One Pet Gets Married

Chapter 17

Song Xici was struck speechless by Tang You'an's question.

"What are you overthinking now?" After a moment, Song Xici smiled and brushed some white dust off Tang You'an's sleeve. "In my heart, you're like a daughter to me!"

Song Xici blinked. "I swear! My own flesh and blood!"

"Xici is joking again. I just feel you're better to others than to me, and you're much more intimate with them than with me." Tang You'an's brow furrowed, looking like a wronged young wife.

"How so..."

"It's true. I see you chatting happily and intimately with others, but with me, you seem eager to keep as much distance as possible." Tang You'an glanced at her. "If I'm a bother to you, I can move out."

"Wait, wait! What the hell? Did I say you were bothersome?!" As Tang You'an turned to leave, Song Xici grabbed the hem of her shirt.

"Then can you explain my confusion?" Tang You'an stopped.

Song Xici was dumbfounded by the question, unconsciously loosening her grip on Tang You'an's clothes, her mind in chaos.

Noticing Song Xici's release, Tang You'an stood there, parting her lips slightly before turning her head. "I understand. Sorry, I'm tired and want to rest."

With that, Tang You'an stepped forward towards her room.

Song Xici watched her leave, wanting to call out but unsure how to explain. In the end, she could only watch Tang You'an return to her room before walking to the fish tank.

"How should I explain to your silly mother?" Song Xici sighed to the grass carp, then fed it before returning to her own bedroom.

Tang You'an had just sat down in her room when she realized it was already 9 PM.

She opened her phone, comparing Song Xici's interactions with others on Weibo to their own interactions...

Tang You'an sighed, tossing her phone aside, then went to the wardrobe and pulled out the contract she and Song Xici had signed, which she'd found days ago.

Roughly calculating, only five months remained. What would happen after those five months? Song Xici would probably be happy. After all, Tang You'an felt she was disliked.

With her mind in turmoil, she suddenly craved alcohol. In her previous solitary life, she'd never been without wine, brewing her own with seasonal fruits or flowers and enjoying it occasionally.

But since arriving here, she hadn't drunk any alcohol, and was feeling the lack.

After some thought, Tang You'an opened her door quietly, went to the kitchen, and searched the refrigerator thoroughly.

Nothing. She then checked the living room pantry, searching back and forth, still nothing. The wine cabinet, also empty.

Sighing, Tang You'an changed into an oversized down jacket that could fit two of her, put on a hat, scarf, gloves, and mask, changed her shoes, and walked out alone.

Outside, snow had begun falling softly. The night was already cold, and now even colder. Tang You'an pulled up her mask and pushed down her hat.

She walked for an unknown time until she reached a gate, exited, and continued along a road she remembered from previous car rides, finally arriving at a small supermarket.

The shop was small, with long plastic curtains hanging at the entrance. Inside was a counter with lighters and lollipops on top, cigarettes under the glass, and an old woman wearing glasses, leisurely watching a drama on her computer.

Tang You'an entered and bowed to the old woman: "Hello."

The old woman paused, then smiled, her eyes crinkling: "Oh! Hello, young lady! Look around, buy whatever you like!"

"Thank you." Tang You'an smiled back and walked between the shelves, looking around.

Finally, she picked up several bags of chips Song Xici had eaten before, a bottle of plum wine, and a bottle of osmanthus wine, then approached the counter.

The old woman scanned the items, bagged them, and stated the price.

Tang You'an reached for her phone to pay, only to realize she'd forgotten it. After searching her pockets, she found a wallet in her coat and managed to pay. The old woman returned to watching her drama.

"What show is this?" Tang You'an asked, glancing at the screen as she took her purchases.

"'Night's Silence.' Haven't you seen it, young lady?" the old woman asked.

"Not yet." Tang You'an shook her head.

"It's starring Song Xici, it's so good!" the old woman enthusiastically promoted.

Tang You'an's eyes lit up.

"She's in so many dramas, I haven't seen this one. Where is she?" Tang You'an continued asking.

"She should appear soon! Just wait a moment..." The old woman kept smiling.

"Oh." Tang You'an nodded and leaned on the counter, watching the screen.

Meanwhile, Song Xici, fresh from her shower, was lying in bed on a voice call with her friend Meng Meng.

"That recently reformed person asked what she means to you?" Meng Meng asked, surprised.

"Yes, she suddenly asked this question, and I didn't know how to answer. I have a fear of romance, so I tend to distance myself from anyone I feel might develop into something..." Song Xici covered her eyes with her hand.

