Strange Life of a Cat
Chapter 366 - Chapter 366 Chapter 358 Xiao Zhuo _2

Chapter 366: Chapter 358 Xiao Zhuo _2 Chapter 366: Chapter 358 Xiao Zhuo _2 Zheng Tan, despite being quite popular in the cat ring, didn’t have much of an advantage when it came to the plush toy giveaways due to his fur color.

When Charlie brought Zheng Tan back to the Jiao family, he also delivered the “BC” pillow that Zheng Tan had chosen.

The front was a black cat’s head, and the back was embroidered with the letters “BC.”

Jiao Ma had thought Zheng Tan brought it back for his own use and was surprised that he never unpacked it.

Since this year’s Children’s Day happened to fall on a Monday and was close to the Dragon Boat Festival, the kindergarten decided to start the holiday from the Dragon Boat Festival and extend it to Children’s Day, totaling a five-day break.

If Zheng Tan wanted to give a gift, he would have to choose the day before the holiday to bring the person to the courtyard; otherwise, how could he give away such a large pillow? It would be too inconvenient.

Zheng Tan went to the kindergarten gate ten minutes before school was over, knowing that the person called “Xiao Wan” by Buddha and responsible for looking after Zhuo Xiaomao would be waiting ten meters to the left of the school gate, so he headed there as well.

Usually, Xiao Wan would arrive a bit early, ranging from five to ten minutes, as the kindergarten’s dismissal time wasn’t strictly adhered to; there was some flexibility.

But today, after Zheng Tan arrived and waited a few minutes, Xiao Wan still hadn’t shown up.

Just as Zheng Tan was wondering why Xiao Wan hadn’t arrived yet, he heard someone call out his cat name.

“Heitan?!”

On hearing the voice, Zheng Tan’s first reaction was that it sounded familiar, and his second was to turn his head to look.

After clearly seeing the person, Zheng Tan felt a bit bewildered until they called out “Heitan” again, and he then he recognized them.

Xiao Zhuo!

It was Xiao Zhuo!

Zheng Tan felt a sting in his eyes.

The person before him was Xiao Zhuo, but there was something different about her compared to before.

In Zheng Tan’s memory, the most vivid impression of Xiao Zhuo was of her sitting by the artificial lake with a book in hand, a young and gentle figure, one of Buddha’s three aces with limitless potential.

Because of Zhuo Xiaomao, Zheng Tan often saw some of Buddha’s students, some stayed at the school, others went abroad for further studies and then returned, looking not much different than when they left, at most appearing a bit more radiant, as they were all climbing higher.

Xiao Zhuo, who back then seemed even younger than those people, had, in just four to five years, aged as if more than a decade had passed. Not only that, but she also emanated a gaunt, sickly aura, and even the clothes she used to wear now seemed a size too big for her.

Zheng Tan recalled something Mr. Jiao had said. Some projects can be quite harmful to people, and even with protective measures, they can’t fully prevent damage; it’s like overdrawing life itself.

No wonder Mr. Jiao said that project was dangerous, no wonder so many people didn’t return, no wonder Buddha originally opposed her participation in that project.

As Zheng Tan was looking at Xiao Zhuo, she had already walked up to him.

Kneeling down, she reached out to touch Zheng Tan’s forehead and said with a smile, “Got scared? Don’t worry, I’ll get better after some time to recuperate.”

Xiao Zhuo knew her current condition wasn’t good. Normally, after completing a project task, one could request to leave and recuperate for a while with specialized medical staff to help with treatment. Xiao Zhuo’s original plan was to recuperate there and return only after looking a bit better, but a conversation with Zhuo Xiaomao on Mother’s Day made her change her mind.

Zhuo Xiaomao video chatted with Xiao Zhuo every year, so even without undergoing treatment, Zhuo Xiaomao would still recognize her. When she saw the black cat crouching in front of the kindergarten, she felt a bit apprehensive, worried that after being away for too long, the cat no longer recognized her. But in reality, from the black cat’s gaze, she knew that the cat still remembered her; it was just a bit shocked by her current appearance. At present, she looked as if she had aged by more than a decade, with wrinkles and spots marring her complexion, far less radiant than before. Even her former classmates might not recognize her now.

When Xiao Zhuo returned yesterday, Buddha recognized her instantly. Seeing Xiao Zhuo’s condition, Buddha, who usually maintained a stoic expression, teared up, although he didn’t say much, only remarking, “It’s good that you’re back.”

