Chapter 21
Xie Zhitang knew that when striking a snake, one had to strike at its vital spot. “I originally wanted to look for another boarding shop, but what happened today really worries me. Sister, I’m afraid some black-hearted boss might do something to Tangtang. She’s still so small, and her resistance isn’t strong either.”
Xin Geling gave an “mm,” understanding her concerns.
The corners of Xie Zhitang’s mouth lifted faintly. “If Auntie agrees, can the boarding fee follow the grooming shop’s standard? After all, I can’t really let you and Auntie help me take care of her for free.”
Xin Geling said, “That’s not necessary. Taking care of one kitten won’t cost much.”
Xie Zhitang bit her lip. “No, it’s already troubling you and Auntie. How could I still take advantage? Please make sure to accept this money.”
Xin Geling realized that when Xie Zhitang handled matters, she truly made people feel favorable toward her. She had considered every concern. “Let’s set aside the money for now. I’ll ask my mom first and see whether she agrees.”
Xie Zhitang said, “Okay. But Sister, don’t tell Auntie first that this is my cat. I’m afraid that because Auntie doesn’t like me, she’ll dislike my cat too.”
“…” Xin Geling suddenly did not know what to say. Ms. Lin’s prejudice against Xie Zhitang had existed since seven years ago, but Xie Zhitang was not the kind of person Ms. Lin thought she was. Otherwise, she would not have secretly helped Ms. Lin through Grandma Chen.
“Okay. I promise.”
Xin Geling hung up and walked over to Lin Huailan. “Mom, the customer’s home is being renovated, so she can’t take the kitten back for now. She asked if we could keep helping her take care of it.”
“Ah? Renovation…” Lin Huailan stroked the kitten, seemingly hesitating. “If we bring it home, will she dislike our home environment?”
Xin Geling said, “She won’t.”
This, she could be certain of. Xie Zhitang knew what kind of environment their home had.
Lin Huailan said, “But we don’t have anything to take care of a kitten either. Don’t we still need to buy cat litter and cat food?”
Xin Geling said, “She’ll provide them.”
Lin Huailan suddenly thought that her daughter had just happened to be fired. Those cat shops earned money for looking after cats, didn’t they? She tentatively asked her daughter, “Then… if we help take care of it, is there that?”
As expected, no one knew a mother better than her daughter. Xin Geling saw through what Ms. Lin wanted to say at a glance. “She did say she could pay according to Maochong Grooming’s boarding standard.”
Lin Huailan’s eyes instantly lit up. “How much is that?”
Xin Geling said, “One hundred and twenty a day.”
Lin Huailan knew nothing about the pet market. Hearing this price, she was extremely shocked. “Just watching one cat is one hundred and twenty a day?!”
Before they sold barbecue, they themselves could not earn one hundred and twenty in a day. Yet watching one cat for a day was actually one hundred and twenty!
Xin Geling said, “There’s quite a bit to do when taking care of a cat. You have to scoop its litter every day, add water and food, and play with it.”
Lin Huailan said, “Isn’t that simple?”
Xin Geling asked, “So you agree to bring it home and help take care of it?”
Lin Huailan smiled until her eyes curved. “I agree. Why wouldn’t I agree? This is one hundred and twenty. You won’t let me help sell barbecue, so I can take care of a kitten at home and make money too. This is one hundred and twenty. It would be a waste not to take it.”
Xin Geling vaguely felt something was strange. How had the conditions Xie Zhitang offered happened to hit Ms. Lin’s heart exactly?
Just as she was wondering, Lin Huailan asked again, “Why isn’t she looking for another shop to board it? That customer shouldn’t be short on money, right?”
Xin Geling said, “She said she’s worried something like today’s black-hearted boss situation might happen again, and she’s afraid the kitten will be harmed. That’s why she asked me to take care of it.”
Lin Huailan nodded. Now, she had no doubts left at all. “Tell her not to worry. Mom absolutely won’t be as conscienceless as that black-hearted boss. I’ll definitely take good care of her kitten.”
Seeing how enthusiastic she was about earning money, Xin Geling could not help laughing. “All right. Let’s take her home.”
The more Lin Huailan looked at the kitten in her arms, the more pleasing she found it, as if it were her little fortune-bringing treasure.
“What’s its name?”
“Tangtang.”
“Tangtang, huh…” Lin Huailan shook her head while sighing. “Come on, Auntie will take you home.”¹
Xin Geling: “…”
.
At the roadside, Xie Zhitang watched as Lin Huailan and Xin Geling carried the kitten home together. In the next second, she received Xin Geling’s message.
