Wicked Eye of the Evil King

Wuling didn't keep her waiting long. He returned after about five minutes, carrying a bag of something.

When he reached the mirror, Wuling crouched down and took the contents out of the bag.

There were two packets of unsalted boiled chicken breast, a corn-and-ham sausage, a large bath towel, and a roll of tape.

"These three kittens look two weeks old at most, and they haven't been weaned yet. So I thought I'd feed the mother cat first. Once she starts producing milk, she can feed them."

Wuling explained quietly to Chisaki as he took things out.

"Please help me lift the cats out first. I'll lay the towel inside."

"Mm, okay."

Chisaki reached for the mother cat. Perhaps sensing no ill intent from the person before her, or perhaps truly too weak to move anymore, the cat didn't resist and let Chisaki pick her up.

Chisaki then lifted the three kittens out of the box one by one and held them in her arms, taking care not to bump them against anything.

Wuling worked quickly. He folded the towel and laid it flat on the bottom of the cardboard box, then draped either side over the edges of the opening, covering three of the box's walls.

He then took out the tape, tore it by hand, and wrapped it around the towel and the box a few times to keep the towel from falling down.

After doing all that, Wuling found a larger piece of cardboard nearby. He placed one side against the wall-facing side of the box and secured it with the remaining tape to keep it from collapsing.

Once he had used up all the tape, the job was done.

"All right, you can put them back in now."

Chisaki nodded slightly and slowly returned the mother cat to the box lined with the thick bath towel. Then, one by one, she nestled the three fluffy, faintly trembling kittens against the soft spot beneath their mother's belly.

Wuling broke off a small piece of warm boiled chicken breast, shredded it into fine strips, and placed it on a clean tissue, which he held up to the mother cat's mouth.

The mother cat sniffed hesitantly. Hunger finally overcame her wariness, and she lowered her head and began nibbling at it. Her chewing was slow and labored, and Chisaki's heart tightened slightly at the sight.

"You can't feed them too much sausage. The salt is bad for cats' kidneys, so it can only be a little snack."

Wuling put the sausage away in the bag and portioned out the remaining chicken breast.

Chisaki crouched beside the box, quietly watching the family of four huddled together. She spoke softly, a note of genuine hope in her voice.

"This way... they won't be cold tonight, right?"

"It's enough to get them through the night."

Wuling crouched beside her, keeping his voice low for fear of disturbing the cats, who had only just settled down.

"This bath towel holds heat well. The still air will retain the warmth inside the box. As long as there isn't a torrential downpour, they're safe for now."

Having eaten her fill, the mother cat relaxed her tense body and lay on her side, holding the three kittens close as they nuzzled at her belly in search of milk. Their soft little mews echoed intermittently through the quiet alley, gentle enough to soothe the heart.

Chisaki watched them, a very faint but gentle smile unconsciously lifting the corners of her lips. It was the first time Wuling had seen her smile without any restraint, like a flower blooming quietly in the twilight, pure and moving.

"It's late. If we stay any longer, the academy gates will close."

Wuling glanced at the time on his phone and reminded her softly.

Chisaki cast one last reluctant look at the box and nodded gently. As she stood, she unconsciously smoothed the hem of her clothes.

The two walked side by side toward the academy along the lamplit street. Behind them, the cats' cries in the alley gradually faded into the quiet night.

They didn't exchange any unnecessary words on the way, but it wasn't awkward. The evening breeze carried the fresh scent of grass and trees, and their shadows drew close and parted on the road as their steps fell into rhythm without their noticing.

As they approached the fork leading to their respective dormitories, Chisaki stopped, turned to look earnestly at Wuling, and thanked him in a low voice.

"Thank you... for today. You not only looked after me at the part-time job, but also helped these kittens."

"It was no trouble."

Wuling smiled and shook his head.

"Oh, right, how much did those things cost? I'll transfer you the money."

"Thirty-seven yuan in total. Just send me eighteen."

