Solstice Secrets

"Xiao Xianger went to Wang Village." The old cat on the windowsill flicked its tail and said lazily, "It left last night."

"Wangcun?" Ling Dongzhi was slightly startled, absently poured some turpentine into his palm, and began to rub the paint on his fingers, "Is that the fishing village it visited last year?"

Xiao Hui licked his paw, but didn't make a sound.

Binhai City is close to the sea, but the coastal areas of the city have been developed into scenic spots, and stone steps and trestles have been laid. The simple scenery of fishing boats singing late in the early years has long been lost.Ling Dongzhi knew that there were several famous fishing villages nearby, but he had never been there.On the contrary, he went to several islands farther away more than once.

Xiao Yang once told him about this small fishing village called Wangcun, and said that when their fishing boats came back every evening, the whole village was waiting on the pier.After they leave, there will be a lot of small fish and shrimp that the fishermen don't want left on the pier, which is extremely fresh.Ling Dongzhi had checked the location of that small fishing village, and knew that it was at least two hours' drive from the city.He couldn't figure out how Xiaonian got there, so he ran?Or hide in a corner where people don't notice and hitchhike there?

Animals always have some little-known little secrets, which surprised Ling Dongzhi and felt amazing at the same time.

"It went by itself?"

"There are also servants." Xiao Hui shook his ears dissatisfied, "When I found these two guys, they were just about to grope into the police station to find your handkerchief. If I hadn't stopped them, they might have made a fuss again What happened."

Ling Dongzhi was amused by its tone.Of course he knew that Xiao Hui was very old, but with its fluffy appearance, no matter how you looked at it, it was still a cute little pet, so Ling Dongzhi felt inexplicable every time he heard it teach those kittens a lesson. joy.

"You did the right thing." Ling Dongzhi praised it with a smile, "If they really let them get out the handkerchief, those shrewd policemen will pay more attention to this clue, and I'm afraid it will be more troublesome then."

There was a proud and contented expression on the little gray cat's face.

Ling Dongzhi wanted to laugh again, although Xiao Hui proved that the law that ginger is still hot is applicable to any species, but looking at Xiao Hui's watery blue eyes, Ling Dong Zhi still thinks it is too cute.If it wasn't for its delicate self-esteem, he really wanted to go over and stroke its head.

"Last time you said you wanted to go with Xiaomai," Ling Dongzhi asked it, "Why didn't you go with me?"

Xiao Hui rolled up his body, closed his eyes lazily, "I'm getting old, I can't run anymore." After speaking, he sighed softly.

Ling Dongzhi couldn't hold back, and leaned over to rub its neck.He didn't know what to say, because he also knew that Xiao Hui was indeed old.

"Winter Solstice," Xiao Hui closed his eyes and shook his tail, "I don't think it's good for you."

"What's wrong?" Ling Dongzhi stroked Xiao Hui's back repeatedly.Different from the soft back hair of Xiao Maoer and his servant, Xiao Hui's fur has become rough, and has lost the bright color that indicates the vigorous vitality.

Xiao Hui lazily said: "You are always with us, this is not acceptable. Don't forget, those two-legged people outside are your kind."

Ling Dongzhi's hand paused for a moment, then groped down its back, gently scratching its dangling slender tail, "I know."

He didn't say the second half of the sentence.But he felt that Xiao Hui must understand.

Sometimes, he would rather he is not their kind.

Xiao Hui's words reminded him of his sister-in-law Han Min.

A few years ago, when Han Min was brought to the Ling family by Ling Lidong to meet his parents, he told Ling Lidong that his younger brother had no sense of humanity.Of course, that's not what she said.Although she tried to beautify her original meaning with sentences like "Don't eat the fireworks of the world" that sounded more literary, Ling Lidong, who was used to such discussions since childhood, immediately understood what she wanted to express. Then he expressed his opinion with a very nonsensical sentence: "You also found out? In fact, I have always suspected that my youngest is a goblin."

Later, when Baby Ling was born, and the winter solstice was too disturbing, Han Min always said to make him more popular.Ling Baobao is also very happy to play with him, so Han Min sometimes complains to Ling's father and Ling mother that he always avoids Ling Baobao.

Ling Dongzhi knew in his heart that his sister-in-law was not making fun of him.He could see the suspicion in Han Min's eyes that he thought he had concealed well.It is not necessarily true that she doubts that she is a non-human, Ling Dongzhi thinks that she must be guessing whether she has autism or similar mental problems.

