AVSFCBH 12

But Shen Yunmiao had never spoken to her even once.

She must have seen it when she chewed up the cat bed, and there were cameras on the ceiling when she knocked over the cup. She had obviously seen everything clearly, so why did she always act as though she didn’t care at all?

She had even seen the advertisement for this surveillance camera. The owner could talk to their cat through it. Yet Shen Yunmiao had never said a single word to her. For two whole months, she had been the only cat left alone at home during the day.

It was as though Shen Yunmiao simply didn’t care what she did. She was merely keeping an insignificant little creature in the house, just so there would be a cat waiting when she came home. Nothing more.

Little President Cheng stared at the tiny spherical camera. The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she became. Suddenly, she bared her tiny teeth and grinned at the poor camera. One look was enough to tell that the little cat was plotting something.

She rummaged through the house, making a complete mess. Toilet paper, notebooks, flower vases… none of them escaped her paws.

Of course, Little President Cheng was selective. She mainly destroyed cheaper things and items that weren’t urgently needed.

After finishing, she proudly greeted the camera.

“Meow~”

She was really curious how Shen Yunmiao would react.

“Sweetie.”

Suddenly, a gentle voice, subdued and almost devoid of emotion, reached her cat ears.

Her pink-and-white cat ears, which had been standing proudly upright, twitched uncontrollably.

“Meow~”

Why are you calling me? Have you finally started caring about the things in the house?

Cheng Jianian slowly padded over to the camera, trying to catch a glimpse of the familiar figure through the little black lens.

But there was nothing.

She couldn’t see anything.

An inexplicable sense of disappointment welled up inside her.

All she heard was a soft sigh.

“Be a good girl and stay home, okay? Big Sister will be back very soon.”

“Meow?”

The little white cat blinked, hoping to hear another reply.

But there was nothing.

How annoying…

Shen Yunmiao turned off the camera and apologized.

“Director Jian, you saw it yourself. My little cat is very naughty. She really can’t film a movie.”

Ever since Jian Shen had learned that Shen Yunmiao’s little white cat perfectly matched his requirements, his eyes had lit up like a starving wolf spotting meat. He had been circling around Shen Yunmiao, repeatedly trying to persuade her.

Naturally, Shen Yunmiao didn’t want her little cat appearing in public to earn money. What if Qiao Jingshu tried something again and frightened the cat?

Even though Yuan Duan would be filming that scene now, she still couldn’t relax.

She politely refused once again, but Jian Shen clung to the matter like a stubborn plaster, promising that the little cat wouldn’t be frightened and that the payment would be very generous.

Left with no other choice, Shen Yunmiao resorted to this plan.

She watched the surveillance camera every day and knew exactly what kind of mischief her little cat got up to. She intended to let Jian Shen witness the naughty cat himself and give up on the idea.

By sheer coincidence, the little cat happened to be venting her frustration at home.

Surely…

He wouldn’t still want the cat to act after seeing this, right?

Unexpectedly, Jian Shen’s eyes shone even brighter.

“Yunmiao, your cat is incredible! She has an amazing sense for the camera. She even knows how to find the lens herself. She’s such a clever and adorable little cat!”

Shen Yunmiao was speechless.

She sighed helplessly.

“Director Jian, I’m afraid my cat will be frightened. She’s never experienced anything like this before.”

Jian Shen immediately began pleading.

“Yunmiao, think about it. I’ve never asked you for anything before, have I? Haven’t I always done whatever you’ve wanted me to? Just help me this one time, okay? I’ll owe you a favor, and I’ll definitely repay it someday!”

That mixture of emotional pressure and temptation made Shen Yunmiao deeply uncomfortable. Jian Shen had indeed recognized her talent when no one else had, but she didn’t want her little cat to repay that so-called favor.

However…

The weak could never overpower the strong.

Refusing was useless.

Shen Yunmiao had learned that lesson long ago.

So many of her refusals in the past had only invited people to push even further.

So she simply remained silent, using silence as her refusal.

Yet Jian Shen and the others interpreted that silence as consent.

The cheers and words of thanks ringing beside her ears were painfully shrill, just like distant memories from her school days.

For a moment, it felt as though she had returned to that cold, damp winter where sunlight never reached.

She couldn’t do anything.

She couldn’t say anything.

In the thin, suffocating air, she felt as though she were drowning at the bottom of the sea.

Chapter 11

My Wife Secretly Has a Crush on Me!!!

Once again, Shen Yunmiao came home very late.

Little President Cheng, in her kitty form, carefully stepped around the mess covering the floor and guiltily slipped into the bedroom.

…Hmph. It was Shen Yunmiao’s fault for always giving her the silent treatment. This was the consequence. She couldn’t blame the cat.

Bang.

The door opened and closed.

Cheng Jianian’s heart tightened.

Strange.

Why did the sound of the door closing seem so much heavier than usual today?

The next moment, she saw the familiar figure.

A floral blouse paired with light green trousers.

Whenever Shen Yunmiao appeared, the air around her became fresh and warm, as though spring had suddenly arrived.

But unlike her usual calm and gentle expression, there was confusion and boundless exhaustion in her almond-shaped eyes.

Little President Cheng instinctively walked over and rubbed against the pale green pant leg. As the fabric shifted, a small section of ankle, even fairer than her white canvas shoes, was revealed.

