Chapter 25 – Moe~Moe~Meow
Her backbone might have stiffened, but her wallet was still hopelessly limp.
Even though Zhao Xinning had taken the lead and picked an affordable restaurant, it couldn’t withstand Shi Yu’s ravenous appetite. She ate enough for two.
Shi Yu must have increased her appetite on purpose just to bleed my wallet dry! …With that thought in mind, Lin Xi paid the bill and walked out of the restaurant, mourning her loss.
Having left the restaurant a step ahead, Shi Yu was waiting outside, acting as if she had done her a favor. She stretched her arms and said, “That was delicious. I’m so full and happy.”
“Miss Lin Xi, thank you for the treat. I’ll treat you next time, so don’t be polite with me.”
Polite, my foot! …Lin Xi knew she would never see the day Shi Yu actually treated her.
Zhao Xinning also mentioned she would find an opportunity to return the favor.
Lin Xi looked forward to that. If Zhao Xinning said she would treat her back, she would definitely keep her word.
Even if she forgot about it later, it didn’t matter. Lin Xi had intended this meal as a way to thank Zhao Xinning anyway.
“Let’s go for a walk and find some fun things to do!” Zhao Xinning really wanted to hold Lin Xi’s hand, but with Shi Yu present, she felt it was inappropriate.
From the moment Shi Yu appeared until now, Zhao Xinning had been observing her in secret and had reached a conclusion:
Xi and Shi Yu were likely just classmates who were on slightly better terms than usual.
In other words, the relationship between Shi Yu and Xi was nowhere near as close as her own relationship with Xi.
Based on this deduction, Zhao Xinning didn’t feel any resentment toward Shi Yu or view her as an enemy.
The three of them strolled leisurely. As they passed a cafe, Lin Xi’s gaze suddenly locked onto a cat-ear maid standing at the entrance.
“Lu Yi?!” Lin Xi cried out in surprise.
“Lu Yi?!” Zhao Xinning also exclaimed. At the same time, she pulled her gaze back and looked at Lin Xi.
Zhao Xinning and Lu Yi were both in Class 3; they were classmates.
She was surprised to see Lu Yi working there as a cat-ear maid, but she was even more surprised that Lin Xi knew Lu Yi.
“Xi, how do you know Lu Yi?”
Lin Xi’s mind raced. She had been so shocked that she completely forgot Zhao Xinning was there. She had to handle her first.
“I… I met Lu Yi once. She’s Miss Shi Yu’s friend. Right, Miss Shi Yu?”
In a moment like this, Shi Yu had no choice but to help Lin Xi cover it up. “That’s right. Last Monday or Tuesday, Lu Yi came to the classroom to find me. I was talking to Miss Lin Xi at the time, so they were introduced through me.”
“Oh, so that’s how it is…” Zhao Xinning’s suspicions faded.
In class, Lu Yi was a rather reclusive girl. Zhao Xinning didn’t think Lin Xi would have had any chance to meet her otherwise.
Therefore, they must have met through a third party.
Since that third party was Shi Yu, whom they both knew, everything seemed perfectly reasonable.
Just as the three of them were surprised to see Lu Yi, Lu Yi was equally startled.
She spoke up first, only to learn that Lin Xi and Zhao Xinning had planned to visit the amusement park together today and had “accidentally” run into Shi Yu.
“Lu Yi… Miss Lu Yi,” with Zhao Xinning present, it wasn’t convenient for Lin Xi to act too familiar with her Neko teammate, so she forced herself to be formal. “How come you’re working part-time at this cafe inside the amusement park?”
Shi Yu had mentioned before that the cafe where Lu Yi worked was in the east of the city.
Lu Yi explained, “This is a new branch opened by Sister Cheng.”
Sister Cheng was the boss who employed Lu Yi. She had transferred Lu Yi, her star cat-ear maid, to this branch for two days to help boost the new shop’s popularity.
The strategy was a massive success. With Lu Yi and several other professional, capable cat-ear maids on staff, the shop was nearly at full capacity.
Lin Xi had previously fantasized about what the Neko Lu Yi would look like in a maid outfit. Now that she was seeing it in person, she could only say that it was even cuter than she had imagined!
The cat ears on Lu Yi’s head looked just like the real thing!
Lin Xi knew, of course, that they were fake. Lu Yi couldn’t possibly reveal her real cat ears in public. However, the fake ears and Lu Yi were still a perfect match!
“Xinning, why don’t we go in for a cup of coffee?” Lin Xi suggested.
“Sure, let’s support Lu Yi’s work,” Zhao Xinning said.
“Is Miss Lin Xi treating us again?” Shi Yu asked with a mischievous smirk.
Lin Xi nodded. If she was going to treat an angel like Zhao Xinning, she couldn’t avoid treating a demon like Shi Yu.
“Welcome back, Masters, meow~” Lu Yi greeted them with a highly practiced and professional smile, welcoming the three of them into the shop.
That final “meow” struck Lin Xi right in the heart.
Nekos truly were magnificent beings!
“Stop fantasizing about Lu Yi!” Shi Yu lowered her voice and whispered directly into Lin Xi’s ear.
Lin Xi: “…”
What did she mean, fantasizing?
This was called appreciation and admiration!
Lin Xi retorted inwardly. She didn’t have a single improper thought toward Lu Yi.
Who could have improper thoughts about a slightly airheaded Neko? Would they even be human?
Oh, right. I’m not human to begin with. I’m a witch…
Even so, I don’t have any improper thoughts!
Lin Xi didn’t have them, and she didn’t dare to have them.
After all, Lu Yi was a member of ZERO known as the “Bomb Maniac.”
Having improper thoughts? Did she want to die?
Before long, Lu Yi arrived carrying three cappuccinos.
She carefully placed the coffee in front of the three of them. “Please enjoy, Masters, meow~”
Lin Xi felt like her heart was melting.
With the Neko Lu Yi in front of her and the angel Zhao Xinning sitting beside her, if Shi Yu weren’t here, this “configuration” of Neko and angel would be just like heaven.
“Lu Yi,” Lin Xi said, pointing at the menu. “It says here ‘Magic to make the coffee delicious’…?”
“Please wait a moment, Master, meow~” Lu Yi set down her tray. “I’ll cast the deliciousness spell on Master’s coffee right now, meow~”
Lu Yi performed a small dance, making a heart shape with her hands while chanting the “incantation”:
“Soft and fluffy~ Sweet and fragrant~”
“Hurry up and become even more delicious~”
“Moe~ Moe~ Meow~”
Lu Yi “threw” the heart into the coffee cup.
In a daze, Lin Xi thought she saw a flash of golden light inside the cup!
It felt like special effects had been added; the coffee in the cup was no longer an ordinary cappuccino, but a magically enhanced one!
In that instant, the aroma of the coffee seemed to become richer, and even the surrounding air felt sugary sweet.
“Is… is this the power of the ‘deliciousness spell’?”
Lin Xi picked up the cup and began to gulp it down.
“Xi! Slow down! Be careful, it’s hot!” Zhao Xinning was sipping hers slowly.
Shi Yu wasn’t drinking nearly as aggressively as Lin Xi. She remarked coldly, “Be careful not to swallow your own tongue along with it, Miss Lin Xi.”
Lin Xi admitted she had been a bit too hasty with the first cup and hadn’t really tasted it.
No matter, she’d just have another!
“Lu Yi, could you bring me another cup, please?”
“Of course, Master, meow~”
Based on Lu Yi’s attentive service alone, Lin Xi felt that this was money well spent!
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Advance Chapters:
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