The cupcakes with cream decorations that looked quite authentic were made by Bian Yan, which surprised Yun Manman.
The overall taste was quite good too.
The cake baking was already quite good, just the whipped cream wasn't beaten quite perfectly.
Yun Manman praised: "Bian Yan, this is well done. As expected from someone with cooking experience."
Bian Yan scratched his head, the corners of his mouth turning up: "It's because Yin Qian taught me well."
Yun Manman agreed: "Yin Qian is very good too."
Yin Qian spoke seriously: "He learns very quickly. I've already taught him all the basics."
The young man paused, hesitating unusually: "Boss, I need to return to the army."
The army had entered a state of preparation for war, and the weapons development department needed to develop more useful equipment to protect the soldiers.
The dessert shop fell silent for a moment.
Yun Manman had expected this, but was still a bit unprepared: "Alright. When will you leave?"
"The department hasn't issued a notice yet, but I'll have to set off as soon as they do. Probably in the next couple of days."
All good things must come to an end.
Yun Manman understood and nodded: "Then rest well these two days."
She got up and went to the operation room: "Come on, let's see how Bian Yan's other desserts are coming along."
She didn't notice Yuan Qing's somewhat dazed expression.
That evening, when Yun Manman returned home, she was greeted by the familiar mechanical voice as she opened the door: "Manman, welcome home."
The AI housekeeper Nini brought out slippers for Yun Manman and turned on the air conditioning system.
Yun Manman patted Nini's hard head: "Nini, did you miss me?"
Nini replied without emotion: "Nini always misses Manman."
Yun Manman burst out laughing. The old robot was just as adorable.
Having not been home for a long time, the small villa still looked as cozy as before, though Yun Manman found it unusually quiet after getting used to the noise of the big cats.
She went to freshen up first, admiring the cute cat in the mirror for a while before suddenly realizing that her beast form seemed to have grown larger.
Yun Manman muttered as she went to weigh herself: "No way, I thought the adult beast form was supposed to be fixed..."
She compared herself to old photos and found that her beast form had indeed grown.
The little orange cat that used to be only as big as two palms was now as big as three.
Although it wasn't much bigger, Yun Manman was very excited.
Maybe if this continued, she could turn into a three or four-meter-long Yunzheng Beast, as impressive as Yan Ye's beast form!
As Yun Manman was happily fantasizing, she heard Nini call out: "There's a guest waiting at the door. Shall I open it?"
Yun Manman quickly transformed into her human form and put on clothes, wondering who would come to see her at night.
She hurried to the door and saw through Nini's display screen that it was Jin Luo standing outside.
He was still wearing his work satchel and holding a bag, seeming to have come straight from work.
The cat took a deep breath and had Nini open the door.
She secretly observed Jin Luo as he changed his shoes. Hmm, he seemed to have lost weight.
She asked, "Why are you here?"
Jin Luo straightened up, glanced at her fully healed left hand, and said, "If I didn't come to see you, when were you planning to tell me you were back?"
He raised his hand, curling his index finger, habitually wanting to tap Yun Manman's forehead, but she warily dodged it.
Jin Luo's smile and hand froze for a moment, but he quickly adjusted, smiling wryly:
"I've made you overthink things. It's my fault."
His tone became cheerful again: "Alright, alright, don't just stand here, let's sit down."
"I brought some food. I haven't had dinner yet, I'm starving."
Yun Manman put the roast duck Jin Luo brought on a plate and heated it up before bringing it out. She saw him standing in front of her grandmother's photo.
Jin Luo placed her grandmother's favorite fried fish in front of the photo and muttered, "Grandma, I'm sorry I haven't come to see you for so long..."
"I brought you your favorite fried ribbonfish."
Jin Luo had grown up with her original self and also respected her grandmother as an elder.
Yun Manman ate the snacks he brought while watching TV and asked, "Isn't the police station busy?"
Jin Luo buried his head in the roast duck: "It is. Strangely, there have been more Beastfiend attacks recently."
He didn't forget to advise: "Be careful when you go out these days, don't wander into the woods."
Yun Manman replied: "It's fine, I'll be returning to the capital soon."
Jin Luo's movements paused: "Return to the capital?"
Why use the word "return"?
"Huh?" Yun Manman sat up straight on the sofa: "Oh right, I haven't told you yet."
She quickly recounted to Jin Luo what had happened in the capital.
"So I'll probably be living in the capital long-term, coming back occasionally to check on the dessert shop."
Jin Luo felt a chill in his heart, the joy of finally seeing his beloved cat vanishing in an instant.
His black ears drooped: "So we'll hardly see each other anymore, right?"
Yun Manman's gaze wandered, her voice a bit uncertain: "I suppose so."
She hoped that time and distance would dilute Jin Luo's feelings for her.
But unexpectedly, Jin Luo thought for a few seconds and said, "It's okay, I'll try my best to get a transfer to the capital's police station..."
Yun Manman said reluctantly: "You don't have to do that..."
Jin Luo looked into Yun Manman's dark eyes with determination: "I can do it, as long as I try hard enough..."
"Jin Luo!" Yun Manman raised her voice, looking seriously at the cow-cat hybrid: "You don't need to do this. It's not necessary."
Yun Manman wasn't sure how difficult it was to transfer from Siduo City to the capital, but it must be an arduous process.
Jin Luo's family and friends were in Siduo City, and he had grown up here. There was no need for him to go to such lengths for someone who wasn't even her original self.
Her eyes were full of frankness: "Look, I haven't fallen in love with you now, and I don't think I will in the future."
"We haven't seen each other for years, and as you can see, I've changed a lot. I've always felt brotherly affection for you."
And the original me only felt brotherly affection for you too, Yun Manman added in her heart.
"There are many females out there better than me."
"So, Jin Luo, don't focus on me. I'm not the person I used to be anymore. I'm not worth it."
Confusion flashed in Jin Luo's eyes. He seemed to want to say something but ultimately left in a daze.
Yun Manman rubbed her cheeks and suddenly buried her face in a pillow, whimpering a few times.
It was too hard! For a soft-hearted cat like her to say such harsh words was really difficult!
She couldn't tell Jin Luo about her soul transmigration and the original owner's situation. She had no evidence to prove what she was saying was true.
She might even be arrested for research.
But Jin Luo should give up now, right? She had made things so clear.
At this moment, there was a light sound from the window, and a familiar cold voice tinged with sourness rang out: "Are you two done talking?"