After finalizing the details for the collaboration merchandise, Pei Shiyi didn’t receive any more “harassment” from a certain Mr. Bo.
Pei Shiyi set down his pen and glanced around, but didn’t spot Bo Jin. He walked over and picked up the three fluffy kittens by the scruffs of their necks one by one. He placed them on the bed, patting each on the head. “Go to sleep now. I’ll go downstairs to comfort your Mr. Bo.”
Xiao Man lifted a paw and rested it on Pei Shiyi’s sleeve. “Meow—”
I want comforting, too.
Pei Shiyi smiled softly, leaning down to kiss each of them on the forehead.
Meng Xia and Sui Shou nuzzled closer. “Meow, meow—”
Boss, don’t be angry anymore. We know we were wrong.
Pei Shiyi’s already softened heart melted even further. He kept a stern face but allowed them to nuzzle and cling to him affectionately. After a moment, he sat on the edge of the bed. “Alright, I’m not angry anymore.”
He ruffled their furry heads and stood up, leaving the bedroom. The little ones had been comforted, but there was still a big one to deal with.
Pei Shiyi descended to the second floor when he suddenly felt someone embrace him from behind. “Here to apologize?”
Bo Jin leaned close to his ear, whispering, “No, here to act spoiled.”
Pei Shiyi replied, “That won’t do. I’m still upset. You’ll have to think of a way to comfort me first…”
He gasped. His earlobe grew warm from Bo Jin’s touch.
Breath lingered by his ear as Pei Shiyi leaned back against Bo Jin’s chest, feeling the slightly rapid heartbeat.
Since they’d confirmed their relationship, all their intimacy had stopped at kissing. After all, the cat café was open during the day, and the dedicated boss spent most of his time in the business area. In the evenings, the furry little ones practically clung to him, leaving no time for Bo Jin.
Especially when night fell, certain little troublemakers became particularly mischievous.
Bo Jin had always been clingy, but this sudden intensity caught Pei Shiyi off guard. Fortunately, the winged race was naturally affectionate, and Bo Jin always knew how to keep things in check. Like slowly heating water, he gradually accustomed Pei Shiyi to his presence and affection, so Pei Shiyi quickly shook off any discomfort.
Bo Jin asked, “Can I kiss you?”
Pei Shiyi: “…”
Why be so polite now?
He turned around. He grabbed Bo Jin’s collar and pulled him down.
After a flurry of footsteps, Pei Shiyi pinned him against the wall.
Bo Jin placed a hand against Pei Shiyi’s cheek, lowering his gaze and leaning in slightly.
…
“The observation period ends the day after tomorrow,” Bo Jin murmured, his words slightly muffled. “Are you really willing to let me go?”
He took Pei Shiyi’s hand, interlacing their fingers. He kissed each of Pei Shiyi’s slender knuckles.
Pei Shiyi lazily turned his face away, eyes half-lowered, as if he couldn’t quite handle Bo Jin’s clinginess. “What else can I do? Are you going to quit your job as bureau director so I can support you?”
“Hmm…”
Bo Jin kissed the flushed corner of his eye, offering a mischievous suggestion. “How about I trick Bai Jue into coming over, and you beat him up? That way, the observation period could be extended by three years in one go.”
Pei Shiyi: “…Spare your colleague, you troublemaker.”
Bo Jin buried his face in the crook of Pei Shiyi’s neck, chuckling softly, his chest vibrating slightly.
…
Bureau Director Bo returned to work, and the new semester at Yuchuan University began. The surge of customers brought by the holiday had just subsided. But the start of the semester brought back old customers who had been away for two months, as well as new students who had heard about Xian Chan online.
The cat café’s busiest days were Saturdays and Sundays. The online reservation slots filled up two days in advance, leaving those who weren’t used to booking to arrive early.
The cat café finished cleaning and opened its doors right on time, with customers who had been waiting outside quickly streaming in.