She had been quite headstrong in her youth, unwilling to heed others’ advice, and had made many wrong decisions. Over the years, she had come to clear and understand many things.

The one she felt most sorry for was Zhuo Xiaomao. Now that she had returned, she would not leave again. In the remaining days of her life, she would always be with Zhuo Xiaomao, watching him grow up.

Xiao Zhuo was about to talk to Zheng Tan when children started coming out of the kindergarten.

Zhuo Xiaomao ran out, something I hadn’t seen this kid do so eagerly before.

“Mommy, mommy!” Zhuo Xiaomao, upon seeing Xiao Zhuo, had his worried and anxious face instantly replaced with a smile.

Zhuo Xiaomao threw himself into Xiao Zhuo’s arms and then, looking down, greeted Zheng Tan with a “Black” before saying to Xiao Zhuo, “Mommy, mommy, let’s invite Black to have dinner with us.”

“Heitan too?” Xiao Zhuo looked at Zheng Tan.

Zheng Tan turned his head. It would be better to let it pass today, to let the mother and son spend more time together; Zhuo Xiaomao’s excitement wasn’t cooling down anytime soon.

Zhuo Xiaomao called for Zheng Tan a couple of times but didn’t follow, and when Xiao Zhuo led Zhuo Xiaomao away, Zheng Tan headed back to the courtyard. After walking a few steps, he paused, took a turn, and followed not far behind the mother and son. There was still time before Jiao Ma would be home, so Zheng Tan could afford to stay out a bit longer and listen to what Xiao Zhuo and Zhuo Xiaomao were talking about.

However, along the way, it was Zhuo Xiaomao doing all the talking while Xiao Zhuo just smiled, listened, and occasionally responded, letting Zhuo Xiaomao show off.

As they passed by the International Academic Hall, a group of people came out, surrounded by several young, famous, returnee professors, most around 30 years old–about the same age as Xiao Zhuo, if not just a few years older. But they looked younger than Xiao Zhuo, much more vibrant.

The professors were surrounded by a crowd, with other experts and scholars accompanying them. Words like “young and promising,” “unlimited potential,” and “pillar of the nation” kept coming up.

If Xiao Zhuo hadn’t participated in that project back then, perhaps she would now be among these people, or even further ahead than they were.

A group of halo-enshrouded figures brushed past Xiao Zhuo and Zhuo Xiaomao. They didn’t pay much attention to the mother and son, immersed in compliments from the crowd as they talked about their dreams, ambitions, achievements, and their bright futures.

Having walked past, Xiao Zhuo looked back at the group without much envy. Everyone makes their own choices and has their own path. Although, in terms of contribution, she might have achieved more than all of them combined, her achievements were not something to flaunt, at least not yet.

After a glance, Xiao Zhuo turned her head and continued to walk home with Zhuo Xiaomao.

While Xiao Zhuo looked back, she failed to notice Zhuo Xiaomao’s actions, but Zheng Tan following behind saw it. Zhuo Xiaomao also glanced at those people, and when Xiao Zhuo turned back, Zhuo Xiaomao did too.

Other parents who had picked up their children from kindergarten were around, and one child sat on his mother’s electric bike, proudly reciting a poem he learned that day–“Ode to the Goose” by Luo Binwang, mispronouncing a few words. But for children of this age, to recite a poem at all was not easy, and even if they didn’t understand the meaning, their parents were still very happy.

Zhuo Xiaomao looked at the child and then tugged at Xiao Zhuo’s hand, saying, “Mommy, mommy, let’s recite a poem too.”

“Sure, what poem does Little Cat want to recite?” asked Xiao Zhuo.

“Let’s recite them to each other!”

“Okay, recite to each other, Little Cat can start.”

Zhuo Xiaomao thought for a bit, lifted his chin, and proudly said, “Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium, Beryllium, Boron!”

Xiao Zhuo was startled for a moment, then couldn’t help but laugh as she continued, “Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Fluorine, Neon.”

“Sodium, Magnesium, Aluminum, Silicon, Phosphorus!”

“Sulfur, Chlorine, Argon, Potassium, Calcium.”

Zheng Tan who was listening from behind: “”…”

Is this a poem?

This the hell is the periodic table!!!

Zhuo Xiaomao, if you’re this awesome, does your future Chinese teacher know about this?!(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it at Qidian (NovelFire.net) with recommendation votes, monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.NovelFire.net.)