No One Loves Me (GL) - Chapter 5

“Alright, since you put it that way, I won’t press the matter.”

Xie Zhitang glanced at Tangyuan. “I’ll leave Tangyuan in your care, then.”

Xin Geling tidied up and got ready to leave. “It’s my job.”

Xie Zhitang walked out with her. On the short walk between the shop and the main road, she said, “Actually, I’ve been visiting Auntie for the past few years, but she doesn’t like me.”

Xin Geling stopped and looked at her.

“I know why Auntie hates me,” Xie Zhitang said, her face filled with guilt. “If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have had to go to prison for seven years, wasting so much time. You couldn’t finish your studies and now have a stain on your life.”

When she saw Xin Geling working here yesterday, she felt her helplessness. Her mother was a teacher. If Xin Geling hadn’t saved her, her future wouldn’t be what it is now, working in a small pet grooming shop.

She must have hit a wall elsewhere before having no choice but to take this job.

“I don’t see it as a stain on my life,” Xin Geling interrupted her. “I didn’t steal or rob; I have a clear conscience. You don’t need to feel like it’s a stain on my life or feel guilty. It was my choice. I’ve never blamed you.”

Xie Zhitang stared at her blankly.

Seeing that it was getting late, Xin Geling advised her, “You should go back early. Be safe on the road.”

Xie Zhitang snapped back to reality. “Okay.”

Xin Geling walked home. Her mother was probably waiting for her with dinner ready.

She raised her hand and looked at the bandage on the back of it, sighing. Her mom would probably lecture her about it.

Xin Geling continued walking and gradually disappeared into the crowd.

She didn’t notice that Xie Zhitang, who should have gone a different way, was still standing there, watching her leave. Only when she could no longer see her did she get into her car and drive home.

When Xin Geling got back to her apartment building, she climbed the old stairs one by one. As she was about to open her door, the door next door suddenly opened. Xin Geling turned her head to look.

It was Grandma Chen from next door. Seven years ago, she didn’t need a cane, but now her back was hunched, and she used one.

When she saw Xin Geling, she looked at her carefully. Her eyesight had gotten worse, and she couldn’t recognize her even after a long look. She finally stepped forward, pulling Xin Geling closer. When she recognized that it was Lin Huilan’s daughter, she was surprised. “Xiao Li, you’re out of prison?”

Xin Geling corrected her helplessly, “Grandma Chen, my name is Xin Geling. My last name isn’t Li.”

Grandma Chen smacked her lips. “That’s right, you’re Lin Huilan’s daughter, the young Xin who went to prison for saving someone.”

Xin Geling: “…”

Grandma Chen continued, “Did that girl find you?”

Xin Geling was confused. “Which one?”

Grandma Chen playfully chided her. “The family next door to you, the Xie family.”

“She came to find me.”

“That’s good. She’s the only one in the Xie family with a conscience.”

“What do you mean?” Xin Geling asked.

Grandma Chen’s floodgates opened, and she started talking endlessly. “After you went in, the Xie family moved overnight, as if they were afraid of being associated with us. Your mom’s hair turned gray overnight, and she stopped teaching.”

Xin Geling felt that Grandma Chen might know something, so she asked, “Why did my mom stop teaching?”

Grandma Chen looked at her strangely. “Didn’t she tell you?”

“No.”

Grandma Chen sighed. “My grandson told me that after you went in, your mom cried in front of her students many times while teaching. Her teaching quality also got worse, and a lot of parents complained and told her to stop teaching. Some of them said some very nasty things. The principal eventually convinced your mom to resign. It’s a shame. If she had taught for a few more years, she would have gotten a pension.”

Xin Geling remembered that day. Lin Huilan had only said she was tired and didn’t want to teach anymore.

Grandma Chen said, “About three years later, that Xie girl came back and wanted to take care of your mom. But your mom was stubborn and was convinced that it was her fault. She refused to accept her help and even threw away all the things she bought for her, right here.”

