Strange Life of a Cat
Chapter 376 - Chapter 376 Chapter 368 Pretending to be a turtle

Chapter 376: Chapter 368: Pretending to be a turtle? Chapter 376: Chapter 368: Pretending to be a turtle? The clerk glanced at his boss and then at the customer, who seemed to be looking for trouble but not quite. After a few back and forth looks, the clerk confirmed that the customer knew his boss.

Since they knew each other, there was nothing more for him to do; he’d leave the rest to the boss. So, the clerk picked up a rag and started wiping the shelves, but his ears stayed alert; he was still very interested in his boss’s gossip.

Huang, the boss, gave a resigned smile after his initial shock, put down the newspaper, took out two cigarettes, stuck one in his mouth, and tossed the other to Ermao.

Ermao caught the cigarette but showed no intention of smoking. He waved off Huang’s motion to offer a lighter, indicating that he wasn’t going to smoke for now.

“I’ve stopped messing with these things since I had a kid. You’re still a heavy smoker,” Ermao said as he handed the cigarette back to Huang.

Huang was surprised by Ermao’s words. He hadn’t expected this rebel to have a child so soon. In his mind, he’d always thought Ermao would settle down well into his thirties, fooling around until then.

“There’s a chair over there. Drag it over and sit. Don’t be shy,” Huang said as he carefully put the returned cigarette back in the pack.

Ermao was not shy at all. He dragged a chair over, sat down with his legs crossed, and even lifted his hand to grab a peach from the fruit plate on the counter to munch on.

“Haven’t seen you in years; I really didn’t expect you to turn out like this,” Huang said.

“I didn’t expect you, the boss of a big company managing over a hundred people, to be running this little shop. Hit hard times?” Ermao spoke as he crunched into the peach, his words none too gentle.

“Didn’t get through the financial crisis,” Huang flicked the ash from his cigarette and exhaled a long breath, “turns out, this isn’t what I’m cut out for.”

From this conversation, Ermao gathered that Huang had started the store over the past year or two. The shop didn’t look new; it seemed Huang had taken over a previous owner’s place and then settled down in Chuhua City.

The clerk continued to appear seriously occupied with wiping down the counter in the corner, with his ears still perked up.

“No wonder I didn’t see you when I first came around. I used to come to this area a lot these past two years and didn’t spot you. But after getting married and having a kid, I didn’t pay much attention to anything else. If it wasn’t for that show, I wouldn’t have thought of you coming to Chuhua City,” Ermao mentioned.

“I didn’t expect you to watch that, either,” Huang said.

“Of course. I have a cat at home, too,” Ermao said and then noticed a white cat squatting on a high shelf staring their way, “Hey, your cat looks pretty good.”

Huang just smiled without saying a word. The program had featured the white cat, so he didn’t need to say much. However, he was unaware that Ermao, who used to dislike cats, now owned one. Furthermore, Huang never expected Ermao to locate him through that pet-related show. It seems that, over the past two years, not only had he changed, but the young man Ermao had changed a lot as well. This kid used to always dress weirdly with dyed hair, resembling a hooligan or a street con artist; now he looked decent, like a responsible father.

Ermao didn’t ask much more about Huang’s former company. Although it had been years since they had seen each other, when they talked, it was like they were old friends who met often.

Ermao asked about Huang’s decision to take in Xiao Hua, and Huang explained more authentically than when he talked in an official manner to Xiao Guo and the others, staying closer to the truth.

“I heard that web show has many viewers. The cost of paying for an advertisement isn’t small. My little shop has benefitted; it got free publicity. These past few days, a lot of people who’ve seen the show have stopped by,” Huang mentioned.

“Ah,” Ermao nodded in understanding, “I was wondering where Xiao Hua got that boldness from. Turns out it was Black Coal, huh. The video didn’t even show him.”

“Black Coal? The Black Cat?” Huang remembered and laughed, “At that time, that cat was riding on the dog’s back. If it wasn’t for that cat, the big dog wouldn’t have come in so obediently.”

“Don’t underestimate Black Coal; that guy is pretty clever,” Ermao talked a bit about Zheng Tan.

When the conversation went on until it was almost dinner time, Ermao stood up to leave.

Huang had intended to invite Ermao to stay for dinner, but Ermao declined.

“I have to prepare the cat’s meal. Tomorrow I’ll bring some dishes over, and we’ll have a drink together,” Ermao suggested.

“Sure,” Huang didn’t refuse the offer of Ermao buying something, considering that Ermao wasn’t short on cash.

After Ermao left, the clerk threw away his rag and rushed to the cash register, “Boss, who was that guy?”

“An old friend,” Huang didn’t feel like elaborating, but after a pause, he smilingly added, “I really didn’t expect to catch so much with one net this time.”

That’s for sure! thought the clerk.

The next day, around five in the afternoon, Zheng Tan was walking back from the lakeside villa when he bumped into Ermao carrying a bag of roast duck and another of cooked food.

“Black Coal, where are you off to? How about you come with me to the shelter where we hide from the rain? I’ll introduce you to someone and give Professor Jiao a call on the way,” Ermao said.

Zheng Tan thought for a moment. It seemed like a good idea, especially since Ermao would call and he wouldn’t have to worry about a scolding. Moreover, when Ermao mentioned the miscellaneous store, Zheng Tan became interested, so he followed him over.

In the summer, especially around noon, not many people visit the store to buy things. It usually gets busier after the sun goes down in the evening.

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