A busy day had come to an end. Ling Xiaoxiao had gotten up early to help out at the shop today, so not long after closing up, she’d gone to bed early.
As for me, I woke up at noon, and now I wasn’t feeling sleepy at all.
But in order not to disturb Ling Xiaoxiao, I chose to sit on the bench in the outer corridor and draw.
At that moment, footsteps approached from nearby. I looked up—was that Yue Ran?
She carried a small tray, drawing closer. On the tray were two steaming cups. Under the dim corridor light, wisps of white steam curled upward, and a familiar, comforting cocoa aroma mingled with a faint hint of milk drifted over.
“Still drawing this late, huh? I knew you wouldn’t be asleep~” Her voice was very soft and gentle, as if she was afraid of disturbing something. “Here, hot cocoa with milk, to warm you up.”
She handed me one of the cups and sat down beside me on the bench.
The warmth of the cup fit snugly in my palm, dispelling the night’s chill. I cradled the cup, gently blowing away the foam on top, and took a small sip. The rich cocoa, blended with the smoothness of milk and just the right sweetness, instantly warmed me from the tip of my tongue to my stomach. It was so comfortable I couldn’t help but narrow my eyes, letting out a soft, satisfied hum from my throat.
“Mmm… Thank you, Sister Yue Ran.” I whispered my thanks, my tail unconsciously curling up on the bench. “Ling Xiaoxiao is sound asleep. I… just couldn’t fall asleep, so I thought I’d do a bit of drawing.”
“How’s it going?” Yue Ran turned her head, her gaze landing on the digital tablet resting on my lap, the corners of her mouth lifted in a gentle smile. “The way you handled the light and shadow here is very delicate.”
“It’s… it’s just alright… I’m just doodling, really.” Being praised like that made me a little happy, but even more embarrassed.
I hurriedly took another big sip of the hot cocoa, trying to hide my excitement.
Yue Ran smiled softly, not pressing further, just quietly drinking her own cup.
The corridor at night was left with only our quiet breathing and the occasional distant chirping of insects. The atmosphere was incredibly peaceful. I stole a glance at her profile—under the gentle light, she looked even softer than usual.
“Today… you all worked so hard.” After a while, Yue Ran finally spoke again, her voice carrying genuine gratitude. “Especially Gui Yun. Xiaoxiao really gave you a hard time, didn’t she?”
Thinking back to being tricked by Ling Xiaoxiao into feeding me cake, being surrounded and photographed, and finally hitting my head in a fluster, I couldn’t help but puff out my cheeks, my ears drooping a little.
“That dummy! All she ever does is tease me!”
Though I grumbled, oddly enough, sitting here quietly in the corridor, sipping the hot cocoa brought by Sister Yue Ran, the embarrassment and annoyance from earlier seemed to have faded away, replaced by a sense of… well, a peacefulness that settles in after all the commotion.
“But,” Yue Ran’s voice carried a teasing smile, “the customers all really like you two. Today’s sales even hit a new record.” She winked. “Besides the regulars, a lot of new customers came because they heard there was a cute catgirl and a lively bunny at the shop.”
“Mm, that’s right.”
I slowly closed my eyes, my tail unconsciously curling up again, gently tapping the bench.
Though I was exhausted, this was so much better than drawing alone in my room.
Before, my old body had heart disease. I was always afraid that one day I’d die in my room and no one would know.
Then, Yue Ran hesitated for a while. It seemed she gathered her courage before suggesting to me:
“Gui Yun, why don’t you and Ling Xiaoxiao officially become my employees, just like Shiyu? I know you still have to work over at Ning Dongya’s, and it might be tiring, but it would all be in your spare time. I promise I’ll take good care of you both.”
I fell into hesitation,
Cradling the warm mug, my fingertips unconsciously rubbing the lingering heat on the rim. Yue Ran’s hopeful gaze landed on my face, like sunshine with warmth, sincere and gentle.
Where my heart was—once tormented by weakness—now beat steadily and powerfully, each thump echoing in my chest.
The sense of vitality in that heartbeat felt especially clear in the quiet corridor. In the past, curled up alone in a cold rented room, I listened to my erratic heartbeat, always terrified it might stop at any moment. Back then, never mind sitting in a warm corridor drinking cocoa—I even worried I might never wake up after falling asleep.
But now…
In this little café, there’s Sister Yue Ran’s gentle care, Shiyu’s reliable guidance, and… that silly, noisy bunny girl’s companionship.
Even the air seemed to carry the gentle warmth of “home,” chasing away the chill of those memories in the cold old room.
But…
My gaze drifted back to the digital tablet on my lap. Drawing is my lifeline, the strength that’s brought me this far. The work at Ning Dongya’s is tough, but it’s the foundation for my independence and pursuit of my dreams.
If I give that up, it means I’ll be walking the rest of the road on my own.
If I try to balance both… the fatigue is secondary. What I fear most is failing at both, letting everyone down. The liveliness and warmth here with Sister Yue Ran are precious, but the focus and satisfaction I get from drawing are just as irreplaceable.
I took a deep breath, the sweet scent of cocoa and the cool night air filling my lungs. The tip of my tail unconsciously hooked around the edge of the bench, rubbing lightly.
Yue Ran didn’t rush me. She just waited quietly, those ever-gentle eyes now full of understanding and acceptance.
“Sister Yue Ran…” My voice was softer than I expected, tinged with hoarse hesitation, yet in the quiet corridor it sounded especially clear.
My fingers clenched tightly around the mug, its warmth feeling like my only anchor. “I… I really like it here.” That was the honest truth, every word straight from the heart.
“It’s so much fun being with everyone.” I paused, unsure how to continue. I tried my best to put my feelings into words, awkwardly, “But… drawing means a lot to me. The job at Ning Dongya’s is the reason I can keep drawing… I’m scared…”
My throat felt blocked, the next words hard to say. “I’m scared that if I try to do both, in the end, I’ll… I’ll fail at both, and disappoint everyone…”
My voice grew smaller and smaller, until it was barely audible. I quickly snuck a glance at Sister Yue Ran, searching her face for any sign of disappointment or trouble, then, embarrassed, dropped my head, hiding my face behind the mug.
Yue Ran just looked at me, not saying a word. In the darkness, I couldn’t see her expression…
Only our hurried breathing echoed through the quiet corridor…