Aunt Cass in High Spirits

A few weeks passed~

Lu Wen had nothing else to do during that time. Aside from wandering around, he helped out at Cass's shop every day and occasionally flirted with the owner. Life was getting boring as hell.

Hiro was one stubborn brat. University had been in session for weeks, but he absolutely refused to attend classes! He insisted on waiting until Tadashi woke up so they could go to school together.

During that time, he had gotten to know Tadashi's four classmates: Wasabi, the muscular young Black genius; Honey Lemon, the little chemistry witch; GoGo, the speedster with the cool older-woman vibe; and Fred, the homebody. But the brat still refused to go to school.

Still, Lu Wen did not force him. Maybe that was just how geniuses thought! After all, he was not the kid's father. There was no need to meddle that much.

He did, however, have Hiro make him a little something in his spare time!

A tracker the size of a button.

He planned to use it to track that professor's microbot production equipment. If there was ready-made equipment to take back, he would not need to have Tony make it from scratch. A few modifications would do.

Once Hiro finished it, Lu Wen ordered Venom to split off a small blob, enter power-saving mode, and stick to Hiro with the button tracker.

Only after asking repeatedly and confirming that Venom's intelligence really was sufficient to understand what that so-called processing equipment was did Lu Wen feel reassured.

That morning, Lu Wen was reading the newspaper in the café when he suddenly saw Baymax walk outside, head lowered as he stared at his hand without looking up.

Right after that, Hiro came stumbling down the stairs, nearly colliding with Cass at the door.

Figuring it was about time, Lu Wen mentally told Venom to get ready to work.

Cass, meanwhile, thought Hiro had pulled himself together and was heading to school. She was absolutely delighted.

Hiro feigned composure, fed Cass a few lines, and hurried outside.

What a bizarre course-correcting force. After silently grumbling to himself, Lu Wen lifted his coffee and took a sip~

By past three that afternoon, Hiro still had not returned.

Inside the Lucky Cat Café, the last customer had just left. Cass put the cups from the counter into the sink, turned on the faucet to rinse them, and hummed an old song so off-key that its own mother would not have recognized it.

Lu Wen sat at a table by the window. After listening for a while, he laughed. "If the original singer heard your version, they'd switch careers overnight."

Without turning around, Cass waved a hand at him. "What do you know? This is called reinterpretation."

"The original composer would have to bow down to you."

"Of course. My arrangement rights are one of a kind in the whole world." Cass hummed the last line, then turned and leaned against the edge of the counter, bracing both hands on it as she tilted her head at him.

"Why are you behaving yourself today? Aren't you usually out wandering around by now?"

"It's hot outside today. I can't be bothered to move."

"You're afraid of the heat?" Cass raised an eyebrow. "Someone who could kick through several walls in a burning building and carry people out is telling me he's afraid of the heat? Does that sound reasonable to you?"

"Kicking through walls and being afraid of the heat are two different things." Lu Wen leaned back in his chair. "Besides, you've got air-conditioning and coffee here, plus a pretty owner to look at. Why would I go outside?"

Cass had been looking down as she wiped a cup. Her hands did not stop at his words, but the corners of her mouth visibly lifted~

"Have you been coating your tongue in honey lately?"

"Not at all. I'm just telling the truth."

"Oh, stop it. Keep staring at me like that and I might charge you. Call it a viewing fee."

"Sure. Name your price. I'll pay."

That left Cass opening her mouth with no reply. Then she set down the spoon, leaned forward slightly, and rested her chin on the back of her hand, her eyes smiling. "You really aren't afraid I'll fleece you?"

Lu Wen's tone was calm.

"You couldn't fleece me! Go ahead and try. I can run faster than you can swipe a card."

Cass laughed and shook her head, straightening up again and tapping the counter twice with her fingers. "All right, all right. I can't win with you."

She turned, took a clean glass off the shelf, poured some ice water, and set it in front of Lu Wen. "Drink something cold, before your words get too hot for your mouth."

Lu Wen picked it up and took a sip, his gaze still on Cass's beautiful face.

"Seriously, though, you're busy in this shop from morning till night, every single day. Doesn't it wear you out?"

"Of course it does. How could it not? But once you get used to it, it's just how things are. Besides, I get restless if I don't have something to do." Cass leaned against the counter, folding her arms across her chest.

"Hiro can look after himself now, and Tadashi's nearly recovered. You could absolutely give yourself a vacation."

Cass looked down and smiled, as though thinking about something, then raised her head to look at Lu Wen.

"Are you planning my retirement for me?"

"I just think you should worry less. Spend money when you should, take a break when you can, and don't keep yourself wound so tight." Lu Wen leaned back in his chair, speaking at an unhurried pace.

Cass watched him for a few seconds. Some of the teasing faded from her expression, leaving it softer, though her words were still sharp. "Why are you so good with words today? Is it because my dress looks nice, so you're being extra kind?"

"You look nice every day. It doesn't have to be today."

