I am only one world away from Yukinoshita.

I have a feeling there's something fishy going on.

P.S.: Cats, although they always seem aloof, are somehow very lovable. Is it because what you can't have always seems more alluring?

Chapter 44, Section 103: My First Beauty Experience

Kiyoshi still couldn't discern anything special from the ordinary-looking invitation card produced in the printing factory. There were no special markings, and its texture was no different from that of a regular card.

But for some reason, I have this feeling that today's entire schedule was planned by someone...

Kiyotori walked at the back, taking a deep look at Yukinoshita, who was walking in front of him, chatting idly with Yuiko.

The waiter led the two into a room and left, while the staff waiting in the room greeted them with warm smiles.

"I'm a staff member here, and I'll be helping you two groom your cats today," she said. She was a very energetic-looking woman, not very old, more like a recent college graduate. Her bronze skin was accentuated by a white wristband that revealed her natural skin tone. "Just call me 'Quan'. What are your names and this little cutie's names?"

Perhaps it was the other person's smile that was too dazzling, and their dark skin, that made Kiyotaka momentarily think that she was actually on a beach, while Yukinoshita, unable to bear the other person's enthusiasm, took a step back slightly.

“My surname is Tachibana, and that’s my cat, Dango,” Kiyori stepped forward and introduced. “This is my senior, Yukinoshita. I’ll be trotting here with you today, Ms. Izumi.”

"Haha, how can serving such a cute little guy be considered troublesome!" Izumi's smile remained unchanged, seemingly completely unaware of Yukinoshita's unintentional distancing.

“Then let me introduce the grooming process first,” Quan said, taking two flowcharts from the bar in the corner. “First, we need to trim Tuanzi’s nails. After all, she’ll be taking a bath later, and if the cat struggles too much, long nails can easily hurt people.”

As Quan said this, she approached Tuanzi and gently examined its little feet.

Kiyoshi recalled the first time he gave Dango a bath, Dango's pitiful screams, his own bleeding arm from being scratched by Dango, and his T-shirt that was completely ruined after only one day of wear...

It's safe to say that Tuanzi is the best example of a mischievous cat.

Like Yukinoshita, who was holding it, Dango was quite resistant to the approach of strangers, but Izumi seemed to have a magic power that could calm cats down. After just a little stroking, Dango obediently let the other person examine it.

Is this cat just being rude to me?

Upon seeing this scene, Qinglai began to wonder if he had been abusing his own cat.

"The nails are still a bit long and quite sharp, and the fur on its paws has also grown long. It's best to trim them," Quan said, lifting Tuanzi's paws for Qinglai to see. "Otherwise, it's easy for it to slip when it walks."

Suddenly, Kiyotomi imagined the little dumpling running around the house and tripping on flat ground, and a slight smile appeared on her lips.

"After trimming the nails, it's time for a bath. Do either of you have experience bathing cats?"

Kiyoshiro nodded, while Yukinoshita shook her head.

How could someone who enjoys watching cats online have any experience with something as wonderful as bathing a cat?

Compared to the faint anticipation under the snow, Kiyotaka felt more of a headache, as she was well aware of her little darling's character.

“Giving a cat a bath is a big undertaking, especially for a long-haired cat like a Ragdoll. If you both want to participate, I suggest you change your clothes in the changing room later,” Quan pointed to an inconspicuous door. “The clothes here are thoroughly disinfected, so you can use them with confidence.”

"Finally, it's time to groom the cat, trimming the fur in some areas that are too long, such as the paws and the fur on the buttocks, which are more likely to get covered in excrement."

The dumpling's tail swung back and forth in the air, occasionally slapping against the arm beneath the snow, while its soft fur fluttered in the air with its movements.

"The deluxe package includes a photo shoot with your cat. If you'd like to keep this as a memento, you can hire a photographer after your beauty treatment."

"Then let's get started right away, this beauty treatment will take quite a while!"

Since Yukinoshita spends less time with Yui than Kiyori does, and Kiyori usually does all the cleaning, she doesn't mind occasionally letting her do the work.

Following Izumi's instructions, Yukinoshita flipped Dango over so that he sat on his back with his belly up in her lap. Then she used cat-specific nail clippers to hold down his long nails. Dango cooperated perfectly and didn't move at all. Yukinoshita's serious and focused face also made the cleaning process feel novel.

However, Dango's cooperation did not last long. Perhaps it was because Yukinoshita's overly cautious and slowed-down movements caused Dango to completely lose patience. Once its two front paws were free, it began to show its true nature. It would either try to pull its feet back uncooperatively or roll around in Yukinoshita's arms. Yukinoshita, who was afraid that she would hurt the little guy if she used too much force, watched it make a fuss with a slight headache.

Izumi didn't step forward to help, but instead looked at Kiyoyori, who was doing nothing.

While not exactly gloating, Kiyoyori raised an eyebrow with delight upon seeing Yukinoshita receive the same treatment as him.

So when Yukinoshita cast a half-threatening glance at Kiyoyori for the third time, Kiyoyori stepped forward and used his hands to restrain Dango's disobedient body.

