"You deserve to be loved by everyone, including me."
Lu Qi's words played over and over in Yun Manman's mind.
The little orange cat rolled on the bed, burying its face in the pillow, revealing a pair of bright cat eyes.
What did he mean? What does "including me" mean?
Yun Manman felt her ears getting a bit hot.
Hmm... nevermind, she couldn't figure it out.
Perhaps Qiqi was just encouraging her to be more confident.
The orange cat tossed and turned on the bed, finally closing its eyes and falling into sleep after a long while.
A flickering light appeared, and scenes unfolded before Yun Manman's eyes like a silent film.
She saw "herself" confidently sending a resignation letter to her demanding boss;
She saw "herself" opening a small, unassuming flower shop on a street corner, where office workers would pick up a flower they liked after work;
She saw "herself" curiously experimenting with baking tools at home, producing charred egg yolk pastries;
She saw "herself" engrossed in conversation with a grey-haired uncle who loved plants, who one day carefully presented a genetic test report that read "biological father";
She saw "herself" giving a cod burger to a begging old man on an overpass, unable to hear what he said, but seeing him give a thumbs up to the report in "her" hand;
She saw "herself" lying in bed with a heavy expression, falling into sleep...
The silent film disappeared, but a familiar yet slightly strange voice sounded: "Is anyone there?"
Yun Manman instinctively replied, "Yes."
After a brief silence, Yun Manman thought for a moment and asked, "Are you 'Yun Manman'?"
'Yun Manman' answered: "Are you Yun Manman?"
They both exclaimed in unison: "So you're still alive!"
After a while, 'Yun Manman' chuckled softly, and Yun Manman couldn't help but laugh too.
As the atmosphere lightened, Yun Manman asked with concern, "Are you feeling unwell?" After all, she had been hit by a car.
The voice replied, "No, I feel like I've integrated well. The injuries healed quickly, and I don't get sick as easily as before."
Yun Manman: "Were you prone to illness before?"
'Yun Manman' answered: "Yes, I used to get headaches and colds easily, always lacking energy, which made the whole cat gloomy."
"Now it feels like my soul has returned to the right place, and I'm very clear-headed."
Yun Manman nodded in the void, then realizing the other couldn't see her, quickly said, "I don't get low blood sugar as easily anymore either."
'Yun Manman' said: "I think I have to leave now... I believe we've each returned to our correct worlds."
"Don't struggle or worry, I've seen your life, and you're doing well. Good luck, Yun Manman!"
Yun Manman suddenly remembered something and hurriedly asked, "Do you like Jin Luo?"
After a long silence in the darkness, just when Yun Manman thought the other had left, a faint voice came:
"No, who likes a cow cat..."
The dream returned to silence, and Yun Manman suddenly sprang up from the bed.
She looked at the incessant rain outside the window and rubbed her eyes.
The scenes and conversation from the dream were still vivid.
Was it because they both encountered similar struggles that they dreamed of each other?
Yun Manman also recalled the fortune-teller she met at the orphanage in her previous life, who told her: "You are destined to be alone in this world."
So her soul had exchanged with the original soul? And now they had returned to their rightful places?
The previous world wasn't where she was meant to be, and her real family was in this world?
The little cat sat dazed on the bed, pondering, and suddenly felt relieved.
She had always worried about whether she was wrongfully claiming what belonged to the original soul, and felt anxious about accepting the hard-earned love.
Now, being able to dream of the "me" in another world had untied a knot in both their hearts.
Yun Manman felt at ease and fell back to sleep, returning to her baby-like slumber.
In Lu Qi's room, the snake's tail was wrapping around a cotton swab, applying disinfectant to the areas where scales had fallen off.
The medicine stung the exposed wounds, making Lu Qi grimace in pain.
Those damn cats really went all out, forcibly removing two of his snake scales.
After applying the medicine, he lay on the bed, feeling a bit uneasy.
He wondered if Yun Manman would understand his feelings for her after what he said.
Lu Qi felt a bit regretful; he had spoken those words naturally in that situation, and it was truly how he felt. But he feared that if Yun Manman didn't have feelings for him, saying such things might scare her away.
He remembered Yun Manman's tone when she rejected that cow cat in Lili Town.
Lu Xi also said that the success rate of confessing is higher when the other person already has feelings for you.
The snake looked longingly at his parents' photo on the wall, trying hard to recall how his father treated his mother in childhood.
Ah, if only his mother were here, she could tell him what female beastmen like in courtship.
Early the next morning, Yun Manman knocked on Lu Qi's door. She quickly performed a mental energy guidance for the big snake with dark circles under his eyes, then happily urged her "son" downstairs.
"Quick, son, let's go make desserts!"
She left Lu Qi standing behind with messy short hair, dazed.
Great, he almost laughed at himself out of frustration.
She hadn't taken his words to heart at all, while he had stayed up all night thinking about it.
By the time Lu Qi had tidied himself up and come downstairs looking fresh, Yun Manman was instructing Uncle Lin on how to spread cream on a cake: "That's right, just like that, spread it smooth and even..."
"Uncle Lin, you're truly gifted, as expected of the mansion's head chef!"