True to her name, Shen Yunmiao was always impeccably clean, like a cloud floating across the sky, wrapped in a faint mist without a speck of dust.

Even a cat rubbing against her never felt dirty.

Looking down at the little white cat by her feet, Shen Yunmiao’s heart softened.

She forced out a smile and gently picked up the little cat into her arms.

She didn’t chatter as she usually did.

Even so, Cheng Jianian could clearly sense how low her spirits were.

“Meow?”

Why are you unhappy?

Did your flowers get rejected again?

I already told you not to give them flowers anymore.

Just give them to me instead.

Hmph. Serves you right.

Little President Cheng reached out a paw and lightly pushed the stubborn woman who never listened.

Shen Yunmiao remained silent.

Holding the cat in her arms, she walked into the living room and slowly began cleaning the mess.

The flower vase was made of aluminum, so it hadn’t shattered. It only needed to be set upright again.

The sanitary pad, torn cleanly in half, was thrown away.

The notebook…

Suddenly, her movements stopped.

Cheng Jianian looked over in confusion.

Was it something expensive?

But it was obviously just an ordinary soft-covered notebook, nothing that looked especially valuable.

Gradually, she distinctly felt the arm she was leaning against begin to tremble.

Then came an involuntary sob.

It was as soft and fragile as the cry of a newborn kitten.

Little President Cheng froze.

Yesterday, she had thought Shen Yunmiao was already very sad.

But back then, she had merely stared blankly at the light.

Today…

She was actually crying.

An indescribable irritation mixed with guilt spread through Cheng Jianian’s heart.

In a panic, she hurriedly turned her head and licked Shen Yunmiao’s face.

She would have been better off not looking.

The moment she turned around, she saw that Shen Yunmiao’s face was already soaked with tears.

Tears rolled endlessly down her beautiful cheeks like broken strings of pearls, falling without destination.

Her clear eyes, as limpid as early autumn dew, resembled lotus leaves overflowing with morning droplets, constantly spilling over.

A dull ache filled Cheng Jianian’s chest.

She gently swept her tongue across the corner of Shen Yunmiao’s eye, licking away every salty tear.

For one fleeting moment, she felt that Shen Yunmiao wasn’t shedding tears at all.

She was pouring out an ocean that no one else knew existed.

And she herself was about to be drowned by that bitter sea.

A cat’s tongue was rough, lined with tiny barbs.

The corner of Shen Yunmiao’s eye quickly turned red.

Watching the cat stubbornly continue licking away her tears, Shen Yunmiao laughed through them.

She hugged her little cat tightly and gently stroked her soft fur.

“I’m sorry, Sweetie. Did I scare you? I’m really okay.”

“Meow!”

You’re lying.

You’re obviously hurting.

Looking at her, Cheng Jianian felt the same heavy ache in her own heart.

“Sweetie, do you want to see what’s inside this notebook? Come on, I’ll open it for you.”

Shen Yunmiao smiled softly.

Her eyes were gentle once again, returning to that distant, untouchable kindness she always wore.

Only the tip of her nose remained slightly pink from crying.

Her words made Little President Cheng’s heartbeat suddenly quicken.

The contents of the notebook?

She could already tell that Shen Yunmiao wasn’t the shallow, gentle beauty the novel had portrayed.

But what secrets was she hiding?

The answer was irresistibly tempting.

She watched intently as Shen Yunmiao slowly opened the notebook.

What could be inside?

A past romance?

People she hated?

Or something even more deeply hidden?

Her long, slender fingers gently turned a page.

A color photograph slowly slipped out.

The photo wasn’t old.

The lighting was just right.

In the lower half of the picture, a figure sat on a stage partly concealed by dry ice, clearly playing a guqin.

Could it be someone Shen Yunmiao liked?

Unable to stop herself, Little President Cheng inched her soft little body forward, trying to see the person’s face in the upper half of the photo.

Thoughtfully, Shen Yunmiao lowered the photograph.

Surrounded by mist, the guqin player sat upright behind the instrument.

Long hair was loosely tied up.

Gray eyes held no emotion, cold to the bone.

Deep-set features.

A high nose bridge.

Snow-white skin.

At a glance, it was obvious the person was of mixed heritage.

For an instant, Cheng Jianian froze completely.

There was only one reason.

It was a photograph of her.

She remembered it clearly.

It had been the school anniversary celebration during her second year of high school.

The school had invited her to perform the guqin, but between studying and countless other responsibilities, she had refused at first.

Then, on the day of the event, she suddenly learned that the current leader of the Chamber of Commerce would be attending.

Left with no choice, she hurriedly added an opening performance.

It was exactly the piece Plum Blossom Melody Three Variations.

Because it had been added at the last minute, hardly any fans had come to take pictures. Apart from students at the school, very few photographs remained.

Even Cheng Jianian herself only had a handful.

So how did Shen Yunmiao have one?

An absurd, almost impossible thought surfaced in her mind.

Could Shen Yunmiao…

Actually be her fan?

The possibility was so unlikely that Little President Cheng barely even dared consider it.

The kind-hearted heroine was a fan of the villainous supporting character?

No matter how she thought about it, it sounded utterly ridiculous.

Seeing the cat staring blankly, Shen Yunmiao reached out and gently rubbed her little cat twice.

Her voice was soft and affectionate, yet her tone remained calm, as though she were merely talking about something very small.