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

"……no."

The kitten couldn't speak anymore; in fact, she didn't know exactly what she wanted.

Even if we take a step back and assume that, given the goddess's stats and aggressive tactics, if she really wanted to win over the cat owner, could I possibly stop her?

Even if you ask, you can't change anything; that's inevitable.

“Miya, don’t worry. Even if I spend some energy on outsiders, it won’t affect our team’s progress. Of course, if you have anything else you want to talk to me about, like growing pains or something, I’m always welcome to do so.”

Ari gently comforted her, but didn't ask the kitten for her thoughts.

This is the distance that the goddess sister likes to maintain.

Knowing when to advance and when to retreat, maintaining the initiative, but never overstepping boundaries.

Miya hesitated several times, as if she wanted to protect something.

But when the words were about to come out, he hesitated and didn't dare to contradict the goddess, so he had no choice but to remain silent.

If I scold Ari for keeping a cat, my life will be miserable from now on, and it will create a rift in our team...

[But once she starts to dislike me, our cooperation will suffer, and we won't be able to meet Mommy's targets. Everyone's contracts will be affected, and nobody will get what they want...]

I...cannot be a bad person.

From a strategic perspective, the kitten believed that it was best to avoid such a pointless operation.

"A moment of patience brings calm, that's easy to say."

The only problem is that Ari will continue her offensive and advance her own conquest.

Others progress step by step, advancing inch by inch, but Ari is like a rocket, soaring directly into the sky.

She can skip levels and advance the progress. Before she even realizes it, the other two might already be entwined together. This is a very high probability event.

No, I need to gain something first.

If I know she wants to eat cat food and I still do nothing, then aren't I just a weak little cat myself? Is there any hope for my future?

The kitten felt this was inappropriate.

The kitten felt it couldn't be cowardly.

With this in mind, the kitten mustered its courage and asked one last question—

"Sister Ari, I want to know, if... if someone really catches your eye, would you choose to have a child for him... no, I mean, would you do that?"

"puff……"

Miya's words were truly hilarious. The question was like asking, "Would you choose to be childless or choose to continue your lover's lineage?" It was a matter of stance.

She smiled and gave the standard answer:

"According to my previous thinking, I definitely wouldn't have a child for a man, after all, that would jeopardize my freedom for the rest of my life and prevent me from realizing my lofty artistic pursuits. As you can see, I not only want to excel in my music career, but I also don't intend to neglect my art. But..."

"!"

The kitten knew that there was always a "but," and once a "but" appeared, things could change 180 degrees, heading in the direction it least wanted to see.

As expected, Ari stated bluntly:

"After today, I feel that my thinking may have been a bit conservative and stubborn. In fact, passing on the legacy of my loved one and being a good mother are options... not entirely impossible."

"Why?!" The kitten was shocked and completely bewildered.

"Because...it makes your loved one feel more secure, doesn't it?"

The fruit of a couple's love is a better representation of "love" than gold, silver, or diamond rings, right?

"If I can become a good mother and raise this child, it will be a milestone for me, one that would have been impossible on my original path. I believe that as long as the other person is worthy, I can make that choice."

Ari's words were forceful and clear, and her expression fully demonstrated that she would do it, rather than just talking about it.

"..."

"Miya, you're still young. When you reach my age, and truly feel that every day is the most youthful and beautiful day of your future, that sense of urgency will start to attack you constantly, making you feel anxious."

But if a man could be by your side and tell you that no matter what happens, he's willing to walk with you through thick and thin… then I think you'd change your current fear of marriage, and you might even start thinking about leaving something behind for him. What do you think?

【broken.】

Miya's face darkened; she also sensed something was wrong.

She could perfectly understand the meaning of the Arian myth.

If the goddess has made such a big decision to become a mother for someone, then... the nature of the matter has completely changed.

Miya has no doubt that when it comes to being a good wife and mother, if a goddess is truly serious, then no one can surpass her, absolutely no one.

