So I Had No Choice But to Stop Being the White Moonlight – Chapter 150
by Little PandaExtra
Thirteen is in Love? [Bonus Extra]
“Then let’s make the kiss last longer.”
This spring, Thirteen seemed to fall in love.
And the object of her affection was a tabby cat1 that Chi Qian had rescued.
Rain struck the dense leaves in the treetops, washing the endless green clean.
Ningcheng had entered its flood season, bringing frequent rain. The entire manor was shrouded in a fine mist, the air thick with the scent of freshly turned earth.
After who knows how long, the rain finally began to ease, even stopping in places.
Thirteen, cooped up indoors for days, could contain herself no longer. She leaped out the window to patrol her “territory.”
It was during this patrol that she discovered a small cat at the base of the wall.
Who knew how it had gotten in—the whole cat was sprawled in the mud, dragging a filthy tail and a lame leg, struggling to survive.
The cat looked painfully thin. Thirteen, a calico, was more than a full size larger.
Yet its frame suggested it wasn’t a nursing kitten still dependent on its mother. Seeing Thirteen approach, it instinctively arched its back and hissed.
The recent rain had soaked it through, its black-and-gray matted fur a wretched sight.
Still, it was stubborn as hell, baring its fangs with an untamable wildness.
Yet at this very sight, Thirteen’s eyes suddenly widened.
Not far away, a leaf could no longer hold the rain and splashed into the pond. In all her several lifetimes as a cat, this was the first time Thirteen had felt her heart race.
As a cat who had lived wild on an island for quite some time, Thirteen sized up the little tabby before her. She snuffled forward and easily picked it up by the scruff.
“How are you going to fool Master like this?” Thirteen pitied the little tabby, but even more, she wanted it to stay. She carried it while soothing it, passing on her own experience.
“Listen carefully. If you don’t want that leg to be permanently crippled—if you ever want to climb walls again—you have to stay in this house and heal properly. Behave yourself for now. It won’t hurt you.”
“This house has two masters. One is easy to talk to, one isn’t—you’ll see the difference right away. The easy one will bandage your wounds. You just act cute to her, keep acting cute, and everything will be fine. Got it?”
The little tabby dangled in midair, highly suspicious of Thirteen’s lecture. “How do I know what you’re saying is right?”
“Because that’s how I stayed,” Thirteen said with a candid smile. “And every time, I use the same method. Works like a charm.”
“Every time? Didn’t you say it works the first try? How can there be many times?” The little tabby remained skeptical.
“That’s because I love my Master. So no matter how many times I reincarnate, I’ll always come find her.” Thirteen spoke words the little tabby couldn’t understand, carrying her by the scruff, her head held high with triumphant pride.
The little tabby didn’t understand why Thirteen was so proud.
How could a cat love a human? Humans were terrifying creatures!
And…
“What reincarnation? Is she some kind of god?” the little tabby asked.
“You actually got that right!” Thirteen nodded. “Our soft-hearted god is called Chi Qian. She’s a wonderful person who’s saved many small animals.”
“But sometimes she’s too kind-hearted. I always worry someone might take advantage of her.”
“But fortunately, Master is by her side now. She won’t be deceived in this lifetime.”
Thirteen told the little tabby stories about Chi Qian, mostly talking to herself.
Carrying the little tabby, she bounded up a small slope.
The little tabby still only half-understood Thirteen’s words, confused.
But somehow, listening to her talk, the little tabby felt less afraid of what lay ahead.
Damp earth clung to the little tabby’s fur, cold wind skimming the ground and brushing against her body.
The larger cat carried her with such steadiness and security that she was content to be carried. A few steps later—she didn’t know where they were—but when a small door specially made for cats pushed open, she felt a wave of warmth wash over her.
The air was no longer damp. The clean environment carried traces of Thirteen’s scent.
The little tabby’s nose twitched. Perhaps because of Thirteen’s presence, her first impression of this strange place was simply warmth.
“Mew~”
Before the little tabby could look around, she heard a very sweet meow.
The sound came from right above her head. Her sensitive ears froze—she couldn’t believe it came from the throat of Thirteen, who had just been acting like such a seasoned veteran.
Before she could process this contrast, the little tabby heard footsteps.
A pair of soft slippers entered her vision, followed by a face that looked rather harmless.
Those almond-round eyes fixed on her, traveling down her soaked body.
Under that gaze, the little tabby felt deeply uncomfortable. She thought this must be the one the veteran had called “Chi Qian.”
“Mew~”
Just then, the little tabby heard Thirteen meow at her.
That gently approaching paw signaled her to do as she’d been told—eager, yet considerate.
This one didn’t seem so dangerous.
But humans were cunning creatures. She had to stay alert!
“Ah, why are you touching me?!”
Just as the little tabby was deep in judgment, her thin body was lifted by Chi Qian’s hands.
She watched warily as Chi Qian simply bandaged her—the efficient technique was just as the veteran had described.
“Purr purr, this two-legged beast is really good at this…”
“Mmm mmm mmm, right there, rub a little more~”
…
As Chi Qian massaged her, the little tabby’s guard gradually lowered.
