My back was sticky… the waist that had been arched just moments ago collapsed weakly back onto the bed, and in the end the sheets still ended up wet.
I panted lightly, biting my lips in regret.
There was no heater or air conditioner in the room, so before long I had to get up, toss the wet towel into the bathroom, and put on a thick sweater.
My body was far too fragile now—if I got chilled, it would be easy to catch a cold.
Standing in front of the sink, I looked at myself in the mirror.
My cheeks were red, my eyes still misty and unfocused, as though I hadn’t quite recovered.
Cold water rushed over my fingers as I lowered my head to wash the towel, and my thoughts began to drift.
What is Gu Fan doing right now…?
Is he wandering the flower market alone? Or is he with some other woman, doing something else together?
Countless possibilities flickered through my mind like shards of broken glass.
I stared blankly at the empty air before me, until the icy water had reddened my fingertips and nearly numbed them completely. Suddenly, I shivered and snapped back to myself, quickly shutting off the tap.
“Huh……”
I pressed my cold fingers tightly against my cheeks, letting the faint warmth from my face slowly balance out the chill.
Looking into the mirror again, I saw my drooping eyelids, my faintly furrowed brows. I wasn’t exactly haggard, but anyone could tell this catgirl’s mental state wasn’t very good.
The irritation from before had faded, but in its place was something worse—an uncomfortable heaviness, like tangled black threads knotted up in my chest.
And even as a catgirl, I couldn’t simply use my “claws” to tear those threads away.
Forced to endure this disgusting, foreign feeling, I muttered under my breath,
“As expected… even doing those lewd things doesn’t solve everything, huh?”
Letting out a sigh, I withdrew my fingers and walked back into the bedroom, casually changing to a new bedsheet.
Even though I said that, deep down I couldn’t help but think—if it were with Gu Fan, rolling around on the bed together… maybe all my worries really would vanish instantly.
Heh.
Or perhaps, the very moment that dream came true, I’d already be so happy I could ascend straight to heaven. Hehehe…
Snickering to myself a few times, I quickly finished changing the sheets. I was just about to flop onto the bed to sleep and recover some of the stamina I had drained earlier when—
The sound of knocking came. To be precise, someone was knocking at the door.
The rhythm was calm, the intervals between each knock almost unnervingly precise, as though calculated to be exactly the same each time.
I never expected anyone to knock on my door. The only other person at home was my mother—so what would she come here for? To humiliate me?
That thought made my already gloomy mood sink further, as though dark storm clouds had rolled in to blot out the sun.
Dragging myself reluctantly out of my warm bed, I trudged toward the door, exhaled the stale air from my lungs, then forced a cold, stiff expression onto my face before opening it.
“…Gu Fan?!!”
Standing right there at the door—was the very person I had longed for in my dreams.
Gu Fan.
He was holding a small pot of pink lilies, standing upright before me.
The shock was so overwhelming that I couldn’t control my voice or tone at all. The way I shouted his name was far too loud.
Downstairs, my mother, who was still in the living room, must have heard the noise as well.
I had assumed the knocking was from her, so my face had been twisted in annoyance—yet when I saw who it really was, I was caught completely off guard, and my expression turned a little messy.
Damn it… I just hope Gu Fan didn’t misunderstand.
I forced the corners of my lips upward, but I could feel that my smile was probably stiff—one of those fake-looking smiles that lacked any real sincerity.
Gu Fan responded with a faint smile of his own, his gaze drifting past me and landing on the room behind me.
“The breeze today is actually quite refreshing. You could pull the curtains open a bit. I also brought this pot of flowers—taking in the fragrance isn’t bad either.”
“U-uh… right, okay.”
I nodded quickly, latching onto his words as if they were a lifeline.
After peeking into the hallway to make sure no one else was around, I finally invited Gu Fan into the room and quietly closed the door behind us.
