Chapter 496 - 495: If-line: Did the Big Shot Compete for Favor Today? 64

Chapter 496: Chapter 495: If-line: Did the Big Shot Compete for Favor Today? 64

After a good while, Jiang Xia calmed down and gradually started to feel hungry.

He looked at the cat food beside him. ’Since I’m my goddess’s cat now, I should probably eat cat food...’

He wasn’t sure if he could stomach the stuff, but Jiang Xia had never been a picky eater. After tentatively trying a couple of kibbles, he discovered it tasted pretty good. His eyes lit up, and he began to gobble it down.

Shi Lan happened to glance toward the pet room and saw Ping’an focused on his food, which set her mind at ease. The little guy was eating more carefully now. Although he still wolfed down his food, he wasn’t spilling any of it.

After watching for a few seconds, she looked away and focused on making her breakfast.

Once he’d had his fill, Jiang Xia couldn’t help but go over to Shi Lan’s side. ’To be honest, it sounds strange even to me, but from the first moment I saw Shi Lan, I just knew she was the person I’d been waiting for in my dreams.’

The feeling was incredible, but he trusted his intuition.

Besides, he seemed to have been a cat in his dreams, too, so Jiang Xia had no aversion to becoming one. Even though Ping’an only had three legs, he still felt perfectly agile, like a fish in water.

Ping’an was now much bigger and rounder than when he was first adopted. But to a human, a cat is still quite small, so Shi Lan frequently had to glance at the floor to avoid accidentally stepping on him.

She was used to Ping’an constantly rubbing against her legs, so keeping an eye on him in her periphery had become a habit.

Seeing Ping’an enter the kitchen again, Shi Lan stepped aside to make room for him.

She had just finished making her sandwich. She took out the milk she’d been warming in hot water, then carried her plate out of the kitchen, carefully avoiding the cat on the floor.

Her breakfast was simple, not as heavy as lunch, and Shi Lan was in the habit of eating in the living room while watching TV.

Without even needing to imitate Ping’an’s usual behavior, Jiang Xia naturally hopped up onto the sofa next to Shi Lan, lay comfortably on his side, and watched her eat.

After a moment, he saw that Shi Lan was engrossed in the TV, so he turned his head to watch, too.

However, he quickly recognized the face on the screen.

’Isn’t that a member of the Yan Family? I don’t quite remember his name.’ Like Mu Tangfeng, Jiang Xia hadn’t had much contact with Yan Huoshui, but he knew the Yan Family supposedly had a son who had shunned politics for a career in showbiz.

The only reason he recognized the face was because whenever his mom saw this guy on TV, she would always remark that he was from the Yan Family, then sigh about how a top student could truly thrive anywhere.

Jiang Xia snapped out of his thoughts. Seeing Shi Lan watching the man from the Yan Family with such relish, he felt a pang of jealousy and couldn’t help but mentally compare himself to the actor.

’In terms of strengths... he’s handsome, but I’m not bad-looking either.’

’He’s rich, but my family is, too.’

’He’s a top student, but I got into a top-tier university on my own merit.’

’Most importantly, I’m younger. He definitely can’t beat me there.’

With that thought, Jiang Xia felt a little better and a bit more confident. The moment Shi Lan finished her breakfast, he immediately pawed at her hand to get her attention.

Shi Lan glanced at him, and he guiltily pulled his paw back. The moment he sensed she’d looked away, he went right back to pawing at her.

At first, Shi Lan played along, and Jiang Xia managed to pull his paw back in time on every attempt.

Then, she resisted the urge to turn around. She felt his paw continually hooking at her left arm. While his attention was focused there, she swiftly grabbed his paw with her right hand. Looking at him like he was a mischievous child, she teased, "Gotcha! Let’s see you run now."

Jiang Xia froze, his eyes widening as he stared at her.

As he stared, he found himself getting lost in Shi Lan’s fond smile. That familiar, frantic fluttering in his chest returned. His pupils slowly dilated, and his vision began to blur.

After a good while, he came to his senses and realized Shi Lan had lifted him onto her lap. Her hand was gently stroking his back.

It felt so good that Jiang Xia’s whole body tingled. A deep purr rumbled in his throat as he stretched out with complete abandon.

In Jiang Xia’s opinion, being a cat was way more fun than being a human.

’Maybe it’s because I’m *her* cat.’ The affection he felt for her, combined with her gentle petting, made him want to lose himself in the moment completely.

He got so carried away with being a cat in Shi Lan’s apartment that he was even more cat-like and clingier than the real Ping’an. He followed her everywhere, never leaving her side. If she watched another man on TV, he would secretly cause a little trouble to get her attention back. The moment she looked at him, he would snuggle up and act cute, letting out a soft "meow" or two. Shi Lan was so overwhelmed by his cuteness that she completely lost interest in the TV, spending all her time petting and playing with her cat instead.

It wasn’t until eleven o’clock, when Assistant Chen brought lunch for He Hanshi, that He Hanshi switched off his work tablet and knocked on Jiang Xia’s door. There hadn’t been a single sound from the room all morning.

"Jiang Xia, get up."

He called out, but there was no reply. He tried the doorknob, only to find it was locked.

He Hanshi frowned. If they waited any longer, Shi Lan might leave after lunch, and Jiang Xia would miss his chance to explain about the water leak.

Having his plans repeatedly delayed was not He Hanshi’s style. He was determined to have Jiang Xia resolve the matter today.

So, he knocked louder.

This time, the knocks finally jolted Jiang Xia awake.

Outside, He Hanshi delivered a final warning. "Jiang Xia, if you don’t open this door right now, I’m breaking it down."

Jiang Xia clutched his blanket, realizing he was back in his own room. He rolled over on the bed in frustration.

’My goddess was just playing with me with a feather wand, and I was having so much fun! And then my cousin had to go and wake me up.’

Full of resentment but still intimidated by his cousin’s threat, Jiang Xia immediately opened the door—but only a crack. He poked his head out, not daring to lash out. With a long, aggrieved face, he mumbled, "I’m awake, cousin."

He Hanshi’s expression was cold. Without trying to peer inside, he reminded him again in a low voice, "Get downstairs now and apologize to the downstairs resident about the leak."

"Oh. Okay."

Upon hearing that, Jiang Xia’s mood instantly brightened, and his eyes lit up.

’I don’t get why my cousin is making me apologize for a leak in *his* apartment,’ he thought. ’But it’s a chance to see Shi Lan again, so why wouldn’t I take it?’

With that in mind, Jiang Xia quickly washed up. He then rummaged through his suitcase, picking out his best outfit. He lingered in his room for more than ten minutes, and just as He Hanshi was about to hurry him along again, he finally emerged, looking sharp.

He Hanshi frowned slightly as he watched him go. He started to follow, but then stopped, afraid that Shi Lan would be annoyed to see him. The light in his eyes dimmed, and he remained where he was.

Jiang Xia excitedly stepped into the elevator, only then remembering that this complex had private elevators for each unit. He couldn’t use it to get to Shi Lan’s floor. ’No wonder my goddess took the stairwell last night.’

After riding it down to the ground floor, he didn’t mind the hassle. Young and full of energy, he simply started climbing the stairs.

Shi Lan lived on the fifth floor. By the time Jiang Xia huffed and puffed his way up, he was a little out of breath. Fortunately, he’d been playing a lot of ball recently, so his stamina had improved quite a bit.

He stood at Shi Lan’s door, carefully straightening his clothes and hair before steeling his nerves and knocking.