Shrine - Chapter 20
Chapter 20
This appointment waited until the beginning of the next month before Shi Ran truly had time. After all, she was about to audition soon, needing to ask for leave, rushing to film her scenes for a few days, and using the rest of the time to do her homework.
Meanwhile, Ruan Ruan's scenes were almost completely filmed; she only needed one more location shoot to wrap up.
During this period away from the set, their interactions became much less frequent. Occasionally, they chatted a bit on WeChat. Ruan Ruan threw herself into auditions for her next few dramas, returning to the days of simultaneously checking casting notices and waiting for news. Xiao Ju and her babies swirled around Ruan Ruan all day long. In the rented apartment, she was like a little feline king.
On Saturday afternoon, she received a WeChat message from Shi Ran: "Are you home?"
Ruan Ruan understood immediately: "Yes, come over. The kitties just finished eating."
"I'll arrive at 8."
Ruan Ruan read this exchange twice. It was so plain there was no oil or water in it at all, yet it made it seem as if she were a significant other waiting at home for Shi Ran to get off work.
Judging by Shi Ran's meaning, she probably intended to come over after eating. Ruan Ruan cooked herself a bowl of sour and spicy noodles, eating while watching a variety show. There hadn't been any news in the company group for a long time, and her manager hadn't remembered to ask about her arrangements after this drama. At 26, the company didn't have much planned for this kind of "older" artist; they probably just wanted her to endure for a few years and then go on Sisters Who Make Waves when she turned 30.
Ruan Ruan felt that, just like Xiao Ju a few months ago, she was also gestating. She was waiting for Shrine to take root.
After washing the dishes, Ruan Ruan tidied up the house. Xiao Ju followed behind, rubbing against her, the tip of her tail slightly curled—this was a sign of a happy cat. Ruan Ruan didn't have a tail, but if she did, it would probably be doing the same.
A few minutes past 8, Shi Ran indeed came knocking. Wearing a mask, she stood at the door. Ruan Ruan handed her slippers and invited her in. After chatting idly for a few sentences, they headed to the bedroom.
This time was different from before. The little fur balls were already capable of pawing at people, and they weren't afraid of strangers at all. They rushed down from the bed and began climbing up Shi Ran's legs.
"Hey, hey, hey." Ruan Ruan closed the door, hastily turning around to stop them, crouching down to pick up the little milk cats one by one.
"Did they scratch you and make it hurt?" Holding the kittens, she looked down at Shi Ran's legs. She was wearing a brown, long-sleeved, long-line knit top, leaving her pale thighs bare. She originally had a pair of tall boots to match, but having taken them off now, her legs looked very exposed. However, the skin didn't seem to have any abnormalities.
"It's fine." Shi Ran sat on the edge of the bed, tilting her head to look at the kittens in Ruan Ruan's arms.
The black one, looking like a briquette, stared at her with wide, round eyes, bared its tiny sharp teeth, and let out a meow at the top of its lungs.
"Are you saying hi to me?" Shi Ran smiled, extending her index finger to scratch its chin. The little black cat immediately pecked and bit her finger. It didn't hurt; it just tickled. Then it licked her finger while assessing Shi Ran's expression, quite clever.
People are always much gentler toward pets. This saying was true, and even someone as aloof as Shi Ran was no exception.
Ruan Ruan held the little black cat and sat on the chair opposite Shi Ran, scratching it to make it purr while covertly observing Shi Ran from the corner of her eye. She had taken off her mask. Even the motion of sliding the ear loops down was beautiful. If a proxy photographer caught that, the fansite managers would definitely scramble to buy it. Shi Ran stared at the kitten for a few seconds, then cast a glance at Ruan Ruan, seemingly assessing her as well.
Ruan Ruan was wearing loungewear, a long-sleeved top and shorts, her dark hair tied into a low ponytail, looking exceptionally gentle.
Their eyes met, the air stagnating for a second. Ruan Ruan softly lowered her eyelids first, placing the little black cat on her lap: "Look, the way they walk is very cute, right? Wiggling side to side."
Shi Ran followed her gaze to look at the other two, and indeed they were. They were tiny balls of fur, barely larger than a palm, but they had abundant fur and were chubby from eating, like perfectly round glutinous rice balls. They wiggled three times for every step they took, and when they got tired, they flopped down with a smack, waving their little paws in the air, playing with the space around them.
