Chapter 32: A gift from the family cat.

Yan Zhaozhou clicked his tongue lightly and handed the snacks to Jiang Yingxu with a forced smile.

"Hey buddy, here you go."

Jiang Yingxu didn't answer, but frowned and looked at Zou Yuanyuan.

"Give me?"

Zou Yuanyuan nodded quickly and said softly, "Deng Yi and Miaomiao came by just now. Since you haven't finished class yet, Miaomiao left it with me and asked me to bring it to you."

While eating lunch in the cafeteria, Deng Yi overheard the cafeteria lady saying that she was packing up boxed lunches to move to Mingde Building. Impressed by the intense practice in the competition class, she simply dragged Shi Miao along to the convenience store to buy a bag of snacks and brought it to Zou Yuanyuan.

Shi Miao also bought two packs, one large and one small.

The small package was for Zou Yuanyuan—Zou Yuanyuan doesn't eat many snacks.

The large package was given to Jiang Yingxu.

Looking through the half-open plastic bag, you can see a row of bright red Want Want milk bottles on top, with little figures grinning.

Further down are various cookies, jellies, and chocolates.

Several blank draft papers with the Ningcheng No. 1 Middle School emblem were also visible among the snacks.

It was stuffed full of food, drinks and other necessities.

"...Okay, thank you."

Jiang Yingxu was slightly taken aback, clearly not expecting it at all. After a pause, he took the plastic bag from Yan Zhaozhou's hand.

It's really heavy; the handle digs slightly into the flesh of my fingertips.

Jiang Yingxu even forgot to get his food, turned around and went back to the physics competition classroom, and put the plastic bag on the table.

The snacks piled on top rolled down.

A light yellow sticky note was sticking out at an angle.

They even cleverly stuck a gummy candy on the corner.

Jiang Yingxu picked it up and saw the rounded characters on it—they looked obedient on the surface, but the last stroke, which was elongated and dragged, inadvertently revealed a bit of rebellion.

Like a seemingly docile and soft kitten, but actually full of rebellious tendencies.

[Jiang Yingxu, please have some candy!]

Jiang Yingxu stared at it for a while, his eyes sparkling, then reached out and picked the gummy candy off.

Unpack it and put it in your mouth.

Jiang Yingxu savored the rich sweetness, his eyebrows slightly lowered, meticulously folding the sticky note, his fingertips gently stroking the edges.

"Holy crap! Food!"

Lai Cheng brought in a boxed lunch and was complaining to Mao Yuhu about the food when he noticed the plastic bag next to Jiang Yingxu's table and suddenly pounced on it.

This is a huge bag of high-calorie snacks.

For high school students who are highly mentally active and have a lot of energy, it is no less than an oasis in the desert, a floating board in a flood, or a parachute when gliding.

Essential supplies! Lifesaving supplies!

It wasn't here this morning, and Jiang Yingxu ran out to buy it in just a short while?

That's not right.

Although Jiang Yingxu often missed classes and wasn't familiar with them, everyone knew about his situation.

No money, poor, my daily routine is just working, working, working.

Eat the cheapest set meal.

Wearing a school uniform that even dogs wouldn't like.

Why would you suddenly spend money on such "flashy but impractical" snacks?

Lai Cheng thought of the rich young master in the math competition class next door, who had condescended to attend the group class, but his meals were still delivered by his family driver.

Two really high-end insulated lunch boxes.

Before he could think, his mouth darted out, "Could it have been sent from your family too...?"

Mao Yuhu's eyelids twitched, and he punched him in the back.

Lai Cheng let out a cry, suddenly realizing Jiang Yingxu's situation, and quickly covered his mouth to shut up.

She then cautiously glanced at Jiang Yingxu's expression.

He chuckled awkwardly.

"Well, I've gone crazy from doing so many problems... I'm just rambling, just pretend I farted."

Jiang Yingxu remained calm, holding the small, square sticky note.

While Lai Cheng was so embarrassed that he wished he could disappear into the ground and run away.

His voice was low, but the end of his tone held a hint of soft laughter as he admitted it.

"Um."

Jiang Yingxu said, "It was a gift from my family."

—To be precise, it's the cat at home.

