Chapter 24
Shang Che’s phrase “suit yourself” fell into the exceptionally quiet environment. It was as light as a casual murmur, yet it left the cotton doll stunned.
Its pair of eyes—always lively and sparkling—blinked and blinked, as if unable to believe what it had just heard.
It wasn’t a rejection, nor was it a perfunctory dismissal. It sounded like… a tsundere promise?
In other words, every single morning in the future, it could sit across from its keeper just like right now, participating in the human’s breakfast ritual?!
The tuft of ahoge hair on its head reacted almost instinctively, perking right up with a swoosh, even swaying subtly back and forth.
Clatter.
Losing its support, the somewhat heavy spoon in the cotton doll’s hands fell onto the table once more, producing a light sound. Yet the doll was completely oblivious to it, merely raising its round, chubby head and staring foolishly at Shang Che, the curve of its cat-like mouth stretching even wider.
Its short little legs fluttered excitedly in small motions across the table. Bringing its two hands together, it pressed them tightly against its soft, squishy cheeks, shaking its head back and forth as it let out a series of subtle, joyous whimpers:
“Human wants to eat… with Cotton…”
“Every single day~~~”
“Hee-hee-hee~~~”
“…Are you really that happy?” Looking at the cotton doll’s silly, joyful expression, the knot in Shang Che’s throat moved slightly. He instinctively raised a hand to pinch his own earlobe. Sensing it was somewhat hot to the touch, and perhaps feeling that this gesture made him look like he was trying to hide a guilty conscience, he immediately lowered his hand. Instead, he picked up the glass containing milk, taking a sip with feigned composure.
The cotton doll folded its two tiny hands in front of its chest, and then, with a swish, mustered every ounce of its strength to raise them high. Stretching its arms straight out, it opened them wide to the left and right, its voice carrying an unreserved sense of satisfaction:
“Super happy!”
Then it quickly pulled its arms back, using its tiny hands to prop up its round, chubby head. It tilted its face up toward Shang Che, its big eyes squinting into crescent folds, its cat-like mouth curving into a shy, jubilant arch.
Shang Che was brought to laughter by its exaggerated, direct, and thoroughly foolish appearance. A brief, low chuckle escaped uncontrollably.
Immediately after, he pressed his lips together, attempting to force the laughter back down. His movements appeared somewhat flustered because of this sudden “loss of control.” He stood up almost abruptly, and under the cotton doll’s bewildered gaze, began cleaning up the tableware on the table in a flurry of chaotic motions.
Shang Che: “…Ahem.”
…Silly Cotton… really… not cute at all.
Lowering his eyes, he evaded the cotton doll’s probing gaze, though the suspicious shade of red at the base of his ears showed signs of spreading silently.
Human’s ears are red again! Cotton saw it all!
Sitting on the tabletop, the cotton doll naturally took in its keeper’s series of unnatural reactions. Watching its keeper flee the scene in a panic, it covered its mouth with its small round hands, giggling away.
No, no, Cotton can’t let human realize that Cotton saw it.
Otherwise… human will definitely get even shyer… and maybe he won’t let Cotton eat together with him anymore!
To pretend it hadn’t seen a thing, the cotton doll wriggled its body across the smooth tabletop, turning around to shift its gaze toward the massive floor-to-ceiling window connected to the dining table.
Then, its attention was instantly captured by something outside.
What was that?
The cotton doll instantly forgot its tiny scheme from a moment ago. Crawling toward the glass window with all four limbs working together, it didn’t stop until its round head and soft cheeks were pressed flush against the rigid glass. Its cat-like mouth parted slightly, its big golden eyes brimming with intense focus and curiosity, looking utterly mesmerized. It didn’t even notice when Shang Che finished clearing the tableware and walked over softly to stand by its side.
“What are you looking at?” Shang Che’s voice sounded above its head, carrying a settled, usual calmness. Crossing his hands behind his back, he lowered his gaze, looking down at this little creature that was practically “stamping” itself onto the glass like a papercut window flower.
Hearing his voice, the cotton doll raised its head, excitedly pointing a small round hand toward the window: “Human! Look!”
Shang Che followed its finger. The flora in the garden looked vibrant under the sunlight. The white swing, entwined with wisteria vines, swayed gently in the light breeze. On the courtyard wall not far away grew several star jasmine plants planted by his late mother; though it wasn’t their blooming season, their foliage remained lush and green.
“What is that?” Curiosity filled the cotton doll’s voice.
Shang Che carefully identified the exact direction the small round finger was pointing. Once confirmed, he answered: “That’s a swing.”
“Swi… ng…” The cotton doll murmured the new word under its breath, its big golden eyes staring unblinkingly at the white swing swaying back and forth, its expression practically reading ‘that looks like so much fun.’
Shang Che had slept well last night and was in a decent mood today. The weather was bright and sunny with a gentle breeze—truly a perfect day for tending to the garden. Besides, that swing was due for a fresh coat of paint anyway.
“I’m going out to the yard to tend to the plants,” he pointed through the glass toward the outside, then looked down at the cotton doll, his tone entirely casual. “Do you want to play in here by yourself, or…”
Before he could even finish his sentence, the cotton doll delivered its answer through action.
