Chapter 20

Why would someone doing a legitimate part-time job dress like this...?

Although it may look cute and pretty, it seems strange and suspicious for a boy to wear women's clothing.

Pei Huai suspected that the person who took the part-time job for La Li Miao was hiding something.

[Li Miao: It's a legitimate job! Don't underestimate me or think I lack discernment!]

Two exclamation marks are enough to express Li Miao's anger at this moment.

"What's wrong?" Liang Fei noticed that Li Miao seemed a bit off.

The boy's full, glossy lips pouted slightly, expressing his dissatisfaction.

"Is there a problem with part-time work? You can ask me if you have any questions." Liang Fei was very interested in having Li Miao work at the store.

With a boy like Li Miao who is so cute even when dressed as a girl, business and traffic will definitely be better.

Li Miao also gets along well with cats, which is why she is favored by such perceptive animals.

Li Miao is definitely a friendly and kind person.

"It's nothing, it's just that my friend was concerned about my part-time job. He thought that a part-time job at a cat cafe would make me dress like this... that it's not a proper job."

"..." Liang Fei was speechless.

But I have to say, Li Miao is really, really cute and innocent.

All the emotions in his heart were written on his face.

She couldn't resist pinching the boy's chubby, round cheeks.

Liang Fei wasn't angry. It's normal for her friends to worry and be suspicious when they find out she has to wear such clothes for a part-time job.

“I have all the proper and legal business licenses here, and we also have a WeChat official account. You can ask your friend to follow us and see our store's promotions. He'll feel reassured after seeing that,” Liang Fei patted Li Miao on the shoulder.

She swore that the pat on the shoulder was a habitual way of comforting her.

I accidentally touched the smooth and delicate skin of Li Miao's exposed shoulder, and it felt like touching something that felt even better than milk or silk.

Liang Fei couldn't help but swipe her skin a couple of times and said, "What body lotion do you usually use? Your skin is so nice."

"Body lotion?" Li Miao looked blankly at him.

Well, what a waste of time asking. You're naturally beautiful, huh? Liang Fei thought of her acne-prone skin and lamented the unfairness of fate.

Li Miao told Pei Huai what Liang Fei had told him.

Pei Huai immediately followed the official WeChat account, looked at the store's previous promotional photos, and searched for the store online. After learning more about it, he confirmed that there were no problems.

As for Li Miao's outfit, perhaps it's because that's always been the store's style.

Pei Huai was slightly relieved to learn that Li Miao wasn't working illegally.

He messaged me: "Sorry, I misunderstood. As long as the work is done properly, that's fine. Is your interview almost over? Do you want me to pick you up?"

Pei Huai paused for a moment, worried that Li Miao might find his arrival to pick her up too abrupt: "I was just thinking of going to the back door to buy some fruit."

【Okay, I'll change my clothes and go downstairs~】Li Miao had no doubts.

After turning off her phone and confirming the part-time hours with shop owner Liang Fei for each evening during military training, Li Miao immediately returned to the changing room to change clothes.

“Okay, just contact me in advance if anything comes up. The ladies and gentlemen in our shop are all very easy to get along with, and of course, I’m easy to get along with too.” Liang Fei smiled brightly, her big eyes crinkling.

"Okay, thank you, Sister Liang Fei." Li Miao smiled at her.

Liang Fei gasped. Could there really be such a cute boy? If Li Miao didn't look 1.8 meters tall, she would have wanted to pull down his pants to see for herself.

Li Miao walked into the dressing room and was about to take off her clothes when she noticed that there were still filming props left on the hooks on the wall.

What caught Li Miao's attention was the fluffy orange and white cat ear headband used in the filming.

Li Miao curiously touched the headband.

It's not as comfortable as his cat's fur, and the color isn't as natural, but everything related to cats is just so cute.

Li Miao's eyes lit up, and she curiously put on the headband, wanting to see what the fake cat ears felt like.

Hmm, it's a bit tight, not very comfortable.

I took out my phone to take a selfie and admire it. The position of his cat's ears was different. His cat's ears were set apart a little more, and they were more lively and playful, unlike a lifeless object that couldn't bend and looked stiff.

