“Jiang Ran, I’ll try to be as gentle as possible. Tell me if it hurts.”
Bai Ranran took iodine and cotton swabs from a drawer in the bookshelf, crouched down, and reached out to shoo away the crowding cats.
Jiang Ran sat on a small stool, reflecting on everything that had happened on the way here and the suppressed emotions in Bai Ranran’s eyes.
Something felt very wrong.
“Bai Ranran, I… it’s actually not a big deal. Where did you bring me?”
Jiang Ran looked around and found that the floor was covered in various cats.
Even the outfit Bai Ranran was wearing, when viewed up close, was covered in cat-themed decorations.
“It’s the Cat House I opened. I take in many cats here. Let me apply the medicine first, Jiang Ran. Don’t move.”
Bai Ranran rolled up her sleeves, took a cotton swab, and stirred it in the iodine.
She bent over and pressed the swab against the scrape on Jiang Ran’s wrist.
Her eyelashes flickered like pine branches covered in light snow.
She lifted her emerald eyes, blinked, discarded the used swab, and replaced it with a new one.
“Tell me if it hurts.”
Jiang Ran shook her head.
“It doesn’t hurt. But… why don’t I see a single person in your shop?”
“Because it’s an online shop. I don’t really bring in customers; I handle the operations online.”
“This… counts as opening a shop?”
Jiang Ran didn’t quite understand.
In her mind, a cat cafe should have many girls visiting, but there was no one in Bai Ranran’s shop.
“Well… I guess not.”
Bai Ranran lowered her head.
Suddenly, as if remembering something, she pulled a handful of snacks from her pocket.
“Are you hungry? I have snacks here.”
“So many.”
Jiang Ran waved them off.
“I can’t possibly eat all those. Bai Ranran, why do you have so many snacks in your hand?”
“Because snacks taste good.”
‘Is that even a reason…’
Jiang Ran’s gaze fell on a photo wall in the distance, which was covered in pictures of various cats.
She stood up and walked toward it.
Bai Ranran noticed Jiang Ran’s movement, stuffed the snacks back into her pocket, and walked over to her side.
she caught the scent of Jiang Ran’s hair; it was a very comforting fragrance.
It was truly fragrant, like walking through the middle of a flower garden.
‘Getting intoxicated wouldn’t be such a bad thing, it seems.’
*Thud — *
Bai Ranran leaned her head onto Jiang Ran’s shoulder.
The dull sound startled Jiang Ran, and she turned to look at Bai Ranran leaning against her, her mouth hanging open.
“Bai Ranran… you?”
“I… I…”
Bai Ranran straightened up and looked at the confused Jiang Ran.
Realizing what she had just done, she hurriedly tried to explain.
“I probably didn’t sleep well last night. What body wash do you usually use? It smells so good.”
“Body wash?”
Jiang Ran thought about it.
“Soap. Body wash is too fancy; I don’t like using it. If you want some, you can find it at any roadside supermarket. It’s like 9.9 yuan for five bars.”
“So… soap? You just use that?”
Bai Ranran rested her chin on her hand, her face filled with disbelief.
“Of course. Soap saves so much money, and there are many scents. You just buy whatever scent you like. It’s very convenient.”
“This…”
Bai Ranran had used soap before, and she didn’t believe soap could smell like this.
Thus, while Jiang Ran stared in shock, Bai Ranran leaned in and sniffed her again, looking like a little tabby cat arching its back.
“Wait a second. I really do use soap. If you really want some, I’ll just bring you a bar from home next time.”
Jiang Ran tried to push the clingy Bai Ranran away, but the girl’s strength was so great that Jiang Ran failed multiple times.
Whether her own strength was too low or Bai Ranran was simply standing too steadily was unknown.
Only after several shoves did she manage to separate Bai Ranran from her.
Jiang Ran wiped the sweat from her forehead, feeling a bit lingeringly afraid.
Why would someone just lean in like that?
“Student Jiang, do you really have more soap at home?”
“Yeah, soap isn’t exactly rare. If you want it, I’ll give you a few.”
