Chapter 32: Living Together
byChapter 32: Living Together
Having made the decision to let Suisui attend kindergarten in the city, Fei Yu immediately took action.
He called Song Ji to inform him of his decision.
After a long pause, a voice finally came through the phone, a low, amused voice.
"Fei Yu, I'm really glad you're willing to come."
The man's deep, magnetic voice seemed to sound right by his ear, and Fei Yu felt his ears grow hot.
After hanging up, Fei Yu buried his face in his hands, his cheeks still warm.
How strange—Song Ji was clearly talking about work, so why did he feel there was another meaning behind those words?
Once his foot injury had fully healed, Fei Yu went through the process of terminating his lease and found time to resign from the coffee shop.
Having worked for less than a month before quitting again, Fei Yu felt apologetic and was too embarrassed to ask for the no-complaint bonus.
Lingling, however, was genuinely happy for him. She settled his wages and bonus promptly and wished him well with the rest of his tasks that day.
Before starting his new role, Fei Yu made the most of his time packing his belongings into woven bags.
During the day, he took Suisui to explore the campus.
After saying goodbye to Drumstick Brother, DunDun Brother, and all the other cats, he finally stopped clamoring every morning for his daddy to turn him into a cat.
Little Meow no longer needed his daddy to carry him; instead, he trotted forward on his short legs, huffing and puffing.
At Suisui's age, he was full of curiosity about the world and fascinated by everything.
He was curious about the bright, spacious classrooms of the university, and the older brothers and sisters outside the teaching buildings, who paced around holding books and reciting under their breaths.
Just as the curious little one was about to walk toward a group of college students studying, Fei Yu swiftly bent down, scooped up his son, and turned onto another path in the small garden.
Clinging to his father's shoulder, Suisui kept asking, "Daddy, what were those older girls doing just now?"
Fei Yu replied, "They were preparing for exams, baby. Be good, let's not disturb them."
Suisui immediately clenched his little fists excitedly and declared loudly, "Then I want to take exams too!"
Fei Yu answered a little guiltily, "You will, you will—there will be plenty of exams for you in the future."
After spending the whole day playing outside, Fei Yu returned home and busied himself with bathing the baby. By the time he lay down on the bed, he was so exhausted he felt he could fall asleep without even closing his eyes and just wanted to sink into deep sleep.
Looking down, he saw that the little one, who had been drowsy during the bath, was now full of energy again, nestled on his thigh with a picture book in both hands, looking up at him expectantly.
Fei Yu: ...
Ever since he experienced the teacher's picture book class at the kindergarten, Suisui had developed a new hobby of listening to stories. Every night before bed, he would beg his Daddy to read him a picture book.
Little Meow was full of energy—after spending the whole day outside, he would come home, take a drowsy bath, and perk right back up.
Fei Yu almost missed the days in Cat Village, where at least after the baby had used up all his energy, there were other Catfolk to step in.
Turns out raising a little meow was so tiring for a cat 🙁
Seeing that his father hadn't moved for a while, Suisui pouted, tapped his daddy's thigh with his little hand, and urged softly like a spoiled child, "Daddy..."
Having promised to read to Suisui every night, Fei Yu reluctantly took the picture book and began reading with a reluctant sigh.
As night fell over the land, the world slept, and the window was quiet save for the occasional chirping of insects.
In the dim bedroom, the jellyfish nightlight on the bedside cast a soft glow, and the young man's gentle voice flowed like water in the quiet.
"One day at noon, the cat's crying stopped. The cat also lay still, motionless beside the white cat. The cat never got up again..." ①
There once was a magical cat who lived a million lives.
He had rejected many people's love, never shed a single tear, and lived proudly and alone in this world.
But when his beloved cat passed away, this proud cat cried for three days and three nights, then lay down beside his beloved cat and never woke up.
The story ended, and Fei Yu closed the picture book, feeling a sting in his eyes and his eyes growing teary.
After wiping the moisture from the corners of his eyes, Fei Yu turned to look beside him.
Suisui had no idea when he fell asleep—a soft little kitten, lying on his back with all four paws up, sleeping soundly.
Fei Yu smiled gently, the sadness in his eyes fading a lot.
He lowered his head and kissed the cub's round, full little head, placed the picture book on the nightstand, turned off the nightlight, and hugged the baby as they drifted off to sleep.
My baby, thank you for coming into this world. Daddy loves you forever.