After admiring the photos herself, Li Miao even sent them to Pei Huai: 【Cat ears~o( =∩ω∩= )m】

Unexpectedly receiving an incredibly cute close-up selfie from Li Miao, a adorable cat headshot, Pei Huai's heart felt like it had been shot with an arrow as he walked down the campus avenue.

Her face was exquisite and beautiful without a single flaw; her features were like a work of art meticulously sculpted by Nuwa.

Her big eyes were bright and lively.

Pei Huai stared at the photo for a few seconds, then couldn't help but long-press to save it, along with the previous photo of him in women's clothing, to his album.

After putting away his phone and walking a few steps, a thought inexplicably arose in Pei Huai's mind.

Li Miao always takes the initiative to share with him.

Could it be that she... has feelings for him?

The thought had only flashed through Pei Huai's mind for a second when he realized he was going crazy. Li Miao's eyes, so pure and sometimes even seemingly silly, could never possibly understand something as complex as emotions.

Pei Huai sighed softly, banishing his chaotic thoughts, and headed towards the coffee shop.

...

On the other side, Li Miao had changed back into her own clothes early on, said goodbye to the shop owner Liang Fei, and went downstairs to wait.

Li Miao stood casually next to a milk tea shop, waiting for Pei Huai to come over.

The people coming and going are mostly students from the surrounding universities.

They kept glancing at Li Miao, whispering among themselves about who this handsome boy was, saying they'd never seen him at the Communication University of China.

When Pei Huai arrived at his destination, he saw Li Miao being surrounded by two beautiful young girls chatting from afar.

He walked over and called softly, "Li Miao."

"Oh! You're finally here!" Li Miao said with delight. After briefly ending the conversation with the two girls, she waved goodbye and walked towards Pei Huai.

“Let’s go, you’re pretty quick, I didn’t have to wait long for you to arrive,” Li Miao said.

"It's hot, I can't keep you waiting outside." Pei Huai casually brought up the incident of the two girls hitting on him earlier.

"You're very popular with girls. Girls started hitting on you when school started, and now they're hitting on you again," Pei Huai said casually, glancing at Li Miao out of the corner of his eye.

Seeing that Li Miao's forehead was covered in a fine sweat, Pei Huai offered to go buy milk tea.

"Hehe, I'm good-looking, so it's normal for me to be popular." Li Miao spoke in a very light and natural tone, neither arrogant nor self-conscious, as if he was used to everyone liking him.

"Hmm." Pei Huai chuckled and asked, "Is there anyone among them you have feelings for?"

Li Miao frowned: "What does it mean to have a crush on someone?"

“It’s what you like,” Pei Huai said.

"No, why would I need someone I like?" Li Miao asked, pouting.

Pei Huai raised an eyebrow and, after ordering the milk tea, pondered how to answer the question.

"Because many people start a conversation this way, chat casually, get to know each other, and then start dating."

"!" Li Miao's cat-like eyes widened. "Is that really how it is?"

"You don't know?" Pei Huai asked back.

Li Miao asked seriously, "But they all told me they wanted to be friends with me."

“Boyfriends are a kind of friend too.” Pei Huai took the two iced milk teas from the shop assistant, inserted a straw into one of them, and handed it to Li Miao. “Drink this, it’s on you.”

"Wow~ Thank you~" Li Miao took the iced milk tea, took a big sip and sighed with delight, then followed Pei Huai back to school.

"No wonder they keep messaging me; they want to date me."

"Well, not necessarily. There's a possibility that they genuinely want to be your friend," Pei Huai added.

"Oh~~" Li Miao drawled as she realized, "If they really like me, I'll make it clear to them next time."

Pei Huai's lips unconsciously curved upwards into a slight smile, but after a few seconds, he immediately pressed his lips down.

"The milk tea is so delicious." Li Miao squinted her eyes happily.

"Yes, as long as you like it," Pei Huai said calmly.

They were almost back at school when Li Miao suddenly asked, "Didn't you say you were going to buy fruit? Aren't you going to buy it?"

Pei Huai, who made up a reason.

"I suddenly forgot, and I'm too lazy to go back, so I'll just buy it at the school supermarket."

Li Miao pouted and grabbed Pei Huai's sleeve to pull him back: "The fruit at school is expensive, let's go back and buy some."

