Miss Cat was standing on tiptoe, tidying up the Bottled Noodle Boxes on the top shelf, when the sudden vibration from her Apron pocket startled her.
But when she realized it might be a message from Su Li, she immediately put down what she was doing.
She hurriedly steadied the Soy Sauce Bottle that she almost knocked over, then swiped her flour-dusted fingers several times over the spiderweb-cracked Cell Phone screen before finally opening the message.
[If you’re done with work at noon, do you want to come over and eat at my place?]
[I made a bit too much food.]
Seeing Su Li’s message, Miss Cat could feel her Heart pounding furiously.
To be honest, she didn’t know what she’d have for lunch anyway—maybe a piece or two of Bread to fill her stomach.
Thinking of the Leftover Rice Su Li treated her to yesterday, Miss Cat swallowed and felt a wave of anticipation inside.
The meals Su Li made carried the flavor of a caretaker—and of home.
She really liked eating them!
Even if it was Leftover Rice, she still enjoyed it!
In the past, she and her caretaker would often handle the leftover dishes at home together!
But Miss Cat still worried she might be causing trouble for Su Li.
The aroma of Oden drifting from the Back Kitchen mingled with the sound of her heartbeat thudding in her ears, and at some point, she had twisted her Apron strap into a knot.
Her slender fingers hovered over the keyboard, hesitating, as she stared at the voice message bar she’d just sent in the Chat Box—it had only been there a second or two.
She’d been so flustered just now that she accidentally pressed the record button three times in a row.
Even when she finally sent the message the third time, Miss Cat’s voice was still trembling and nervous.
[Voice Message] 20” (I… Can I come? Would it be too much trouble for you, Su Li! I… I’ll try to finish work early, then come help you! Let’s, let’s cook together!)
The cold air from the freezer brushed against the back of her neck, and while she was crouched down restocking, she suddenly found herself smiling at a Yogurt Bottle.
Her reflection in the Glass Door showed the upturned corners of her mouth, which startled her so much she hurried to cover her face—only to smear her cheeks with dust from the shelves.
For some reason, when she received Su Li’s invitation to have a meal at her place, Miss Cat felt completely energized!
She was filled with anticipation.
She thought time was crawling; what usually flew by at work now seemed to drag.
Now, she kept taking out her Cell Phone to check the time, wishing it would go faster.
At the same time as Miss Cat kept checking her Cell Phone, so did MOKA.
Looking at the room she had just cleaned yesterday, after a night’s effort, it was once again filled with empty Beer bottles.
But MOKA was much quieter than she’d been yesterday.
After all, without Su Li there, her inspiration was running dry. She didn’t go wild—instead, she looked listless and drained.
MOKA lay sprawled on the Table, her Cell Phone long set to silent.
She’d drunk a lot of Beer through the night, but the alcohol that used to always help her write Lyrics had, at some unknown point, lost its effect.
Now it only made her brain drowsy, without sparking any inspiration at all.
She needed to write new Lyrics!
She needed to maintain her Path to Godhood!
Annoyed, MOKA wanted to throw the empty Beer bottle in her hand across the room, but managed to restrain herself and gently set it on the floor.
Then she grabbed a Cushion and flung it.
The pile of empty Beer bottles clattered to the floor with a loud “thud, thud.”
“Su Li….”
“Su Li….”
“Is it because Su Li’s too busy and hasn’t seen my message?”
“Impossible!”
“Su Li is a pauper—what could she possibly be busy with?”
“I bet just one of my rewards is enough for her to live on for a long time.”
“Maybe that wretch is out somewhere having the time of her life with my money right now!”
“Wretch!”
“Damn it!”
“I should be the one going out and having fun, not her!”
The more MOKA thought about it, the angrier she got.
If Su Li hadn’t taken away her inspiration, she’d already be popping Champagne to celebrate her soaring popularity.
But now, she was stuck at home, sulking over Beer, still fretting about the Lyrics.
It’d been so long now; the Lyrics issue was probably hopeless.
She didn’t believe Su Li would be as obsessive as her Fans.
After all, when her Fans had her write Lyrics on their backs, they’d refuse to bathe just to preserve them.
But Su Li definitely wasn’t like that.
So by now, the Lyrics she wrote on Su Li were most likely gone.
MOKA slapped her forehead in frustration; no matter how she racked her brains, she just couldn’t come up with new Lyrics.
Now the Lyrics were gone, and all that awaited her was becoming a washed-up singer!
Then she’d just be forgotten by everyone else!
She couldn’t accept such an ending!
Did she really have to lower her head and admit fault to Su Li?
But she wasn’t the one in the wrong—it was Su Li!
But if she didn’t apologize, what else could she do?
She couldn’t accept the outcome of fading into obscurity!
There were still so many things she wanted to buy in her Shopping Cart!
What if she couldn’t write Songs without Su Li?
MOKA was growing ever more agitated, clutching her Cell Phone tightly, staring at the Apology message she’d sent on the screen.
The three words “I’m sorry” stung her eyes.
“Why should I be the one to bow my head?!”
Her knuckles whitened as she tapped open the Chat Box; her last “I’m sorry” still sat there all alone!
She pressed her forehead against the cold edge of her Cell Phone, shuddering as she suddenly laughed to herself, “Su Li, just you wait…”
But her fingers betrayed her, typing a new message; after just getting out “Can you…” she viciously deleted it, her fingernails digging repeatedly at the keyboard grooves on her Cell Phone screen.
When a drop of Beer foam fell onto the send button, she recoiled as if shocked.
Staring at the auto-sent message, “Can you give me another Opportunity,” she let out a bitter laugh, grabbed half a bottle of Beer, and tipped it back, the liquid trickling from her chin into her collar.
She felt like she’d finally breathed out, but it left her even more stifled.
This was already her second Apology!
She’d never apologized to anyone before!
But Su Li was an exception!
What was worse, Su Li was someone she paid to provide her services!
Yet now, she couldn’t do without Su Li.
Even if Su Li had already washed the Lyrics off her body, MOKA believed that as long as Su Li was willing to make a deal, she could definitely write a new Song!
She was confident in that!
As long as Su Li would give her another Opportunity!
Just as MOKA stood up to grab her Cushion, the message alert on her Cell Phone suddenly chimed.
She lunged for it and knocked over the bottle rack; amidst the chaotic clatter, she stared at the screen—only to see it was just Trash Advertisement, and instinctively cursed:
“Shit!”
Rubbing her bruised forehead, her eyes red, she arranged new Beer bottles into a heart-shaped Apology.
“The third time!”
“The third time!”
“I refuse to believe, Su Li, that your Heart is made of stone!”