The Villainous Female Side Character Pretends to Be an Omega in the Apocalypse and Raises a Cat - Chapter 16

Chi Yingdong glanced in the direction of the little cat.

The little creature looked utterly content, rhythmically and unhurriedly kneading with its paws.

It’s said that felines only knead when they feel completely safe in their environment.

Chi Yingdong’s fingers unconsciously curled, and an indescribable ache welled up in her heart.

It was as if a treasure that should have belonged solely to her could now be easily touched by others.

This sour feeling was like tiny thorns, quietly piercing her heart.

Chi Yingdong secretly resolved that she needed to teach the little cat a lesson.

It shouldn’t just burrow into anyone’s arms, not even a child’s.

Nearby, Xu Luo was still politely declining.

In her deliberately lowered voice, there was a hint of barely noticeable ingratiation.

Chi Yingdong understood Xu Luo’s intentions.

It was merely about seeking someone’s protection in this apocalyptic world, a natural human instinct.

Because there was no trace of possessiveness over the food in Xu Luo’s eyes, her refusal seemed somewhat sincere, which made Chi Yingdong a little more patient.

But the excessive politeness eventually wore away all her patience.

“If you don’t want it, just throw it away,” Chi Yingdong’s voice turned cold.

Xu Luo’s hand froze mid-air. After a moment, she slowly withdrew it and murmured her thanks.

She glanced at her daughter, who was “chatting happily” with the little cat inside the room, hesitated for a moment, and said, “I’ll head downstairs first and come back later to pick up Yaoyao.”

Chi Yingdong gave a slight nod.

She truly didn’t want Xu Luo entering her home.

If the other had asked to come inside, she would have had to refuse, this way was just perfect.

As soon as Xu Luo turned away, Chi Yingdong promptly closed the door.

Hearing the sound of the door shutting behind her, Xu Luo belatedly realized that her earlier refusal had annoyed Chi Yingdong, and she silently took this lesson to heart.

“Qinghe, little cat, did you go out hunting this morning?”

Xu Chumao stroked the cat’s fur, her voice soft and sweet, her tone cheerful, as if eager to hear an exciting adventure story.

Chi Yingdong leaned against the kitchen doorframe.

She watched as the little cat nimbly leaped out of the girl’s arms and landed steadily on the coffee table.

“Meow. Meow.”

The little cat cleared its throat.

Its face, smaller than a palm, seemed to take on a much more serious expression.

Its tail beat rhythmically against the tabletop, like the clappers in a storyteller’s hands.

The little cat confidently delivered a series of meows, its tone suddenly rising at the thrilling parts, its tail swishing even faster.

Xu Chumao sat obediently on the sofa, chin in her hands, her eyes sparkling with admiration, occasionally gasping in amazement.

The little cat grew thirsty from its storytelling, jumped off the table, and ran to its food station for a drink of water.

As a writer, Meng Qinghe had a stronger desire to express herself than most people.

Being trapped in a cat’s body with no one to talk to had left her stifled.

After quenching her thirst, Meng Qinghe hurried back to the coffee table.

Seeing the little cat return, Xu Chumao urged eagerly, “And then? And then what happened?”

The little cat continued its tale, its meows rising and falling with expression.

Although Chi Yingdong couldn’t understand the meows,

she could guess from the excited expressions of both the girl and the cat that they were sharing something remarkable.

Xu Chumao asked curiously, “Did you run into that big fish again on your way back? Did you catch it in one go?”

Only then did Chi Yingdong realize from this question that they were talking about this morning’s experience.

The little cat continued with another series of “meow, meow, meows.”

The admiration in Xu Chumao’s eyes grew even stronger.

Chi Yingdong cast a skeptical glance at the kitten, who wore an expression of utmost seriousness.

Turning to Xu Chuyao, she found the girl’s face filled with unwavering belief.

Chi Yingdong couldn’t help but rub her forehead.

Just how much exaggeration had this little creature mixed into the story?

The girl and the kitten were getting along splendidly.

Gradually, however, their voices lowered.

Two heads: one large, one small, drew close together, as if sharing a secret.

Were they actually guarding against her?!

Chi Yingdong touched the tip of her nose, deciding not to invite awkwardness, and turned to enter the kitchen.

She planned to invite Xu Chuyao to stay for dinner, partly to thank her for keeping the kitten company and lifting its spirits.

Partly, too, she wanted to observe how the girl’s ability to communicate with animals might evolve.

Chi Yingdong decided to prepare three dishes and a soup:

Cola chicken wings, stir-fried beef with yellow peppers, chilled water spinach salad, and loofah clam soup.

Simple, homestyle fare.

Her cooking skills weren’t exceptional, so she had no intention of attempting anything overly complicated.

She retrieved the ingredients from her storage space and began preparing them at a leisurely pace.

Hearing footsteps approach, only one set, Chi Yingdong recognized them as Xu Chuyao’s.

Since it wasn’t the kitten, she didn’t hurry to look up, continuing instead with her task.

The footsteps paused at the doorway. Chi Yingdong could feel a gaze fixed on her back.

Xu Chuyao probably had something to say but didn’t know how to begin, hence her prolonged silence.

Chi Yingdong wasn’t in a rush and didn’t press her, pretending instead not to notice her presence.

After a short while,

Xu Chuyao mustered her courage and called out softly, “Sis.”

The gentle, timid voice came from behind. Chi Yingdong hummed in response without pausing her work.

Hearing this, Xu Chuyao took a deep breath and spoke quickly, “Qinghe the kitty asked me to ask you… Did you peek at her while she was sleeping earlier?”

Chi Yingdong’s chopping hand stilled for a moment. Setting down the knife, she turned around.

