The Little Thieving Cat

Dongfang Kelian planned to go out and buy something to fill her stomach. Yesterday, she had been playing wildly with Qin Yage all day and had even forgotten to eat. Although, whenever she saw Qin Yage’s snow-white skin, she felt fully revitalized, as if her HP, MP, and all stats were maxed out.

But the body is the capital of revolution. Only by keeping herself in good health could she better play with her adorable friend, Qin Yage.

“Sorry, miss, but our shop doesn’t offer such premium services. If you need, I can sell you this bread at half price.” The cashier clearly mistook Dongfang Kelian for a poor little girl who couldn’t afford bread.

If Dongfang Kelian knew what the cashier was thinking, she would have thrown a massive, spoiled tantrum right then and there.

Dongfang Kelian went to several shops in a row. Even the supermarket didn’t support card payments. She was in despair, recalling a saying someone once told her: “Nothing is as real as what you hold in your hands.”

“Indeed, banks are liars,” she let out a mournful cry. Actually, it wasn’t her fault. After all, in this second-tier town of the 2000s, the economy was still backward, and urbanization had only just begun. Services like card swiping were only available in top-tier malls. Many people at that time didn’t even know what a bank card was.

Dongfang Kelian returned to Qin An’s house somewhat disappointed. As soon as she opened the door, the aroma of instant noodles wafted over, deeply tempting her.

She instinctively thought it was a loving meal prepared by Qin Yage for her, completely forgetting that she had tied Qin Yage up like a tightly wrapped zongzi dumpling earlier.

She directly picked up the chopsticks nearby and was about to dig in.

“Where did this thief come from?” A sudden shout startled her, and she was at a loss. The chopsticks fell to the floor with a crisp sound. She looked up to see the owner of the voice.

A face like a little shota, with lustrous and jet-black hair like Qin Yage’s, and wise pupils that seemed to hold the entire world.

Was he really Qin Yage’s brother? That would make him her brother-in-law, wouldn’t it? Ah, should she call him “brother” like Qin Yage does, or directly “brother-in-law”? Would that be too straightforward?

Dongfang Kelian’s face instantly turned crimson. She shook her head frantically, making Qin An think she was a mentally challenged loli thief.

After hesitating for three or four seconds, she finally collapsed from exhaustion.

“Bro, what’s wrong?” Qin Yage had changed into a pink dress in her room and slowly walked toward the kitchen.

“Nothing, just caught a little thieving cat.” Qin An directly hoisted Dongfang Kelian up, ready to toss her out.

“Ah, Ke Ke…”

At the dining table, Dongfang Kelian patted her slightly bulging belly and said with emotion, “I never thought such delicious food existed in the world.”

She still felt unsatisfied, her eyes like a thieving cat fixed on Qin An’s bowl of noodles, of which he had only taken a few bites, her eyes sparkling with desperate hunger.

“Want some?” Qin An saw her saliva about to overflow like a bursting dam, pushed the noodles in front of her, and asked sympathetically.

Who knew from which poor family this child came.

“I’m not really craving it. It’s only because you’re forcing me that I’ll eat it.”

“Yes, yes, miss. Go ahead and eat.”

“Hmph, I absolutely don’t like eating this kind of junk food.” Though her mouth said no, her body was honest. The speed at which she ate the noodles was like a starving ghost reincarnated!

Why are girls these days so twisted in personality?

As Qin An thought this, he glanced at Qin Yage and found her staring at him with murderous eyes.

Little did Qin An know, Qin Yage was clenching her small fists under the table. Damn it, if not for her stomach being full, she wouldn’t have let that glutton Ke Ke benefit!

Dongfang Kelian wiped the corner of her mouth with a tissue. That moment’s movement was elegant and flawless, without a hint of imperfection.

With his seasoned eyes, Qin An could tell at a glance that Dongfang Kelian was of extraordinary origin. As an assassin, aristocratic etiquette was a must among musts.

