“Mama!”
Tuan Tuan called out as soon as he saw Lin Nuan enter the room.
Bai Xiaonian turned around to look at Lin Nuan, who kept a straight face as usual. She knew Lin Nuan was used to keeping things to herself.
“Nuan Nuan, drink some porridge,” Bai Xiaonian said.
She shook her head. The luggage case Fu Huai’an’s assistant sent last night was laying in the living room wide open, the contents inside all messed up.
“Tuan Tuan woke up when you went to take a shower. He said the case was filled with his stuff so I dug through it to find his clothes and toothbrush… The food delivery came right after Tuan Tuan changed and washed up, so I didn’t have time to tidy it up…” Bai Xiaonian explained.
“It’s fine, I’ll take care of it. Eat your breakfast first.”
Tuan Tuan saw Lin Nuan tidying up his case and dropped his spoon and bowl, slid off the chair and ran over to her.
Tuan Tuan kneeled next to Lin Nuan and with an adorable smile, he passed all the things that were thrown out back to Lin Nuan. His fair and clean face still had pudding on it that glistened under the sunlight.
Lin Nuan smiled gently and wiped his face with a tissue.
Bai Xiaonian grinned at the sight of them. They did look like mother and child.
…
Fu Huai’an was always punctual. At exactly eight, he was already downstairs as promised.
Lin Nuan held Tuan Tuan in her arms and took him downstairs. Bai Xiaonian finished breakfast and proceeded to take a nap in Lin Nuan’s house.
Lin Nuan said to Fu Huai’an as soon as she got on the car, “Before we go to the civil administration place could you drop me off at the pet hospital first? It’s on the way, right on Liberation Street.”
Last night he saw a kitty bed and litter box in Lin Nuan’s house as well as the British Shorthair cat she was hugging in the photo, yet there was no sign of a cat in the house—it was in the hospital after all.
Fu Huai’an nodded. Lin Nuan gave the driver the address.
As they reached the front entrance of the pet hospital, Lin Nuan said, “I might take a while.”
“No rush,” Fu Huai replied in his deep voice.
Lin Nuan closed the door and jogged into the pet hospital.
The nurse brought Lin Nuan to see Mushroom.
Lin Nuan felt like she was walking on thin ice the entire way.
“Mushroom kept holding on as if he were waiting for you…” the nurse said to Lin Nuan as she opened the door.
Upon entering, Lin Nuan saw Mushroom lying in the kitty bed breathing rapidly, his tail drooping down.
He was unable to open his eyes fully. All he could see was the blurred figure of Lin Nuan. He opened his mouth with effort and gave a weak “meow”.
Lin Nuan’s eyes grew wet despite having mentally prepared herself for that moment…
Today was the day she and Fu Huai’an were going to collect their marriage certificate. Even with Mushroom, was it time for Lin Nuan to officially say goodbye to her past?
Lin Nuan tried hard to hold in her tears. She walked in front of Mushroom to pat his head.
Mushroom looked up and his body began to lightly tremble as he gently brushed the tip of his cold nose against Lin Nuan’s palms. His head then drooped down again.
Mushroom was Lin Nuan’s cornerstone in her faith that Wen Moshen would come back. But the moment news came that morning that he was going to pass away, that faith weakened considerably.
“Mushroom…” Lin Nuan bent over, her head pressed up against Mushroom’s.
“Meow…” Mushroom replied painstakingly.
Lin Nuan felt a sharp pain in her chest, as if somebody had cut off a piece of her heart and it was leaking air…
Lin Nuan closed her eyes. She couldn’t hold back her tears anymore.
“Meowr…” Mushroom let out another deep, raspy meow.
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