Varesa hummed in agreement and gently patted her back twice, as if coaxing a real kitten.
She was also very tired today, and as she patted, the strength of her hand gradually decreased.
Her breathing gradually became longer and steady, until it became completely even. Her chin was still gently resting on Bai You's head; she was fast asleep.
Bai You, however, was still awake.
She kept her eyes open, listening to the heartbeat of the person in her arms, one beat after another.
The bed was warm, the wind and snow outside had lessened, and the whole room was so quiet that only the breathing of the two of them could be heard.
She should have been asleep by now.
But for some reason, the boast I'd made in the bathtub suddenly popped into my head—
"Watch out, or I'll turn you into a cat too!" At that moment, Varesa's few words had driven me to a dead end, so I could only make up an excuse like, "I'm tired today."
Is it possible or not?
If you're unsure what to do, you can ask the system.
She shifted in bed, finding a position that wouldn't wake the other person, and called out to them in her mind.
"Hey, system, come out quickly, come out quickly!"
[... What are you up to in the middle of the night? What are you planning to do?]
The voice came out lazily, with a hint of impatience at being woken up.
Bai You was already used to its behavior, so she didn't stand on ceremony and asked directly:
"Is that cat-turning candy gone once you eat it?"
[Otherwise, you think disposable food can be eaten as a meal?]
"Oh..." Bai You a little disappointed.
She had originally planned that when she wanted to snuggle in Varesa's arms like a cat in the future, she would give Varesa one too, so that they would both become cats.
Now there's only one left.
She turned over, increasingly unwilling to accept it, and asked herself again:
"Well... is there any other way? I mean, I still want to become a cat."
She paused, her ears burning first, "And, can I turn other people into cats too?"
The system remained silent for a while.
[Say it again?]
I said, "Could I ask someone else—"
[I heard you.] That bit of laziness was gone, replaced by a tone of "Are you crazy?"
[What's going on in your head? You were petted like a cat all night, and you haven't had enough of being petted like a cat yourself, now you want to drag others down with you?]
"I was just asking," Bai You thought to herself, shrinking back inwards. "What if?"
[There's no "what if" in this context.]
Oh...
Bai You fell silent. She nestled in her blankets, feeling increasingly regretful—she had finally tasted the sweetness of becoming a cat.
She sighed.
"System, is there any other way to get Cat Transformation Candy?"
[Check-in and lucky draw]
"... Sigh, it seems like it's going to be a long time from now."
The system remained silent for a while.
[... I'm talking to you.]
It finally spoke, but its tone wasn't as harsh as before.
[Today, on that sofa, someone stroked you from head to toe, even touching the base of your tail, and you didn't run away.]
Bai You: "... Isn't that her?"
[Fine, fine, she, she, she.] The system clicked its tongue in disdain, paused for a few seconds, and then added sullenly.
[... Look at you today, so pathetic and pitiful.]
Bai You was taken aback. "Huh?"
[Alright, alright, stop making that face.] The system clicked its tongue impatiently, as if it itself felt pathetic.
I wasn't originally planning to make this exception for you.
[But the way you looked today—like you turned into a cat after eating a candy, being cuddled all night, your tail even got stroked so nicely, and you looked so content.]
It paused.
[I can tell now, you really like it.]
"[That's it.]" the system's voice was languid, as if it were plotting something unprofitable.
[I'll take pity on you and consider this talent a gift. It'll save you from bothering me again tomorrow.]
"Heaven, talent?"
[Otherwise, do you think I'd give you a bell to hang around your neck?] The system scoffed.
[You are given the talent to become a cat. From today onward, this talent is yours alone.]
It paused, as if it found it troublesome to explain later.
[See for yourself.]
Bai You's eyes lit up.
Lines of text surfaced unexpectedly in the depths of her mind, quietly writing:
[Talent: Phantom Cat ]
[Type: Morphological Transformation]
[introduce:]
[I. Free switching between three forms--]
[As it was originally.]
[Cat form: A short-haired, cream-colored kitten that can change its form and return to its original form at the slightest thought, with no time limit, no number of uses, and no side effects.]
[Half-Cat (Catgirl): Retains human form, with freely stackable parts—cat ears, cat tail, etc.]
[II. Contact Application--]
[When the host makes physical contact with the target, and the target does not resist, the target can be transformed into a cat or half-cat form (the form is determined by the host). The transformation can be canceled by the target's thought.]
[III. Remarks--]
[If the target strongly resists, the talent will be ineffective and cannot be used.]
Bai You stared blankly for a long time without saying a word.
... So, you gave it all to her?
She read those lines over and over in her mind three times, her heart beating faster and faster with each reading.
"... That's it?" she asked softly. "Is... that all?"
"[What else do you want?]" the system asked impatiently. "[I've given you everything I have, and you still think it's not enough?]"
"No, no, I just... didn't react in time. System, you're truly the best system in the world!"
[...]
Bai You swallowed.
"Can I try it now?"
[May you die.]
[The person next to you is sleeping like a log, but if you suddenly curl up like a cat with a "bang," she'll pin you down.]
Bai You:"..."
She imagined the scene for a moment, then silently suppressed the thought.
Bai You obediently agreed, but her mind was already uncontrollably wandering back to --
She imagined herself standing in front of Varesa with a pair of creamy white cat ears on her head and a matching tail trailing behind her.
What kind of expression would he have? Would he reach out and rub her ear?
When her tail brushes against her hand, will she react like she did today?
"[Look at your pathetic self.]" the system bluntly exposed her.
Missing that little Water Nymph again?
"I didn't!"
[Your face practically screams it.] The system scoffed.
"[Alright, I'm going to sleep.]" the system said.
Don't stay up all night thinking about random things.
The system went silent.
Bai You waited a while before cautiously trying it in her mind—it wasn't a real transformation, just a fleeting thought.
That familiar, warm tingling sensation rose up from the depths of my body, traveled along the seams of my bones, and then quietly receded.
It really... grew on her.
She secretly raised her eyes and, using the light from the snow filtering through the curtains, glanced at the sleeping person.
Varesa was sleeping soundly, her face peacefully illuminated by the snowlight through the window, her long eyelashes drooping, her breathing long and even.
Bai You reached out and very cautiously touched the top of her head—it was flat, there was nothing there.
He touched his back again—it was completely bare, with no tail.
She nestled back into Varesa's arms, her heart still racing and her face flushed, but that little secret, both shy and expectant, remained.
She can transform into a cat at any time, and she also has a catgirl form.
Tomorrow I'll find a secluded spot and try it secretly, just once.
As for Varesa--
Hehe, let's try turning her into a catgirl too...
Her lips curled up so wide she couldn't suppress it, but she quickly tried to do so.
We'll talk about it later.
Bai You secretly nuzzled against her, burying her face in her chest.
She closed her eyes, and this time, she truly fell asleep.
... Divider...
The author has been resurrected and has been updating regularly ever since.
Do you still want to see these cat-related storylines? If not, I'll just write two more chapters and move on.
Special thanks to Yin Hai for sending 14 bubble teas, 2 flowers, and 1 update reminder charm during this period.
And Gao Shuya, who loves braised eggplant boxes, was sent to the Inspiration Capsule.
Thank you to all the readers who have supported us during this time!
(◍>◡<◍)つ♡