Lin Jin was still dazed. She’d only just been woken by that eerie cat yowl.

The moment she jumped out of bed, her childhood friend swiped the door open. Qin Yi stood in the doorway, icy fury in his eyes.

“If you dare go out looking for that black cat,” he said coldly, “I’ll have you neutered on the spot.”

Following the rule—shifting between cat and human form every time she slept—Lin Jin had transformed into a tabby kitten after being woken. She could only tilt her head up to stare at him.

*Meow?* (Huh?)

Not understanding but sensing danger, she let him lift her by the scruff and toss her onto the bed in the next room.

“Don’t sleep yet.”

Qin Yi dropped the words, grabbed his toiletries, and headed to the bathroom.

The little tabby remained confused. She glanced up at the clock.

23:40.

She’d come back at 22:20 and fallen asleep by 22:40.

*He’s been studying at school for over an hour?*

*Unforgivable! Sneaking off to study behind my back again!*

The kitten gnashed her tiny teeth, indignantly licking her belly fur.

*Meow meow!* (Ugh! Disgusting!)

But… licking felt *so* good. Ah, this guilty pleasure—she couldn’t stop.

*Meow.* (Just this once.)

By the time Qin Yi finished in the bathroom and returned to his room, the tabby had nearly groomed her entire coat.

He tossed aside his towel and approached the kitten curled on the bed.

She looked up, eyes snagged by his sharp muscle contours… *I’m not jealous, meow! Even if I don’t have any, meow!*

Qin Yi lifted Lin Jin aside and flopped face-down onto the mattress.

The clean scent of soap clung to his skin. The little tabby tensed, inexplicably nervous.

*Meow?* (What for?)

“Knead my back.”

“…” She’d almost forgotten that promise.

Too embarrassed to back out now, she yawned and leaped lightly onto his solid back. Her four pink paw pads pressed softly against his taut skin as she began kneading—a kitten’s instinct to stimulate milk flow, a habit many cats keep even as adults.

Her weight was perfect. The cool-soft pads eased his tired muscles with every gentle press.

Time slipped by.

The tabby’s eyelids grew heavy. Her movements slowed… then stopped. Curled against Qin Yi’s neck, she fell asleep.

Hours later, Qin Yi opened his eyes. He rolled onto his back, lifted the kitten to his chest, pulled the blanket over them, and switched off the lamp.

Darkness swallowed the room.

Human and cat.

A night of quiet rest.

On the desk, Qin Yi’s phone charged silently. Its 05:20 alarm waited patiently, almost *chilling*, ready to do its job.

It had a feeling today’s wake-up call would be… interesting.