Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

  Sometimes, in the quiet evenings, Zhang Zian would suffer from insomnia. He would lie in bed and gaze at the star rays transmitted by the window. He would turn around and look at Fina who was lying in its princess bed. Most of the time, Fina seemed to be sound asleep, but occasionally it would open its green eyes and stare at him impatiently, then go back to sleep in another position.

  Though it was quiet at night, it was not very late, so ordinary urban families had not gone to bed yet. If Zhang Zian listened carefully, he could hear the subtle sounds of the television from the first floor, which meant that Old Time Tea was still awake watching TV. It might be lying on the electric blanket with its two front claws interlaced in front of its chest, relishing classic Wuxia movies.

  Galaxy… Though he didn’t hear sounds from Galaxy, he could feel its presence. It must be lying in the crib and traveling around the world in its dreams.

  When he had insomnia at night, he always thought about the meaning of his existence, like an ancient Greek philosopher—Who was he to Galaxy, Fina and Old Time Tea? What exactly did he mean to them?

  To Galaxy, he felt like he was playing the role of a father, a brother, and a mentor all in one, trying his best to guide this timid and poor Elfin out of the shadows it had encountered in the past.

  As for Fina, he felt like he was its butler and a partner at the same time. He provided services for Fina relentlessly so that it could lead a comfortable life, and he could earn some money while serving Fina.

  And Old Time Tea was a compassionate, wise, and respected senior to him.

  However, he felt most relaxed when he was with Richard, when they could tell dirty jokes and make fun of each other. He didn’t need to assume such roles as father, brother, mentor, butler, or student in front of Richard. He could be himself.

  So, Richard was like a toxic friend to him.

  Toxic friends were necessary in people’s lives. They could make jokes about each other without worrying about hurting anyone’s feelings, so their lives could be easy and happy.

  It was not easy to make jokes. Galaxy, Old Time Tea and Fina seldom could understand his humor and his jokes. Only Richard and the netizens watching Snowy’s live broadcasts could get his jokes in no time, and then he could contently make further jokes with them.

  But he barely knew the netizens in person. So, to some extent, Richard was his closest friend.

  Now that his closest friend was gone, who would understand his jokes?

  But he couldn’t tell the truth to Guo Dongyue. He told Guo Dongyue, who was puzzled, “That bird has flown outside to play. It will return when it is tired.”


  Guo Dongyue looked around the pet shop, shocked to hear this, “You let it fly away?”


  “Yes,” said Zhang Zian.

  Guo Dongyue was stupefied. He gazed at Zhang Zian’s face and asked, “Seriously? Aren’t you afraid that it might be caught by others? Or it might not find its way back?”


  Zhang Zian answered calmly, “If I am fortunate to have this pet in my life, it will be back ultimately. If not, I will just have to accept my fate.” He couldn’t tell Guo Dongyue that Richard had been put back in his phone, so he made that answer up as disguise.

  Guo Dongyue was rather dubious about his story. Guo Dongyue thought Zhang Zian had put Richard on the second floor so that he didn’t hear the bird’s voice. Unless Zhang Zian had tied up its beak, there was no way that Richard would be silent for such a long time. Guo Dongyue found that this young pet shop owner in front of him was getting more mysterious. On one hand, Zhang Zian didn’t seem to be rich as he was quite nervous when money was involved. On the other hand, he seemed very generous, daring to let that precious grey parrot leave the pet shop to have fun…


  Zhang Zian pulled the barbecue meat off the skewers and put them into Fina and Snowy Lionet’s food bowls, then watched them devour the meat. He stored Old Time Tea’s portion separately; he would heat up the meat in microwave for it when he came back.

  Guo Dongyue noticed that not only had Richard disappeared, but also that the black and white kitten and the old cat wearing a bamboo hat were gone. Had those two cats also left the shop to take a walk outside? Probably. After all, if Zhang Zian dared to let his parrot outside, he definitely wouldn’t mind if his cats went outside on their own either…


  Zhang Zian took out the bag of dumplings from the insulated box, and gestured at Guo Dongyue, “Have you eaten breakfast yet? If not, feel free to have some with me.”


  Guo Dongyue shook his head. He had had breakfast at home, and he didn’t think the food sold at restaurants was clean.

  Guo Dongyue patiently waited until the two cats and Zhang Zian had finished eating. He looked at his watch and asked, “When are we leaving?”


  Zhang Zian had a mouthful of dumpling that he hadn’t swallowed, and he answered vaguely, “Take it easy. We are leaving right away.” He wiped his mouth, picked up the padlock, and waved at Fina and Snowy Lionet.

  Guo Dongyue followed him and walked out of the shop. As Zhang Zian closed the door, he pointed to Fina and Snowy Lionet and asked, “They are coming too?”


  Zhang Zian answered firmly, “Yes, I’m taking them for a walk.”


  Guo Dongyue felt it was strange that Zhang Zian would bring cats to a bird breeding farm. When he went to the pet shop before, most times he was busy looking at Richard, and didn’t pay much attention to the cats in the store. Now, he got the chance to observe the cats closely. And he felt that the cat with the golden fur was quite domineering from its appearance and its movements. It didn’t look anything like other ordinary house cats, but it reminded him of the serval cats he saw in some very rich people’s houses. As he looked closer, he found that this golden cat looked domineering because of its arrogant and proud attitude, which was different from the wild and unruly temperament of the serval cats.

  While the other cat with the snowy white fur looked quite beautiful and gentle, and it followed extremely closely behind the golden cat.

  Zhang Zian looked around, “How did you come here? Did you drive?”


  “No, I took a cab. I don’t have a car,” Guo Dongyue replied. “I travel a lot for business trips, so it’s unnecessary for me to buy a car.”


  Zhang Zian remembered that it was Xiao Yan who gave Guo Dongyue a ride the first time he came to the pet shop. As it seemed from today, Guo Dongyue was truly a pragmatist, and was not the kind of person who would buy a car just for decoration.

  It was not easy to hail a taxi in the early morning. Finally, Guo Dongyue successfully hailed a carpool, a pretty new Cruze, and the driver was a young woman whose nickname was Jamie, as shown on the app. Zhang Zian was a little worried that she might not agree to let Fina and Snowy Lionet to get into the car. Luckily, she seemed to be a cat lover, and she screamed excitedly the moment she saw Fina and Snowy Lionet.

  “How beautiful those cats are!” She stuck her head out of the car window, “Are they you guys’ cats?”


  “They are my cats.” Zhang Zian pointed to the sign of the Amazing Fate Pet Shop, “I am the owner of this pet shop. Can I bring them in the car with me?”


  “Of course! Hop in! I often take my own cats for a ride,” she agreed quickly.

  Guo Dongyue sat in the passenger’s seat, and Zhang Zian sat in the back with his two cats.

  Jamie started the car, and glanced at Fina and Snowy Lionet from the rearview mirror from time to time.

  “You are going to the Phoenix House, right?” she asked. “Are you going to buy birds?”


  “Phoenix House?” Zhang Zian had never heard of this name before.

  “Yes, that’s the name of the place you are heading to.” Her driving skills were quite good, and she was cheerful and talkative, “It’s quite far from here. I’m on my way home, so I can give you a ride. My hometown is near the Phoenix House, so I know about it.”