Please Be More Serious

Ch 30

Before they finish even half of their noodles, they hear Da Da meowing from inside of the room. Yin Ting leaves her bowl and immediately runs to the room to check on it, with Qiu Zheng Qing close behind. Nothing seems to be wrong with the cat. Yin Ting strokes the cat’s head until its stop meowing.

“It’s probably a little anxious,” she says. Based on her limited experience, she thinks it must be like this.

“Then just let it get used to this place.” He thinks that both small animals and children must not be pampered.

She thinks for a moment and then nods.

The two of them leave to finish their bowls of noodles. Da Da meows again. Yin Ting steels her heart, pretending not to hear it. She wants it to quickly adapt itself. But even after they finish their dinner, Da Da has not stopped.
Yin Ting looks embarrassed. “I’m sorry, really sorry. It’s just a little afraid. Once it adapts itself, it won’t meow anymore.” She rushes back inside the room to check on it. Seeing her, Da Da sits up, looking straight at her.

“Da Da.” Yin Ting kneels down to talk to it. “Don’t meow anymore, okay? Be good. You’ll stay and eat comfortably here, I’ll also buy you a lot of toys.” Da Da paces around the room again before settling down in one corner, meowing again.

She hurries over to quiet it down, rubbing its head and scratching under its chin. She tries to coax it, “Don’t meow anymore. It’s not good if you bother others. Please-be-more-serious is a good man, he’s kind enough to take you in. You must not disturb him, understand? You’re very lucky to have met him. You must be thankful to him and not make noise.”

Da Da squints its eyes, obviously satisfied with the pampered service by Yin Ting. It no longer meows, just sits there with a content expression. Yin Ting continues patting its head until she hears the cat purring, indicating its enjoyment. She sighs and continues soothing it. When she sees that it is no longer meowing, she walks out of the room.

Walking outside, she sees that Qiu Zheng Qing is washing the dishes. She immediately apologises again, “I’m sorry. Da Da is just not used to this place.”

“It’s alright.” He places some washing liquid on a sponge and begins scrubbing the dirty dishes. The sleeves that he has rolled up earlier begin falling. He lifts his arm to his face to try to get it out of the way but to no avail. Yin Ting casually walks up to him and helps him refold his sleeves. She says, “If it disturbs you, please forgive it. I think it’ll be better after it adapts. I’ll look for a proper home for it as soon as possible.”

“En.” He is no longer listening to what she is saying. All he notices is how close she is standing to him. When he looks down, he can see the detail of her clear and smooth brow. If he lowers his head just a little, he can plant a kiss on her head.

He restrains from this impulse.

Her fingers graze across his skin, making him feel tingly as if a current just ran through his heart.

The act of rolling up his sleeves is something so simple yet for many years no one has done it for him. For many years, he has studied alone, ate alone and lived alone. Work is his only partner in life, also his only pleasure.

But now, it’s not like that.

She helps him fold his sleeves and blabbers on.

The same impulse again. He tries to exercise restraint.

Having finished rolling the sleeves, she looks up to meet his eyes.

Something unknown, something magical, sparks in that moment. She feels a little dumbstruck. His deep gaze, his intense expression – it makes her heart miss a beat. She takes a step back and says, “It’s done. I’m sorry you not only have to cook for me, but also wash the dishes.”