Chapter 184: Cat Pillow

The slightly dim incandescent light shone down, and I squinted as I looked at the mini camera in my hand. The camera’s build wasn’t very solid, so the photos it took were low resolution.

Still… even without the beautifying filters that come with smartphones, Zhinian’s appearance and smile could still leave anyone who saw them in awe. Although I didn’t intend to show these photos to anyone else but myself, perhaps this was what selfishness really meant?

The black-haired catgirl, noble and cold like an iceberg, was smiling gently at ‘me’ through the lens, even reaching out her hand as if to cross the camera and hold the one taking the picture. Anyone who witnessed such a scene would surely have their heart tremble violently, wouldn’t they?

Pressing the plastic button on the camera, I kept flipping through the photos taken by the beach, unwilling to delete any of them.

Memories surged through my mind—playful little catgirl hopping barefoot on the sand, circling around me while chattering on and on about her feelings and thoughts over the past few days.

That was when I learned that during the New Year, she hadn’t even eaten a proper meal of hot dumplings or hotpot.

Zhinian’s mother had been busy working those days and barely had time to come home and eat the New Year’s Eve dinner with her.

It was precisely after hearing this that I decided on a whim to bring Zhinian along to this old house belonging to my uncle.

Before, even when I came here, I rarely spent time tidying up. I would just lie on the bed for a while, enjoying the quiet solitude alone, then ride my motorcycle back to my parents’ home on the other side of town.

To be honest, I seldom invited others into my home—whether relatives passing through this small town or close friends, I always preferred to meet them in public outdoor places, trying to make them feel as welcome as possible.

For me… home was still a special and private space. Thinking carefully, it seemed I had only ever brought Zhinian, this silly little catgirl, back home.

Other friends or classmates, even if they wanted to come over, I would find all sorts of excuses to send them away, or if they stayed for a bit in the doorway or living room, I’d use “let’s go out for a walk” as an excuse to drag them outside.

Maybe it was because Zhinian was too easy to handle. I remembered when she was a cute, shy little catgirl as a child, tugging at my clothes and timidly hiding behind me.

When I shouted “Mom!” to my mother, she seemed to freeze for a moment before following me and shouting it out too. It made my mother laugh heartily.

She then squeezed me aside, reached out to stroke Zhinian’s little head, pinched the cat ears I didn’t even dare touch, and casually said, “Alright, good daughter-in-law, from now on I’ll leave Gu Fan in your care.”

I still remember how, right after my mother said that, Zhinian’s bright red eyes instantly turned into spirals, and she muttered something unclear through pursed lips. The small cat ears on her head curled tightly, while a few strands of stray hair stood on end like they’d been electrocuted.

What happened next was a bit fuzzy, but in any case, Zhinian ended up sitting in the living room with my mother for quite a while. I awkwardly helped the tongue-tied catgirl with conversation.

Finally, I used the excuse of going out for milk tea to rescue the nearly overloaded little catgirl from my mother’s grasp.

Thinking back to that, a smile I couldn’t suppress tugged at the corner of my mouth. It was a pity that I was too young then to use a flip phone to record all those little expressions Zhinian made, so I could appreciate them now.

If one day Zhinian really ends up with me, how would she handle my talkative mother? I’m genuinely looking forward to that scene…

Under the slight influence of fatigue and drowsiness, my thoughts drifted uncontrollably. I unconsciously imagined a grown-up adult catgirl sitting face-to-face with my mother—still awkward and nervous as usual, while my mother leaned forward, grabbing her slender hand and chatting about all kinds of trivial daily matters.

No… this was too far-fetched, and it would be disrespectful to Zhinian as well. Right now, I was far from being a capable man, unable to live independently outside of my family.

More importantly, I still couldn’t define what kind of feelings I had for Zhinian.

Was it familial affection? I didn’t know. The parental love I received didn’t quite feel the same as the emotions Zhinian evoked in me. Other relatives merely kept things casual, and only my uncle was particularly proactive in caring about me.

Was it simply friendship? Not quite. Zhinian’s enthusiasm had long surpassed that of an ordinary friend. She often crossed the boundaries I set, like a little cat completely indifferent to human morals and social rules, recklessly running around, causing chaos at banquets, then sneaking away with me while I was still clueless.

Perhaps we were just very close childhood friends, familiar enough to hug and hold hands like lovers, but still unable to define it as “love.”

I couldn’t say why. After all, I’d never been in a relationship. The friends I’d made since childhood were basically casual acquaintances, and I had no desire to actively deepen those bonds.

As time and distance grew, they gradually chose to sever contact, just like when Zhinian and I once attended different middle schools. Now, the key to rekindling our relationship was that we both happened to be at this school with a relaxed atmosphere.

If it had been the town’s strictest First High School, even if I wanted to make up with Zhinian, I wouldn’t have been able to free myself from the heavy academic workload. Classes lasted six full days a week, leaving only half a day on Sunday to be with her.

I’d heard that students there couldn’t skip morning or evening study sessions, and truancy was severely punished.

Thinking of that, I couldn’t help but feel grateful that I was harsh enough on myself in middle school to earn the label “troublesome” from the teachers. Plus, I skipped classes every day and barely scraped through exams, so I ended up transferring to this school, which essentially let students roam free.

A faint, barely noticeable sound of footsteps drifted in, and the sofa next to me sank slightly.

I lifted my half-closed eyes, pulling myself from my thoughts to look at the girl sitting beside me.

Zhinian’s large blood-red eyes glanced first at the camera screen in my hand—still on the photo of her kicking up water barefoot—then her cheeks visibly flushed.

Immediately after, she raised her fingers, still slightly white and cold from washing dishes, and nervously tugged at her skirt. Habitually, she averted her gaze from mine and tried to change the subject.

“Gu… Gu Fan, are you sleepy? Why were you squinting just now, resting?”

I shifted my gaze to her tightly clenched hands on her skirt and chuckled softly.

“Yeah, a little sleepy. Zhinian, do you want to be my pillow?”

“Umm, eh?!!”