CoP 47 Epilogue

As spring approached, Sui Cannong had the idea of raising a small pet with Ji Ling.

Sui Cannong loved animals; his parents had a Samoyed, and he himself kept a turtle in the classroom, caring for it together with his students.

However, Sui Cannong had never considered keeping a pet in his own home, as he thought he wouldn’t be able to manage it alone.

But people’s thoughts often change.

After being with Ji Ling, Sui Cannong felt that having a little kitten at home might be nice. Spending time with Ji Ling, playing with a cat, would surely create a warm, homely atmosphere.

During their usual dinner times, they occasionally watched compilations of cute cat and dog videos to accompany their meals. Sui Cannong had secretly observed Ji Ling’s expressions and felt that Ji Ling also had a fondness for small animals.

So, one evening during dinner, while serving soup, Sui Cannong tentatively asked Ji Ling, “Do you… want to get a pet?”

Ji Ling paused for a moment, then set down his chopsticks and nodded.

Sui Cannong was overjoyed.

“That’s great! What do you think about getting a cat—”

“Actually, I’ve always liked dogs—”

The air froze for a moment.

Both of their latter statements hung unspoken in the air, and they stared at each other awkwardly, Sui Cannong’s heart sinking.

This was a battle between cat lovers and dog lovers.

During their time dating, they had occasionally encountered differences in opinions, such as where to go on weekends, which restaurant to order takeout from, and which YouTuber’s videos to watch during meals.

However, in their daily lives, they were more willing to accommodate each other’s preferences.

But getting a pet was not a trivial matter; it meant adding a new member to their home. This time, neither Sui Cannong nor Ji Ling was willing to back down.

Ji Ling’s logic was relatively straightforward; he decided to persuade Sui Cannong with words.

On an ordinary night, they were kissing on the sofa when Sui Cannong was about to unbutton Ji Ling’s shirt and take things to the next level. Suddenly, Ji Ling placed his hand on Sui Cannong’s chest.

He leaned back slightly.

Sui Cannong was taken aback, ready to lean in again, but Ji Ling shook his head, leaving Sui Cannong in a state of indecision.

Ji Ling’s eyes sparkled.

“I thought about it, and I’m willing to make some concessions,” he said earnestly to Sui Cannong. “If we get a dog, I can take full responsibility for walking it and preparing its food, so it won’t add any burden to your life.”

Ji Ling tilted his head back, blinked, and asked, “Is that okay?”

Sui Cannong felt a rush of confusion.

Was this really the time to discuss such things? Sui Cannong’s ears began to buzz; even though their breaths were already ragged and their clothes nearly half off, they suddenly found themselves stuck at this critical moment. Sui Cannong realized this was a very cunning tactic.

“Cats are actually great too, but compared to cats, I feel like I might prefer dogs more,” Ji Ling leaned in closer and whispered, “I’ve been thinking about why I like dogs, and I think… it’s because I really like you.”

For a moment, Sui Cannong thought Ji Ling was calling him a dog.

Fortunately, Ji Ling quickly continued to explain, “Because they give off a warm and reassuring feeling.”

“So I feel… I might have a stronger connection with dogs.” He said softly.

Sui Cannong found himself at a loss for words.

“…But I think cats are really good too.” After a long pause, Sui Cannong took a deep breath and said in a hoarse voice, “Cats are quieter and cleaner, and you don’t have to walk them. Don’t you think that’s convenient?”

Ji Ling looked at Sui Cannong, biting his lip and lowering his gaze.

Sui Cannong’s heart sank; he quickly cleared his throat. “But dogs are also great. I… I’ll think about it some more.”

Ji Ling finally lifted his gaze back to Sui Cannong and softly replied with a hum.

His eyes sparkled with amusement, his eyelashes fluttered, and he gently wrapped his arms around Sui Cannong’s neck, kissing him affectionately once more.

Sui Cannong felt truly comfortable that night, but he was also grateful he had held back and not been completely swayed by Ji Ling’s charm. Regardless, Sui Cannong decided he would still fight for his position.

This time, Sui Cannong didn’t go straight for the point; instead, he took a rare indirect approach.

While they were preparing lessons in the living room, Sui Cannong suddenly closed his laptop, opened his phone, and scrolled for a while before letting out a sigh.

Ji Ling looked up, surprised. “What’s wrong?”

Sui Cannong shook his head, his expression wistful. “It’s nothing.”

Ji Ling assumed it was a work-related issue. Although he was still a bit puzzled, he ultimately didn’t press further.

Ji Ling continued refining the content of their lesson plan when he heard Sui Cannong sigh again. When he looked up, he saw Sui Cannong had flipped his phone face down on the table.

Sui Cannong’s sigh was heavy, his acting on full display, sounding like someone burdened with countless unspoken thoughts.

Ji Ling looked up in confusion and saw Sui Cannong standing up. “I’m going to take a shower.”

Ji Ling hesitated but agreed.

