Chapter 332: Hold On

Under the dim yellow light, dishes sat on the dining table.

Beside the table sat Zhu Niao, her head lowered as she stared at the Band-Aid wrapped around her finger.

She kept her head down, gently using her relatively unharmed left hand to touch the wound, poking at it through the Band-Aid like a curious child, sometimes jolting from a sudden sting, other times feeling nothing at all.

She felt like she was playing Minesweeper—with a Band-Aid covering the wound, unable to see where the injury or the tender spots were, she kept poking at her finger, using her own reactions to confirm where the minefield lay.

“He’s still not back…”

At this moment, she suddenly felt like she was what people called a Deep Boudoir Resentful Woman.

Though now she wasn’t so resistant to that term anymore.

She was Gou Yu’s wife, after all.

Unfortunately, it was still far too early for Gou Yu to come back. It was barely past five o’clock, and Gou Yu wouldn’t return until at least five-thirty.

But she felt like time was passing strangely slowly—a bit like when she was back in School listening to math class, feeling like the teacher’s explanation could contain the rise and fall of an entire dynasty.

At that moment, she even felt like she might be Quicksilver or The Flash.

But the moment she decided to actually pay attention, it felt like the teacher was the real Flash, and she was just an ordinary person.

Then she started studying the pattern on the Band-Aid.

The pattern was a blue-and-white dog with big ears. Zhu Niao vaguely remembered what this dog was called—something like Cinnamon Dog.

Back when she was in school, the female classmates seemed to really like this dog, though some of them preferred another black-and-white one.

Zhu Niao had no idea what species that other one was. It looked a bit like a cat.

After staring at it for a while, Zhu Niao felt she couldn’t make anything of it, so she turned her attention back to the wound on her right hand, which bore the red mark left behind after being counterattacked by the Crab.

It wasn’t even that red anymore. It was looking somewhat bruised and purple.

It was starting to show some discoloration.

Zhu Niao hadn’t expected her body to be this frail.

So she reached out again, wanting to test whether this bruise was real.

The moment her left hand touched the bruise on her right, she sucked in a sharp breath of cold air.

It hurt so much.

Zhu Niao slumped onto the Dining Table, her teeth aching from the pain.

The middle finger on her right hand now felt painful and twisted just from bending it.

After catching her breath a couple of times, Zhu Niao decided not to touch the cut on her left hand, nor would she be dumb enough to poke at the bruise on her right.

She began petting the kitten purring on her lap—it sounded like it had an engine running, rumbling nonstop whenever it was near her.

Maybe it was broken.

Zhu Niao loved rubbing the Little Orange Cat’s belly. She felt the cat’s stomach was soft and warm, carrying a power that healed the heart.

The kitten was also remarkably spirited, showing surprising understanding of human nature as it nuzzled its head against her hand that was stroking its belly without ever touching any of Zhu Niao’s wounds.

It curled up into a ball on her lap, twisting its body in an alluring manner.

If the cat weren’t still small, with the width of Zhu Niao’s two legs pressed together, that seductive pose would definitely have sent it tumbling to the floor.

“Naughty cat.”

Zhu Niao pointed at the Little Orange Cat’s head and scolded the kitten with a hint of fierce cuteness.

“You’re fine at home, but if you go outside and lure some ugly yellow tomcat back home, and you get pregnant, I’m going to discipline you.” Little Bird’s expression was fierce, but her tone carried a certain gentleness.

“But if it’s true love, that’s fine too. You have to tell Mom, or else I’ll beat up that yellow cat.” Zhu Niao, playing the role of cat parent, was quite open-minded about it. “At least it has to be Pure Love like your mom and dad, or else this mom won’t accept it.”

She crossed her arms in a big X in front of her chest, as if she didn’t mind at all that she was discussing relationship matters with a cat.

The Little Orange Cat was also emotionally intelligent—every time Zhu Niao said something, it would respond in kind.

In front of the Dining Table, the sounds of her voice and the kitten’s meows rose and fell in turns.

Suddenly, a crisp sound interrupted the conversation between the girl and the cat.

It was the sound of a key being inserted into the door lock, followed by the turning of the mechanism.

Zhu Niao glanced at the time.

Exactly five-thirty.

She patted the Little Orange Cat on her lap, and the kitten, being quite sensible, jumped down from her legs.

Then, Zhu Niao stood up and looked toward the opening door.

Gou Yu walked in wearing his Yellow Delivery Uniform, carrying the same faint weariness as usual, along with a hint of Hope.

Zhu Niao was about to raise her hand in greeting when she suddenly noticed the Band-Aid on her raised left index finger.

No good.

So, when Gou Yu turned his head toward her, she placed both hands behind her back.

Then, with a hint of nervousness, she broke into a bright smile.

Gou Yu tilted his head. “What are you smiling about? Did you win the lottery?”

Just like always.

It seemed the Store Manager Lady hadn’t tipped Gou Yu off.

As Gou Yu approached, Zhu Niao took a couple of small steps back.

But Gou Yu’s gaze and attention were clearly not on Zhu Niao.

He looked at the Crab and the Smashed Cucumber on the table.

“So this is what you brought back for me when you went out to eat with your roommate?” Gou Yu pinched his chin. “Something feels off about this.”

“It… it’s actually something I made with my own hands.” Zhu Niao felt like even her voice was trembling. “How about it? Pretty impressive, right?”

“You made this?” Gou Yu looked at the dishes on the table.

She breathed a sigh of relief—at least it looked presentable, though the color of the Crab seemed a bit strange.

“How… how is it?” Zhu Niao was still holding her back straight, but her tone had somehow weakened.

“I really did underestimate you before.” Gou Yu didn’t hesitate to give a thumbs up.

Then, he eagerly pulled a pair of disposable chopsticks from his pocket—ones he’d snagged from a merchant while delivering food.

Next, he reached for the Crab.

Zhu Niao turned around with joy, about to head to the Kitchen to grab a bowl.

But she hadn’t even taken two steps when she looked back and saw Gou Yu frozen stiff.

Gou Yu wasn’t frozen in place for no reason.

He had imagined many scenarios—even if the food was terrible, even if it could cause food poisoning, he would have eaten it without hesitation.

But when his chopsticks reached out.

The Crab extended its claw and clamped onto his chopsticks, as if saying: hold on.

Gou Yu suddenly felt like all the mental preparation he’d done on the way home was completely useless.

He looked at Zhu Niao beside him, who was clearly flustered and panicked.

Almost desperate.

Gou Yu immediately flung the chopsticks out of his hand.

“Suddenly not in the mood for crab. Want something lighter—didn’t expect you could make Smashed Cucumber too.”

As he spoke, he pulled out another pair of chopsticks.

And took a bite.