After mealtime, the number of customers in the shop dwindled. Ling Xiaoxiao and I slumped at an empty table, wiping away sweat, both too exhausted to move.
Suddenly, she slapped the back of my head with her bunny ears, her fluffy white-pink tail curling around my wrist and swinging. “It’s all your fault! You made me embarrass myself in front of so many people!”
Hearing her say that, I got riled up. I reached out, meaning to pinch her puffed-up cheeks. “Who told someone to gloat and secretly take photos with their phone? This is called reaping what you sow!”
Seeing her get into a defensive pose, I immediately changed my plan of attack.
“Meow!! Here it is!!”
I used my cat paw to deliberately tickle her underarm. Caught off guard, Ling Xiaoxiao burst out laughing and collapsed onto the table. Her bunny paws flailed. “Don’t tickle! I admit it, okay?!”
“Hmph! As long as you know you’re wrong. Next time you push me into trouble, I’ll grab your bunny ears and pull you out for everyone to see!”
“Uuu…” At my threat, Ling Xiaoxiao’s tone instantly softened. “But you shouldn’t have dragged me into it either…”
“Still blaming me, huh?” I said, and my hand at Ling Xiaoxiao’s ticklish spot started its assault again, making her slump back onto the table.
“Ahh, I was wrong, I was wrong, please stop tickling me, hahaha…”
We were messing around when Shiyu passed by carrying an empty tray. “If you two are so full of energy, there are still coffee beans in the storeroom that haven’t been ground~”
“Meow!!”
At her words, Ling Xiaoxiao and I instantly froze, our bodies straightening stiffly like someone had hit the pause button. Our cat and bunny ears drooped in unison as we chorused, “We’re going to rest right away!”
As soon as we finished, we sat quietly and obediently at the table.
No joke—my hands were already about to give out from carrying trays all day. If I had to grind those beans now, my arms might really fall off!
But as I looked at the steady stream of customers, I felt something was off.
I remembered coming here before on weekends. Back then, I had even grumbled to Yue Ran about how empty it was, only to get a knock on the head from her.
“By the way, Sister Yue Ran, isn’t it usually quiet here? Why’s it so busy today?”
“Maybe it’s because you and Ling Xiaoxiao, the two cuties, are here. The customers seem to really like you.”
Yue Ran happened to walk by, answering with a smile as she patted my head.
“Is that so?”
I puffed out my cheeks, my tail curling into a ball behind me, feeling a little melancholy inside.
Using cute girl waitresses as the main attraction—I’d seen that trope plenty of times online and in anime, but never thought it’d happen to me. And now I was the girl attracting customers.
Just as I was staring blankly at an empty plate, Yue Ran walked over with two small cakes. The surface of the chocolate lava cake was dusted with fine cocoa powder, and as she cut into it, deep brown molten chocolate slowly oozed out. The strawberry mousse was topped with fresh, bright red strawberries, and the edge of the light pink cream was carefully decorated with little cat paw shapes.
The scents of the two desserts mingled together, the roasted chocolate aroma blending with the sweet and tart fragrance of strawberries. “Dancing and waiting tables must’ve been tough for you two. Here’s a special treat~”
She tapped my cat ear with her finger. “Hurry and try it?”
Ling Xiaoxiao and I both stared at the cakes, our eyes sparkling.
After the first bite, Yue Ran smiled and asked, “Well? How is it?”
“Delicious!”
My mouth was stuffed with chocolate cake. The slightly bitter cocoa powder mixed with the rich molten chocolate melted on my tongue, sliding down my throat like a waterfall of hot cocoa, leaving a hint of caramel sweetness in the aftertaste.
My tail unconsciously curled into a heart behind me, and my cat paws gripped the edge of the plate tightly, worried Ling Xiaoxiao might attack at any moment. Sure enough, she reached her fork toward my cake, her pink-and-white tail tip wrapping around my wrist and swinging. “Yours looks even tastier…”
“No snatching!” I hurriedly hugged the plate to my chest, but saw her bunny paw trembling as she scooped up a bit of strawberry mousse—the pale pink mousse as light as a cloud, the tangy, fruity aroma mixed with a cold touch as she fed it to my lips. Her bunny eyes sparkled like two stars, and her ear tips flushed pink as she said, “Let’s trade a bite~”
I warily opened my mouth and swallowed the cake, the cool mousse sliding down my throat. I pushed my plate of chocolate cake toward her.
Take as much as you want, but feed you myself? Not a chance!
Now that I thought about it, when Ling Xiaoxiao offered to trade bites, I should’ve been the one to scoop it up for her.
My cat paw rested on the plate’s edge, ready for her to help herself, steeling myself for her to take a big chunk. I thought that was already the worst outcome.
But when Ling Xiaoxiao noticed me glancing away, she seemed to realize something.
My heart skipped a beat. This girl wouldn’t pull a trick, would she?!
She shoved the fork into my hand, her pink-and-white tail tip nudging my wrist toward the cake.
“I want you to feed me a bite yourself~”
“Meow!! Can’t you eat by yourself?!”
My ear tips instantly flared red, my paw frozen midair and shaking as if electrified.
Feeding Ling Xiaoxiao in front of so many people—just the thought made my face hot enough to fry an egg!
“Eh? But I just fed you. Or do you want to take advantage of me, eating my cake for free?”
As soon as the bunny girl Ling Xiaoxiao requested that I, the cat girl, feed her cake, every eye in the shop turned our way.
She was absolutely doing this on purpose! This was payback for dragging her to dance with me earlier!
But with things said and so many people watching, if I refused, everyone would probably think I was stingy and selfish.
But if I gave in, it would be falling right into Ling Xiaoxiao’s trap!
My tail subconsciously twisted into a tight knot. In the end, I closed my eyes and scooped up a piece, nearly poking my finger into the cake.
My cheeks felt hot enough to fry an egg. Just as I brought a bite of chocolate cake to her, I heard Shiyu’s soft laugh: “You’re blushing~”
Yue Ran stood by with her arms crossed, her turquoise apron dusted with flour, watching the show. The stifled laughter of the surrounding customers stung like needles, making the hairs on my neck stand up. Ling Xiaoxiao stood by, her tail drawn taut, but she secretly steadied the almost-tipping plate with her paw.
“I am not!” I hurriedly protested, only to see all the customers raising their phones to take pictures.
Ling Xiaoxiao suddenly grabbed my trembling wrist, her bunny ears flushing an even deeper pink. “So do you want to take advantage of me? You already ate my cake…”
“I’m not!” I was so flustered that my tail slapped the table, completely at a loss for what to do.
Now, it seemed like I had no choice but to feed her…
Biting my lip, I finally brought the cake to Ling Xiaoxiao’s mouth, my paw shaking so much I nearly smeared it all over her face (actually, I kind of wanted to).
With so many people watching, I wished the ground would just swallow me up.
Honestly, Ling Xiaoxiao’s trick was way too underhanded! I bet she was embarrassed too!
Just as the cream touched the corner of her lips, she snuck a lick and made a face at me, flashing a victor’s smile. The camera flashes went “click,” capturing the moment I fed Ling Xiaoxiao.
“Meow!”
To avoid being photographed in even more embarrassing and awkward poses, I bolted, almost tripping over a chair leg in my haste.
It was all that idiot’s fault for getting me into this mess! Hiding backstage, I poked my head out, only for phones to be aimed right at me!
“Meow!!!”
I squealed and instantly ducked back in.
This is bad, this is bad, there’s no way I can go out for now QAQ…
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