Jinian’s provocation clearly didn’t bother Young Master Yan in the slightest.

At noon, the two happened to cross paths as if destined to meet.

Jinian had found an excellent spot for napping at Saint Yi Academy, so after lunch each day, she would head to her temporary nest to rest.

Today was no different. After finishing her meal, with her hat filled with cat food, she made her way toward the school’s side gate.

As she passed by the university department, she ran into Yan Qingge, who seemed to be heading in the same direction.

Jinian looked at him with a beaming smile, completely ignoring his cold expression. She stopped in front of him and said, “I didn’t get a chance to thank you last time, Senior Yan. Thank you for taking me to the lighting store.” Even though that crystal lamp ended up being useless later.

“No need to be polite.” His reply was curt and icy, just those four words.

Jinian shrugged, walked past him, took two steps, then turned back to look at him. “By the way, Senior Yan, can I ask you a question?”

“No!”

Faced with such a blunt refusal, Jinian didn’t bother pressing further. “Oh, never mind then.”

Even though he refused, she had no intention of keeping her thoughts to herself. As she walked away, she spoke up, “With a face prettier than a girl’s, it’s a shame you dislike girls. I wonder if you’re a 1 or a 0.”

After saying this, she slipped into the nearby bushes. By the time he processed her words and turned around, her slender figure had already vanished.

The spot Jinian had discovered was just outside the side gate.

One day, she had spotted a cat something she had always loved and followed it outside. It was then that she discovered a group of stray cats gathered there. She wasn’t sure if anyone else fed them, but after observing for a while, she noticed they would appear around noon. From then on, she started bringing food to feed the little cats. After feeding them, she would nap on the grass under a nearby tree.

The cats were well-behaved; after eating, they would quietly wander off without disturbing her.

When she reached the side gate, sure enough, the cats were already waiting there.

Holding the cat food close, she jogged over. “Come here, come here! It’s mealtime. Everyone gets a share.”

For over a decade, Jinian had carried one regret: she couldn’t keep a cat. Her mother was allergic to cats, so no feline was allowed in their home. Despite this, Jinian adored cats. Whenever she went out and saw injured or pitiful strays, she couldn’t help but want to care for them. Now, even though she lived alone, she still couldn’t keep one. She wasn’t from here and might leave by next semester. She worried that if an animal grew attached to her, it would be abandoned once she left.

After scattering all the cat food from her hat, she put it back on her head and picked up one of the cats, frowning. “Why are you so skinny? Could you have worms? Should I take you to a vet?”

Back in the U.S., someone had always handled things for Jinian, including her passion for caring for stray cats. All she had to do was feed them; people who couldn’t bear to see her unhappy would take care of the rest. So, when it came to actually caring for cats, she didn’t know much. But here, with no one to help her tidy up loose ends, she had to manage on her own.

After finishing her monologue, she set the cat down and watched as they finished eating and left. Then she too turned and walked away, settling under a tree where she rested her head on her hands, covered her face with her hat, and began to sleep.