Shang Qi seemed out of sorts all day; Chuzheng placed her little paw on Shang Qi’s forehead.
Shang Qi snapped back to reality, pulled Chuzheng’s paw away, held it in his hand, and used his other hand to brush Little Cat’s nose. "I’m not feverish. I’m fine."
Chuzheng: "..."
I think you’re not doing too well.
The day passed in the blink of an eye. Shang Qi was somewhat reluctant to go to the bedroom, so he thumbed through a book in the study, but didn’t read even a word.
Bang!
Shang Qi put down the book and got up and went to the bedroom.
He didn’t dare show too much emotion. He chatted with Chuzheng normally for a bit, then held her as he turned off the lights and closed his eyes.
Soft fur brushed against his skin, tickling just slightly.
Perhaps because he didn’t rest well last night, he accidentally fell asleep.
When Shang Qi woke up, he found the Little Cat in his arms had transformed into a person.
Shang Qi: "..."
It’s really not an illusion.
Holding a cat and holding a human is a completely different feeling, but there are similarities—they’re both soft.
Shang Qi’s gaze landed on the pair of furry ears. In the end, he couldn’t help but reach out his evil paw.
Chuzheng always disliked him touching her head and ears. As soon as Shang Qi’s fingers touched them, the ears twitched.
Shang Qi held his breath in surprise, not daring to move again.
In the darkness, there was a lasting silence, eventually broken by breathing sounds.
Shang Qi suppressed the thoughts that didn’t align with the core values of socialism and placed his hand obediently to the side.
However, he was being well-mannered; the person in his arms wasn’t as disciplined.
"Shang Qi."
The girl’s soft murmurs floated like ethereal music in a dream, ready to dissipate at any moment.
Shang Qi’s heart thundered, wondering if he misheard.
"Are you happy?"
The girl’s voice chimed again, followed by a small head rising in his arms. Under the faint light, those beautiful eyes were still visible.
Shang Qi’s breath caught.
"You..."
Chuzheng flipped over on top of him, and darkness fell before his eyes, accompanied by a cool, ghostly aroma wafting up...
-
Chuzheng’s time to transform into a human was limited, only lasting a few hours, and only at night.
Now Shang Qi looked at Chuzheng, his gaze full of complex emotions.
It was as if he didn’t know what to do with her, mixed with signs of joy, and a bit of unnaturalness.
Shang Qi held a comb to brush Chuzheng’s fur. "Are you willing to... live together with me?"
—If not with you, then who?
Chuzheng typed a few words on her phone.
Shang Qi glanced down, then lowered his gaze again. "Any form, you’re willing, right?"
—Why do you talk so much nonsense?
"I just wanted to be sure," Shang Qi whispered.
—I won’t leave you.
Shang Qi slowly smiled. "Hmm, I won’t either."
Shang Qi paused for a few seconds. "Why can you suddenly turn human?"
—I don’t know.
The information she got from He Jin wasn’t taken to heart, nor did she study it.
After all, who knows if that stuff is a trap?
What if it backfired and harmed her!
As for why she suddenly transformed... never mind, it’s too baffling to ponder over.
If the sky were to fall, the Bastard could hold it up.
If the Bastard couldn’t, I’ll manage.
[...] Thank you, indeed.
"Aren’t you curious?"
—Not interested.
"But it’s your body..."
—Now it’s yours.
"..."
Shang Qi’s ears flushed red.
Chuzheng really didn’t mean anything by it, she just said it offhand to make the Good Person Card shut up.
Whatever Shang Qi thought, that was outside Chuzheng’s considerations.
-
Chuzheng thought the duration for her transformation would increase later on, but she discovered she was too naïve.
However, it didn’t really matter.
She hadn’t planned to go out anyway.
At first, Shang Qi wasn’t very accustomed, but he got used to it later.
The latest diagnosis from Du Pei came, and he remarked amusingly, "By your appearance, did something good happen?"
Shang Qi immediately composed himself. "No."
Du Pei leaned down to face Shang Qi. "Brother Shang, did you fall in love?"
"..." Shang Qi gradually shook his head.
He and that little creature weren’t exactly in love.
It’s more like... cohabiting?
Du Pei acted relaxed in front of Shang Qi, but when he left, he was a bit worried.
Shang Qi seemed very well now, but he didn’t know the reason for Shang Qi’s improvement.
What if...
What if that reason suddenly left, what would become of Shang Qi?
Du Pei was alarmed just by the thought.
He probed the bodyguard team, but found no useful clues, so he checked with Chuzheng.
[Du Pei: Has any woman appeared around Shang Qi recently?]
[Yue Ban: ... He has a woman?]
[Du Pei: Isn’t that what I’m asking?]
[Yue Ban: Shouldn’t be.]
Shang Qi hadn’t been out recently, where would a woman come from? The Good Person Card wouldn’t dare!
[Du Pei: Then could it be a man?]
[Yue Ban: ...]
[Yue Ban: What exactly do you want to ask?]
[Du Pei: He’s been acting off lately. I suspect he might be in love. You know... oh never mind, you wouldn’t understand. Just grasp it this way: if he’s really in love, if the relationship doesn’t last, Shang Qi’s situation could become very bad.]
[Yue Ban: ... Most likely not.] What would the Good Person Card do with a romantic affair other than on his own...
She doesn’t plan to leave the Good Person Card, so Du Pei’s scenario doesn’t exist.
[Du Pei: You don’t understand, sigh.]
Alright then, I don’t understand.
Du Pei was beside himself with worry.
Chuzheng tossed aside her phone and continued engrossing herself in her TV series.
-
Shang Qi’s career was stable, but after a few years, Shang Qi announced his retirement from the scene.
A journalist asked why he was exiting at the pinnacle of his career.
Looking into the camera, Shang Qi earnestly replied, "I want to spend the rest of my life with her."
"Her? Does Mr. Shang have a girlfriend?"
Shang Qi gave a slight smile and didn’t answer.
Later, someone dug into it, but there were no women around Shang Qi, and also no men, leaving everyone uncertain about who exactly he referred to.
Many within the circle said Shang Qi was a loss.
If he persevered, he’d surely become a legendary figure.
Everyone thought it unfortunate, but Shang Qi didn’t.
Music accompanied his first half of life; he hoped to spend the latter half with her.
"Why did you name me Yue Ban?" Chuzheng idly asked one night.
"When I first met you, you were like a dark night sky, suddenly revealed by moonlight peeking through the clouds, half dim, half bright."
When the moon was halfway visible, it was fate that brought them together.
She was the beam of light slicing through the dark.
Not blinding, not striking, but warm.
Chuzheng murmured softly again, "I have a name."
"Hmm..." Shang Qi seriously asked, "What’s your name?"
"Chuzheng."
"Chu...zheng?" Shang Qi felt the name was familiar, but couldn’t recall where he heard it. "Very nice."
What was supposed to be a touching moment, Chuzheng abruptly scooted back fiercely, "Shang Qi, don’t touch my tail!" Protecting her tail tightly.
Shang Qi: "... Not even once?"
"No!"
Their bickering noises drifted out through the half-open window, blending into the night breeze.
No matter what form you appear in, I’ll always like you. —Shang Qi