Li Miao tugged at the boy's sleeve with her small hand, pulling Pei Huai's short-sleeved shirt up long. Pei Huai looked down at Li Miao walking in front of him and couldn't help but curl his lips into a smile.

...

As evening approached, darkness fell.

Seeing that it was almost time to catch mice, Li Miao told his roommates that he was going to run for a while on the playground.

Liang Yixuan and Li Hang looked at him in surprise: "Now, Li Miao, are you sure?"

Whose school has such good students who go running on the playground at night during military training?

“Yes, is it not allowed?” Li Miao blinked lightly.

“It’s not impossible, awesome.” Liang Yixuan’s thousand words were condensed into a thumbs-up with his right hand.

"I admire you," Li Hang said. "No wonder you're never so tired after military training. The only hardship you've ever experienced is that the shoes are too difficult to wear."

Li Miao chuckled and accepted her roommates' praise.

"Want to go for a night run? Do you want me to go with you?" Pei Huai pondered for a moment.

Li Miao: "No need, I'll just go for a run by myself for a while, about half an hour."

"Okay, then go by yourself, be careful," Pei Huai said.

Once outside, Li Miao found a dark place where no one could see her, in a men's restroom stall on the first floor, and transformed back into a kitten.

They nimbly jumped directly out of the bathroom window.

With a thud, it landed safely.

Emerging from the bushes was a fluffy, round-bodied long-haired cat with a round face and round eyes. Its amber eyes were quite intimidating in the dark. Its ears were long and intelligent, clearly indicating that it was a very clever and quick-witted cat.

"Meow~ Meow~~" Li Miao hadn't stretched her limbs so freely in a long time, bending over to loosen her muscles and bones, stretching and yawning, feeling extremely comfortable.

It can also meow loudly.

The open space outside is still the most comfortable.

After running a few steps, Li Miao suddenly let out two more howls.

The incident startled a college student couple who were sitting affectionately by the artificial lake.

"It's just a cat from the school, don't be nervous," the boy reassured him.

"I can't even be watched by the cat, and you're not allowed to kiss me," the girl said firmly.

Li Miao couldn't help but laugh. Not wanting to be a third wheel, she dashed off to her destination to catch the mouse.

It doesn't matter where you catch the rats; there are rats lurking right behind their dormitory building.

Mice may live in such a comfortable environment that they are much less wary than wild rabbits in the mountains.

Li Miao lay in wait in the shadows. As soon as she spotted her target, her cat-like eyes, glowing in the darkness, were sharp and cold, radiating a chill.

The mouse squeaked and squealed the moment it was caught.

But it was no use; its life had come to an end!

"Rest in peace. You can still contribute to my reward." Li Miao easily pinned the little mouse down with her claws. No matter how fiercely it struggled, it could not escape Li Miao's mangosteen claws.

The mouse squeaks: You think you're so high and mighty? You're risking my life by giving me a gift?!

After saying its last words, the little mouse was killed by Li Miao's claws.

On the way back, Li Miao encountered the cat from Peking University who was in charge of the organization.

This time it wasn't the white cat Xiaohua, but the patrol captain, the cow cat.

The black and white cat wagged its tail, observed Li Miao for a few moments, and then approached her.

"Meow~ Meow~ (Are you new here?)"

“Meow~ (Hello (*▽｀)ノノ)” Li Miao greeted her in a friendly manner.

The black and white cat stared at Li Miao, circled around him a few more times, and finally glanced at the mouse under his paws.

"Mwah~ (This doesn't taste good)" The cow cat actually wanted to ask if Li Miao had any other food, and if so, it could take him to eat something delicious.

Li Miao didn't understand what Black Cat Sheriff meant, and meowed twice more, saying that she wouldn't eat it, as it was a gift for someone else.

"Meow~ (Do you have a crush on a cat?)" the cow cat asked.

Li Miao shook the cat's head and said that she didn't have one; it wasn't a gift for her beloved cat, but a gift for a friend.

Meow~ (Okay)

"Meow~ (Call me if you need anything in the future)" The cow cat chatted with Li Miao for a few words and then slowly walked away.

Li Miao took the mouse she had caught back with her.

Hide it away and put it away carefully, then calmly brush your teeth, wash your hair, take a shower, and go to sleep.

Before going to sleep, Li Miao thought expectantly, "Pei Huai will definitely be very happy to receive a gift from a cat."