The corners of Cass's mouth twitched. She lowered her head and fiddled with the edge of her apron, then looked up with a bright smile. "All right, all right. Keep talking and I won't be able to sleep tonight."

She turned to tidy up the coffee machine and continued with her back to him. "I'm making spicy chicken wings for Hiro tonight. What would you like? I'll close early and make a proper meal."

"Whatever you decide."

"Then I'll make curry. A little spicy."

"Sure."

Lu Wen sat by the window, sunlight slanting across the tabletop as he silently watched Cass's busy figure.

That evening, Lu Wen heard movement at the door. He quickly finished chopping the ingredients for Cass, then went to the entrance and found the human and robot who had spent the day running around.

"Looks like you two have been out fooling around all day. I wonder what Cass would think if she saw you."

"Uh... ha. Lu Wen, what are you doing here?" Hiro asked awkwardly.

"Did you forget? My hearing's enhanced too." Lu Wen chuckled and stepped forward to poke the nearly deflated Baymax.

(●-●): "Hi, hello, Lu Wen." Baymax raised his shriveled, chubby little hand in greeting.

"All right, I won't tell Cass. Come up with your own excuse, on the condition that you keep quiet tonight." Quietly retrieving Venom, Lu Wen turned back toward the kitchen, not intending to bother with the brat any further.

"Okay, no problem! Thanks, Lu Wen." Hiro forced a smile and quickly took Baymax upstairs.

Cass returned to the dining table and sat down, elbows on the tabletop and cheeks cupped in her hands, a lingering smile still in her eyes.

Lu Wen said, "You look happy."

She glanced upstairs, then at Lu Wen, and let out a contented sigh. "Of course I'm happy. Hiro finally went to school today."

"You're that sure he went to school?" Lu Wen sat down opposite her.

"Of course. Even if he didn't go to school, he's been cooped up at home for so long that getting out for a bit is good too." Cass tilted her head at him, her tone brimming with obvious delight.

Cass leaned back in her chair and stared at the ceiling for a few seconds before suddenly saying, "You know, it's been a long time since I've had such a relaxing evening."

"They weren't relaxing before?"

"They were nice before too, but it was different." Cass counted on her fingers. "Tadashi was still studying, and Hiro was an elementary school kid who needed taking to school and picking up. Every evening after dinner, I was either cleaning the kitchen or doing the accounts. By the time I finished, they were both asleep. Nothing like now, when I can actually sit here and chat with someone."

Lu Wen leaned back and turned his head toward her. "If you want, you can do this every day once Tadashi's better."

At that, Cass looked at him, her gaze lingering for a beat before she looked away. She picked up her glass and took a sip of water, a slight curve at the corners of her mouth, but did not answer.

"Lu Wen."

"Hmm?"

"How long are you planning to stay here?"

"It depends. Tadashi hasn't woken up yet, and there's still some unfinished business with Hiro." Lu Wen thought for a moment before answering.

Cass nodded, resting her fingers on the edge of the table and tapping it twice. "Then you can stay a few more days. The guest room upstairs is sitting empty anyway."

Lu Wen raised an eyebrow at her. "What, you can't bear to let me go?"

"That's right, I can't! You help with so much work here and don't even ask for wages. Of course I can't bear to let you go." Cass turned her head toward him, her expression perfectly open, without the slightest bashfulness.

"Ha, then you've really gotten a bargain," Lu Wen teased.

After dinner, Cass went into the living room and switched on the television. The screen lit up with an old family sitcom.

She looked back at Lu Wen. "Want to watch together?"

Without answering, Lu Wen walked over and sat beside Cass.

Cass drew up her legs and sat cross-legged, holding Nuomi, the round, fat cat, in her arms. The big fat cat lay purring on her lap, the tip of its tail swaying gently now and then.

Before they knew it, most of the show had played. A faint sound came from outside, very soft, as though someone had come downstairs, opened the side door, and closed it again.

Cass did not hear it. Leaning against the sofa cushion, she was already getting drowsy. Lu Wen's enhanced hearing caught the sound: Hiro's bedroom door had opened.

Then came even softer footsteps heading down the stairs, almost inaudible.

Lu Wen did not turn his head and kept watching television. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught movement at the foot of the stairs.

With Baymax scrunched up behind him, Hiro sneaked around the turn in the staircase. The two slipped down sideways against the wall like a pair of cats stealing fish.

Before leaving, Hiro glanced toward the living room. He saw Cass leaning against Lu Wen's shoulder, nearly asleep, then noticed Lu Wen looking straight at him and was startled.

Lu Wen watched him without speaking, merely mouthing, "Keep it down."

Hiro froze for a moment, then nodded quickly and slipped silently out with Baymax. The door closed gently in the darkness.

Lu Wen withdrew his gaze and looked down at Cass resting against his shoulder.

He did not move away or wake her. He merely adjusted his position slightly so she could lean against him more securely, then looked up and continued watching television.

This American family sitcom was actually pretty entertaining.