Chapter 56: A Midnight Snack

The bedroom was pitch-black, but Tiger Clan beastmen had keen eyesight, allowing them to find their way even in the dark of night.

The young man supported the girl with one arm, placed her steadily on the bed, and then quietly gazed at her delicate face.

His amber pupils glowed faintly in the dark. His gaze swept over the girl’s eyes and brows, the tip of her nose, and finally settled on her full, pink lips. As if struck by a thought... the young man’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and he leaned in to press his lips against her soft ones.

His breathing grew heavier. His eyes glinted, and the next second, he leaned in again to graze his lips against Wen Qian’s, neither too lightly nor too heavily.

His warm breath puffed against her face. The girl seemed to sense something, turning her head slightly as her once-relaxed brows furrowed.

Clearly dissatisfied with her evasion, the man’s calm gaze darkened imperceptibly. He raised a hand, took hold of the girl’s chin, and the next moment, pressed his lips forcefully against hers once more.

His breathing grew ragged, his once-steady heartbeat losing its rhythm. The young man braced his hands on either side of the girl’s body, continuing to press his lips against hers... yet he made no further moves.

"Ngh..." He didn’t release the pressure until the girl let out a muffled sound and groggily opened her eyes.

Subconsciously, she reached up to touch her face and lips. Pulled from her dream, Wen Qian stared blankly at her surroundings, her eyes showing a hint of confusion in the dim light.

She then noticed a weight on her chest. She instinctively raised a hand and patted it.

It was a familiar, incredibly soft texture.

"Yin Zhi?" Wen Qian asked tentatively.

"Meow..." a soft sound replied. The little cat looked like it had just been woken up, its round eyes misty with sleep. It blinked innocently upon hearing Wen Qian call its name.

The light was too dim for Wen Qian to notice his gently swaying tail, much less the clothes he had discarded on the cold edge of the bed.

She gently ruffled the fur on its head a couple of times and whispered, "It’s okay. Go back to sleep."

This time, the little cat didn’t meow. It simply turned its head and gently licked her finger.

The night grew late. The fluffy little cat lay quietly on her chest, its gaze fixed on the girl, fervent and deep.

She slept soundly through the night.

When Wen Qian woke up, her cheeks were burning hot. She’d had a strange dream.

In her dream, Yin Zhi had transformed into a giant tiger twice the size of a man. He pinned her under his paw and aggressively licked her lips.

When she woke up, her lips felt incredibly sore and tender; even a light touch was painful.

’Seriously... I must be haunted!’

Groggily, she changed her clothes and walked to the bathroom, making a point to glance in the mirror as she passed. Her normally pink lips were actually red and swollen. A buzzing filled her head.

She immediately spun around to look for Yin Zhi, only to find him standing obediently by the dining table, holding a sandwich.

’He looked like the perfect house husband.’

Wen Qian was momentarily speechless, forcing herself to swallow the question on the tip of her tongue.

’My mind is so in the gutter. How could I suspect such a sweet little kitty of kissing me in the middle of the night?’

The thought of the dream made Wen Qian’s ears flush. She quickly turned on the faucet and splashed her face with cold water.

A sly look flashed across his handsome face. His tail popped out from behind him, and the man swished it gently twice before retracting it the instant Wen Qian turned her head.

"Qianqian, come and eat," he said, flashing a perfect, eight-toothed smile.

"Coming!" After quickly washing up, Wen Qian sat down at the dining table under the man’s gentle gaze. She picked up a sandwich, took a bite, and praised, "This is delicious!"

At her praise, the young man’s face immediately broke into a bright smile, and the tips of his ears popped out. Then, as if by magic, the man produced a glass of green liquid. "Fruit and vegetable juice."

Wen Qian’s eyes lit up. ’So this is what it’s like to have food waiting for you the moment you wake up. My time has finally come!’ she thought. She took a large gulp, but just as she was about to praise him, she saw the young man make a hushing gesture.

"You got some on your lip..." Yin Zhi whispered. He then caught Wen Qian’s hand as she started to raise it. "I’ll get it."

Thinking Yin Zhi was going to wipe her mouth with a napkin, Wen Qian immediately tilted her head up and offered her lips. But the man only paused for two seconds before gently taking her chin and flicking his tongue across her lips.

A BUZZ went through her head, and Wen Qian instantly turned to stone.

She didn’t snap out of it until Yin Zhi put down his own cup and walked away, looking utterly pleased with himself.

’What was that? Is that how you’re supposed to wipe someone’s mouth?’

She wanted to call Yin Zhi back and give him a lecture, but the memory of last night’s dream made her hesitate.

’Maybe this is just how little animals clean things. What if I’m the one being narrow-minded and dirty-minded... That would be so embarrassing.’

With that thought, the girl took a fierce bite of her sandwich, her face as red as a tomato.

Li Jiu, completely oblivious to what had just happened, was still on the sofa gnawing on an apple.

When he saw Yin Zhi sit down beside him, he immediately turned to look. His gaze landed on the girl’s red, swollen lips, and the youth was stunned. "The bugs on Blue Star are vicious!"

"What?" Yin Zhi glanced up, his voice lazy.

Blinking, the youth said in all seriousness, "Her lips look like they were bitten by a bug..."

"Shut up. It wasn’t a bug," the man interrupted, raising an eyebrow in displeasure.

"Then what was it?" Li Jiu looked completely bewildered.

The corners of the man’s lips curled into a smirk, but he didn’t answer the question directly.

He leaned back, lacing his hands behind his head. "You know what they say about curiosity and cats."

Li Jiu: "...?"

The swelling on her lips didn’t go down until the next day. Afraid of being seen, Wen Qian told everyone she had a cold. She even started wearing a mask cautiously before leaving the house.

For the next few days, Yin Zhi and Gu Mian seemed very busy, so the three of them saw much less of each other. As usual, Ling Xuan kept watch near the apartment building, occasionally hopping onto a windowsill to sunbathe.

Wen Qian had a soft spot for fluffy little animals, but this "little cat" named Ling Xuan seemed to be afraid of her. Whenever she tried to get close, he would spring away in terror...

To be more precise, the entire team of "little cats" he led was afraid of her... not a single one dared to come near.

On this particular day, Yin Zhi left the residential complex early as usual.

Wen Qian put the apples she’d prepared on the table and gave Li Jiu a few instructions before leaving herself. She had a full day of classes, and as a top student, she couldn’t possibly skip.

After leaving her apartment building, Wen Qian headed for the bus stop. She wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination, but she had the distinct feeling that someone was following her.

Having been stalked ten years ago, Wen Qian was extremely sensitive to such things. She deliberately looped around the bus stop, trying to confirm her follower’s identity...

However, even after she had walked all the way to a commercial building, the person showed no signs of leaving.

Glancing sideways, Wen Qian tried to catch the person’s face in the reflection on the semi-transparent wall.