Chapter 33-Part 2: A Morning Kiss

Song Jin woke up leisurely, feeling that the fatigue and unease of the night had all gone with the wind.

Her body and spirit felt refreshed as never before.

Duan Yan was still lying in her arms, deep in a sound sleep.

Morning light filtered through the curtains, gently falling on Duan Yan’s face, casting a warm golden glow on her delicate features.

Duan Yan’s brow was slightly relaxed, and a faint smile hung on her lips, as if she were encountering a pleasant scene in her dream.

Song Jin stared mesmerized at Duan Yan’s sleeping face, her gaze gentle and focused.

Duan Yan’s usual sharp edges softened in her sleep, as if she had shed all her disguises, revealing her true self.

Truly captivating.

Song Jin blinked gently, wanting to permanently etch this moment of peace and beauty into the depths of her memory.

As the morning light grew brighter, Duan Yan slowly woke up in a warm halo of light, letting out a soft “Mmm.”

Her eyes were half-open, her vision still hazy from waking, but she unexpectedly met Song Jin’s direct gaze.

In that instant, Duan Yan subconsciously lifted her head, and their lips lightly touched while their guards were down.

The touch was like dew in early spring, gentle and fleeting, yet it stirred ripples in the lake of her heart.

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

A flash of surprise and panic crossed Duan Yan’s eyes, while Song Jin, after a brief daze, quickly lowered her head, her cheeks flushing a faint red like the sunset clouds.

Both their hearts accelerated at that moment, the thumping sound exceptionally clear in the quiet morning.

A subtle and ambiguous atmosphere spread between the two.

“Knock, knock, knock!”

The sudden knocking was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, shattering the awkward silence.

“Xiao Yan, why aren’t you up yet? Did something happen?”

Auntie Lian’s concerned voice came from outside, sounding somewhat muffled through the thin door.

Duan Yan was the first to break the silence, slowly sitting up in bed and rubbing her tired eyes.

“It’s nothing. I just didn’t sleep well last night. I’m getting up now.”

Duan Yan glanced at the clock by the bed.

No wonder Auntie Lian was calling her; it was already nine o’clock.

Sunlight streamed through the gap in the curtains, falling on a corner of the room.

Remembering Song Jin’s abnormally high body temperature last night, Duan Yan’s brow furrowed, and she asked with concern, “Are you still feeling unwell? Does anywhere hurt?”

Song Jin took a deep breath, trying to calm her emotions, and shook her head with a smile.

“I’m fine now. I’ve completely recovered.”

“That’s good. Get changed first, then we’ll have breakfast, and after that, I’ll take you home.”

Duan Yan’s tone held a hint of relief, as if a great weight had been lifted from her heart.

Song Jin looked eagerly at Duan Yan, blinking her moist, round eyes.

Her gaze was full of pleading, implying that she didn’t want to wear yesterday’s clothes again and needed a change.

Duan Yan smiled knowingly, turned and walked to the closet.

Her fingers slid lightly over the hangers, finally selecting a light blue dress and handing it to Song Jin.

“This one hasn’t been worn. Just make do with it for now. I’ll go change first. You can change in a bit.”

Duan Yan walked into the dressing room inside the bedroom.

A short while later, she emerged, changed into a simple yet elegant outfit, and gestured to Song Jin towards the dressing room.

Song Jin stood before the mirror, gently stroking the texture of the dress.

Hehe, she was so clever.

By wearing Duan Yan’s clothes, didn’t she now have a reason for another visit?

Song Jin leisurely changed her clothes, a smug smile appearing on her face.

After changing, Duan Yan led Song Jin to wash up.

Sunlight streamed through the living room’s floor-to-ceiling windows, falling on the two of them, casting a faint shadow.

The two shadows were linked together, exceptionally warm.

Auntie Lian stared, dumbfounded, as Song Jin and Duan Yan walked down side by side.

Her mouth hung open unconsciously, her eyes full of shock and suspicion at the scene before her.

“This…”

Song Jin offered a gentle smile, very approachable.

“I’m a friend of Sister Duan’s. Something came up last night, so I stayed here for the night. Auntie, you can just call me Song Jin.”

Song Jin already had a plan in mind.

Auntie Lian’s relationship with Duan Yan was close, so she would definitely need her help in the future.

Leaving a good impression now was definitely the right move.

Auntie Lian looked at Duan Yan, very curious about this strange girl’s relationship with her.

