“Alright, Xiao Guiyun, you’ve worked hard. You can take a little break now. Next, Ling Xiaoxiao and Shiyu will serve the customers. I’ll head to the lounge for a rest too.”
Leaving those words behind, Yue Ran pushed open the door and went into the back.
I watched as the customers in the shop gradually dwindled, letting out a sigh of relief.
Phew, today was exhausting. I was so busy I could hardly catch my breath!
But fortunately, though there were many customers today, Ning Dongya didn’t come by. Otherwise, it would have been even more troublesome.
It’s a rare break—what should I do next?
Suddenly, I remembered the drawing tablet I’d brought along. Right now, it was lying quietly on the bar counter.
I might as well draw for a bit. Even though I’m tired, I did bring the tablet all the way here. If I just carry it back without even touching it, wouldn’t that be dumb!
I pressed the button, and the screen slowly lit up. Holding the stylus, I gently slid it across the screen. Looking at my old works, I felt both a sense of immaturity and nostalgia.
This too is a record of my growth…
Very soon, my gaze fell on an unfinished piece.
Like the others, it was simple and a little naive. If I had to use an artist’s term to describe it… I’d probably say the level of completion is pretty low?
On the white background, there were two girls with their base colors already painted in. I recognized them at a glance.
One was Ning Dongya—or rather, Ning Dongya from back then, innocent and lovely just like other girls. The other was a blue-haired catgirl representing me. The two girls stood together at the wedding altar, gazing at each other with happiness.
As for why I used a catgirl to represent myself, it was honestly because I couldn’t draw boys and had never tried.
Just kidding, since I’m drawing, of course I want to draw cute, soft girls!
But I never expected that the catgirl I used to replace myself in my drawings would one day become my real form!
Maybe because I broke up with Ning Dongya later on, this painting—sketched so long ago—was never finished.
Since I have the time now, I might as well complete it.
As I drew, another thought crept into my mind.
That was: At this moment, what does Ning Dongya think of me? And by me, I mean not as the catgirl employee at her company, but as her ex-boyfriend.
Maybe she’s already completely forgotten me? Or perhaps, as someone so successful, she doesn’t even care to comment on a nobody like me. Or maybe she’s embarrassed to have such a useless ex and would rather I never reveal our past?
The story told in the drawing tablet might once have been very close to me, but now it feels impossibly far away.
As I was still lost in thought, the sound of the door opening echoed from outside. Feeling something amiss, I looked over on instinct—and my whole body froze, my cat ears standing alert.
The newcomer was none other than Ning Dongya! She leaned lazily against the doorframe, her black suit skirt slit neatly at the ankle. Twirling her car keys in hand, her gaze clung to me like a hunter to its prey.
Why is she here again?!
“Welcome, customer. Right now, it’s my shift and that foxgirl’s shift. May I help you with something?”
Learning from last time, Ling Xiaoxiao proactively held the menu up in front of me, making sure Ning Dongya knew it was their shift now.
“Customer, would you like to order?” Shiyu also slowly straightened up and stood in front of me, “What would you like? The manager’s here today, so we have a special secret cake.”
One on the left, one on the right, the two of them shielded me behind them, as if telling Ning Dongya she wasn’t allowed to bully me.
Hidden behind them, I felt deeply moved inside.
Ning Dongya’s gaze circled around the three of us, the corner of her lips curling up in a familiar arc. But she didn’t expose their little ruse. “One Americano. No sugar. And a tiramisu.”
But soon after, Ning Dongya changed her mind. “Make that four iced Americanos, and four tiramisus. To go.”
Her tone was flat, with not a ripple, lacking even her usual teasing.
I secretly let out a breath of relief. Looks like she really is tired today and doesn’t have the energy to mess with me.
But for some reason, Ling Xiaoxiao and Shiyu both frowned as they headed for the bar.
I didn’t think too much about why they were frowning and pretended to focus intently on my drawing, the pen flying over the screen while I silently prayed that she would just drink and leave quickly.
But before long, I realized something was wrong.
Wait! She ordered four servings—could it be just to get Ling Xiaoxiao and Shiyu out of the way?!
But by the time I realized, it was probably already too late.
“What are you drawing?” Ning Dongya dragged a nearby chair over and sat down, her knees almost touching my cat paws.
“I’m just practicing…” My voice was barely a whisper, terrified she might suddenly do something to me.
She didn’t press further, simply rested her chin on her hand, watching me draw. The cold glow of the tablet flickered in her silvery-gray pupils.
Her stare made my fur stand on end; I even held my breath, afraid she’d catch a mistake.
“This tablet…” She suddenly reached out, tapping the edge with her fingertip. “Looks kind of familiar.”
My heart skipped a beat, cold sweat running down my spine.
Crap! How could I forget about that?
This tablet was a gift from Ning Dongya!
Very soon, Ning Dongya asked, “Where’d you get this?”
I pretended to be calm, wiping the screen with my sleeve, though my cat paws were shaking. “I—I bought it secondhand… it was cheap…”
Ning Dongya’s fingers pressed down suddenly on my wrist, the icy touch zapping through me like electricity. She leaned in close, her nose nearly brushing my cat ears, and whispered, “Really? But I seem to remember I once gave someone an identical one. Mind if I take a look myself?”
“Meow!!” I sprang up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, my chair rolling half a meter back. The tablet nearly slipped off my lap.
So she remembered after all! Even if she hasn’t confirmed it yet, if she notices any details, she might instantly realize it’s the one she gave me back then!
“N-no need!” I clutched the back of the tablet tightly, my cheeks so hot they could fry an egg. “This old thing isn’t worthy of you seeing the back… I-I’m drawing now!”
I hurriedly ducked my head, scribbling frantically, but my lines trembled like an EKG. All I could do was keep hitting undo. Ning Dongya’s soft chuckle sounded right beside my ear, “Are you that scared of me? Even your hands are shaking.”
After her laughter faded, Ning Dongya questioned me again, her tone suddenly more serious than before. “By the way, did you really buy this secondhand?”
“Yes.”
“Really?”
“Re—really!!”
I shook my head desperately, hoping to gloss it over. But that hope was quickly dashed.
Ning Dongya stared at me, her eyes suddenly empty and bottomless, like black holes, and there was a trace of interrogation in them.
“Then can you explain why this picture is exactly the same as the last one my ex-boyfriend drew before we broke up? Even the progress is almost identical to back then?”