Who Needs a Relationship When You Have a Cat?

Chapter 18

March 1, sunny.

New book drops today—honestly, I’m a nervous wreck.

Still, this is exactly the story I’ve been dying to tell; it can’t be that bad, right?

Hope somebody out there still has an appetite for shameless PDA fluff.

Ha—spotted a familiar reader’s comment the second the chapter went live. Felt good. Felt seen.

Like scratching Xiao Yu under the chin and hearing her purr.

Who needs dating when you’ve got reader validation?

...

March 2, sunny.

Why is my life turning into a light-novel cliché?

Sometimes I wonder: while I’m busy writing characters, am I just a character in someone else’s novel?

Whatever. First priority: figure out how and why Xiao Yu can morph into a human.

If Mom and Dad catch me hiding a girl in my room—golden-house-kept beauty or not—I’m dead meat.

According to Sis Qian, Xiao Yu isn’t even one in cat years; that’s... sixteen human years.

I’m officially a criminal.

Wait, Google says a two-year-old cat equals twenty-four human years.

So this time next year she and I will be the same age?

Great. Now I’ve got a gloomy milestone to look forward to.

Cats only live, what, a dozen-odd years?

Can’t keep writing. Need to hug Xiao Yu.

...

March 3, sunny.

Sis Qian opened a pet hospital—checkups just got convenient.

Plus free kibble, litter, and treat sticks. Heh.

Good thing she’s a woman; I’ll never have to let another guy lay a hand on Xiao Yu.

But what exactly is she supposed to wear...?

Underwear included.

The engineering of girls’ clothes is insane—might turn it into novel research.

...

March 4, sunny.

Took Xiao Yu home today.

Told Grandpa I was bringing my “girlfriend” back as a joke.

If the human Xiao Yu were an ordinary girl, she’d be perfect dating material.

But she’s still just my kitten... and in ten years I’ll be burying a white-fur baby.

Every pet owner faces that heartbreak.

Now that she can become human, the pain feels downright cruel.

Nope—not thinking about it.

Future me can deal with the trauma.

Live in the present—cats included.

Rather than obsessing, I’ll focus on keeping her healthy and happy.

Xiao Yu, could you quit materializing in the most dramatic spots?

Today she popped into human form on the windowsill—almost spotted by Mom and Grandma.

Nearly gave me a heart attack.

The dusty kids’ watch finally earned its keep.

She can’t read, but the GPS works; if she ever wanders off, I can track her.

...

March 5, rainy.

Rained all day.

Swiped a tape measure in the morning; after lunch I brought Xiao Yu home.

She turned human at one on the dot—perfect time for measurements.

Ahem...

Height 159 cm, bust 83 cm, under-bust 67 cm, waist 60 cm, hips 88 cm.

Strictly for science—no creeps here.

Measured over her coat; she wouldn’t stand still, so top half while sitting, bottom half while lying down.

Hope posture doesn’t skew the data.

Difference between bust and under-bust is sixteen centimeters...

Holy crap—C-cup?

Seriously?

In that loose hoodie you’d never guess...

Still in shock, I ordered two dresses and three sets of underwear in her size.

That should cover it for now.

...

March 6, rainy.

Today Xiao Yu held her human form for twenty minutes.

Yesterday’s measuring session lasted at least ten, but I was too sweaty and focused to notice.

If the duration keeps increasing, will she eventually stay human 24/7?

At this rate we’re looking at a year, minimum.

Also, her learning curve is steep.

This afternoon I taught her to use the kids’ watch. She can’t text—illiterate—but she nailed the selfie cam in minutes.

She keeps snapping photos of herself; guess she’s curious how she looks.

Maybe the selfie gene comes standard with girl DNA?

...

March 7, still raining—weather’s getting on my nerves.

Worse, Xiao Yu woke me last night.

After shifting human she played with that stupid watch under the quilt—lights blinking everywhere.

The new model has object-recognition and voice feedback.

She kept aiming it at nothing: “Poor lighting, cannot identify.”

Finally pinned her wrists to make it stop.

She licked me in retaliation—several times.

...

March 8, overcast.

Rain finally quit.

Slept like garbage; nap first, write later.

...

12:00 p.m. Ai Qing is woken by knocking.

He sits up, rubs his eyes, slips into flip-flops, and shuffles toward the bedroom door.

Halfway there he freezes—why is the door already open?

A flash of pure-white fur bolts past: Xiao Yu, in cat form, racing for the main entrance.

She skids around the corner.

Click—the lock turns, and the front door swings open.

“Huh? Xiao Yu’s gotten this smart?” Xiao Youqian exclaimed when she saw the cat. “She can open doors all by herself now?”

Ai Qing: “......”

She definitely hadn’t known how before.

Yet ever since turning human and learning the trick, she’d even mastered it in cat form.

Now she even rushes to open the door when someone knocks!

If Dad ever shows up unannounced, knocks, and finds a teenage girl standing inside his son’s room—

how on earth would I explain that?

I could jump into the Yellow River and still not wash myself clean.

“Ai Qing! Where are you?”

“Coming, coming.” Ai Qing ruffled his hair, rounded the corner, and found Xiao Youqian at the door—

balancing four delivery boxes in her arms.

“A-hem...” Spotting him, Xiao Youqian actually looked bashful, cheeks faintly pink; he had no idea why. “The courier mixed up the addresses and left your packages at my door, so I brought them over.”

“Oh, thanks.” Ai Qing took the boxes without thinking and set them aside.

Just then an adorable cat head popped out from behind her heel.

“Meow~”

“Mew-mew?”

“Huh? Vera, why’d you follow me out?” Xiao Youqian crouched, laughing, and stroked her ragdoll’s head, then called toward the room, “Perfect timing—come here, Xiao Yu, meet Vera.”

Vera’s fur was silky; soft coffee color ran along her back all the way to her head and framed her clear blue eyes, while the rest of her was snow-white—utterly gorgeous.

Ai Qing knelt and petted her too; Vera didn’t mind strangers and pushed her head against his palm.

Xiao Yu seemed to bristle with jealousy, squeezing between them and bumping his hand away so he couldn’t touch another female cat.

“All right, I’ve got to run. You two can play next time.” Xiao Youqian scooped Vera up, waved goodbye, and headed back to her own apartment.

Ai Qing shut the door, chuckled, and tapped Xiao Yu on the head, then idly glanced at the delivery labels.

His face froze; his pupils dilated in panic.

—[Victoria’s Secret: cotton soft low-rise, full-coverage women’s briefs]

—[Same-style VS small-cup cooling push-up seamless anti-gravity bra]

—[Xiangying green strappy floral chiffon sundress, women’s]

—[French vintage, new spring arrival, waist-cinching slim velvet dress]

Oh...

No!

Sis Qian, let me explain!