She figured if the veteran hadn’t lied to her, then behaving herself might not be such a bad idea.
And so the little tabby was taken in by Chi Qian and renamed Lihua.
Unlike Thirteen, who played favorites—occasionally getting close to Chi Qian but more often to Shi Jinlan—Lihua genuinely loved being near Chi Qian. The way she wound around Chi Qian’s feet, meowing, didn’t seem fake at all.
As for the feline veteran who had brought her into this “castle,” the little tabby chose to give herself to her.
Even though she and Thirteen were both female cats.
Midsummer sunlight filtered through interwoven green leaves, falling into the sunroom without being too hot.
The two cats lay curled on the floor, their well-groomed, glossy fur brushing against each other’s tongues. Fluffy and soft, lick for lick, they groomed each other in perfect contentment.
Click.
A very soft sound rang out, and both cats’ ears perked up simultaneously.
They looked around alertly, but seeing nothing amiss, they lowered their heads together in tacit understanding and continued their affectionate grooming.
And beyond where Thirteen and Lihua noticed, the shadow of a camera lens slid past.
Chi Qian pressed a hand to her chest, calming her nervous excitement at secretly photographing the little couple’s romance. She admired the shots on her newly bought camera.
Though she’d originally bought this telephoto lens for bird photography, she couldn’t catch any birds—photographing her own cats was just as good.
On the screen, Thirteen and Lihua nestled together, their short fur intermingling like a splashed-ink landscape painting.
Such an affectionate scene was truly rare.
Little couples were so shippable.2
“What are you doing?”
“!”
Just as Chi Qian was admiring her masterpiece, Shi Jinlan spoke suddenly from behind her, startling her.
She clutched her camera in a panic, looking at Shi Jinlan who had somehow entered behind her, and hurriedly pulled her into the adjacent tea room.
“Keep your voice down. If Thirteen finds out, I’m done for.” Chi Qian lowered her voice, signaling to Shi Jinlan with a mix of alarm and playful reproach.
“Then come closer.” Shi Jinlan nodded understandingly and tugged at Chi Qian’s arm. “Cats’ hearing is far superior to humans’.”
“Oh, oh, oh.” Chi Qian nodded repeatedly, then scooted closer to Shi Jinlan, leaning against her.
Chi Qian scrolled through the camera, standing beside Shi Jinlan, seriously selecting photos of their Thirteen and Lihua.
Then she heard a laugh from beside her ear—soft, as if it had only brushed past her earlobe by chance.
“What is it?” Chi Qian looked at the photo on the camera, not seeing anything funny about it.
Shi Jinlan gazed at the screen, seriously informing Chi Qian: “Did you know, cats are also far more alert than humans.”
“What ale—” Chi Qian got halfway through before she realized—Shi Jinlan’s words had been a deliberate trap.
She looked at her own shadow, now pressed willingly against Shi Jinlan, and narrowed her eyes slightly.
Shi Jinlan had her cunning, and she had hers.
Thinking this, Chi Qian set down her camera and leaned even closer to Shi Jinlan. “Do cats kiss too?”
Warm breath skimmed past Shi Jinlan’s cheek. She watched Chi Qian drawing near, maintaining her composure, and thought for a moment with apparent calm. “In that regard, they may not compare to humans.”
“Is that so.” Chi Qian seemed to ponder this, but then immediately pulled Shi Jinlan’s wrist, drawing her close.
Hot wind parted the interwoven green leaves, and the cicadas’ song suddenly rose.
Shi Jinlan tilted her head slightly, receiving a lingering kiss.
The humid heat of midsummer seemed to melt them together, silk skirts flowing against their legs.
Though she had seemed annoyed at being tricked moments ago, Chi Qian’s kiss now made Shi Jinlan surrender to enjoyment. Her body held in this person’s grasp, she slowly tilted her head back without control, letting herself be kissed.
“!”
But Chi Qian was not one to let things go.
Just as Shi Jinlan was lost in tenderness, she suddenly felt a sharp nip on the tip of her tongue.
She reached up to touch her lip in pain, only to see Chi Qian gazing at her with laughing eyes, chin raised, announcing: “No more. Ah Lan gets no good morning kiss, no good afternoon kiss, no good night kiss today!”
Shi Jinlan was a bit annoyed, but also not really—she could only blame herself for being undone by beauty.
She gazed at the person before her. The hand that had been touching her lip in pain fell away, instead capturing Chi Qian’s hand.
She brought her lips very close to Chi Qian’s, nearly touching, inviting her to kiss again: “Then let’s make the kiss last longer.”
Footnotes
- The Li Hua (狸花, líhuā) is a native Chinese cat breed known for its distinctive tabby markings. Often called the 'Chinese Li Hua' or 'Dragon Li' internationally.
- A Chinese internet slang term meaning highly enjoyable to watch as a romantic pairing. '磕' (kē) literally means to crack or crush, but in fandom culture, it refers to enthusiastically shipping or supporting a couple.
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