Why bother with dating when you already have a cat?

August 5th, 7:00 AM.

Xiaoyu and Aiqing were practicing Vajra Kung Fu in the living room.

By the end of this morning's practice, Xiaoyu had successfully broken through the 20-hour mark for her daily practice sessions.

As usual, she tried to retract the cat's ears and tail.

This is a habit she's recently developed, but so far, she hasn't succeeded in getting it right.

But today, things seem different.

"elder brother."

"Ah."

"Look at me," Little Fish pointed to herself, then said, "Do you feel anything is different?"

“What’s different…” Ai Qing glanced at it, her expression strange. “What’s different… Hmm? Wait! You…”

"It seems like they're gone." Little Fish touched her head; the pure white cat ears on it had disappeared.

Ai Qing hurriedly walked up to Xiao Yu, reached out and touched her head, and found that the cat ears were really gone.

Despite her surprise, Ai Qing also felt a slight sense of loss.

"Brother, what about now?" Little Fish suddenly asked again.

"Hmm?" Ai Qing looked down, blinked, and was surprised to find that Xiao Yu's cat ears had changed back. "You... can you control it yourself now?"

"I guess so," Xiaoyu said, frowning. "But it's not exactly control; it's more like a drain."

"After I put the cat ears back, I consumed at least five times more energy than usual."

"In other words, if I were to lose my cat ears, I could only last for a maximum of five hours before my energy was depleted."

"I see." Ai Qing stroked her chin, pondering. "So, your current form consumes the least amount of energy. What about the cat tail?"

"Hmm..." Xiaoyu tried again and then said, "The cat tail is also five times stronger. If the cat ears and the cat tail disappear together, then it's ten times stronger. I can only last for two hours at most."

"Goodness..." Ai Qing clicked his tongue, feeling that the time had suddenly become much shorter, but he quickly realized, "But this amount of time seems to be enough."

"Hmm?" Little Fish tilted her head and asked curiously, "What's enough?"

"Of course, you're coming home with me to meet my parents." Ai Qing laughed and patted her head. "If it's just going back for a meal, it shouldn't be a problem. You can just make your cat ears disappear, but you can still hide your cat tail."

"Oh right!" Little Fish's eyes lit up, and she began to look forward to it. "So when are we going back?"

"Um... don't rush, let me lay the groundwork first, let's take it slow." Ai Qing coughed, and suddenly realized that Xiao Yu could come home with him, he felt a little worried and embarrassed.

Moreover, how to explain Xiaoyu's identity will be a big problem, and we need to discuss a solution with Xiaoyu in advance.

"Shouldn't we buy some gifts, Xiaoyu?" Xiaoyu asked seriously. "I think they do that in the video."

"Just buy some fruit, don't waste money on expensive things." Ai Qing pinched her cheek. "You're learning faster by watching videos now than I can teach you."

"Hehe~" Little Fish chuckled innocently, tilting her head back so Ai Qing could pinch her more comfortably. "Brother, you said it yourself, you're never too old to learn."

"You're getting smarter and smarter." Ai Qing looked at her adorable appearance and couldn't help but lean down and kiss her.

Then, not long after, the two of them rolled onto the sofa.

The two barely separated when the steamed buns in the kitchen were ready.

"How about this weekend?" Ai Qing and Xiao Yu were eating breakfast when he took out his phone to check the time, then opened WeChat and found his dad.

[Rise, my dear subject]: Father, I need to discuss something with you?

[Ai Jong-kook]: What's wrong?

[Rise, my subject]: Do you remember the girl you met last time?

[Ai Jong-kook]: I remember, what's up?

[Ai Jong-kook]: You little rascal, you haven't mentioned her to me in so long, did you get her pregnant?!

Ai Qing: "..."

Is that the kind of person my dad sees me as?!

[Rise, my subject]: Can't you think of something better?

[Ai Jong-kook]: Then you say it, I'm watching.

[Rise, my subject]: Are you and your mother free this weekend? If so, I'd like to take her home to visit.

[Ai Jong-kook]: What the heck?

[Ai Jong-kook]: Are you sure?

Ai Qing glanced at the little fish beside her, recalled the past few months, and then smiled.

