Chapter 41: Sharing a Sleepless Night

“Can’t sleep?”

Song Jin asked softly.

“Yeah, it feels like something is missing.”

Duan Yan’s reply revealed a similar predicament, indicating that this restlessness was not hers alone.

Song Jin decided to get up from the warm bed, propped a pillow behind her back, and sat up comfortably. “Since that’s the case, why don’t we chat for a bit to pass this sleepless night.”

Duan Yan followed suit, placing a pillow behind herself and sitting up straight, gently inquiring:

“How is your body recovering? I remember when we were in Country F, you didn’t turn back into a cat for several nights in a row, right?”

A sudden wave of guilt washed over Song Jin. She had never truly lost control of her body.

It was all just a deliberate deception towards Duan Yan. Her fingers unconsciously clenched the bedsheet, the tips turning white from the force.

This was, after all, a thorn in her heart.

Imagine being deceived by the person closest to you. That feeling would be like biting into an unripe fruit—sour, astringent, and difficult to swallow.

It was better to deal with it quickly rather than prolong the pain. While there was still time, she had to confess everything as soon as possible, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable.

She had to reveal everything right before she was due to go home.

Having decided on the timing, Song Jin smiled lightly. “Yes, it’s getting better.”

Duan Yan nodded, happy that she was recovering, and then curiously asked a question that had been weighing on her mind for a long time.

“Are all of you in your family orange cats? Last time I saw your sister’s ears, they were orange.”

For some reason, any memory Song Jin had of her mother’s and sister’s cat forms seemed to have been erased from her mind.

A flicker of confusion crossed Song Jin’s eyes. She thought for a moment before finally replying, “I’m not sure about that either. I suppose so.”

“Then, is your family afraid of celestial masters? The charm I got from the temple before, will it have any effect on you?”

Duan Yan continued to press, her voice revealing a concern for Song Jin’s safety.

Song Jin looked completely bewildered and muttered to herself, ‘Celestial masters? What are those?’

“You know, the kind of celestial masters who specifically catch demons.”

It was only then that Song Jin finally understood. She remembered that Duan Yan had once acted in a film or TV show about ghosts, which had mentioned the role of a celestial master. No wonder Duan Yan had suddenly brought up this question.

“I don’t think so. Our family has a long history here, and I’ve never seen a celestial master come looking for me. As for charms, I imagine it’s the same,” Song Jin comforted her softly. Then she playfully extended her hand, mimicking the shape of a claw, and said in a mock-fierce tone, “As for whether a cat demon will be caught by a celestial master, that remains to be seen. But I do know that today, this cat demon is going to eat you, a mere human.”

“Don’t worry, this place is remote. Even if you scream your lungs out, no one will come to save you. Jie jie jie¹,” Song Jin deliberately lowered her voice to create a terrifying atmosphere, not forgetting to add a line at the end to enhance her “threat.”

Duan Yan couldn’t help but laugh at Song Jin’s playful antics. She cooperatively played the role of a scared person, acting out dramatically:

“Please have mercy, Lord Cat Demon. This humble one is willing to serve you like a dog or a horse, wuwuwu…”

Seeing this, Song Jin also got into character, lifting her chin and saying with feigned authority:

“Hmph, seeing as you are so sensible, this great lord will spare you for now.”

After speaking, Song Jin looked at Duan Yan with smiling eyes. They looked at each other and laughed, the atmosphere warm and cozy.

After a moment of silence, Song Jin remembered that she might have known Duan Yan in the past. She turned her head and asked:

“Sister Duan, did you ever have a cat when you were little?”

Duan Yan pondered for a moment.

After a while, she gently shook her head, her tone carrying a hint of self-deprecation. “No. It’s strange, but it seems that animals have never liked me, especially cats. Every time I try to get close, they immediately become defensive, baring their teeth and claws, as if I were some terrifying beast. The only times I could ever pet them were when Sister Yang’s cats were fast asleep.”

