On the way home, as she passed the convenience store downstairs, Su Li glanced inside a few more times.
She wanted to see if Miss Clerk was working today.
If she was there, maybe Su Li would go in and buy something.
She couldn’t really say why.
Maybe it was because Miss Clerk never seemed to expect anything from her, and always took the initiative to give.
That, in turn, made Su Li subconsciously think of Chi Qingya in the beginning.
But Chi Qingya and Miss Clerk were very different back then— she could sense that Miss Clerk genuinely liked cats.
Whereas Chi Qingya didn’t.
She would even bully stray cats.
Besides, whenever she saw Miss Clerk eating cat food, Su Li always felt a sense of peace and relaxation, as if it reminded her of her own cat from before.
Back when she was exhausted from work, coming home and seeing her cat, feeding her cat food, watching her eat — it made all the effort feel worthwhile.
Every time she saw her cat eating, all her stress and fatigue would simply melt away.
Su Li still didn’t know Miss Clerk’s real name, but in her heart she had already given her a nickname: “Miss Cat.”
She knew it wasn’t really polite to give someone a nickname without asking.
If they got to know each other someday, maybe she could ask her about it.
Miss Cat wasn’t in the convenience store.
Su Li guessed she might still be working at the café from before, and didn’t have time to come back to take care of the store.
Su Li headed straight home, only to find Bai Huizi moving a lounge chair and waiting at the entrance of the hallway, almost as if she’d been expecting her.
At some point, a plush carpet had been laid down in the hallway. It looked expensive.
Bai Huizi held a cigarette in her hand, the amber light of dusk spilling through the window and painting her in golden fragments across the carpet.
The velvet lounge chair’s curve fit her voluptuous body perfectly.
The ivory silk slip she wore was rumpled in a few places, like scattered moonlight piled on her peach-soft waist and hips.
Her wrist dangled over the gilded armrest, rose-colored nail polish catching the light as she rested her fingers on her cigarette, letting ash fall freely onto the luxurious carpet.
Several extinguished cigarette butts already filled the ashtray at her feet.
A lock of curly hair had slipped free from her pearl hairpin, lazily draping over her collarbone. The carved glass wine bottle at her feet cast a twisted shadow, refracting a glimpse of pale skin deep within her neckline.
The incense burner sent up a twisting stream of smoke, curling around her neck’s damp sheen of sweat, mingling with lingering tuberose perfume in the air.
Even though Bai Huizi was smoking, the scent in the air wasn’t unpleasant.
She looked completely exhausted, a deep weariness written all over her face.
The blush on her cheeks was smudged like crumpled peony petals, and the dark red on her lips left a blurred half-moon on her glass, as if it would never be filled.
Sensing Su Li’s arrival, she finally moved her pearly toes, letting her velvet slipper slide off and revealing nails stained with balsam flower dye.
The movement startled the Ragdoll Cat curled up in the folds of her dress.
The cat’s sapphire eyes reflected the sweat slowly rolling down its mistress’s collarbone, gliding silently along her smooth neck and vanishing into the silk.
“You’re finally back.”
Su Li nodded. Bai Huizi didn’t ask where she’d been. She simply stood up, stretched languidly, tossed her cigarette into the ashtray at her feet, and followed Su Li into the room.
As soon as Su Li stepped inside, her own cat came to rub against her ankle.
Meanwhile, Bai Huizi’s Ragdoll Cat, Big Thunder, showed no fear at all, wandering the apartment like a noble lady inspecting her domain.
“Does Sister Bai need some emotional support today?”
Su Li asked, thinking that since she’d already cleaned up at the hotel, she could relax a bit. Otherwise, in her current state, she’d probably ruin the client’s mood.
And if the lyrics MOKA left on her back were still visible, and if something happened with those lyrics, it could be a real headache.
She liked money, yes, but she had an aversion to trouble.
Even when dealing with troublesome matters, her mood remained perfectly calm.
She never brought her feelings or mindset from serving one client into her service for the next one— that was her professional ethic.
“Yes, I need little Su Li to help me today.”
Bai Huizi gazed at the petite figure before her, slowly walked over, and hugged Su Li tightly, greedily breathing in her scent.
The fragrance on Su Li was far more tempting— and far more alluring— than cigarette smoke.
After a long while, Bai Huizi finally let go, looking at Su Li with satisfaction.
Su Li’s fair face was as pink as a ripe peach, rosy blush spreading from her cheeks and tinting her delicate features.
Even her nose was flushed, her eyes full of shyness, lips pursed in confusion, not knowing what to do— she looked just like a startled fawn, making one’s heart ache.
Bai Huizi’s heart skipped a beat, a rush of maternal tenderness flooding over her, and she almost wanted to pull Su Li right into her arms and never let go.
But in the end, she only lifted Su Li’s chin and slowly kissed her.
She remembered the last time they’d kissed. Ever since leaving Su Li, that moment kept replaying in her mind, filling her with longing.
The instant their lips touched, Bai Huizi’s mind buzzed, her palms began to sweat, and her grip on Su Li’s clothes tightened.
They were so close, she could see the fine fuzz on Su Li’s cheeks.
Su Li’s breath brushed her nose, cool with the scent of mint candy and a hint of jasmine from her shampoo.
Su Li’s lips were even softer than she remembered— so soft it surprised her. Since it was her first time taking the initiative, Bai Huizi started with just a gentle touch, as cautious as dipping a toe in water.
But when Su Li suddenly licked the corner of her lips, Bai Huizi’s knees went weak and she hugged Su Li even tighter.
The moment their tongues touched, Bai Huizi felt her ears burn, but she only hugged Su Li harder, pouring out all her pent-up longing and desire.
When they finally parted after a long time, Bai Huizi couldn’t help but gasp for breath, turning her face away in embarrassment.
Seeing the faint lipstick mark on Su Li’s chin, she suddenly remembered it was a shade she’d bought just yesterday.
Her mouth still tasted sweet like Haagen-Dazs. When she touched her face, she found her ears burning, and quickly looked away.
But then she remembered that Su Li was only providing a paid service, and her gaze drifted back to Su Li.
Noticing the faint mark left on Su Li’s collarbone and the little cats peeking curiously from behind her, Bai Huizi suddenly felt her heart pounding wildly, her ribs aching from its force.
A strong urge rose in her mind— to cover Su Li’s body with her marks, an impulse that only grew stronger.