It immediately extended both small round hands, eagerly grabbing Shang Che’s arm to haul itself up. As its head drew closer, its big golden eyes gazed at him with a sparkling, yearning look—its intention couldn’t be clearer.
Cotton Doll: “Cotton wants to go too!”
Shang Che: “…” He knew it.
“There’s dirt outside, so it’ll be very dirty,” Shang Che tried to dissuade the excited cotton doll, “and there might be little bugs crawling on you.”
He intentionally placed heavy emphasis on the words “dirty” and “bugs,” but it was completely useless.
The cotton doll shook its head forcefully, the tuft of hair on its head swaying back and forth in the air: “Cotton isn’t scared! Cotton wants to… be with human!”
It seemed as though if Shang Che didn’t nod and agree, it would continue staring at him with those yearning eyes until it burned two holes into his face.
Having no way around it, Shang Che could only lean down slightly, his tone helpless: “…You can only stay in the spot I designate. No moving around or crawling recklessly, understand?”
“Mm-mm-mm!” Having achieved its goal, the cotton doll nodded like a woodpecker. Releasing one of its small round hands from Shang Che’s arm, it strained to raise it high beside its head, standing straight as a ramrod to put on a front of ‘I promise to be good, Mr. Keeper.’
“Wait for me a moment.”
His keeper let out a sigh, turning and leaving the dining area. He returned a few minutes later carrying a large bamboo basket.
The cotton doll had already sat down obediently at the edge of the table. Seeing him, it opened its arms eagerly, its voice soft and squishy: “Human!”
“Mm,” Shang Che responded, setting the basket onto the floor first. Then he raised his eyes, thoughtfully scanning the surroundings. “Hold on.”
His gaze rested on the sofa in the living room. Walking over, he picked up an exquisite throw pillow with tassels, patted it with his hand, and seemed to measure its size before strolling back to the dining table.
Under the cotton doll’s curious gaze, he tucked the soft throw pillow neatly into the bottom of the bamboo basket, and only then straightened up to scoop the doll into his arms.
However, the moment he raised his head, he bumped right into a pink head poking carefully over the edge of the table.
“Eek!”
The cotton doll let out a gasp, its entire body falling backward out of control. Immediately after, a large hand reached out rapidly, catching the flailing small round hand in the nick of time.
Yet the cotton doll’s “chassis” was far too unstable. With its round bottom slipping across the smooth dining table, its head and body collided with the surface anyway, completely unavoidable.
The tiny, dull thud caused Shang Che’s heart to tighten. He hurriedly stepped forward, scooping the cotton doll up.
Held in his arm, the cotton doll currently sported eyes shaped like X’s, its cat-like mouth pulled into a flat, lifeless line, displaying a total state of ‘Cotton is broken.’
Cotton Doll: (XX).
“Hey…” Hearing the cotton doll make such an expression for the very first time, a touch of panic laced Shang Che’s voice. His arm holding the cotton doll tightened involuntarily, while his other hand probed gently in a flustered, chaotic search, seemingly wanting to confirm if it was truly “broken.”
“Are you okay?” His tone carried a rare urgency.
Lying in his arm, the cotton doll’s soft body moved ever so slightly. It quietly, slowly opened one eye, wanting to sneak a peak at its keeper’s expression without being caught.
However, having big eyes came with its downsides—just as its “stealthy” action began, it was caught dead-on by its keeper.
Shang Che had been so nervous he didn’t know what to do, yet this little thing actually gave him a wink?!
“You!” Realizing in an instant that he had been played, the breath caught in his chest, leaving him almost driven to laughter by sheer anger. He could only squeeze out a brief, embarrassed sound from his throat.
“Hee-hee…” With its prank exposed, the cotton doll stopped faking it altogether. Coming back to “life” instantly, it used its two small round hands to hug its keeper’s arm, rubbing its soft cheeks against him flatteringly, “Human… don’t be angry~”
Shang Che: “…” Facing a soft, squishy lump of cotton acting like a rascal, what anger could he possibly have left?
“You can’t do this next time,” he said, only to feel his tone sounded far too gentle. He pulled a stern face and added an awkward warning, “I might actually think you’re broken and throw you out.”
The cotton doll didn’t believe a single word, wearing a face that read ‘You promised to raise me’ as it dragged out its tone with a smile: “Got it~~~”
Looking at its fearless appearance, Shang Che suddenly felt a strange illusion that he was being completely “wrapped around the finger” by a cotton doll.
“You stay right here,” Shang Che placed the bamboo basket holding the cotton doll onto the table inside the garden pavilion, drawing a circle in the air with his finger. “You are not allowed to leave this table, and you are definitely not allowed to jump down. Do you hear me?”
Sitting inside the basket cushioned with the throw pillow, the cotton doll enjoyed an expansive field of view. The pavilion was situated in a prime spot, offering a clear view of the entire garden—naturally including Shang Che, who would be working outside.
“Okay!” it answered in a loud voice, placing its small round hands obediently on its lap in a posture of sitting upright and obeying orders.
