The cute Little Calico asked this question, then nudged the meat toward Lu Ruo’s hand again. Seeing the kitten so concerned about her health, Lu Ruo truly could not bring herself to ignore it. Many people muttered to their pets, she reasoned; perhaps Gu Qi wouldn’t be suspicious?
With that, Lu Ruo replied to Huahua, "Good girl, Huahua. I’ve already had a bite of the meat. Look, I still have food here, so why don't you eat the rest yourself? Okay?"
Huahua glanced at the bowl in front of Lu Ruo and tilted its little head in thought. Recalling how Lu Ruo often ate those tasteless things, its tail stood upright again, the tip swaying from side to side. "Very well, human. I trust you. I’m going down to keep the little one company; I won't disturb your meal."
The Little Calico picked up the dried meat and jumped down from the hospital bed. Listening to the meowing of the kittens in the pet crate, Lu Ruo felt a warmth in her heart. Stray cats valued food highly, yet Huahua was willing to share its meal with her. The world simply couldn't exist without kittens!
"You and this cat have a very good relationship. When it was sent to the pet shop for a bath, it didn’t shy away once it heard your name," Gu Qi suddenly remarked. "You are very kind; you always look after it."
Rarely complimented, Lu Ruo felt somewhat flattered. She looked up at Gu Qi and thanked him sincerely. Just as she was thinking that Gu Qi might not suspect anything, he suddenly shifted the topic: "Where were you on March 3rd? You missed class that day."
The heart that Lu Ruo had just settled skipped a beat. Gu Qi was indeed suspicious of her.
"I was locked in a storage room by my third brother that day," Lu Ruo said, watching Gu Qi’s reaction. "If you go ask them where I was, you’ll probably be told I wasn't in the storage room. They... they don't like me."
Gu Qi froze, his eyes darkening. "You are often locked up by them? Does your stomach cancer have anything to do with them treating you this way?"
Lu Ruo felt that the Gu Qi in front of her was strange. When he praised her kindness, he seemed to genuinely approve of her caring for stray cats. When he suddenly asked about her whereabouts on the day of the theft, he seemed to treat her like a criminal. And now, mentioning her stomach cancer, he seemed to be sympathizing with her.
Unsure of Gu Qi’s true objective in speaking this way, Lu Ruo hesitated before asking directly, "Officer Gu, could you just tell me what you want to ask?"
Gu Qi gave a sudden smile. "If I ask, will you answer me honestly?"
Lu Ruo felt that smile was odd. She fell silent, and thinking of the protection and trust Old Madam Gu had shown her, she suddenly said, "Grandma Gu must have been very anxious when the bracelet and the thumb ring went missing."
Gu Qi hadn't expected Lu Ruo to bring up his grandmother. He nodded slightly, his expression heavy. "Those were tokens of love from my grandfather to my grandmother. The day they were stolen was actually the anniversary of my grandfather's death. So, in my capacity as Gu Qi, I also want to learn some definite, relevant clues from you."
Lu Ruo hadn't realized there was such a story behind the items. Grandma Gu was a good person; she had the right to know who had stolen her precious treasures and to see the culprit punished. Yet, Lu Ruo still hesitated. Once people knew she could speak to animals, who knew how she would be treated?
Lu Ruo was young, and even if she tried her best to hide it, she couldn't mask the changes in her eyes. Gu Qi saw all of her struggle. The stern-faced man pursed his lips, waiting for her to make a choice.
After a long while, Lu Ruo finally spoke. "Officer Gu, I know what you want to ask. I would like to ask you to leave the room first. Can you come back in when I call for you?"
As she said this, Lu Ruo’s eyes were bright and her expression firm. She still wanted to strive to be a good person who helped others, even if the consequences were unknown.
Just as her voice trailed off, the System’s voice rang in her ears: [New task triggered: Help the police catch the thief and tell the victim this was the credit of the small animals. Task reward: 10 points, unlock a random animal language.]