After pressing the doorbell, I lifted the plastic bag filled with lunch, fixing my eyes on the dark brown security door ahead, my thoughts drifting slightly.
When was the last time I came to Zhi Nian’s place? I can’t quite remember, but it must’ve been more than four months since I last came here.
Luckily, my memory isn’t too bad. After thinking for a bit while searching for the right floor, I managed to find this nondescript security door.
At moments like this, there’s always a trace of inexplicable melancholy—this adorable, clingy childhood friend catgirl lives in such an ordinary place, no different from the rest of the world.
Of course, more than anything, I felt a heartfelt joy and gratitude. After all, among the vast sea of people, I happened to choose this little catgirl, who was willing to depend on me wholeheartedly, to be my companion all these years. All the days we’ve spent together are worth savoring from time to time.
The corners of my mouth lifted unconsciously, and my desire to see Zhi Nian grew even stronger. Just then, as if the security door sensed my longing, it suddenly swung open.
With the dazzling natural light from the living room spilling into the unlit hallway, I squinted to adjust to the change in brightness, and at the same time, I saw standing in front of the door—the catgirl I’d been longing for.
Her hair was a little messy, like when she forgot to tie it up with a hairband or elastic before sitting on the back of my motorcycle, letting the wind blow it wildly.
Zhi Nian’s cheeks and lips were naturally rosy, like the fresh apples just delivered to the supermarket—lustrous and inviting, making me want to take a bite. I wondered if it was the heat, or if she was lost in thoughts I didn’t know.
But… my attention soon shifted to a few even more eye-catching places.
Should I remind Zhi Nian to button her school uniform properly? Through the faint outline of her cotton balls, I could see tiny beads of sweat clinging to them.
“Gu Fan… Good morning… Ah! No, no, I mean, good afternoon.”
Due to our height difference, the cat ears hanging in front of me quivered excitedly, making me want to reach out and give them a rub.
But I remembered Zhi Nian’s senses were several times sharper than the average girl’s, so what might be a pleasant little gesture to most people was already extremely stimulating for her.
Although I really wanted to see Zhi Nian look at me dazedly, like a little black cat nestled contentedly against me, letting out a cute purr from her throat.
Still, I worried that too much stimulation might be bad for her health. Having once been seriously ill and miraculously recovered, I now cared about health more than ever.
The frail black-haired catgirl gripped the hem of her pleated skirt with both hands. Her voice was soft, but just clear enough for me to hear.
As she did so, I noticed Zhi Nian had purposely changed into her uniform skirt and black stockings. But her toes, pressed tightly against the porcelain floor, were bare. Wasn’t she afraid of getting her feet dirty without slippers?
My thoughts drifted for a second before I quickly reined them in, forcing myself to keep my composure.
“Aren’t you going to invite me in to sit for a bit?”
Calming myself, I forced my gaze away from those dangerously tempting places, speaking to Zhi Nian in a normal tone.
“Mm? Of course… Gu Fan, come in…”
Zhi Nian mumbled sleepily and tried to reach out and take my hand, wanting to lead me inside.
But she soon realized this gesture was too forward—or perhaps not ladylike enough—so her lips pressed tightly together, her little nose wrinkling in lively protest, as if she was really unwilling to let this opportunity slip by.
I stared at her delicate, picturesque face without blinking, carefully observing every shift in her expression—much more focused than I ever was during exams.
“Do you have any slippers?”
“Mm? Yes…”
As much as I wanted to keep watching the little catgirl’s every move, I saw that her feet, clad only in sheer black stockings, were about to step out of the house and onto the unswept hallway floor. I quickly stepped forward to stop her and handed her the somewhat heavy plastic bag.
Zhi Nian was surprisingly strong, easily taking the bag from my hand and sidestepping to make room for me to walk inside. I’d never seen her work out, but maybe she secretly exercised when she was home alone?
Still, I figured it was more likely a natural advantage from her catgirl physique. I’d seen plenty of athletic catgirls on the internet, showing off their talents at sports meets and competitions.
Carefully maneuvering around those cotton balls that blocked half the doorway, Zhi Nian put down the plastic bag with lunch and, seeing that I was still standing in the entryway instead of going into the living room, her happily swaying cat tail behind her paused for a long moment before she finally realized what was wrong.
