The familiar magnetic voice lingered in my ears. Just as I was lost in a daze, the camera in my hands was deftly taken by the person standing behind me. A faint scent of mint subtly wafted from them.
Gu Fan skillfully pressed the plastic button on the side of the camera, and the screen immediately displayed the bold words: “Delete photo?”
“Sorry, I saw Zhinian spacing out just now and didn’t want to disturb you. I went to the front desk to get some strawberry cake to go with the matcha. If you really don’t like this photo, then just delete it.”
After explaining why he left, Gu Fan handed the mini camera back to me, along with the choice of whether to keep or delete the photo.
But for a hesitant, indecisive useless catgirl like me, making a decision on the spot was naturally impossible.
If I chose to delete it, would Gu Fan think I was questioning his photography skills or vision? After all, I’ve seen those photo-loving bloggers online get really particular about whether their candid shots get approval from others.
But if I didn’t delete the photo, then the embarrassing image of my cat ears standing stiff atop my head in nervousness would forever be saved inside this camera.
Unless, someday in the future, I could find a way to destroy the memory card. Otherwise, knowing Gu Fan’s personality, he’d definitely transfer the photo carefully onto another device.
I clutched the mini camera tightly, completely unsure what to do.
Just then, Gu Fan sat down beside me and once again stretched out his hand. But instead of directly taking the camera like before, he opened his palm, offering me a third option.
“Zhinian, do you want to hear how I feel about taking photos?”
For some reason, looking at that broad palm, the heart I’d had hanging high up in my chest immediately sank back down where it belonged, and my whole body relaxed.
Feeling a wave of relief, I gently placed the camera back into Gu Fan’s palm.
“I want to hear it. I want to know if you find my clumsy expression annoying. I feel like I looked no different from a dumb cat just yawning for no reason. Even though you and I have known each other for so long, when you leaned in close, my first reaction was to tense up completely. Maybe a catgirl like me who gets stressed so easily really doesn’t deserve anyone’s love.”
Gu Fan merely extended an olive branch to me, but I clung to it like a drowning person grabbing a lifeline, pouring out all the thoughts bottled up inside my heart at once.
Fortunately, Gu Fan didn’t show the slightest impatience or disdain. He kept his usual calm smile and quietly listened to my rambling, which sounded like the ravings of a madman.
“Umm… right… sorry.”
Maybe I really was missing a few brain cells?
It was always like this—my lips went on nonstop like they were fighting each other with “crackling” sounds, and my words spilled out chaotically like a protagonist in a drama rushing to catch the subway, completely failing to organize my thoughts.
Only after I finished talking would I belatedly try to fix things, putting on a victim’s fragile look to gain Gu Fan’s pity and sympathy, ignoring the fact that I was the one who’d caused this awkward situation by being dumb in the first place.
What a hopelessly stupid cat!
The tail behind me chose exactly this moment to come out and demand attention, swaying left and right as if it had a mind of its own. If circumstances allowed, I’d have cut it off long ago.
My fingers dug lightly into my thigh wrapped in thermal pants, using the subtle pain to force my brain to remember how foolish I’d been just now.
“… I’m talking a lot, Gu Fan, does it bother you?”
Slowly coming back to myself, I pressed my lips together and quietly made my request.
Like a gambler kneeling before a Bodhisattva, praying for good luck or a jackpot, always hoping a powerful force controlling all things would mercifully grant blessings and effortlessly help me achieve what I want—how could something like that ever happen to me again?
I’m already grateful to have been chosen by fate to be reborn as a catgirl and return to Gu Fan’s side.
Now I should be working hard to win his love, not always hoping he’d accommodate me.
I even fantasized about some kind of game cheat code appearing out of nowhere—just a little thought and I could max out Gu Fan’s affection for me, and if any other girls tried to get close with bad intentions, I could use this extraordinary power to drive them far away.
“I don’t mind at all. Why would I? Zhinian, you’re so cute—I haven’t even gotten tired of you yet.”
“Ah… miu?”
I let out a strange sound. My ability to organize words was completely crushed by the shock of his reply, and I couldn’t return to normal for the moment.
Gu Fan’s response was beyond what I expected. I thought he’d frown and scold me, or force a stiff smile and say some perfunctory words.
But the scene before me was Gu Fan gently opening his arms toward me.
“Remember the promise I made to you the other day at the railway park? Zhinian, you have the freedom to touch me however you like.”
“Umm~”
I hesitated, wanting to say something touching to thank Gu Fan for his kindness and prepare a small prelude to the mischief I was about to commit.
But my heart seized my throat, gripping my vocal cords so tightly that I couldn’t speak those meaningless words. Every part of my body urged me to quickly dive into his warm embrace and replenish the energy from Gu Fan that soothed both body and soul.
Before I could even decide whether to move forward, my overly developed catgirl body took the lead, bypassing my brain’s control.
Like a hunting cat, I pounced swiftly into Gu Fan’s arms, my forehead bumping hard against the broad chest of the young man.
More than the slight pain, what I felt most deeply was the intense warmth radiating through his down jacket and the indescribable masculine scent unique to Gu Fan.
“Sniff sniff…”
Unconsciously, I wrinkled my nose and inhaled the scent deeply, burying my head into the hollow of Gu Fan’s neck.
“Haha, Zhinian, don’t do that—it tickles.”
My cat ears twitched uncontrollably, causing Gu Fan to laugh.
But while his words said so, his hands tightened around my back and gently patted me like soothing a child, one pat after another.