Maimai Chapter 21

Maimai cried.

Cheng Lin’s mind went blank, and a panic swept over him. Once again, he felt that everything was spiraling out of control.

“No,” he muttered, fumbling to grab tissues while holding Maimai. “Why are you crying?”

Maimai sat silently on Cheng Lin’s lap, his sobs soundless. Only two streaks of tears ran down his cheeks, making him look both ridiculous and pitiful.

Normally, he wouldn’t have been so easily upset, but the thought that Cheng Lin might actually be getting married soon filled him with a deep sadness and a premonition of being abandoned.

When Cheng Lin tried to wipe his tears, Maimai dodged his hand, making Cheng Lin’s hand tremble. His drowsiness vanished completely as he regretted his words. “If you’re not Maimai, then who is?”

“Why do you always tease me?” The cat sobbed. “You just don’t like that I’m human. Tomorrow, you’re going to ask Sister Shi Jing to turn me back into a cat.”

“No, that’s not it.” Cheng Lin stammered, “I like you.”

The emotional walls he had carefully constructed suddenly collapsed.

Maimai was pure, like a mirror that reflected Cheng Lin’s flaws with startling clarity.

Cheng Lin realized that because he felt Maimai’s affection so clearly, he had grown complacent.

All his close relatives lived carefree lives abroad, and getting in touch once every six months was considered frequent. He kept social boundaries with friends and colleagues, and he never considered dating. Girls with good taste wouldn’t be interested in a guy like him anyway.

The only being he felt truly close to was Maimai, whom he had personally picked up.

He could be honest with the cat, but with Maimai in human form, he was less forthright. The more he liked him, the less straightforward he became, and the happier he was, the more he felt the need to pretend.

His aloofness was just a front. Maimai had made him believe he could be accepted and playful with the cat. The cat was naive but loved its master, while Cheng Lin was even more immature than the cat.

Maimai’s tears finally forced him to confront the truth behind his mixed signals.

He liked getting texts from Maimai, enjoyed sharing a blanket with him while watching TV, adored Maimai’s focused expression when he watched soap operas and cherished how Maimai relied on him and liked him.

He liked Maimai.

This kind of affection was different from the way he loved Maimai as his favorite cat. Maybe from the first moment he saw Maimai’s human face, he felt something stir in his heart but didn’t recognize it, mistaking his attempts to push Maimai away and create distance as a form of stubborn resistance.

On one hand, he wanted the cat to socialize normally according to his own wishes, but in reality, he became incredibly jealous over every little thing. He felt deeply concerned when Maimai interacted with others. If Maimai showed interest in someone else, he became despondent. He experienced a mix of sorrow and anger whenever the cat grew close to others, even though there was no doubt that the kitty person liked him the most.

“It’s not because I’m a man. You don’t like me being human. When I’m human, you don’t pet me, you don’t kiss me, or call me ‘baby,’” Maimai finally voiced what had been bothering him for so long. “And the way you talk to me is different, too.”

“Who says that? I’m holding you right now, aren’t I?” Cheng Lin said, desperate and beginning to lie, “I kiss you all the time when you’re asleep.”

Maimai believed him again, and his tears stopped abruptly.

But despite being simple and trusting, Maimai still had some basic logic.

He stared at Cheng Lin, tears welling up, his gaze filled with confusion as he continued to ask, “Then why don’t you kiss me when I’m awake?”

Cheng Lin’s hands tightened around Maimai with guilt. His eyes traced over the kitten’s face, still wet with tears, and the little tuft of hair sticking up on top of his head.

He hadn’t answered yesterday, but Maimai was the most beautiful person he had ever seen.

But now, where was the right place to kiss him?

The lips felt too strange, and the cheeks too intimate. Whatever he did, it should wait until Maimai fully understood his feelings.

“Really, I kiss you every day.” Cheng Lin wiped Maimai’s tears and snot with a tissue. Then, he gave the cat two quick pecks on the forehead. “Just like this. Goodnight kisses.”

Maimai stayed quiet as if savoring the moment.