Grandma Chen pointed to the area behind Xin Geling, right in front of her door.

“Every time she threw them out, that girl would come and pick them up. I remember one time, she broke some bottles, and the girl even hurt her hand.”

“Your mom is so stubborn,” Grandma Chen shook her head. “Later, that girl got smart and came to me and your Grandpa Chen, and she would use us to give things to your mom…”

After a long talk with Grandma Chen, Xin Geling felt heavy as she unlocked the door and went inside. As expected, her mother had dinner ready.

“Geling, come eat.” Lin Huilan took off the apron she had tied around her neck, washed her hands, and beckoned her over.

Xin Geling saw the gray hair on her head mixed with black, making her look weathered like an old woman.

“I’m coming,” Xin Geling said, pushing her emotions down and going to eat with her mother.

“What happened to your hand?” Lin Huilan, with her sharp eyes, saw the bandage on the back of her hand. “Did a cat bite you?”

“It scratched me,” Xin Geling corrected herself, trying to make it sound less serious. “It’s nothing serious. I disinfected it.”

“It really scratched you?!” Lin Huilan grabbed her hand anxiously. “No, you have to go to the hospital and get a shot.”

“Mom, I’m fine,” Xin Geling reassured her. “It’s just a scratch. And that cat wasn’t a stray; it had its shots. It doesn’t have rabies.”

Lin Huilan was suspicious. “If it’s had its shots, it’s not sick?”

“Of course,” Xin Geling said. “If the cat had rabies, it wouldn’t live for more than seven days. You don’t need to worry about me.”

Only then did Lin Huilan feel completely at ease. “Let’s eat, let’s eat.”

“Okay,” Xin Geling said.

At the dinner table, Xin Geling remembered what Grandma Chen had said. “Mom, are Grandpa and Grandma Chen still living next door?”

Lin Huilan put some food on her plate. “Yes. Grandpa and Grandma Chen are very nice. They give your mom things from time to time. We should go thank them tomorrow.”

Xin Geling looked at her and asked, “Besides Grandma and Grandpa Chen, did anyone else help us during our difficult time?”

Lin Huilan hesitated for a moment, then said with certainty, “No.”

Xin Geling caught the hesitation in those few seconds and understood. Grandma Chen was telling the truth; Xie Zhitang had been secretly helping her mother.

But because of her prejudice, her mother had never accepted it.

After dinner, Xin Geling washed the dishes and watched TV with her mother.

Before going to bed, Xin Geling opened WeChat and looked at her few contacts. One was her boss, and the other was Xie Zhitang.

She wanted to thank her for secretly helping her mother all these years.

But then she reconsidered. Those words would be too light.

Never mind. Xin Geling put her phone aside. Tomorrow, she would take good care of her colleague’s cat.

The next day, Xin Geling went to work. She scooped the litter from the display cabinet where the cats were being boarded and added new litter, fresh water, and cat food.

There were four cats being boarded in the cabinet. The other three belonged to other customers. The boarding service included a daily report to the customer on the cat’s condition, including the consistency of its stool, appetite, and mood.

Xin Geling took a video of each and sent it to the owner, who then sent it to the other three customers.

For Tangyuan, Xin Geling sent the update to Xie Zhitang herself.

Xin Geling: Tangyuan has no loose stools or blood, and his appetite is normal.

Xie Zhitang quickly replied: Okay. I’ll send it to Bingbing.

A moment later, Xie Zhitang received a shocked message from Lin Yibing.

Lin Yibing: Director Xie, where did you find a boarding service that’s so thorough?

Xie Zhitang had never owned a cat and was confused. What do you mean? Isn’t that normal?

Lin Yibing: I joined a cat owners’ group, and a lot of people were saying that boarding is full of scams. Some won’t even give daily updates. If a cat gets sick at the shop, they’ll just blame it on the cat.