Soon, moving day arrived. Fei Yu got up early, woke his sleeping baby, helped him wash up and have breakfast.
At nine in the morning, a knock came at the door. Fei Yu opened it.
To his surprise, standing outside was a well-dressed young man wearing gold-rimmed glasses.
The young man looked gentle and smiled warmly at Fei Yu, introducing himself, "Hello, Mr. Lin, I'm Zhou Xun, Secretary to President Song."
His tone was apologetic: "President Song had an urgent international meeting this morning and really couldn't come in person. He instructed me to take you and Suisui there."
"Thank you for your trouble." Fei Yu didn't think twice. He waved to Suisui behind him, "Suisui, let's go."
The car soon carried them away from the historic campus, cruising through the bustling metropolis.
Today's back seat was spacious, newly equipped with a child safety seat. The baby sat on the soft cushion, feeling like his bottom was resting on clouds.
The view was higher than before. Suisui held his bottle and drank contentedly, his eyes glued to the tall buildings outside.
The driver in the front seat drove slowly, letting the curious little one take in the scenery along the way.
After more than two hours, the car drove into a villa area with extensive greenery and stopped in front of a large house.
Suisui gripped the edge of the window with his little hands, his eyes lit up: "Wow!"
The house in front of him was like the castle from the picture book he had read—white, tall, and every window was sparkling clean.
The roses in front of the house were in full bloom, showing large blossoms through the fence. Suisui twitched his nose, took a deep breath, and instantly became a sweet-smelling little cat.
Zhou Xun opened the rear door. Fei Yu thanked him, carried Suisui out, and was also amazed by what he saw.
Was this Song Ji's company employee dormitory? he wondered.
Could company benefits really be this good?
No wonder everyone says a diploma is important — it's much happier than being a delivery driver.
Fei Yu glanced at the baby beside him and nodded with satisfaction.
The little kitten was coming to the city for school, so he would never be a baby who can't read anymore.
When they arrived, it was nearly 8 PM, and the villa staff were just about to have lunch.
Seeing the big and little arrivals brought by Secretary Zhou, they all gave them friendly looks.
Secretary Zhou introduced Fei Yu as President Song's new assistant, and Sui Sui as his child.
Butler Zheng smiled warmly and, on behalf of the staff, gave them a warm welcome.
Sui Sui knew that the man with white hair and a long beard was an uncle.
He immediately broke into a sweet smile and chirped, "Hello, Uncle!"
"Hello, little one, Sui Sui." The butler's smile deepened as he invited the three who hadn't eaten to sit down.
Sui Sui wasn't a shy child; even though it was his first time eating with so many strangers, he was completely at ease.
He cheerfully greeted every elder at the table, then swung his legs and looked at the utensils his father handed him with sparkling, expectant eyes.
Recently, Sui Sui had just learned to feed himself. Sitting in his booster seat, he earnestly grasped his spoon and scooped up peas and meat from the food tray.
It was like a treasure hunt — when he found a piece of meat, he gleefully popped it into his mouth; when he found a pea, he scrunched up his face and shoved it in anyway, having a great time.
When he ate the pineapple rice, he took a huge bite, shoving the whole spoon into his mouth.
Then he turned the spoon over to check for any hidden bits.
The farmers worked hard to grow the food, so baby always cleaned his plate.
Each bite was satisfying, his cheeks puffing out and his eyes squinting in contentment.
The child was already as exquisite as a porcelain doll, polite and well-mannered, and the way he ate was both well-behaved and utterly cute, instantly winning the hearts of all the staff present.
If Sui Sui gave anyone an extra glance, they felt so happy they could eat half a mouthful more.
After lunch, the butler led the two of them up to the third floor and pushed open a door.
The room was a small suite: upon entering, there was a bright living room, very spacious — many times larger than the place they had rented near A University.
The bedroom also had a huge bed, big enough for Sui Sui to roll around to his heart's content.
Most importantly, three walls were floor-to-ceiling windows, letting in plenty of natural light.
So whether the sun was shining from the east or the west, the little kitten could always soak up the sun.
Before leaving, the butler pointed outside and said with a smile, "The garden has a new swing; you can take Sui Sui to play there this afternoon."
Sui Sui let out a small yawn and said goodbye softly to the butler.
Baby was so sleepy, time for a nap.
Fei Yu thanked him, then turned to change Sui Sui's diaper. He bent down and rubbed Sui Sui's little pink nose, asking, "Do you like it here, baby?"
