At last, when I walked up to Ning Dongya’s table, my tail was so tense it wrapped around my calf, and even the Bell on my apron trembled along with me.
When I set the cup on the table, my fingertip accidentally brushed the back of her hand. The jolt made me shrink my hand back as if electrocuted, only to hear her low chuckle.
This woman with her twisted sense of humor! She was obviously waiting to watch me make a fool of myself on purpose!
I silently cursed Ning Dongya eight hundred times in my heart, but my cat paw still obediently pushed the sugar jar to her side. Why did a Cafe waitress have to dress like this anyway?
Threatening people with bad reviews to make them wear weird clothes—this was definitely workplace bullying!
But thinking about having to work under someone like her in the future, I couldn’t even say my future was pitch black—there wasn’t even a glimmer of light!
Still, the most pressing matter was to deal with this wicked woman first.
“Your coffee is ready.”
The words had barely left my mouth before I turned around, hoping to slip away, but suddenly I felt a tug on my tail.
I turned my head, only to find Ning Dongya had at some point seized the fluffy tip of my tail, her fingers gently rubbing it. That seemed to be the most sensitive spot ever since I’d turned into a Catgirl…
“Uhh, let—let go!”
My whole body stiffened, my cat ears stood on end, and I tried to pull my tail back as if zapped by electricity, but she gripped it tighter. Then she rubbed my tail again, and that tingling, numbing sensation shot through me like a current, forcing a cute whimper out of my throat.
“Eeya~!”
“Where are you running off to?” Her amused voice brushed past my ear. I had no choice but to stiffly turn around. I saw her hook her finger at me, as if signaling me to come closer.
My heart pounded so fiercely it felt like it would shatter my ribs, and even my breathing grew rapid.
I wanted to run, but seeing the dangerous glint in Ning Dongya’s eyes, my calves turned weak with fright. I didn’t dare defy her and could only inch my way to the table, dragging my feet.
At this moment, with my tail trapped in her hand, I felt just like a kitten with its lifeline in someone else’s grip. If she became displeased, who knew what would happen next.
Her free hand suddenly pulled a wad of cash out of her handbag, the pink bills reflecting a harsh glare under the lights. Before I could react, I felt the Stockings on my inner thigh being gently hooked.
Ning Dongya’s cool fingertips traced along the Leg Ring, stuffing the bills into the crevice between the Lace Trim and my skin. Her movements were slow, as if toying with her prey.
“This is your Service Fee,” her thumb deliberately pressed against my thigh, her voice dropping to a murmur, “Serving people dressed like this, there should be a reward, right? Or does our little Catgirl prefer some other kind of reward?”
Serve people? It’s not like I’m working some weird job!
The feel of the cash digging into the base of my thigh made my whole body stiffen. Shame crashed over me like a wave. My cat ears were so hot I could fry an egg on them, and the tip of my tail twitched uncontrollably, making the Bell on my apron tremble.
Money was the last thing on my mind. Right now, all I wanted was to escape from this woman’s clutches.
“N-no need!”
Feeling Ning Dongya’s hand slowly moving, I hurriedly took two steps back, but she tugged my tail and drew me right into her arms, cutting the distance between us until we were breathing the same air.
She tilted her head to look at the redness at the corner of my eyes, her fingertip tracing along the edge of the bills to my inner thigh. “What? Not enough?”
The cold bills sank deeper with her motion, the Lace Trim pressing in even more, “Or… do you want me to reward you in some other way~”
I shook my head quickly, biting my lower lip, not daring to speak as tears welled in my eyes.
This woman really was treating me like a plaything! The bills in the Leg Ring burned my skin like a branding iron. Every movement brought the friction of paper on skin, shame and anger tearing at my chest. Yet my body betrayed me, going weak at the knees.
Suddenly, my wrist was freed, and the tingling sensation at my tail tip vanished. Ning Dongya released her grip, but not before her fingertip teasingly stroked my tailbone, the cold touch making me shiver all over. “Alright, I’ll stop teasing you now.” She straightened and smoothed out her suit jacket, her ice-blue fingernail flicking the edge of the bills peeking out from my Lace Trim. “Don’t forget to keep the Service Fee.”
I spun around and dashed into the back room as if scalded, pressing my back against the cold tiled wall and gulping for air. The bills in the Leg Ring shifted and rubbed my skin with every breath, each brush setting my cheeks aflame all over again.
My mind replayed the moment she twirled my tail on a loop, shame burning my ears, while a strange heat coiled in my lower belly—just now, when she pulled me into her arms, didn’t I smell Snow Cedar Perfume on her?
“Damn it!” I pounded the wall, but my cat paw accidentally bumped the bills inside the Leg Ring.
The instant my fingertip touched the edge of the paper, the slow-motion memory of her tucking the money into my Lace Trim flashed before my eyes. My tail thumped the floor uncontrollably, making the Bell on my apron ring with soft, tinkling notes.
From the front room came the sound of a chair scraping the floor, followed by Ning Dongya’s casual tone: “I’ll be coming here often from now on. Make sure to serve me well, okay?”
“Meow?!!”
Hearing that, my tail, which had just relaxed a little, instantly shot straight up in fright.
She definitely meant that for me!
The sound of High Heels clacked against the floor, coming closer and then farther away, until the door opened and closed, leaving only silence in the air.
I strained my ears and listened carefully. Only after I was absolutely sure Ning Dongya had left did I dare come out.
At this moment, Shiyu’s lazy voice drifted in from outside, “Come out now, the customer is gone.”
“Really?”
I poked my head out, planning to double check before venturing out.
Right then, Shiyu handed me a cup of warm water, her teal-green eyes reflecting my flushed face. “Have some water, you must’ve been frightened just now, right?”
It was perfect timing—my throat did feel a bit dry. I accepted the Water Cup from Shiyu and gulped it down.
While I drank, Shiyu asked curiously, “What’s your relationship with that customer? You seemed really scared of her?”
Ugh, ‘scared’ doesn’t even begin to describe it. I feel like from now on, I’ll have to go out of my way to avoid her!
I handed the Water Cup back to Shiyu, then shook my head, “Ugh, don’t mention it. She’s a Demon…”
Thinking back on the interview and everything that had just happened, even calling her a Demon seemed too mild!
Hearing this, Shiyu patted my head sympathetically, “I see. I won’t ask, then. The customer’s gone, so you can come out now.”
“Mm, okay.”
Even though Shiyu had told me the customer was gone, I still poked my head out and double-checked before daring to step out, worried Ning Dongya might jump out at me at any moment.
Over by the bar, Ling Xiaoxiao was sneakily holding up her phone to snap a picture. When she saw me looking over, she quickly hid it away in a panic.
Hmph, that girl…
Sunlight poured through the glass window, lighting up the empty seats. Only the deserted coffee cup on the table proved that the whole embarrassing farce had actually happened.
Phew, I finally made it through…