She blinked her eyes, as if asking, ‘Is that so?’

Duan Yan nodded, her expression as usual.

Seeing that Duan Yan was unwilling to tell the truth, Auntie Lian could only nod with some doubt.

Then, her attention was quickly drawn to something else.

She noticed Duan Yan’s hands were empty and asked curiously, “Where’s the orange cat? Still sleeping in?”

Duan Yan’s expression was slightly awkward.

She lowered her head slightly, avoiding Auntie Lian’s gaze, and replied softly, “Yes.”

To prevent Auntie Lian from asking further, Duan Yan quickly changed the subject, finding something for Auntie Lian to do.

“Auntie Lian, don’t ask about that. Get a set of toiletries for Song Jin first.”

Auntie Lian quickly retrieved a toothbrush, toothpaste, a cup, a towel, and other items from the storage room and handed them to Song Jin.

Song Jin showed a sweet smile.

“Thank you, Auntie Lian.”

Afterward, Duan Yan led her to the washstand and instructed her on how to use everything one by one.

While they were washing up, Song Jin deliberately waited for Duan Yan to squeeze out her toothpaste, then handed her own toothbrush to Duan Yan.

Duan Yan blinked, confused.

“Didn’t Auntie Lian get you one?”

“I’m just staying temporarily. I don’t want to waste a new one. I’m a resource-saving type.”

Song Jin smiled mischievously.

Duan Yan was helpless and could only squeeze toothpaste onto Song Jin’s brush.

Song Jin blissfully brushed her teeth with the toothpaste squeezed by Duan Yan, as if they were lovers who had been together for many years.

After washing up, the two went downstairs to the dining table together.

Auntie Lian had already come up with a plate of fish.

She said to Duan Yan, “The orange cat is usually awake by now. I’ll go wake it up, so the fish doesn’t get cold.”

However, Duan Yan’s gaze turned to Song Jin.

Song Jin understood and coughed lightly.

“I already fed it last night. It’s not hungry.”

Auntie Lian looked at the plate of fish with some regret.

“Then won’t this plate of fish go to waste?”

Her tone revealed her appreciation for food.

“No need. Just bring it to me to eat,” Song Jin said, her eyes fixed on the plate of fish.

The fish Auntie Lian made was delicious, and she loved to eat it.

It used to be hers, so there was no reason it wasn’t hers now!

Auntie Lian looked surprised and glanced at Duan Yan, as if seeking confirmation.

A flash of embarrassment crossed Duan Yan’s face.

This fish had originally been prepared for Song Jin anyway.

She replied softly, “It’s fine. It won’t go to waste.”

The two of them reached for the plate of fish at the same time, but under Auntie Lian’s watchful eye, Duan Yan let go first.

Auntie Lian watched the subtle interaction between the two, completely bewildered.

Duan Yan couldn’t help but feel a little awkward.

Her hand had almost instinctively reached for the fish, wanting to feed the kitten as usual, but she suddenly remembered that the “little orange cat” was no longer a little life that needed her feeding.

To avoid the awkward atmosphere, she could only lower her head and focus on her meal, not daring to look at Song Jin again.

Song Jin, on the other hand, felt a little unaccustomed to not having someone help her debone the fish.

She silently regretted it in her heart.

If she hadn’t taken the plate of fish just now, Duan Yan would have helped her with the fish bones as usual.

At the end of breakfast, Auntie Lian had to leave in a hurry due to an urgent matter, leaving Duan Yan and Song Jin in the living room, staring at each other, the atmosphere slightly awkward.

Duan Yan sat on the soft sofa and was the first to break the silence.

“What exactly happened last night?”

Song Jin naturally couldn’t tell the truth and equivocated, “I’m not sure either. That memory seems to have disappeared…”

Hearing Song Jin’s words, Duan Yan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Her reputation was temporarily saved.

But she still couldn’t help but ask, “Then do you still have any memory of the process of turning into a cat?”

Song Jin lightly pressed her index finger to her cheek, pretending to be deep in thought.

“Hmm, it’s a bit blurry. I only remember my body suddenly getting very hot, and then I turned into a cat. I don’t remember what happened after that.”

Song Jin’s expression was sincere, as if she were really trying hard to remember.

“Really?” Duan Yan was half-convinced, but Song Jin nodded seriously, seeming to be trying her best to recall.

Duan Yan didn’t want to pursue it further.