Ling Dongzhi felt that it was necessary for him to reflect on himself. Since he was young, he really didn't have any particularly close friends.He was introverted when he was a child, and he devoted his spare time to learning painting. He almost never had the experience of running wildly with the neighbors' children all over the street.After going to college, I got closer to my seniors at school...

Ling Dongzhi shook his head, deliberately skipping over this memory.

After going to work, the school also asked them to produce works to increase their popularity.Except for class, he spends all his time in the studio. Except for Lu Xing, who is also an art teacher, and Xiao Zhu, who lives upstairs, he also keeps a close distance from other colleagues. .It seems that there is really no human being who can walk into his life like Xiao Hui and the others.

Xiao Hui stretched under his palm, "You are too wary, Winter Solstice. I don't understand what you are guarding."

"It's just getting used to it, so there's no need to be on guard." Ling Dongzhi smiled and shook his head, "Besides, dealing with people is a very troublesome thing."

"That's what I mean," Xiao Hui licked his fingertips, "That kind of trouble is a part of human life. Just like cats are born to catch mice, human beings are born to gather with their own kind .You are so out of place.”

"I don't feel like I'm out of the group." Ling Dongzhi tried to defend himself, "But you see, I spend most of my time on how to complete my work - this is something I have to do alone, and then It’s not about cross talk, you have to find a partner or something.”

Xiao Hui had been basking on the window sill for a long time, and his eyes were already closed. Hearing his words, he muttered without opening his eyes, "I think you are more like a cat than me, Winter Solstice. Maybe you are actually a cat." Cats just look wrong."

Ling Dongzhi raised his head, and made a silent gesture to Xiao Ba and Xiao Jiu who were jumping up and down on the branches not far away.He knew that Xiaohui was probably tired, if it wasn't for rushing to tell him the whereabouts of Xiaomai and his servant, it would not normally come to the school.It seems that the cats have also divided their territories, and the campus area should belong to the civet cats in the back mountain.

As for the ownership of the land around the studio, Xiao Ba and Xiao Jiu had assigned it to their own names long ago.Usually at this time, Xiao Ba and Xiao Jiu would go to the window sill to bask in the sun and ask him for some bread crumbs.But today an old cat came to their territory, which made the two pigeons very disturbed.Until the big guy fell asleep, the two of them were still a little shocked.Especially seeing that the old cat is still an acquaintance of Ling Dongzhi, the two little guys are even more worried about whether it will appear often?If you have to see a fierce old cat on your own land from time to time, what good is there in the pigeon life of the two of them?

Xiao Ba cautiously jumped onto a tree branch that was relatively close, and while staring at the old cat sleeping on the window sill tremblingly, he lowered his voice to ask Ling Dongzhi what they were wondering, "Will it come again tomorrow?"

Ling Dongzhi smiled and shook his head, "I have something to do today. I'm sorry, did you freak out?"

Seeing him shaking his head, Xiao Ba breathed a sigh of relief, "My little Shisan was thrown away by the cat... My mother, she was so scared to death."

Ling Dongzhi also lowered his voice to comfort it quietly, "Don't be afraid, I will remind it."

Xiao Ba glanced at Xiao Hui disbelievingly, "Will it listen to you?"

Ling Dongzhi nodded.

Xiao Hui's tail flicked suddenly, and Xiao Ba was so frightened that he flew into the air.Xiao Jiu, who was on the branch of a tree in the distance, also moved a few times uncomfortably.

"Don't be afraid." Seeing the panic-stricken appearance of the two little guys, Ling Dongzhi felt a little embarrassed, "I'll bring you corn tomorrow."

Xiao Ba tremblingly huddled next to Xiao Jiu, not forgetting to bargain with him, "I want the sweet corn grown at Grandma Gu's house in the vegetable market."

Xiao Jiu rubbed its shoulder and said angrily, "Xiao Ba!"

The frightened Xiaoba insisted, "I want her family's sweet corn—the winter solstice, you said before, when you are frightened, you should use delicious things to suppress the fright, otherwise it will leave a psychological shadow. "

"Did I say that?" Ling Dongzhi looked puzzled.

Xiao Ba rushed down to Ling Dongzhi, "Don't renege! Don't pretend you don't remember!"

Xiaohui on the window sill was disturbed, turned over impatiently, and shook her little tail twice as if threatening.Xiao Ba was startled, turned a crooked corner in mid-air, and rushed back to Xiao Jiu's side with flapping wings.

Ling Dongzhi covered his mouth and laughed sullenly.