When had it ever failed to agree obediently…?
Shang Che scoffed silently in his mind.
Well, even if sometimes this little creature could only manage to keep its promise for a tiny while.
Shaking his head helplessly, he picked up the paint bucket and tools off to the side. He even looked back at the cotton doll several times with every three steps he took. Seeing that it truly sat obediently inside the bamboo basket, following his silhouette with sparkling eyes and holding no intention of “jailbreaking,” he finally set his mind at ease slightly.
Sitting on its exclusive “observation deck,” the cotton doll watched as its keeper rolled up his shirt sleeves layer by layer, revealing smooth, muscle-toned arms. He then covered those slender hands with a pair of somewhat coarse gloves, and finally, a blue face mask covered most of his face, leaving only those somewhat cold, sharp eyes exposed.
Then, its keeper picked up a wide brush, dipped it into the milk-like viscous liquid inside the bucket, and meticulously, methodically painted the white swing.
Once the swing was completely refurbished, the cotton doll saw Shang Che holding a tool that was both straight and curved in a peculiar shape. Navigating between the bushes surrounding the swing, accompanied by subtle snapping sounds, branches and leaves were deftly and rapidly trimmed away by his actions.
The cotton doll watched with immense relish, its head twisting back and forth following Shang Che’s movements like a little sunflower.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps of the pavilion, casting dappled shadows onto the round table. Whenever an occasional breeze swept past, the tuft of hair on its head would sway gently.
Shang Che finished dealing with the bushes and plants on the ground before long. Straightening his back, he stretched his waist, then walked toward the courtyard wall.
The branches of the several star jasmine plants over there had grown every which way, genuinely requiring proper pruning and re-training.
He pulled his sleeves down to cover his exposed arms, then switched to a pair of pruning shears, aiming at an obviously drooping dead branch and cutting it clean with a snip.
Drawn by the sound, the cotton doll watched even more intently. It watched as branches of varying lengths fell to the ground, piling up at the foot of the wall, while its keeper continued his work with decisive movements and an earnest expression. Before long, the originally messy flora turned much tidier and far prettier.
Sunlight fell just right onto Shang Che’s focused side profile. His brows were furrowed slightly, displaying a rare focus and patience, with tiny beads of sweat seeping from his temples adding a touch of unique charm to his demeanor.
The cotton doll looked on, somewhat dazed.
It had seen Shang Che’s quiet side profile while reading books, his slightly furrowed brows while writing, and his lazy appearance while sleeping… but this was the very first time it had seen its keeper look so… special.
The sunlight outlined the human’s tall, lean frame, carving out his focused and serene expression, along with his hair swaying subtly with his swift movements…
A vague feeling, akin to “admiration” or “pride,” quietly sprouted within the fluffy lump of cotton.
The cotton doll’s cat-like mouth parted unconsciously, unable to help praising in awe: Its human keeper was indeed super awesome!
Not only did he know how to do so much, but he looked so handsome doing everything!
As expected of Cotton’s keeper! He’s the absolute best!
The star jasmine foliage was lush, taking quite a while to process completely. Shang Che worked for a good while before putting down the pruning shears, rotating his sore wrist, and raising a hand to wipe the sweat off his forehead, only then shifting his gaze toward the cotton doll in the pavilion.
“Human!” The cotton doll had been gazing at him expectantly all along. Seeing him finally finish his work and look over, it immediately waved its hand with excitement. “Are you done?”
“Mm, pretty much.” Shang Che nodded, responding.
He looked down at himself; his shirt and pants were inevitably stained with dirt and grass clippings, looking quite messy. Thus, he stood in place, not approaching the pristine lump of cotton.
The cotton doll tilted its head, a flicker of confusion flashing in its big golden eyes, seemingly unable to comprehend why its keeper remained so far away after finishing his work.
“Staring the whole time—bored, aren’t you?” Shang Che’s tone carried its usual flatness, though his gaze quietly observed the cotton doll’s reaction.
“No!” The cotton doll shook its head immediately, answering swiftly and firmly, “Not a single bit… bored! Cotton loves watching human!”
The corner of Shang Che’s mouth curved up almost imperceptibly. He looked at the newly painted swing drying quietly in the sun not far away, then looked back at the cotton doll’s face, which was brimmed with curiosity and yearning.
“Want to ride the swing?” he asked. Although his tone was inquiring, his expression held a trace of knowing certainty.
Hearing this, the cotton doll turned its head instantly, its golden eyes lighting up alarmingly bright as its cat-like mouth parted, putting on an eager front.
Yet in the next second, its gaze shifted back to Shang Che.
It saw the trace of fatigue between its keeper’s brows, the un-dried sweat at his temples, and his messy, dirty clothes.
Its two small round hands rubbed against each other unconsciously, and the tuft of hair on its head drooped slightly, looking remarkably like the lifeless, bad branches Shang Che had pruned away earlier.
The cotton doll’s tone drifted, as if desperately fighting the craving in its heart, and then, in a tiny voice, it offered a grueling answer: “Don’t… want to…”
Those two words caught Shang Che completely off guard. He raised an eyebrow in surprise: “Why don’t you want to?”
