The typhoon passed through Shen City and quickly moved on to the next, but the rainy weather it brought lingered for an entire week.
For those living on lower floors, dampness had already crept up the walls of their homes.
Qu Yanning, who lived on the 16th floor, didn’t experience it as severely, but the sticky humidity in the air was still unpleasant for both humans and cats.
So when the heavy rain finally ceased and the dark clouds over Shen City dispersed, the house was instantly filled with a cheerful atmosphere.
People and cats alike gathered on the freshly washed balcony, basking in the breeze and sunlight.
The hanging chair, previously put away, was brought out again.
Chu Zhou and Xie Qi each claimed a side, with a row of pillows between them clearly marking a no-man’s-land boundary.
Xie Qi sat cross-legged in a classic farmer’s posture with his eyes closed, resting.
Chu Zhou had one leg propped up, scrolling through Weibo and interacting with his fans.
Meanwhile, Qu Yanning was leaning over the table, holding a small calculator and carefully doing accounting in his notebook.
After nearly a month of business, subtracting all costs, he’d made about fifteen thousand in profit.
Adding in the wages Chu Zhou had paid him for the past six months working customer service, he now had a total savings of just under fifty thousand.
After some thoughtful calculations, Qu Yanning said, “Zhou Zhou, what do you think about me renting a storefront over on Night Market Street?”
“Huh? Are there still storefronts for rent over there?” Chu Zhou put down his phone and leaned over to look at the notebook with him.
Qu Yanning shook his head. “I’m just thinking about it. I haven’t actually looked yet.”
Chu Zhou tapped the table. “Opening a barbecue restaurant sounds good. You’ll probably earn more than running a stall every day. But if it comes to that, you’ll be too busy to manage alone—you’ll need to hire at least one or two people. Do you have enough money for that?”
Qu Yanning hadn’t thought that far ahead.
He shyly pinched his pen and admitted he had fifty thousand, but wasn’t sure if it would be enough.
In the hanging chair, Xie Qi’s ears twitched.
He opened his eyes and looked toward them.
Chu Zhou patted him on the shoulder and said, “If it’s not enough, you’ve still got me. Start looking for a shop. It doesn’t have to be on Night Market Street—other areas with decent foot traffic would work too. I’ll ask around for you.”
Qu Yanning agreed, then hesitated. “But what about the customer service job?”
“That’s easy,” Chu Zhou reached out and pinched his cheek.
Qu Yanning seemed to have gained a little weight recently—his cheeks were round and soft. “With the salary I’m offering, I won’t have any trouble finding someone. Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of it.”
Qu Yanning looked at him gratefully. “You’re the best, Zhou Zhou.”
Just as Chu Zhou was about to take advantage of the moment and go in for another pinch, a furry paw inserted itself between them.
Xie Qi arched his back and squeezed into the middle, rubbing his head affectionately against Qu Yanning’s face.
The soft fur tickled. Qu Yanning held him close, gave him a kiss, and placed him on his lap, gently scratching his chin.
Having just been friend-zoned, Chu Zhou now truly understood the meaning of “cast aside without remorse.”
Clutching his chest in mock heartbreak, he said, “You literally just said you loved me.”
While petting the cat, Qu Yanning replied mercilessly, “That was then. Now, I only love our precious baby.”
“…You dog couple,” Chu Zhou huffed, folding his arms.
Xie Qi moved, his sharp gaze cutting toward him.
He let out a provocative meow, then wrapped all four paws around Qu Yanning’s arm and gave his hand a firm lick.
Chu Zhou looked stunned. “Did it just provoke me?!”
Qu Yanning cooperated by letting the cat hug his arm, his fingers gently stroking the fluffy belly. “You can’t judge a cat through a biased lens. He’s such a good boy—how could he be provoking you?”
Chu Zhou: …Is it just me or is your filter getting way too thick?
Angrily, he threw on his headphones and flopped back into the hanging chair to watch dramas, refusing to speak to the biased cat-lover anymore.
Xie Qi lay on Qu Yanning’s lap, tail lazily flicking back and forth.
Having successfully won the affections, he looked thoroughly pleased with himself.
Several Days Later
True to his word, Qu Yanning stopped running his stall for a few days and went around Night Market Street looking for a storefront to rent.
However, the high foot traffic meant most businesses were profitable, so finding a shop that someone was willing to give up proved quite difficult.
After three days of searching, he still hadn’t found anything suitable.
On the third day, as he was about to head home, he passed by Xiuping Road again and habitually glanced over—only to spot that mentally unstable woman once more.
Just like before, she stood on the roadside with a blank expression, unnoticed by the occasional passerby.
Qu Yanning was now nearly certain she had some kind of mental illness.
Still believing in helping where he could, he walked over to her and said, “Um… Are you lost again?”
The woman stared at him blankly for a moment before slowly smiling, looking a bit embarrassed.
She replied softly, “Yeah, no matter where I go, I can’t seem to get out.”
The way she said it was odd, but she clearly had issues, and Qu Yanning didn’t push.
Instead, he asked, “We’ve met twice now, but I still don’t know your name.”
She nervously clasped her hands in front of her. “I’m Yang Chunfang.”
Qu Yanning smiled. “I’m Qu Yanning. You’re older than me, right? I’ll call you Sister Yang. I’m just heading home—want to come with me?”
Yang Chunfang nodded and quietly followed him.
After walking her back, Qu Yanning watched her frail figure disappear into the stairwell.
For some reason, a wave of sadness hit him.
She seemed all alone—no one ever came looking for her, even when she wandered off.
And every time he brought her back, no one ever greeted them or showed concern…
With a sigh, Qu Yanning eventually shared the story with Chu Zhou.
“I’ve never heard of anyone on the 14th floor having mental issues,” Chu Zhou said. He’d lived in the building for two or three years, and the neighborhood was full of gossipers.
If something like that had happened, half the building would know the next day.
There was no way such a thing could go unnoticed.
“Maybe it’s a recent development?” Qu Yanning said uncertainly. “But still, it’s weird. A normal person wouldn’t get lost just a few steps from the neighborhood. And I’ve never seen her with anyone else—does she even have family?”
Chu Zhou thought for a moment.
There had been some weird talk about the 14th floor lately—the elevator randomly stopping there, for instance.
One apartment on that floor had even been the subject of rumors that the man of the house had brought home a mistress while his wife was away.
According to the neighborhood aunties, the screaming and moaning at night were just shameless.
But no one had mentioned anything about a mentally ill resident going missing.
“If you see her again, just walk her all the way home,” Chu Zhou suggested. “See how her family reacts. If it turns out they’re really neglecting her, we can call the police. Having her sent to the psychiatric hospital would be safer than letting her roam around.”
Qu Yanning nodded.
That seemed like the best they could do.
After all, it was someone else’s family matter—they couldn’t interfere too much.