Chapter 174: A New Member
When the good news came so quickly, Yu Wenxiu could hardly believe it.
Her palm holding the phone was damp with nervous sweat. “R-really… it’s already arranged?”
As soon as she said it, she realized that asking such a question might sound like doubting the other party’s ability, so she quickly apologized, “Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that, I just… can’t quite believe it…”
The subordinate didn’t feel offended. In fact, after learning Yu Wenxiu’s situation, she felt quite sympathetic.
Her tone softened. “It’s alright. Everything has been arranged. Just follow the time and address I gave you and report there as scheduled.”
Yu Wenxiu thanked her repeatedly. Only after the call ended did she clutch her phone, press her forehead against the screen, and silently let her tears fall.
She would soon be able to see her daughter.
Final exams arrived in the blink of an eye. When Gu Qinghuan entered the exam hall, her heart was pounding; when she came out, she was full of worry.
The Class Three student in the same exam room as her was Lin Zhulu, a girl with excellent popularity—mainly because she had everything.
If someone cut their hand, she had band-aids. If food got stuck in their teeth, she had toothpicks and floss. If someone forgot a hair tie, she had spare ones…
In short, she was thoughtful, meticulous, and extremely considerate.
Her grades were about the same as Gu Qinghuan’s. In the midterm, Gu Qinghuan ranked ninth in class, Lin Zhulu eighth—their total score differed by only six points, though their strengths lay in different subjects.
She was hands-on and quick to learn. When others were still figuring things out, she had already set up the class livestream.
The two walked out of the exam hall one after another, exchanged a glance, and sighed in unison.
Gu Qinghuan: “It’s over.”
Lin Zhulu: “We’re doomed.”
No further words needed.
Lin Zhulu looked miserable. “How am I supposed to explain this to my mom when I get home…”
“My mom will probably understand, but if my score is too bad, I’ll feel ashamed myself,” Gu Qinghuan drooped her head.
They sighed for a while until Shi Guanghui and Ming Xiaolan came out of the next exam room and greeted them, “Finished?”
“Doesn’t feel like I did well,” Gu Qinghuan said.
Shi Guanghui waved it off. “What’s the big deal? It’s only the first semester of first year. And we’ve been busy with so many things lately—it’s understandable.”
Ming Xiaolan adjusted her glasses. “Class monitor, you were even on TV. Gains and losses, right? Instead of worrying about grades, think about something happy, like…”
“Winter vacation!” Shi Guanghui cut in first. “I’m going to Bolivia with my mom—I want to photograph the Uyuni Salt Flats!”
Ming Xiaolan said, “I’m going back to my hometown. There’ll be a lot to do during the New Year.”
Lin Zhulu added, “My mom is still abroad, not sure if she’ll come back. But anyway, I’ll spend the New Year with my grandparents.”
Gu Qinghuan nodded in agreement. The Gu family also celebrated together—first a thorough cleaning, then going to her grandmother’s house to prepare the New Year’s Eve dinner.
Although Gu Haiyan and Wang Jia’an weren’t great cooks, they could handle prep work. And since Wang Jia’an had been taking cooking classes at night school, maybe he would show off this year.
Yu Wenxiu would only go to the Yu family after the New Year, so Gu Min had kept her, saying they would celebrate together.
As for Gu Qinghuan—she would just help more during cleaning, and later set the table and serve dishes.
Talking about winter vacation, the students quickly forgot all about their exam results.
That day, Wang Jia’an came to pick Gu Qinghuan up. Seeing her happily chatting with classmates, he didn’t ask about the exams, instead carrying on the Gu family tradition:
“What do you want to eat tonight?”
“Curry rice!” Gu Qinghuan answered immediately.
“Alright. There’s leftover rice in the cooker—we’ll go to the supermarket to buy ingredients and curry cubes,” Wang Jia’an said, already steering the electric bike toward the store.
Gu Qinghuan texted Gu Haiyan about dinner. Gu Haiyan replied instantly:
[No carrots!]
