Chapter 8: The promised tomorrow

Qin Yan was also a regular at the “Cat Paradise.”

When he arrived at the park, he crouched down and called out, making the secret signal between him and the cats.

Zhou Langxing saw a fat yellow cat, like a buttered bread, lying on the bench by the lake, asleep and softly snoring.

He then spotted a striped cat squatting by the lake, trying to steal fish from an old man who was fishing. It had yellow and white fur and looked like a triangular rice dumpling when sitting. It seemed to have heard Qin Yan’s signal, as its ears twitched in the wind, but it didn’t turn its head, keeping a watchful eye on the fish biting the hook.

Zhou Langxing waved to Qin Yan, pointing at the bench and then at the lakeside.

Qin Yan’s eyes curved into a smile. “Not just one, there are six siblings in this litter.”

After a moment, the bushes rustled, and three slender cats came out.

“Look, here come the three cat sisters!”

The three sisters swayed their waists as they walked over, rubbing against Qin Yan from left to right, their nimble tails expertly teasing his ankles.

“Meow~”

They spotted the cat food bag and meowed continuously.

Qin Yan smiled, crouching down to open the bag and evenly pouring the food onto the ground.

The familiar sound of the food hitting the floor made the fat cat on the bench twitch its ears, then its whiskers trembled, and its nose twitched slightly. In a flash, its eyes snapped open.

A yellow blur passed through the line of sight like lightning.

Zhou Langxing blinked. He looked down to find another cat had joined the one eating.

Qin Yan supported his face with one hand, gently stroking the fat cat’s back. It was a long-haired cat, and the fur was fluffy from the sunlight. His hand sank into it with ease.

It was like a jade ruyi lying on a golden carpet, faintly showing a hint of white. Anyone with an eye for quality would know that this was a rare piece of exquisite jade.

This was truly a visual feast.

At this moment, Zhou Langxing deeply regretted not having a camera with him.

Wouldn’t it have been nice if Zhou Shurong had left behind such beautiful scenes?

Perhaps, if he searched his room, he might find other surprising things.

No, why would he need someone else’s photos?

Their photos only carried their stories. Even if he captured the past, he would only be an onlooker flipping through their tales.

Zhou Langxing calmed his thoughts, just about to take out his phone to capture the moment when Qin Yan suddenly waved at him and smiled brightly, saying, “Come here—this one has the best temperament, it definitely won’t bite you. Don’t be afraid, come and pet it!”

Zhou Langxing paused, holding two flowers in his hand, and crouched down.

Before he could reach out to touch the big orange cat, the cat above him, the “orange peel,” was attracted by the flowers and curiously pounced over.

“Hey—you can’t touch!”

Zhou Langxing held up the two flowers high.

The little cat meowed in displeasure, clearly feeling like it was scolding him.

“What’s so surprising? It likes them, so just give them to it!”

“Well, I like them too.”

Zhou Langxing fixed his burning gaze on Qin Yan.

“Then keep it. I’ll give you mine too. Since you like them so much, maybe you can turn them into dried flowers later, put them in a vase on your bedside, and even smell them to fall asleep.”

As soon as he said that, Zhou Langxing suddenly had an image in his mind—a bundle of dried flowers standing alone in Zhou Shurong’s room, with a faint fragrance, lingering every day, month after month.

There were too many memories between them. Every small detail he captured only deepened their bond.

Did he really have the confidence to step in?

Ignoring the little cat, who was scratching the air above his knee, Zhou Langxing still held the two flowers up. The light weight felt insignificant in Qin Yan’s eyes. He stared at Qin Yan and asked, “Two flowers are too few. They wouldn’t fill even one vase if they were dried. I want a whole bouquet.”

He gestured, “A vase that big!”

Qin Yan laughed softly, “That big? How many flowers would fit? You might as well go pick sunflowers!”

Zhou Langxing’s expression was serious, not joking.

Qin Yan paused, then said, “When we go back, let’s see if Xiao Hui is still around. Oh—Xiao Hui is the flower-selling girl.”

“But I didn’t bring my wallet,” Zhou Langxing said with clear intent, wanting the flowers Qin Yan gave him.

Qin Yan’s gaze swept over him, “Did you forget your phone too?”

“Looks like it,” Zhou Langxing replied, feeling regretful that he couldn’t take pictures with his phone.

Qin Yan’s eyes were bright as he gave him a “I can see through you” look, as if to say, “You’re just making excuses about forgetting it at home.” His voice was gentle, “Then let this be my gift to you.”

Zhou Langxing stared at Qin Yan.

Since ancient times, if you borrow something, you must return it; if you give something, there must be a return gift. Just like Xu Xian and Bai She in the rain at West Lake, they promised their love under the umbrella. He wondered what he should offer in return.

(TN: reference to “The Legend of the White Snake” (白蛇传, Bái Shé Zhuàn). It’s a romantic and supernatural folktale that has been told for centuries in Chinese opera, literature, film, and television.)

Actually, the gift didn’t matter much.

At this stage, he couldn’t allow himself to give anything beyond friendship.

A return gift—was just an excuse to find Qin Yan again tomorrow, or the day after, or some day in the future.

How hard it was, just to find an excuse to meet!

Suddenly, something hit the back of his hand.

It turned out that the little cat had pushed against his hand, trying to jump up and grab the two flowers gently swaying in the wind.

