Yue Ran finally noticed my resentment. She put away the wide grin she’d had while cheering and quickly walked over, half-squatting in front of me. “Are you mad?”
“Hmph! Of course I am! Who treats their own teammate like a kitten and just picks them up like that!”
Just thinking about what had happened a moment ago made me so angry that I turned my head away.
She carefully poked my puffed-up cheek, trying to comfort me. “I didn’t mean it. When I saw how flustered you were, even your tail was all bristled up. I just wanted to win as quickly as possible…”
“Hmph!”
Seeing that I still wouldn’t look at her, Yue Ran looked a little helpless and could only call out to Shi Yu nearby.
“Bring me some medicine, would you? I think I might’ve gotten a bit hurt.”
“Alright.” Shi Yu replied lazily and started walking to the back.
Suddenly, Yue Ran pulled me into her arms, her chin gently brushing against the tip of my cat ears. “Okay, okay, it was my fault.” Like magic, she pulled a strawberry-flavored candy out of her pocket and popped it into my mouth. “Let this make it up to you, alright? I won’t ever carry you again—unless you want me to…”
The sweetness of the candy melted on my tongue, and the scent of citrus mixed with sunlight from her embrace surrounded me. I couldn’t help but bury my face in the crook of her neck and rub against her, mumbling, “Then… then I’ll forgive you this time.” The tip of my tail quietly curled around her wrist, and I didn’t even notice that my ears had perked up in happiness.
Shi Yu came back quickly, carrying a first aid kit. Yue Ran was about to reach out for it, but I beat her to it, hugging the kit and crouching down in front of her. My cat paw gently pressed on her reddened elbow, the tip of my tail unconsciously brushing her hand. “Just now… when we fell, did you use your back to cushion me?”
Yue Ran was taken aback for a moment. A hint of panic flickered in her blue-green eyes as she tried to tug her sleeve down. “It’s just a scratch, nothing serious.”
“Don’t move!” I slapped her hand away, still pouting, and gently dabbed her scraped elbow with an iodine-soaked cotton swab. Seeing her flinch from the pain, my heart melted into a puddle. “You clearly got hurt protecting me… and you still act tough.” I muttered softly, but my tail honestly wrapped tighter around her wrist. “I-I’ll put the medicine on for you, I promise I’ll be super gentle this time.”
Yue Ran watched as I clumsily tied a butterfly knot with the bandage, suddenly bursting into laughter. She poked my burning cat ear with her fingertip. “So, little kitten, you can be caring too?” I buried my face in her knee, grumbling, “It’s not because I care! I just don’t want to owe anyone a favor!” But my ear still nudged against her palm, and without noticing, my tail had already wrapped around her wrist three times.
At some point, Ling Xiaoxiao had sidled up to the bar, her rabbit ears twitching as she drawled, teasing, “Tsk tsk, oh my, putting on medicine is stickier than honey~”
Shi Yu leaned against the doorframe, fox tail sweeping over the empty cup on the table. “Your relationship’s heating up fast, even more in sync than when you were gaming together.”
Yue Ran raised her eyebrow and ruffled my messy hair. “Little cutie, even your rivals say we have great teamwork.”
I nearly tied the bandage in a knot I couldn’t undo, burying my face deeper while my tail hugged her wrist even tighter. “Who, who’s in sync with you! We made so many mistakes just now!”
Even though I said that, for some reason, my ear tips were so red they could drip blood.
She’s been bullying me since we were little, there’s no way I’m getting all in sync with her!
Yue Ran seemed to read my mind, poking my puffed-up cheek with her fingertip. “Still holding a grudge over what just happened?”
I glared up at her, slapping her hand away with my paw. “Mind your own business! Alright, your wound’s all wrapped up. Next time this happens, I’m not helping you!”
Just as I finished speaking, the sound of the store door opening caught my attention—a group of customers had arrived.
“Excuse me, are you still open?” The person in front asked.
“Oh, we’re still open. What would you like?” As the shop owner, Yue Ran was the first to respond.
The lead customer looked through the menu. “Two lattes, one tiramisu, and a blueberry pancake.” His gaze swept over the bar and suddenly paused on me and Ling Xiaoxiao. “Are these new servers? They’re so cute~”
Yue Ran’s hand paused for a second as she was working the coffee machine, but she nodded with a smile. “Yes, they’re new. This adorable bunny girl is Ling Xiaoxiao.”
Ling Xiaoxiao cheerfully wiggled her rabbit ears. “Thanks for the compliment~ I’m just here to help out tonight.”
After introducing Ling Xiaoxiao, Yue Ran pointed at me. “And this little bristly cat is Gui Yun.”
“I see.” The customer’s eyes crinkled in a smile.
“Why is she an adorable bunny girl, but I’m a bristly little cat?!”
After Yue Ran’s introduction, I felt my cat ears twitch twice uncontrollably, my cheeks burning, and the fur on my ears standing up.
The customer saw my reaction and chuckled, “You really are a bristly little cat.”
“Hahahahaha.”
With that tease, everyone couldn’t help but burst out laughing, and a cheerful atmosphere spread throughout the café.
“Meow!!!”
Night deepened, and as the last customer left with a smile, the café’s closing music began to play, signaling the end of today’s work.
Yue Ran took off her apron and led us to the room she had prepared in advance. “You two can stay here tonight. All the bedding is freshly changed.”
With that, Yue Ran left.
When I opened the door, I saw the room was spotless, and there were even two towels folded into the shape of rabbits on the desk.
“I’m beat~” Ling Xiaoxiao tossed her backpack onto the bed, rabbit ears drooping as she shuffled to the bathroom. “I’m showering first!”
As the sound of running water echoed, I sat at the edge of the bed, looking at the neon lights outside the window. Suddenly, I realized that my first day as a girl had already passed just like that.
From the panic when I woke up in the morning, to the shock of seeing Ling Xiaoxiao lift the mattress with one hand, to the nerve-wracking moments with Ning Dongya, and then the chaos in the café at the end…
It had only been a day, but it felt as if a long time had passed.
The bathroom door clicked open. Ling Xiaoxiao came out, toweling her damp hair, droplets still clinging to her bunny tail. “What are you spacing out for?”
Watching the water droplets falling from her hair, I suddenly asked, “What are you planning to do from now on? Don’t you feel lost, turning into a girl?”
She tossed the towel over her shoulder, her tail swaying carelessly. “What else can I do? I’ll just live like before. Working here seems pretty fun, too. It’s not that tiring. If I have time, I might come help out.”
She suddenly leaned in and asked, “What about you? You can’t just freeload off Yue Ran forever, can you?”
Looking into her sparkling eyes, I suddenly recalled the busy scenes in the café today and the warmth of Yue Ran’s hand ruffling my hair. For some reason, I kind of wanted to stay like this…
“Well, at the very least… I can’t keep drifting aimlessly like before. And I’ve already found a job, so tomorrow I’ll go see Ning Dongya.” I whispered, and just thinking about facing Ning Dongya tomorrow made my cat ears feel a little hot.
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