***

The next morning, Li Miao was startled awake by Liang Yixuan's shout.

Liang Yixuan's mind, which was still not fully awake, instantly went berserk when he saw a dead rat on Pei Huai's table across from him.

“!” Liang Yixuan pointed at the little mouse and showed it to Pei Huai.

Pei Huai had just gotten out of bed, his hair disheveled with a lazy and relaxed look, and his eyes showing signs of weariness.

He looked down at the rat's corpse and frowned.

Where did this come from?

Hearing her roommates' commotion, Li Miao lifted the bed curtain, peeked out, rested her chin on the bed rail, and pretended not to know anything, asking, "What's wrong? What happened?"

Seeing that everyone had noticed the mouse, Li Miao widened her eyes and continued to feign annoyance: "Oh, Pei Huai, there's a mouse on your desk!"

Be happy, be joyful, be excited!

Hurry and accept the gift from the cat!

"This is too much! Could this be a prank targeting you? We don't even know when they sneaked into our dorm." Li Hang frowned deeply.

"You don't need to be targeted as soon as school starts, you didn't do anything wrong." Liang Yixuan was also thinking, then suddenly looked at Pei Huai's face and guessed, "Could it be that you were too handsome during military training and some guys are holding a grudge against you?"

Wearing the same camouflage uniform, Pei Huai's features were striking and deep-set, his figure tall and athletic, exuding a powerful sex appeal. His military training photos spread throughout various groups, the Peking University forum, and online communities.

Pei Huai shook his head, took out a few tissues, and prepared to throw the rat into the trash can and dispose of it along with the trash when he went downstairs.

Li Miao, who felt her roommate was going off-topic the more she listened, thought: "???"

"Wait, have you misunderstood something?" Li Miao asked with a blank expression.

The three of them looked at Li Miao, not understanding what she meant.

"We always lock our dorm room doors, so it's not like someone would break in just to let a mouse in! Look, this little mouse has scratches and teeth marks on it, it's a gift from a stray cat! You should be grateful!"

Li Miao spoke with such sincerity and explained in such detail that she directly persuaded Pei Huai and the other two.

Pei Huai and his friend looked at each other in bewilderment. Could it be that this mouse really was a gift from some stray cat at Peking University?

But he hasn't had time to feed the cat during these few days of military training. Was it a gift from the white cat, Xiaohua?

“Really, you believe me,” Li Miao said firmly.

Li Miao understands cat language and has a great relationship with the cats.

Since he was so certain, Pei Huai, Liang Yixuan, and Li Hang began to have some doubts.

Could it really just be a simple gift from the cat?

"We can't send rats, that would be terrifying," Liang Yixuan said.

Li Miao paused for a moment, then realized that what she said seemed to make sense.

Are rats really that scary to humans?

Pei Huai: "Since it might be a gift specially sent to me by the cat... then it's nothing."

"It's getting late, let's pack up and go to military training."

...

That noon, Li Xuan received a request for help from her younger brother.

[Miaomiao: Brother, Pei Huai received the mouse I gave him, but he doesn't seem very happy. Did I give him the wrong thing?]

[Miaomiao: Didn't they say he'd be happy if he knew the kitten gave him a present? But they all hate mice and are afraid of them.]

[Miaomiao: What's so scary about frail mice? They're so timid.]

Li Xuan couldn't help but smile, secretly pleased.

Pei Qingsong, who was in the same lab as him, saw this and asked her boyfriend what had happened and why he was smiling so slyly.

"Get out, get out! What do you mean by 'treacherous'? Can't you speak properly?" Li Xuan shooed her boyfriend away in an annoyed tone.

Continuing with suggestions for Miaomiao: "Perhaps humans don't like mice, or maybe you haven't fully expressed the cat's gratitude? How about you try catching a few more dead fish?"

Miaomiao: Okay~ I'll try again~~

With her brother's affirmation, Li Miao decided to give it another try.

Since you don't like mice.

He would catch a few small birds or check if there were any small fish.

If I remember correctly, there were many koi carp in the school's artificial lake.

Even if there are two koi fish out of so many, no one would notice.

Thinking of this, Li Miao regained her motivation.

The claws are now sharper.

The koi in the artificial lake: "!"

OMG! Don't come any closer!