Xie Zhitang: That happens?

Lin Yibing: What’s the name of the shop? I’ll use it in the future.

Xie Zhitang: Cat Paws Pet Grooming.

Lin Yibing: Send me the address.

Xie Zhitang sent it. Do you need to board him again in the future?

Lin Yibing: I definitely will for business trips. But it’s also time for Tangyuan to get neutered. Can you ask if they have a neutering service?

Xie Zhitang: Sure.

Xie Zhitang looked at the word “Sister” in the chat box, and the corners of her lips turned up. She composed a message.

Tangtang: Sister, do you have a neutering service there? My colleague wants to get Tangyuan neutered.

Xin Geling: We’re a grooming shop. We don’t have a neutering service, but we have a partnership with a veterinary hospital.

Tangtang: What kind of partnership?

Xin Geling: We get a commission from the vet hospital for any customers we refer to them.

Tangtang: Why would you tell me that? Aren’t you afraid the customer will just go to the vet hospital directly?

Xin Geling: The price at the vet hospital is fixed, so it doesn’t matter if I tell you or not.

Tangtang: I see. I’ll ask my colleague. If she agrees, how will your shop handle it?

Xin Geling: The owner usually takes them over.

Tangtang: Can you do it, Sister?

After she sent the message, there was no immediate response from Xin Geling. Xie Zhitang thought for a moment and sent another message:

Tangtang: I trust you more, Sister.

Xin Geling looked at the word “trust” and smiled. I just asked the owner, and he said I can take Tangyuan over.

Tangtang: Then I’ll come find you after I get off work today.

Xin Geling: Okay.

After getting confirmation, Xie Zhitang messaged Lin Yibing to let her know that everything had been arranged.

Lin Yibing: Director Xie, thank you so much!

Xie Zhitang: You’re welcome.

At 5 p.m., Xie Zhitang packed up her things to leave work. As she passed a dessert shop, she changed her mind and went inside.

When she came out, she was holding a small cake.

At the Cat Paws pet grooming shop, Xin Geling had just finished grooming a cat. She put it in the dryer box, and when it was done, she put it in a carrier.

The cat was a pet of a nearby customer, and she had to take it back after grooming it.

The shop offered a free pickup and drop-off service for customers within three kilometers.

Xin Geling carried the carrier to the address the owner had given her. She went up the stairs and rang the doorbell.

“Hello, this is your cat. He’s all clean now. Thank you for coming to Cat Paws Pet Grooming. We hope to see you again.”

The young woman who opened the door was a new customer. She had just met Xin Geling when she had dropped off the cat. She took the carrier. “Okay, thank you.”

Xin Geling was about to leave when the young woman called out to her. “Wait.”

Xin Geling turned around. “What’s wrong?”

The young woman looked at her, then turned and went back into her apartment. A moment later, she came out with a individually wrapped small cake. “This is for you. I just bought it today, but I can’t finish it.”

Xin Geling hesitated for a moment before taking it. “Thank you.”

The young woman, who had been a little nervous, was visibly happy that she had accepted it. “You’re welcome. Please enjoy it.”

Xin Geling walked back the way she came. As she was about to reach the corner near the pet grooming shop, she saw Xie Zhitang get out of a car parked on the side of the road.

Xie Zhitang also saw her and called out, “Sister, I’m here.”

“I just got back from dropping off a cat,” Xin Geling said.

“Someone else’s cat?” Xie Zhitang asked.

“Yes. After I groomed it, I took it back to the customer.”

Xie Zhitang saw the small cake in her hand. “What’s that?”

Xin Geling explained, “The customer just gave it to me.”

Xie Zhitang’s eyes darkened. “Was it a girl?”

“Yes, a young woman. She said she couldn’t finish it and wanted to give it to me.”

Xie Zhitang looked up at the tall, slender woman and smiled gently. “What a coincidence. I also brought a cake for you, Sister.”