Sui Sui nodded slowly, his mouth opening slightly—before he could even say 'like,' his head lolled to the side and he fell fast asleep.
Fei Yu expertly picked up the sleeping baby, laid him on the bed, and began unpacking.
5 PM
Song Ji took a deep breath and stepped out of the elevator door.
Even though Zhou Xun had already reported to him, he still felt uneasy—as if in a dream, each step floating on clouds.
At that moment, Fei Yu and Sui Sui were at the villa.
When he saw him, Butler Zheng approached with a cheerful smile: "Everything is ready as you instructed. Mr. Lin is very pleased."
Song Ji's expression softened: "Thank you, Uncle Zheng."
Butler Zheng: "It's only right."
Butler Zheng had taken care of the young master since he was little, and Song Ji had always been independent, keeping everything bottled up inside. He had just started to cheer up a bit after finding a cat, and then that incident happened...
After that, the young master grew even colder.
After starting work, he rarely came back here, spending his nights either at the company or somewhere nearby.
This was the first time his young master had brought someone home. Watching his master's steps unconsciously quicken, Butler Zheng sighed with relief, as if a long-buried thought was about to surface.
A string of laughter came from the small garden, and Song Ji unconsciously stopped in his tracks.
Not far away, Fei Yu was pushing Sui Sui on the swing.
Sui Sui gripped the swing ropes tightly, flying far forward and then swinging back again.
His chubby little legs kicked out and pulled back in rhythm with the swing, a string of laughter spilling from his throat, as clear as little bells.
Fei Yu laughed along, small dimples forming at the corners of his lips, as he asked the baby if he wanted to be pushed harder.
Song Ji's heart suddenly settled right into place, and he didn't even realize how wide his smile was.
He stood there, not disturbing the two who were having so much fun.
Only when Sui Sui had had enough playing and got off the swing did he walk over.
Fei Yu had just finished wiping the sweat from Sui Sui's back with a towel. The moment he let go, the little one dashed forward and called out cheerfully, "Kind Uncle!"
Fei Yu looked up and saw the tall man crouched in front of Sui Sui, a gentle look in his eyes, asking the baby in a low voice if he had fun playing.
Sui Sui nodded and said he had fun.
Song Ji asked Sui Sui if he was hungry, and whether Auntie Wang's cooking today was good...
Fei Yu watched the two of them getting along so well, thinking to himself that Song Ji really understood children. Whenever he talked, he always crouched down to meet Sui Sui's eyes, which was why Sui Sui always enjoyed chatting with him so much.
Fei Yu walked up and asked, "Why are you here? Are we going to start working now? What should I do?"
Song Ji paused and said, "No rush. Tomorrow I'll take Sui Sui to the kindergarten to see if he likes it."
He glanced at the villa and added, "It's almost dinner time. Sui Sui is a bit hungry. Let's go inside first."
Fei Yu said, "Okay."
As Sui Sui spoke, he took the kind uncle's hand. He toddled a few steps, then realized his right hand was still free, so he reached out and took his father's hand as well.
Fei Yu held the kid's hand and walked a few steps forward before noticing something: they looked like a family of three strolling together.
He snuck a glance at the man beside him. Song Ji had a totally casual look as he chatted with Suisui, as if he hadn't even noticed.
Fei Yu just played dumb and let Suisui tug them into the villa.
During dinner, there were only three bowls on the table, and the daytime staff had all left.
Fei Yu looked around but didn't see anyone else.
"Doesn't Uncle Zheng eat here?"
Song Ji, who was putting Suisui in his booster seat, hesitated before answering, "They went home for the day. I'll be here tonight."
Fei Yu just said, "Oh," and sat down and started putting food on Suisui's plate.
After a few mouthfuls of sweet-and-sour fish and some rice, a thought hit him so hard he nearly choked.
Only Song Ji would be here tonight—which meant the house would only have the three of them...
This was so not an employee dorm—he'd actually moved into Song Ji's house!
Fei Yu's eyes went wide. Was he really living with Song Ji?!
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The moonlight streamed in gently, bringing sweet dreams to the hardworking cat person.
Blue Sky Flower Kindergarten
Teacher Xiaohua stood at the school gate, looking nervous, glancing down the street.
She was new on the job, and a new kid was about to join her class. Today was the kid's first official day of school, so nothing could go wrong.
