Chapter 7: Schemes and Counter-schemes

Duan Yan’s technique was improving daily. Compared to her initial random petting, she was now more skilled.

She couldn’t help but narrow her eyes, sinking into a state of relaxed pleasure.

The little cat in her arms let out a hazy “purr purr” sound from its throat. Duan Yan’s heart itched unbearably, and she lay down on the bed with the little cat.

The camellia under Song Jin was slightly crushed. She opened her eyes to find Duan Yan’s face right before her, and her heart couldn’t help but race.

Song Jin was a little nervous. ‘What… what is she going to do?’

‘She’s not planning to kiss me, is she! Absolutely not allowed!’

Song Jin was on high alert. If Duan Yan dared to cross the line, she would… she would give Duan Yan a scratch.

But Duan Yan only stroked her with her fingers, making no other moves.

‘It must be a stalling tactic. She wants to take advantage of me while I’m dizzy from being petted. So scheming!’

Song Jin paid even closer attention to Duan Yan’s actions.

‘As expected!’

Duan Yan seemed finally unable to hold back. She picked her up with both hands, the distance closing in.

Song Jin unsheathed her claws, but disappointingly, Duan Yan only placed her on her abdomen.

From this high-up perspective…

Duan Yan’s dark hair was scattered on the pillow, with a few unruly strands clinging to her beautiful face, creating a charming and hazy look. Her lips were slightly parted, and her pair of phoenix eyes looked at her with anticipation.

Song Jin tilted her head, her amber eyes wide and round, unable to figure out Duan Yan’s intentions.

Duan Yan held the little cat’s paws, waiting expectantly for its next move.

‘Why are you touching my paws?’

Song Jin couldn’t understand Duan Yan’s intentions.

Their eyes met, and Duan Yan was also a little confused. ‘Was her approach wrong?’

She muttered to herself in a small voice, seeming a bit embarrassed.

“Isn’t it comfortable? Why did you stop kneading?”

Song Jin’s hearing was very sensitive. Her ears twitched slightly. Even though Duan Yan’s voice was very low, she still heard her muttering.

‘Knead… knead what?’

Song Jin almost instantly recalled the awkwardness in the car last night. Remembering the “soft and cushiony” feeling, her face flushed red in an instant.

She… she was not that kind of frivolous person.

She never expected Duan Yan to have such designs on her.

‘Something like what happened last night could never happen again!’

Song Jin’s views on love were very conservative; she couldn’t accept open relationships.

If you like someone, you should give them your all. If you don’t like someone, you should reject them without hesitation.

She didn’t like Duan Yan. It was one thing for Duan Yan to forcefully cuddle her, but she absolutely could not take the initiative to do such a thing. She still had to find a partner in the future!

Duan Yan once again picked up her paw. Song Jin became alert and unceremoniously gave Duan Yan a few scratches, breaking free from her embrace, terrified that Duan Yan would grab her paw and make her knead.

In a flash, she ran up to the cat climbing frame in the room, her two eyes watching Duan Yan warily.

Being hit for no reason, Duan Yan was a little disappointed. ‘If you don’t want to knead, then don’t. Why get angry all of a sudden?’

‘Can a person really figure out a cat’s temper?’

Before she could even lament, a call from her manager came in.

Her manager had accepted a script from a famous director for her. The start of filming was set for next month, and she was informed to prepare for an audition the day after tomorrow.

Duan Yan had always been strict with herself. Even for an audition, she would prepare with all her might.

She sat primly at the desk in her bedroom, opened the script her manager had sent on her tablet, and took notes in a notebook as she studied it.

Song Jin was originally worried that Duan Yan would grab her again, but she saw Duan Yan studying seriously.

What could be more anxiety-inducing than watching your competitor study hard while you do nothing?

‘It’s a new form of modern torture!’

Song Jin was exasperated. Not caring whether Duan Yan would take the opportunity to force her to knead, she jumped right next to her.

“Meow~” she deliberately softened her voice, making it sound crisp and delicate. This cat s*ave Duan Yan would surely not be able to resist.

However, Duan Yan seemed completely immersed in the ocean of knowledge, paying her no attention at all.

‘How infuriating! She was so obsessed before, why is there no reaction now?’

Song Jin felt a little dejected, a strange sense of frustration welling up.

Duan Yan had long noticed the sound of the cat landing, but having just been hit by it and with the upcoming audition, she only glanced over from the corner of her eye. Seeing the cat was safe, she set her mind at ease.

Seeing Duan Yan still unmoved, Song Jin couldn’t help but clench her teeth.

She gently wrapped her tail around Duan Yan’s calf, scratching the fair skin fawningly, hoping to get her attention.

When that had no effect, she extended a small paw and carefully hooked the hem of Duan Yan’s clothes, trying to get her attention.

From the corner of her eye, Duan Yan caught sight of the little orange cat’s fluffy tail and swallowed.

She had been coveting the cat’s tail for a long time, but the vet had said that a cat’s tail is very sensitive and shouldn’t be touched casually, as it might affect the cat’s mood.

Now the cat was approaching on its own, gently wrapping its fluffy tail around her ankle. The ticklish sensation made her heart itch unbearably.

‘If only the cat’s tail could actively wrap around her hand, rubbing gently, swaying back and forth.’

‘Now is the perfect opportunity. The cat has taken the initiative. If she just holds out a little longer, the cat will surely lie down obediently and let her pet it.’

‘Hold on, Duan Yan!’

