Translator:	Author:	Original Source:
MJCross	Cat’s Glasses	SFACG

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Thursday, July 10th

I opened my eyes.

A familiar, yet slightly higher-than-usual ceiling greeted me—well, that made sense since I was sleeping on the floor.

“So I only get a hug after I complete my first task?”

Come on, it wouldn’t kill her to let me hug her in a dream! Master is so stingy. Not that I’d want to hug her real form—who wants to hug an old man, anyway?

The clock had already passed 10 AM. Warm sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the balcony, spreading golden light across most of the room. It was about to reach the bedding, so I quietly pulled the curtains shut.

From the bed, Xiao Lei murmured something in her sleep. Worried about waking her, I grabbed my toothbrush and towel and tiptoed downstairs to freshen up.

Dad had already left for work. No porridge for breakfast today… So, yesterday’s porridge was because he knew Zhao Zhao was staying over, huh?

Luckily, there was still half a bag of sliced bread at home, so I wouldn’t starve. But just plain toast felt a bit too dull. Since I had some time, I decided to whip up a more proper breakfast.

I lit the stove, poured in some oil, and cracked an egg single-handedly with practiced ease.

As the oil sizzled, the clear egg whites gradually turned into a firm, snowy white. I sprinkled a bit of salt while they cooked.

This one-handed egg-cracking technique took me a while to master—and I wasted quite a few eggs along the way—so I’d been looking for a chance to show it off.

Fried eggs, crispy bacon, sliced toast, and a cup of soy milk.

For a late breakfast at 10 AM, this wasn’t much, but it was enough to hold me over until lunch.

After washing the pan and stepping out of the kitchen, I saw a drowsy, pink-haired girl making her way down the stairs, rubbing her eyes. Just as I was about to head up and wake her, she had already wandered down on her own.

“Smells so good~” Still half-asleep, she sniffed the air and wobbled toward the dining table.

“Morning. Slept well?”

“Mmm… Comman—yawwwn—der… Good… morning.” She was still so sleepy that even forming full sentences was a struggle.

“Did you wash up?”

She nodded. I reached out and pinched her soft, porcelain-like cheeks—it felt like silky smooth pudding.

Yep, damp. Definitely washed up.

But her hair was a complete mess—like she’d stuck her head in an explosion. Strands poked out here and there in an unruly, wild fashion. It was an absolute eyesore. She looked more like a little beggar than a proper young lady.

Zhao Zhao’s original hair was short and coarse, so he never had to worry about brushing it. Now, as a girl, she sometimes tidied it up out of instinct, but when half-asleep like this, she completely forgot about it.

I pulled out a chair and pressed her shoulders down, making her sit. Then, I grabbed a comb, a towel, and a bowl of warm water from the bathroom.

Slowly, I ran the wooden comb through her long, soft locks, smoothing out the tangles. When I encountered stubborn knots, I pressed them down with a warm towel before continuing.

I soon noticed something interesting—she had two hair whorls, one on each side, converging at the center of her scalp. My eyes kept getting drawn to them, almost mesmerized by the way they seemed to swirl.

Her hair wasn’t as coarse as Zhao Zhao’s had been, but it had an undeniable resilience. It reminded me of a wild mustang—hard to tame, but once properly groomed, it held its shape remarkably well.

After about five minutes, I set the comb down. Her once-messy hair now lay smooth and obedient, filling me with a strange sense of accomplishment.

“Thanks~” Xiao Lei seemed much more awake now, checking my handiwork using her phone’s camera.

Brushing her hair felt no different from grooming a cat to me.

“No need to thank me. Eat up—we’ve got more important things to do today.”

She picked up a slice of toast, stacked some bacon and eggs onto it, and took a bite, washing it down with soy milk.

Xiao Lei—no, Zhao Zhao—had to return to school on Monday for makeup exams and summer classes. Today was Thursday, meaning we had at most four days to settle Old Feng’s situation.

So, the plan for today was to visit Old Feng’s place to gather intel. If necessary, Xiao Lei could even act as a “divine emissary” to assist him…

That was the plan—until—

“Yo, Commander! First day of summer break! Not going out to have some fun?”

Before I could react, Haitang had already arrived at my doorstep with Tangerine, skipping the whole “calling ahead” part and coming straight to drag me outside.

She leaned against the door frame, wearing a casual red-and-white striped shirt and denim suspender shorts.

With one eyebrow raised, she was glaring at me with her small, upturned nose—exuding a “you will go out with us or else” kind of energy.

The stance, the presence—she wasn’t just like Gian… she was Gian¹!