The yearning in this little thing’s eyes was practically overflowing.
The cotton doll raised its head, looking into his eyes, speaking earnestly and directly: “Because… human looks like… he needs rest…”
Shang Che froze, his chest feeling as though it were gently bumped by something soft.
This little creature… actually knew how to care for him…
Shang Che fell silent for a few seconds before letting out a soft laugh—except that smile, aside from gentleness, held a thread of indescribable… self-deprecation.
“That’s not something a little Cotton like you needs to worry about.” His tone sounded entirely casual.
The cotton doll blinked its big eyes: “Really?”
“Really,” Shang Che nodded. “This little bit of activity isn’t enough to tire me out.”
Hearing the answer and seeing its keeper’s face regain that unhurried spirit, the tuft of hair on the cotton doll’s head snapped back to life with a ding.
Since human wasn’t tired, then could they…?
It grew impatient immediately, wanting to get closer to the human. But since the human refused to come over, it would just go over itself.
The cotton doll shifted its bottom across the soft throw pillow, making subtle friction sounds. Its two tiny hands tried hard to hold onto the edge of the bamboo basket, its round, chubby head straining to poke out—
Unfortunately, the arched handle above the bamboo basket acted like a railing, blocking the cotton doll’s movements. The bamboo basket wobbled unsteadily under the impact force, only for Shang Che to step forward with a swift stride, steadying it in time.
The cotton doll tried several more times, kicking its short legs and stretching its short arms, using every ounce of its strength, yet it still failed to “defeat” the sturdy bamboo basket. It could only pull its head back obediently, sitting its bottom back down on the throw pillow.
As a result, the moment it raised its somewhat discouraged face, it saw its keeper standing off to the side, looking at it at his leisure, even raising an eyebrow slightly with a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
Shang Che spoke unhurriedly, his voice carrying obvious teasing: “With a head that big, you still want to ‘jailbreak’?”
“Cotton wouldn’t!” the cotton doll retorted loudly right away, its small face puffed up in a huff.
It got it now—the human was doing this on purpose!
He clearly knew Cotton wanted to get close to him, yet he intentionally teased Cotton, watching Cotton “struggle miserably” right here!
(=?=)!
The cotton doll restored its front of bold accusation, extending a small round finger to point at Shang Che: “Mean human! You did that on purpose!”
That’s more like it.
Watching the cotton doll regain its full vitality—even returning to its familiar “claw-flailing” appearance—the subtle feeling that had welled up in Shang Che’s heart from being cared for gradually faded away.
Nodding in satisfaction, he admitted candidly: “Mm, so what if I did?”
Before the cotton doll could get even angrier, he turned and walked toward the front door of the house, his voice carrying laughter as it drifted over with the wind:
“The mean human is going to change into clean clothes, and then come back…”
“To take a certain tsundere little Cotton on the swing.”
Shang Che moved very quickly, emerging before long dressed in a clean, soft T-shirt. The khaki-colored garment softened his entire silhouette quite a bit.
The cotton doll had been staring expectantly toward the house the entire time. The moment a familiar silhouette appeared in its line of sight, it immediately wriggled with excitement. Holding the edge of the bamboo basket with one hand, it held its other hand high, waving it in the air, its tone brimming with impatience: “Human! Human! You’re back!”
“Mm.” Shang Che responded neither too close nor too far. He didn’t walk straight over, but walked over to the white swing first, touching the newly painted spots with his finger. Then he rubbed his clean finger pads, confirming the paint had dried completely before walking toward the pavilion.
Looking at the cotton doll in the bamboo basket flailing its hands and feet, barely able to contain its desire to jump out, Shang Che said with amusement: “What’s the rush? The swing isn’t going to run away.”
Who cared whether the swing ran away or not! The cotton doll didn’t care about any of that; it only knew that if it knew how to run, it would have dashed over long ago. Holding its hands open toward its keeper, putting on a pose of “wanting a hug,” it babbled: “Ride swing! Ride swing!”
“Cotton wants to ride the swing!”
“A little creature that has never seen the world.” Shang Che dropped a light line, using a clumsy yet gentle motion to lift the cotton doll out of the bamboo basket. The cotton doll immediately took the opportunity to wrap its soft, small round hands around his arm, swaying its head with joy.
The white two-seater swing was insanely spacious for a 40-centimeter little cotton doll. Placed right in the center of the seat, it watched its keeper squat down in front of it.
Shang Che instructed: “You can’t move around recklessly while riding the swing. You’re too light, be careful you don’t fly out.”
“Cotton knows now!” The excitement in the cotton doll’s voice couldn’t be contained. The tuft of hair on its head swayed along with its nodding, even carrying a hint of urging.
Yet Shang Che still un-reassuringly helped it adjust its posture, confirming it was leaning against the backrest with its center of gravity backward.
“Sit tight,” Shang Che said in a low voice, then stood beside the swing, holding the swing steady with one hand while pressing his other hand against the backrest. “Ready?”
The cotton doll raised its big head to look at him, a mix of nervousness and anticipation sparkling in its golden eyes as it nodded forcefully: “Ready!”
