By the time I finished tidying up the bar and returned to the staff dormitory, Ling Xiaoxiao was already sprawled on her bed, hugging her phone. The pink-and-white rabbit ears on her head twitched in time with the sound effects coming from the screen.
I sat cross-legged at the low table and unfolded my tablet. As soon as the tip of my pen touched the screen, I suddenly remembered what Ling Xiaoxiao had said to me before.
“Xiaoxiao,” I poked the tip of her tail, which she’d tossed onto my leg, “you said that after reincarnating, I’d awaken a system. Why haven’t I noticed anything happening yet?”
Ling Xiaoxiao mumbled around a lollipop, “No idea. That’s not something you can rush.”
Suddenly, she sat up straight, her pink-and-white tail curling into a fluffy ball behind her. “Maybe your ability is related to drawing, so the conditions for awakening are special?”
I looked at the unfinished sketch of a catgirl on my screen, my fingertips unconsciously sliding along the cold edge. “But I draw every day…”
Ling Xiaoxiao suddenly pounced, pressing down on my shoulders, her rabbit ears nearly brushing my face: “Maybe you have to draw a hundred catgirls before you can awaken!”
She shook me until I was dizzy, and I laughed, pushing her away.
“As if it’s that mystical… A hundred catgirls? I’d be drawing until the Year of the Monkey.”
That’s what I said, but I couldn’t entirely rule out the possibility. If that really was the case, then I’d just have to wait until that time came.
Well, it’s not like I’d lose anything, anyway.
Ling Xiaoxiao had already thrown herself back into her game. I stared at the blinking cursor on my tablet and, for a moment, felt a spark of anticipation. If I did awaken some ability related to drawing, what would it be like?
Forget it, forget it. No point thinking about it. Even if I don’t get any so-called ability, just being able to draw is already something that makes me very happy.
Especially every time I finish a piece and see all the cute characters I’ve created, as if they’re coming alive on the page, I always feel filled with energy.
Of course, after a long time, I do get a bit lonely, just like that night when Ling Xiaoxiao reincarnated me.
If only, like those people in the outsourced studio I saw at the company today, I could have a group of people to create together—wouldn’t that feel much better?
If only I had the ability… If only I could have a studio like that.
At that thought, I couldn’t help but smile wryly. That sort of thing is probably just a dream, considering my lack of ability and funds. Who knows how long I’d have to work to get there.
“Meow…” I buried my face in my arms, the tip of my tail unconsciously tracing a dejected arc across the tatami.
Ling Xiaoxiao suddenly looked up from her phone, her pink-and-white rabbit ears springing straight up: “Hey, Gui Yun, your tail’s about to sweep up a tornado.” She tossed aside her game and came over, her fluffy tail twining around my wrist. “What are you daydreaming about now?”
“It’s just, after seeing other people’s studios at the company today, I started thinking I’d like to open one myself.” I tapped at the unfinished drawing on my tablet, my voice muffled like it was stuffed with cotton. “But thinking about it now… opening a studio and all, it just feels like I’m dreaming.”
Ling Xiaoxiao suddenly smacked me on the back. “Idiot! Dreams are meant to be realized!”
It was as if something came to her. She whipped out her phone and thrust it in front of me—the screen was filled with the poster for the Ning Group’s Artist Competition. “Look! Next week’s contest!”
My cat ears shot up like antennas. “N-Ning Dongya’s company?”
That reminded me: Ning Dongya’s company did sometimes hold various competitions, big and small, to attract more talented people.
And this time, the one Ling Xiaoxiao wanted me to enter was the smallest kind of competition.
Even so, the thought of participating made my paws instinctively grip my pen tightly…
Ling Xiaoxiao pinched my trembling ear tip. “What are you afraid of! Just enter as a catgirl~” She suddenly buried her face in my neck, rubbing against me, her tail curled into a tempting fluffy ball. “If you win… there’ll be a special reward~”
The warm yellow light from the desk lamp reflected in her sparkling rabbit eyes. I looked at the blinking cursor on my tablet, suddenly unsure whether to agree to Ling Xiaoxiao’s suggestion.
“Special reward? What kind of special reward?”
Seeing her like that, I got curious too. The tail behind me perked up with interest.
Ling Xiaoxiao put her phone aside and placed her hands on her thighs, thinking for a while before telling me.
“Hmm~ Didn’t you say you wanted to start a studio? In that case, having a good reputation will be super important for you!”
I became even more curious when I heard this. “That’s right, meow, but what does that have to do with your reward?”
“Hehehe~ It has everything to do with it.”
Ling Xiaoxiao crossed her arms, even her rabbit ears standing up high in pride.
“Even if I can’t help, don’t forget—my sister is someone special.”
“Your sister?”
I tilted my head uncertainly, but soon remembered who Ling Xiaoxiao’s sister was.
Ling Xiaoxiao’s sister was Ling Beina, who was also my landlady. I remembered her very well.
Back when I moved in, it was her pity for me that let me rent my current place at such a cheap price.
But even so, I often couldn’t pay the rent. Yet Ling Xiaoxiao’s sister, Ling Beina, never once pressed me about it. It was as if she didn’t care at all—in fact, she hadn’t asked me for rent in months…
For some reason, though, every time Ling Beina saw me, she had to tease and bully me. And because I owed so much rent, I had no choice but to go along with her antics.
But it’s not like I never fought back!
As for how I fought back…
Just like with Yue Ran, I used Ling Beina as a character prototype and drew a comic where the landlady threatens her poor catgirl tenant using overdue rent as leverage!
Originally, it was just a way to vent. I didn’t think anyone would see it, but after the CEO comic based on Ning Dongya got popular, this one’s views shot up too…
I just hope Ling Beina doesn’t see it, meow!
Still, since Ling Xiaoxiao said her sister could help me, I couldn’t help being curious.
“How can your sister help me?”
Ling Xiaoxiao suddenly sprang up from the tatami, her pink-and-white rabbit ears shaking with excitement. “My sister is a somewhat famous yuri novelist! Her new book happens to need an illustrator. If you win an award, I’ll beg her to use your art for the cover!”
My cat paws suddenly gripped the stylus tighter, the tip drawing a long arc across the screen. “C-Cover?!!” The tip of my tail started thumping the floor uncontrollably, my small hands clutching at my skirt. “But, is it really okay to use my drawing as the cover?”
Ling Xiaoxiao suddenly pounced on me, giving me a pat on the back. “Idiot! Your catgirls are so cute, what’s wrong with drawing two girls together? Don’t worry, there won’t be any problem!”
She rested her chin on my head, rubbing gently. “Once the novel becomes popular, your drawings will get famous too. Starting a studio won’t be so far off then, right?”
“But if my drawing isn’t good enough and Ling Beina’s novel doesn’t sell, wouldn’t that…”
“That’s why you should draw your best for me then. But don’t stress out—this novel isn’t that important to her. But if you do a good job, it could really get your name out there. But first, you have to win a prize in the upcoming competition. Only then will I bring this up to my sister.
So, I’ve said this much, are you joining or not?”
Looking at her expectant eyes, then down at the unfinished catgirl draft on my tablet, I felt a wave of energy I’d never felt before well up inside me, encouraged by Ling Xiaoxiao.
“Mm! I’ll enter!”
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