Her voice was tinged with a slight regret, but then it revealed a playful satisfaction.

“So, that time I was ‘framed’ by a cat, I was actually quite happy. After all, that was the first cat to ever approach me on its own.”

A hint of confusion arose in Song Jin’s heart. She couldn’t help but wonder why both she and Duan Yan had no memory of their childhood encounter.

However, in the tin box left behind by Duan Yan’s grandmother, that ball of orange fur was clearly woven from Song Jin’s shed fur.

This undoubtedly proved that they had once spent time together.

Considering that Duan Yan had never been popular with animals, a thought suddenly flashed through Song Jin’s mind. Her possessiveness as a child was so strong; could it be that some of her own actions had led to Duan Yan being disliked by animals?

She secretly speculated that if it were now, and she found out Duan Yan was secretly petting other cats behind her back, she would definitely feel displeased.

Thinking of this, she comforted her softly:

“It’s okay, Sister Duan has me now. When my body recovers…”

Duan Yan chuckled and nodded, her gentle gaze falling on Song Jin, her eyes flowing with a joyful light.

“Okay.”

“It’s not late now, Sister. Let’s go to sleep,” she suggested softly.

“Mm.”

Duan Yan agreed. The two of them lay down again and closed their eyes.

In the morning, at seven-thirty.

Song Jin slowly opened her sleepy eyes to Duan Yan’s gentle wake-up call, and immediately saw Duan Yan’s concerned face. “Good morning, Sister Duan.”

“Time to get up and wash up. Breakfast is almost ready.”

Duan Yan had already gotten ready. After gently waking Song Jin, she walked lightly downstairs.

Song Jin quickly leaped out of bed, washed up and changed, and hurriedly followed her downstairs, sitting down beside Duan Yan.

On the breakfast table, Duan Yan’s preparations were simple yet healthy—a bowl of mixed grains emitting a natural fragrance.

Upon seeing Song Jin’s arrival, besides the same food as Duan Yan on the table, Duan Yan gently pushed a small dish of dried fish—Song Jin’s favorite in her orange cat form—towards her.

“Thank you, Sister Duan.”

A warm current surged through Song Jin’s heart. She picked up a piece of dried fish without hesitation and tasted it.

The familiar taste spread across her tongue, leaving a pleasant aftertaste. But Song Jin felt that something was missing—such delicious dried fish, yet Duan Yan had never tried it.

Song Jin’s eyes darted around. She picked up a piece of dried fish and held it in front of Duan Yan, her eyes full of anticipation.

Duan Yan smiled and took a bite. “It’s indeed delicious.”

“Right? I think so too.” Song Jin’s face was filled with the joy of sharing as she continued to enjoy the delicious food.

After breakfast, Duan Yan led Song Jin to the study and handed her a stack of neatly organized documents.

“I need to go to the company this afternoon to handle the details of the endorsement contract. If you’re not planning to go out, please read these documents carefully,” Duan Yan said.

“Why can’t I go with you? I can wait for you in the car.”

Song Jin was reluctant to part. Her relationship with Duan Yan had just been established, and she didn’t want to be separated from her.

She took the files while asking curiously, and found that they were all in-depth analyses of her own career.

“Xiaojin, you didn’t come from a professional acting background. Winning the Best Newcomer award that time was pure luck,” Duan Yan explained patiently. “But to win the honor of Best Actress is no easy feat. What do you think we need to do to achieve this goal?”

Song Jin recalled her past provocations towards Duan Yan, her heart filled with regret. She wished she could turn back time and give herself a sharp slap.

“I didn’t know enough back then…” Song Jin’s voice was low, full of apology.

“I understand your intentions. That matter is in the past. You can’t just revolve around me now. Although being in love is sweet, your career is just as important,” Duan Yan said seriously. “Besides the upcoming fashion show and the movie that’s about to be released, how long has it been since you’ve appeared in the public eye? How many fans have you lost?”

Duan Yan’s questions came one after another, leaving Song Jin a little overwhelmed.

