Gu Yuanting wanted to take Ranran home as soon as possible. Standing beside him, he quickly finished paying for the fruit and said to Su Yiran, “Ranran, we’ve bought everything. Let’s go home?”

Su Yiran hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he still asked Wang Mingzhi, “By the way… how’s Mao Tuan now?” A few days ago, he had thought of Mao Tuan again. Seeing Wang Mingzhi now, he couldn’t help but recall that clingy, spoiled little cat. So many years had passed, and with a cat’s short lifespan, he worried Mao Tuan might already be…

When Wang Mingzhi heard Su Yiran mention Mao Tuan, something came to mind, and he suddenly laughed. Beside him, Wu Lanlan also followed with a laugh. “Mao Tuan is doing great—eating when it’s time, drinking when it’s time—except…”

“Except what?” Su Yiran asked nervously.

Wang Mingzhi smiled. “Why don’t you come over to our place and see Mao Tuan yourself? We’re practically at my front door.” He pointed to the building diagonally behind the fruit stall.

Su Yiran looked up—sure enough, it was Wang Mingzhi’s home. They were really at his doorstep.

He had been to Wang Mingzhi’s house before—back when he first gave Mao Tuan to him. For the first month, he went over every weekend to check on the cat. During that time, he and Wang Mingzhi got closer, talking about cats every day.

Later, Ting-ge told him it wasn’t appropriate to visit someone’s home so often. Su Yiran thought it made sense. Plus, with schoolwork piling up and using weekends to tutor Ting-ge, he gradually stopped visiting and became distant from Wang Mingzhi.

Wu Lanlan now smiled and said, “You don’t know… Mao Tuan now… haha! Maybe he even still remembers you. Since you’re already here, why not come see him?”

Seeing how relaxed Wu Lanlan and Wang Mingzhi looked, Su Yiran figured the cat must be fine, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Still, they’d piqued his curiosity. What about Mao Tuan?

He was tempted by the invitation, thinking of how cute and friendly the cat had been when young. And since they were already here… why not take a look? He glanced at Ting-ge, hesitating.

Seeing Ranran’s longing expression, Gu Yuanting couldn’t bear to disappoint him. He patted Ranran’s head. “Let’s go take a look.”

After all, unlike the original host, he wasn’t the type to get jealous over a cat.

Hearing Ting-ge say that, Su Yiran happily agreed. “Alright, I wonder what Mao Tuan looks like now.”

Since they were going into someone’s home, it wouldn’t be right to go empty-handed. Su Yiran bought more fruit from the stall, and together with Ting-ge, they followed Wang Mingzhi and Wu Lanlan to the nearby apartment.

Wang’s parents were busy running their shop, so no one else was home. Their family ran a watch shop in town, doing well enough to afford sending him abroad for school.

Wang Mingzhi invited them to the living room for tea. Wu Lanlan immediately started looking around for the cat. “Mao Tuan? Mao Tuan? Look who’s here to see you!” Her tone made it clear she treated the cat like a family member.

While Su Yiran chatted with Wang Mingzhi, Wu Lanlan came back from the backyard smiling. “Mao Tuan’s outside sunbathing, fast asleep. Come and see.”

Just as Su Yiran was about to follow her, Gu Yuanting stood up too. Su Yiran quickly pressed his shoulder back down. “You’re allergic to cat fur, better not.”

Gu Yuanting’s allergy was mild—short visits to cat owners’ homes were fine as long as he didn’t get too close. But getting near the cat wasn’t a good idea.

Hearing “cat fur allergy,” Wang Mingzhi froze, remembering something. His gaze at Gu Yuanting grew complicated.

Gu Yuanting: “…” He couldn’t refute that and sat back down, watching helplessly as Ranran left with that woman, Wu Lanlan.

Gu Yuanting: “…”

Grinding his teeth inwardly at the original host, he turned to Wang Mingzhi. “You’re not going?”

Feeling awkward sitting with him, Wang Mingzhi was glad for an excuse. “I’ll go take a look too.”

Su Yiran entered the backyard and looked around for Mao Tuan, but saw nothing. “Where’s Mao Tuan?” he asked Wu Lanlan.

Suppressing a laugh, she pointed at something on the ground. “There.”

Su Yiran: “…”

He stiffly turned to look at the fluffy, round, chubby “pancake” sprawled out in the middle of the yard. He couldn’t reconcile this rotund creature with the small, adorable Mao Tuan of years past. Mao Tuan… what happened to you?!

The cat lay in the sun, limbs splayed, completely unconcerned with appearances.

Su Yiran was speechless for a moment, then went over to give the “cat pancake” a few pets. Beneath the orange fur, he could still faintly recognize the traces of the cat’s former glory.

Time spares no cat.

After a few shared sighs with Wu Lanlan, Wang Mingzhi came over, smiling. “The elders spoil him and feed him nonstop, so he got this fat. We’re trying to put him on a diet, but he’s not happy about it.”