“Good.”
Applying gentle force with his hand pressed against the backrest, Shang Che pushed it forward slowly, the swing swaying back and forth in a tiny arc.
A movement that was virtually negligible for a human was no different from a novel, exciting adventure for a cotton doll experiencing a swing for the very first time.
“Woah—”
It couldn’t help letting out a small, awe-filled exclamation, its big golden eyes sparkling like two stars:
(???)!
Cotton is moving!
It wasn’t moving on its own, nor was it moving with its keeper’s help, but sitting on a swaying object, following it forward and backward…
Cotton’s sky! This was so magical!
Forward—
Its field of view expanded slightly with the swing’s forward motion, allowing it to see the flower beds and courtyard walls further away.
Backward—
Its gaze fell upon its keeper standing at its side.
“Hee-hee…” The cotton doll couldn’t help laughing out loud, its cat-like mouth splitting open as its initial nervousness was replaced by novelty and joy. It began enjoying this light, subtly swaying feeling.
Standing at the side of the swing, Shang Che controlled the arc of the sway so it wouldn’t be too large. Seeing that the cotton doll had adjusted, he increased his pushing force just a fraction, making the swing’s swinging arc noticeably larger.
“Higher! Human! Higher!” The cotton doll requested excitedly, its soft, squishy voice nearly blown away by the wind.
“This height is enough.” Shang Che rejected it even faster, his hand’s force controlled with absolute stability. “Any higher will be dangerous.”
He didn’t want to see this little creature fly out.
The cotton doll didn’t push it either; being able to sway back and forth like this was already opening the door to a new world for it.
It began trying to turn its head slightly within the safe sway, looking in different directions, listening to the rhythmic, faint sounds produced by the friction of the chains.
Sunlight filtered through the foliage, casting dappled, swaying spots of light that fell onto the white swing chair and onto the cotton doll’s figure.
It sat there steadily, swaying slowly back and forth with the swing, the pink tuft of ahoge hair fluttering gently in the breeze. The picture carried an indescribable warmth and tranquility.
Shang Che’s heart swayed gently along with that slowly rocking swing.
A strange, soft warmth spread slowly. Seeing the cotton doll so happy over such a simple matter, he himself… seemed to derive an indescribable sense of satisfaction.
He pushed the swing ever so lightly, letting the arc of the swing broaden slightly within a safe range, not even realizing that the corners of his mouth had maintained an upward-curving arch all along.
The cotton doll secretly glanced at its keeper beside it using the corner of its eye.
The young man stood against the light, the silhouette of his side profile appearing somewhat blurry in the halo of light, yet the hand resting on the iron chain had clearly defined knuckles, holding the swing’s rhythm with absolute stability.
His gaze seemed to rest on the treetops in the distance, yet also seemed to look at nothing at all, merely keeping it company quietly, guarding this brief and joyful moment.
A warm, reassuring feeling tightly enveloped the cotton doll. It suddenly felt as though it were very happy.
Its golden eyes stared unblinkingly at Shang Che, arriving at a conclusion before long:
Mm… this was probably what happiness meant for a cotton doll…
And so, when its keeper—feeling its burning gaze—lowered his eyes to look down at it, the cotton doll offered an unreserved, extraordinarily brilliant smile.
Shang Che was stunned by the impact of this smile, immediately after which he heard the cotton doll’s sweet voice: “Human! Swing! So fun!”
“Mm…” he responded blankly, appearing somewhat slow.
The cotton doll patted the spot beside it, issuing an enthusiastic invitation: “Human join in!”
“Okay…” Shang Che answered almost instinctively.
By the time he came to his senses, he was already sitting on the swing with that soft cotton doll held in his arms.
“…” What on earth was going on?
Without a second thought, Shang Che wanted to reject this inexplicably awkward yet heartwarming action: “I…”
Yet the moment he made a sound, the cotton doll’s round head turned against his chest, that tuft of hair lightly brushing past his cheek, its sparkling eyes filled with the excitement and urging of ‘Human, why haven’t you started yet?’
It blocked all his words in an instant.
“…Don’t look at me.” Shang Che turned his face to the side and spoke in a low voice. Then, with a push of his long legs against the ground, the swing began to sway.
As expected! The swing swayed higher and was way more fun when human made it swing!
“Woah—”
Sitting on his thigh, the cotton doll parted its mouth wide in excitement.
After quite a long while, the swing’s swaying arc gradually shrunk, finally coming to a slow halt.
“Alright, time to head back.” A barely noticeable trace of awkwardness laced Shang Che’s voice. “The sun is almost setting.”
Although the cotton doll was still a bit reluctant, it nodded obediently. Turning around in Shang Che’s arms, it opened its arms wide: “Okay~”
Shang Che cradled it with his arm just as he had when they came, standing up with somewhat stiff movements.
The cotton doll rubbed comfortably against his chest, then raised a small round hand to point at that quiet white swing, its tone brimmed with anticipation: “In the future… can Cotton still play?”
Shang Che lowered his head, looking down at this little guy in his arms that was completely satisfied after a single swing ride, even beginning to look forward to the future.
