Chapter 216: Desensitization Training

Fang Zhou had casually mentioned a cat breed, and Chu Xinran was eager to see it.

He thought to himself: This can’t just be petted, it could be deadly.

Whether it was Han Xi herself or the black cat she supposedly represented, neither was to be trifled with.

Meanwhile, Chu Xinran continued to look at Fang Zhou with her big, watery eyes, her voice soft, “I really like cats and dogs.”

She seemed genuinely curious about this cat.

It might be out of love for Fang Zhou’s friend or genuine curiosity and compassion for small animals.

Fang Zhou suddenly regretted mentioning such a special cat.

If he had said it was a silver tabby, a golden tabby, or even an orange cat, it would have been fine!

At least Chu Xinran, being well-informed, wouldn’t have been so intensely curious.

There was no way she could see it, absolutely not. He could only laugh it off and brush it aside.

“It’s a bit shy around strangers. If it sees someone, it might get startled. Maybe some other time.”

Unconsciously, Fang Zhou used his go-to ‘next time’ excuse, feeling a bit guilty.

Fortunately, Chu Xinran was simple-minded and didn’t think too deeply.

She was a bit disappointed but nodded, “Yeah, some cats are like that. So I…”

Fang Zhou’s eyes brightened, hoping she would say, ‘never mind, then.’

Instead, Chu Xinran said, “Then I’ll come over more often, so it gets used to my scent and won’t get startled. Right?”

Chu Xinran felt proud, thinking her suggestion was brilliant.

Fang Zhou seemed a bit resistant to her visits, so she figured she could desensitize him by coming over more.

A plan that killed two birds with one stone! She thought she was a genius!

Fang Zhou choked and coughed a few times.

His eyes involuntarily glanced at the closed bedroom door, hoping Han Xi wouldn’t make any noise.

“The cat will only be here for a few days. It’ll be gone tomorrow, so let’s drop it.”

Fang Zhou quickly ended the topic and turned to her hand, asking with concern, “How’s your hand? Does it still hurt?”

Of course, he knew it was a pointless question—how could it not hurt with such a big, deep wound? But he could only make small talk now.

Chu Xinran looked at her bandaged arm, her eyes darkening, her voice lowering.

“It doesn’t hurt, not at all.”

Of course it hurts when we meet like this.

I know using this method to gain your sympathy is despicable.

But at that moment, I thought that if I could never see you again, life would be meaningless.

Fang Zhou frowned. How could it not hurt?

But he decided not to dwell on it, sensing it was a sensitive topic for her.

He still said, “Don’t do anything to hurt yourself again.”

Chu Xinran nodded slightly, thinking: As long as you don’t leave me, I won’t.

Time passed slowly, and Fang Zhou finished the rice rolls as quickly as he could.

Seeing that Chu Xinran had only eaten one bun and half a cup of soy milk, he asked, “Is your appetite bad? Why did you only eat one bun?”

Fang Zhou was indirectly urging her to eat faster, worried that Han Xi might not be able to stay hidden for long.

Chu Xinran blinked, looking at the bun in her hand, puzzled, “No, it tastes great. Do you want a bite?”

She held the other bun up to Fang Zhou’s face, looking at him expectantly.

Fang Zhou shook his head vigorously, “No, no, I’ve already had half a bowl of noodles and a portion of rice rolls. I’m full.”

“How about we take a walk downstairs? It’s not good to sit right after eating; it’s bad for digestion.”

He suggested, hoping she’d agree.

Chu Xinran was reluctant, thinking they had just sat down and now he wanted to go out?

She shook her head, taking a bite of the bun and said softly, “Wait a bit, let me finish this.”

“Why did you get discharged so early? Did the doctor agree?”

Fang Zhou wanted to ask if her mother, Chu Xuan, knew she had come here with breakfast, and if she’d come over with a knife.

Chu Xinran nodded lightly, “The doctor said as long as I remember to go back for injections and take my meds, it’s fine to be anywhere.”

She didn’t mention that in a few days, she’d start psychological treatment and that her mother had people watching their every move.

If anything suspicious happened, they’d intervene immediately.

Fang Zhou nodded, understanding.

Chu Xinran didn’t want to discuss her illness further. She stood up, pacing around the living room, curiously examining the decorations.

Like a curious baby, she asked Fang Zhou various questions.

“This figurine looks like it’s from Dunhuang Museum!”

Chu Xinran excitedly pointed to a set of cultural bookmarks.

“Yes, it’s from Dunhuang.”

“What a coincidence! I have a set too!”

They seemed to find a common topic and chatted away.

Lost in conversation, Fang Zhou almost forgot the situation until he heard a thud from his bedroom, snapping him back to reality.

Damn, I almost forgot!

Chu Xinran curiously looked back at the bedroom, asking, “Is the cat in there? It sounds like it’s restless.”

In the room, Han Xi smirked coldly.

If you dare open this door, I’ll show you restless.

Fang Zhou broke out in cold sweat, feeling terrified.

Please, sis, we’ll leave now, okay?

“Haha, yes, it’s young and playful.”

“Come on, let’s walk in the park downstairs, get some fresh air.”

Fang Zhou quickly brought up the walk again, trying to get Chu Xinran to leave.

Reluctantly, she glanced back at Fang Zhou’s room, then nodded, “Okay, we’ll come back later.”