"But she doesn't know that from her perspective. For example, if you consider me a friend, but I'm colder to you than to others; we go shopping, and I'm hugging and cuddling with others while leaving you alone; we sing karaoke, I sing 'friendship forever' with others, but when it's your turn, I put down the microphone - would you be happy? If I remember correctly, didn't we have a falling out over trivial things like this back then?" Meng Meng was eating something, crunching loudly.

"Ah..." Song Xici listened, running her hand through her hair in frustration.

"Wait, you distance yourself from anyone you feel might develop into something... What do you think might develop between you two?" Meng Meng suddenly caught onto a key point.

Song Xici choked: "I... don't know, I..."

"You don't... have feelings?! Quick, tell me, what's going on! Hurry!" Meng Meng suddenly became as excited as a sports fan.

"Forget it, I'm not talking about this anymore. Go to sleep, goodbye, good night!" Song Xici rattled off before hanging up. She sprawled on the bed in a starfish pose, sighing.

After some thought, Song Xici got out of bed and walked to Tang You'an's bedroom door, knocking three times, neither too hard nor too soft.

No answer.

Thinking for a moment, Song Xici cleared her throat: "I'm coming in, okay?"

She then opened the door and entered. The room was empty, with only a phone lying at the foot of the bed. Song Xici was taken aback.

"You'an? You'an!" Song Xici circled the room, hand on the back of her head. "Where did she go..."

She then left, checked the kitchen and living room, then ran through all the rooms, even opening the storage room door.

"Tang You'an?!" Song Xici turned on the light, leaning on the doorframe and calling out loudly.

But there was no response. Where could she be... Suddenly, Song Xici remembered Tang You'an's earlier words. She had said something about possibly moving out...

That girl, leaving without her phone, could she have run away?! And in such a resolute manner?! Realizing this, Song Xici was stunned. She hurried back to her room, getting dressed while calling Tang You'an's manager and others, but no one had heard from her.

"Where did she go?!" Song Xici was frantic. She entered the garage, chose a car at random, and drove out, scanning the streets. She slowed down to carefully observe every human figure she saw.

"An'an!" Song Xici searched in the small garden.

"An'an!" Song Xici searched in the abandoned factory.

"An'an!" Song Xici searched under the bridge.

...

But even after searching everywhere nearby, she couldn't find her. With Tang You'an's manager and others constantly asking for updates, Song Xici grew increasingly agitated, angrily slapping the steering wheel.

"What's gotten into her?! Why run away in the middle of the night?! What if something happens?!" Returning home, Song Xici searched again before standing at the entrance, frowning and looking back at the front door.

"Ah... could she have traveled back in time, body and all?" The thought struck Song Xici, and she covered her mouth. If Tang You'an could travel here, it wasn't impossible for her to go back.

"If you were going to travel back, why come here in the first place?!" Song Xici stomped her foot.

"What clothes did she wear out? The ones from earlier today? Those are too thin, it's so cold tonight..." Song Xici rubbed her hands together, breathing into them.

"Or did she get lost?" She looked out the door.

"What if she ran into some criminals? Ah... my girl... ah... so fair and delicate, how could..." Song Xici paced at the entrance, her face scrunched with worry.

"110, 110!" The thought spurred her to dial the emergency number. But they told her that for such a short disappearance of an adult, they couldn't intervene yet.

"Oh, my goodness, where did you go..." Song Xici sniffled, her nose red from the cold, her temples throbbing.

Meanwhile, at the small supermarket.

"Xici's acting is really good." Tang You'an said, smiling after watching another episode with the old lady.

"Yes, yes. I think she's great, beautiful and talented. My granddaughter says the second female lead is prettier though..." the old lady replied.

"I think Xici is the best." Tang You'an said proudly.

"Oh my, it's midnight! Young lady, I need to close up!" The old lady glanced at the time.

"Oh... I'm sorry, I'll leave then." Tang You'an stood up, startled.

"It's fine, thank you for keeping me company watching TV. My children are all away, I rarely have company." the old lady's face remained full of smiles.

"You're welcome. I'll be going now." Tang You'an clasped her hands in farewell.

"Alright, goodbye." the old lady said, turning off her computer.

After saying goodbye, Tang You'an sighed and started walking home.

After an unknown time, Tang You'an finally reached her front door. From a distance, she saw all the lights in the house were on, unlike usual.

Tang You'an paused, then quickened her pace through the gate. She saw Song Xici sitting at the entrance wearing a drab gray coat, a hat on her head, face buried in her knees, a thin layer of snow covering her.

"Xici?" Tang You'an approached faster, placing a hand on Song Xici's shoulder.

"Xici?" Tang You'an gently shook her.

A cold, slender hand grasped Tang You'an's. She was startled.

"Don't go..."

Song Xici's faint voice followed.