Song Jin was stunned. ‘What was going on?’

‘Isn’t Duan Yan usually completely defenseless against cats? She had already been so proactive, why was there still no reaction? Could it be that Duan Yan was so focused that she hadn’t noticed her presence?’

‘Jilt!’

Song Jin cursed Duan Yan in her heart. ‘Ignoring me after you’re done petting. What’s the difference between this and a jilt who sleeps with you and runs off?’

“Meow meow meow~”

After a few continuous meows, she finally got Duan Yan’s attention.

Duan Yan seemed to snap out of the world of the script, as if waking from a dream, her gaze falling on the little cat under her chair.

“Want to come up?”

“Meow~”

Song Jin lifted a paw, indicating her agreement.

Duan Yan secretly flashed a sly smile, watching the little orange cat obediently being picked up by her.

Song Jin stood on the table, her pair of watery eyes staring straight at Duan Yan. But after Duan Yan placed her on the table, she seemed to ignore her again, burying her head back into studying the script.

She glanced at the handwriting in Duan Yan’s notebook.

It was Yuan Si’s new script, a well-known major director in the industry who had directed many household-name works. All the actors he had cultivated were A-listers in the entertainment industry.

Song Jin had just entered the industry not long ago. Her sister, Song Yu, had invested a large sum of money for Director Yuan Si just to get her an audition for a supporting role. Unfortunately, her performance was not enough to move the director, and she lost the chance for the role.

And the script in Duan Yan’s hands was actually for the female lead.

The female lead for the script had already been decided long ago, a senior in the entertainment industry with deep qualifications and both artistic and moral integrity.

However, a week ago, this actress had turned down Director Yuan Si’s script due to health reasons. At that time, everyone was speculating who would take over the role.

Unexpectedly, Duan Yan had gotten the script for the female lead.

She felt both envious and jealous of Duan Yan’s achievement, while also feeling anxious about her own shortcomings.

Song Jin had studied music abroad and entered the entertainment industry halfway through. Reaching her current level was already a decent achievement, but she was still a step behind Duan Yan.

She was very unwilling to accept that Duan Yan was already so far ahead of her.

The light in the bedroom slanted down, illuminating Duan Yan. Her focused and serious expression exuded an irresistible charm.

Duan Yan’s mind was no longer entirely on the script. Her gaze frequently stole glances at the little orange cat.

The little orange cat sat primly on the table, its tail curled up with just a small tip gently swaying. Its round, amber eyes stared straight at her, silently seducing her.

Duan Yan’s heart itched unbearably. The thought of stroking the cat while reading the script kept surfacing. After a struggle, she finally held back. She preferred the cat to come to her for pets on its own initiative.

Song Jin adjusted her emotions. She couldn’t let Duan Yan study right in front of her. Watching her was simply too torturous.

‘If the mountain will not come to me, I must go to the mountain.’ Song Jin stretched out a paw and pressed it on the notebook Duan Yan was writing in, blocking her words.

“Meow-wu~”

But Duan Yan didn’t even glance at her, completely immersed in her studies. It wasn’t until she needed to turn the page that she noticed her presence in surprise.

From the corner of her eye, Duan Yan had long seen the cat’s paw.

It was fluffy, shaped like a small plum blossom, and felt very good to the touch. It wasn’t as warm as the fur on its body, carrying a slight coolness from the keratin, but it was just right. Duan Yan liked it very much.

The playful way it silently pressed on the paper to cause trouble made Duan Yan dazed for a moment, and she even wrote a few words incorrectly.

Seeing Duan Yan ignore her, Song Jin completely broke down and gritted her teeth.

She lay down on Duan Yan’s notebook and, with a flip, exposed her softest, most vulnerable belly.

‘I’m begging you, stop out-competing me!!!’

‘Don’t you love petting my belly?’

Fearing Duan Yan wouldn’t understand, she deliberately nudged her belly towards Duan Yan’s hand.

Duan Yan seemed tired from writing. She finally noticed her presence, saw her soft belly, and couldn’t resist the temptation, starting to pet it.

But in reality, Duan Yan couldn’t hold back any longer and began to joyfully rub the little orange cat’s belly.

Song Jin breathed a sigh of relief, having finally succeeded in attracting Duan Yan’s attention.

The thought that she had initiated the petting made her ears burn slightly, and her heart couldn’t help but beat faster.

Duan Yan’s fingers gently glided across her belly. The comfortable sensation made her feel a little light-headed.

“Wu…” Song Jin let out a sound involuntarily, a mix of satisfaction and a hint of unconcealable shyness in her voice.

After satisfying the kitten, Duan Yan, taking advantage of its distraction, also buried her face in the little orange cat’s belly and took a deep breath.

Her hot breath sprayed onto her skin, and her face, pressed tightly against her, carried a unique warmth, transferring its body heat to her through contact.

The sudden intimate contact made her feel hot all over, warm and toasty.

Song Jin’s whole body stiffened, her eyes wide.

‘Despicable!!!’

‘Duan Yan had planned this all along, just waiting for her to take the initiative so she could have her way with her. And she, like a fool, had willingly walked right into the trap.’

Song Jin slowly closed her eyes, feeling very annoyed.

Duan Yan, having gotten her cat-huffing fix, was like a person in the desert who had found a spring of sweet water. She was very satisfied, a look of blissful happiness on her face.

Meanwhile, Song Jin was listless. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got!

‘I’ve been huffed dry, there’s nothing left…’