"Mm, okay. Let's add each other on WeChat, then. I'll transfer the money to you, and it'll be easier to stay in touch later, too."

Chisaki's voice was soft as she spoke, with a hint of cautious shyness.

The tips of her ears turned a faint pink. She lowered her eyes and held her phone between her fingertips, its softly glowing screen reflecting her calm, gentle features.

Wuling paused slightly, then a warm smile spread in his eyes. He took out his phone, opened his QR code, and turned to hold it out to her. "Okay."

The night was gentle, and the streetlamp cast a warm yellow light over their shoulders. At the quiet fork in the road, only the soft rustling of the evening breeze could be heard.

Chisaki lowered her head slightly and focused on scanning the code and sending a friend request. When the "sent successfully" notification appeared on the screen, she looked up and spoke softly.

"I sent it."

"Got it."

Wuling spoke softly, then tapped confirm.

"Wicked Eye of the Evil King?"

Wuling's expression turned a little strange when he saw the name. Wasn't it a little... chuunibyou?

The last time he'd seen an online name like that was Calcharo's "Most Distinctive in Solaris," but with that guy, at least you could tell from his appearance that he was a bit chuunibyou.

Chisaki, on the other hand, didn't look anything like a chuunibyou, no matter how he looked at her.

But then again, paired with her burgundy eyes, the name did have a bit of that feel to it.

When Chisaki heard Wuling quietly read out her WeChat nickname, she froze on the spot. Her cheeks flushed red at a visible speed, the color spreading all the way to her ears and neck. Flustered, she clutched her phone tightly and hung her head, her voice barely louder than a mosquito's buzz. She looked as though she wanted to burrow into the ground.

"I-I just picked it at random a long time ago... and I've been too lazy to change it."

Chisaki was so nervous that she stammered, finally coming up with an answer that even she didn't quite want to believe.

Wuling held back his laughter, trying to keep a straight face so his amusement wouldn't be too obvious. He tapped the striking ID on the screen, unable to suppress a smile.

"I never would have guessed. It's such a contrast."

"I really did just pick it at random before. I'll change it when I get back."

Chisaki defended herself in a shy whisper, her long eyelashes fluttering in a panic. She looked just like a small animal whose little secret had been exposed, cute enough to make one's heart soften.

"You don't have to change it on purpose. It's pretty interesting." Wuling put aside his teasing at the right moment and reassured her gently.

"It's just a little personal quirk. It's distinctive, and that makes it easier to remember."

As soon as he finished speaking, a WeChat transfer notification popped up: exactly eighteen yuan and fifty cents, down to the last cent.

Wuling didn't accept the payment immediately. He simply looked up at the girl in front of him. "You don't have to be so exact about it."

"I do."

Chisaki shook her head gently and looked up at him, her burgundy eyes clear and bright in the night, earnest and stubborn.

"What should be settled clearly should be settled clearly. You've already helped me a lot."

She didn't like owing others, and even for the smallest kindness, she wanted to repay it properly.

"All right, as you say, Miss Wicked Eye of the Evil King."

At those words, Chisaki, who had begun to relax, felt another blush quietly spread across her ears.

"P-please don't call me that."

"All right, all right, I won't tease you anymore. It's getting late. Get back to your dorm."

Wuling glanced at the twilight, which had fully darkened, and reminded her softly.

"Mm."

Chisaki nodded obediently and backed up two steps. She took a couple of steps toward the girls' dormitory, then couldn't help looking back at him.

The young man stood beneath the warm yellow streetlamp, tall and straight, his features gentle as he quietly watched her leave.

Their eyes met again.

Chisaki's heart fluttered. She hurriedly looked away, pressed her lips together, and said softly, "See you tomorrow, Wuling."

"See you tomorrow."

His gentle voice was carried over by the evening breeze, lingering softly in her ears.

The girl turned and walked through the warm yellow lamplight, slowly disappearing at the end of the tree-lined path.