Cat 271: Adding a Friend

Chapter 271: Adding a Friend

After Yan Jiyun turned back into a cat, he could no longer communicate with Qi Feng in words. Confronted with Qi Feng’s first encounter with his true identity, Yan decided to give him a little time to sort things out.

Whether it was Yan Jiyun or Qi Feng, the atmosphere between the two was no longer as tense after he transformed back into a cat.

Qi Feng instinctively lifted his hand to pick up the cat, but remembering that the other was actually a human, he drew his fingers back—this wasn’t just a cat, but a person. He had a thousand questions swirling in his mind, but everything felt chaotic, even harder to face than entering some copy where death awaited from the start.

No, wait, he’s actually a cat that can turn human?

Whichever way he looked at it, it didn’t quite make sense. After turning human, why was his cat so intelligent?

To his knowledge, a cat turning human existed only in fantasy novels or movies.

Caramel had been with him since childhood—how had he become human? Was it after entering the game?

As Qi Feng fell into wild speculation, a soft furry paw was suddenly placed into his just-withdrawn hand.

Facing Yan Jiyun, not only did all Caramel’s catlike memories flash through his mind, but also everything from his encounters with Yan Jiyun—good and bad, all jumbled together. There was regret, and there was shame. All in all, it felt like social death. But, with Caramel close by, he did feel more at ease.

What Qi Feng wanted most to know was whether Yan Jiyun was a person or a cat, and which came first: was he human first, or a cat? If the former, he could turn human even in the real world; if the latter, maybe it was only after entering the game. No matter how he tried to puzzle it out, Yan Jiyun’s own explanation would be simpler.

“You—can we talk?” he asked.

After turning into a cat, Yan Jiyun couldn’t speak. He blinked, looked around, and Qi Feng immediately understood. He picked up his cat and brought him into his personal space. With the trust and understanding he had toward Yan, he could already open up his personal space to him—worrying about it now was useless.

What he wanted to discuss was too private to be revealed to anyone else for the time being.

Yan Jiyun once again found himself in Qi Feng’s personal space. Having just turned back into a cat, he didn’t want to return to human form for now.

He leaped onto his own bright yellow beanbag chair, stretching out in a languid yawn before letting out a vast sigh. His eyelids started to droop uncontrollably.

Before entering the personal space, he’d been on his guard against Lan Mo, worried that his secret would be exposed. But once here, it was just a matter between him and Qi Feng.

Since Qi Feng already knew he, Yan Jiyun, was also his own cat, there was no sense in hiding further. He might as well let things take their course and rest when he needed to—Qi Feng’s bringing him here meant he was trusted.

Falling asleep in front of him was another sign of trust.

Trust goes both ways; he believed Qi Feng would understand.

And Qi Feng did understand. Seeing Caramel drowsy again, he suppressed all his questions for now. Both had just come out of a copy; it was important to rest. Issues could wait until after they were fully recovered.

What was meant to be a talk became a nap.

He showered in his personal space and was just about to grab a towel to wipe Caramel’s paws, only to recall that the other was in fact a human—perhaps it was inappropriate now.

Returning to the lounge area, he saw Caramel already fast asleep on the sofa; gently cradling his injured right shoulder, Qi Feng quietly lay down on his bed. Not only cats could be exhausted—now that he could let down his guard, Qi Feng’s whole body felt spent, and he sank into the soft mattress. Gazing at the silhouette curled on the bright yellow sofa, he too drifted off.

Yan Jiyun truly felt relaxed. The burdens he’d carried since entering the game had finally settled; when he woke it was already nine in the morning. He had slept thirteen hours straight.

Climbing out of the soft comforter, he stretched himself fully, leaving two deep furrows in the satin sheets.

Huh?

He’d slept on the sofa last night—how had he ended up in the bed?

Of course, he also had his own personal space, but having grown used to staying with Qi Feng, it made no difference where he ended up.

The Destiny system had a restriction: once he entered another’s personal space, he couldn’t re-enter his own.

But how had he gotten onto the bed last night?

He couldn’t recall—perhaps he just wanted to sleep on the big bed and had climbed over in a sleepy daze.

All around, the air was heavy with his and Qi Feng’s familiar scents, alongside the rich aroma of a freshly cooked breakfast.

Qi Feng returned with a tray: “Awake? Come eat.”

Today, Qi Feng seemed obviously more at ease than the day before.

Yan Jiyun gave a lazy meow, so soft Qi Feng might have missed it if he hadn’t been paying attention. He visited the washroom first, where Qi Feng had prepared a toothbrush for him, fixed horizontally on the wall for convenience.

After freshening up, he hopped to the table for breakfast.

Qi Feng watched him move about so comfortably in this space—at home as could be.

There were only four words left in his mind: So that’s it.

That explained why his cat never needed a litter box. Clearly, this wasn’t just cleverness—why hadn’t he thought of it before?

Yan Jiyun glanced at the plate: There was meat and eggs, but also the one thing he least liked—carrots and greens. Preparing to skip the vegetables and go straight for the meat, he was interrupted.

Qi Feng, with a regular human breakfast, watched Caramel and finally said, “Don’t be picky; eat your vegetables too.”

Yan’s paw froze. “…”

When Qi Feng had no idea he could turn human, Yan could ignore such commands. But now there was no pretending not to hear. Under that unwavering gaze, he resentfully swallowed carrots and greens, his furry black face the picture of misery.

At last, they returned to a touch of their former domestic rhythm.

Qi Feng, with Caramel by his side, finished his own breakfast.

