Chapter 2 — My Cat is Pregnant, Neighbors Want to Take Responsibility

I pulled the door open, almost running away. When I got home, I put Doan Tu down. He shook his fur and his face was full of dissatisfaction.

“You killed me.”

I squatted down on the ground, blaming a cat, "You found the wrong house, don't you know how to remind me?" Doan Tu turned his back and walked towards the scratching post, leaving me with an arrogant back. I collapsed on the sofa, staring at the ceiling. Tham Canh Tieu's cold face kept lingering in my mind. Lose face and die. I hope I never run into him again when I go out in the hallway. Life is not as expected. The next day, as soon as I opened the door to take out the trash, I ran into Tham Canh Tieu right in the hallway. He was wearing a sports jacket and carrying a large luggage bag, looking like he was preparing to go away. I immediately lowered my head and pretended to dial the phone.

“Good morning.”

He spoke first. I had to raise my head: "Good morning." He glanced at me, said nothing more, and took long strides toward the elevator. I breathed a sigh of relief. As a result, as soon as the elevator door opened, he turned around.

“What is your cat's due date?”

“The doctor said about four more weeks.”

“Um.”

He nodded, "If you need help then just say something." The elevator door closed. I stood dumbfounded in the hallway, holding a trash bag, and suddenly felt that although this person was cold, he wasn't very hateful. The next few days, everything went smoothly. Until the weekend, my grandmother came and knocked on my door.

"Vi Vi, grandma accidentally made too many cakes and couldn't eat them all by herself. Please come over and help her."

I couldn't bear to refuse the silver-haired old woman who always smiled kindly, so I followed her to 205. On the tea table were all kinds of traditional cakes. I took a bite of the cinnamon flower cake, almost unable to keep my expression – it was too sweet, and the dough was also a bit wrong.

“Is it delicious?”

She looked at me eagerly.

"Yes, it's delicious."

I swallowed the cake without changing my expression. She was satisfied and pushed another plate of green bean cake over.

"Canh Tieu is competing in another province, I don't know if he will be able to eat well."

She sighed, "That boy hasn't made people worry less since he was little."

“Compete?

What is it, ma'am?

“Swimming.”

She replied casually, "He's a swimmer." I nodded, not thinking much.

“He'll be back next week, come over to eat at that time, your cooking will definitely be better than yours.”

“Grandma, I—” “Don't refuse, you and Canh Tieu are neighbors, it's the right thing to do to spend time together.”

Her purpose is too clear. But I couldn't bear to refuse an elderly person living alone, so I humbly accepted. Back home, I conveniently searched for the keyword "Tham Canh Tieu swims". The phone screen displays a long list of articles. National Championship champion. Candidate for the Asian Games (ASIAD). National Team pillar – two categories: butterfly swimming and freestyle swimming. He even had a topical interview program on a sports channel. I clicked on a competition photo, in the picture he was standing on the starting platform, swimming goggles pushed up on his forehead, tight swimming trunks showing off his beautiful muscular lines. I placed the phone face down on the table. The neighbor is a sports star, but the other day I raised the cat and screamed at him, "you must take responsibility". I need to move house. The plan to move house is not yet in time done, grandma's party has arrived. On the day Tham Canh Tieu returned, she knocked on the door early in the morning and said she had booked a table at the Tuong restaurant (Honan spicy food) downstairs.

“Canh Tieu said he wanted to eat spicy food, can you eat spicy food?”

“Yes.”

At six thirty in the evening, I was at the restaurant. Tham Canh Tieu was already sitting in his room, changing into a thin black sweater, his hair combed a little more neatly than usual. Seeing me, he nodded slightly. I sat down opposite him, my grandmother sat in the middle.

“Come on, let's look at the menu.”

She gave me the menu. I quickly scrolled through and ordered three dishes. Tham Canh Tieu took the menu and ordered four more dishes.

"You're too polite, three dishes are enough."

I said.

“My appetite is great.”

Grandma smiled widely and patted his hand: "It's an athlete, it's right to eat a lot. Vi Vi, you don't need to pay attention to him, just order whatever you want to eat." Food comes out very quickly. Steamed fish head with minced chili, spicy stir-fried beef, spicy crayfish. I tried a few pieces of fish, spicy and rich in flavor. Pick up another piece of beef, soft and delicious. Then I let go of my chopsticks. Tham Canh Tieu raised his eyes and looked over. I explained: "Lately I've been preparing works for a painting exhibition. I've stayed up late a lot, so my stomach is a bit weak and I can't eat much." The truth is – I naturally eat less. Since childhood, every meal only needs half a bowl of rice to be full.

“So why are you calling so much?”

He said.

“I....”

I looked at the pile of food on the table and suddenly felt a bit guilty.

“It's okay, let me.”

Tham Canh Tieu didn't say a word and started sweeping up all the leftover food. Grandma sat and looked at the two of us, her expression extremely dark. After the meal ended, we took the elevator upstairs together. When we parted ways in the hallway, Tham Canh Tieu suddenly called me back.

“Khuong Vi Vi.”

“Yes?”

“Next time you want to eat something, just say it directly, don't waste it.”

His tone didn't sound like he was blaming, but more like a habitual straightforwardness. I nodded and returned to my house. At two o'clock in the morning, I was awakened by a severe stomach ache. The pain was so bad that I rolled down from the bed, cold sweat pouring out every layer. I held my stomach and dragged myself to the bathroom, vomiting again and again. Got food poisoning. It's definitely because of that Tuong shop. I called 120 and was taken to the nearest hospital. The emergency room lights were white, I curled up on the hospital bed waiting for an IV. The doctor diagnosed acute gastroenteritis, not serious but required two bottles of antibiotics. I drowsily leaned against the pillow and was just about to close my eyes when I heard two nurses in the bed next to me talking.

“That tall, handsome guy has vomited for the third time tonight.”

“Who?”

“The guy wearing sweatpants in the single room inside.

I heard it was acute gastritis and severe dehydration.”

“What did he eat?”

“I told him I was going out to eat at night, he had a huge table of food and he paid for it all.”

I opened my eyes. A huge table of food. He bid it all. I ordered three dishes, only ate a few bites. He was afraid of wasting so he ate up the rest. Plus four more dishes you order yourself. . . He alone ate the portion of six or seven people. My head made a "buzzing" sound. While the nurse went to change the medicine, I tried to crawl out of bed, hold the wall and walk towards the single patient room. Standing in front of the room at the end of the hallway, through the glass door, I saw Tham Canh Tieu. He lies on the bed, There was an IV needle in his hand, his face was pale, even his lips were bloodless. My chest felt like someone had given me a painful blow. He was much worse than me. I stood there for a few seconds, not pushing the door open. I don't dare. Returning to my hospital bed, I stared at the ceiling, staying awake all night. The next morning, before I left the hospital, I heard two boys in training uniforms standing and talking in the hallway.

“Canh Tieu's recovery schedule has had to be postponed again.”

“The coach said, if you keep procrastinating like this, you won't be able to win the Asian Games in time.”

"What's wrong with you, when you're calm and healthy, why do you get food poisoning?"

“I heard you go out to eat with someone.”

“Who?”

“I don't know, but Canh Tieu has a very stubborn personality, if he knows who harmed him like this, that person will definitely get involved.”

My hand holding the infusion sheet was shaking. Selection award. Asian Games.