Behind her, Tangerine stood quietly, wearing a white off-the-shoulder top with a single left strap. The summer heat had given her fair skin a slightly flushed hue, highlighting her delicate collarbone.

The shirt had some English text that I didn’t know how to read printed on it. She paired it with a beige pleated skirt, and if you looked closely, you could see the outline of her tail curled around her leg.

The light-colored outfit made her fiery orange hair stand out even more.

Xiao Lei was still in the dining room eating. If I let these two in now, things would get very hard to explain. My back was drenched in cold sweat.

The entrance was directly across from the staircase, so sneaking Xiao Lei upstairs wasn’t an option either. And blocking Haitang’s view? Not happening—she was 176 cm, a full 2 cm taller than me.

Seeing me hesitate, Haitang frowned.

“Come on, Commander, even if you’re not coming out, at least invite us in for some AC! We’re sweating bullets here, and you’re just leaving us at the door?”

Now that she mentioned it, I noticed Tangerine was already dripping with sweat. Damn, and now it was falling onto the ground—what a waste… Cats really do hate the heat.

“Is that… Sis Haitang?” Xiao Lei, sensing my distress, stepped forward herself.

“……” Haitang’s expression shifted subtly as she glanced between us. That subtlety quickly turned to shock.

“Uh, hello? 110? Yes, I’d like to report something suspicious—”

“Don’t call the cops! I can explain!”

Though, in reality, I hadn’t thought of a single good explanation yet.

“Wow, ‘Xiao Lei,’ huh? How intimate.” Haitang smirked before turning to Xiao Lei. “Where’s your brother? Did he seriously just leave his cousin alone at a friend’s house?”

“He… embarked on a journey of self-discovery!” Xiao Lei blurted out.

“A what now?”

I quickly picked up the excuse and ran with it. “Zhao Zhao didn’t want to attend summer classes, so he went into hiding! He left Xiao Lei with me so she wouldn’t get caught by his mom.”

Haitang frowned. “Even if he ran away, why would he leave her with you? Shouldn’t she be at home?”

“Because… because if she went home, Mama Zhao would immediately realize he was missing!”

“…”

Honestly, this excuse was full of holes. Fooling Haitang—who possessed both brains and brawns—was practically impossible.

“Ah, I see. That makes sense.”

Wait, she actually bought it?! Was the summer heat frying her brain?!

Now that they were inside, Tangerine casually took a piece of toast from the table and nibbled on it.

“Onii-chan, you guys just finished breakfast?”

“Yeah, we slept late last night, so we woke up at ten.”

…The moment I said that, I realized how bad it sounded.

Her eyes gleamed. “Onii-chan, you slept together? You never even slept with me!”

But I did sleep with her before much more—just as a cat!

Xiao Lei’s face inexplicably turned red. She clutched her cheeks and fidgeted like she was reminiscing about some beautiful spring night.

What the hell is she doing?! She’s making it worse!

Haitang’s grin stretched unnaturally wide, almost like a kuchisake-onna², her expression looking absolutely terrifying.

“Oh? Stayed up late? Mind telling me what exactly you two were up to?”

Can you please stop speaking so gently while casually warming up your legs?

“I swear, nothing happened! I know it looks bad, but you’re completely misunderstanding! I slept on the floor! The bedding is still upstairs—I can show you!”

Seriously, what is today? Chang Kai’s Day of Suffering? Why am I being put through this hell first thing in the morning?

Of course, a suspect defending themselves is the least convincing argument. Haitang kept smiling as she turned to Xiao Lei.

“Xiao Lei, dear, can you tell me exactly what the Commander did to you last night?”

To her credit, Xiao Lei answered honestly.

“Nothing, nothing! Com… Bro Kai was very well-behaved. I even said we could sleep together, but he insisted on taking the floor.”

“Oh? So you are a proper gentleman, after all?”

Hey! What do you mean, after all?! I am a gentleman! That’s my default setting!

Haitang reached out and placed her delicate hand on Xiao Lei’s head.

“Crack.”

Wait. Was that… was that her skull?! Did I just hear a fracture?!

“But listen, sweetheart, girls shouldn’t go around inviting men into their beds so casually, okay?”

Xiao Lei obediently nodded.

“Good. Then, instead of your missing cousin, why don’t you come with us to Tianping Commercial District today?”

Xiao Lei obediently nodded again.

“Well, Commander? Three girls want to go out with you today. Are you going? Or are you going?”

Haitang released Xiao Lei’s head, clapping her hands in delight. Meanwhile, Xiao Lei, having lost all support, went stiff and collapsed onto the sofa—her pupils completely white.

This… This wasn’t an invitation. This was coercion.

“XIAO—LEI—!……I’ll go! I’d love to go!”

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