Chapter Nineteen: Green Tea and Scheming Women A round of applause for every reader who leaves a comment each time a new chapter is released! Love you all.

Xiaoyun glanced at me, then tiptoed to the door, unlocked the small padlock, and with a swift movement, darted in a black-and-white spotted stray cat! The reason I call this cat a stray is because her eyes are almost translucent, a shade of earthy yellow. She looked at us with a wild, rebellious air, her gaze proud and disdainful.

"Dongdong? What do you want?" Xiaoyun looked at the cat unhappily, the hint of hostility clear in her voice.

"Master said to wait for Bai Qianqian at the Pavilion of Shadows and sent me to fetch her!" This cat, named Dongdong, shot me a sideways glance full of contempt, as if she could hardly be bothered to look at me. I was baffled. Yesterday, when I parted ways with Wangchuan, he hadn’t said a word about needing me today, nor hinted at any task. So why send another cat to knock on my door so early in the morning?

Dongdong snorted. "If you don’t go, don’t blame me if you regret it later."

I smiled. "Are you suggesting I have a choice in the matter?"

Normally, a master's command is not to be defied. Why would this cat say otherwise? And though she spoke with a commanding air, repeating the master's orders, there was a subtle evasiveness in her eyes, barely noticeable.

Perhaps since turning into a cat, my powers of observation had sharpened. A cat’s gaze is far less complex than a human’s, and their emotions easier to read.

Dongdong sneered and stepped closer, placing a paw on my nest. "Bai Qianqian, don’t say I didn’t warn you—this time, Master wants you because it concerns your sister!"

My heart skipped a beat. I leapt to my feet. "What did you say?!"

"You heard me." She rolled her eyes, refusing to repeat herself.

It concerns Xin’er? But how could Master know about her? A thousand thoughts raced through my mind. I looked at the little cat before me, her eyes glinting with mischief, and replied softly, "I’ll go with you."

"Qianqian—" Xiaoyun called gently, as if wanting to say something more. Dongdong, however, glanced at her and curled her whiskers into a sneer. "Let me warn you, Qianyun, know your place. You’re nothing but a soul-eating cat. Don’t think you can influence the master’s mind!"

Her words left me even more puzzled. To be honest, her speech seemed disjointed, as if she was hiding something, but there was nothing obviously wrong.

How could Xiaoyun possibly hope to change the master’s will?

"I—I’ll come with you!" Xiaoyun called out from behind. Dongdong immediately turned, bared her teeth, and hissed with open hostility. "Master said only Bai Qianqian is to go! You—stay!"

This Dongdong was strict, and the collar around her neck was different from mine. She looked like a soul-eating cat, but clearly more formidable. Each of her sentences ended with a forceful emphasis, the kind that provoked a fight at first glance. If she were a leopard rather than a black-and-white cat, I could easily mistake her for a little beast ready to pounce.

Xiaoyun looked thoroughly dissatisfied, raising her paw as if to follow, but I smiled at her. "It’s all right, Xiaoyun. I doubt Master will do anything... At worst, I’ll just bite another hole in him."

I chuckled, trying to comfort Xiaoyun. But though I joked, she didn’t smile at all. She glanced at me, muttering something under her breath, but finally I caught her words: "Be careful. Come back soon."

"I know." I nodded, then followed Dongdong out of the cat nest.

She didn’t say a word to me on the way, leading me to a small hut I’d never seen before. With a lift of her paw, she gestured. "There, the master’s waiting for you inside!"

I looked at the little wooden hut, built simply, looking more like an abandoned bamboo shack. "Master is here?"

Dongdong raised her head, a mocking smile playing on her lips. "What, you don’t believe me?"

"I don’t," I said bluntly, flicking my ear and straightening the troublesome earring that kept flipping over. Xiaoyun’s behavior had already told me that something was wrong about this outing. She’d been hesitant, warning me to be careful. But with my sister mentioned, I had no choice but to follow, only to be brought here.

Perhaps sensing my suspicion, Dongdong managed a slightly more amiable smile and pointed inside. "Haven’t you noticed your sister’s scent?"

I looked into the shack, startled. Xin’er was here? Wasn’t she supposed to be with Han Mingxuan? Why would she be in the Rift?

