Meow!
Deep within Qin Huan’s consciousness, Miao Heavenly Emperor let out a desperate wail.
It had been thrashing for a long time, but Qin Huan’s awareness remained tightly wrapped in that layer of purple light, completely unresponsive.
‘It’s over. I’m totally done for this time meow!’
Ju Zhenli’s Brainwashing APP had only reached 15% development, but the effect was unexpectedly strong.
It had turned Qin Huan into an obedient baby who would only listen to her.
And the scariest part was that Ju Zhenli herself didn’t seem to have figured out what she really wanted.
‘If Ju Zhenli herself is lost, how can Qin Huan possibly break free from the brainwashing meow…’
Miao Heavenly Emperor lay weakly in Qin Huan’s consciousness space, eyes filled with despair.
This really was the Miao Heavenly Emperor’s great enterprise cut down mid-campaign.
Wait…
If Ju Zhenli herself was lost…
Then could I…
Use Cat Power?
By forcibly making Qin Huan hear Ju Zhenli’s true feelings through Cat Power, might it be possible for Qin Huan to shake off the brainwashing?
Then, after Qin Huan breaks free, she could try to persuade Ju Zhenli in return.
That way, maybe Ju Zhenli’s Obsession Degree would drop significantly…
No choice meow!
Miao Heavenly Emperor steeled itself and decided to reveal its long-hidden ace.
‘Qin Huan, this is my last bit of Cat Power meow! You have to pull through meow!’
‘Cat Power • Forced Mind Reading!’
An invisible force spread outward from the depths of Qin Huan’s consciousness.
Ju Zhenli’s muttering voice rang out.
“Xiao Huan…”
“What… kind of you do I really want?”
“Now Xiao Huan is very obedient, only listens to me, only looks at me… Isn’t this what I wanted?”
“But… why…”
“Why does looking at Xiao Huan now make me so sad?”
“I’ll miss the Xiao Huan who would act spoiled with me. I’ll miss the Xiao Huan who would puff out her cheeks while eating and say ‘super delicious.’ I’ll miss the Xiao Huan who would blush and avoid my gaze in the bathroom steam.”
“I’ll miss the… radiant Xiao Huan.”
“Yesterday, while Xiao Huan was rehearsing, I kept watching her.”
“At that moment, Xiao Huan had stars in her eyes.”
“But those stars weren’t given by me. Xiao Huan was shining on her own…”
“What I wanted… was always the Xiao Huan who could shine on her own.”
“But… if I let Xiao Huan go back to her original self, would she look at others with that gaze again? Would she show that smile to others again?”
“I’m so scared.”
“Afraid that Xiao Huan’s eyes will no longer hold only me.”
“Afraid that one day Xiao Huan will leave me again.”
“But…”
“Now Xiao Huan’s eyes don’t have any real light…”
“What difference is there between her now and when she left me?”
Her voice gradually faded, as if the speaker had fallen into deeper confusion.
Miao Heavenly Emperor lay in Qin Huan’s consciousness space, hardly daring to breathe.
Did it work meow?
It stared nervously at the layer of purple light enveloping Qin Huan’s awareness…
The light seemed…
A little dimmer?
“Elder Sister Zhenli…”
Qin Huan’s voice followed.
Qin Huan felt as though she had been dreaming a very long dream.
In the dream, there was only Elder Sister Zhenli.
Everything else was blocked by a layer of purple mist.
That was fine.
Elder Sister Zhenli had said to just think of her.
But…
Why did her heart feel so empty?
As if she had forgotten something very important.
Forgotten what?
She couldn’t remember.
Just as she was about to give up thinking, a voice suddenly echoed in the depths of her consciousness.
It was Elder Sister Zhenli’s voice, but it sounded so fragile, so sad…
“What I wanted… is the Xiao Huan who can shine on her own.”
A Xiao Huan who shines?
Was that…
Me?
“But… if I let Xiao Huan go back to her original self, would she look at others with that gaze again? Would she show that smile to others again?”
That gaze?
That smile?
“I’m scared… I’m so scared… afraid that Xiao Huan’s eyes will no longer hold only me. Afraid that one day Xiao Huan will leave me again.”
Elder Sister Zhenli…
Is scared?
Afraid I’ll leave her?
“But… now Xiao Huan’s eyes don’t have any real light… What difference is there between her now and when she left me?”
No real light…
There’s no difference between me now and when I left Elder Sister Zhenli.
No, no, no.
I want to stay by Elder Sister Zhenli’s side.
As the Xiao Huan who makes Elder Sister Zhenli happy, who makes her smile.
As the…
Radiant Xiao Huan.
The purple mist began to tremble violently.
The missing memories started to fill in…
I remember.
I am Qin Huan!
The gal game expert brought to this world by Miao Heavenly Emperor!
The last hope to save this world!
I…
Can’t stop here!
A crack split the purple light.
Qin Huan opened her eyes.
This time, there was no longer any confusion in her gaze.
“Elder Sister Zhenli,” she said softly.
Ju Zhenli, who had been standing by the window, whirled around.
Their eyes met.
Qin Huan looked at her, then slowly curved her lips into a smile—a smile with a hint of mischief, a touch of warmth, and all the spoiled sweetness Ju Zhenli knew best.
“Elder Sister Zhenli,” she called again, her voice soft and mushy.
“I’m hungry.”
Ju Zhenli froze in place.
A hint of surprise flickered in those usually cold and distant brown eyes.
“…Xiao Huan?”
“Mm.”
Qin Huan nodded lightly.
“It’s me.”
She reached out her arms toward Ju Zhenli, opening them wide.
“Elder Sister Zhenli, kiss, hug, lift me up high!”
Ju Zhenli stood there, watching Qin Huan’s eyes that had reignited, watching that face with its sly smile, watching those arms opened toward her.
She walked over quickly and pulled Qin Huan into a tight embrace—very, very tight.
“Xiao Huan…”
Ju Zhenli buried her head in Qin Huan’s shoulder, her voice trembling with an almost imperceptible shake.
“Mm.”
Qin Huan didn’t know how to respond.
She had heard Ju Zhenli’s true feelings, seen this fragile side of her for the first time.
Faced with such a vulnerable Ju Zhenli, Qin Huan had simply chosen a conquest method of acting cute.
For now…
The effect seemed good?
Outside the window, the afternoon sunlight streamed through the white gauze curtains, casting a warm halo over the two embracing figures.
Miao Heavenly Emperor let out a long breath, collapsing weakly, its tail swishing lazily.
‘Qin Huan, if you get brainwashed again next time, I’m not saving you meow…’
‘Ah, forget it. I’m just saying that. Who else can you rely on but me? meow’
Miao Heavenly Emperor rolled over, exposing its fluffy white belly.
‘But that was really close this time. Who knew Ju Zhenli herself was so lost? If I hadn’t been clever and used Cat Power to let Qin Huan hear her true feelings…’
‘Still, after that outburst from Ju Zhenli, her Obsession Degree must have dropped a lot meow!’
‘Total victory meow!’
Miao Heavenly Emperor rolled around excitedly.
‘I really am a genius meow!’