bathed baby had a milky scent. Just as Fei Yu was about to kiss his forehead, he turned to see Song Ji at the bathroom door, disheveled.

The man’s shirt was a mess—the whole front was soaked.

The thin, wet fabric clung to his skin, making the contours of the muscles underneath faintly visible.

Clearly, he couldn’t leave looking like that.

Fei Yu's breath hitched for a moment, and he immediately felt apologetic. "I'm sorry. I should have done it myself."

"It's fine. I'm still inexperienced," Song Ji said, coughing nonchalantly.

He was about to head out when he heard Fei Yu say, "Why don't you take a shower first?"

Song Ji was a little startled, then the corners of his lips lifted into a smile. "Sorry to impose."

Maybe even the heavens were helping him. By the time Song Ji came out of the bathroom, rain had started falling outside without warning.

The wind was fierce, and heavy raindrops pounded against the window.

The trees across the way swayed violently in the storm, their leaves rustling noisily.

Boom! Boom! Two thunderclaps echoed from the sky.

Sui Sui, who had been playing with building blocks on the carpet, immediately let go of the blocks and hurriedly wrapped his arms around his father's leg.

His eyes went wide, and his little voice cried out in surprise, "Mr. Thunder followed me to City A!"

In such weather, Fei Yu clearly wasn't comfortable letting Song Ji go home alone.

But the only place in the house where Song Ji could sleep was the narrow sofa.

After much hesitation, Fei Yu sheepishly asked him to stay.

Fortunately, Song Ji didn't mind. Instead, he smiled gently and gladly accepted the offer.

At night, Fei Yu lay in bed holding the little kitten, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.

With the rain pattering outside, Sui Sui slept soundly.

His fluffy little head was buried in his father's neck, and his paw pads lightly hugged his father's cheek.

Having a sweet dream, the little kitten smacked his lips and let out steady little purrs from his throat.

Catfolk's healing was incredible. In just a few hours, Fei Yu could no longer feel any pain in his ankle.

He tested his left foot, and his ankle moved freely and easily.

Fei Yu watched the sleeping baby for a moment, then gently placed the little kitten on the pillow, lifted the covers, and tiptoed out of bed.

He silently pushed open the bedroom door.

The rain outside had stopped at some point; the clouds had cleared.

Moonlight streamed through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the room.

Fei Yu's eyes immediately landed on Song Ji, who was curled up on the sofa.

The sofa was narrow, and the man, nearly 6'3" tall, had to sleep on his side with his long legs bent awkwardly.

Holding his breath, Fei Yu crept toward Song Ji on the sofa.

Moonlight fell on Song Ji's face. His eyes were closed, but his brows were furrowed, as if he wasn't sleeping well.

Song Ji's voice echoed in his ears again.

Fei Yu bit his lower lip and couldn't help thinking—so Song Ji had worries too?

He had taken over his family's company, but there was no one around he could trust. Wasn't he struggling all on his own?

His fingers curled against his sides. Fei Yu couldn't help but lean down and carefully reach out.

His slender fingers hovered in the air, tracing the man's features as if trying to iron out the crease between his brows.

But due to some hesitation, the suspended hand never fell.

On the wall behind them, their shadows overlapped and then separated, like a kiss that never happened.

In the end, Fei Yu simply grabbed the slipping quilt corner, covered Song Ji's shoulder again, and quietly slipped back into his room.

He didn't know that after he left, Song Ji's eyelashes fluttered.

Those deep, dark eyes slowly opened, clear – wide awake, as if he hadn't been asleep at all.

Maybe because he hadn't slept well the night before, Fei Yu woke up very late the next day.

When he woke up, the little guy wasn't next to him anymore.

Muffled voices came from outside the door, as if they were speaking softly to avoid disturbing others.

Worried about the baby, Fei Yu threw on a jacket, slid into his slippers, and got out of bed.

He pushed the door open and saw Song Ji half-squatting in front of Sui Sui.

The man was holding the baby's bottle and shaking it vigorously, lowering his voice as he asked the little one uncertainly, "Is this okay?"

Sui Sui's pajamas were all bunched up on him. He swallowed hard and nodded solemnly.

Hearing movement behind him, Sui Sui's eyes lit up. He turned and ran to his father. "Daddy!"

"Good morning, baby." Fei Yu gave a gentle smile, bent down, and scooped Sui Sui into his arms.

Song Ji's gaze naturally fell on Fei Yu.

Fei Yu was still in his loungewear, with a jacket casually draped over his shoulders.

His black hair was tousled, still uncombed, with a few cute cowlicks sticking up.

Because he had just woken up, his fair cheeks were slightly flushed, and his eyes were bright and a little teary. He had an indescribably gentle vibe about him.

He had never seen Fei Yu like this.