Strangely, I couldn’t smell anything. Was my nose failing me? Cats aren’t known for their sense of smell, but their hearing and night vision are superior. Still, I neither saw, heard, nor smelled any trace of Xin’er.

"Try again." She motioned for me to close my eyes.

Skeptically, I did as she said—and sure enough, a familiar scent drifted to me. Xin’er! After all these years, I wouldn’t mistake my own sister.

Without another word to Dongdong, I dashed inside the hut.

I didn’t notice the cruel smile curling on Dongdong’s lips as she followed at my heels. By the time I realized, I was already surrounded by a group of cats.

Their eyes glowed green, pupils narrowed with icy hostility, as if they couldn’t wait to tear me to shreds.

Leading them was the same black cat—Ningning—who had troubled me three days after I first arrived in the Rift. According to Xiaoyun, she’d been preparing diligently for the guardian cat selection, yet for some reason harbored deep resentment toward any cat favored by the master.

I hadn’t found time to ask what rank a guardian cat held, but I suspected her ambition was just a pretext; what she really wanted was the master’s affection.

As a woman, I’ve seen all kinds of women in my life. I wouldn’t claim the world is full of pure-hearted saints—certainly, I am not one. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses; cunning and calculation are commonplace, and one can’t blame them. Perhaps it’s just circumstances making heroes. In times of chaos, these women might be celebrated generals or strategists, not just “schemers.”

But in this peaceful age, their intelligence and ambitions can only be pursued through “every possible effort.” I don’t despise these efforts. In fact, I admire Ningning’s audacity—daring to challenge the master himself. Such defiance could only end in death if discovered. Not hateful, just pitiable. Pitiful for misusing her cunning.

"What’s that look in your eyes?" Ningning’s first words to me were a challenge.

I sneered, flicking the foolish ear with its troublesome earring again. "You lured me here with my sister’s name. What expression do you expect?"

Since entering, I’d spotted several of Xin’er’s old clothes arranged in the hut—clearly stolen by this gang at some point. Perhaps it was my own anxiety that had made me fall for such an obvious trick.

The circle of cats tightened. Their tails were wrapped in white gauze, and some, though bare, were oddly crooked. The sight amused me. "What is it? Just released, and now you want another round? Will you stop only when your tails fall off?"

Sure enough, some of the smaller cats at the back shivered at the mention of punishment, glancing nervously at Ningning.

"Heh! Tell me—if you died here, quietly and without a sound, who would know?"

I looked at her, smiling coolly, showing no sign of fear. "Last time, when I first came to the Rift, you already saw what I’m capable of. I’m not afraid to fight for my life."

I stepped forward, holding my head high, meeting Ningning’s green gaze.

"And so what?" she retorted, tossing her gauze-wrapped tail with pride. "Bai Qianqian, I warned you countless times not to seduce the master, didn’t I? Look at you, always stirring up trouble. Do you really think a newcomer like you could shake things up? That the master would like you? Ridiculous!"

"Yes! Ridiculous!" I drummed my paw on the ground, laughing heartily. "Of course it’s a joke! The master doesn’t like me. He bit through my ear and put this thing in it—I have no idea what it is. Honestly, I wish I could get rid of it—" I deliberately drew out the words, sighing with mock annoyance as I touched the earring.

My words seemed to enrage Ningning and her gang, who began hissing and spitting, trying to intimidate me.

I only found it more amusing. "Stop pretending. We’re all people turned into cats, aren’t we? Outwardly cats, but inside, still human. Show me your real face—why bother with all this effort?"

Ningning’s expression shifted. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean—don’t push me too far. My only goal has always been to become human again, not to get involved with Wangchuan!"

She burst out laughing, utterly unbelieving. "Who would believe you!"

All their eyes glowed green, full of suspicion. Only I kept smiling.

"Kill her and bury her."

With that cold command, the cats pounced.

Miraculously, after Wangchuan had nearly crushed my hind leg yesterday, it had fully recovered. The other cats were still wounded, so we were evenly matched. Just as the fight grew tangled and fierce, a thin, trembling voice sounded from outside the hut.

"Stop! All of you, stop!"