Xu Chuyao was hiding behind the door, only her small head peeking into the kitchen, looking like a cautious little hamster.

Seeing Chi Yingdong turn, Xu Chuyao immediately straightened up, her fingers nervously twisting the fabric of her clothes.

Chi Yingdong rubbed her fingertips against her apron until they were dry again, then let her gaze sweep over the girl’s uneasy face.

She began to doubt herself.

Was she really that intimidating?

She admitted she wasn’t the gentlest person, but she thought she was decent enough with children.

Just as Xu Chuyao, thinking Chi Yingdong wouldn’t answer, lowered her head in disappointment and prepared to leave,

She heard Chi Yingdong’s voice.

“Yes. She’s very cute.”

Chi Yingdong answered softly, her voice carrying a tenderness even she hadn’t realized was there.

An image of the kitten’s fluffy, adorable form surfaced in her mind, gradually replaced by one of Meng Qinghe with cat ears and a tail.

Chi Yingdong grew even more convinced of her own assessment.

She really was adorable!!

At this thought, the corners of her mouth lifted unconsciously.

Having received her answer, Xu Chuyao hopped away to relay the message.

This wasn’t the first time Meng Qinghe had been called cute by Chi Yingdong, but hearing the praise through someone else felt different.

Shame and joy swelled inside her, filling her to the brim.

Meng Qinghe buried her face in her front paws, her voice muffled.

At first, Xu Chuyao couldn’t make out what she was saying and leaned in closer.

Once she understood, Xu Chuyao dashed back toward the kitchen.

Inside, Chi Yingdong was preparing the cola chicken wings. As she caramelized the sugar, oil sizzled and splattered noisily.

Hearing Xu Chuyao’s voice, Chi Yingdong first scooped the chicken wings out of the pan and turned off the heat.

After finishing what she was doing, she looked up at Xu Chuyao.

The little girl’s cheeks were flushed, her almond-shaped eyes sparkling. “Sister, the kitty said you’re the cutest of all.”

After saying this, Xu Chuyao quickly glanced at Chi Yingdong and dashed away.

Chi Yingdong stood frozen in place.

It felt as if something had gently bumped against her chest, sending ripples through her.

She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

It must be the shock of witnessing the kitten transform into a human earlier that had thrown her senses into disarray.

Chi Yingdong convinced herself of this, readjusted her mindset, and refocused on her tasks.

Soon, the enticing aroma of food wafted through the kitchen.

Three dishes and a soup were quickly laid out on the table.

Seeing Chi Yingdong bring out the final dish, Xu Chuyao immediately stood up nervously, ready to take her leave.

Chi Yingdong set down the bowls and chopsticks, her voice calm yet firm. “Sit down and eat with us.”

Xu Chuyao’s gaze was unconsciously drawn to the dishes on the table, her small hands nervously clutching the hem of her skirt.

All day, she had only eaten some biscuits, and her stomach had long been empty.

But she knew that times had changed, money could no longer buy food, and every grain of rice was precious.

If her mother found out she had stayed to eat at Sister Chi’s house, she would surely be angry.

Meng Qinghe keenly sensed Xu Chuyao’s hesitation.

The little girl’s eyes were clearly filled with longing, but her sidelong glances kept darting anxiously toward the door. Meng Qinghe guessed she was afraid of her mother’s anger.

Meng Qinghe meowed at Xu Chuyao, “Meow, meow, meow.”

Are you afraid your mom will find out you’re eating at our house?

Xu Chuyao bit her lip and nodded.

Meng Qinghe suggested, “Tell your Sister Chi and ask her to explain it to your mom.”

Xu Chuyao’s eyes instantly lit up. “Sister, my mom, she…”

The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she didn’t know how to express them.

“I’ll talk to your mom,” Chi Yingdong immediately understood.

At the table, Xu Chuyao held her chopsticks and ate earnestly.

Occasionally, when a grain of rice fell onto the table, she quickly picked it up and put it in her mouth.

Chi Yingdong had prepared cat food for the kitten, but Meng Qinghe, having tasted instant noodles, now looked down on them.

Chi Yingdong’s gaze fell on the kitten, her thoughts swirling.

Earlier, the kitten had transformed from a cat into a human, and she suspected the main reason was eating pet instant noodles.

She couldn’t help but wonder if human food would cause the kitten to change again.

The idea of experimenting crossed her mind, but she worried it might harm the kitten.

As she hesitated, Chi Yingdong looked up to see the kitten whispering into Xu Chuyao’s ear. The little girl nodded thoughtfully after listening.

“Sister,” Xu Chuyao relayed, “the kitty says she wants to try the cola chicken wings.”

Chi Yingdong tilted her head slightly and met the kitten’s expectant gaze, so pure it was impossible to refuse.

“Just a little.”

In the end, her curiosity to uncover the truth won out.

Xu Chuyao clumsily tore a piece of meat from a chicken wing and brought it to the kitten’s mouth.

Meng Qinghe eagerly snatched the morsel, chewing it carefully with her eyes narrowed, the tip of her tail swaying happily.

Chi Yingdong unconsciously tightened her grip on her chopsticks, her eyes fixed intently on the kitten’s every reaction.

Meng Qinghe felt a bit uncomfortable under the scrutiny, guessing that Chi Yingdong was waiting for her evaluation.

Meng Qinghe: “Meow, meow, meow.”

After speaking, the kitten patted Xu Chuyao, signaling her to help translate.

Xu Chuyao earnestly translated for the kitten: “Sister, the kitten says the cola chicken wings are delicious, and she really likes them.”

“Mm.” Chi Yingdong withdrew his gaze, a faint disappointment in his heart.