Although September had already begun, the weather remained hot. Freshmen at Yuchuan University were still complaining about the scorching sun every day, while the upperclassmen eagerly made reservations at the cat café to check in. After two months apart, only being able to “cloud-pet” the cats online had been too miserable. And the café’s various drinks and desserts were one of the comforts after enduring academic stress.
Li Duyu had successfully secured a spot for graduate studies after graduating as a senior. By September, she was already a first-year graduate student at Yuchuan University. With some free time this Saturday, she decided to visit the cat café with her new roommates, marking their first dorm outing.
All three roommates had transferred from other universities and knew nothing about Xian Chan. On the way, Li Duyu showed them videos. Her roommates grew curious.
Li Duyu arrived just in time. They took the last four available spots. Shortly after they entered, the staff flipped the sign behind the door to “Temporarily Closed”.
After washing their hands, the group stepped into the cat café.
Li Duyu noticed that the café was unusually lively today. Instead of sitting quietly, people were walking around, holding their phones and occasionally whispering to their companions. The atmosphere, once calm and serene in her memory, had become exceptionally vibrant.
Just as Li Duyu was marveling at the change, the waddling store manager, Dan Huang, came over to greet them. But today, Dan Huang looked different. He was actually wearing a shirt!
A ginger-colored T-shirt was wrapped around Dan Huang’s body, with a print of Dan Huang holding a cat teaser on the back. The shirt accentuated the manager’s round belly.
Li Duyu: !
Dan Huang was wearing a T-shirt with Dan Huang printed on it! How adorable!
True to his usual self, Dan Huang was as enthusiastic as ever. He walked over and rubbed against each of them, his tail held high as if inviting the girls to follow him. When Li Duyu bent down and touched Dan Huang’s soft belly, she felt as if her soul was about to fly away. The T-shirt felt incredibly soft and comfortable, too.
Her roommates also crouched down to pet Dan Huang. “He’s so cute! Is his name Dan Huang?”
“This T-shirt is adorable, too! The cat head print is so cute.”
Li Duyu stroked Dan Huang, lost in bliss. “I’ll love Dan Huang forever.”
Soon after, the staff brought over the drinks and desserts they had ordered. Reluctantly, the four left Dan Huang and found an empty table to sit at. Just as Li Duyu took a sip of her milk tea, one of her roommates nudged her and pointed ahead. “Ahhh, so beautiful!”
Surprised, Li Duyu looked over and saw Yun Chao lying on a high table, wearing a small scarf with a gradient pattern. Resting her chin on her front paws, her heterochromatic eyes slightly closed. She transformed from an ethereal beauty into a poised and dignified lady in an instant. However, when she opened her eyes, the gold and silver hues of her heterochromatic irises revealed icy, crack-like patterns, clear and chillingly breathtaking. It’s still the cold and aloof Yun Chao that Li Duyu remembered.
Her roommate exclaimed, “I’m going crazy, I can’t take it anymore! I have to go pet her!”
Li Duyu, feeling dazed, chimed in, “Take me with you, take me with you!”
As she approached, she noticed that the small scarf was printed with the silhouettes of two cats, unmistakably Fondant and Yun Chao. Li Duyu gently touched it. The scarf’s texture was excellent, with top-notch craftsmanship and materials, simple yet elegant in design.
After stroking it a few times, Li Duyu suddenly noticed a shadow fall over her. Another large, fluffy cat jumped onto the table, wearing a scarf identical to Yun Chao’s. It lay side by side with Yun Chao, looking up at Li Duyu.
Her roommate was completely overwhelmed: “I can’t take it anymore, I’m dead.”
Li Duyu suddenly pulled out her phone. She snapped several photos, then turned and rushed out. She had been wondering why the patterns on these outfits looked so familiar. They were from the photos the cat café posted a few days ago! Yun Chao and the shop manager were already wearing them, so did the other cats have outfits, too?
She hadn’t gone far when she heard the familiar rustling sound. Turning around, she indeed saw the agile figure of the leopard cat. Tong Qian was also wearing clothes—a small, elegant-looking shirt, no less!
