Chapter 42: The Dull Guy

A tissue was slipped between White Li’s fingers.

She froze, then slowly lifted her head.

Her eyes were red, her long lashes clumped together with moisture, and her face was streaked with tears.

Her lips were bitten white, her silver-white hair a mess, with strands sticking to her cheeks, glued by tears.

“Lin…”

Her eyes widened. There were many things she wanted to say.

But the words caught in her throat, and she swallowed them all back.

Lin Du had never seen her true form; he shouldn’t recognize her.

“Wipe your face,” he said.

“You’ve cried yourself into a little stray cat.”

Lin Du crouched in front of her.

There was no fear in his eyes, no wariness—just a calm gaze, as if looking at an ordinary person.

It was completely different from the time she had clung to his leg crying; back then, crying had just been a tactic.

But this time, she was genuinely sad—too sad to even pretend otherwise.

White Li took the tissue and clutched it in her palm, crumpling it.

She opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, her stomach spoke first.

“Grrr—”

The sound was loud and crisp, as if deliberately exposing her.

White Li’s face instantly turned red. She quickly covered her stomach with her hand and turned her head away.

The corners of Lin Du’s mouth twitched, but he didn’t laugh out loud.

He looked down, rummaged through the plastic bag in his hand, and pulled out a paper bag.

He opened it, and the scent of roasted chicken immediately wafted out, straight into White Li’s nose.

“Want some?”

He handed the bag over.

“Freshly roasted, still hot.”

White Li glanced at it. Her nose twitched involuntarily, and her mouth began to water.

She really wanted to refuse, but she was too hungry.

From morning until now, she hadn’t had a drop of water or a single grain of rice.

She was so famished that her stomach was pressing against her spine, and her vision was blurry.

“Don’t be shy, go ahead and eat.”

Lin Du brought the roast chicken close to her face. The oil paper bag touched her fingers, warm.

White Li bit her lip and finally reached out to take it.

She pulled the chicken out of the paper bag. Not caring that it was hot, she took a bite. The skin was crispy, the meat tender, and the juices exploded in her mouth. It was so delicious she almost cried.

She took another bite, oil smearing all over her face and fingers.

But White Li just chewed ravenously, as if she wanted to grind up all the grievances of the day and swallow them down.

Lin Du crouched beside her, watching her eat. After a long while, he spoke.

“The way you eat,” he said, “reminds me of a friend of mine.”

“She eats in big mouthfuls too, her cheeks puffing up like a hamster’s.”

“Is… is that so?”

White Li didn’t dare look up.

She just slowed down her chewing.

“But she went back to her hometown last night. Otherwise, I could introduce you two. Maybe you’d have a lot in common.”

“Cough, cough, cough—”

White Li choked.

She coughed so hard tears came out, and the roast chicken nearly fell from her hand.

Lin Du quickly fished a bottle of drink out of the plastic bag, unscrewed the cap, and handed it over.

“Eat slowly, no one’s going to take it from you.”

White Li took the drink and gulped down a large mouthful.

The bubbles exploded in her throat, finally washing down the stuck piece.

“Whew— Saved.”

She let out a long breath, wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, and then remembered that Lin Du was still watching.

Hastily, she lowered her head again.

“Th… thank you.”

“It’s nothing.”

White Li muttered inwardly, ‘How can he not see through anything?’

‘She said she went back to her hometown, and he believed it?’

‘He believes everything she says. Is this person just too naive or too stupid?’

White Li secretly glanced up at him.

Lin Du was crouched beside her, hands resting on his knees, staring blankly at the entrance of the alley.

She looked away and continued gnawing on the remaining chicken.

Soon, the roast chicken was finished, and the drink was drained dry.

White Li patted her stomach and let out a satisfied burp.

She wiped her hands with a tissue and folded the paper bag neatly beside her feet.

The alley grew quiet. The distant vegetable market also quieted down.

There was only the rustling of wind through leaves.

White Li lowered her head, staring at her own toes.

“You… aren’t you afraid of me?” she finally asked.

“Afraid of what?”

“I’m a strange person.”

She lifted her head and pointed at her ears and tail.

“See, these are all real.”

“And… isn’t there some rule? Unregistered strange people have to be taken into custody.”

“I know you’re a strange person,” Lin Du said.

“But you haven’t hurt me.”

White Li lowered her head, twisting her fingers in the hem of her clothes.

“You… why are you so nice to me?”

Lin Du thought for a moment, then said, “Because I heard someone crying, so I came to check.”

“Just for that?”

“Just for that.”

“…You’re a good person,” White Li’s voice was still a bit nasally.

“But I’m not one of those grateful foxes from stories.

I won’t follow you just because you gave me food and were kind to me.”

Lin Du smiled.

“I never expected you to follow me either.”

He placed the empty bottle into the plastic bag, stood up, and brushed the dust off his pants.

“So, feeling better?”

White Li nodded, hugging her knees, her chin resting on her arms.

“Much better… thanks.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll be going then.”

Lin Du picked up the plastic bag, turned, and walked toward the alley entrance.

“Wait.”

White Li called out.

Lin Du stopped in his tracks and turned back.

“What’s wrong?”

White Li bit her lip, as if making an important decision.

“Forget it,” she said.

“I don’t like owing people favors.”

She stood up, brushed the dust off her pants, and shook the dirt off her tail.

“You helped me today, so I can grant you one wish.”

She held up a finger.

“Of course, nothing too excessive, only things within my ability.”

Lin Du’s eyes lit up.

“Really?”

“My word is my bond.”

White Li nodded, her tail swaying behind her.

Lin Du’s gaze fell on her tail.

That fluffy, big tail was nearly half the length of White Li’s body.

The tip curled up slightly, swaying gently with her breath.

“Then…”

He pointed at her tail.

“Can I touch it?”

“Huh?”

White Li was taken aback.

‘So this guy likes fluffy tails?’

Instinctively, she perked up her ears and hid her tail behind her back.

But the words were already out; she couldn’t take them back.

She gritted her teeth, turned her back to him, and offered her tail.

“Better make it quick.”

“Okay.”

Lin Du swallowed his saliva and reached out carefully.

The moment his fingers touched the tip of her tail, White Li trembled all over.

Lin Du’s fingers gently slid down the fur, from the tip to the middle, then back again.

The warmth of his fingertips traveled through the fur, sending a tingling sensation, as if something was climbing from the tip of her tail all the way up her spine.

‘Damn, why is he so skilled at this?’

“Eep—”

White Li’s legs went weak; she nearly lost her balance.

Her ears drooped uncontrollably, and her whole body seemed to lose its bones.

“Tap, tap, tap…”

The sound of hurried footsteps came from the alley entrance.

White Li snapped back to reality and snatched her tail back.

A petite figure ran into the alley.

She was running urgently, clutching something in her hand.

Looking closer, it was the cat girl who had been handing out flyers outside the Cat Cafe that morning.

Xiao Yu ran in.

She saw White Li, then saw Lin Du, and her steps faltered.

“Um, I…”

She opened her mouth, her fingers clutching even tighter.

White Li sniffled, casting a cold look at her, then turned to Lin Du.

“I need to talk to her,” she said, her voice turning cold.

“Could you please leave this place for now?”