On one hand, there's the pursuit of art; on the other, there's devotion to her loved one. If the goddess-like woman unhesitatingly leans to the right, it can only mean…

She has met her soulmate.

[It doesn't matter who it is, why does it have to be someone who owns a cat...?]

Why would someone who owns a cat necessarily come into contact with her?

Is it really just a coincidence?

Miya doesn't understand.

But tonight, the kitten can't sleep at all.

-

……

The next morning, Su Che awoke from a state of confusion.

A heavy head, stiff limbs, and slightly inflamed tonsils made him realize instantly that early autumn had arrived and he might have caught a cold.

"Are you ok?"

An Qing was the first to notice his abnormality. She reached out her little hand to touch his head and felt that although he did not have a fever, his complexion was very bad.

"Hmm, I'm alright. I'm probably just tired from all the work lately. I'll boil some water and make a cup of tea later."

Su Che tried to prop himself up with his arms to get out of bed.

But halfway through the action, he suddenly looked troubled and helplessly fell back onto the soft pillow.

Seeing this, the cat immediately came closer, lay down beside him, and asked, "If you're not feeling well, why don't you rest for a day? Cheche, did you have any plans?"

"Hmm... I'm going on a long trip and won't be able to rest."

He sighed.

"Huh?"

The house cat looked curious.

Actually, today was the day Su Che had promised Gu Zhi to secretly go to the countryside to worship Buddha with her.

Moreover, it was agreed beforehand that the two of them would go together, taking turns driving, and not bringing anyone else along.

Now that I'm unwell, it's questionable whether I can even drive properly. To be honest, driving in a dazed state is quite dangerous.

Faced with the agreement, Su Che was a little stumped.

He disliked owing favors to others the most, because he could never repay them, which eventually led him to have to repay them with his body.

So today, he decided that even if he felt uncomfortable, he would insist on going out. He could just ask Gu Zhi to drive a little further.

"We can't go back on our promises. Even if I'm feeling a little unwell, I have to keep going," he insisted.

"Where are you going? Can Miya and I come with you?"

An Qing took the initiative to apply.

Su Che shook his head. "Not today, but next time is fine."

"Why not today? I'm so worried about you..."

Her grievances were palpable, yet he couldn't fully recount his promise to Gu Zhi to her.

Otherwise, if she then makes a request to go to the countryside to fulfill a vow, a whole bunch of cats will appear in the car, and she might even bring Yuan Xiao along... This would completely ruin the experience that Gu Zhi originally wanted.

Su Che understood this point perfectly.

In his view, one should go out with whomever one chooses, and the two should never be lumped together.

After all, everyone needs time alone. It's acceptable to hang out together occasionally, but it's not good if you can't be alone with someone all the time.

Seeing how weak he was yet so determined, An Qing's eyes dimmed, and she felt her sense of security diminish once again.

In the eyes of a domestic cat, a sense of security can be understood as a numerical value.

Daily distance, frequency of contact, number of times spent alone, overlap in careers, level of care, depth of commitment, etc., can all be translated into specific values ​​for a sense of security.

If, at the very beginning when they broke into her home, An Qing felt 1% safe, because there were no external threats or spying, she felt completely secure.

So now, even if you remove the goddess from your life, your sense of security is only 50% of what it used to be... and that's excluding the members of the band.

In other words, the percentage of security you currently possess is halved, then multiplied by 20%... resulting in 10%.

In layman's terms, it's less than one in ten.

【well. 】

Life is tough, even a house cat sighs.

Looking at the expression on her little face, Su Che found it hard not to soften his heart.

After thinking for a moment, I picked up my phone and finally sent Gu Zhi a message—

"Let's leave later. We'll go in the afternoon, stay overnight, and come back the next day."

Gu Zhi, who had received the benefit, replied instantly: "OK".

"very good."

Su Che glanced back at the still-sleeping kitten, and after confirming it was safe, he made a sudden move, forced himself to sit up, rolled over and pinned the cat underneath him, thus directly passing on his cold to it.

-

……

Three hours passed just like that.