Song Ji's eyes softened. He handed over the bottle. "Sui Sui was hungry, so I went ahead and prepared this for him. Could you take a look?"

Fei Yu said sheepishly, "Sorry to trouble you again."

He took the bottle, checked the temperature, and handed it to Sui Sui in his arms.

The little guy, who had been hungry for a while, grabbed the bottle with both hands and started chugging it down.

Song Ji asked with concern, "Does your foot still hurt? Why don't I hold Sui Sui instead?"

Fei Yu's back tensed up. He suddenly realized that human injuries didn't heal that fast.

He stammered, "Much better. I put ice on it yesterday, and the swelling's gone down. It doesn't hurt now at all."

Song Ji was still concerned, so Fei Yu had to sit on a stool and let Song Ji half-squat in front of him to check his ankle injury again.

After just one night, the shocking blue and purple swelling on his ankle from yesterday had mostly subsided.

Only a faint reddish patch remained, making it look like a minor bump.

Song Ji felt relieved and didn't ask further, only reminding Fei Yu to be careful these days.

Seeing that Song Ji hadn't noticed anything unusual, Fei Yu sighed in relief and could finally enjoy the breakfast on the table.

The hot porridge went down, warming his stomach.

Fei Yu held the bowl with both hands and let out two contented hums.

He looked up and saw Song Ji walking out of the kitchen with a bowl, but instead of stopping at the dining table, he placed it directly on the floor cushion in the corner.

Seeing Fei Yu's puzzled look, Song Ji explained, "I didn't see Little Cat Suisui yesterday. This breakfast is for him."

Hmm, Little Cat Suisui gets breakfast too.

Suisui had just finished his milk, and his eyes lit up, feeling hungry again.

Fei Yu's back went tense, and he stammered an explanation: "The rain was heavy last night. Little Cat Suisui was outside, and he took good care of himself..."

Afraid that Song Ji might say he'd wait for Little Cat Suisui to come back, Fei Yu's eyes flickered, his mind racing, trying to find a suitable excuse, so anxious that a fine sheen of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Amusement flickered in Song Ji's eyes. He glanced at his watch and said, "I still have some work to handle. Sorry for dropping by yesterday; I've got to go."

"Goodbye," he said, looking at Fei Yu, then bent down to look at Suisui and waved at him: "Goodbye, Suisui."

Fei Yu could barely suppress his smile and didn't try to keep him: "Okay, take care."

After two days of getting along, Suisui had formed a strong friendship with Kind Uncle.

As he left, Suisui gripped the doorframe and called out goodbye to his uncle: "Uncle, remember Suisui, and you must come again next time... Uncle, take care, watch your step."

Song Ji looked back and waved goodbye the whole way.

Only when Song Ji was completely out of sight did Suisui allow his dad to close the door.

Fei Yu gently pinched the baby's earlobe and asked, "Baby, do you like Uncle Song Ji?"

"Yes, I do." Suisui nodded without hesitation.

After a thought, he hastily added, "Suisui likes Daddy the most."

"Little cutie." Fei Yu couldn't help but smile, picked up the baby, and walked toward the living room.

"Daddy's not working today. Let's play with building blocks, okay?"

"Okay!"

*

Upon learning that Fei Yu was injured, the café manager, Lingling, immediately called to express her concern.

Although Fei Yu repeatedly stated that his injury was fine and that he could run, jump, and deliver coffee.

Lingling still generously waved her hand and approved several days of paid leave, telling him to rest well these days.

With his busy work suddenly gone, Fei Yu finally had time to fulfill his promise.

That day, Fei Yu took the baby to a kindergarten near the school for a trial visit.

The kindergarten classrooms were bright and spacious, and the playground had abundant facilities, much more advanced than in the small town.

Suisui was bold and not shy around strangers. Led by the teacher, he quickly mixed with the kids at the school.

Little Meow ran around the playground, crawling into colorful little houses, queuing up to take turns on the slide, and riding wooden horses.

When reading picture books, he also held a picture book and listened attentively to the teacher telling stories at the front of the room.

The teacher showing them around smiled and said, "Suisui is really adjusting well to kindergarten. Usually, children of this age are not very willing to be separated from their parents."

Fei Yu smiled: "Yes, Suisui is very lively."

After the trial day, Suisui was reluctant to part, waving goodbye to the new friends he had just made.

On the way back, Fei Yu held Suisui's hand and asked, "Baby, do you like kindergarten?"

Suisui nodded firmly.

"Okay, since Suisui likes it, then we'll go!" A smile blossomed on Fei Yu's face.

A Catfolk isn't afraid of difficulties. It's just Song Ji's assistant, isn't it?

Of course, he can do it!

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Author's note: It's so hard to guess where to move.

Boss Song: Sometimes I can't help teasing my cute wife.

Later, when Yubao learned the truth: "Tonight you sleep in the study!"