Afterwards, Qi Feng didn’t leave his personal space. He stepped outside onto the broad lawn by the full-length window, and Yan followed.

Man and cat sat together on the grass. Temperatures here were set to a constant; a gentle breeze brushed Yan Jiyun’s face.

He lay on the grass for a while. When he noticed Qi Feng still watching him, he circled around behind. By the time Qi Feng turned, the black cat was gone—the pretty young man in black silk pajamas sitting beside him now. Three buttons undone, revealing a beautiful collarbone; fair skin, naturally wavy hair, and not green, but black eyes—just like his own.

Yan Jiyun nudged Qi Feng with his elbow, wearing an uncharacteristically awkward smile. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to keep it from you; I just didn’t know how to say it.”

Qi Feng shifted his gaze from that exposed collarbone, putting on a façade of propriety. “I understand. But this is dangerous—you know, during the peak match, I nearly eliminated you.” This fact would haunt him for a long time; if not for the revival mechanism, he would have personally killed the cat he’d raised for over half a year.

The thought made his fingers tremble.

Sensing his guilt, Yan Jiyun reassured him, “You’re not to blame—don’t feel responsible. I’d just entered the copy; I wasn’t thinking that far ahead.”

He decided to skip the topic—there was no need to dwell on the past.

Qi Feng had woken up earlier than Yan Jiyun. The questions he hadn’t managed to sort out last night now became clear. At least at present, their lives were little changed from before—the only real difference was that his cat could turn into a man.

Qi Feng asked, “Since when could you turn into a person?”

Yan Jiyun replied, “After entering the game.”

He was prepared to be completely candid—there was nothing left to hide. If he hadn’t entered this damn game, maybe it would sound bizarre, but thanks to the game’s premise, it was almost normal now. Perhaps it was the only good thing about joining.

Qi Feng: “What about before? Before the game?”

Yan Jiyun gave him a look. “Before the game, I was your cat.”

“But—”

“Before I became your cat, I was human. Afterwards, I had an accident and died—so my consciousness entered a cat’s body, and that’s how you found me. In the game, I can turn human by spending points on a Human Form Experience Card—you probably guessed that much.”

Qi Feng nodded. “Mm, every player gets a skill upon entering the game, linked to their needs. So your wish was to become human again.” He grasped it at once.

Yan Jiyun smiled. “Exactly. I was a human to begin with. Right now, you’re the only one who knows I can turn into a person and switch back to a cat.”

From that point, their conversation grew completely smooth—the game was a common enemy.

Qi Feng recalled the day Caramel had first disappeared, and began piecing the timeline together with Yan Jiyun.

“You entered the game through my nameplate.”

“Yes. I don’t know why it let me in, but the system set me up as your sub-account—now I’m a part of the master-pet system.”

“That’s very strange. I haven’t heard of any other pet being pulled into the game. You must be the only one.”

“It probably has to do with my ‘rebirth’ as a cat. Essentially, I’m human, but there’s no scientific explanation for dying and becoming a cat.”

Qi Feng lowered his voice, saying, “Maybe the game detected your consciousness exceeding that of an ordinary animal—it judged you as human, but with a cat’s body, and so gave us the master-pet system.”

He’d almost said “soul,” but there was no scientific proof that souls existed.

Yan Jiyun found the theory reasonable and nodded in agreement.

He asked, “So what do you intend to do next?”

Qi Feng: “You have the same system as I do?”

Yan Jiyun: “Of course. I’m a player, just like everyone else—there’s no difference.”

A sudden thought crossed Qi Feng’s mind, darkening his face: “If we hadn’t met in the game, would you just never have told me?”

Yan Jiyun was momentarily stunned, then broke into a bright smile. “That was my plan, yes. But, hey, let’s not dwell on the past. I’m still Caramel, aren’t I?”

Now that the truth was out, Qi Feng was still Qi Feng—his cat’s provider. Nothing much had really changed.

“Oh, right, our intimacy level comes with functional perks. On my end, at fifty points I can enter your copies at will. What about yours—what unlocks at fifty points?”

Qi Feng: “The same, but I have an extra feature. The master must enter the game as an NPC, with one downside—after entry, I lose all memories connected to you.”

Yan Jiyun understood at once; it matched what he’d experienced before in the Heart’s Pet copy.

A thought struck him. “So once you left the Christmas copy, our intimacy rose to fifty?”

Qi Feng: “No, my perk unlocked at forty points.”

Yan Jiyun: “Seems my system’s not quite the same as yours. Let’s keep raising intimacy and see what else unlocks.”

He now needed a new plan: increase intimacy with Qi Feng!

Qi Feng grasped the advantage at once: “Alright—next copy, we go together.”

He’d been so concerned over Qi Feng’s injuries that he’d forgotten to check the rewards from the last copy. Now, regarding Qi Feng as a true friend he could say anything to, he patted him on the shoulder. “I’m going to check my copy rewards.”

Qi Feng joined him in stepping out of the personal space; Yan Jiyun landed back on the sofa from the night before, Qi Feng standing behind him.

He muttered, “Let’s add each other as friends first.”

“Sure.” Yan Jiyun answered as he entered his own personal space.

At that moment, Lan Mo, holding a cup of coffee and posing as a white-collar professional, stared in disbelief. “You two haven’t even become friends yet?”

Qi Feng glanced at him, his face cold. “Why are you still here?”

Lan Mo looked baffled. “Bro, I live here.”

Qi Feng replied, indifferent, “Today, you’re moving in with Su Liang and the others.”

Suddenly, the coffee in Lan Mo’s hand lost all its flavor!

Why???