บท 5: Chapter 5-Resentment II
Sunlight illuminated the apartment, brightening up the space, and a gentle breeze rustled the curtains, infusing it with fresh air.
Lu Xiyun and Zhao Bojing woke up at 10 a.m. They enjoyed a breakfast of shredded ginger chicken congee at home before preparing for their day.
Zhao Bojing opted for a black T-shirt paired with a white jacket, complementing his mature yet vibrant appearance at the age of 24. Lu Xiyun, in contrast, donned a navy blue lightweight hoodie, creating a cozy vibe.
They strolled to the street market, a mere 15-minute walk away. Zhao Bojing, holding a driver's license, chose not to purchase a car as the majority of his savings were invested in the cafe. The rest was for emergency use. Once the cafe is more stable, he might buy a car. Anyway, you can find everything you need nearby, and public transportation is always very convenient.
Zhao Bojing usually went to the local street market which offered affordable, fresh vegetables, meats, and household supplies. Lu Xiyun had accompanied him on several occasions.
The first time Lu Xiyun came here, his instinct was to leave quickly because of the crowd. However, as he had to follow Zhao Bojing, he gradually accepted it, though he avoided bumping into others and remained alert.
Zhao Bojing bargained with the seller as Lu Xiyun stood behind him. Suddenly, Lu Xiyun glanced in a certain direction, his brown eyes captivated by a plush black kitten keychain with blue topaz eyes at one of the stalls.
In high spirits after a successful bargain, Zhao Bojing gestured for Lu Xiyun to remain where he was. He was going to head to the vegetable stall, which was more crowded with people.
Lu Xiyun nodded and remained in place, his gaze fixed back on the keychain.
It brought back memories of the black cat from the past that would sneak into the darkroom through a small hole. This feline visitor typically showed up every two or three nights.
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On the very first night, a 7-year-old child encountered a creature unfamiliar to him. The initial thought was, "Danger," quickly followed by, "What is this moving thing?" Meanwhile, the black kitten observed the human from a distance, and both maintained a wary stance. After many nights of mutual observation, both instinctively realized that the other posed no harm.
From then on, they cuddled together for warmth. The black cat consistently carried a yellow daisy in its mouth during each visit. Simultaneously, the child secretly fed the cat with the bread he had hidden.
One day, the black kitten didn't arrive at the usual time. 10-year-old Lu Xiyun waited patiently, but it never showed up again.
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Lu Xiyun had absentmindedly arrived in front of the stall, his eyes still locked on the keychain. Lost in thought, he didn't know how long he had been staring at it until a shadow partially obstructed the sunlight around him.
Lu Xiyun quickly turned his head towards the source of the shadow.
If Yang Jiahui were here, she would instantly recognize him as the man who wore an azure suit, capturing everyone's attention on the cafe's opening day.
The man said to the seller, "Sir, I'm going to purchase this. What's the price?"
Lu Xiyun witnessed a man in a grey pullover with a white collar handing money to the seller in exchange for the plush black kitten keychain.
The man suddenly turned to face him. He initially thought it was a fleeting glance, but the gaze lingered without shifting away, which made him tensed up.
The man extended his hand, presenting the keychain, and said, "Here, this is for you."
Lu Xiyun saw the man's mouth moving, but he had no idea what was being said, leaving him frozen in place. They remained in the same position for a full minute.
The man's hand reached towards the front pocket of Lu Xiyun's hoodie. Lu Xiyun swiftly evaded it, but the man persisted, deftly reaching for it again and gently placing the black kitten keychain in the pocket.
The man then smiled and left without uttering another word.
Lu Xiyun only moved once the man was out of sight. Reaching the keychain from his pocket, he held it with both hands. The fur of this black kitten wasn't as soft as the one from many years ago.
Zhao Bojing came back holding three bags of groceries. He saw Lu Xiyun holding a keychain and was surprised he brought it from a stall. After all, Lu Xiyun avoided people as if steering clear of a deadly virus. He raised his eyebrows and pointed to the keychain.
In response, Lu Xiyun shook his head, uncertain about why this stranger had given him the keychain. Zhao Bojing wasn't overly curious for an explanation; he was simply pleased that the teenager had interacted with someone.
On their way home, Lu Xiyun held and gazed at the keychain like a child safeguarding a precious toy. Without Zhao Bojing watching out for him, he might have tripped or bumped into things several times.
It was already past noon, and they organized the groceries in the refrigerator. Having eaten breakfast late, they weren't hungry at the moment.
After taking a shower, they both sat on the sofa, watching a variety show where guests played multiple games against the hosts. Lu Xiyun didn't understand most of the time, but he enjoyed watching TV because it allowed him to see so much.
When they had no work, their usual routine involved watching TV or going out to buy groceries. Lu Xiyun could watch without moving for a long time, while Zhao Bojing occasionally experimented with new recipes.
They watched various shows and dramas until it was 4 p.m.
Zhao Bojing stood up to get his phone, while Lu Xiyun grabbed some papers and pens from the shelf. They sat across from each other at the table.
Zhao Bojing searched for an image of a bus and showed it to Lu Xiyun. Pointing at the bus, he asked, "What is the word for this?"
Lu Xiyun furrowed his eyebrows and stared at the image for a few seconds. He nodded, and with a pen in hand, he started moving it on the piece of paper. Soon, the word 'bus' was written, with the handwriting resembling that of a 1st grader attempting to write as neatly as possible.
Every Sunday, Zhao Bojing taught Lu Xiyun by writing out various words and finding corresponding images. Lu Xiyun memorized the characters and their meanings, although he didn't know the pronunciation. This method enabled him to recognize and write the characters.
For certain words with challenging meanings, Zhao Bojing would present various images to Lu Xiyun. Lu Xiyun, in turn, tried to discern what was common in all the images to grasp the word's meaning. In reality, Lu Xiyun was quick-witted and learned very fast despite appearing clueless most of the time.
After reviewing the characters from last week, Zhao Bojing began a new set. He found an image of an older sister handing a gift to her younger sister and pointed at the gift. He proceeded to show a few more similar pictures.
"Ah..." Lu Xiyun looked at it for 30 seconds before understanding. They repeated the same process with different words until it was almost time for dinner.
Lu Xiyun scooped two bowls of rice and fetched two sets of chopsticks, while Zhao Bojing brought out the tomato with scrambled eggs and beef with bitter melon.
Once they finished eating, they took turns showering and watched a few more episodes of the ongoing drama before heading to bed.
Suddenly, Zhao Bojing's phone rang. "Hello?"
The voice on the other end replied, "Hello, Mr. Zhao. This is Officer Youwei. We have some questions about Zhang Tongtong. Would it be convenient for us to visit tomorrow?"
Zhao Bojing had work the next day. "Yes, but if possible, please come after lunch hours. There will be less customers then."
"That will work. See you tomorrow and have a good night," Ma Youwei responded, glancing at the CCTV once again with the other police.
Zhao Bojing also wished the other person a good night and ended the call. With a worried heart, he headed to his room to sleep.
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