Knowing the consequences yet trying to stop it—that’s only human.

But knowing the consequences and still choosing to bear them? That takes real courage.

…

The second thing Ji Gewei hated most was Gu Chuan lying to her.

The very first? Him actually succeeding at it.

Her elegant eyebrows shot up instantly.

Little did she know, the scene hidden beneath Gu Chuan’s blankets was far more shocking than she could imagine.

She just thought: *You sneaky Gu Chuan—secretly keeping a cat all to yourself. So possessive you won’t even let me pet it, claiming the kitten’s shy and hid under the bed.*

If it weren’t so early, dragging him out of bed would’ve been cruel.

Otherwise, she’d have made him crawl under there to fetch the cat.

But reality needed no such effort.

Turns out the “kitten” had been snuggled under his blankets all along. How attached could a cat get in just days?

“You’re really something, letting a cat sleep in your bed.”

No wonder those women are so devoted to you…

A fiery glint flickered in Ji Gewei’s eyes as she thought of them.

“Can you not be so nosy…?”

“The cat! I want to see the cat!”

Stuck with such a willful older sister, Gu Chuan could only sigh.

He’d had one last chance to fix things—but gave it up himself.

He couldn’t bear seeing Xuechun’s sad, wronged little expression.

Maybe Ji Gewei was right.

It was precisely because Gu Chuan was always like this… that girls were drawn to him and never forgot him.

Dubbed Lanfeng High’s number one “player,” yet not a single girl he’d “wronged” spoke ill of him—they fiercely defended his honor.

Outsiders whispered, “What spell did he cast on them?”

“…You’re the one who said it.”

“I did. So what?” Ji Gewei pressed closer.

She turned to face Gu Chuan, lying in resigned acceptance—their eyes locked.

A static-like spark flashed between them and vanished.

First to look away loses.

Gu Chuan conceded, voice low and gentle: “Xuechun.”

Another cute “meow” answered.

“So you’ve already named her.” A smile curved Ji Gewei’s lips.

A victor’s smile.

—but froze solid within a second.

Then shattered into raging fury, her lips twitching.

Her gaze, once bright as sunshine, darkened to a look that could kill.

Because what emerged from the blankets at Gu Chuan’s call was…

A cat… and yet not a cat.

Not in the traditional sense!

She wore Gu Chuan’s oversized shirt, barely covering her slender form—undeniably a girl.

Yet cat ears twitched atop her head… and a long white tail swayed playfully from beneath the fabric!

No way!

Xuechun shot Ji Gewei a haughty, spoiled glance, scrambled up Gu Chuan’s torso, and wrapped herself around his waist. Her tail swayed happily; tiny hands rested on his chest. To prove closeness, she stuck out her soft pink tongue and gently licked his cheek. A soft *purr* rumbled from her throat—the catgirl trait shining through.

—Happy cats purr like a tiny engine starting up.

“As you can see, this is my cat,” Gu Chuan murmured, eyes darting everywhere but Ji Gewei’s.

Yet in the meekest tone, he delivered the boldest words.

Why did this feel exactly like a cheating husband, caught red-handed, proudly presenting his mistress to his wife?!

“Meow~”

Though Xuechun couldn’t grasp human words, she sensed her master’s approval and chirped happily.

Stunned, Ji Gewei clenched her fists, throat tight, nearly choking.

She forced a cold laugh, speaking with deliberate calm from moral high ground:

“Gu Chuan, you…!”

“A girl this young… how could you?!”

“I thought you were just reckless—but this?!”

“That tail… Is it attached? Or… inserted?!”

Gu Chuan coughed violently. *Wait, hold on!*

*Ji Gewei—where is your mind even going?!*

“Mew?” Xuechun tilted her head in adorable confusion.

*Annoying woman.*

Because she yelled at her master!

Her most, most favorite master.

The one she’d searched for so long.

The one she licked with tongue spines carefully retracted—just to avoid hurting him.

“If it’s attached, maybe I’d forgive you… but if it’s inserted, Gu Chuan, you…”

Words failed her.

“You’ve truly disappointed me!”

She wanted her brother to turn back—this scandal could land him in jail for weeks.

Teen flings with peers? Fine. Young love.

But *this*? Far beyond “young love.”

*Xuechun?* Her name is Xuechun?

Gu Chuan, since when did you dive into *that* scene?!

Is she your pet? Your new… “cat”?

“Ji Gewei, could you be misunderstanding something?” Gu Chuan’s hand stroking Xuechun’s hair trembled slightly.

Xuechun stared blankly at the suddenly frantic Ji Gewei.

*Maybe crawling out was a mistake…*

“What misunderstanding?! Get up!” Ji Gewei was dead serious.

“Give me Xuechun’s family contact—now! Her family’s probably searching already! Make up a story: say she ran away, you took her in to care for her. She must play along—or Gu Chuan, you’re done for!”

Ji Gewei interpreted everything through her own logic.

Her instinct? Protect her little brother.

Her… Gu Chuan.

Gu Chuan didn’t know whether to laugh or sigh.

His thoughts were Xuechun’s opposite.

Letting Xuechun out… had been the right choice.

A soft chuckle escaped him, like gaining the lead after a long race.

—“Ji Gewei… you’re worried about me.”