“Then…”
Bai Ranran fidgeted with her hands.
“Can I go to your house now?”
“Huh?”
Jiang Ran’s eyes widened, and she pulled away from Bai Ranran.
“My parents don’t let me bring strangers home. If you really want it, I’ll take you to the market to buy some later.”
“Okay, let’s go now. But… wait for me a moment.”
Bai Ranran rushed into a room.
About 3 minutes later, a “mummy” walked out, fully geared up from head to toe.
She grabbed Jiang Ran’s hand, and Jiang Ran instinctively shrank back.
“Holy crap! Are you a person or a ghost? You… you… don’t come any closer!”
Jiang Ran retreated, looking at the floor to avoid stepping on the crowding cats.
When she looked back, the mummy was still slowly moving toward her.
Alarm bells rang in Jiang Ran’s head.
She picked up a nearby broom.
At that critical moment, the hands beneath the mummy wrappings slowly pulled down a mask, revealing a pair of emerald eyes.
“It’s… it’s me, Bai Ranran.”
“You’re Bai Ranran? Then why are you wrapped up like a zombie?”
Bai Ranran tugged at the mask.
After taking it off, she exhaled a breath of white mist.
“Because I’m a bit afraid of people when I’m outside.”
“Oh, I see. Then let’s not go out. That way, you won’t have to be afraid.”
“No!”
Bai Ranran unusually grabbed Jiang Ran’s hand.
“Actually, I can go out without all this gear. Wait for me.”
Without giving Jiang Ran a chance to speak, Bai Ranran ran back inside again.
This time, she only wore a mask and carried a light blue crossbody bag.
“Let’s go.”
Jiang Ran swallowed hard and looked Bai Ranran up and down.
Her skin was as fair as jade; she was very beautiful.
‘Is she just a bit cowardly?’
Jiang Ran didn’t think this was a bad thing; perhaps Bai Ranran was one of the few relatively normal people in this game.
Of course, Jiang Ran wouldn’t let her guard down because of that.
“The soap I buy is just the ordinary kind from the supermarket. Why don’t we just find any supermarket and get some?”
“But didn’t you say you bought a bag of five for 9.9 yuan before? I want to go see that place.”
Bai Ranran blinked her large eyes, and Jiang Ran scratched her cheek.
“Well, since you insist, let’s take a taxi. With how much you fear people, a bus definitely won’t work.”
“Okay.”
Bai Ranran opened a ride-hailing APP and asked Jiang Ran for the address.
The two of them arrived at a commercial area on the outskirts.
Jiang Ran looked around and finally found the place where she had bought the soap.
She handed over 10 yuan, took a bag of soap, and tossed it to Bai Ranran.
“There, the goods are yours. It wasn’t even as expensive as the fare. If you want to walk around the area, feel free. I’m going home.”
Jiang Ran waved her hand, preparing to leave.
To her surprise, Bai Ranran grabbed her hand again.
“But didn’t we come all this way for nothing then? I haven’t really played outside of the commercial district before. Come on…”
Bai Ranran puffed out her cheeks and stubbornly dragged the resisting Jiang Ran forward, pulling her along as if she were carrying a sack of grain.
Jiang Ran had no choice but to follow her for a walk, hoping to appease Bai Ranran quickly so she would let her go.
However, Bai Ranran clearly didn’t intend to let Jiang Ran off so easily.
She looked at the scene, which was completely different from the commercial streets, and her gaze fell on the Meiyangyang Rocking Car in front of a supermarket.
She tugged on Jiang Ran’s arm.
“What is that?”
Jiang Ran just glanced at it, thinking of the nursery rhyme she often heard as a child.
‘What do you call your father’s father? What do you call your father’s mother…’
“It’s a rocking car.”
Bai Ranran took her phone out of her pocket and stepped forward.
Realizing something was wrong, Jiang Ran hurriedly pulled her back.
“Wait… you couldn’t possibly be thinking — !?”
Bai Ranran blinked her round eyes and nodded.
“Jiang Ran, let’s ride it together!”