"Very cute," Shi Ran agreed.
"What are their names?"
"I haven't named them," Ruan Ruan said, petting Xiao Hei. "They're about to be adopted soon. I'm worried that if I name them now, they won't remember when they get to their new homes, so it's better to let their new moms name them."
After saying that, she looked down and teased Xiao Hei, giving a sweet, bright smile.
With red lips and white teeth, the gentleness in her eyes flowed out like spring water.
Shi Ran blinked thoughtfully, pausing for a few beats before asking softly, "Have you always been this considerate?"
Even when raising kittens, she considered the situation after they were adopted first. She seemed to always be making things convenient for others.
When Shi Ran was busy, she didn't disturb her. Even during their usual idle chats, she never urged Shi Ran to come over.
"I..." Ruan Ruan pondered for three seconds, speaking in a low voice, "I guess."
She moved slightly, and Xiao Hei, who was dozing on her lap, didn't pay attention and slid right off. Ruan Ruan let out a low gasp, but Shi Ran reached out and caught the little black fur ball. Ruan Ruan took it back with both hands, lifting it high and giving it a shake, smiling. "How did you slip?"
Meanwhile, Shi Ran glanced at Ruan Ruan's legs without making a sound. The kitten couldn't really be blamed. Ruan Ruan's skin was smooth and delicate, feeling like fine silk to the touch.
The little milk cat was too small to maintain its footing, just as a person's mind, if too fragile, could easily lose its balance.
Not having seen her for a while, she missed Ruan Ruan a bit.
It was fine when they didn't see each other; the initial intimate atmosphere gradually faded, returning to a routine life without a single flaw to pick out. But as soon as they met, there was an instinctive desire to get close. For two people who had experienced negative distance contact to revert to a safe distance could be considered a kind of cruelty. They had wantonly enjoyed the little bread from the bakery inside, and now hanging a "Do Not Enter" sign just felt like an eyesore no matter how she looked at it.
Xiao Hei struggled, so Ruan Ruan crouched down to let it run free on the floor.
The three kittens rolled into a ball, biting each other's napes, thumping playfully on the wooden floor.
Shi Ran watched for a while. Ruan Ruan was crouching right by her legs, the exposed nape of her neck slender and fragile, seemingly ready for someone to bite down on it too.
Ruan Ruan placed her hand on the side of Shi Ran's leg; it was warm. Then she pushed herself up to stand, sitting back on the edge of the bed as well, and asked Shi Ran softly, "When are you going to your audition?"
"The day after tomorrow."
"So you don't have filming tomorrow?"
"Mhm, resting tomorrow."
"When are you coming back?"
Shi Ran thought for a moment, "Probably Friday, if there are no changes."
Ruan Ruan gave an "Mhm," not knowing what else to say. She picked up Xiao Bai scratching at her feet, her eyelashes drooping. "Did you know? Little milk cats have a scent."
"Is that so?"
"Mhm," Ruan Ruan took a sniff. "Caramel popcorn scent."
She saw Shi Ran's doubtful look, her brows slightly raised, her expression neutral.
"Really." Ruan Ruan's breath buried in the thick fluff, wanting to ask Shi Ran if she wanted to take a sniff, but afraid she might find it dirty.
She looked at Shi Ran's sealed lips, still looking so kissable, plump and delicate. If she pursed them unconsciously, it seemed as if she could squeeze out the taste of snow.
Snow had no scent, and neither did Shi Ran.
Shi Ran leaned in, gently sniffing by Ruan Ruan's face a couple of times, then pulled back. "Mhm, they do."
"Right?" Ruan Ruan lowered her head, responding quietly.
The two of them fell silent again. The warm yellow light floated in the night, shadows forming the painting of the light.
Shi Ran watched Xiao Bai making biscuits in Ruan Ruan's arms, its fleshy little paws extending and retracting, rhythmically treading just below Ruan Ruan's collarbone, hooking the collar of her loungewear, pulling the gap open and letting it fall back.
Ruan Ruan gently squeezed Xiao Bai's paw in her hand. "Shi Ran."
"Mhm?"
"When are you going to your audition?"
She asked again, less than ten minutes after the last time.
"The day after tomorrow."
"Before you go, do you want to see it again?" Ruan Ruan turned her face.
Breaths advanced and retreated like the tide. The girl holding the kitten looked directly at her with a reserved gaze.
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