On the back of the shirt were printed two cat faces gazing at each other. Unmistakably, it was Yin Zhou and Tong Qian from the photos, though with a filter applied, giving it a fairytale-like feel.
Oh my god.
Serious yet playful, Tong Qian looked so cool and handsome when he wasn’t being silly.
Li Duyu reluctantly tore her eyes away and prepared to look for the other cats when, out of nowhere, a large black-and-white fluffy ball descended from above, also wearing a small shirt, and began tussling with Tong Qian.
Li Duyu: It’s Yin Zhou! Are these matching outfits? So cool!
With great effort, Li Duyu explored the entire business area of the cat café and finally collected all the cats’ new looks. The male cats were all wearing clothes, with the shop manager and the tortoiseshell sisters in T-shirts, Song Gao in a shirt, and the little beauties all in silk scarves. Miss Penny and her kittens were all wearing small silk scarves, looking like gentle, elegant ladies, while the kittens wore them like bibs.
But it had to be said, every piece was of incredible quality! Especially the silk scarves. These chic, Chanel-style scarves were truly elegant and paired perfectly with the cats’ stunning beauty. Absolutely gorgeous!
Li Duyu guessed that the cat café was about to release merchandise. She thought to herself: This marketing strategy has won me over completely. I’m willing to buy it!
As Li Duyu expected, the cats wore the merchandise for two days, teasing the customers. Weibo and Bishui Station also kept posting various beautiful photos, making fans itch with anticipation. Finally, Xian Chan officially announced that the cat-inspired merchandise would be released, along with photos of the human versions.
Slightly different from the cats’ outfits, the modifications weren’t to cut costs but to make them more suitable for humans. Just from the pictures, the quality looked absolutely amazing.
“I’m dead, I’m dead, I’m dead over these silk scarves! So beautiful. I might not wear them, but I must have them!”
“For my Yin Zhou and Tong Qian, I have to buy them! And these shirts are great too! Boyfriend style? I’m in!”
“It’s the cats’ fault. Yun Chao and Miss Penny are such heavenly beauties. I’ll love them forever. I want both silk scarves!”
The guys, on the other hand, preferred the two T-shirts:
“This is what real tough guys should wear!”
“I think that ginger-yellow T-shirt suits me perfectly.”
Many fans on Weibo and Bishui Station couldn’t visit the cat café in person to see the merchandise. But they were utterly charmed by the cat-inspired and human versions in the photos and expressed their desire to buy them.
Many of the “cloud parents” on Bishui Station were true fans of the cats and would buy merchandise for their favorite felines. The comments were filled with a mix of pride—”Our cat café has grown up and is releasing merchandise!”—and concern—”I’m a bit worried this might turn into exploiting the cats for merchandise.”
Some students were drawn to the merchandise’s aesthetics but worried about the price, fearing their wallets couldn’t handle it. With such anxious feelings, they waited until the afternoon.
In the afternoon, the collaboration merchandise featuring the cat from “Time Stands Still” was officially launched at the cat café. The official links were posted on both Weibo and Bishui Station. Eager fans clicked through, only to be redirected to a Taobao page where the displayed prices gave them a momentary pause.
Considering the materials and design, the prices were actually quite reasonable and affordable! While students might still hesitate, those with jobs or part-time work could easily treat themselves to an item.
After doing a quick mental calculation, excited netizens eagerly clicked to purchase, only to discover—
“Why are the M and L sizes for the T-shirts grayed out?”
“You’re kidding me—the scarves are sold out? I was planning to buy one for my girlfriend’s birthday!”
“What about the shirts?! Where are the shirts?!”
“I literally spent five minutes calculating how much I could buy, and now it’s all gone?!”
If you enjoy my works and would like to support me, you can buy me a coffee on Ko-fi. Thank you for your support.
1 ko-fi = 1 chapter (0/5)
wannaberecluse On SRTT Chapter 50.1