At 3 a.m., the landmines in front of the station

But Miya knew that the competition in the second stage was not about who could cultivate a bond faster, but about who could make cat ownership easier for the owner.

Assuming everyone starts from a similar point, the more troublesome a cat is, the sooner it will be abandoned by its feline overlord.

Such a thing is absolutely not allowed.

“You look pale and weak. Don’t go anywhere today. Stay home and rest, and keep us company.”

An Qing helped him into the house, her voice calm—

We miss you.

"……Um."

The monotone words sent a shiver down someone's spine, making them feel even more indebted to the three little ones.

“Miya hasn’t been to rehearsals lately. Although our team met once, because you weren’t there, Senior Sister and Xiaoxiao weren’t interested in continuing, and Gu Zhi didn’t even come. So… we might have fallen behind in terms of progress.”

An Qing summarized the major events that had occurred in the past ten days.

Of course, she only gave a brief overview; after all, she didn't mention anything serious.

Su Che had no idea how much of a fuss his absence would cause within the team, but judging from An Qing's desperate attempts to cover up the truth of the incident, he could only conclude that everyone's mental state might not be very good. As for the rest, he would have to figure it out when they met.

"I'll lie down for a while. Wake me up later so we can eat together."

"it is good."

Su Che took off his coat, relieved his fatigue, and collapsed onto his familiar bed.

There were several lingering scents from the little creatures on the bed, each with its own distinct aroma.

Without needing to say anything more, they climbed up on their own.

Four hours passed in the blink of an eye.

The cats took turns enjoying cuddles, and someone finally got a good night's sleep at home.

Repairing a relationship can never start with a hug.

During this time, Su Che felt a strange sensation on his chest, which was damp and soaked through his pajamas.

I guessed it was the cats' tears, but I didn't dare open my eyes to see who it was.

I arrived at 6:30 pm in a daze.

Su Che got up nonchalantly, leaned against the headboard, and looked at the three little ones' individual states.

Miya sat in front of the workstation, practicing the piano silently with her monitoring headphones on.

An Qing obediently sat on the pillow to her right, holding her drawing board and drawing.

Yuan Xiao remained motionless, curled up beside him, sleeping even more soundly than he had.

Although no one spoke, an invisible sense of guilt crept into their hearts, along with a slight feeling of remorse.

Is it my fault for indulging in pleasure?

[Or...is it Bai Qiao's fault?]

Regardless of whose fault it was, they were not at fault.

After this incident, what should I do to make it up to them?

Su Che recalled how he was abandoned at home after his maid left when he was a child.

This kind of loneliness was ever-present, almost equivalent to the ten days the three little ones experienced.

The feeling of someone important disappearing from your life is something you never want to experience again.

Therefore, I need to be honest with them and tell them about my problems.

As Su Che pondered, he suddenly mustered his courage and opened his mouth to speak.

"Cheche, it's time to eat."

An Qing glanced at him, interrupting his rare attempt at mental preparation.

"We're all hungry, we need you to cook us a big meal."

She seemed to be guiding him, diverting his attention.

"it is good."

At this point, Su Che had no reason to refuse.

What would you like to eat?

"Eat the omelet rice you made for me the first time I came to our house."

"Omelette rice?"

"Mmm. I like it very much."

"it is good."

Su Che moved the bird to the side, put on his shoes, got out of bed, and walked towards the refrigerator.

He opened the refrigerator door and was surprised to find that less than half of the food inside was missing, as a blast of cold air hit him.

"An Qing, what's this?"

"Everyone has a poor appetite, so we've only been eating one meal a day for the past few days."

She answered calmly.

"what……"

Su Che's heart sank, and his guilt intensified.

He took out eggs, tomatoes and other ingredients, cooked rice in a rice cooker, and stood blankly in front of the stove, not knowing where to start, as if he had lost all his cooking skills.

"Hey cat owner, you're spacing out."

Miya took off her headphones and kindly reminded her.

"Um, I'm a little dazed, sorry."

Actually, I'm not sure whether what I see and hear now is the real world or just a figment of my imagination in a dream.

The only thing I'm certain of is that my condition has worsened.

The team's decline was closely related to its own flawed decisions.

If we don't confront Bai Qiao, will everyone continue to grow step by step and develop a better relationship?

This question lingered in my mind for a long time.

No. It won't.

Putting aside the issue of team uniforms, the very relationship between anyone and themselves, once it develops to a certain point, will face a huge problem—

That is the question of "how to break through at the last minute".

Originally, according to the records in "The Great Law of Bad Water", "balance" is the key to solving team problems.

But Su Che, who had encountered many pitfalls through extensive practice, did not think so.

While the effect of "checks and balances" is obvious in the short term, the experience of those who have been through it can fully demonstrate that the long-tail effect of the relationship will diminish over time and the relationship will become cold.

The reason for this is that the number of opposite-sex partners mentioned in "The Great Law of Bad Water" cannot exceed five.

On our side, one team can't hold them off, but two regiments are just right.

This goes against the original intention of the manual; it's not that the manual is wrong.

【what do I do?】

At this point, the secret manual can't help me much anymore.

Breaking the deadlock is the key.

Bai Qiao's appearance first tore away the mask she had been trying to wear and conceal; she showed herself through her actions—

"You are not without emotions and desires."

"You are not a machine."

"You have the most primal needs, and you will also be unable to control yourself when faced with things you truly like."

This kind of course reminded me of Ise-nee.

When I was little, Ise-nee taught me a lot.

But they never taught him how to respond to girls' feelings.

The cats' relationship is in serious crisis, and they can't solve it on their own; they have to take action on their own.

Every wrong step taken from here on will lead you down the wrong path, with no turning back.

what can we do about it?

Su Che thought about it, pondered it deeply, and tried every possible method to weigh the options.

[Got it.]

Suddenly, he took a deep breath.

They came to their own conclusion: "Then let's give up the checks and balances."

Since the "Evil Water" technique can no longer help me, I'll overturn some of its core strategies and forge my own path.

"Yuan Xiao, wake up, I have something to tell you."

"Well?"

The little bird rubbed its eyes, groggily waking up from its imperfect sleep.

"What's wrong, A-Che..."

She looked at him, who had suddenly stopped cooking, and felt a little uneasy.

An Qing put down her easel.

Miya stopped practicing the piano.

The three women's gazes converged on this.

Su Che turned around and faced the three little ones—