"But I accidentally dropped the ice cream myself." I looked down and said quietly, "How can I let you pay for it?"
Bi Qing shook his head and said, "It doesn't matter, it's just in time, I wanted to go out to buy something else."
The little black cat made a sound seemingly in discontent in his arms, "meow" I hesitated for a moment and then agreed to this arrangement.
We went into the hospital and Bi Qing brought out a pet medical record form for me to fill out. At this moment, my mind was in a bit of disarray so I was not sure what to fill in and so just decided to name it Xiao Hei and filled it in. Xiao Hei seemed to be very dissatisfied with my rash decision.
***("Xiao Hei" means "Little Black")***
He also asked if the cat has been vaccinated. I naturally shook my head and said that I don't know. Xiao Hei turned over the medicine and tried to protect itself, and in the end, had to forcefully hold it down and injected the needle in its neck. It angrily scratched and bit Bi Qing and his hand was covered in bloody scars by the time he was done. Since we were leaving soon he locked it in an iron cage, it cried and looked at me with hidden bitterness as if it were accusing me of attaching more importance to romance and treating the cat lightly.
***(Well you do have a past track record so...)***
After I picked out a lot of pet supplies. Bi Qing pulled the iron gate of the hospital, temporarily closing the business as he wanted to take me to the store. I quickly stopped his footsteps and said, "You still have not collected the money..."
"Money?" He only took a moment to tally the bill and without thinking it through casually reported an incredibly cheap price and said that people who adopt stray cats get a discount at his shop.
I don't know much about the cost price of pet supplies, but I know that the normal retail price of these products wouldn't be so low. I can guess that he is losing money and therefore did not go with his insistence of the low price and requested to pay the full price. However, when I wanted to pay, I touched my whole body, but it turns out --- I went out in a hurry and forgot to bring money.
I quickly bowed my head to apologize and said that I will go back and retrieve the money to give to him. Bi Qing generously shook his head and said that I can bring it at a later time and also that Xiao Hei's body is not in good condition, and he is somewhat worried that he may have gastroenteritis and that it is better to have him thoroughly checked to avoid any problems. Especially, in the next few days, it is best for him to come and be examined every day and the examination is free of charge, and so not to worry about it.
Although Xiao Hei appeared to be healthy and active and did not seem sick, I thought that since he has mentioned it, the situation must be serious, so I asked, "Do you want him to hospitalized?"
"The cost of hospitalization is very high, It is not necessary since you live close by." Bi Qing quickly replied, "Just bring him over."
Therefore I nodded and seemed to understand. I temporarily left the stuff at the hospital and ignored Xiao Hei's bawling and followed him out to the store. On the way, he suddenly asked me, "Miao Miao, it seems you are still studying?"
"Yes." I did not dare to look up at his face, I was afraid of forgetting myself again, "I'm in university."
"Then you're about 20 years old?" Bi Qing seems to be happy and continued, "You look very young. I thought that you were still in high school. That's right, I am 26 this year. It seems to be a lot older than you..."
"It's not. I am 21 this year, you are only 5 years older than me. It's because my brain was too stupid in elementary school, so my teacher advised to repeat a grade." I was itching to beat myself up after I finished speaking, why would you say out such an embarrassing matter as repeating a year in school? So I quickly switched the topic, "That you can be a veterinarian at such a young age, you are really amazing."
Bi Qing replied with a smile, "My father is an old veterinarian. I have always liked cats since I was a child, so I often followed him to learn to treat animals so it can be considered that I am very experienced. Later when I entered university, I study veterinary. After graduation, I enlisted in the army for 4 years, then retired and went to work with my father for these two years. Then my father felt that my level was almost the same as his and so just handed the business over to me, talking about taking advantage of the years and went traveling around with my mother."
After calculating, I felt that it didn't add up and so asked, "How old were you when you graduated university?"
"When I was 5 years old, I skipped grade 1, they weren't so strict on this aspect in those days...so I graduated from university at 20." I asked him because I was curious, but the resulting answer was too much damage to my poor self-esteem, so I changed the subject, "Why did you move your store here? Also named it Miao Miao?"
"The orignial store was in an old part of the city. Later, because of the area being remodeled, my parents took the demolition fee and ran back to their hometown to play. I came here to buy a house and later reopened the shop here under the recommendation of a friend named Yin Zi." Bi Qing continued a bit saddened, "When I moved into the new house, I was about to install a wire mesh on the balcony. But when I went out to buy it, I don't know how my cat was able to pull open the window and then jumped onto the balcony and fell down...Its name was Hua Miao Miao, the one you saw in the picture frame on the table. Because it is my fault, so I named the store after her as a memorial..."
I found myself feeling heartbroken for the other person's grief and quickly comforted, "Don't be sad, that cat is so adorable that it must have definitely gone to heaven."
"I should have fixed the wire mesh as soon as I moved in..."
"It's possible that the cat has crossed over and met with a more loving master and is living its days happily." I chattered on.
Bi Qing finally smiled, " Perhaps this is strange but since I saw you I've been feeling that you are quite similar to it."
I looked at his smile and felt that the spring breeze just passed through the earth, my heart was racing again and my heart was jumping, I hurriedly looked away to conceal my own expression. Is it because in his mind I resemble his cat? Therefore when he looked at me he recalled it and felt some sorrow. And the name Hua Miao Miao was also the name of the beautiful cat eared lady in my dream, isn't it so coincidental?
I threw out these unreasonable thoughts and happily followed Bi Qing into a store and even helped him push around the shopping cart. Bi Qing was casually picking out items, but the pace was very slow. We spent a whole hour in conversation, talking about this and that, from one of the world to another and eventually filled the shopping cart. Finally, he looked at the clock hanging in the store and helplessly sighed, then took me to the frozen deserts section and picked out of one of the largest red bean chestnut ice cream and handed it to me, "I remember that you had this one today, would you prefer something else?"
I quickly shook my head, "This one is good."
On the way back, I couldn't help but ask him, "Do you have a brother or cousin named Ao Yun?"
"No, I am an only child." Bi Qing looked at me confused.
"You look very much like him..." I replied with a wry smile, "So much alike, that I almost thought you were the same person."
The two silently went back to the pet hospital and I retrieved Xiao Hei, as I was leaving Bi Qing suddenly said to me, "Miao Miao...even though this may be somewhat abrupt...you, if you have time, you can come over and sit here often."
I hugged Xiao Hei and looked at Bi Qing's face that was brimming with earnest hope and happiness and I clearly understood what he meant. I extended my hand and gripped the diamond ring hanging on my chest and with struggled in my head for a long time. Finally, I gathered up all the courage in my life and prepared to frankly tell him that I had a fiancé.
I did not expect that before I could open my mouth, a soft gentle voice came from behind me, "Is my little fiancee angry with me today?"
I quickly turned around and saw Ao Yun, with a large bouquet of pink Persian chrysanthemums leaning against his car looking at me with a bright smile.
MiraiSaesang's Notes: Ao Yun 😑...On another note, I am glad that Bi Qing is being somewhat direct, no beating around the bush...he's making it clear he's interested on day one, LOL coming up with possible illnesses for Xiao Mao just so he can see her every day, I'm sure Xiao Mao would be pretty annoyed if he found out about this scheme 😂...although now with this fiance bit...*sigh*