Chapter 12
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“Meow, meow, meow…” The kitten mewed while affectionately rubbing its fluffy cheek against Gu Yan Fei’s chin. The few white whiskers on its lips quivered with its movements, making it as adorable as could be.
The Shan Hai Jing states, “On the Li Stone Mountain, there is a beast shaped like a cat with a white head and tiger’s paws, called the Liangqu.”
The little furball before her was a Liangqu, a spiritual beast in the Yao Ling Realm, and it had been her contracted spirit beast, accompanying her for over a century. She had named it Qing Guang.
In her memory, Qing Guang had always been majestic and invincible. But now…
Gu Yan Fei picked the kitten up by the scruff of its neck, and its four little paws flailed helplessly in the air. The soft pads of its feet resembled tiny plum blossoms, making it look pitifully adorable.
“Fine, being a cat isn’t so bad,” Gu Yan Fei murmured to herself, a smile tugging at her lips. The soft smile spread to her eyes, filling them with a gentle warmth.
How wonderful—Qing Guang was here too. She was no longer alone.
Gu Yan Fei cradled the kitten in her arms and gently petted it. The little cat was so comfortable that it kept meowing continuously, its voice sweet and sticky. Its joyful meows echoed through the hall, with a resonance that seemed to linger in the air. The sound reached outside the hall, and Old Madam Gu heard it, causing her to stop in her tracks. She sternly asked, “Why is there a cat?”
“Madam, it’s probably a stray cat from somewhere,” the round-faced old maid respectfully replied.
“Quick, kill that cat and throw it out!” Old Madam Gu ordered harshly, her expression stern.
At her command, the old maid immediately turned and led a few women toward the main hall, walking with heads held high, exuding an air of ruthless determination.
“Grandmother,” Gu Yun Zhen frowned slightly, trying to persuade her, “it’s just a little cat…”
“Silence!” Old Madam Gu cut her off coldly, her gaze indifferent.
Gu Yun Zhen clenched her handkerchief and, seeing that the women had already entered the hall, quickly hurried after them. Behind her, Old Madam Gu’s displeased voice called out, “Zhen’er!”
Gu Yun Zhen didn’t stop, quickly making her way back to the main hall in just a few strides.
“Second Sister…” Gu Yun Zhen had only managed to say three words before falling silent, stunned by the scene before her.
The old maid and the other women were all gazing at the kitten in Gu Yan Fei’s arms with rapt attention, speaking to it in turns:
“Sweetie, did we scare you?”
“Are you hungry? Shall I get you some dried fish?”
“I remember there’s goat milk in the kitchen. I’ll go fetch some.”
The women were competing to shower the little kitten with affection.
Gu Yun Zhen was completely dumbfounded. After a moment of struggle, she finally found her voice and asked, “Second Sister, is this your cat?”
“Meow~~” The calico kitten in Gu Yan Fei’s arms let out a lazy meow. Its clear, emerald green eyes resembled the shimmering surface of the sea under the sunlight, or perhaps the most brilliant stars in the night sky—mysterious, enchanting, and captivating.
In the instant their eyes met, Gu Yun Zhen felt as if something had struck her heart—leaving it tingling, warm, and sweet.
“Meow!” The kitten wriggled a bit, then leaped from Gu Yan Fei’s hands and quickly ran out of the hall. Gu Yan Fei chuckled and motioned for Gu Yun Zhen to follow her as they went after the kitten. The calico furball agilely leaped over the high threshold and dashed straight into Old Madam Gu’s view. Its pair of fluffy pointed ears twitched slightly.
This, this… could it be… a cat?!
Old Madam Gu’s expression changed dramatically, as if she had seen something filthy. She quickly took two steps back, pointing at the furball and shouting in a sharp voice, “Kill it! Quickly, kill it…”
Her hysterical demeanor had completely shattered the composed and dignified image she had maintained before.
