A handful of moonlight swept across the gable and leaned against the small pavilion, casting a pattern of fluttering bamboo shadows and glittering tile scales. The thick moonlight felt like strong tea, mirroring the rich, lingering aroma of the countryside.
Xi gazed intently at Wu in the moonlight.
"The way you're looking at me is giving me the creeps..."
Cupping Wu in the palm of his hand, Xi saw the petite, exquisite cat curl up into a ball, looking somewhat at a loss by his actions.
"Did the night-shining pearl cause you to transform?" Xi took the bead out of his pocket.
Most night-shining pearls in history were dragon pearls, though such treasures did indeed exist. It was said that a true night-shining pearl was formed by the essence of heaven and earth absorbing moonlight, buried deep within the long river of time—for the birth of every single pearl required thousands of years of sedimentation.
Now that this object, suspected to be a night-shining pearl, had most of its energy absorbed by Wu, such a phenomenon was hardly surprising.
Even the cultivation of a thousand-year-old demon could not compare to this single pearl, yet Wu had absorbed the entire orb without undergoing much change at all.
Why hasn't she taken human form...
Xi gently shook Wu, but instead of the outcome he anticipated, it only left Wu feeling dizzy and disoriented.
"I'm angry, meow!" Breaking free from his restraint, Wu pounced straight onto Xi's face...
"Ouch..." Xi lightly touched his cheek, unable to help drawing in a sharp breath of pain.
"My bad..."
"Hmph!" Wu distanced herself far from Xi, putting on an air of refusing to pay him any mind.
Though Xi could not see Wu's face, he could well imagine that even like this, she must look rather kawaii.
"Alas, looks like I'll just have to enjoy the sweet-and-sour mandarin fish all by myself from now on," Xi said with a tone of regret, then turned around to leave.
Wait, wait—mandarin fish! Fishy! Wu's eyes lit up, and all her displeasure instantly vanished into thin air.
"Well... I suppose I'll forgive you for now, but you have to offer up some delicious fishy."
"Fine, fine..."
Having secured Xi's promise, Wu climbed back onto his shoulder—this place was still the most comfortable.
"..."
"Looks like we need to find a place to stay."
Catching his drift, Wu understood instantly. With a wave of her tiny paws, the bamboo raft was propelled by an invisible force, speeding forward.
"Woohoo, this is so thrilling! I've never street-raced a boat before..."
***
After that, Xi found an inn and settled in. Don't ask how Xi resolved those minor troubles; with money, what couldn't be done? Yet Xi had no real concept of wealth, for his money came altogether too easily.
Once upon a time during his travels, Xi had rescued a wealthy man who generously expressed his gratitude, and ever since then, Xi had never had to worry about money again—after all, that man's banks spanned across all of Huaxia, so whenever he needed funds, he simply went and collected them.
When Xi opened his eyes once more, it was already the following morning, with bright sunlight streaming across one half of his face.
Xi turned his head sideways, then widened his eyes in shock.
Lying right beside him was a young maiden. She was fast asleep, her pink, tender lips making smacking sounds as she likely dreamed a wonderful dream. A cascade of smooth, white hair gave Xi a dreamlike feeling. She smiled softly, revealing adorable dimples on her slightly chubby cheeks.
Xi pinched her cheek. The girl let out an unconscious murmur, her tiny cat ears twitching slightly before she shrank back and hid under the quilt.
Wuwuwu... The cat I raised has finally turned into a cat-girl—it seems the legend of the night-shining pearl is true after all.
"Mmm... fishy, don't run away, get right into my mouth..." The maiden suddenly grabbed Xi's hand and bit down hard.
"..."
Ahhhhh...
"Sorry, I didn't mean to." Wu sat obediently on the bed, her gaze shifting this way and that.
Xi looked at Wu helplessly. Fortunately, he had asked the attendant to buy some clothes beforehand, otherwise things would have been rather awkward.
The maiden's slender figure was thoroughly outlined by a black slip dress, and a bell collar adorned her snow-white neck. Her flower-like, pretty, and sweet face possessed a natural, pure innocence. Her breath was as fragrant as orchids, and her bangs gently brushed against her delicate forehead. Her clear eyes shimmered with a mesmerizing blend of rippling red and blue that could captivate anyone's heart. Her fair, plump legs swayed gently; they were not exceptionally slender, but possessed graceful lines. Her feet, no larger than a palm, made one instinctively want to hold them in their hands.
"..." Xi fell silent for a moment. "Wu, now that you have taken human form... will you still follow me?"
Xi would never force others to make choices; he yearned for freedom, and he would grant freedom to others as well.
"Ah? You picked me up, so of course you have to take responsibility, meow. Besides, I don't remember anything from the past either—how could you have the heart to abandon me..." Wu argued righteously, for she had no desire to become a stray cat—days without fish were simply impossible to live through.
"Besides, being with you always gives me a special feeling..."
Wu's voice grew almost inaudible, and Xi did not probe any further, entirely caught up in his own happiness. He was overjoyed to have a companion walking by his side.