“Good, good… it’s okay…”
Gu Fan’s gentle voice drifted softly by my cat ears.
We were in an open-air tea shop, almost connected to the shopping mall corridor. The passing crowd brought a constant buzz of chatter and footsteps.
But within Gu Fan’s embrace and soothing voice, my heart grew as calm as if sinking into the depths of the sea. The noisy clamor outside was diluted hundreds of times by the water, and all I could hear was a faint, white noise-like hum.
I hid in this gentle haven that Gu Fan had built for me, my cheek pressed tightly against his broad chest through the thick down jacket. The strong “thump thump” of his heartbeat pounded against my face, causing my own heart to tremble uncontrollably in response.
If I could transform into any creature at will, I’d want to become a soul insect, burrow inside Gu Fan’s body, clutch onto that strong heart, imprint my mark inside it, and eavesdrop on everything he thought about, every moment.
Mmm… but if I did that, wouldn’t I just be a harmful parasite? No, no—Gu Fan definitely prefers me as his catgirl.
My hands fidgeted restlessly at Gu Fan’s back, dissatisfied and wandering. Unfortunately, it was late winter, and I’d deliberately slid my hands beneath the down jacket to be closer, more intimate in the hug. But there was still a sweater between us—so frustrating.
Summer’s the best—then I could use a camping trip to the beach as an excuse to openly admire Gu Fan’s abs.
Maybe I could even ask him to help me apply sunscreen while sunbathing, showing off my figure, far ahead of other girls my age. And who knows? I might even get to apply some sunscreen on my childhood friend! Heh heh, just thinking about it makes my heart flutter.
After successfully recharging myself with Gu Fan’s energy through the hug, the corners of my mouth lifted involuntarily, and my cat tail flicked uncontrollably in every direction. Luckily, it was soft enough not to accidentally hurt him.
“How do you feel? Better?”
Because we were so close, Gu Fan’s breath inevitably brushed over my cat ears, causing them—already overly sensitive—to twitch several times in response. The sensation was then exaggerated and transmitted to me through our neural connection.
“Mmm… much better.”
Being hugged by Gu Fan and whispering softly felt as comfortable as curling up under a blanket. I didn’t want to pull away.
But I knew this was a public place. Strangers passing by the tea shop and customers sipping their drinks were casting curious glances our way.
I didn’t care what they thought—we weren’t bothering anyone—but Gu Fan, who valued social harmony, would feel awkward about it. I couldn’t be so selfish as to ignore his feelings.
So reluctantly, I broke free from Gu Fan’s embrace. Still, my fingers clung stubbornly to the hem of his jacket, trying to soothe the part of me that hadn’t yet been truly satisfied.
Gu Fan’s cheeks flushed slightly, strands of hair across his forehead a little disheveled. His amber eyes looked at me with a haze of mist, as if he, too, hadn’t fully recovered from our long hug.
I suppressed the urge to pounce back into his arms. A drunk Gu Fan really is tempting to indulge… I finally understood why some girls online shared stories of playfully teasing their boyfriends until they cried.
If this weren’t a public place, but rather a bedroom free from interruption, I wouldn’t dare imagine what moves I might make.
Is this what they call a surge of maternal instincts? Hmph, picturing Gu Fan snuggling into my arms like a spoiled child almost made my heart burst.
“Guests, you ordered two cups of signature matcha, right?”
The waitress’s voice snapped me out of my daydream. Gu Fan’s slightly dazed eyes cleared instantly. He quickly composed his expression, putting on that flawless faint smile, and replied to her question.
“Yes, two cups of lightly heated signature matcha. Are they not ready yet?”
“Sorry… today’s customers are quite many. We’re speeding up production, but hot drinks take longer. We’ve only prepared one cup for now. Please wait a moment for the other.”
Gu Fan nodded in acknowledgment. The waitress then carefully placed a steaming cup of matcha on our table from a tray full of drinks, bowed slightly, and hurried off to the next seat.
“I’m not very thirsty. Gu Fan, you drink first! Tell me how it tastes when you’re done.”
My tongue tripped over the formal phrasing. It’d been a long time since I spoke so politely to anyone.
Even at the catgirl maid café, it was enough to simply put drinks or desserts in front of customers straightforwardly.
If a customer paid for extra service, at most I’d clench my fist beside my face expressionlessly and say, “Please enjoy, meow~.” Those customers would then look blissfully dazed, and I could clear the tray and go back to slacking at the kitchen window.
Honestly, working at the cat café hadn’t improved my language skills much—just trained me in a few scripted phrases for customers.
Hmm, if Gu Fan wanted me to play maid and serve him, maybe those lines would come in handy? But Gu Fan didn’t seem like that kind of person—unless I took the initiative to change into a maid outfit early, then he might half-heartedly accept my service.
Imagining this silly fantasy, I forced myself into a working mindset and forced a faint smile, cupping the warm tea and pushing it toward Gu Fan.
“P-please… enjoy it quickly, meow…”
Gu Fan raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise, probably not expecting me to say something so strange.
Then, to my confusion, he cut a small piece of the strawberry cake he’d brought earlier with a dinner knife, speared it with a fork, and held it up to my lips.
“Miss Zhinian, please try this delicious dessert I specially ordered for you.”
“Uh?!”
I was completely caught off guard…
When Gu Fan said this, he even leaned in closer, tilted his head, and smiled gently at me. How could I possibly compete with someone like him, who regularly socialized with others? I was truly overestimating myself.
The heat on my cheeks rose at lightning speed. Frustrated, I wished there was a mirror nearby so I could see if my face was as red as an apple.
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