“Why would you think I don’t like it when you like someone?” Cheng Lin’s mind raced. “Luckily you turned into a human. Who else would get me water when I’m thirsty? I’d die of thirst without you.”

Ever since he went abroad for studies and got used to living alone, doing household chores hadn’t been difficult for him. He managed to handle all their daily needs with ease. So, despite the cat’s eagerness, Cheng Lin never actually let Maimai do any chores, aside from pouring water.

The only downside was that Maimai could speak up now.

“When you were drunk, I even carried you to bed,” Maimai added between sobs.

“Exactly,” Cheng Lin replied nervously. “Good thing you’re human now, or this home would’ve fallen apart ages ago.”

Maimai’s eyes were red, and he seemed to be thinking deeply.

“I’m sorry. I was wrong,” Cheng Lin whispered. “Even though my credibility has already collapsed, I promise I won’t say things like that again.”

After a moment, Maimai said, “I haven’t applied for my household registration or ID yet. I can’t turn back into a cat now.” His voice was still soft and stuffy.

“Do you prefer being a cat or a human? If you like being human, then stay this way for now.” Cheng Lin couldn’t bear to meet Maimai’s eyes for long. “Don’t change back. This way, we can keep talking.”

“Are you going to drink again?” Maimai asked.

Cheng Lin miraculously understood the unspoken part of the question and replied, “Maybe. I might need your help again.”

“Okay.” Maimai said, “I’d better stay like this for now. Then, can I take your last name and be added to your household registration?”

“Sure, I can even make ‘Mai’ your surname.” Cheng Lin said, “To help you with your household registration, shouldn’t I also provide some documents as the head of the household? Let me know what I need, so I can prepare them.”

Maimai: “I haven’t filled out the forms I brought back yet.”

Cheng Lin seized the opportunity and encouraged him, “Why haven’t you filled them out? Get them done quickly so we can register you and get your ID.”

“There are some words I don’t know how to write,” the cat confessed.

“I can help. I’ll fill them out for you.” Cheng Lin set him down gently and coaxed, “I’ll let you check it after I finish filling it out. Hurry up and bring the forms over.”

Cheng Lin pulled up a wooden chair and sat at the desk, switching on the lamp. Maimai dragged his backpack into the room and plopped down on the computer chair, looking just like a student as he rummaged through his bag.

He dumped everything out onto the desk. First, he glanced at the bright red membership card that stood out the most, then looked at Cheng Lin, the reproach in his eyes obvious.

Cheng Lin lowered his head submissively as he took the form out of the folder. “You’re definitely Maimai, but I might not be a human being.”

“Here, I need to fill in my full name,” Maimai said, leaning over and pointing to the spot. “What do you think of the name Cheng Dexing?”

Cheng Lin was stunned for a moment and fell silent, as if scared. After a few seconds, he gathered the courage to ask, “Which ‘De’ and which ‘Xing’ are you referring to?”

Maimai furrowed his brows in thought and replied, “The ‘De’ from high moral character and the ‘Xing’ from high spirits.”

To avoid any mistakes, Cheng Lin grabbed a blank sheet of paper and wrote out the name:

Cheng, De, Xing.

He stared at the name for a while, his expression stiff and solemn, then forced a laugh. “Baby, are you sure you want to go with this name?”

Maimai: “Rongrong said a full name should sound grand.”

“Does grand have to mean this?” Cheng Lin wasn’t thrilled about the mention of Rongrong. He quickly realized his tone was off and softened his voice. “Why would he suggest a name like this? What’s his full name, anyway?”

“Wang Derong,” Maimai replied.

Cheng Lin wasn’t entirely sure if this was some kind of custom among the kitty people, like a generational naming pattern with the character “De.” But he couldn’t get behind the idea of Maimai being called Cheng Dexing.

The thought of a new member of the Cheng family having a name that sounded more prestigious than even Cheng Lin’s grandfather was just too much.

Cheng Lin: “Baby, how about we… come up with a few more options?”

“Actually, I just wanted to be called Cheng Maimai,” Maimai said, looking distressed. “Is that okay?”

“Of course!” Cheng Lin was relieved. “That’s perfect! Let me write it down for you.”

