Qi An’an had been enjoying the joy of petting a cat online when she was suddenly startled by the sound of Jiang Lu calling her on his own initiative.

She turned her head and met Jiang Lu’s pitch-black eyes.

Over the past few days, his gaze no longer seemed as cold and gloomy as when they first met, though it still often carried a sense of indifference and distance, as if he kept everyone at arm’s length.

But at this moment, something was different. Qi An’an wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination, but Jiang Lu’s gaze appeared clear and gentle, as if there was a faint softness hidden in it.

The sharp edges of the boy seemed to have softened, and his features looked like they had been painted— so handsome it was almost unreal.

He must have seen Dashun on her phone, right? He had recognized his cat. Qi An’an thought to herself. But at this moment, she was supposed to not know that Dashun belonged to Jiang Lu. How should she respond?

After a moment’s thought, Qi An’an handed her phone over. “Jiang Lu, do you like cats? Want to take a look?”

Baby, don’t worry. Mommy is just taking care of him for now. When you’re ready to look after him yourself, I’ll find the right time and the right excuse to give him back to you.

But to her surprise, Jiang Lu didn’t even glance at the screen. He turned his head and stared at his book. “I don’t like cats.”

Although he didn’t know why his cat was with her, the photos made it clear that it was being well cared for by Qi An’an.

That little guy had never been very brave, but in just a random photo, its haughty and domineering expression was plain to see. It now looked like a pampered feline overlord— round and chubby, a full size larger than it had been under Jiang Lu’s care.

He doesn’t like cats. Jiang Lu lowered his eyes and remembered the kitten that had once been thrown to its death. He doesn’t deserve to like anything.

Her cub was lying, Qi An’an thought with a faint ache in her heart. How could he not like cats?

This was the first time she had seen such a soft glimmer in Jiang Lu’s eyes. He must have recognized his cat.

But since he wasn’t willing to admit it, maybe he didn’t trust her enough to take care of it. That was fine. She would help him clear all the obstacles in his path. One day, he would be able to care for it himself.

────ρя


The next day at school, Qi An’an clutched a small square box in her hand.

She hadn’t forgotten that Jiang Lu didn’t have an eraser. Although she hadn’t bought ten pounds of them, the one she chose was carefully selected.

At the stationery shop yesterday, Qi An’an had brainstormed for a long time. Ordinary erasers were clunky and dull as gifts. They lacked warmth and could easily be misinterpreted by someone as sensitive as her cub. But if it was too flashy, it would come off as childish and impractical. After much deliberation, she finally picked one she was satisfied with.

Jiang Lu always arrived early. When Qi An’an walked into the classroom, he had already been in his seat for some time.

She set down her backpack and cheerfully handed the little box to him. “Jiang Lu, this is for you.”

Jiang Lu turned slightly. Qi An’an’s smile was bright and full of charm. The morning sunlight streamed through the window, tinting the fluffy strands of her hair with a soft golden glow.

The girl’s hand was soft and delicate, holding a neat little box.

Something seemed to sting in Jiang Lu’s heart— a feeling that was both itchy and painful.

The only gifts he had ever received in his life had all come from this girl in front of him.

Jiang Lu murmured, “What is it?” The box had a fresh, lovely pattern— bright and cute, completely out of place with his own personality.

Qi An’an let out a quiet sigh of relief. She had worried Jiang Lu wouldn’t respond to her, but now that he asked, there was hope.

Of course it’s an eraser Mommy bought for you, my good baby.

Her smile widened as she placed the box gently beside Jiang Lu’s hand. “Open it and you’ll see.”

Jiang Lu hesitated for a few seconds before gently picking up the little box. Made of thin paper, it was fragile, so he lightened his touch, careful not to leave a single crease.

When he opened it, a small eraser tumbled out.

It wasn’t anything fancy, just a round eraser from a stationery shop, shaped like a cat’s head. The pure white rubber had a few blue lines etched onto it, forming the image of a squinting, smiling cat.

The moment Jiang Lu took out the eraser, Qi An’an’s eyes sparkled. Her eyes were already large and round, but when she smiled, they curved into little crescents— eerily similar to the cat’s face on the eraser.

That smile was dazzling. Jiang Lu’s pale fingers gently brushed over the cat’s smiling face as he whispered, “Thank you.”

Qi An’an was overjoyed. Her cub was being so well-behaved today. “As long as you like it…… Then……” She paused, then asked him tentatively, “Are we friends now?”

If he didn’t answer, she would just keep staring at him with those eyes.

Jiang Lu’s lips pressed into a thin line. In the end, all he said was, “Class is starting. Sit properly.”

It was the first time Jiang Lu had been distracted during class.

Earlier, he had placed the eraser next to his pencil case. But while she was focused on the lesson, he quietly picked it up and held it in his palm.

Soon, the little gift warmed up from the heat of his skin. Jiang Lu carefully returned the cat-head eraser to the box and tucked it neatly into the inner pocket of his backpack.

But deep down, he still felt a twinge of sadness. In fact, if he could have, he would have liked to say ‘yes’ just now.

────ρя


Unknowingly, it was already the next Tuesday, the day Qi An’an had been keeping in mind. After school, Jiang Lu packed up his things and walked out of the school gate. As expected, he didn’t head in the direction of his usual route home.

