The Versatile Master Artist

They were close to a two-hour train journey.

After all, you couldn’t expect old railway lines, older than Gu Tongxiang, to run at the speeds of modern trains.

It could still operate every half hour without fail.

That was no small miracle.

I don’t know if the 1000 Myanmar Kyat ticket for a first-class compartment was beyond most ordinary people’s purchasing power.

Or if the station master treated him as the nephew of Chen Shenglin, specially clearing out the compartment to curry favor with Gu Weijing, leaving only their group in this sunlit, tranquil old room.

Upon boarding.

The staff thoughtfully provided a lily set meal—a plate of stir-fried beef with celery and lilies around which flies buzzed, accompanied by a pot of instant coffee in a chipped, paint-shedding thermos.

On such an outdated train, there was actually a small dining car.

The lily set meal was for first-class passengers, while the local rose-brand cookies set meal was for second and third-class compartments.

Except for Uncle Ah Lai, none of the few present had any interest in the doubtfully hygienic beef slices.

Only Uncle Ah Lai sat in the corner holding the plate, enjoying the beef slices while sipping coffee, engrossed in the Yangon Mirror provided by the train.

”Meow.”

Ah Wang’s round head popped out of the pet carrier, waving its little paw to remind Gu Weijing.

Ah Wang was also quite interested in the stir-fried beef.

An old stray cat raised in Old Wu’s yard had this benefit of always having a great appetite.

It could eat canned cat food worth hundreds of US Dollars.

It could also eat stir-fried beef surrounded by flies.

It scratched its chest to the back with its paw; being a brave cat longing for wind and freedom, the constraint of these straps was really unpleasant.

”Let her out now, there’s no one in the compartment. I brought a small can for Ah Wang. From my mom’s experience with cats, we should feed her before letting her out to play. We’re going to the botanical garden for a nature outing. If she bites around and eats something poisonous, it’ll be a mess.”

Koizumi Katsuko lightly scratched Ah Wang’s soft ear with her thumb, gently suggesting.

”Mmm, I’ll hold her to make sure Ah Wang doesn’t run away.” Jasmine turned her head from the front seat.

The little girl’s big black eyes were looking at the big cat on Gu Weijing’s chest.

This was Little Moli’s first outing.

To many at the Good Fortune Orphanage, ”travel” was always an abstract concept.

Even spending money to travel for mental pleasure was a very perplexing notion to them.

The beautiful natural scenery and the novel railway journey had completely captivated this little girl.

Her eyes were full of excitement as she reached out her little hand to grab Ah Wang’s paw: ”I could play with the kitty all day.”

As the saying goes, every dog has its day.

The chubby tabby cat saw Jasmine’s hand reaching out of the corner of its eye and stopped being rowdy.

It flipped over, tucking its face into the pet carrier, pretending to be an ostrich.

Regrettably, Gu Weijing had already released the chest strap and set Ah Wang down in front of him.

”How cute Jasmine is, you two should go play together.”

”Meow meow.”

Ah Wang disapproved of this fickleness.

If Jasmine is cute, then isn’t this master?

Hmph, prefer kids over cats.

The tabby cat gave its master a human-like glare; no sooner had it landed on the table in front of the seat than it leapt into Koizumi Katsuko’s arms before Jasmine could catch it.