“Our shop doesn’t have that rule, so… you’ll need to pay extra,” Lin An sighed helplessly.

What was Chacha really like? You could tell from how she played games: carefree, thrill-seeking, loving to stir up trouble without caring about winning or losing—she only enjoyed the process. This time, though, it felt like she was deliberately making things difficult.

But he had to humor her anyway.

“How much extra, then?” Xiao Chacha blinked and played along.

“One million.”

“Then can you just die?”

“Absolutely. Right now.” Lin An turned to leave, but Xiao Chacha tugged the hem of his shirt. “Hey, hey, slow down… Big Brother, it’s just a WeChat. Do you really have the heart to say no?”

“I do.”

Lin An had no choice but to play along. After all, she knew his secret with Su Yuejin. Chacha was mischievous—if she spilled it, neither he nor Su Yuejin would save face.

“It’s just a WeChat! I can see you know cats well. I just want to ask about their habits—I’m thinking of getting one.”

“I’m only part-time,” he replied.

“Oh… then let me be blunt. Big Brother, you’re handsome, and your voice is nice too. Can I have your WeChat?”

“I don’t add strangers.” Lin An shook his head again.

Just as Xiao Chacha opened her mouth to speak, Su Yuejin stood up, walked over, and snapped, “Xiao Chacha! Take your hands off him.”

“Oh?” Xiao Chacha looked up.

“What’s it to you? I’m asking a cat café staff for WeChat. Big Brother, is she your girlfriend?”

Xiao Chacha held his gaze. Lin An hesitated two seconds, then shook his head. “No.”

“Then why’s it your business, Su Yuejin?” Xiao Chacha smiled sweetly.

Hearing “no,” Su Yuejin didn’t flinch. A faint smirk curled her lips. “Go ahead. He won’t give it to you anyway.”

Lin An watched Xiao Chacha helplessly. He’d never met her before. What was her relationship with Su Yuejin? Close? Estranged? Friends? Rivals? Too little intel—he stayed quiet, playing dumb.

“I don’t know if he’ll give it. Why so worked up, Su Yuejin? Huh? Who is he to you? A classmate? Why does my asking bother you? Weren’t you the one who looked down on everyone?”

“What’s it to you?” Su Yuejin’s voice turned icy.

Gone was the soft, gentle girl Lin An knew. Now her tone was cool, carrying a mature, commanding edge—a side he rarely saw.

“Nothing. I just feel like laughing, Su Yuejin.” Xiao Chacha’s eyes held unreadable emotion.

“Laugh all you want.” Su Yuejin snorted, returned to her seat, sipped her lemon Yakult, and played with the cat in her arms, ignoring them both. Xiao Chacha pulled Lin An to sit beside her.

“How old are you, Big Brother?”

“Eighteen.”

“Oh, I’m nineteen—second year of high school. You?”

“Same.”

“We’re classmates! You’re impressive.”

“Thanks,” Lin An said dryly. He caught the sarcasm, yet noticed something subtle in her expression during the earlier exchange.

His phone vibrated—a WeChat message from Chacha: *Chat with me for twenty minutes. Just talk.*

Attached: a 500-yuan transfer.

“…You’re doing this to provoke her? Do you have history?”

“Isn’t that what you want? Why overthink it?”

Lin An accepted the transfer. They chatted quietly—school, anime, drinks, cats—for twenty minutes. Xiao Chacha stood, leaned to his ear, and whispered.

Then she showed Su Yuejin the new contact.

“See? Got it.”

Su Yuejin froze, eyes wide, glancing at Lin An’s bewildered profile. Xiao Chacha whispered into Su Yuejin’s ear:

“Su Yuejin… remember how you used to look down on everyone, how you despised romance itself. Remember it well. Someone like you… doesn’t deserve even a shred of love.”

Without waiting for a reply, she left in her black leather shoes. Lin An turned, frowning slightly.

Her whisper to him: *Don’t reveal we know each other.*

Because of that secret, he had no choice. Su Yuejin sat across from him.

“Lin An, do you know who she is?”

“…No. Do you?”

“Xiao Chacha. Her family runs highly profitable businesses. Think—what else would they need to protect them?”

“Why tell me this? Are you enemies?”

“Not exactly.” Su Yuejin turned away, voice tight. “She’s a lesbian. She pursued me before.”

“…Huh?”

Lin An stood stunned for five seconds.

“I never accepted her. Said harsh things. She cut contact, though we cross paths sometimes. She resents me… so she talked to you just to get under my skin.”

“I see,” Lin An nodded slightly.

“But… why give her your WeChat?”

“She paid 500. Free money.”

“I’ll give you 1,000. Delete her.”

“…That’s burning the bridge. She’s a lesbian—what’s to worry? She won’t chat with me. Besides… jealous?” He shot her a sidelong glance.

“Why can’t I be?”

“Just asking.”

…*You watched me kiss you, then say I liked someone else—and barely blinked. Now you’re jealous? Rare.*

“Remember: never get close to her. Don’t even try flirting. You couldn’t anyway.”

“I wouldn’t. What do you take me for?”

“Don’t pretend. I know what you were like in middle school,” Su Yuejin huffed.

“Then why like me? Pathetic?”

“I just do. Your problem? Hehe.” She gazed at him, voice softening. “So… will you delete her?”

“No need. I won’t chat. And… I don’t want your money.”

“Why? Because I’m special?”

“If you want truth… I fear I’d scam you for money and affection, fall into bad habits. If I ever leave you, I’d miss it too much.”

“You won’t leave me, Lin An.”

Lin An dropped the topic. Time would answer.

“Where to after work?”

“Home.”

“You promised Cola Chicken Wings.”

“Next time.”

“But I learned to cook!” she said earnestly, as if it were a grand achievement. Lin An smiled. “Wow. Impressive.”

Su Yuejin clung to his arm, pouting. “Please? Lin An.”

“Not great. Next week.”

“Why rush home? Nothing to do… staying with me isn’t nice?”

“Not really.” He refused to explain, leaving her flustered.

Su Yuejin finished her Yakult. Lin An called cats to the table; they played while he served occasional customers. At six, shift over, they walked shoulder to shoulder to the curb. Su Yuejin pulled car keys from her canvas bag.

A white coupe.

“Let me drive you home,” she said with a gentle smile.

“…You drive?”

“Got my license at eighteen. I’m steady. Promise.” She opened the door. Lin An settled in, buckled up.

He gave the address. She drove him to his modest old residential complex. Parked. Unbuckled her own seatbelt.

“No invite for water?” She looked at him, eyes pleading.

“No. But thanks.”

“Okay…” She pouted slightly, nodded—then grabbed his collar and pecked his cheek, swift as lightning.

The AC was perfect, yet Lin An felt warm. Her arms wrapped his neck, unsatisfied with just a peck.

But today, he wasn’t in the mood.

“You can’t refuse me… you *won’t* refuse me,” she murmured.

He kissed her anyway—until her cheeks flushed crimson, breath quickening. Only then did she let him go.

Lin An stood, meeting her gaze.

“Drive safe,” he whispered.

She gave a slight nod, reversed, and drove off—this time, without lingering.

Lin An stayed calm. He *had* to be. No trace of longing, no regret. That was the only way not to get hurt. Besides… Xu Qinghuan was waiting to be fed.

At the complex gate supermarket, he bought a green pepper, lean meat, and two cucumbers—dinner sorted.