Zhou Langxing didn’t care about anything else. A return gift was not something for today. He quickly moved to protect the two flowers that had been innocently harmed.

He stood up quickly, his 1.8-meter frame facing the small, delicate cat.

Qin Yan wanted to laugh when he saw his serious expression. “The big orange is almost full, and when it dives into the bushes, you won’t be able to touch it even if you want to.”

Zhou Langxing felt a bit wronged. “What should I do if I squat down and this little cat comes to grab my flowers?”

Qin Yan could only hug the big orange cat, leaning toward him, and blinked his eyes. “Quick, touch while it’s warm!”

Not understanding, Zhou Langxing reached out to touch it. Wow, it was warm, like touching a tangible ray of sunlight.

Qin Yan asked, “Is it warm?”

Zhou Langxing replied, “Warm.” He felt warm inside.

The four cats had eaten their fill and squatted by the lake, watching the old man fishing. Even the cat near the shore couldn’t resist coming over to grab some cat food. The sixth cat arrived late, and it seemed like the leader, bringing many little cats behind it. Qin Yan casually scattered the food like feeding pigeons, and the cat food bag quickly shrank.

Qin Yan was satisfied. “It won’t go to waste. That’s great!”

Zhou Langxing was practically trapped, surrounded by fluffy cats.

Ah! One of the tabby cats was so annoying, trying to mark its territory on his plastered leg!

Qin Yan was laughing so hard his stomach hurt while helping to chase the cat away, making weird sounds, “Shh, shh, shh!”

Finally, the cat food was finished, and the cats scattered.

Qin Yan watched them until they were out of sight. There’s no feast that doesn’t end. Perhaps one day, a cat that has eaten his cat food will never be seen again.

People are the same. Partings can be sudden and unexpected.

The day Zhou Shurong had the accident was May 20th. That day, he was on the way to their date…

Qin Yan wore an ivory white suit with a rose pinned on his chest, but he never saw him.

From sunrise to sunset, from today to tomorrow… He made countless calls, but no one answered. He took a cab to his former university, but no one knew his whereabouts.

On the third day, someone sent an invitation to his funeral…

“The sun feels so good, like my bones are melting. Your brother actually doesn’t like the sun.”

Zhou Langxing suddenly heard him mention Zhou Shurong.

Qin Yan sighed, closed his eyes, and embraced the sunlight.

“Such good sunlight, it’s a pity he can’t see it anymore.”

His face, his arms, his legs, all bathed in sunlight filtering through the gaps in the leaves, looked like a fragile water reflection shimmering with light scales.

Zhou Langxing looked closely at the fine peach fuzz on his cheeks, dusted with a layer of pale gold powder.

His expression was a bit indifferent.

It was like the calm at a funeral. Beneath the calm exterior, he twisted the thorns that had grown into his flesh, swallowing the pain back.

He thought he would get over it quickly.

But only after the sunlight shone on him did the pain reveal itself, unable to hide.

Zhou Langxing suddenly understood that the so-called “substitute” was more like self-comfort.

A laughable term, an insult to himself, an insult to Qin Yan, and an indelible insult to another person.

Fortunately, it was just a thought in his heart.

If he had said it out loud, Qin Yan would have left without hesitation. Even if they met again, they would be nothing but strangers passing by.

“Yeah. What a pity, such beautiful sunlight.” Zhou Langxing thought, was he lamenting for himself or for his brother?

“But maybe… he’s enjoying another equally beautiful moonlight.”

Qin Yan opened his eyes. “I really like this sentence.”

“Zhou Langxing,” he paused, “Can I call you Langxing?”

“Ha, it should have been like this.”

Qin Yan stared at Zhou Langxing, his gaze so clear and transparent, as if seeing through a person’s heart. In that moment, it resembled Zhou Shurong too much.

“You really don’t resemble him.”

Zhou Langxing curved his lips. “He is him, I am me.?”

“You are Zhou Langxing, and he is Zhou Shurong. I can already tell the difference.”

Zhou Langxing understood, looking up in shock, his lashes long and thick, like a dense thorn bush that blocked the light.

“I need to apologize. Actually, I’ve often looked at him through you. I’m sorry, I couldn’t control it.” Qin Yan tucked his wind-blown hair behind his ear, gazing into the distance. “I also pretended that he was with me during this little getaway.”

“But…” Qin Yan looked at Zhou Langxing. “It feels different.”

Everyone is unique. No one is anyone’s replacement.

“Do you hate me a little now?”

Zhou Langxing slowly shook his head, his gaze restrained as he looked at Qin Yan. Qin Yan’s admission only made him feel incredibly ashamed.

But it was hard for him to speak. He couldn’t tell him that he liked him.

Liked him to the point that he wished he could be a laughable substitute!

“Langxing.” Qin Yan smiled. “Reason and emotion are far apart. To prevent this mistake from continuing, tomorrow… let’s not meet, okay?”

“You don’t have to worry about me. I value my life and won’t do anything foolish. I’ll live well.”

“If you need me, call me.”

Zhou Langxing stared at him for a long time, without saying a word. Slowly, he nodded.

Finally, on May 25th, Zhou Langxing, holding a bouquet symbolizing “self-love,” got on the bus home. The wheels bumped over a stone, shaking a little, but his eyes remained still.

Tomorrow was Zhou Shurong’s time.

But was it only tomorrow? Or does it include the next tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, the day after the day after tomorrow…