Both ancient and modern, at home and abroad, the wealthy always cultivated their children’s aristocratic etiquette and consciousness. It was deeply ingrained in their bones, especially at the dining table. There was no particular reason for this—just face and status, to highlight their uniqueness.

“Big brother, let me formally introduce myself. I’m Dongfang Kelian. Dongfang as in ‘East,’ and Kelian as in ‘pitiful.’ But here, ‘kelian’ means cute, so you can just call me ‘Cute’ Big Bro!”

Calling herself “Cute”? This kid sure had thick skin. But she did have the capital to be called cute.

She wore an adorable cartoon T-shirt and snow-white cropped pants.

Her skin, white as milk, had a rosy pinkness, silky and luxurious. Her long, slender willow-leaf eyebrows were painted dark brown. Her bright eyes were set under long, charming, slightly curled black lashes that fluttered. Her crystal-clear eyes were big and spirited, like a fox’s cunning gaze, as if she was always scheming something.

“Ah!” Qin An suddenly felt a pain in his waist and couldn’t help but cry out.

He turned to see Qin Yage glaring at him, her gaze as sharp as a sword piercing into the depths of his pupils.

“Big brother, am I cute?”

“Cough, cough.” Qin An coughed dryly to cover his embarrassment. “Just so-so, not as cute as my sister.”

Hearing Qin An’s compliment, Qin Yage’s pinching hand finally stopped to rest, and her gaze softened a bit—but just a tiny bit.

Dongfang Kelian smiled and said, “Of course, Ya Ya is the cutest person in the world, by far. I can’t compare to even a thousandth or ten-thousandth of her charm.”

Her eyes narrowed into crescent moons, and a meaningful smile curled at the corners of her mouth.

Like a pitiful lamb, she ran over, tugged at Qin An’s shirt hem, and said in a coquettish voice, “Big brother, I have a small request.”

Her voice was sickly sweet, even sweeter than Qin Yage’s candy. It was a direct kill for uncle types and dealt massive damage to quasi-uncle types. Dongfang Kelian had mastered this trick to perfection. No matter who—male or female—if she pleaded in that tone, they would inevitably surrender. The only one immune was her mother, the person she feared most.

Qin An looked like a shota on the outside but was more uncle-like on the inside. Unfortunately, he was no ordinary uncle. This kind of sugary sweet tactic was the favorite trick of Lilo Anrietta, the boss of Tianyu in his past life. Qin An had long been completely immune to such so-called honey traps.

Seeing Qin An’s hesitant expression, Dongfang Kelian’s heart tightened. “Is it not okay? Big brother, if it’s really not possible, I can just spend the night at your doorstep.”

Qin Yage didn’t seem to plead for her close friend either, instead relentlessly twisting the soft flesh on Qin An’s waist, as if she was getting addicted to it.

After a long silence, Qin An finally spoke. “Dongfang Kelian, since you’re Yage’s good friend, I’ll call you by your surname, okay?”

“No problem, no problem at all.” Dongfang Kelian shook her head vigorously.

Qin An tapped the table with his index finger and showed a gentle smile. “It’s already late, and Nan’an hasn’t been safe lately. Letting you leave alone or spend the night at my doorstep is out of the question.”

Dongfang Kelian nodded even more vigorously, like a welcoming machine.

“So, letting you stay overnight here is of course fine, but…”

Qin An changed his tone, and Dongfang Kelian’s little heart tightened.

“You must tell me why you don’t go home to sleep.”

“Ah!”

“Is that not okay? If not, I can send you home.”

Dongfang Kelian was clearly a young lady. Without understanding the situation, Qin An didn’t want to court trouble—especially the troubles of the rich. Because they lacked nothing, and sometimes didn’t even need to act themselves; they could crush you with money alone.