The feel of Mao Tuan’s fur was irresistible—Su Yiran kept petting him. As he did, the watch on his wrist peeked out from under his sleeve.

Wang Mingzhi glanced at it a few times, a memory surfacing. He was just about to speak when Wu Lanlan subtly shook her head. After a pause, he swallowed the words.

He understood her meaning—why stir up trouble for a happily married couple?

Back then, because of the cat, he and Su Yiran became friends, chatting daily. One day, Su Yiran’s watch broke. Knowing it was a birthday gift from Gu Yuanting, and that his own family ran a watch shop, Wang Mingzhi offered to take it home to repair.

That was when they discovered the smartwatch had a tracking and surveillance system installed. Thinking about where it came from, Wang Mingzhi was horrified. He had planned to warn Su Yiran the next day to stay away from Gu Yuanting—but that very night, Gu Yuanting showed up at his home…

After that, Wang Mingzhi was forced into silence and had to distance himself from Su Yiran. The matter had been a thorn in his heart ever since. He regretted his cowardice—never telling Su Yiran the truth.

Now, seeing him again, Wang Mingzhi felt he should tell him, so at least Su Yiran would have some awareness.

Because Gu Yuanting’s behavior… was far from normal. He feared that one day, he’d see Su Yiran’s name in a crime headline.

Unaware of Wang Mingzhi’s inner turmoil, Su Yiran kept petting the cat until it woke, annoyed, and swatted at him before flopping down again.

While the three in the yard chatted happily, Gu Yuanting in the living room grew restless. Not seeing Ranran made him uneasy.

After what felt like forever, he couldn’t stand it anymore and went to the backyard—only to find Ranran scratching Mao Tuan under the chin, the cat purring in bliss.

Seeing the affection in Ranran’s eyes made Gu Yuanting feel stifled. “Ranran.”

“You came out? Go back to the living room,” Su Yiran said, realizing he might have kept Ting-ge waiting too long. He washed his hands at the sink and smiled. “Look at how fat Mao Tuan’s gotten—outrageous.”

The cat, mid-petting, paused and gave a questioning meow, then waddled over to rub against Su Yiran’s leg, asking for more affection.

Gu Yuanting gave it a cold look. “Outrageous indeed.”

After washing off the fur, Su Yiran resisted the temptation to pet him again. Seeing his struggle, Wang Mingzhi picked the cat up. “Looks like he remembers you, being so affectionate.”

Su Yiran agreed, saying a proper goodbye. “Don’t miss me too much, alright?”

“Meeooow,” Mao Tuan replied.

Back in the living room, Su Yiran noticed Ting-ge showed no allergic reaction despite being in the same yard as the cat, and relaxed.

They all sat and caught up. Su Yiran learned that Wu Lanlan had studied abroad in Country M after transferring schools, and later Wang Mingzhi went there too. They reconnected overseas, became close friends, then lovers, married last year, and were now working in Haishi.

This reminded Su Yiran of a long-held question. He glanced at Gu Yuanting and asked Wu Lanlan, “Back then… why did you suddenly transfer schools?”

Her transfer had been abrupt—no warning, no goodbyes—just gone the next day.

He’d always assumed something had happened at home. But after the last reunion and what he’d learned about Ting-ge’s other side, he wondered…

Hearing the question, Gu Yuanting’s heart tensed. He shot Wu Lanlan a cold look.

Startled, she quickly looked away and forced a smile. “Something came up at home, so I transferred. I didn’t have time to tell anyone.”

From her reaction, Su Yiran guessed the truth and let it drop. “I see… Well, at the last reunion, everyone was wondering about you. Let’s all get together sometime.”

They agreed, though both Wu Lanlan and Wang Mingzhi felt complicated emotions. She had been forced to transfer because of Gu Yuanting—yet that also led to studying abroad, a good job, and meeting her husband.

The conversation didn’t last long. After exchanging contacts, they parted.

On the way home, Su Yiran chatted as usual. Gu Yuanting relaxed, thinking Ranran suspected nothing.

But once in their bedroom, Ranran closed the door and gently asked, “Ting-ge, tell me the truth—was it you who made Wu Lanlan transfer?”

Gu Yuanting froze, ready to deny it, but Su Yiran hugged him and kissed him, cutting him off.

From what he’d learned at the reunion, Su Yiran already knew Ting-ge hid many things from him. He wondered if it was related to his illness.

“I’m not angry. Just tell me the truth—you don’t have to lie to me, alright?”

Looking into Ranran’s warm, loving eyes, Gu Yuanting felt wronged—it hadn’t been him, but he had to bear the original host’s blame.

Before Su Yiran could coax him further, his phone chimed with a new message.

It was from Wang Mingzhi: Su Yiran, I thought about the past and feel I should tell you something. Do you remember your old watch? Back then… we found it had a tracking and surveillance system inside. I’m sorry for only telling you now, but I just want you to be aware. Be careful.

Tracking? Surveillance? Su Yiran froze.