"Spring and Autumn! Hit it with Ten Thousand Volts⚡! Quick Attack⚡!!"
Hua Xin’s mask had vanished at some point, revealing her delicate features. She jumped to her feet, jabbing a finger excitedly at the grassy patch ahead, eyes sparkling as she watched Spring and Autumn sprawled on the ground—hoping the cat would arch its tail like a certain electric rodent and unleash fury.
*"Meow… (That’s a mouse’s move.)"*
Spring and Autumn gave a lazy flick of its tail in reply.
"Tch…"
The girl waved a long blade of grass haphazardly over its face, but the cat kept its eyes shut, utterly uninterested.
Hua Xin tossed the grass aside, lips curling into a sly smile as if struck by a sudden idea.
*Cat teaser rod? Useless…*
*Time to deploy the secret weapon! 😋*
She rummaged in her backpack, unzipping the innermost compartment to pull out a plastic bag. Inside lay a partially eaten steamed bun—about one-third left, its beef filling still plump. She’d only nibbled the dough and a sliver of meat.
Triumph gleamed in Hua Xin’s eyes as she dangled the bun above Spring and Autumn’s nose.
*Sniff… sniff…*
The cat’s nose twitched. In an instant, it shot upright, white paws patting her hand gently—claws carefully sheathed.
"Hehe."
Crouching down, the girl gazed adoringly at the skinny furball and placed the bun on the ground.
*Kitty, beef baozi is all yours!*
Spring and Autumn: *"Munch munch munch munch munch."*
*Was saving this for dinner rice topping… Beef’s precious🥺…*
But Hua Xin felt a deep bond with this cat. *What other honey is this sweet and clingy? Keyboard? More like Good-cat! 😡*
*Clearly, my soul’s pure radiance draws animals near (proud).*
*All the filth’s been purged already 😋.*
Watching it devour the bun, she grew a little hungry herself.
Spring and Autumn finished in three swift bites, then licked its pink paws and smoothed its whiskers.
Hua Xin scooped the cat into her arms and sat on the pavilion’s wooden bench, pondering whether to smuggle it home.
She’d always wanted a honey—but online prices were outrageous, and she never stumbled upon wild "pocket monsters" hiding in bushes. Summer left her raising only mosquitoes.
*"MEOW! (Bro Biao, save me😭!)"*
A frantic cry echoed from afar. Spring and Autumn’s eyes snapped open. It wriggled free from Hua Xin’s embrace and dashed toward a large ginger cat in the distance.
Hua Xin: *"???"*
*Wait—I haven’t bought a Poké Ball yet😰…*
In a blink, both cats vanished, leaving the girl stranded alone in the wind.
"Whatever… I’ll come back later…"
"You ate my bun…" she muttered, tucking the plastic bag into her backpack for reuse as a trash bag. "You’re not getting away! (confident)"
Stepping out of the pavilion, Hua Xin decided to explore campus.
First, find the teaching building. Then film Xia Yan and Lin Qingyu’s ugly faces and report them to the counselor.
*Being too stupid to fight back after getting hit? That’s history now (cold laugh).*
*Get ready for internet infamy!*
"Huh?"
Just as she stepped out of the grove, a familiar yet distant figure caught her eye.
"Dong Miao! 😡"
Ice flooded Hua Xin’s gaze. Seeing that back, she instinctively wanted to stab him from behind.
*Retreat first… Pull up navigation on my phone…*
She tiptoed backward, dodging Xia Yan’s sharp presence.
"Hua Hua?"
"Why’d you come alone?"
Xia Yan’s voice—warm with surprise—cut through the air behind her.
😨
Hua Xin froze like a statue.
*Eyes on the back of his head??*
*Wait—*
Footsteps neared. She yanked a mask from her pocket, sweat beading as she tugged her cap low, hiding every trace of her face.
*Took it off to pet cats… If he recognizes me…*
*(A hand landed on her shoulder.)*
*(An electric current—like being dissected—shot from her shoulder to her toes.)*
"It really is you, Hua Hua."
Xia Yan’s voice brimmed with delight at the familiar outfit.
He’d planned to pick her up at noon, treat her to meat, then watch the afternoon performances together.
But he never expected…
Hua Xin would venture out alone—and reach campus!!
"Why didn’t you tell me? I’d have come get you."
*(Tell you so I can watch you kiss someone? 😭👊🏻 Are you brain-dead?)*
"Why’s your clothes covered in fur?"
"Run into a cat?"
*(Eh? He’s touching me! 😭…)*
Oblivious to her turmoil, Xia Yan grabbed her sleeve and tugged her forward.
"Listen, Hua-ge, our campus cats split into three gangs…"
"The strongest’s a young leopard cat—tiny but fierce. Leads a ginger and a black cat ruling East Campus…"
"We call him Bro Biao."
His words washed over her like static.
*(Stop pulling me…)*
*(Where are we going? 😭…)*
*(Security! Teachers! Help!)*
*(Bro Biao? His nickname’s Bro Biao? He’ll unify the district with pipes? 😨)*
"Breakfast yet?"
Xia Yan released her sleeve, waving a bag of baozi and soy milk.
"Beef baozi and fresh soy milk. My treat."
*(Ding! Alert: Your sentence contains "baozi." Food temptation detected. Keyword triggered. Please reboot your brain. 🤓👉 Execute!
You just said "baozi," didn’t you? Beef baozi is the ultimate delicacy…………)*
Hua Xin’s eyes lit up like lanterns at the plump, white buns…
Xia Yan chuckled, heart aching at her reaction.
"C’mon, follow me upstairs."
"Hey, did you know we were originally dormmates? 🤔 Is this like… coming home?"
"Our beds are side by side…"
Grinning, he entered the dormitory building, slowing his pace for her.
Lured back to sanity by food, Hua Xin stared blankly at the "MALE DORMITORY" sign.
*Did he drag me to the Dark Sovereign’s palace?*
Memories surged—mugwort, birthing soccer teams, parking at Maple Forest till dawn…
She shook her head fiercely, banishing dream fragments.
*This is reality!!*
*I’ll go up! 😡*
*It’s just a last meal!*
*I’ll eat it 😭.*