“I understand. I’ll get back to work starting tomorrow.”

Duan Yan’s words were a wake-up call for Song Jin. Although she knew she couldn’t neglect her career, she was reluctant to be separated from Duan Yan.

She looked up at Duan Yan with big, watery, pitiful eyes, but on this matter, Duan Yan was exceptionally firm, not yielding in the slightest.

“In a few days, I will be going to WZ to shoot the endorsement advertisement. You can’t just stop here,” Duan Yan continued to encourage. “Don’t you want to walk the red carpet with me? Don’t you want to win the Best Actress award?”

“I do,” Song Jin’s voice was firm, the determination in her heart ignited by Duan Yan’s words.

“Then work hard, understand?” Duan Yan’s words were full of encouragement. “When we are standing side by side at the same height, we can make our relationship public.”

The words “make public” made Song Jin’s eyes light up, and her fighting spirit was instantly restored.

Duan Yan saw Song Jin’s reluctance and comforted her gently, “A short separation is for a longer togetherness.”

Song Jin understood Duan Yan’s earnest intentions. For the sake of their long-term future, she was willing to accept a temporary separation.

“I know. You should go. I’ll read these documents carefully and won’t disappoint Sister Duan’s expectations.”

Song Jin watched Duan Yan’s retreating back, then focused on reviewing the documents on the table.

After reading them, her gratitude for Duan Yan deepened.

‘Wifey is so good to me, hehe.’

A determined light shone in Song Jin’s eyes. She resolved to win the Best Actress award as soon as possible to earn the right to make her identity public with Duan Yan.

The notification sound from her phone interrupted Song Jin’s thoughts. It was a message from Zhao Dan, asking her which gift she liked.

Song Jin cherished her friend Zhao Dan. She planned to introduce her to Duan Yan once her relationship with Duan Yan was more stable.

“Thanks, Xiaodan. I like all the gifts. Any one of them will do.”

Song Jin replied.

[Zhao Dan: “Okay, where are you planning to celebrate your birthday? Remember to tell me, I’ll come over directly.”]

Song Jin hesitated. She secretly wanted to spend her birthday with Duan Yan, but Zhao Dan was coming from afar, and she couldn’t just refuse her directly. She could only respond tactfully.

“Don’t go to so much trouble. My plans for my birthday might change.”

[Zhao Dan: Okay, I understand.]

Being reminded by Zhao Dan, Song Jin’s heart suddenly jolted.

Only then did she realize that May had already quietly arrived, and her birthday was in the middle of the month.

Song Jin opened her messaging app, opened the chat window pinned to the top, and her fingers gently swiped across the screen. She subconsciously typed out a sentence: “Teacher Duan, my birthday is in a few days.”

After writing it, she looked at it and felt it wasn’t quite right. Such a polite form of address couldn’t reflect the intimacy between her and Duan Yan.

She thought for a moment and typed a new line: “My dear girlfriend, my birthday is in mid-May.”

After writing it, she felt it was too cheesy and was about to delete it, but she accidentally hit the send button.

Song Jin covered her face in frustration. Just as she was about to retract the message, Duan Yan, as if by telepathy, replied instantly.

[Girlfriend (to be married): “I know. What would you like for a gift?”] The short reply sent a warm current through Song Jin’s heart.

‘Alright, let’s just leave it at that.’

Song Jin replied, “I don’t know. I’ll like whatever you give me.”

‘It would be best if you gave yourself to me. That would be the best gift.’

[Girlfriend (to be married): Okay, I’m about to discuss the contract. Going offline for now. [Cat head nod]]

Duan Yan’s message was followed by a cute emoji. The cat was her in her orange cat form, which Duan Yan had actually made into a sticker pack. Song Jin couldn’t help but smile.

After asking Duan Yan for a birthday gift, Song Jin began to think about what to get for Duan Yan’s birthday. Her birthday was in September, so there was still some time, but Song Jin was already planning ahead.

