Accompanied by a dull thud.
The door closed.
Only Cipher and Meng Xingyao's figures remained in the house.
The next second, Cipher finally couldn't hold back anymore. She lunged onto the sofa in a flash and burst out laughing.
Watching this scene, Meng Xingyao's cheeks flushed like rouge, and a feeling of shame and indignation surged up, almost bursting through her chest.
Liu Xiyue thought her whispers had gone unnoticed, but she didn't know that almost everyone present had heard them loud and clear.
Of course, this wasn't intentional on Liu Xiyue's part; it was simply because Cipher and the others weren't ordinary people to begin with.
Now that the surroundings were finally quiet, Cipher completely let loose. She laughed so hard she couldn't straighten her back, her tail wagging rapidly like a small fan, stirring up a faint breeze.
That crisp laughter was like a flowing spring, yet it pricked Meng Xingyao's already embarrassed heart like a needle, making her wish she could cover her ears.
"That's enough! Stop laughing!"
Meng Xingyao's face grew even redder as she finally couldn't hold back and shouted.
Hearing this, Cipher glanced at her. Seeing her looking like a "steam engine" girl, she immediately lost control again and laughed even harder.
Meng Xingyao (┯_┯): "You... you... you bad cat! You're going too far!"
Cipher (σ′▽‵): "Sorry, sorry, but Little Princess, you guys are just too interesting. This Cat really can't help it, meow!"
Seeing this, Meng Xingyao could only curl her lips and mentally greet her best friend's family.
After all, she had long known her best friend was into girls, but she hadn't expected her to misunderstand her relationship with Cipher because of it.
The key was that she couldn't even explain herself.
Was she supposed to tell her best friend that she and Cipher were actually in a master-servant relationship?
Thinking of this, Meng Xingyao couldn't help but glare at the cat who was laughing so hard her figure was swaying.
Meng Xingyao (⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄): Hmph, no matter what, it's all this bad cat's fault!
Cipher, who was laughing happily, also noticed the other's indignant gaze at this moment.
She immediately understood what Meng Xingyao was thinking.
Cipher (ಡωಡ): Although it does involve me, I'm the master now, so This Cat is not in the wrong.
With that thought, the corners of Cipher's lips curled slightly, and a mischievous smile flickered in her eyes.
Seeing this, Meng Xingyao's heart trembled. A faint blush rose on her cheeks as she vaguely sensed danger.
Her expression changed, and she took a small step back.
"Um, Sister Cipher... I'll go make the bed for you!"
After saying that, Meng Xingyao turned and tried to flee.
However, she had barely taken a few steps.
She only saw a flash of golden light before her eyes, and then her body uncontrollably leaned backward.
Thud!
A dull sound rang out.
It was followed by a soft voice.
"Little Princess, where do you think you're going?"
Cipher's willow-like brows lifted slightly as she looked down at her with a smiling face.
As for Meng Xingyao, she felt like her brain had completely shut down.
At this moment, her back was pressed against the wall.
Cipher leaned over her, one hand placed lightly yet firmly against the wall. The distance between them was only a few inches, and her breath brushed past like a warm spring breeze, gently teasing Meng Xingyao's ear.
Meng Xingyao (⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄): Aah! I'm being kabedon-ed by a sexy Cat Girl!!!
Due to the height difference, Meng Xingyao could clearly see Cipher's full and swaying silhouette right in front of her, as if it might fall forward at any moment.
Fortunately, Cipher controlled the distance perfectly, keeping that "threat" always within a safe range.
Cipher leaned close to her ear and whispered softly.
"Little Princess, you're being a bit disobedient. Don't forget, I am your master."
"You... you... you said you wouldn't restrict me!"
Feeling the overwhelming proximity, Meng Xingyao finally suppressed her embarrassment and mustered the courage to protest.
Hearing this, Cipher froze for a brief moment.
She hadn't expected this Little Princess to suddenly become so bold.
It seemed she had been too lenient, letting the little one think her wings had grown strong.