Soon, a car pulled up at the entrance, and a family walked over chatting and laughing. Teacher Xiaohua took a deep breath, ready to welcome them.
She put on a warm smile and stepped forward, then froze.
The kid in the middle was adorable and bright-eyed, hopping along, checking everything out without a hint of shyness—this must be the new kid.
Each hand was held by a man. The one on the left was tall, wearing a black suit, with a dignified, reserved vibe.
The one on the right had delicate features, smiling gently, using his hand to shield the kid from the sun—looking much softer.
The thing was, the kid looked a lot like both of them. He had the gentle one's eyes, but his face shape and manner were more like the other.
All three were ridiculously good-looking. If it weren't for the fact that both 'parents' were guys, she would have sworn they were a family!
Teacher Xiaohua's head spun. She stared down at the enrollment form.
Which one of you is the dad?
As the three approached, she forced herself to step forward and said, a little stiffly, "Hi, parents. I'm Teacher Xiaohua. I'll take Suisui inside now."
The gentle one smiled at her. "Thank you, teacher." Then he crouched down, stroked the kid's cheek, and said gently, with a tender smile, "Baby, today's your first day of school. Listen to your teacher at school. When school's done, Daddy will pick you up."
Suisui nodded like a little chick pecking at food. "Okay."
So the gentle one was the dad.
Teacher Xiaohua glanced at the other man, figuring he might be a relative from the mom's side.
Parents always worry on the first day of school. Teacher Xiaohua waited patiently while the two men said goodbye to the kid.
When it was finally over, she took Suisui's hand and nodded with a smile to the two men. "Don't worry, parents. We'll take great care of him."
Suisui waved his free hand vigorously. "Bye, Daddy! Bye, Uncle! Baby's going to school now!"
Watching the little guy bounce off, Fei Yu felt a little down.
Today Suisui was starting kindergarten on his own, slowly growing up and getting used to the human world.
He wondered if Suisui could handle it.
It was his first day of school. Couldn't he just turn into his big cat form and go with Suisui?
Watching Suisui walk away step by step, Song Ji felt a swirl of complicated emotions.
Pride and relief that Suisui was growing up, mixed with reluctance and worry.
This must be what being a dad felt like.
Song Ji glanced at Fei Yu, who was on his toes, craning his neck, nervously biting his lip without noticing. Song Ji's heart melted.
Fei Yu was probably feeling it even more.
He spoke soothingly, "Suisui is a brave kid. He'll adapt to kindergarten."
Fei Yu nodded slowly.
Only when the little one had entered the classroom and was completely out of sight did Fei Yu reluctantly leave with Song Ji.
When he saw Song Ji heading straight for the car, Fei Yu suddenly froze.
Song Ji was about to become his boss. Since the other man was driving, should he sit in the passenger seat or the back?
Last night, Fei Yu had crammed some workplace knowledge. Though he hadn't read much, he remembered the key points highlighted in bold red.
One particularly important point was seat etiquette when traveling alone with a superior.
If the superior is driving and the subordinate sits in the back, it treats the superior as a chauffeur.
But if the superior has a partner, sitting in the passenger seat is also disrespectful.
With Suisui around earlier, it was fine—he could sit in the back with Suisui.
But now without Suisui, sitting alone in the back would make him seem too full of himself.
The cat person pondered hard and decided to do the same as this morning—let Song Ji decide: wherever he opened the door, he would sit.
But as he watched Song Ji open the driver's door and get in, Fei Yu's mind went blank, so he opened the passenger door.
Well, Song Ji didn't have a partner yet, so sitting in the front was fine.
As the passenger door opened beside him, Fei Yu sat down, lowering his head to fasten his seatbelt, revealing the soft swirl of hair on his crown.
Song Ji's tense nerves relaxed, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly as he smiled at Fei Yu. "Shall we go, Assistant Fei Yu?"
Song Ji's hand rested casually on the steering wheel, his sleeves rolled up halfway, his watch catching the light with a silver gleam. His smile exuded the mature charm of a grown man.
Fei Yu's Adam's apple rolled almost imperceptibly. Following the example from the guidebook, he kept his face straight and his lips pressed together, wearing an inscrutable expression, and nodded solemnly. "Alright."
Author's note: Of course you can sit there, Yubao—you can sit there forever.
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Sorry, I had things to do today, so this is shorter. Tomorrow is busy too, but I'll try to write more.
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