The Calico’s Shame and a Journey Proposed

With a triumphant air, Yu Qingxuan recalled her colossal dragon. Her gaze then settled on Qin Yan, who had risen to his feet, holding the calico cat by the scruff of its neck.

“Sister, I must go change my clothes…”

A hint of exasperation crossed Qin Yan’s face as he observed Xiao Li, still dangling by the scruff of her neck. Her feline features contorted into a myriad of expressions: dejection, a touch of shame, and an undeniable flicker of fear.

“This…”

At that moment, Yu Qingxuan’s eyes fell upon the damp patch on Qin Yan’s thigh. A brief moment of contemplation, and she instantly deduced the cause of the recent commotion.

‘That… that wretched calico cat actually dared to pee all over her Junior Brother?!’

This unexpected turn of events inexplicably vexed Yu Qingxuan. She couldn’t quite pinpoint the reason for her irritation; surely, it wasn’t jealousy over a cat having relieved itself on her junior brother. No, a more fitting explanation would be that this accursed calico cat had somehow managed to leave its lingering scent all over her junior brother’s person!

“Very well, Junior Brother.”

Yu Qingxuan nodded her assent.

With a confirming nod, Qin Yan departed the courtyard, the calico cat still suspended by its scruff, and made his way towards his private chambers.

Once inside his room, Qin Yan unceremoniously set the calico cat down before retrieving a fresh set of clothes from his spatial ring. Xiao Li, now squatting on the floor, wore an unmistakably crestfallen expression.

‘What had just transpired was, for a cat, utterly mortifying.’

It was then that she noticed Qin Yan beginning to shed his soiled garments.

‘Hold on, hold on! There’s still someone here – no, a demon, for crying out loud! What is this man thinking?! How can he be so utterly unconcerned by her presence? Does he not consider her a female at all?’

Xiao Li’s mind erupted in a flurry of indignant thoughts. Born with an innate understanding of certain matters, she had, from the moment of her emergence, been steeped in the ingrained stereotypes of a world where females held sway.

Qin Yan, for his part, harbored no particular thoughts on the matter. Yet, catching Xiao Li’s gaze, which shone with an almost bulbous intensity, he glanced back at her, a quiet murmur forming in his own mind: ‘How could such a young creature already possess such a fervent appreciation for the male form?’

“Turn around,” he commanded.

“Yes, Master.”

Xiao Li, remarkably compliant, turned her back. Yet, as the soft rustle of fabric reached her ears from behind, she couldn’t shake the feeling that this very act only served to ignite a demon’s wildest imaginings.

‘My Master is so incredibly handsome, a veritable paragon of masculine beauty! To become his beast companion… that wouldn’t be so bad at all, hehehe. Who wouldn’t desire to be the cherished pet of such a dashing man?’

“You may turn back now.”

A moment later, Qin Yan’s voice drifted to Xiao Li’s ears.

Her feline form pivoted with graceful agility, and as her gaze fell upon Qin Yan, now clad in pristine white, her eyes immediately lit up. ‘No, this is truly too stunning!’ she thought.

Xiao Li leisurely approached Qin Yan, transforming back into her human guise as she closed the distance. Upon reaching him, she wrapped her arms around his thigh, rubbing against him with an untamed fervor, a clear display of her wildcat nature still clinging to her.

“Ow!”

A sharp pang shot through her cat ears, as Qin Yan’s fingers clamped down firmly upon them.

“Xiao Li, you’ve soiled my clothes. Now tell me, how do you propose we resolve this matter?”

Qin Yan’s voice carried a hint of sternness. He harbored a constant desire to impress discipline upon this calico cat; after all, such was the nature of pet ownership. Unpunished transgressions, he knew, would inevitably lead to a master being taken advantage of in the long run.

“Master~ Xiao Li was wrong~!”

Was it truly befitting of a cat demon? Xiao Li, with her naturally endearing charm, filled her large eyes with an expression of profound grievance.

Rising to her feet, she began to meticulously tidy Qin Yan’s freshly changed clothes, assuming the diligent air of a young maidservant. After taking two steps towards him, she dropped to her knees with a dramatic ‘thump.’

‘She truly, desperately wanted to live!’

