Chapter 56: 46.1

Chapter 46.1

An Animal Rescue

Translated by boilpoil
Edited by boilpoil

 

Qi Ya decides to stay for two weeks in Qiaohai in the end before going back to the city where his home is.

And he’s not even here to play or tour like the other typical tourists. He only came to Qiaohai for Bai Yao’s good cooking.

Every time a meal is prepared, Qi Ya shuffles over from the inn on the other side of town like a hungry little puppy with doggy eyes no less convincing than those of Mu Mu’er’s.

From breakfast to lunch and dinner, he’d be sat there on time. It’d be the perfect image if he had a baby bib on.

His favourite meal is the curry seafood fried rice, same as Mu Mu’er’s. Every time Bai Yao cooks, he feels like one of those overworked moms with two hungry mouths to feed every day.

Mu Mu’er has his own special dish that has the drawing of colourful dogs on it. Bai Yao bought it as a joke, but it turned out to be to Mu Mu’er’s liking. He’d look much less enthusiastic if his meal was served in anything else.

Both Qi Ya and Mu Mu’er are now sitting at the table, waiting for Bai Yao to bring the remaining dishes over for a meal together.

It’s Mu Mu’er’s favourite curry fried rice again, and it’s been split into three dishes, already placed at the seats.

Qi Ya can see that Mu Mu’er has a special plate – and not just that, but he seems to have more fried rice than he does.

“Mu’er,” Qi Ya, ever the scheming raven, asks, “do you think gege‘s plate looks nice?”

Qi Ya’s plate is the simplest white porcelain plate with a ring of blue flowery patterns around the edge. It’s just like any other plate.

Mu Mu’er feels like his own plate looks much better, but he thinks that maybe Qi Ya is asking because his plate does not look as good as his does. So he nods disingenuously, and answers quietly, “it looks nice.”

Therefore, when Bai Yao comes back out of the kitchen with a steaming bowl of sour cooked fish, he sees Mu Mu’er looking pitifully at his plate; his former plate, as the plate with the puppies on it is now somehow in front of Qi Ya, who has a fiendish smile on and is ready to eat.

“You’re too old to be stealing candy from a baby,” Bai Yao smacks Qi Ya on the head, “I thought you were a crow, not a dog…”

Qi Ya shrinks a little, and complains, “you gave him more rice.”

“His plate is bigger,” says Bai Yao, as he scoops some more rice for Qi Ya and return Mu Mu’er’s plate to him.

Qi Ya seems unhappy the fried rice he painstakingly robbed is taken away, “I’m jealous…”

Bai Yao cuts him off, “not even a mouth full of food can stop you talking now?”

Mu Mu’er slowly starts to smile at the conversation. He does not understand much what they are talking about, but he thinks he likes the liveliness. He even feels like he can eat more fried rice than before.

Qi Ya can see that Bai Yao isn’t interested in dealing with his bull for a while, so he changes his target, and leans forward, raising his brow at Mu Mu’er.

Mu Mu’er, shocked to see Qi Ya’s face so close to him, blinks in confusion.

“Mu’er, isn’t it boring to be with him?” Qi Ya asks, “he’s just one whole big block of icy sulk. Not even the hot summer heat can melt him. And he’s hard and unmoving like a big piece of rock.”

Mu Mu’er doesn’t understand most of the flowery language, but understands the question.

“It’s not boring. I have Yaoyao, I have auntie Zhang, I also have the fluffy big cat!” Mu Mu’er suddenly recalls the mysterious disappearance incident a few days ago, and clarifies, “but Mu’er likes Yaoyao the most!”

Qi Ya “?”

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“Big cat? What big cat?” Qi Ya immediately picks up on the most important point, and asks Bai Yao, his eyes narrow with suspicion, “you’re keeping a cat?”

“… No,” and before Qi Ya can react, Bai Yao stuffs Qi Ya’s mouth with one whole croissant from the bread basket, “and won’t you shut up for a second?”

Mu Mu’er appears to find Qi Ya’s struggles humorous. His eyes curve a little, and two dimples show on his face.

