The next morning, Qi Anlu went with his mother to the pet store to bring Joy home.
Yes, his mother told Qi Anlu that the cat's name was Joy.
The kitten was adorable and brave. On their way home from the pet store, Qi Anlu didn't put the cat in a carrier but held it in his arms. Joy, being held by Qi Anlu for the first time, fell asleep right there in his embrace.
"Joy really likes you."
After they got home, Joy woke up. Once on the ground, she went straight to the newly placed litter box to use it, then began wandering around the house, sniffing here and there, as if inspecting her territory.
Joy was a very affectionate kitten. When Zhou Xinfang cooked, she would follow her to the kitchen. When Qi Anlu read, she would lie nearby, occasionally sprawling across his book to cause some mischief. With her around, the house was filled with much more laughter and joy.
Gu Zhijing, Qu Zizhou, and Chu Mingyan, upon hearing that Qi Anlu had gotten a cat, arranged to visit together to see it.
"You didn't have to bring anything," Qi Anlu said as he opened the door, seeing Gu Zhijing and Chu Mingyan carrying bags while Qu Zizhou held a small fish tank. Such politeness felt unusual.
"Don't flatter yourself, these aren't for you—they're for Joy."
Qu Zizhou made himself at home, changing into slippers and placing the small fish tank on the coffee table.
"This is for Joy to watch."
Since their first visit, Zhou Xinfang had bought three more pairs of slippers matching her son's foot size, perfect for each of the four boys.
Chu Mingyan took out his gifts, "These are some new toys my mom bought for our dog during New Year's. I brought a few for Joy."
"Look at what I brought—all these are treats for Joy." Gu Zhijing had brought a large bag full of items he'd taken from Tang Yuan's cabinet.
Qi Anlu went to his bed and brought out the sleeping Joy to meet the three visitors.
"Aww, she's so cute!"
No one could resist a cat's charm...
"Where's auntie? Not home?"
"My mom went grocery shopping when she heard you were coming. You should all stay for lunch."
Having lunch at Qi Anlu's house wasn't something to be formal about, so all three agreed.
"Is your Joy a boy or a girl?"
"I can't tell, but the pet store said she's a girl."
"Perfect! She can be sisters with my Tang Yuan. We should let them meet sometime."
"Sure!"
The two pet parents made plans for a cat playdate.
Zhou Xinfang hadn't worked since getting married, spending her days taking care of the house and experimenting with ways to make her cooking even better.
Her lunch that day impressed all three visitors.
"Auntie, with your cooking skills, you could definitely open a restaurant!"
"Yes, Auntie, if you opened a restaurant, it would be super popular!"
Zhou Xinfang was delighted to see everyone enjoying her food so much and kept encouraging them to eat more.
"If you like it, come often. When school starts, you'll be so close by, you can come anytime, and I'll cook for you."
"Yes, yes, Auntie, we'll definitely come, just don't mind how much we eat!"
When Qi Wenhan was around, they didn't like visiting the Qi household much because they weren't allowed to use phones or watch TV there. Instead, the four of them were made to study and do homework together. Whenever they wanted to invite Qi Anlu out, Qi Wenhan would look at them as if they were bad influences.
"Not at all! I love having a lively house. Even if you come every day to play and eat, I won't mind at all."
Previously at home, except for grocery shopping, Zhou Xinfang spent her days alone. She truly wished for more liveliness in the house.
After lunch, the three played games with Qi Anlu for a while before heading home.
After seeing his friends off, Qi Anlu brought up something with his mother.
"Qi Wenhan contacted me yesterday."
Hearing this, Zhou Xinfang wasn't surprised at all. "I know."
"I know what he wanted from you because he contacted me too."
Qi Wenhan had reached out to Zhou Xinfang a few days ago, accusing her of being selfish and not considering their son's welfare in wanting a divorce.
Zhou Xinfang hadn't responded to him. It was laughable that Qi Wenhan dared to say she wasn't considering their son.
When she ignored him, he started belittling her. He said that since she hadn't worked for so many years, being just a housewife, what kind of life could she provide for their son? He claimed their son would amount to nothing staying with her.
"He said similar things to me," Qi Anlu spoke as calmly as if discussing someone else's affairs. "He said he could send me abroad for studies in the future, and get me into the best research institutions or universities after graduation."
There was more—he had also implied that staying with his mother would lead nowhere in life. But Qi Anlu didn't mention this part, not wanting to hurt his mother's feelings.
"Mom, don't listen to what Qi Wenhan says. I'm old enough to decide who I want to live with. I can make my own decisions, and even in court, the judge will prioritize the child's wishes."
Qi Anlu thought Qi Wenhan was ridiculous. Even at this point, he was still only thinking about what he thought was best, rather than considering his actual wishes.
"I know, Anlu. Mom won't give you up."
Zhou Xinfang had chosen to bring up divorce on New Year's Eve when the whole family was together, intending to make a clean break with no possibility of reconciliation. They would divorce, with no room for turning back, and she had secretly gathered evidence of Qi Wenhan's affair and given it to her lawyer. She would formally file for divorce after the New Year.
"I know, Mom. I'm not worried about that. After you divorce him, I want to change my surname to Zhou. I don't want to be a Qi anymore."
If he hadn't been used to it for so many years, he would have wanted to change his entire name.
"Alright." Zhou Xinfang fought back tears as she looked at her son. Her marriage to Qi Wenhan all these years now felt like a long dream, but at least she had her son, making all these years worthwhile.
"Mom, there's something I want to ask you."
"What's the story with Aunt Wen? Are you good friends?"
This question had been on Qi Anlu's mind for several days.
Thinking of Wen, Zhou Xinfang's expression became complex. After a long pause, she told her son: "Wen... she used to be my best friend."
As Zhou Xinfang spoke, she seemed to drift into memories of the past, a smile unconsciously appearing on her face, her whole being radiating a hint of youthful joy.
"We used to be neighbors, and we were the same age. We went to school together. She was smarter than me and did better in school. But she never thought I was stupid—she would help me with homework, and when I was bullied, she would help me fight back."
"What happened after that?"