Uncle Lin's bird tail almost perked up from the praise: "It's nothing special."
"Manman, these recipes of yours are so interesting, they look delicious."
Yun Manman wagged her tail behind her: "Uncle Lin, you must try them later. They're especially tasty, and sweets can improve your mood, you know."
Uncle Lin nodded repeatedly, his white eyebrows swaying along.
"And what are these called? Margaret Cookies? It's amazing that you can press patterns into them with your fingers."
The chef's imagination ran wild: "Could I use my bird claws to press them? That would leave an imprint."
Yun Manman: "Hmm... you can give it a try, Uncle Lin."
Margaret Cookies are also a simple and delicious treat.
Add sugar and a small amount of salt to softened butter, beat until slightly white, then separate the yolks from hard-boiled eggs and sieve them, add to the butter and mix well, sift in flour and cornstarch, and mix evenly with a scraper.
Finally, divide the dough into small balls, roll them round, then flatten with your thumb, and bake in the oven until done.
Because the fingerprints leave marks when flattening the small dough balls, each person's Margaret Cookies are unique.
The small kitchen on the first floor of the villa was filled with the aroma of baked butter and the sweet scent of cake.
For a moment, Lu Qi thought he was back in that sunlit dessert shop.
Lu Qi stood at the doorway, watching the two heads huddled together whispering, feeling a twitch in his brow.
Well, well, well, even the white-headed bulbul chef with the worst temper in the mansion had been won over by Yun Manman in one fell swoop.
A little cat like her should be taken away and have all her fur stroked!
He rubbed his aching forehead and stepped forward, looking down to ask, "Are you going out today?"
The little cat was packaging the finished cake without looking up: "Yes, Brother Yan Ye is coming to pick me up to go to Yunzheng Mansion."
Brother. Yan. Ye.
Lu Qi felt his headache worsen, with a sour, bitter feeling in his chest.
The snake thought it was probably because he hadn't eaten dinner last night or breakfast this morning, causing excess stomach acid.
But he had no reason, nor did he want to stop Yun Manman from reuniting with her family.
After all, she was so happy yesterday.
Lu Qi watched as his "son" loaded up a bunch of things and the orange cat onto Yan Ye's hover car, seeing them off.
As he left, Yan Ye even taunted him by waving his fist.
Lu Qi felt his venomous fangs itch a bit.
If he had to go pick up the cat tonight, it would likely be another fierce battle.
Lu Qi lost his appetite for breakfast and turned to go to the garage to get his hover car, but stopped halfway.
Why hadn't Yun Manman looked at him once since this morning?
General Lu's handsome face darkened even more.
Yunzheng Mansion.
Yan Xi had been sitting in the front hall since early morning, waiting. She was currently handling official business on her communication device.
With a slight frown, her serious and focused demeanor added an air of authority to her presence.
Xiao Xiao, sitting beside her and keeping her company as they waited, noticed her serious expression and couldn't help but ask:
"Aunt Xi, has something happened in the military?"
Xiao Xiao was also a soldier, who had demonstrated exceptional leadership skills just a few years after enlisting. She was now a brigade commander.
Yan Xi pinched the bridge of her nose: "It's not the military."
"There have been Loathsome Beasts appearing in Kafier City."
The occasional appearance of Loathsome Beasts was normal, after all, quite a few beastmen turned feral each year. Why was this causing such concern?
Yan Xi, seeing Xiao Xiao's confusion, explained, "The number of feral beastmen appearing in the city far exceeds that of previous years."
Xiao Xiao was startled: "Have they found the reason?"
Yan Xi shook her head: "That's precisely the problem."
"Anyway, let's wait for instructions from above. Tell your troops to stay prepared."
Yan Xi's Second Army had years of experience dealing with Loathsome Beasts. With her battle-hardened instincts, she had a feeling they would be heading to Kafier City soon.
Xiao Xiao: "Yes, ma'am."
"Mom, what are you talking about?" Yun Manman had somehow appeared by Yan Xi's side, looking up at her.
Yan Xi reflexively answered: "Nothing..."
Then she quickly realized, lifting Yun Manman up with delight: "Wait, Manman, what did you call me?"
Yun Manman met Yan Xi's hopeful gaze and said in a clear, sweet voice: "Mom. My mommy."
Although the term of address felt a bit unfamiliar, it wasn't as difficult to say as she had imagined.
The more she said it, the stronger the sense of belonging grew in her heart.
Yan Xi burst into tears of joy, hugging the little orange cat to her chest and nuzzling her forehead, tears flowing along the scar at the corner of her eye and into the cat's light orange fur.
She laughed and cried, all traces of her earlier commanding presence gone: "Oh, my sweet baby, my dear daughter..."
Yan Ye and Xiao Xiao, watching from the side, both had moved expressions. Yan Jiao, who had just woken up, rubbed her eyes and, seeing the scene of Yun Manman and her mother embracing, also pouted.
Still in her pajamas, she rushed forward to hug both Yan Xi and Manman, crying: "Waaah, I can't help but cry too, it's so touching..."
Yan Ye and Xiao Xiao: ...
No wonder you can be a novelist, with such abundant emotions.