Cheng Lin neatly filled out the forms for Maimai, who thanked him, then slowly dragged his backpack back out of the room.

Cheng Lin waited, but the cat didn’t come back.

He looked around, but the living room, kitchen, and bathroom were empty. Finally, he found a bulging hill under the covers in the guest bedroom.

Cheng Lin sat gently on the edge of the bed and patted the quilt, nervously asking, “Baby, what’s wrong?”

Maimai’s voice came muffled from beneath the covers. “What kind of person will you marry in the future?”

Cheng Lin wanted to cry out that it wasn’t fair, but he knew he had no one to blame but himself. “I’m not getting married!”

Maimai peeked out from under the covers, revealing his face. “Why not?”

“Because no one likes me.” Cheng Lin said, “I’m not getting married.”

“That’s not necessarily true,” Maimai replied. “Someone will like you in the future.” Just like I like you.

Cheng Lin placed a hand on Maimai’s shoulder. “You don’t believe me? I swear, I’ll write you a letter of guarantee!”

“Don’t get married if you don’t want to.” Maimai turned away. “It’s not really any of my business anyway.” After all, he, Cheng Maimai, was a man.

Cheng Lin gritted his teeth. “If I ever dare to get married, I’ll buy you a helicopter.”

“I don’t want a helicopter.” Maimai turned to look at him. “I wouldn’t know how to fly it.”

“I don’t want to buy one either!” Cheng Lin said, “It’s so expensive. I’d have to mooch off my parents to afford it, and I don’t even know which ocean they’re in right now.”

Maimai stared at him and asked, “Will I get married?”

The red paper on the lawn in the courtyard downstairs remained uncleaned, a sign that the wedding celebration would last from morning until night.

“What are you thinking about? You’re still so young.” Cheng Lin felt like he’d just been hit with a boomerang. “Y-you should focus on improving your education first. Study more, read more, and stop thinking about all this… love stuff.”

“Okay.” Maimai suddenly asked, “But what about the McDonald’s you promised last time? Why hasn’t it come yet?”

That day, Cheng Lin had drunk too much and called the cat, only remembering that he had started by saying “Mai.” Realizing how strange it was to call his cat in front of others, he quickly pretended he was talking about McDonald’s, then promptly forgot about it after hanging up.

“What McDonald’s?” Cheng Lin paused, pretending to remember. “Oh, McDonald’s! I’ll order it right now.”

Maimai ate a Filet-O-Fish and drank a Coke, letting out a burp.

Cheng Lin couldn’t help but laugh. Maimai, ever sensitive, asked, “Why are you laughing at me?”

Determined to change his ways, Cheng Lin awkwardly replied, “Because your burp was cute.”

The power balance had shifted without either of them realizing it.

Maimai’s expression softened. “Alright,” he said, granting Cheng Lin permission to laugh.

 

That night, after Maimai had taken a shower and Cheng Lin had dried his hair, they turned off the main light, leaving just the bedside lamp on.

Maimai stretched out under the quilt, feeling like there was no awkward silence, and said, “Can you stop teasing me from now on?”

Cheng Lin pulled the quilt up to the cat’s shoulders. “Sure.”

After a moment, he stroked Maimai’s hair.

Maimai closed his eyes and snuggled deeper into the covers. “I’m going to sleep now.”

“Okay.” Cheng Lin turned off the light thoughtfully. “Goodnight.”

The two of them lay side by side, their breathing alternating in the same bed.

In the silence, Maimai made a big announcement. “I’m asleep now.”

Cheng Lin: “Okay.” He wasn’t entirely sure what this self-deception was supposed to mean.

Ten seconds later, Maimai asked, “Didn’t you say you would kiss me?”

Cheng Lin quickly turned over, fumbling for the cat. “Where’s your face?”

Maimai grabbed Cheng Lin’s hand and guided it to his face. “Here.”

In the darkness, the delicate touch of Maimai’s palm was all the more noticeable.

Cheng Lin’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, but he decided to just go for it. He quickly pressed a kiss to Maimai’s cheek with a “mwah.”