Sunlight fell upon his lowered eyelashes, casting shallow shadows. He paused for a few seconds, and then, using a tone that still sounded somewhat casual yet hid a layer of indulgence, answered: “…Depends on your behavior.”
He didn’t say yes or no, but the cotton doll had already completed the second half of the sentence automatically, interpreting it as an affirmative.
It hugged Shang Che’s neck with joy, its big golden eyes curving into slits:
“Cotton will always be good!”
“Cotton loves… riding the swing… together with human the most!”
Shang Che said no more, merely cradling this soft, joy-emitting lump of cotton in his arms as he turned and walked slowly toward the house.
Behind them, the white swing swayed ever so gently once more in the light breeze.
The cotton doll only got two days a week to spend long stretches of time with its keeper. Especially after such a joyful and satisfying day, at the thought of the human having to go to that place called ‘school’ tomorrow, leaving it home alone, the cotton doll’s reluctance and disappointment surfaced before it knew it.
The joy of the swing had passed, and the beloved tap lamp lost its previous attraction. The cotton doll flopped backward all at once, collapsing onto the sofa at the foot of Shang Che’s bed, even learning how a human sighed without any prior teaching.
“Sigh—”
The long, somewhat childish sigh sounded exceptionally clear in the quiet room.
“What’s wrong now?” Shang Che walked out of the bathroom drying his half-damp hair, only to hear this little creature’s “sighing and groaning.”
Wasn’t it very happy just a moment ago? He felt a bit perplexed.
The cotton doll crawled up immediately, its golden eyes staring straight at him: “Human… is school fun?”
Shang Che raised an eyebrow, unsure why it was asking this. After a moment’s thought, he offered a relatively objective answer: “It’s alright.”
If human says it’s alright, that means it’s fun!
The cotton doll’s interest flared up all at once, eager to try: “Then can Cotton go?”
“No. That’s a place only humans go to.” Shang Che rejected it with complete decisiveness.
The cotton doll’s expression collapsed instantly, carrying a tiny thread of distrust toward him.
Sensing that accusatory gaze, Shang Che paused, changing his tune: “I said it wrong just now. School isn’t fun at all.”
He intentionally added a line: “It’s not suitable for a brainless little Cotton like you.”
“Nonsense!” The cotton doll corrected him in a huff, raising both hands high to press against both sides of its head, uttering word by word: “Cotton has a head!”
Shang Che nodded, offering an unruffled evaluation: “Mm, the literal embodiment of an empty head.”
“Mean human!”
Having shouted in full rage, the cotton doll rolled away like a pink ball.
It buried itself into the gap between the sofa and the armrest, leaving Shang Che with nothing but a pink back of its head and that tuft of ahoge hair sticking straight up in anger, looking for all the world like a moody, fluffy small animal.
Cotton clearly had a head!
Inside was filled with curiosity about this world, reliance on its keeper, love for sunlight and swings, and a tiny, blurry yearning for ‘school’…
How could he call it completely empty!
Human was far too mean, always saying things to pick on Cotton!
Looking at that lump of cotton radiating an aura of ‘I’m very angry, hurry up and coax me,’ a faint trace of laughter flickered in the depths of Shang Che’s eyes.
He didn’t dig it out right away, but sat down unhurriedly on the other end of the sofa, spreading out those tiny outfits that had been washed, dried warm, and smelled of fabric softener.
These few sets of doll clothes were picked up casually by him: one set was a light blue pajama set with white cloud embroidery and tiny star buttons; one set was a white hoodie with brown overalls, featuring a cute pink bunny design on the hoodie; and another set was a simple green T-shirt with light gray cotton-linen shorts.
“Little Cotton.”
Shang Che’s voice wasn’t loud, carrying a touch of post-shower laziness. His fingers paused mid-air before he ultimately picked up the light blue cloud pajama set, shaking it open gently.
“Come over and change into new clothes,” he enticed.
The cotton doll’s ears acutely caught the words “new clothes.” It still remembered its keeper saying he washed the clothes so it could wear whichever set it wanted.
Look! Cotton clearly could remember things!
Mean human just had to say it had no head! That it was empty!
Cotton was very angry! Cotton wasn’t going to pay attention to human anymore!
…But… it could change into new clothes…
This thought instantly blew away the tiny anger and grievance in its heart.
Fine… it would reluctantly forgive human this once…
Who told it to be a generous and forgiving Cotton King~
The cotton doll trapped in the gap couldn’t help quietly moving a bit, turning its round head over a tiny fraction to reveal one golden eye, secretly peeking over toward Shang Che’s direction.
And then, it caught sight of that tiny outfit that looked extraordinarily gentle under the light, its star buttons even glinting.
The cotton doll’s eyes widened in an instant.
So pretty! And it had tiny, shiny buttons!
Cotton liked it!
It revealed its other eye as well, turning its entire head around, staring expectantly at the tiny outfit in Shang Che’s hands, then looking at the other tiny outfits spread flat on the sofa, its golden pupils filled with unreserved yearning.
Shang Che took in its reaction completely, then bent his knuckle, crook of his finger gesturing toward the cotton doll.