The kitten ignored her and continued running forward, leaping onto a stone table. It then nonchalantly licked its right front paw and glanced at Old Madam Gu. Its green eyes were soft and shimmering like flowing water. At that moment, this fluffy little furball exuded a kind of aloof arrogance, as if it were looking down on all beings—elegant, proud, and yet lazily so.
What a beautiful cat!
The originally furious expression on Old Madam Gu’s face visibly softened, becoming gentle and kindly. Her gaze became completely fixed on the kitten. In that instant, she forgot how to speak and even to breathe, feeling as though her entire being was captivated.
“It’s my fault,” Old Madam Gu muttered, her eyes wide and unfocused, nearly dropping to her knees. A wave of guilt surged up within her, threatening to overwhelm her.
How could she have even thought of taking the life of such a tiny, adorable kitten!
She was a sinner, deserving of a thousand deaths!!
Gu Yun Zhen watched this scene with gentle eyes, her smile soft and comforting. She naturally thought to herself: Exactly, it’s so cute—who wouldn’t love it?!
“Elder Sister, why does Madam dislike cats?” Gu Yan Fei asked casually.
Gu Yun Zhen leaned close to Gu Yan Fei’s ear and whispered, “Grandmother was born in the Year of the Rat, and many years ago, she had her fortune told. The Taoist priest said that cats would bring her bad luck.”
As she spoke, Gu Yun Zhen didn’t find anything odd about the scene unfolding before her.
Old Madam Gu bent down, bringing her gaze level with the kitten on the stone table, and asked solicitously, “Did I scare you?”
The haughty kitten lazily waved a paw, as if to say, “Don’t bother me.”
But when it turned to face Gu Yan Fei, its demeanor changed completely, and it let out several endearing meows: “Meow, meow, meow!”
“Alright, I know you’re hungry,” Gu Yan Fei said, patting the little creature and lifting it onto her shoulder.
It seemed that even after Qing Guang had traveled from the Yaoling Realm to this small world, its racial talent for “enchantment” remained intact, and it was thriving even more as a cat.
Amidst the kitten’s insistent meowing, Gu Yan Fei left, just as she crossed paths with Xu Momo.
Xu Momo didn’t spare Gu Yan Fei a glance and hurried straight to Old Madam Gu, reporting solemnly, “Madam, I’ve confirmed that the First Prince has arrived in Dan Yang City, which is why the prefect ordered a citywide lockdown!”
Old Madam Gu snapped back to reality, her hand trembling slightly. The string of rosewood prayer beads slipped from her grasp and fell to the ground. Not far ahead, Gu Yan Fei also overheard the conversation. She paused, her eyes flickering with a glimmer of thought.
On this day in her previous life, she had already been in the capital.
During the first few months after arriving at the marquisate, she had been almost entirely confined, not allowed to leave, and cut off from any news. She had never heard anyone mention that the First Prince had been in Dan Yang City.
Gu Yan Fei paused only briefly before continuing on her way, as if nothing had happened.
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*~ Confessing To An Annoying Boss ~*
The female boss is named Chi Yin.
She has a stunning and radiant face.
Her dress is elegant and her demeanor is superb.
At work, she is efficient and decisive.
She’s a perfect example of a modern, high-quality woman who is both beautiful and capable. If only this woman didn’t keep causing trouble for her.
When the workload doubled,
When perfect drafts were ruthlessly returned with nitpicking,
When she had to work late into the night with only the lonely lamp for company.
Qiao Ziman felt desperate.
But what made her even more desperate was that her few remaining free moments were filled with blind dates arranged by her mother.
One day, after Qiao Ziman calmly finished with the last blind date—another mama’s boy—she received a call from her mother as expected.
Facing her mother’s "frenzy," Qiao Ziman chose to "freak out" in response.
In the choice between "becoming a nun" or "succeeding," she calmly chose "coming out."
Qiao Ziman unexpectedly said: "I like women."
Her mother responded surprisingly: "As long as it's a person."
Her mother became even more relentless, thinking about future blind date scenarios. Qiao Ziman made up a story: "I have a girlfriend, she’s wealthy, has big breasts, is my boss, has a bad temper, is a sadist who will hit me, and I advise you not to make trouble."