Qi Yan arrived at the school gate right on time to pick up Qi An’an. The moment he saw her, he broke into a smile. “Well? Your brother kept his word, didn’t he?”

Qi An’an got in the car, fastening her seatbelt as she reached out to smooth her golden retriever-like brother’s hair. “When have I ever not believed you? You’re the best.

By the way, I won’t be sitting with you guys later. I’ll just watch from afar.”

Qi Yan didn’t understand. “Why? Weren’t you curious to see him?”

Ah, he didn’t get it. That boy was a sensitive person. So young yet already so guarded. If she sat there, who knew if it might make him overthink things.

It would be enough for her to just watch from a distance. Thinking optimistically, if nothing happened today, then she could quietly wrap up her escort mission without fanfare. But if something unexpected did occur, she could react immediately.

Qi An’an said, “You two will be discussing serious matters. If I sit there, it’ll just be a disturbance.”

Qi Yan shook his head with a chuckle, his eyes full of affection. Forget it. Whatever Qi An’an wanted to do, she could do. With him around, nothing would go wrong anyway. His little sister was now much livelier and more cheerful than before, always acting cute around him. She was so much more lovable. Whatever she wanted, he indulged her.

The meeting place was an upscale café. To minimize the possibility of triggering any plot developments, Qi An’an asked Qi Yan to book a private room. She herself sat just outside, hidden behind a wind chime screen in the main hall.

Jiang Lu arrived a few minutes early and headed straight for the private room, not noticing Qi An’an sitting outside.

Qi Yan waited for two minutes. When Jiang Lu pushed the door open and entered, he stood up with polite grace and extended his hand. “Hello, I’m Qi Yan.”

The moment they met, Qi Yan remembered that this boy seemed to be Qi An’an’s classmate from that day.

Jiang Lu suppressed his discomfort with physical contact, gave a very light handshake, and quickly let go. “Jiang Lu.”

Qi Yan had previously only learned a little about Jiang Lu. He knew the boy was young and still in school, so he glanced toward the door. “Huh? Where are your parents?”

Signing a contract was no small matter, especially with a well-known game company like his. In Qi Yan’s mind, the other party had to be some pampered young master raised in luxury. With such achievements at a young age, surely his family would be proud. It would have been perfectly normal for his parents to be present, even grandparents or other relatives.

But the current situation was completely unexpected. Not a single relative was in sight, not even the boy’s parents.

Jiang Lu looked at Qi Yan calmly. “I don’t have parents.”

He had recognized the man the moment he entered. This was the one who had called Qi An’an’s name from inside a car on the street that day. At the time, she said it was her brother. From his demeanor, name, and mannerisms, it seemed to be her real brother.

Jiang Lu’s gaze briefly swept across Qi Yan’s face. He placed his hand down from the table, expression unreadable.

Qi Yan became intrigued. The teenager before him was cool and distant, lacking even a trace of childish pride or excitement. He was even calmer than himself, completely different from what he had imagined.

Since Jiang Lu possessed such maturity beyond his years, Qi Yan skipped the small talk and slid the contract over. “Take a look at the contract. It’s based on what we previously discussed. If there’s anything you’d like to talk over, feel free to bring it up.”

Jiang Lu stared at the thick stack of papers, his slender fingers tapping lightly on the tabletop.

He admitted that until the moment he stepped into the room, he had every intention of signing the contract. After all, he needed to rely on his own hands to support himself.

But after a few seconds of hesitation, Jiang Lu pushed the contract back. “Sorry. I don’t want to sign it anymore. I’m really sorry for wasting your time.”

“Why don’t you want to sign?” Qi Yan hadn’t expected this at all. “You didn’t even look at the contract.” He paused and said, “You’re still a student. In my eyes, you’re just a kid. Let’s not play games like people in the business world. I know you’re famous, and I’m sure my company isn’t the only one trying to sign you. If you have any concerns about salary, just tell me directly. It’s not a problem.”

Honestly, Qi Yan couldn’t quite understand. Their company was a renowned name in the industry, one even outsiders had heard of. Jiang Lu had talent, no doubt, but he was still young and couldn’t yet compare to veteran artists. Even so, offering a seven-figure salary wasn’t a small deal. Qi Yan felt few companies could offer better terms.

Jiang Lu shook his head. “It’s not about that. It’s a personal reason. Sorry.”

It wasn’t that he was dissatisfied with the offer. Yes, there were other companies who had contacted him, but that wasn’t the reason for this sudden change of heart. If he had to name a reason…… it would be the identity of the man before him.

The moment he found out that his potential boss was Qi An’an’s older brother, he felt a wave of resistance.

He couldn’t even explain it himself. Clearly, he no longer disliked Qi An’an at all.

Qi Yan saw that Jiang Lu’s expression and tone were firm and didn’t press further. “Alright then. I respect your decision. If you’re ever interested in the future, I hope we’ll get a chance to work together.”

Jiang Lu stood up. “I’m sorry for making you come all this way for nothing.”

Qi Yan waved his hand with a smile. “No need to be so polite. It’s fine. If there’s nothing else, I’ll—”

Before he could finish, the door to the private room was suddenly pushed open. A greasy-faced man with a protruding beer belly stepped in.

Seeing someone inside, the man froze and muttered something about entering the wrong room as he turned to leave. But when his gaze landed on Jiang Lu, he stopped in his tracks and stared at him intensely.