As Ji Ling stood up, he picked up Sui Cannong’s phone and noticed it wasn’t locked. The screen was on the page of his frequently used video app.

After a moment of hesitation, Ji Ling clicked on the “Liked Videos” section and discovered that nearly all of Sui Cannong’s likes were videos titled “Why Are Orange Cats So Fat?” “You Don’t Understand the Joy of Being a Cat Owner,” and “Does Your Cat Also Steal Water from the Toilet?”

Ji Ling was momentarily taken aback.

They remained in a stalemate for a while.

However, this elementary-level standoff didn’t last long, as Sui Cannong ultimately decided to take a step back.

The main reason was that Ji Ling’s earlier words, “Because I really like you,” had struck a chord in Sui Cannong’s heart. He admitted he had indeed been moved.

Moreover, their 100-day anniversary was approaching, and Sui Cannong was someone who valued rituals. He wanted to give Ji Ling a unique gift.

After some consideration, Sui Cannong felt that Ji Ling would prefer a gentler breed of dog, so he had contacted a kennel early on and reserved a well-behaved Golden Retriever.

It was a Thursday, and after class, Sui Cannong made an excuse about needing to pay the utility bills. Ji Ling, unusually, didn’t ask further questions and simply agreed.

Sui Cannong successfully picked up the dog from the kennel.

When Ji Ling opened the door, Sui Cannong casually said, “I thought about it, and I can make a small compromise. But if we’re walking the dog, we have to do it together, and you’ll need to hold the leash…”

The Golden Retriever beside him happily barked in agreement.

Ji Ling blinked.

He clearly didn’t grasp what was happening, his gaze slowly falling on the Golden Retriever next to Sui Cannong. Then Sui Cannong noticed Ji Ling’s expression change.

Ji Ling looked surprised, but Sui Cannong sensed that the joy in his expression was somewhat muted, his demeanor appearing a bit complex.

Sui Cannong, holding the leash, was taken aback.

“…What’s wrong?” Sui Cannong asked hesitantly. “Didn’t you say you liked dogs?”

Ji Ling raised his eyes, hesitating for a moment before shaking his head. “No…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Sui Cannong felt something brush against his pant leg, something alive. He looked down in surprise.

—Sui Cannong found himself staring into the eyes of a plump orange cat.

---

At the pet grooming shop, Jia Jia welcomed a familiar client today.

The ones needing a bath were a cat and a dog, a Chinese garden orange cat and a Golden Retriever, both sharing a similar color scheme and unique names: the orange cat was named Orange, and the Golden Retriever was named Lemon.

The shop received many customers daily, but Jia Jia remembered this cat and dog particularly well because their owners were two very handsome men.

One was a cold, handsome guy with delicate, cool features, relatively quiet. The other was taller, with strikingly handsome and deep features, always smiling, appearing to have a better temperament. When the two first walked in with the dog and cat, Jia Jia realized for the first time that working overtime could be so delightful.

Initially, they came together, but later, they began alternating visits each month. The taller man came more frequently and was more talkative.

Their conversation and demeanor were quite refined, and Jia Jia later learned that both were teachers.

This time, it was the taller man who brought the dog and cat to the shop.

While waiting, the man received a phone call.

At the moment he answered, his tone became gentle and affectionate. Jia Jia heard him say to the person on the other end, “It should take about ten more minutes. Don’t mention it… The water is as muddy as sludge. Next time we go to the park, you absolutely can’t let it crawl into the bushes again…”

The person on the other end seemed to say something, and Jia Jia heard the man respond with a soft “mm,” followed by a laugh as he helplessly conceded, “Alright, alright, you’re right, Teacher Ji, it’s all my fault. Next time, I’ll take the leash…”

Jia Jia vaguely heard another man’s voice on the other end of the line and, piecing together the conversation, deduced it was the other handsome guy who had come before.

She quickly realized they must be living together, clearly not just ordinary friends.

Jia Jia’s heart began to race.

After the man hung up, Jia Jia tentatively spoke up, “This month, we have a returning customer appreciation event at the shop, where you can get a custom name tag engraved with the pet’s name and owner’s contact information for free. So I wanted to ask, do Lemon and Orange have their own Chinese names?”

The man clearly paused for a moment.

“Chinese names… they do exist,” he said hesitantly. “I came up with them, but my partner thinks they sound bad, so he won’t let me tell anyone.”

Jia Jia silently screamed in her heart.

However, she didn’t show it on her face, calmly rinsing the Golden Retriever while saying, “It’s fine, the Chinese names can be engraved smaller, just to make it easier to find the owner…”

The man nodded, smiling. “That makes sense.”

“And besides, pet names might just be a bit more common. Even if they’re not pretty, they won’t be that bad, right?” Jia Jia laughed as she turned off the faucet and asked, “So what are their names?”

The man raised his hand and gently patted the wet head of the Golden Retriever, then after a moment, he looked up.

“Sweet Sui and Flowing Ji,” he said with a smile.

Jia Jia’s naming skills remained as stable as ever!