There was zero reason to refuse!
The cotton doll crawled up from the sofa using all four limbs. Because of its hurried movements, it almost rolled off, only to be caught by Shang Che’s quick-eyed, swift-handed reach.
It sat down properly beside that small pile of clothes, raising its small face to look at Shang Che with eyes full of anticipation.
“Which one do you want to wear?” Shang Che laid out the three sets side-by-side, leaving it to choose.
The cotton doll’s gaze shifted back and forth, its expression intensely torn.
Its small round hands rubbed together unconsciously. After torn consideration for a good while, it lightly tapped the light blue cloud pajama set: “Cotton wants to wear… the same… color as human.”
“You sure know how to pick,” Shang Che evaluated, picking up the tiny pajama set. Then, looking at the cotton doll sitting straight as a ramrod with an expectant face, his movements came to a sudden halt.
“Ahem,” he negotiated, “…How about you switch to a different body, and come back after I’m done changing it?”
A massive question mark seemed to pop up above the cotton doll’s head: “Why?”
What else could it be for…
Shang Che muttered in his mind. He had zero experience changing clothes for a “conscious” cotton doll; the only two times he had done so were facing an “unconscious” cotton doll. But now…
His awkwardness and discomfort were seen crystal clear by the cotton doll.
Hee-hee, caught by Cotton, right~
Human was feeling embarrassed again.
It intentionally leaned its head forward, putting on an innocent, natural front: “Cotton wants to change like this.”
Shang Che: “…” Instant karma came real fast.
He accepted his fate and extended his hands, finding the Velcro at the back collar of the cotton doll’s shirt. With a gentle pull, after a faint rip sound, the top that came with its “factory settings” was unfastened.
The cotton doll was extremely cooperative, even proactively raising its soft little arms. Then it looked down at its bare, cotton-stuffed body. Without the clothing decorations, it looked even rounder.
A chubby white lump of cotton.
Shang Che looked at the tiny creature before him that only had its cotton body left, evaluating it silently in his mind.
He picked up the light blue pajama top, feeling around it for a long while, but could only unbutton two tiny buttons at the collar. He couldn’t find any Velcro or zippers on the sides or back.
“Human?” Seeing him make no progress for a long while, the cotton doll couldn’t wait any longer, issuing a soft urge.
“Hold on, hold on…”
Shang Che was rarely so flustered. He lifted the pajama top, shook it out, and measured it in front of the cotton doll.
No matter how he looked at this size, there was no way that round head could pass through.
His brows furrowed slightly as he rapidly grabbed his phone off to the side, typing into the search bar: [How to change clothes for a 40cm cotton doll].
After watching several short videos, Shang Che went silent.
Unsure if he was baptized by the simple, direct method, or angered by his own stupidity.
Setting his phone down, he looked at the innocent cotton doll waiting expectantly.
“Ah?” The cotton doll’s cat-like mouth opened and closed, completely unable to gauge the situation, “Human?”
“This shirt needs to be pulled up from the legs,” Shang Che said with a touch of helplessness. He quickly shoved the cotton doll’s two small hands into the sleeves, buttoned the buttons, and then pulled it up. “Done.”
The light blue pajama top was slightly loose, the white clouds making the cotton doll look even softer, cuter, and more harmless.
It seemed to find it very novel itself, lowering its head to curiously touch the new shirt with its small round hands, then touching those glinting little buttons, its golden eyes brimmed with surprise.
“Do you like it?” Shang Che asked.
“Love it!” The cotton doll nodded forcefully, its voice filled with joy. It lowered its head, trying hard to see the little clouds on its shirt. After its attempt failed, it looked at Shang Che: “Human! Cotton wants to look in the mirror!”
“You sure have a lot of demands.” Even as Shang Che said so, he still extended his arms to carry it over to the bathroom mirror.
“Woah~” Holding onto the mirror’s surface, it looked at the cotton doll in the mirror wearing light blue cloud pajamas with pink hair and golden eyes. Tilting its head, it couldn’t help boasting about itself: “Cotton, cute!”
Cotton Doll: !!!
Shang Che was speechless for a second, but looking at its joyful appearance, his voice couldn’t help taking on a trace of laughter: “Vain little Cotton.”
He suddenly felt that changing into a new outfit for this little creature didn’t feel too bad after all.
“Alright, time for me to sleep.”
The cotton doll was intensely excited wearing its new pajamas, but hearing its keeper announce that rest time had arrived, it still curled up obediently in its doll bed. It adjusted into a comfortable posture, facing Shang Che’s direction, still hugging that tap lamp in its arms.
Shang Che turned off the lights and lay down on his bed as well. He pulled the blanket up snugly, even placing his arms properly inside the blanket, saving a certain worrisome little Cotton from worrying if his hands had fallen off the edge of the bed.
The room was very quiet. In the dark, the cotton doll suddenly spoke in a small voice: “Human.”
Shang Che didn’t open his eyes, merely offering a soft response with a sleepy note: “Mm?”
“What is… school like?” The cotton doll’s voice was exceptionally clear, leaving only curiosity and a thread of desperately masked disappointment.