This matter was too bizarre.

She decided to cut the Gordian knot.

“Let’s just end it here. I have something to do this afternoon, so I’ll leave first. I’ll have the driver take you home.”

‘What do you mean, end it here? It’s just getting started, okay?!’

‘We even slept together! How can you say it’s over just like that!!!’

Song Jin was secretly dissatisfied, but she didn’t show it on her face.

Her tone was apologetic.

“Okay, I’m really sorry. I don’t understand why this happened either. I’ll give you an explanation once I figure it out.”

“Mm.” Duan Yan replied simply, then began to arrange for a driver to take Song Jin home, while she started to prepare for her trip to the company.

This afternoon, Duan Yan had to go to the company for a fitting in preparation for the upcoming fashion show.

She had originally planned to take her little orange cat with her, but now that the little orange cat had turned into Song Jin, she could only go alone.

Song Jin knew Duan Yan was going to attend the fashion show in Country F.

She had originally planned to go as an orange cat, but now her orange cat identity had been exposed by Duan Yan.

If Song Jin wanted to stay with Duan Yan, let her know her feelings, and have her confess, she could only go to the fashion show with her.

Song Jin had the driver take her to her sister’s company.

She used facial recognition at the front desk, then went directly to the nineteenth floor of the company to wait for her sister and Zhou Jiangqi to finish their work and see her.

“What’s wrong?”

Song Yu, dressed in a sharp suit, returned a step before Zhou Jiangqi.

“Sister, can I still go to that fashion show in Country F?”

Song Jin was a little embarrassed, because she was the one who had said she wouldn’t go, the one who gave the opportunity to someone else, and now she was the one who wanted to go again.

“You can. Just have Secretary Zhou contact the organizers when the time comes.”

Song Yu sat in her armchair, squinting her eyes as she asked Song Jin, “Have you remembered?”

Song Jin was a little surprised.

“?”

Song Yu knew that Song Jin had fallen for Duan Yan.

“Do you still remember that time you got lost for a while when you were little?”

Song Jin nodded, a little confused.

“Our whole family are cats, and you are too. When you were little, you loved turning into a cat and curling up in Mother’s and Auntie Lan’s arms. But in your third year, you got lost once. It took a month to find you. Not only did you not have your previous memories, but you also never turned into a cat again.”

“Sister, what you mean is…”

Song Jin suddenly stood up, a look of sudden realization on her face.

So the furball in Duan Yan’s box was made from her fur.

“Have you fallen for her again?”

Before Song Jin could think further, she was interrupted by Song Yu’s questioning.

Song Jin nodded shyly.

“So spineless. Still eagerly trying to get into her house, and now you’ve been kicked out. When I was chasing my wife, I was never like this. It was always my wife who served me.”

Hearing this, Song Jin’s eyes lit up.

Could it be that her sister had some exclusive secret technique?

Song Yu tilted her head back and began to impart her experience: “You have to be more aloof, otherwise she’ll think she can control you and become even more arrogant…”

Song Jin listened and took notes, deciding to try it later.

Perhaps Duan Yan would be tamed by her.

But then Song Jin remembered that she didn’t even have the right to enter Duan Yan’s house now.

Their relationship was still very distant.

“But I’m still very distant from her now.”

Song Jin’s head drooped in dejection.

Song Yu snorted coldly.

“What’s so difficult about that? You do this and this…”

Hearing this, Song Jin exclaimed in her mind.

What a great idea! Now she could enter her house.

A “knock, knock, knock” on the door interrupted the two sisters’ revelry.

Zhou Jiangqi stood outside the door, smiling as she looked at Song Yu and Song Jin.

“Please come in.”

Song Yu maintained her composure, but tears were streaming down her face inwardly.

She didn’t know how much she had heard outside.

She would be in for it tonight.

If she had known, she would have been a little more restrained.

Now she was done for.

Song Jin secretly glanced at her sister Song Yu’s expression, which seemed to carry a hint of guilt.

Her heart was as clear as a mirror.

She immediately made her escape, leaving the space for Song Yu and Zhou Jiangqi.

As she was leaving, Song Jin saw a fawning, ingratiating smile on her sister’s face, while Zhou Jiangqi’s face was as cold as ice.

It seemed that being aloof wouldn’t work.

After all, her sister was also extremely fawning in front of her beloved.

But the other idea was still possible, hehe.

Duan Yan, here I come.