And just like that, Yue Liuyi’s plan slid into place like silk settling under moonlight.

Turning into a girl is so convenient, she thought, like night wind opening hidden doors; pity this ability only works after dusk.

Secret glee fluttered like sparrows, and Yue Liuyi matched the officer’s pace, drifting deeper into the detention block like a leaf on slow water.

Zaocun’s cell waited at the corridor’s end, Number Four, with one barred window; the same dull gloom, bare as a winter field, no veil, no privacy.

Through bars thick as a wrist, Yue Liuyi saw the catfolk girl curled tight, hiding like a kitten in the corner; hands and head burrowed, tail and back showing.

“Here we are.”

The officer turned the lock with a flat click, and Zaocun didn’t stir, still as a fogged pond, seemingly asleep.

“Alright, officer sir, I’ll turn over a new leaf.”

“Looking forward to it.”

He locked up again, turned, and left, his footsteps fading like rain beads down stone.

“Mmm…”

Yue Liuyi’s steps brushed the floor like soft reeds, and Zaocun blinked awake; her tail swayed nervously like grass in wind, her head lifting slowly.

“Hello~”

“Hi…” Zaocun’s voice was small, edges raw; the corners of her eyes were red like sunset, as if she’d just cried.

“I’m your new roommate, Yue Liuyi; I love small animals and adventure, so please take care of me~”

Even inside a cell, her introduction sprang like fresh buds breaking frost, bright and warm.

“Thank you. I’m Zaocun… a serving maid at the Red Wine Tavern… um, I’m really not a criminal!”

Maybe the afternoon’s grilling washed back like cold drizzle, and her tears spilled again, hot as rain on stone.

“Mhm, I know. I came for this very thing; Zaocun is a good girl, so don’t cry.”

She sat by the barred window, wiped the wet at Zaocun’s eyes like a thumb smoothing dew, and gently stroked her head.

“Eh? Came for this—what do you mean… Miss Yue is…”

“The tavern owner asked me to help; I’m here to investigate the truth. In short, I came in on purpose~”

“Really?!” Zaocun lunged close, her sudden rush like a kitten pouncing; the impact almost toppled Yue Liuyi.

Her tail stood straight like an exclamation mark, trembling with joy. “Great! Then I won’t be beheaded as a murderer!”

“You weren’t going to be beheaded anyway… ah!”

She tried to say it calmly, but Zaocun’s hair kept tickling her skin like soft feathers; the teasing touch made her shiver and squeak. “Ah—don’t rub there… I came to ask about the scene…”

“I’ll cooperate! Whatever Miss Yue wants to know, I’ll do my best to answer!”

“Good. I’ll be direct. Did the victim arrive at two-thirty in the afternoon?”

“Mm, yes! That time is quiet for travelers, so I remember it clearly.”

“When he came in, anything strange?”

“Not really, except the timing… oh! He ordered a cola with ice and lemon, same as a customer nearby!”

“That other customer was named… Dongfang Chen, right?”

“I think so… and speaking of strange, that Dongfang Chen was odd; he sat in the corner and muttered things no one understood! Could he be the killer?”

“Impossible.”

Her voice cut clean like a blade through bamboo.

“Eh?”

“Mm… because I know what kind of person he is.”

“Ah—sorry! I suspected Miss Yue’s friend!”

“It’s fine. Let’s keep going.”

She sighed inwardly like a reed bowing to wind, then asked, “Besides the cola with ice and lemon, did the victim order anything else?”

“No.”

“Oh… when you served those two colas, did you deliver them together or separately?”

“I remember clearly: separately! That gentleman was waiting for someone, so he only ordered one cola.”

“So there was a gap in timing. While serving, did anyone approach you, or leave their seat to wander?”

“I don’t think so… the tavern felt lazy, like late afternoon sun; only I was busy buzzing around.”

“Thank you, I see. After drinking, the gentleman suddenly collapsed, right?”

“Mm! I turned to tend other tables, then saw him acting strange, and—never thought…”

Zaocun trembled, fear pooling in her eyes like dark water. “Never thought that guest would die! Please believe me, I really, really didn’t kill anyone!”

“Mhm. I believe you, Zaocun. Now the question is… how did cyanide magic fluid end up in that cola?”

The doubt in Yue Liuyi’s heart moved like a needle toward the same direction as the police.

He drank a cola laced with cyanide magic fluid and died. Within fifteen minutes before death, only the catfolk girl touched that cola; that was a cold fact like frost.

Beyond the glass cup, the police found no cyanide traces in the fridge or the cola barrel, which meant only Zaocun had the chance to slip poison in.

“Was it really only Zaocun?”

The police reasoned the same, and because the tavern is a public place with an alarm ward keyed to detection magic, magical methods were ruled out like clouds blown clear.

At room temperature, cyanide magic fluid is liquid, so it must be physically added; and no one left seats to move around, so other suspects fell away like leaves.

For that reason, even without motive, they detained Zaocun, shadows stacking like stones.

“I don’t understand why the cola had poison… I mixed that cola myself, ugh…”

Thinking back, she sank into a deep gloom like dusk; for a bright catfolk girl, nothing felt worse than killing with her own hands.

“It’s okay. It’s not your fault.” Yue Liuyi stroked her hair like smoothing silk, watching her quietly. “I have a line of thought, but I need confirmation. When you served the cola, did the guest drink it immediately or later?”

“Mm… I drifted a bit, didn’t watch closely; but the accident happened after a while, so I think he drank later.”

“When you mixed the cola, you took ice straight from the fridge, right?”

“Mm, yes! Both I and Senior Chulei use ice from the fridge for drinks.”

“At that time, did the ice have little bubbles?”

“Eh? I think it did!”

“I understand now.” Yue Liuyi closed her eyes slightly; her brows eased like clouds opening, and a knowing smile bloomed.

“Eh—eh—eh! Miss Yue knows the method?”

Compared to Yue Liuyi’s calm, Zaocun bounced off the bed like a spring, pressing against Yue’s arm, excited as a kitten chasing yarn.

“Mm. It’s still a theory; no proof yet.” Yue’s mouth curved, steady as a drawn bow. “I’ll gather evidence tomorrow. Don’t worry—within three days, I’ll clear Miss Zaocun.”

“Wow, Sister Yue is amazing! Zaocun loves Sister Yue the most!” She threw up her hands and pounced, her whole body melting against Yue like warm dough. “When this is over, I want to be Sister Yue’s maid!”

“Eh?! Wait… don’t—”

Yue Liuyi stared wide, flustered; Zaocun had her fully pinned, soft warmth pressing close like clouds, the sensation oddly electric.

“Could you let me go…”

“No. Sister Yue is too cute, so I don’t want to let go.”

“Eek!!!”

Panic cracked from Yue’s throat like a bird startled; and only then did she remember a crucial truth: catfolk girls are famously frisky.

With beastkin blood and a body tuned to strength, this bubbly form of hers couldn’t match that playful force.

“I want to hug Sister tonight; soft and fluffy is the best~”

“Wait—no, I’m actually a boy…”

Zaocun pushed her down, and Yue’s voice drowned in the catgirl’s fervor like a pebble swallowed by a rushing stream.