She said Auntie had agreed.
Xie Zhitang’s mood turned pleasant, and she immediately transferred the money for boarding and pet supplies.
“Sorry to trouble Auntie.”
Auntie was raising her cat. With time, feelings would grow. Even the firmest heart would soften. One day, she would come to like Tangtang.
Xie Zhitang turned the steering wheel and silently brushed past them.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Xin Geling was giving Ms. Lin some basic information about raising cats.
“If there are high surfaces at home, don’t let her climb up. She’s so small that if she falls, she could easily break a leg.”
“I’ll go buy cat food, cat litter, bowls, and the other supplies later. Take good care of her.”
Lin Huailan said, “I know, I know.”
After sending Lin Huailan home, Xin Geling went to a nearby pet supply store and bought some supplies.
Carrying large and small bags back home, Xin Geling crouched down and took out a litter box, pouring new cat litter inside.
She placed one bowl for water and one for food in the corner by the wall, and the litter box nearby as well.
The kitten grew hungry, ran over on her own to drink some goat milk powder, then crawled to the litter box and peed. She was not afraid of the unfamiliar place at all.
“This little thing has such short legs and short paws. The way she sways when she crawls is so cute.” Lin Huailan smiled as she watched. “Speaking of which, when your mom was little, I raised a dog too.”
It was the first time Xin Geling had heard her talk about her childhood. “Mom, you raised a pet too?”
Lin Huailan said, “I raised a tiny Shar-Pei. I fed it all its food and water.”
Xin Geling asked, “What happened later? Where did it go?”
The smile disappeared from Lin Huailan’s face, revealing a trace of pain. Her eyes looked hollow. “Later, when it grew to around ten jin, your great-grandmother sold it to a dog meat seller for two hundred.”
For a moment, the room was very quiet, with only a few soft meows from the tiny kitten.
“Mom, that’s all in the past.” Xin Geling tried to comfort her.
Lin Huailan wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. “It’s been decades already. Mom isn’t upset.”
“Geling, stop busying yourself. Hurry and prepare the barbecue. I’ll watch Tangtang.”
Xin Geling took several sisal balls and a cat teaser from the bag. While tossing a few sisal balls near the kitten’s paws, she handed the cat teaser to Lin Huailan.
“All right. This is a cat teaser. When you’re free, use it to play with her. Don’t let her run outside.”
.
Xin Geling took out the barbecue skewers that had not sold last night and pushed the stall cart to the snack street.
She put on gloves and began grilling.
The girl selling sushi beside her saw her come out to set up the stall. “You’re out so early today?”
Xin Geling said, “Mm. Life still has to go on.”
The girl encouraged her. “Good luck.”
Xin Geling said, “You too.”
“Boss, five beef skewers.”
“Okay.”
“Fifteen altogether, right?”
“Right.”
“I want six pork belly skewers, six lamb skewers, and two baby cabbage skewers.”
“All right.”
“I transferred thirty-eight.”
“Mm, received.”
Xin Geling had just set up, and already two customers came to order. Business was still fairly good.
When there was no one around, Xin Geling paused grilling. Since no one was there to help her, she could only crouch down and open the sausage box herself, peel open the casings, insert skewers, cut decorative slits, and place them on the grill to pre-cook.
Suddenly, a pair of long legs appeared in her line of sight.
Xin Geling could not help raising her head to look up. “Why did you come over? Didn’t you say something came up?”
“I finished.” Xie Zhitang held a bottle of water in her hand and looked at her gently. “I came to see Sister set up a stall and sell barbecue.”
Xin Geling held five sausages in her hand and skillfully cut slits into each one. “What’s there to see about selling barbecue?”
Xie Zhitang asked, “Can I try cutting the slits?”
Xin Geling looked around. There were no customers for the moment. “All right. You can try.”
As she spoke, Xin Geling handed over a peeled sausage and inserted a bamboo skewer into it so Xie Zhitang could hold it. Then she handed her the sharp curved knife.
Xie Zhitang rolled up the cuffs of her shirt and accepted them all. She carefully cut downward once, then immediately grew annoyed. “Sister, I think I used too much force.”
A section of the sausage had been cut right off, forming a split layer. Once grilled, it would not look good.
Xin Geling only glanced at it before saying, “Just be a little gentler. Cut to about one third of the depth.”
Xie Zhitang glanced at Xin Geling, who was busy with something else. Her red lips parted. “Sister, can you teach me by hand? I can’t get a feel for it.”
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