When it came to choosing gifts, Song Jin wasn’t very good at it, but she believed that as long as she observed Duan Yan’s preferences more, she would be able to find a suitable gift.

These past few days, Song Jin had been busy with the fashion show and her relationship.

She had no time for Weibo. Now was a good time; she hadn’t surfed the internet in a while.

Song Jin opened Weibo, switched to her alt account, and countless little red dots flooded her private messages.

Song Jin swiped her finger and opened the chat with that like-minded netizen.

The most recent message was sent last night.

[Little Flower Song Pushes Down Best Actress Duan: “Ah, so sweet! Sister, come and ship them quickly! [Long image]”]

Curious, Song Jin clicked on it. What appeared before her eyes were their stunning moments from the fashion show.

In the photo, although their time on the T-stage was different, this netizen had skillfully stitched the figures of the two goddesses together, creating a harmonious picture.

Duan Yan was wearing a vibrant red dress, exuding an air of coldness and nobility, yet the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned, showing a warm smile. At the same time, Song Jin’s attire was more brilliant and playful, full of youthful vitality and spirit.

The angle of this composite photo was just right, perfectly capturing the moment their gazes met. When their eyes met, it was as if they had found their other half in destiny.

“Great picture, great picture!” Song Jin praised sincerely and quietly changed her profile picture to this photo.

The netizen seemed to be a girl addicted to the internet and replied immediately.

[Little Flower Song Pushes Down Best Actress Duan: “Sister, are you not online often? Why didn’t you reply to my message? [Cat crying]”]

Song Jin felt a little guilty and explained, “I’m still a student, so I’m sorry.”

[Little Flower Song Pushes Down Best Actress Duan: “So you’re a student! Then study hard, little sister, and get into a good university.”]

Song Jin easily played the part of a younger person, “Thank you, big sister! The divine edit you made is really amazing!”

[Little Flower Song Pushes Down Best Actress Duan: “Thanks! I recently created a group. Are you interested in being an administrator? We have inside resources, you know.”]

Song Jin thought for a moment, “Sure, but I don’t have time to manage it. I’ll just be a regular member.”

[Little Flower Song Pushes Down Best Actress Duan: “It’s fine, there aren’t many people in the group, only a few dozen, wuwuwu [sad]”]

‘What? Her and Duan Yan’s CP has so few fans?’

They were already together now. How could people be so blind? There were only so few of them.

It seemed that the truth was indeed only known by a few.

Song Jin comforted the netizen for a bit and then joined the group chat with her alt account.

The group chat name: Duan Song’s Exclusive CP Cabin.

‘What kind of name is this…’

Duànsòng, Duàn Sòng. It meant “to ruin.” Too unlucky.

Song Jin immediately messaged the group owner privately, requesting a name change.

“Sister, ‘Duan Song’ sounds a bit bad. Why don’t we change the name to ‘Mei Yu Wu Xia’? Yan means beautiful, Jin means beautiful jade, and Wu Xia symbolizes that the love of the CP we ship is perfect and flawless.”

The group owner saw Song Jin’s message, thought for a moment, and then cheerfully changed the group name.

Song Jin was satisfied. She looked through the group files and was surprised to find that there were even edited videos of her and Duan Yan.

After opening a video, Song Jin had to admit, she couldn’t help but marvel at their talent.

Two completely unrelated scenes, under skillful editing, actually exuded an indescribable emotional depth.

Driven by curiosity, Song Jin continued to explore. When she flipped to the group photo album, her surprise escalated even further.

She saw fanfiction about herself and Duan Yan.

Song Jin’s interest was piqued. She opened a fanfic that depicted her in a cat-like form, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

[Warning: The following content contains mild adult-oriented descriptions. Please read with caution.]

Song Jin was slightly taken aback. ‘What kind of outrageous plot is this?’

She looked at the text on the screen and couldn’t help but feel her face flush.

[A flexible tail slowly emerged from Song Jin’s back. As if with a will of its own, it gently curled and skillfully wrapped around Duan Yan’s snow-white ankle, locking her firmly in place.

