Luckily, among catfolk girls, arousal shows as licking. No unspeakable 18-plus scene happened. Dongfang Chen just ended up with sticky fluid on his face and chest, like dew splashed in a storm, and it took ages to wash off.

“I’m sorry...”

“It’s fine. As long as we get some men’s clothes...”

“Mm, I’ll go buy them right now!”

The escape plan flowed smooth as a creek at dusk. The watchers never imagined their cameras would be spotted, nor that Zaocun had a helper waiting like a shadow under moonlight. Dongfang Chen let the catfolk girl slip out first like a cat through reeds. He went the other way, merged into the crowd like a fish into shoals, then calmly destroyed the camera like breaking a spider’s web.

A gaggle of dull-eyed men—obvious watchers—rushed into the supermarket like geese in a squall. They scoured for the catfolk girl and Chulei’s trail, but of course, Zaocun had already slipped away like mist.

There were plenty of cameras along the way. He avoided them all with the ease of a swallow dodging rain. After exiting the supermarket low-key, he stepped into a quiet corner where the city wind felt like cool river water.

“We did it. Thank you so much, Mr. Dong! I just bought a phone. Let’s use this number from now on~”

Zaocun’s text chimed in like a bell under eaves.

“You’re welcome. A friend of Yue Liuyi is my responsibility to help.”

“Then... Mr. Dong is my friend too. Tell Zaocun if you need anything. I’ll help, for sure!”

“Mm-hm. Definitely.”

“I’m going to find Senior Chulei now~”

“Okay. Ping me if anything comes up.”

He saw one more name in his contacts, and warmth spread in his chest like a lantern lighting at night. He’d lived rootless, always parting like clouds after rain. But meeting kind people again and again made the road feel less empty, like finding tea steam in cold dawn.

(And there’s one more friend...)

Dongfang Chen took out the magic book from his pack. It held everything he needed, like a whole river folded into a map. He could say it without guilt: the Rangers Lodge had almost exhausted its “usefulness.” Leaving now was the “wise” move, like pulling anchor before a storm.

“But this book is for Little Yue...”

He stroked the cover, smiling, like smoothing a favored talisman. Thanks to meeting Zaocun—the catfolk girl whose idea of gender flips like wind over grass—he’d eased that knot of gloom in his heart. Boy or girl... maybe it isn’t such a divide. More than walls, what matters are bonds born between people, and the vows he once whispered like oaths to the stars.

“And later, I met Zaocun in the restroom, so it really was running into an ‘old friend.’ That means I didn’t lie, right? lol”

He stretched like a cat in sunlight, then stepped into the cake shop. He began prepping the gift he’d bring to tonight’s gathering, sweet as a mooncake under lantern light.

The great mast cut through the evening sea of clouds like a keel through crimson water. Stars showed faintly, a scatter of river pebbles hidden in the scarlet glow of sunset, their light intoxicating as warm wine.

Night had arrived, soft as sable. Yue Liuyi appeared as quietly as a shadow across snow.

Ding-dong, ding-dong.

Arms full of gifts, Yue Liuyi pressed the Skyship’s doorbell like tapping on a zither string.

Thump-thump, tat-tat!

From inside, came the sound of collisions, and a burst of air that snapped like a small sonic boom.

“Huh? Are they fighting?”

While Yue Liuyi stood uncertain, the Skyship’s door opened like a curtain parting before moonlight.

The first thing she saw was a pair of sea-green eyes. Her body felt light as a feather. Her feet left the floor like a leaf on a breeze.

“Ah... my Little Yue came home safe. Thank goodness~”

Dixue crushed Liuyi into her arms like hugging a warm pillow, hands stroking that silky blue hair as if smoothing lakewater.

“I—I can’t breathe...”

“Mmm... sorry~” She loosened a little, but still held the blue-haired girl, unwilling to let go, like hands around a winter stove. “It’s been so long since I saw Little Yue. I got excited, hehe.”

“Long? It’s only been two hours...”

“By ‘a day feels like a year’ math, that’s over a month!”

“You can’t compare it like that!”

“Huh? Little Yue, why’d you bring so much stuff...”

“Mm... it’s a gathering, right? I brought gifts.”

“No need. Little Yue herself is the best gift~”

...

While Yedie Snow and Yue Liuyi “flirted” like sparrows chattering on a branch, another woman walked out through the Skyship’s door.

She wore a fitted, lightweight black outfit, sleek as midnight water. Under the black short skirt, a pair of long, straight legs were wrapped in black silk, like ink-dipped willow. Pale-violet hair was tied in a single ponytail that swayed like a tassel in wind. A slim black sword hung at her back, cold as a winter reed. The whole impression was crisp and commanding beauty, like frost on a blade.

Compared to Dixue, the violet-haired girl stood half a head taller. Her manner was steely, her age hard to read, like mountains behind mist.

“Dixue, is there an enemy?”

