<aside> 🔑 Key: 🦌: Lu Chen/Alkaid 🖌️: MC

</aside>

The renovations on the house were successfully completed before Alkaid’s birthday. After I sent the handyman out, next was my secret project. There was no difference between the life in Yuyan and in the city, just that packages bought online needed to be picked up from the courier station.

🦌: Isn’t that a lot of packages? Do you need my help?

🖌️: No need, no need. You can be responsible for sorting out the opened packages from yesterday.

🦌: Then you should carry an umbrella. The clouds look a little dark.

🖌️: Okay.

I pushed Alkaid back inside the house. After confirming the door was closed, I turned around and headed straight to the courier station. Besides the packages, I still had to carry the things I prepared for Alkaid on my back.

🦌: I'm collecting the two packages, one of them was supposed to be placed in the fridge. Yes, that one. Thank you, boss.

I received the huge thermal bag from the boss. Luckily, it wasn’t heavy at all, and declined the boss’s offer to borrow his trunk and carried my things back home.

I turned into Bluestone Road, a sloped path under the shade ahead of me. I hugged the packages tighter, and all of a sudden I felt droplets falling on my head. Was it the dew hanging from the leaves? I looked up trying to look for the “culprit”, but another droplet fell onto the tip of my nose.

🖌️: How is it raining! The sun was clearly so bright!

I opened my umbrella, rushing up the sloped path. Luckily the rain didn’t become heavier, but it still kept pouring.

🖌️: Safe!

I pushed opened the gate to the courtyard like an athlete crossing the finishing line.

🦌: MC, you’re back.

Alkaid was sitting on the front entrance steps, holding an umbrella. Sparkles was obediently seated next to Alkaid’s leg. The sunlight shone through the transparent umbrella, giving Alkaid a warm glow. I squatted down and rubbed Sparkles's fluffy head.

🖌️: Why are you still out when it's raining?

🦌: He couldn’t find you in the house, so he took advantage of me opening the door to slip through.

🖌️: I only left for a moment and you already miss me.

🦌: Data says cats can keenly sense the feelings of people around them. Sparkles may have special talents in this area.

Sparkles jumped down a few steps, and sat by my ankles meowing attentively. Soon after he ran away in small strides.

🖌️: Let's go home.

I stand up, shaking my hands and feet in the cool refreshing breeze.

🦌: En, let's go home.

Alkaid put an important emphasis on “home”, and then smiled. The drizzles in the mountain always came and went frivolously. A brief moment later, the rain clouds dispelled.

The two umbrellas snuggled next to each other outside the door, the sound of two people laughing echoing from inside the courtyard.

🖌️: No, you must be wiped dry! Acting cute won’t stop me!