Her little feet pitter-pattered toward me as she muttered “sorry” and similar things under her breath.
Maybe the tiles were too slippery, or maybe she had no shoes or grip from her bare skin, but in only her black over-the-knee stockings, Zhi Nian suddenly slipped and tilted toward me.
Luckily, I was watching her the whole time. I hurriedly took a big step forward and reached out both hands to catch her as she fell.
The lucky accident I’d imagined didn’t happen. Or rather, I managed to react just in time, using instinct to protect Zhi Nian from hitting her head, which was already a rare stroke of fortune in itself.
In a crisis like that, the first thing that flashed through my mind was to hold on to Zhi Nian no matter what. Now that I’d come to my senses, I realized I’d almost touched her cotton balls… Luckily, what I caught was Zhi Nian’s soft little belly.
“Mm…”
The little catgirl whimpered pitifully in my arms. I helped her sit down on the sofa in the living room.
Her head drooped, and she sobbed quietly. She didn’t seem to be hurt, and I saw no sign of injury. Was she just startled by the sudden accident? Or had I held her too tight and hurt her internally?
I didn’t rush to blurt out all my questions. At times like this, all I could do was squat in front of her, offer her my hand to hold, and wait while she calmed herself before we talked.
The cat tail that had been held high now drooped, resting motionless behind her. Even the lively tip of her tail seemed shy, like a child scared of strangers, peeking at me for a moment before hiding behind her back.
The cat ears on Zhi Nian’s head curled up as well. After more than a month, this round-headed little catgirl appeared before me again, and I was tempted to pull out my phone and capture this heart-melting scene.
Forget it, that would be disrespectful. Better to just properly comfort this poor, stressed little catgirl.
Zhi Nian clung to my outstretched hand, digging her fingertips into the back of my hand. Her nails had been trimmed and weren’t too long, and the faintly prickling pressure reminded me of an angry little kitten pawing at me.
There was a box of tissues on the coffee table. I reached out with my free hand, pulled a few out, and dabbed away the tears at the corners of Zhi Nian’s eyes.
“Are you feeling better?”
“Mm… Sorry… I overreacted…”
Zhi Nian’s voice was soft and sweet. Her lowered gaze darted anxiously around, as if trying to avoid my eyes.
I sighed slightly, turning the hand she was clutching over and wrapping it gently in my own.
“Can you tell me what caused this?”
“Uh, well…”
Zhi Nian hesitated for a moment. I could feel her breath growing heavier. She gave me a serious look before she started explaining.
“It’s just… I’m a little disappointed in myself. As a catgirl, I should have good balance and elegance, but I almost tripped myself twice in a row and even embarrassed myself in front of you, Gu Fan. I really can’t accept that… Will you hate me for being like this? Clumsy and awkward—of course you wouldn’t like that, right? Can you forgive me?”
As she spoke, her words came faster and faster, her gaze turning more evasive, her body inching closer to mine.
By the time she’d poured out her heart, she was nearly bent over, at the same eye level as me, crouched on the floor. In that position, I could see into her unbuttoned uniform.
“…”
Zhi Nian snapped back to herself and realized she’d been too forward. In an instant, her already pink cheeks flushed bright red, like a boiling kettle. The previously droopy tail on the sofa suddenly thrashed violently, like a helicopter spiraling up into the air.
“Mm! Well… I was just babbling, Gu Fan, you don’t need to take it seriously! And the reason my uniform wasn’t buttoned up was because I forgot due to the heat, not because I’m too fat and popped the buttons. I didn’t mean to show you, really! Wait, no, actually, if you wanted to look, I wouldn’t really mind, just tell me first so I can get mentally prepared or something—ahh, what am I even saying…?”
“All right, let’s get your slippers on first.”
I caught Zhi Nian’s restless black-stockinged foot and slipped the pink slippers from beside the sofa onto her feet.
That finally stopped the catgirl’s endless muttering. She turned into a gentle, bashful catgirl, staring intently at me, her lips still moving in silent fragments, as if whispering to herself inside.
Seeing that my childhood friend had lost the ability to deal with anything for the moment, I could only let her sit here to calm down. I poured a glass of warm water and placed it on the coffee table before her, then went to untie the knot in the plastic bag and started preparing today’s lunch with sauces and seasonings.