“No... I forgot to tell you, this is my new ally, Yue Liuyi.”

Facing the purple-haired girl, Dixue pulled Yue Liuyi around and made the introduction like placing a flower in a vase.

“Hello, I’m Yue Liuyi. Please take care of me~”

“You...”

The deep-violet-haired girl didn’t answer. Her pupils tightened like a bowstring. She stepped forward, and from those deep-violet eyes, Yue Liuyi felt a shiver, like a cold wind down her spine.

“Dawn Goose?”

“Dixue, don’t tell me...”

Just as Xiang Xiaoyan was about to speak and the air went heavy as thunder, Maria arrived right on cue like sunlight breaking cloud.

“Well now, look at that, everyone’s here!!”

Maria, in a Victorian gown like cream and lace, cheerfully slipped between the three, and began the introductions. “This is Miss Yue Liuyi, Dixue’s ally. And this is Miss Xiang Xiaoyan, the vice-chair of our Rangers Lodge temporary branch. She’s a formidable Special Envoy Ranger. Back then, she and Dixue were called the Black and White Roses...”

“Eep! Maria, don’t say that. It was ages ago!”

Dixue waved a little, embarrassed, like a swan worried about its reflection.

“Mm. Thinking back now, it’s nostalgic...” Maria’s arrival loosened the air like tea steam. Dawn Goose took her gaze off Yue Liuyi and gave a faint nod, like a blade lowered to rest.

“Dawn Goose, just now you...”

“It’s nothing. I wanted to test the new ally’s nerve. As expected of Dixue’s ally—she’s qualified.” She faced Yue Liuyi and, for the first time, smiled like winter sun on steel. “Let me introduce myself again. I’m Xiang Xiaoyan. I favor the sword. Pleased to work with you.”

“Hello, Senior Xiang~ I know a bit of star-and-moon spells. I’ll be learning a lot from you.”

Yue Liuyi let out a long breath, like mist leaving a mirror. Xiang Xiaoyan wasn’t hard to get along with after all. If she’d failed the first impression, she’d have made trouble for Dixue like a knot in silk.

“Let’s head in and talk.”

“Mm!”

The four girls stepped into the Skyship together, like swallows returning to the eaves.

As Dixue’s private residence, the Skyship was spacious from every angle, like an open pavilion above clouds. Even with four girls inside, it never felt crowded. Banners hung along the wallpapered corners like little prayer flags, filling the space with a festive buzz.

“Lady Maria and the other young ladies have returned!”

A tiny catfolk kid trotted over, light yet steady, like pawsteps over tatami, welcoming them with bright eyes. Cream-white ears and tail twitched like soft brush tips. She was a full size smaller than Zaocun. She wore a black-and-white maid outfit that fit just right, radiating care and diligence like fresh bread warmth.

“Nicely done. Lingwei, you worked hard.”

Maria nodded and naturally patted the catfolk kid’s head. Lingwei’s tail wagged obediently, like a reed in a breeze.

“And this is...”

“My ally, Zero Wei!” Maria set hands on hips proudly, introducing them like unveiling a prized teacup.

“Hello, Sister Yue. I’m Lingwei. I know some cooking and computer work. Please take care of me!”

The tiny bow was adorable as a sprout in spring. Yue Liuyi’s heart fluttered like petals in wind. Her eyes even turned into > <. “You can do computers and cook at that age? That’s amazing!”

But in Dixue’s silver eyes, that face set a small sourness spinning, like lemon on the tongue. She tugged Yue Liuyi’s hand, a jealous note under her smile. She pointed toward Lingwei. “Little Yue, don’t be fooled by Zero Wei’s cute looks, okay? He’s actually a boy. Catfolk boys look like this. Watch it, or he’ll take advantage of you!”

“Big Sis Dixue! Don’t say it like that...”

Lingwei ducked his head, cheeks flushing rose, like a peach in shade.

“A boy!!!”

Yue Liuyi jolted as if shocked by cold water. She thought Dixue meant her. If anyone here knows boys best... that would be her.

“Right? Surprising, huh!”

Dixue and the others only took Yue Liuyi’s startle as shock at Lingwei’s looks. “I thought he was a girl at first too. Maria picked Lingwei up on a thunderstorm night, pitiful as a drenched kitten.”

“Uu... Feels like after Dixue got sunnier, she also got a little naughty...”

“Hehe~”

“It’s getting late. Let’s begin.”

Dawn Goose walked to the sword rack, unhooked her long sword with a quiet ring like ice on glass, and joined them.

“Mm, let’s start. The blessed wedding of Little Yue and LittleSnow~”

“LittleSnow! What are you even saying!”

“What, isn’t this a welcome party for a new ally?”

“Hehe, this way I get to see Little Yue blush. Look, so cute!”

“Uu...”

And just like that, the girls’ gathering began, bright as lanterns and sweet as midnight tea.