-

My cat, Shimiao, is just lazing around at home.

Cat, who works four days on and three days off, felt a bit annoyed by the plot and, lacking the aura of a top student around her, justified herself in watching the show with the system all day.

When the bell rang at 5:30, she picked up her schoolbag and left gracefully amidst the envious glances of the boarding students.

Ningcheng No.1 Middle School implements a alternating week system, with students having a holiday on Friday evenings and a holiday on Saturday noon.

This week is a long week, so day students don't have to attend evening self-study sessions, while boarding students have to attend two evening self-study sessions, which end at 9 p.m.

Shi Miao received a message from Jiang Yingxu at noon, saying that the competition class might not end on time and that Xiao Mao should not come to pick him up.

Shi Miao replied with an "okay".

But if the kitten doesn't come, Shi Miao can leave.

She walked through the teaching buildings for first and second year students, walked to Mingde Building, and looked inside through the half-open glass door.

The hallway was not well lit.

The classroom doors, which displayed signs for various subject competitions, were all tightly closed.

Shi Miao took full advantage of her feline nature, moving lightly and silently, and walked around the corridor, even visiting the competition-specific laboratory at the end.

Various instruments that I don't understand.

Shi Miao tiptoed out, passing by the competition classroom, and overheard the teacher's problem-solving process inside—

After confirming several times, I confirmed that they were speaking Chinese.

LOL, I can't understand Chinese either.

Shi Miao obediently slipped away and found a bench to sit on in the small garden in front of Mingde Building.

First, I watched the last episode of that show with the system.

I'm pretty tired after watching dramas all day, and my brain really needs a break.

It's good to do some physical activity.

Shi Miao opened the fruit-cutting game on her phone, then casually lifted a non-existent sleeve and stretched her wrists.

Cat chop chop chop!

As Jiang Yingxu walked out of Mingde Building with his shoulder bag, he caught a girl's cheer.

No fruit can escape a cat's claws!

He paused, turning his head to look.

The sky was a soft pink, and the setting sun cast a warm glow, bathing everything in sight in a gentle hue.

Ningcheng is located in the south, where the climate is warm. At the end of September, the goldenrain trees planted in the garden still had green leaves and yellow flowers, and the branches were covered with golden blossoms.

Just then, a gust of wind passed by, causing the branches and leaves of the goldenrain tree to sway gently.

The bright little flowers on the branches swayed and fell softly.

It fell lightly into the girl's dark hair.

The kitten looked up alertly, brushed away the golden flowers from its hair with its slender white fingers, and turned its eyes to meet Jiang Yingxu, who was standing in front of the building.

She was first surprised, her eyes widening, then she raised her rosy lips and smiled brightly and purely.

"Jiang Yingxu—"

Shi Miao stood up, her voice sweet and gentle, "Have you finished class?"

Jiang Yingxu clenched his fingers, which were gripping the shoulder strap of his backpack. For a moment, he suddenly felt a stinging sensation from the bright sunlight.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and he responded with a slightly hoarse voice, "Mmm."

Shi Miao put her phone back in her pocket. "Did you receive the snacks I asked Yuan Yuan to give you at noon?"

Jiang Yingxu nodded.

Their eyes met, and a brief silence ensued.

Shi Miao didn't know why she had to make this trip in human form today.

The stifling feeling that had been building up in her chest since she started thinking about the future plot dissipated softly when she saw Jiang Yingxu in front of her and met his calm, dark eyes.

That won't happen again.

She will let Jiang Yingxu stand on the podium that rightfully belongs to him.

Shi Miao gently moved her toes, wanting to pretend that she was just passing by, easily say goodbye to him, and then switch to being a kitten, snuggling up to him and meowing.

She just moved.

Jiang Yingxu's eyes flickered, and he suddenly spoke.

"Thank you for the snacks."

He was used to being a loner and keeping quiet, suppressing all his emotions and reason deep inside, never revealing them.

However, this rule was repeatedly broken after a kitten fell from the sky.

I thought it would be difficult to take this step, but when I met Shi Miaoming's bright eyes, it didn't seem so difficult to say the words.

I learned courage from the Cat King.

Jiang Yingxu said, "...Let me treat you to dinner."