Qi Ya has finally freed the croissant from his mouth, but he can’t help but stare at Mu Mu’er. He really wants to pinch the cheeks, or touch the hair, or tease him a little. He’s not sure if Bai Yao will still let him leave with his restless limbs intact, though, and abandons the thought.

After the filling breakfast, Bai Yao puts cut watermelon, peaches and two cups of coffee on the table.

Mu Mu’er is too full to eat the fruit, so Bai Yao gives him his phone and opens a game for him to play on the couch.

The two friends have lots to talk about, enough that they still aren’t tired of each other after talking for three – now four – days straight. Well, it is mainly Qi Ya doing the talking, while Bai Yao occasionally gives him the sarcastic rebuttal or teasing.

The two of them have buddied up to go on trips since they were but freshmen. Qi Ya can talk half a day about the most minor thing, and they have spent loads of time together, giving them lots of shared memories.

This goes on until late in the morning when Qi Ya’s phone rings up. He goes outside to take the call, and it goes on for quite a while. He almost looks markedly different when he comes back inside, “I have to return to the city tomorrow. Something’s happened to the snow leopard.”

The female snow leopard their agency has been following gave birth to five cubs without much complication, and, while it’s more than the usual two to three cubs average, it was not yet too concerning.

However, it appears the worst they have feared has come to pass. Conditions on the mountain has been unfavourable recently, and the snow leopard has difficulty both hunting and caring for all five of her cubs.

Qi Ya might be quite flippant in casual settings, but he’s serious about his work. He immediately makes another call and walks back outside before Bai Yao can say anything. He has to get into contact with several of his colleagues first.

He will return to the city tomorrow, settle down, and report in for work the day after that. He’ll be on a chartered flight to their forward base on the fourth day.

Bai Yao is understanding, but Qi Ya is quite distraught, lamenting the loss of good food and wondering when he’ll be able to come mooch next.

Though then Qi Ya suddenly suggests to him, “why not go to the city together? You haven’t been in a while, and you could really use some sun before you start growing mushrooms. You’re not actually an old retiree, are you?”
“I’ll still be mostly free tomorrow. Let’s wander about.”

It’s not surprising Qi Ya has made the suggestion. While they were undergraduates, they often hanged out together. Even going on impromptu trips to cities close to their campus.

Actually, if Bai Yao didn’t have his restaurant to care for long-term and he didn’t have the unpredictable job, Qi Ya would have taken him everywhere around the world to have fun.

Perhaps it’s in his nature as a partially migratory bird, but Qi Ya really enjoys going to new places. He applied to be a field researcher for the conservation agency because it gave him lots of opportunity to travel to exotic places away from cities, too.

Bai Yao, though, doesn’t answer, and glances over at the living room sofa.

Mu Mu’er has been playing ‘Moon Rabbit Adventures’ on the sofa using Bai Yao’s phone since they finished breakfast. It’s been over an hour.

The game features a cute little rabbit, and Bai Yao, not an expert in mobile gaming, saw it recommended online. Therefore, he downloaded it for Mu Mu’er to kill time when he’s bored.

Mu Mu’er has taken a real liking to the game. Though he does often wonder why the rabbit inside is sleeping every single day. The opening sequence of the game is almost always showing the Moon Rabbit sleeping soundly in bed.

Bai Yao jokingly told Mu’er it’s because the Moon Rabbit is taking after its owner.
Not that Mu Mu’er understood the teasing.

Qi Ya looks where Bai Yao is, and immediately gets it. He shrugs, “just take him with you. You can’t lodge him away like a cat or a dog; just go have some fun alongside him.”

Bai Yao reflexively answers, “you’re kidding.”

Qi Ya remains unconvinced, “what, you plan on keeping him here his entire life? He has to go outside and meet people. It’s just a simple walk in the city; or what will he do in the future? You know this isn’t his real home.”

He’s right. And Bai Yao knows it. Yet, his protectiveness won’t just go away like this. He can’t imagine how regretful he would be if something happened to Mu Mu’er in the city.

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