What's uncertain?

Others get engaged quickly after meeting on blind dates, sometimes within days.

He and Xiaoyu had spent so much time together day and night that they knew each other better than anyone else.

Ai Qing was certain that as long as Xiao Yu was by his side, he could enjoy their life together forever.

[Rise, my subject]: I am quite certain.

[Ai Jong-guk]: This is the first time you've brought a little girl home.

[Rise, my subject]: There's always a first time, and this might be the only time in your life.

[Ai Jong-kook]: A lifetime is very long, you are still too young.

Oh.

Ai Qing smiled.

If the person she had been waiting for for over twenty years wasn't Xiaoyu, then Ai Qing thought she probably would never meet another person in her life.

[Rise, my subject]: In short, that's how it is. What did you say on your end?

[Ai Jong-kook]: Let me have a break first, this weekend, right?

[Rise, my dear minister]: Yes.

[Ai Jong-kook]: Then when your mom comes back, I'll tell her and see what she says.

[Rise, my subject]: Isn't Mom home this early in the morning?

[Ai Jong-guk]: I'm away on a business trip. I'll be back tomorrow, so don't worry.

[Rise, my subject]: Alright.

After finishing her conversation with her father, Ai Qing looked at Xiao Yu and said, "We'll tentatively schedule it for this weekend, depending on whether my mother is free."

"Mmm!" Little Fish nodded seriously, already starting to get nervous.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine." Ai Qing smiled and patted her head to comfort her. "Xiaoyu is so cute and well-behaved, they will definitely like you too."

"If my brother's family all likes me, can we get married?" Xiaoyu asked curiously. "And then I can have a baby with my brother~"

"You're thinking a bit too far ahead," Ai Qing said with a gentle tap on her head.

Xiaoyu doesn't have an ID card yet, so getting a marriage certificate is out of the question.

But for Ai Qing and Xiao Yu, marriage was more about their families witnessing it than about the piece of paper.

It is an agreement between two people, not simply a legal constraint.

But it's too early to think about that now, since we haven't even met the parents yet.

As Ai Qing thought this, her gaze fell on Xiao Yu's head again, looking at her cat ears, her thoughts racing for a moment.

Then his eyes lit up as he suddenly thought of something.

"Little fish".

"Ok?"

"Would you like to go swimming?"

"Swimming?" Little Fish blinked, not really sure if she liked swimming.

But she had seen it in videos and in Ai Qing's novels.

"Can Little Fish go now?"

“Of course you can.” Ai Qing nodded, pointed to her cat ears, and said, “Can’t you put your cat ears and tail away now?”

"Although it will only take a maximum of two hours."

"But if we go to the swimming pool, we'll only stay there for an hour at most."

"Since the timing is right, and it's still hot in the summer, I can take you to try swimming."

Since Ai Qing had already put it that way, Xiao Yu naturally wouldn't refuse, and asked with some anticipation, "When are we going?"

"Today, right now!" Ai Qing was already eager to see Xiao Yu in her swimsuit.

I haven't bought it for her before, but it's not too late now.

“Let’s go to the swimming pool first. There should be quite a few shops selling swimwear across the street,” Ai Qing said, standing up. “Besides, there are fewer people in the pool in the morning, so there’s plenty of space for us to play.”

Moreover, Xiaoyu can only tuck in her cat ears and tail for a short time, so it's safer to take her swimming in the morning when her body is warmer.

Otherwise, if the little fish suddenly turns back into a kitten while swimming, that would be terrible.

"Okay~" Although Xiaoyu felt that she loved learning very much.

But the little fish is naturally even happier to use its morning study time for swimming.

Oh, wait, that's not right.

Going to the swimming pool is also learning to swim, it's all the same, there's no difference!

With that thought in mind, Xiaoyu felt no more burden.

After Ai Qing tidied up the living room briefly, Xiao Yu put on her shoes and went out with Ai Qing.

"Ugh... It's so hot." Ai Qing glanced at the sun and quickly took out her phone. "Let's take a taxi there."

"Mmm!" Little Fish, undeterred by the heat, immediately hugged Ai Qing's arm. "Let's go!"