MQSP - Chapter 66
Chapter 66
In the blink of an eye, Xiao Miao had been with them for over a week. Lin Yuqing had gradually grown accustomed to the little thing and would even tease it on a whim. The little creature was quite cute when it was sleeping peacefully on the table—but only when it was sleeping, of course. Lin Yuqing didn't like it when it was too clingy. One clingy little thing, Xiao Ye, was more than enough!
When she woke up in the morning, Lin Yuqing held the little fellow, her warm palm gently rubbing her lower abdomen. Her period had started a couple of days ago, and she wasn't feeling well. The first two days were especially bad, with constant stomach cramps. She didn't dare to toss and turn in her sleep, which meant she slept poorly and was listless and drained all day. And she was especially clingy.
Lin Yuqing rose quietly, loosening the little fellow's grip on her clothes. She threw on a coat and went to the kitchen to boil some water. A glance at the water tank revealed it was nearly empty. Time to fetch more water again.
Fetching water here was quite convenient, but it required several tiring trips back and forth.
As the water heated, Lin Yuqing impatiently grabbed some dried fish from the side and put it in the cat's cage. The cat had been rattling around and meowing nonstop ever since she'd entered the kitchen. It was so annoying!
"Alright, stop your meowing and eat."
"Meow~"
"Can't even food shut your mouth!"
"Meow~"
Seeing that Xiao Miao only sniffed the food without eating, Lin Yuqing frowned, then suddenly realized its water bowl was empty. She poured a bowl of water for it.
Xiao Miao immediately buried its head, its little pink tongue lapping up the water in the bowl. It drank so eagerly that its chin got wet; it seemed to have been terribly thirsty.
Lin Yuqing crouched beside it and watched for a moment. Tsk, the way its little tongue lapped back and forth was actually kind of cute.
She reached out and stroked the tuft of white fur on its forehead. It was soft and felt quite nice. No wonder the little fellow loved to cuddle it.
After adding a bit more food for it, Lin Yuqing stood up, washed her hands, poured a cup of hot water, and mixed in some brown sugar before returning to the bedroom.
"Mmm… Auntie Lin…" Baiye opened one eye to look at her, the corners of her lips turning up.
"Are you still in pain?" Lin Yuqing placed the cup on the bedside table and knelt by the bed, stroking the little fellow's head.
Baiye nodded.
Lin Yuqing sat on the edge of the bed and helped the little fellow sit up, letting her lean against her. "Drink some brown sugar water before you go back to sleep."
"The house is out of water. I'm going to fetch some. Will you be okay here by yourself?" Lin Yuqing asked, concerned.
"Mhm, okay. Thank you for your hard work, Auntie Lin."
"Then be good and stay home. Get some rest. I'll be back soon."
"Okay."
Just as Lin Yuqing was shouldering the buckets to leave, Baiye called out to her. She went to the bathroom, grabbed a towel, and came back to pad Lin Yuqing's shoulder with it.
"Alright, go on back inside."
After watching Lin Yuqing walk away, Baiye went to the kitchen, brought Xiao Miao back into the main room, and set it down in the living room, letting it frolic around the house.
She returned to her room to wash up, planning to prepare some breakfast for when Auntie Lin got back. As she headed for the kitchen, she saw a figure approaching in the distance. Thinking it was Auntie Lin, she was about to call out, but as the person drew closer, she could see their stooped figure. Baiye recognized her immediately—it was the old woman who sold cats!
She quickly waved at her. "Auntie, you're here."
Baiye went to meet her, instinctively taking her arm to support her. "Come in and sit down." She enthusiastically led her into the house.
"Auntie, I still don't know what to call you. My name is Gu Baiye. You can call me Xiao Ye." Baiye couldn't explain why, but even though she had only met this auntie a few times, she felt a sense of closeness and instinctively trusted that she was not a bad person.
"My name… I don't remember it. Everyone else calls me Flower Witch."
"Flower Witch?" Baiye frowned. If she understood correctly, the 'witch' part referred to a shaman, right? The villagers here believed in witchcraft and superstitions; 'witch' was not a friendly label.
"Mhm."
"Why does everyone call you that?"
The Flower Witch looked up at Baiye, still revealing only her eyes.
Baiye had a sudden realization. Was it because she always wore thick robes that covered her up? It did make her look a bit mysterious and eccentric.
"Then I'll call you Flower Auntie," Baiye said with a sweet smile. She crouched down, called Xiao Miao over, and placed it on the Flower Witch's lap. "Flower Auntie, you can play with it for a bit. I'll go get you a glass of water."
"Flower Auntie, here's some water. Oh, are you looking at the photos?" Seeing the Flower Witch standing in a corner of the living room looking at the pictures on the wall, Baiye quickly walked over. Following the Flower Witch's gaze, she stood on her tiptoes and took down the photo she was looking at. "Here." She handed it to the Flower Witch.
It was a photo of herself and Auntie Lin. They were wrapped in a single scarf, their cheeks pressed tightly together, looking incredibly intimate.
"She…"
"That's Auntie Lin. Isn't she beautiful!"
"Mhm."
Seeing the Flower Witch nod, Baiye felt quite proud.
"What… is your relationship?"
"Us?" Baiye paused. "We're lovers," she said without any hesitation.
The Flower Witch's hand, holding the photo, stiffened. Baiye noticed. "I know many people don't approve of same-sex relationships, but… you live life for yourself, right?"