Qiao Ziman happily hung up the phone.
Turning around, she encountered the very person.
The person glanced at her own chest and then raised an eyebrow meaningfully.
Feeling extremely embarrassed, Qiao Ziman decided to give up and retorted: "Yes, that’s right, it’s you!"
After saying that, she pretended to leave calmly and gracefully.
According to online sources, after confessing to a boss, the boss would avoid the person to relieve the awkwardness.
Qiao Ziman let go of her worries.
Unexpectedly, the next day, Chi Yin called her into the office.
Chi Yin pulled out a thick stack of notebooks from her bag and solemnly introduced: "No romantic experience, owns a bar, two restaurants, three cars, four houses, and five million in savings. The house will be under both our names, and the bank card password is your birthday."
"Emotionally stable, won't hit people, good work schedule, and runs home after work."
Seeing Qiao Ziman in silence, she added: "Not well-endowed, but if it doesn’t work out, we can find a solution."
Qiao Ziman was baffled: "What does this mean?"
Suddenly, Chi Yin smiled, pure and innocent: "Aren’t you my girlfriend?"
Qiao Ziman was shocked!
Oh no! What if she really meant it?!
=> READ IT HERE <=
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*~ Chasing Jade ~*
Synopsis:
After her parents passed away, Fan Changyu faced a string of hardships—her childhood sweetheart broke off their engagement, greedy relatives wanted to seize her inheritance, and with a five-year-old sister to care for, she decided to take a husband in name only.
Her plan centered on a man she had saved: wounded, with nothing to his name but a strikingly handsome face. They quickly reached an agreement: she would take him in to recover, and he would pretend to marry her, helping her hold on to her family assets.
Once the family business was secure, Fan Changyu prepared to write the divorce agreement, as promised. However, a war erupted, and soldiers were recruited; her “husband” was conscripted and vanished without a trace.
The next time she saw him, he was drenched in blood, lying in a wounded soldiers’ tent. His handsome face was smeared with blood, while his simple soldier’s uniform was torn to shreds. Seeing the hardship he had endured, Fan Changyu’s eyes reddened with tears.
“Don’t be a soldier anymore,” she whispered, her voice choked. “Come back. I’ll slaughter pigs to support you.”
He barely opened his eyes, coughing up blood. “You… wanted a divorce…”
Her eyes filled with tears. “No divorce, no divorce!”
[Mini Theater]
Xie Zheng, the Marquis of Wu’an, became renowned at a young age, his achievements in battle granting him the title of marquis before he even turned twenty. His methods in military command were famously strict and ruthless, making him unmatched across the entire Dayin dynasty.
Recently, however, the soldiers noticed something peculiar about their marquis. He no longer resided in his spacious command tent, preferring instead to squeeze into the cramped and shabby tent designated for the wounded.
Though he’d taken a serious injury—a wound deep enough to bleed through his armor—under normal circumstances, he’d be back on his feet within a couple of days. Yet this time, he’d been lying there for over ten days with no sign of improvement.
The camp’s grizzled strategist clicked his tongue after visiting him. “Hmph. If someone is by your side to wipe your brow and feed you medicine, of course the wound takes longer to heal!”
It wasn’t until the marquis’s mysterious wife—who had never shown herself before—snuck into the barracks, wearing her husband’s tattered soldier’s uniform, and took his place on the front lines, fearing her “delicate, sickly husband” might die on the battlefield. Only then did the “gravely wounded” marquis leap up from his bed in shock, hastily don his armor, and rush to chase after her.
As the blood-red sun set, a lone goose cried across the vast sky.
With a butcher knife in hand, Fan Changyu hacked off the enemy general's head and squinted toward the distant friendly troops kicking up clouds of yellow dust as they approached. She pulled over a nearby soldier and asked, "The one charging at the front, wearing that bright armor with the Qilin shoulder guards and riding that big horse… why does he look a bit like my husband?"
The soldier: …Isn’t it possible that he actually is?
=> READ IT HERE <=
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