The joyful weekend was coming to an end. Tomorrow Shang Che was going to that place it couldn’t go to again.
A dark cloud drifted into Cotton’s world, and Cotton couldn’t drive it away.
Shang Che went silent in the dark for a moment, then turned over, facing that cozy corner.
Why was this little creature still hung up on school?
He attempted to describe that world—entirely foreign to the doll—in a way the cotton doll could comprehend: “School is a place humans use to pass down knowledge. There are many humans inside. Humans like me are called students, and the people who teach us all sorts of knowledge about the human world are called teachers.”
“Students have to study many subjects, and the most important thing is to pass exams and graduate smoothly.”
“Is that so…”
The cotton doll muttered in a low voice, its tone going quiet, still sounding somewhat glum.
Even if school sounded so important—a necessary path for a human’s growth—the thought in its heart of not wanting to be separated from Shang Che still won out.
This entire day’s joy—eating breakfast together, riding the swing together, and the newly put-on pajamas—made it extraordinarily attached to the time spent with its keeper.
The cotton doll said no more, and the room plunged into darkness and tranquility.
Shang Che’s consciousness began to grow heavy and chaotic as sleepiness gradually welled up, slowly drifting off to sleep.
The cotton doll on the doll bed was still blinking those golden eyes, the tiny bit of sadness in its heart about “having to separate again tomorrow” nibbling at its fluffy cotton core like a tiny bug.
…School…
That was a place its keeper had to go to almost every day, while it could only stay at home in loneliness, waiting for its keeper to leave early and return late, only getting to spend long stretches of time with its keeper on weekends.
The cotton doll suddenly birthed a somewhat bold idea: What if… it secretly followed its keeper to take a look at that place called ‘school’?
It told itself: Cotton isn’t going out to play; Cotton just wants to take a single look at what the place its keeper usually stays at actually looks like.
However, its keeper had explicitly stated that it “could not go out.”
There were many, many people in school; it was definitely dangerous and very easy to be discovered.
If it were caught speaking and moving, the consequences would be very severe.
But… but…
The cotton doll’s small round hands pressed tightly together. It recalled the black backpack Shang Che carried to school every day—it was very big.
If… it could take advantage of Shang Che not paying attention and secretly hide inside… would it not be discovered?
The cotton doll knew this was very risky, but…
It looked toward that blurry silhouette in the dark.
The human was already asleep.
The cotton doll watched quietly for a long, long time.
And then, it made up its mind.
Shang Che’s backpack was usually placed on the chair beside the desk.
The cotton doll focused its gaze, and sure enough, that black, double-strapped backpack with quite a large capacity was sitting there quietly, like a silent invitation.
Although its keeper said it was a silly Cotton, Cotton knew that Cotton wasn’t silly!
Cotton wasn’t going to be stupid enough to use such a big body to hide inside.
A golden light flashed in the cotton doll’s eyes. In the corner of the desk, the 10-centimeter cotton doll that it had “forced” onto Shang Che under the banner of “keeping human company while studying”—which had been lying quietly—moved its body almost imperceptibly.
This was the result of its spoiled, rascal-acting antics from a few days ago.
Although its keeper wore an unwilling face, saying “who needs a cotton doll’s company to study,” he had actually found a corner to set it down. Unexpectedly, at this moment, it had turned into a crucial link in its “plan.”
The cotton doll carefully stood up from the desk. It walked for a long while with huffing steps before finally shuffling to the edge of the desk, then cautiously poked out a small, pink cotton head.
The tap lamp emitting a faint glow happened to help it confirm the position and opening status of that black backpack on the chair below.
The zipper… seemed to only be pulled halfway? Awesome!
A wave of relief washed over the cotton doll’s heart—this was simply heaven helping Cotton!
Mustering up its courage, it locked onto the position and carefully “leaped” off the edge of the desk.
The 10-centimeter cotton doll was smaller and lighter. Falling onto the soft backpack fabric, it produced virtually no sound at all, merely causing the backpack surface to cave in ever so subtly.
Cotton! Well done!
Cotton! You’re so awesome!
A tiny sense of victory surged into its heart. It quickly stabilized its stance, crawling toward that half-open zipper opening.
The inside of the backpack was pitch black, the space much roomier than it imagined. The cotton doll probed around in the dark, searching for a relatively hidden corner.
It didn’t know what it touched, only knowing that it seemed to find a tiny gap, and then squeezed itself in with effort.
It felt somewhat excited, yet also somewhat scared.
Excited that the plan seemed to be proceeding smoothly, bringing it a step closer to that longed-for yet foreign “school.”
Scared of the unknown road ahead, the possibility of being caught, and the rage that its keeper might explode with.
The cotton doll didn’t know whether its bold and rebellious decision was right or wrong, but it truly, truly wanted to spend more time with Shang Che, even if only in this secretive manner.
It also genuinely wanted to see what that place occupying so much of its keeper’s time actually looked like.
Outside the window, the night grew deeper.
In the bedroom, Shang Che remained immersed in a dreamless, peaceful sleep, entirely unaware of the fact that a tiny, anxious “stowaway” had been added to his backpack.
