Lu Qin quickly walked upstairs and entered the bedroom. Compared to waking Pei Rong up to see the cat, he actually wanted to see Pei Rong more.
Last night, because it was his first time staying up to care for someone, he hardly got any sleep. Every time Aunt Zhao turned over or made a sound, he would get up to check on various data.
Aunt Zhao's health had deteriorated further since his last visit. Pei Rong, who had originally stayed in the adjacent room, now stayed in the same room as Aunt Zhao, keeping her company, reading her news, and talking to her about the flowers and plants around the villa.
Lu Qin mimicked Pei Rong’s example. Though he hadn’t spent much time with Aunt Zhao, he seemed to have more to talk about. He talked about the Lu family’s fondness for Dundun, their cat, and how Dundun had shown a strong entrepreneurial streak since it was young…
Both taking care of an elder and raising a pet were new experiences for Lu Qin, yet he approached both with dedication and diligence, never complaining about the effort.
As Aunt Zhao listened, she couldn’t help but think, somewhat sluggishly: Is this Dundun you're talking about a glorified version of the real one?
After 4 a.m., she could no longer sleep. She often had to turn over, as lying on one side too long caused discomfort.
Jiang Yan had come by once, and from him, Aunt Zhao learned that Lu Qin was someone with power and influence. Back when Pei Rong was in the entertainment industry, Lu Qin was his boss’s boss.
It was hard for Aunt Zhao to imagine Lu Qin’s true status, and instinctively, she worried about Pei Rong’s future.
However, when Lu Qin sat there, he seemed naturally composed and confident. Yet, when he talked about Dundun or Pei Rong, his eyes were filled with warm affection, and his words were never short on praise.
Pei Rong split the caretaking work with the nurse about fifty-fifty, but Lu Qin managed to do eighty percent of it. Surprisingly, the nutritious meals he prepared were more palatable than those made by the professional chef.
The nurse, an employee of the nursing home, couldn’t stop praising Lu Qin, saying she had never seen someone so filial, handsome, and capable.
In a nursing home filled with elderly residents, anyone who saw him wanted to introduce him to a young lady.
Aunt Zhao thought to herself: He really does seem well-suited for Pei Rong.
But life isn’t something you can rely on others for forever. Right now, Lu Qin is willing to care for a laid-back beauty, but what about when that beauty grows old?
Struggling to sit up straight, Aunt Zhao spoke slowly: "Have you ever seen Xiao Rong break down in the hospital after his mother passed away?"
"Have you seen Xiao Rong holding Dundun, comforting him while crying from the pain of a surgical wound?"
"Have you seen Xiao Rong, for the first time, so angry at Dundun that he was hopping mad?"
"You haven’t seen any of these things. The Pei Rong you see is always poised and graceful. But you haven’t gone through the messy and painful times together. Without gold forged through trials, how can you be sure that love will never fade? Besides you, who can say?"
Lu Qin was left speechless by her questions.
He wanted to argue that he didn’t have the chance.
But who could he blame for not having the chance? He was already so fortunate that Pei Rong hadn’t fallen for anyone else before meeting him.
Wanting a deep and weighty love is never simple. How deep were Pei Rong’s feelings? Lu Qin spent a whole night at the nursing home, so much so that he could feel the pain clearly in his heart.
Aunt Zhao said, “Give Pei Rong a little more time.”
You think a salted fish only knows how to avoid problems? In truth, it lies there thinking.
From 4 a.m. until daylight, one sat on the bed, and the other on a chair. Through Aunt Zhao’s phone, Lu Qin saw countless photos of Dundun, from a tiny bundle in swaddling clothes to summer when the clothing got lighter, revealing little arms and legs, lying down with eyes closed and using his feet to press the bottom of his bottle while drinking milk.
Learning to sit, crawl, run, jump… and even annoy people. Lu Qin noticed how Pei Dundun seemed to switch to a new milk bottle every couple of photos.
Pei Rong rarely appeared in these photos, at most showing only the tip of his chin.
Aunt Zhao explained that she was afraid of losing her phone to dementia and having it picked up by someone else, so she didn’t take photos of Pei Rong.
Lu Qin had never felt three hours pass so quickly. He rotated his slightly stiff neck and said softly, “It’s seven o’clock. I’ll make breakfast now. Aunt Zhao, you can close your eyes and rest for half an hour.”
“I want Master Wang’s steamed egg custard this morning. Go back and check on Dundun. I’m not sure what he’ll have for breakfast.”
Lu Qin paused. “Alright.”
Before he left, Aunt Zhao said, “Can you promise me something?”
Lu Qin, standing tall and slender like a crane, turned halfway back and promised, “I’ll give him all the time he needs.”
Aunt Zhao smiled and said, “That time won’t be too long.”
Lu Qin lowered his gaze and looked seriously at Aunt Zhao, his eyes slightly bloodshot from sleeplessness. “But I’ve never wanted to use any form of disgrace or pain as a foundation.”
“My presence here isn’t to take advantage of his pain.”
“I also beg you to give him just a little more time.”
Aunt Zhao was stunned for a moment and then said, “You… kid…”
***
Lu Qin entered the room and saw Pei Rong holding a meat bun in one hand, leaning against a large pillow, seemingly asleep.
If he woke Pei Rong up, he’d likely rush off to the sanatorium again. Deep down, Lu Qin selfishly hoped he would sleep a bit longer.
Pei Rong wasn’t really asleep, though. He was just abusing his authority as a father, ordering Pei Dundun to run some errands.
In the silence, he lay there peacefully for ten minutes before opening his eyes. He stuffed the rest of the bun into his mouth and finished it in two bites. “What’s up?”
Lu Qin replied, “I bought a cat to keep Orange company.”
Pei Rong narrowed his eyes. “What kind of cat?”
Lu Qin suddenly felt guilty, like a husband who had handed over his entire paycheck but secretly kept some private money to buy a purebred cat. “It’s already downstairs. I’m keeping it in isolation for a couple of days.”
Pei Rong responded, “You put a cat that needs to be quarantined downstairs…”
Was Lu Qin not aware of the potential risks to their son?
In truth, Lu Qin had rushed back from the sanatorium to see Pei Rong, and the cat was just an afterthought. Besides, the cat carrier was opaque and securely locked…
“Meoww!”
“Meooow…”
The sound of two cats facing off came from downstairs. Pei Rong slowly got out of bed and looked for his shoes.
It seemed they had a new family member.
