Chapter 197: Valentine’s Day Countdown (Final)

After the waitress took my measurements, she brought me several sets of loose-fitting bras.

She was about to explain the colors and patterns of each bra, but I took them all at once and slipped straight into the fitting room.

I let out a long sigh, feeling once again how awkward I was at dealing with overly enthusiastic service staff. If only they were like when I worked at the Maid x Cat Café—no small talk, just letting me be quietly for a while.

After zoning out for a bit inside the fitting room, I finally took off my clothes and tried on each bra one by one. The waitress’s sizing was spot on; each piece fit well and looked flattering.

I just wondered… if in this lifetime I’d ever get the chance to show this version of myself to Gu Fan?

Lost in a wistful daydream, I pursed my lips, put on my uniform and jacket, then stepped out.

I handed the bras to the waitress for packaging and payment, and also bought a pair of slightly sheer black pantyhose. After she cut off the tags, I went back into the fitting room, slipped them on swiftly, and packed Gu Fan’s deep blue thermal pants into the extra plastic bag.

With the bra’s perfect support, I no longer worried about excessive bouncing while walking, and I felt much more comfortable moving around.

The waitress, carrying the pure white opaque plastic bag emblazoned with a logo, gave me a puzzled look as I emerged from the fitting room.

She probably didn’t expect me to finish shopping so quickly. Other girls might have spent half a day picking out clothes before making a decision.

“Thank you.”

I thanked her softly, naturally taking the bag with my clothes from her hand, then headed straight to where Gu Fan was waiting.

From behind me came a faint “Please come again,” which finally snapped Gu Fan out of his brooding.

He lifted his gaze toward the lingerie store, his eyes landing on my legs wrapped in black pantyhose before slowly moving up to meet mine.

“Zhinian, are you done shopping?”

“Yeah, more or less.”

I nodded, giving a perfunctory reply without refusing Gu Fan’s usual offer to carry my bag.

The top of the plastic bag was sealed with a zipper—though the waitress hadn’t zipped it all the way—but I didn’t mind Gu Fan catching a glimpse of the bra styles. If anything, I secretly hoped it would make him blush or spark some dreamy thoughts about me.

It was just a pity I hadn’t picked out a swimsuit. The lingerie store only sold a few swimsuits with very daring materials. My figure would fit them now, but I wasn’t bold enough yet.

If I did buy one of those swimsuits, I’d probably only dare to wear it at home for Gu Fan, and even then, I’d be the type to take a full-length mirror selfie to send him.

If I appeared before Gu Fan in one of those scanty outfits, I might just blush so hard I’d pass out. The little fabric barely covered anything… and the prices were outrageously high. Usually, I’d be wrapped in a bath towel after showering and feel better covered—and that’s at a fraction of the cost.

Well, I’d save that for summer. No need to rush to prepare everything now when I might not even have the chance to wear them.

Lost in these random thoughts, we reached the other end of the corridor, about to take the escalator down.

Just then, I suddenly heard a dog barking.

Looking toward the source, it was coming from the pet shop I’d visited at noon.

A staff member was unloading a cart with boxes—definitely a shipment of pet supplies and food.

“Gu Fan… want to keep browsing?”

Remembering the couple I saw inside earlier, where the girl affectionately clung to the guy’s arm, coaxing him to buy a cute kitten ornament, I called out to Gu Fan.

He stopped and followed my gaze, then answered calmly,

“Sure, let’s go.”

Gu Fan walked quickly, and as he said that, he headed toward the pet shop.

I pouted, somewhat displeased, and followed behind him. The white incandescent lights on the shopping center ceiling cast his figure into a faint, elongated silhouette.

I lifted my toe, wrapped in a rounded leather shoe, and stomped down hard to vent my frustration with Gu Fan.

No emotion at all… hmph, he could at least pay some attention to me.

I knew Gu Fan’s calm, detached personality had been that way since childhood; even when he teased me, it was only on a whim.

Most of the time, he was like a peaceful lake deep in the mountains, impossible to read—no telling what he was thinking or feeling.

That was why I often struggled to tell if he was mad at me.

Sometimes if I said something too harsh or crossed a line, Gu Fan would fall silent and unconsciously fidget with the hem of his clothes—obvious signs he’d been affected by my words.

Ah… if only Gu Fan would talk to me about everything. No hiding secrets in his heart.

But for now, I was just an ordinary childhood friend, unable to cross into Gu Fan’s private space, like a wildcat making a mess everywhere—only risking annoying him.

I’d wait until we were truly married to find the chance to have a proper talk with my husband, and tell him to share any worries freely.

For anything solvable, we’d tackle it together. For the unsolvable… well, I’d just tie up my loose hair and pull Gu Fan back to the bedroom for a nap.

That was the only advantage I had as a useless catgirl wife whose only strong point was her figure—helping Gu Fan in my own small way.

Thinking this, my cat ears began to flush slightly—actually, my entire head felt warm and red.

I hadn’t even felt Gu Fan’s hand on my head yet, but just imagining it made me shy—my tolerance really was that weak.

Annoyed, I cursed myself silently. At that moment, Gu Fan pushed open the pet shop door.

I rubbed my cheek, adjusted my expression, and followed him inside.

At the entrance, the macaw was dozing with half-closed eyes. Hearing customers arrive, it habitually shouted, “Welcome!”

Then, seeing me standing behind Gu Fan, it suddenly ruffled all its feathers, and its call turned sharp and piercing.

“The catgirl’s back! The catgirl’s back! Gah, don’t eat me!”

Making incomprehensible human-like sounds, the macaw flew around inside its wooden cage.

Seeing me approach on tiptoe, baring my canine teeth threateningly, the bird panicked, thrust its long beak out of the cage, bit the small chain, and pulled—opening the cage door.

It flew inside the back room and landed on a staff member’s shoulder.

The employee calmed the macaw and placed it on the counter before coming over to serve us.

“Oh… it’s you, the catgirl from noon, right? And this time you’ve brought your boyfriend to celebrate Valentine’s Day? Want me to show you some pet shop accessories?”