After all, the so-called contract couldn't truly restrain the other party, or it would easily expose things.
But then again...
Cipher (ಡωಡ): I, the cat, have other methods.
The next second, Cipher casually took out her phone and held it in front of her.
Meng Xingyao focused her gaze—and her face instantly flushed bright red.
What was playing on the screen was the previous recording.
She hurriedly reached out to grab it, but Cipher chuckled and easily dodged with a flick of her wrist.
Then, with a smooth motion, she pinned her against the wall again, her fingertip lightly lifting her chin.
A sly smile curved her lips, her eyes glinting with amusement.
"Little Princess, you wouldn't want your best friend to see this video, would you?"
As she spoke, her fingers applied slight pressure, forcing Meng Xingyao to raise her head.
Seeing the mix of embarrassment and indignation in her eyes, Cipher found teasing this little white rabbit rather entertaining.
"Relax, I'm very trustworthy. I was just teasing you."
Even though it was fun, Cipher knew when to stop.
Otherwise, she might really push the girl too far.
After saying that, she turned and asked to use the bathroom.
Meng Xingyao could only watch resentfully as the cat walked away lightly.
Meng Xingyao ┭┮﹏┭┮: Sure enough, the soft and fragrant Cat Girls in anime are all lies. Sister Cipher is more like a scummy freeloading cat!
Cipher didn't care about her thoughts. With a flick of her tail, she went straight into the bathroom.
What she did might have been a bit much, but from start to finish, she hadn't caused any real harm.
At most, she had just scared the girl a little.
After all, the so-called tentacle monster and contract weren't real—it was all just the girl's overactive imagination.
"Still too young, after all."
Cipher shook her head, sighing that such an innocent girl was rare nowadays.
She should take it easy in the future.
Right now, the cat just wanted a comfortable bath to relax.
A while later, wrapped in a towel, Cipher slowly stepped out of the rising steam.
In the hazy mist, she looked like a living painting of a beauty emerging from a bath, making Meng Xingyao stare blankly, even holding her breath.
It wasn't until Cipher walked over with a smile and lightly flicked her forehead that she snapped back to her senses, her cheeks slightly red.
"The Little Princess is quite quick with her hands."
Cipher glanced at the already tidied bedroom.
This girl's hands were much faster than her mouth.
Meng Xingyao turned her head away, sulking silently.
Cipher smiled helplessly and casually tossed a bank card toward her.
Meng Xingyao caught it in a panic and looked at her blankly.
Seeing this, Cipher shrugged.
"It's rent, of course. I'm not an unreasonable cat. There's about a hundred thousand inside—enough for me to stay for a while."
With that, she prepared to head into the room.
But she seemed to remember something and added:
"By the way, you don't need to feel any psychological burden. After all, the original owner of this card wasn't a good person."
Her Cat Girl traits were too obvious, and Meng Xingyao had clearly suspected her identity as the rumored Cat Phantom Thief.
Cipher didn't bother hiding it and admitted it directly.
At this moment, Meng Xingyao stared silently at the card in her hand.
After a moment of hesitation, she accepted it.
On one hand, there was no need for Cipher to lie to her.
On the other, after such an unlucky day, she deserved some compensation for emotional damage.
After all, she didn't usually take on missions from the Ability Bureau, so she was quite short on money.
Noon the next day.
Meng Xingyao had already gone out.
"No, no, better check the forum to distract myself."
Cipher shook her head quickly.
She felt like she hadn't known Meng Xingyao for long, yet she was already being led astray.
In the future, she'd just treat her as a landlord.
With that thought, Cipher turned her attention to the Extraordinary Forum.
She began looking for potential new targets.
Although she currently had tens of thousands and wasn't short on money for the time being...
Cipher (=ↀ⩊ↀ=): "Who would ever complain about having too much money!"
Just then, she suddenly noticed a post.
[Cat Phantom Thief About to Be Caught, the Culprit Is Actually a Cat Girl!]
Cipher (๑˙ー˙๑)?: "What the heck? I've been caught?"