After struggling for a while, Dongfang Kelian looked at Qin An with pitiful eyes. Her eyes were already red and swollen. Sobbing, she said, “Actually, I ran away from home because my mother always beats and scolds me…”

She fabricated a desolate, tragic, and lamentable family tragedy, even moving herself to tears. Qin Yage’s eyes also glistened with tears. Although she knew it was as fake as could be, she unconsciously got into character, relating it to her own situation.

But luckily, I have a good brother, Qin Yage thought. Her brother was unique, belonging only to her. No one could take him away from her, no matter who! Hmph!

“Dongfang, then you can…” Qin An was momentarily at a loss for words.

The house was quite big, but he suddenly couldn’t think of a place where she could sleep. He couldn’t make a guest sleep on the sofa or in the storage room, could he?

“But brother, we only have two beds in the house, and mine is a single.” Qin Yage spoke before Qin An could.

Indeed, there were only two beds. So where did her brother usually sleep? For Qin Yage, some things weren’t that she didn’t know, but she deliberately forgot. Once remembered, however, they stuck like nails in her mind, never to be erased.

Her heart felt a bit sour and bitter.

“Then I’ll sleep on the sofa!”

He was used to sleeping on the sofa anyway. Sleeping there again wouldn’t matter—sleeping more made him healthier.

“No, sleeping on the sofa is bad. Brother, you’re still growing. Sleeping on the sofa is bad for bone development. I don’t want my brother to end up shorter than me.” Qin Yage seemed suddenly knowledgeable, no longer the little girl who only ate candy. Of course, there was a deeper meaning in her words.

But Qin An found it strange—was there such a theory?

“Then you and Dongfang can share the bed. I’ll sleep in your room.”

“No way. How can a girl’s room be slept in by a boy?” Qin Yage flatly rejected Qin An’s proposal.

“But I’m your brother.”

“Not even you.”

“This won’t do, that won’t do either. What do you want then? It’s not like I can sleep with…”

“Brother, I’ll sleep with you…” Qin Yage’s already rosy face turned even redder, her gaze becoming misty. “I mean, I might begrudgingly squeeze in with you.”

“What?”

Not only was Qin An stunned, but even Dongfang Kelian jumped up as if someone had stepped on her tail, exclaiming, “No!”

Qin Yage was taken aback. Dongfang Kelian quickly flattered with a smile, “Even though you’re siblings, isn’t that inappropriate?”

Qin Yage’s face was as red as blood. She seemed to have the attitude of going all out. Her gaze no longer wavered, and she raised her chin. “Yeah, we’re siblings. Isn’t it normal for siblings to share a room?”

“I think I’ll just sleep on the sofa.” Qin An thought it over and felt it was a bit improper.

“Why?” Perhaps it was because Qin An refused too readily, hurting Qin Yage’s pride. The sour and bitter feeling in her heart erupted with anger. Forgetting her shyness, a thin layer of annoyance spread across her face. “Am I poisonous? Will sleeping together poison you? Do you hate me that much?”

“Where did you get that idea?” Qin An smiled awkwardly. “I could never hate you, no matter what.”

“Then what’s there to fear about squeezing together? I really don’t get it. Isn’t it normal for siblings to sleep together?” Qin Yage had completely forgotten her shyness and was purely arguing with Qin An.

“It’s not fear, but… I’m not a sound sleeper. I have bad sleeping posture.” Qin An seemed to have found a decent excuse. “Last month, I spanked your bottom, and you called me a pervert. If I accidentally roll over and crush you, you’d probably call me a beast.”

“I…” Qin Yage was speechless, her face as red as a ripe apple.

Last month, because Qin Yage had been ambushing Qin An at the school intersection corner, ruining his relationship with An Qi, and because of her unreasonable behavior, Qin An had punished her with domestic discipline.

He had spanked her little bottom. Such a sin.

“Hmph, whatever. Sleep if you want, don’t if you don’t.” Humiliated and angry, Qin Yage stormed off to her foster parents’ room and slammed the door, leaving a bewildered Qin An and Dongfang Kelian.