When I pulled the curtains open, the gloomy weather from earlier had unexpectedly cleared. Bright sunlight poured onto the floor, draping Gu Fan, who stood by the window, in a golden veil.
“Um… Gu Fan, how did you even get in?”
I was genuinely curious how he had slipped past my mother’s defenses. From what I knew of her, the difficulty of letting him into my room should have been no less than trying to climb to heaven itself.
“How did I get in? Through the front door, of course.”
Gu Fan’s eyes curved into crescents as he spoke in a joking tone.
I puffed up my cheeks and tugged at his sleeve with both hands.
“Then how did you convince my mother? Tell me, won’t you?”
Gu Fan chuckled softly, setting the pot of lilies he held onto the windowsill. Then he began to explain in detail how he had gained my mother’s approval.
“Your mother is actually quite tolerant. Once I honestly confessed my reasons for wanting to see you, along with my true feelings, she generously allowed me to come in.”
“…Is that really so?”
I pressed my somewhat dry lips together, uncertain whether to believe Gu Fan’s words.
From the first time we met as children up until now, Gu Fan had always treated me with genuine sincerity.
Aside from his little jokes, he had never deceived me. Yet I was never content—constantly spinning lies just to protect my own selfish thoughts.
What a despicable, shameless woman I am… troublesome personality, mediocre temperament—only my figure and face are barely acceptable.
If I hadn’t become a catgirl, I suspect Gu Fan never would have befriended me in the first place.
Shaking my head to chase away these messy thoughts, I forced myself to accept Gu Fan’s explanation.
Then, rather awkwardly, I tugged him over to sit on the edge of my bed, steering the conversation toward other topics to divert his attention.
As for what my mother was really thinking—I neither knew nor cared to find out.
All I knew was that Gu Fan had successfully crossed the barrier she posed, and now he was here in my room.
Although we hadn’t been able to visit the flower market together today, he still brought me a neatly pruned pot of lilies.
Clinging to the safe topic of “how have you been lately,” I rambled on, recounting the little things that had happened in my life these past few days.
Although only a few days had passed, my heart already felt crammed full of countless emotions.
What moved me even more was that while I was speaking, Gu Fan kept listening intently to me.
From time to time, during the pauses in my words, he would gently pat my head or my cat ears, and then offer his own understanding and advice.
To be honest… I felt myself being completely captured by these unintentional gestures of his.
Having someone who can listen to your troubles and worries with patience and genuine care—even if they can’t provide the perfect solution—just such simple conversation alone is enough to make the clouds in your heart disperse, leaving your mood bright and clear again.
We chatted happily for a long time, shoulder to shoulder, sitting side by side on the edge of the bed without moving. I didn’t even realize that from talking so much, my throat had become dry.
The legs I had been keeping tightly pressed together in embarrassment gradually relaxed.
By the time I noticed, my calf had somehow already come to rest across Gu Fan’s leg… and the tip of my foot, wrapped in black stockings, was even unconsciously rubbing against him.
Uh… could Gu Fan be thinking I’m some kind of pervert?
Flustered, I quickly glanced at his expression—only to find that he had already been watching my feet for some time.
Yet his expression remained calm and neutral, showing no sign of emotional fluctuation.
I turned my head instead toward the pot of lilies on the windowsill. Outside, the sky was gradually darkening, the sunset lingering at the horizon.
The deep crimson light, nearly fading into darkness, spread across the flower petals, giving them a strangely enchanting beauty.
Forget it—whatever happens, happens!
I clenched the hem of my sweater, straightened my back, and deliberately pushed my chest forward so that the curve of my body would become more obvious.
“……”
“Hm? What’s the matter?”
Gu Fan turned his head to look at me, and then he also noticed how I was deliberately leaning the two curves under my sweater closer to him. His eyes widened in sudden realization.
Hehe… this time it was Gu Fan’s turn to fall into silence.
I gave an evil smile, then boldly hugged Gu Fan’s arm.
“Gu Fan, does this outfit look good on me?”
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