The clock had probably made a full round.
Shen Ye stood by the windowsill, blankly watching the midday crowds passing by on the street, and a little question popped into her head.
So many people walking their dogs out there—why hadn’t she seen a single person walking a cat?
She propped her cheek on one hand, her soft face squishing into a springy little lump, her calm eyes brimming with the boredom of waiting.
‘Junior Brother, how much longer…’
She patted her flat stomach, where a fierce hunger beast let out a growl from within.
‘Mmm…’
She hadn’t eaten a single thing since moving into this new body.
Shen Ye wore a sulky face, even the tips of her ears drooping into a state of dejection.
Suddenly, Lin Xiangyi’s voice came from behind her.
“The room’s all cleaned up. Come take a look.”
“Coming!”
At the call, the girl took off, padding over in her slippers with a soft pitter-patter.
“Let me see?”
She poked her head in for a peek.
The room wasn’t big, but it was clean and tidy.
A single bed sat against the wall, light blue sheets and blankets folded neatly, with a small lamp on the nightstand.
A simple, homey scene—yet it seeped a strange warmth into Shen Ye’s heart.
*’This is where I’*ll be staying from now on.’
*’After so long, I’*ll be living with Junior Brother and Junior Sister again.’
The window was half open, and the midday breeze brushed across the girl’s face, making the delicate lashes over her eyes tremble slightly.
She blinked, quickly wiped her eyes, and without turning around, spoke with her back to Lin Xiangyi:
“Thanks for the hard work, Xiangyi.”
Her tone carried concern, but also a hint of reproach.
“A room this big couldn*’t have been easy to clean. You should’*ve just let me help too.”
“How could I let a guest help out?”
Lin Xiangyi leaned against the doorframe and waved his hand, then let his gaze settle on her as he tossed out a question:
“Do you have any clothes to change into?”
Shen Ye turned around, looked at Lin Xiangyi, then looked at herself, and spread both hands wide without hesitation.
“Nope.”
With complete confidence.
Lin Xiangyi sighed helplessly and spoke:
“Alright then, I’ll have to take you out to buy some clothes.”
He turned around and walked toward the living room as he continued:
“Those clothes are dirty, and you didn*’t bring any spares. And since you’*re staying here, I should take you out to get some daily necessities too.”
“But it*’s getting late. Anyway, let’*s eat first.”
Shen Ye followed behind him with light steps.
She looked down at the hoodie of Junior Sister’s that she was wearing.
A light gray base, with a chubby round cat face printed on the chest—adorably silly.
‘Well, I grabbed it in a hurry when I left…’
*’But this should be Xiao Meng’*s clothes from three years ago. Why does it fit me so perfectly?’
She didn’t dare think about it.
Or rather, she didn’t want to think about the things that would hurt her.
Shen Ye shook her head, flinging those thoughts—the ones that might wound her if she dwelled on them—out of her mind, and followed Lin Xiangyi into the kitchen.
Looking at the empty fridge, Lin Xiangyi’s brow furrowed tightly.
‘We never considered the possibility of a guest staying over. This is a bit awkward now. But there’s no helping it—we’ll make do.’
“It was so sudden, I didn’t have time to buy groceries.”
He took out eggs and scallions from the fridge, and scooped a small bowl of leftover rice from the rice cooker, speaking in a calm tone:
“Egg fried rice alright?”
“Sure!”
Shen Ye answered obediently.
“Good. Then go wait.”
“Okay~”
Shen Ye leaned against the kitchen doorframe, hands clasped behind her back, watching Lin Xiangyi’s movements with keen interest.
Lin Xiangyi’s hands were steady as he cooked.
Chopping scallions, heating the pan, pouring oil, cracking eggs—every motion was clean and precise, not a single wasted movement. A true veteran of the kitchen.
He poured in the rice, and as the spatula flipped and flew, the plump grains merged perfectly with the golden egg. Finally, with a sprinkle of chopped scallions, the aroma exploded outward.
Wow—
Shen Ye, standing nearby, couldn’t help but be mesmerized.
‘It’s been half a year since I last ate Junior Brother’s cooking. Just from the smell alone, I can tell…’
Shen Ye sniffed the air with her delicate nose, her tail swaying gently behind her.
*’Junior Brother hasn’*t lost his touch.’
Thinking back to the past six months with Master on the mountain, living like a survival show in the wilderness…
Shen Ye’s anticipation for this meal rose another notch.
Clang, clang, clang.
Lin Xiangyi flicked his wrist, tossing the pan and scooping the rice as it arced in a wave, catching it with ease. He ladled it out spoonful by spoonful into two white porcelain bowls, exactly two full portions.
“Mhm.”
Lin Xiangyi sniffed the aroma in the air and gave a small nod of approval.
*’Not bad. Didn’*t embarrass myself.’
“Sorry for the wait.”
He set one bowl in front of Shen Ye and carried the other to sit across from her. The golden grains piled in the pristine white porcelain bowl looked like a treasure box filled with gold.
“Go ahead.”
Shen Ye scooped up a big spoonful and brought it to her mouth.
The flavors of egg, scallion, and rice exploded in layers on her tongue, mingling with just the right amount of oil fragrance, awakening a hunger buried deep inside her body.
‘So good!’
She wanted to speak, to praise Junior Brother, but suddenly felt her throat tighten.
“Mmph—!”
She choked.
Shen Ye covered her mouth, her small face flushing bright red, tears welling up at the corners of her eyes.
“Cough, cough, cough—!”
She still wasn’t used to how fragile this body was.
*’Too small a mouth, too narrow a throat. Even eating has to be done carefully—if I’*m not paying attention, I choke.’
“Hey, slow down.”
Seeing Shen Ye’s face scrunch up into a ball, Lin Xiangyi handed her a glass of water at just the right moment, his tone full of concern.
“Mhm.”
Shen Ye took the cup, took a sip, and nodded obediently.
*’Looks like no matter what, I can’*t take big bites like I used to.’
She scooped up another spoonful. This time, she’d learned her lesson—just a small spoonful, fed into her mouth in tiny bites.
But the problem was, her stomach had shrunk too.
After just a few bites, she could feel fullness creeping in.
As spoonful after spoonful went down, her movements grew slower and slower.
“Uh…”
Finally, she stopped, staring blankly at the fried rice still left in her bowl—more than half of it remained.
*’Can’*t eat anymore.’
‘The first meal Junior Brother made for me with such care, after my new life.’
*’I can’*t even finish it.’
‘Wuwu.’
“What’s wrong? Not to your taste?”
Seeing Shen Ye stop after just a few bites, Lin Xiangyi raised an eyebrow and asked with a hint of uncertainty.
“N-no, it’s not that.”
Shen Ye shook her head, her soft, bouncy cat ears swaying with the motion.
“It*’s just… I can’*t eat anymore…”
She scratched her chin shyly, a blush spreading across her face.
“Oh, is that all?”
Seeing that Shen Ye wasn’t criticizing his cooking, Lin Xiangyi relaxed, his brow smoothing out.
He reached over, took the bowl of fried rice in front of the girl, and scooped it into his own bowl, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“If you can*’t finish it, then don’*t.” He said flatly. “I’ll make less next time.”
“Okay.”
Shen Ye looked at the now-empty spot on the table and pouted slightly, having no objection whatsoever to Lin Xiangyi taking her fried rice.
Bzzzz—
Just then, a phone vibration came from Lin Xiangyi’s pants pocket.
He pulled out his phone and looked at it—it was Master.
Lin Xiangyi glanced at Shen Ye, hesitated for a moment, then stood up and walked over to the window to answer the call.