"Yes, that's right." The Flower Witch nodded, studying the photo intently.
"Flower Auntie, do you live alone?"
"Mhm."
"Where do you live? I can come visit you when I have time."
"On the mountaintop. You'll see it once you get up there. It's an identical wooden house."
"An identical wooden house? Does that mean you built this one!?"
"Mhm."
Baiye was shocked. So she was the owner of the wooden house!
"You… all by yourself? How did you do it? That's amazing!"
The Flower Witch didn't answer, but she seemed to smile.
"We're so sorry for living in your house without your permission."
"It's fine, as long as you like it."
Baiye smiled. This Flower Auntie was such a nice person.
"Flower Auntie, why don't you sit for a while? Auntie Lin went to fetch water and will be back soon. I've told her about you, and she's been very curious. She keeps saying she wants to meet you."
"I can't stay, I have to go." The Flower Witch took out a small oil-paper packet from her pocket.
"Thank you, Flower Auntie. Please stay a little longer." It had been a long time since Baiye had a guest.
The Flower Witch shook her head, insistent on leaving, so Baiye couldn't press her to stay.
"Then let me walk you out."
As the Flower Witch stood up to return the photo to Baiye, her hand paused, reluctant to let go.
"If you like the photo, you can keep it. Consider it a thank-you gift for giving me the kitten."
The Flower Witch retracted her hand without the slightest hesitation, showing just how much she wanted the photo.
Baiye supported the Flower Witch as they walked outside. "Walk slowly. Be careful not to fall."
"I'm not that old yet." The Flower Witch chuckled, which made Baiye laugh. That was true. She had just seen Flower Auntie's stooped posture and slow walk and had subconsciously assumed she was an old woman.
"Still, be careful. The mountain path isn't easy to walk on."
"Mhm, go on back inside."
"Okay, I'll come visit you on the mountain another day!"
After watching the Flower Witch disappear into the distance, Baiye returned to the house. She suddenly froze, sniffing the air. Thinking back carefully, she seemed to have caught a familiar scent from Flower Auntie, like flowers! What kind of flower was it… A floral scent she had smelled before, very light, not at all overpowering…
Where had she smelled it before…
"Why is the door open? What are you thinking about?" Lin Yuqing had just returned, once again perfectly missing her encounter with the Flower Witch.
Lin Yuqing entered the house. "What's that smell? It's so fragrant. What have you been up to?"
"Auntie Lin, can you tell what scent this is?"
"Is it an orchid? Where did you hide it? Show me." Lin Yuqing thought the little fellow was deliberately testing her.
"An orchid? Yes! I smelled it at Auntie Jiang's house. It's the scent of a Broad-Leaf Winter Orchid!"
"Hmm?"
"The kind of winter orchid that only becomes fragrant when the weather gets colder. She must be growing orchids! No wonder people call her the Flower Witch."
Lin Yuqing looked completely baffled. "What are you talking about? Have you gone crazy? What Flower Witch?"
Hearing this, Baiye told Lin Yuqing all about the Flower Witch's visit. Lin Yuqing was furious. Why did this person always show up when she wasn't around? The timing was too perfect. Could she have some ulterior motive?
"I see." Lin Yuqing nodded, her curiosity about this Flower Witch growing even stronger.
Just as Baiye was thinking about paying her a visit, she suddenly heard Lin Yuqing speak.
"Why are you biting me?"
"??? I didn't…" Baiye froze, then turned to see Auntie Lin looking down with a cold stare at Xiao Miao by her feet.
She lifted her leg and gently nudged it away, but Xiao Miao just ran back and latched onto Lin Yuqing's pant leg, chewing on it with great relish.
Baiye didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She was about to pick Xiao Miao up when she saw Lin Yuqing bend down, grab Xiao Miao by the scruff of its neck, and lift it up, cradling it in her hands.
Auntie Lin… was actually holding the cat! She wouldn't even touch Xiao Miao before!
"Didn't I feed you this morning?" Lin Yuqing looked into Xiao Miao's eyes. They were round and glistening, even bigger than Xiao Ye's!
"You get hungry way too fast." She placed Xiao Miao on the table, took a handful of dried shrimp from the paper packet, and personally fed them to Xiao Miao one by one. From time to time, she would playfully poke its little mouth with her finger, trying to catch its tiny tongue, only to get nipped in return.
Baiye, who had been watching the whole time, was utterly dumbfounded. Auntie Lin was actually starting to play with Xiao Miao! Was Xiao Miao just that cute? Had even Auntie Lin succumbed to its charms?
The way Auntie Lin teased Xiao Miao was so gentle. The look in her eyes was full of affection, just like when she looked at me.
Hey, wait a minute, just like she looked at me…???
"Auntie Lin?"
"Hmm?"
Auntie Lin didn't look at her, only humming in response. Her gaze was still fixed on Xiao Miao!
"Auntie Lin! Look at me!"
She shot her a perfunctory glance. "Are you full yet? Meow?" She picked up another small dried fish and brushed it against Xiao Miao's mouth without giving it to him. She waved her hand from side to side, watching Xiao Miao's gaze follow the fish, its head swaying along with her hand. It was just too adorable.
"…"
Something wasn't right. Auntie Lin's eyes only had room for the cat, not for me!
Have I… fallen out of favor???
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