She absolutely hated carrots.
Gu Qinghuan relayed the message. She and her dad both sighed regretfully—they actually liked carrots, especially shredded carrot stir-fried with meat.
But since Gu Haiyan insisted, they skipped buying carrots. They could always cook a separate carrot dish another time.
The family enjoyed a warm dinner. Afterward, Gu Qinghuan washed the dishes.
When she came out of the kitchen, Gu Haiyan sat on the sofa and beckoned. “Huanhuan, I want to talk to you about something.”
Gu Qinghuan felt a bit guilty—had her poor exam performance been discovered?
She shuffled over slowly. “What is it?”
Seeing her expression, Gu Haiyan knew something was up—but set it aside for now. “During winter break, what are you going to do about the calico cat in your office?”
“Huh?” Gu Qinghuan hadn’t expected that at all.
Gu Haiyan already knew about the cat—it often appeared in the program.
Gu Qinghuan replied, “It’s originally a stray, so it can survive outdoors. But I borrowed an automatic feeder from Chuchu, and I’ve arranged with Senior Bai to enter the school during the break to refill food.”
Gu Haiyan thought for a moment. “If the cat is willing, bring it home.”
Gu Qinghuan’s eyes widened. “Huh?”
“In the past, when you brought home stray cats to care for and find adopters, Chouchou would help watch over them. She wouldn’t mind,” Gu Haiyan said.
Chouchou was the family’s previous cat—a tortoiseshell.
When Gu Haiyan found her as a kitten, her eyes weren’t even open yet, so she gave her a simple, easy-to-raise name.
Chouchou had a gentle personality. She never got upset when new cats came into the house and would even keep them company from outside their cages.
Gu Qinghuan glanced at the framed photo on the TV stand—a family photo that included Chouchou.
“I noticed in the show that although the calico cat isn’t very affectionate, it always stays in the office when you’re there. Maybe it also wants to live indoors now,” Gu Haiyan said.
“You can’t keep it in the school office forever, and you won’t feel at ease. Better bring it home.”
Gu Qinghuan hesitated. “Wouldn’t it feel like… Chouchou is being replaced?”
Gu Haiyan asked back, “Would you forget Chouchou?”
Gu Qinghuan immediately shook her head like a rattle drum, making Gu Haiyan laugh.
“That’s exactly it. Chouchou is Chouchou, and the calico is the calico.”
“They’re both cats, but they’re different individuals, with different personalities and habits. They’ll also create different experiences and memories with you.”
“So Chouchou won’t be replaced. Love isn’t a piece of cake that runs out when divided—it’s a seed. It grows over time, blossoms, bears fruit, and creates even more seeds.”
At that moment, Gu Qinghuan remembered so many things—
Chouchou jumping onto her bed when she had a fever, lying by her pillow; stuffing plush toys she won from claw machines under Chouchou’s belly; waking up early to clean the floor after Chouchou vomited from eating too much random food…
Those were memories only she and Chouchou shared—ones she would never forget.
She looked at Gu Haiyan and asked tentatively, “Then… should we go tonight?”
Gu Haiyan glanced at the time. “At this hour, will the security guard even let you in?”
“I actually get along pretty well with them,” Gu Qinghuan coughed lightly.
In reality, she chatted with them occasionally when going to and from school or picking up deliveries—she knew all eight guards on rotation.
Gu Haiyan didn’t think much of it. “Jia’an.”
Wang Jia’an came out of the bedroom. “Finished talking?”
“Yes. Take Huanhuan to pick up the cat. I’ll prepare things at home,” Gu Haiyan stood up. “We need to put away anything that might get knocked over.”
“Got it. Let’s go, Huanhuan!” Wang Jia’an agreed readily.
Gu Qinghuan quickly put on her down jacket and followed her dad into the night toward school.
Winter nights were really cold. Sitting on the back of the electric bike, she exhaled a puff of white breath.
But instead of thinking about the cold, she was already wondering—
What should they name the calico cat?