“Having soiled Master’s garments, Xiao Li deserves ten thousand deaths!” Xiao Li declared, her voice laced with theatrical despair. “But if I die, I am truly gone. Xiao Li now possesses only this single life. Perhaps I could, from this moment forward, serve Master as a beast of burden! Hmm, a beast of burden… what a pity I am a cat, though…”

Even as she spoke, she found herself becoming thoroughly ensnared by the convoluted logic of her own words.

This creature was, without a doubt, a born dramatist. Qin Yan observed Xiao Li, now in the form of a young human girl, a petite loli, performing a dogeza (TL Note: A Japanese term for bowing deeply to show extreme respect or apology, often by kneeling and touching one’s head to the ground). Her innocent appearance made it difficult for him to remain entirely unmoved.

‘If she were to perform such a display in her calico cat form, it would undoubtedly be rather terrifying.’

“These clothes,” Qin Yan stated, tossing his discarded garments before Xiao Li, “see that they are washed, and bring them back to me tomorrow.” He merely intended to administer a light reprimand, harboring no genuine desire to impose undue hardship.

“Yes, Master! I guarantee the task will be completed!”

Xiao Li nimbly scooped up the clothes from the floor, then rose, striking a pose of valiant martyrdom.

Qin Yan nodded once more before exiting his room. Xiao Li, clutching the garments, trailed behind him. She inhaled the lingering scent on the clothes, then furtively cast a glance at Qin Yan, who strode ahead.

‘You detestable human! I shall exact my vengeance upon you with utter ruthlessness! For instance, with these very clothes – are you truly so fearless that you wouldn’t worry about what nefarious deeds I might commit with them?!’

Heheheh—

****

Qin Yan re-entered the tranquil confines of the courtyard.

He found Yu Qingxuan seated before the stone table in the courtyard. A brisk autumn breeze swept through, rustling the fallen leaves scattered across the ground and stirring the cascade of three thousand raven strands that adorned her head.

“Junior Brother, you’ve returned~”

Yu Qingxuan gently set down her teacup, her face softening into a familiar smile as she regarded Qin Yan.

“Sister.”

Qin Yan offered a simple nod.

Yu Qingxuan then cast her gaze from left to right, as if searching for something in his vicinity.

“What are you looking for, Sister?” Qin Yan inquired.

“Where is that calico cat? She truly is far too easily startled, isn’t she?” Yu Qingxuan posed the question.

“Oh, I sent her to wash the clothes I changed out of earlier,” Qin Yan explained, settling into a seat at the stone table. “Despite being a cat, she possesses the timidity of a mere mouse.”

Upon hearing this, Yu Qingxuan remained silent, though a faint smile graced her lips.

‘Truth be told, the calico cat was quite endearing in her feline form. However, when she transformed into a little girl and lingered by Junior Brother’s side, it became, for some reason, utterly unbearable to witness.’

A moment later, a realization dawned upon her. What exactly did he mean by instructing the cat to take her junior brother’s clothes for washing?

‘Damn it all! Those were Junior Brother’s original-scented garments! Who could fathom their intoxicating fragrance? Her thoughts drifted back to the calico cat’s form as a young girl, then to the image of that cat personally scrubbing and kneading Junior Brother’s clothes. Her teeth ground together, a silent fury simmering within her!’

Yet, in the very next breath, Qin Yan’s words swept away Yu Qingxuan’s wayward thoughts, banishing them to the farthest recesses of her mind.

“Sister, I have informed Shizun of my intention to descend the mountain and embark on a period of itinerant travel.”

As Qin Yan spoke, he noticed the teacup before Yu Qingxuan was nearly empty. Reaching for the teapot, he refilled it for her.

Yu Qingxuan’s expression shifted to one of slight bewilderment. Her gaze settled on Qin Yan, her brow furrowing slightly as she inquired, “What did Shizun say? Did her venerable self agree?”

“If Shizun were to hear you refer to her as ‘venerable self,’ she might well erupt in anger,” Qin Yan chuckled softly. “She agreed, simply urging me to exercise abundant caution.”

“I…”

“Shizun further stipulated that, as this is a journey of exploration and tempering, your Senior Sister should not accompany you. Instead, she instructed you to remain within the sect and recuperate properly from your injuries.”

Qin Yan’s words effectively preempted Yu Qingxuan’s unspoken protest, silencing her before she could even begin.

Alas…

Yu Qingxuan gazed at Qin Yan before her, a poignant thought forming in her mind: ‘Truly, a grown man cannot be confined at home.’