“Lewd cat, if you dare to tarnish my reputation today, I will never yield to you, even if it costs me my life.”

Duan Yan held herself with an immortal’s pride and noble spirit, her face filled with righteous indignation.

A sly smile curved Song Jin’s lips. She gently lifted Duan Yan’s chin with her fingertips and asked teasingly, “Hush, why be in such a hurry to jump to conclusions?”

Before long, under the effect of this mysterious power, Duan Yan’s body involuntarily softened, her cheeks blushing like the evening glow, and her eyes shimmered with an indescribable tenderness.

“And now?”

“You are indeed a lewd cat, you actually…”

Before Duan Yan could finish, Song Jin’s fingers had already gently covered her lips, silencing her words.

And so, Duan Yan’s gaze began to grow hazy, her body as if no longer under her own control. The sensation, which she had never experienced before, made her both scared and curious.

Her heart raced, her reason and emotions battling fiercely.

“I… I…”

Duan Yan tried to find her voice, but with a light flick of Song Jin’s tail, her resistance became even more feeble.

“No need to rush. We have plenty of time.”

Song Jin’s smile held a hint of triumph. She knew that this game, she had already won.]

Song Jin covered her face shyly. ‘It can be like this?’

Unfortunately, she and Duan Yan hadn’t reached that stage yet.

The group members were really talented writers. Such a plot was simply beyond her imagination.

Song Jin couldn’t help but immerse herself in the creative wisdom of the group members.

Just then, Duan Yan knocked on the door and came in.

Song Jin finally noticed Duan Yan’s arrival. She quickly closed the page, put down her phone, composed her expression, and looked up at the door.

“You’re back so early. Did the contract matters go smoothly?”

“Mm,” Duan Yan replied softly, then turned to ask Song Jin, “How are the documents coming along? Have you decided on your next project yet?”

“Not yet, I’ve just narrowed it down to a few options for now,” Song Jin answered seriously.

“Which ones?” Duan Yan walked over to Song Jin, gently wrapped her arms around her, and asked softly.

“These.” Song Jin pulled a few pages from a stack of documents and handed them to Duan Yan.

Duan Yan carefully browsed through them, then said, “Let’s go with this film and television drama, if you’re not opposed to it. You can also sing its theme song, by the way.”

Song Jin smiled slightly, her thoughts drifting back to her first meeting with Duan Yan. At that time, she was singing the theme song for a drama starring Duan Yan.

A wave of curiosity arose in Song Jin’s heart. She looked up at Duan Yan and asked curiously, “Sister Duan, what was your impression of me when we first met?”

“Are you sure you want me to tell you?” Duan Yan raised an eyebrow slightly.

Song Jin carefully observed Duan Yan’s expression, feeling a little anxious. “Was it… not a very good impression?”

Duan Yan couldn’t help but laugh out loud, her smile full of gentleness. “Actually, at that time, I thought you were like a shy little cat, very endearing.”

“A little cat? I remember I was angry back then.”

Song Jin scratched her head, unable to understand how Duan Yan could have seen her as a cute little cat.

“I don’t know, it was just a feeling.”

Duan Yan’s eyes softened as she recalled their first meeting. She then mentioned their upcoming schedule:

“Xiaojin, if nothing unexpected happens, I’ll probably have to go to Country F in two days for the endorsement.”

Hearing that Duan Yan was about to leave, Song Jin felt a pang of reluctance. “Why are you leaving so soon?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon. I’ll definitely be back in time for your birthday.”

Duan Yan patted Song Jin’s head. “You have to work hard too. Don’t forget your original dream.”

Song Jin nodded, her eyes shining brightly.

“I’ll contact my manager later and start work tomorrow.”

Footnotes:

1. Jie jie jie: This is a common onomatopoeia for a villain’s evil or sinister laugh in Chinese web novels and media, similar to “muahaha” or “bwahaha” in English.