"Meow~!"

The little dumpling stubbornly twisted its chubby body, turning its head to accuse Kiyoyori of being rude. Its four small, sharp teeth bared its claws, and its pink little tongue, though it was a show of defiance, was seen as cute and coquettish by Kiyoyori and Yukinoshita.

Like a warrior who would rather die than surrender, Yui was arguing with Kiyoyori while using her nimble tail to swat at Yukinoshita's wrist, sometimes blocking her view, sometimes disrupting her movements. But Yukinoshita just gently moved Yui's annoying tail away. Her patience was unexpectedly good, probably because she was facing her favorite feline. Yukinoshita's patience was growing exponentially.

She seems to have an unconscious bias towards people or things she likes.

This applies to Yui, and it also applies to Yui.

Kiyoyori and Hikigaya, as the unfavored individuals, have a deep understanding of this.

"Yes, for a beginner like Ms. Yukinoshita, that's perfect!"

Izumi carefully examined Tuanzi's fingernails. The depth of the cut was just right; the nails were not only short and sharp, but there was no bleeding. Moreover, the length of each nail seemed to be exactly the same, which surprised Izumi.

“However, it seems that Tuanzi is not a very easy cat to manage.” Recalling Tuanzi’s uncooperative and mischievous behavior earlier, Izumi could almost imagine the messy state they would be in when giving it a bath later. “Please be prepared for the bath later, especially Ms. Yukinoshita.”

As expected, Kiyoshi was grateful to the beauty salon for thoughtfully providing a change of clothes.

P.S.: Tuanzi is based on my cat. She's incredibly restless; lately, she likes to sunbathe and sleep near the stove, making the kitchen a mess of fur. She's everywhere – drinking water, eating, everything's covered in her fur. For a while, she seemed to have stomach problems and kept getting diarrhea, with fur sticking to her bottom... That's the downside of long-haired cats, especially when you see her lying on the sofa for a bit, walking across your clothes, and then you find her bottom covered in poop – the feeling is indescribable... The worst part is that she broke two of my favorite figurines, worth three or four thousand yuan combined, just like that...

Chapter 45, Section 104: Taking a bath is the worst!

Before Tuanzi realized it was about to be taken for a bath, it was still quite content, being held in the arms of the famously beautiful girl from Soubu High School and having its fur stroked. It could even enjoy the massage master's skills, its little belly rising and falling, its throat purring in appreciation, and its eyes half-closed.

They were completely unaware of the impending danger.

Yukinoshita, who was also holding her dumpling, was also unaware of the crisis. Perhaps in her eyes, all felines were angels, with unparalleled beauty, gentle and obedient temperaments, who would cling to their owners when they came home from get off work and offer their bodies to comfort their owners when they were in a bad mood. They existed only in the concept of "other people's cats," like "Schrödinger's cat."

Perhaps to protect the last vestige of affection Yukinoshita had for Yui, Kiyoyori didn't explain to her the destructive power Yui possessed while taking a bath, comparable to a husky tearing the house apart.

Or perhaps, this was simply to satisfy Kiyoyori's wicked desire to see Yuki make a fool of himself.

After all, the snow beneath the snow is so perfect, just like in the snowy winter, one can't help but want to step into the thick, unmarked white snow, to be the first to glimpse the imperfect place beneath the perfect snow.

Kiyoyori is willing to call it his own perverse taste.

However, Izumi had already keenly noticed a clue.

"I'll go prepare first. Please change your clothes. If needed, you can use shower caps to cover your hair."

She offered a very kind reminder, but didn't point out Kiyoshi's ambiguous smile.

Perhaps making a mess of things with your cat is a unique way to foster a stronger bond?

"senior."

Through the curtain of the changing room, it was so quiet that you could hear the rustling of clothes as the two of them changed.

Yukinoshita did not answer; she simply waited quietly for Kiyori to continue.

Kiyoyori hesitated for a moment:

"After Tuanzi takes her bath, I'll treat you to lunch."

Consider it compensation for not telling the truth.

"No need."

"Please give me this chance. Didn't you just treat me to coffee, senpai?" Kiyotaka put on his light blue surgical gown and tied the hem of his baggy pants with the drawstring at the waist. "Danko's fur is thick, so even if it needs to be dried, it will take some time. We can use this time to have a meal. Or does senpai have plans for the afternoon and can't participate in the subsequent activities?"

The other side also seemed to be fully dressed.

"it is good."

Having received a satisfactory answer, Qinglai left the dressing room with his clothes and then locked them in the locker with a key.

The clothes he was wearing didn't fit him well, hanging loosely on his body. Kiyotaka tied his hair into a bun and put on a shower cap, which looked a bit incongruous and funny. He was wearing a veterinarian's uniform, but he wasn't wearing a surgical cap on his head.

But at least this will save Kiyoshi's hair from being ruined.

As soon as Yukino stepped outside, she saw Kiyoshiro's comical appearance. Even someone as aloof as her couldn't help but smile. It was the complete opposite of Kiyoshiro's usual attire. The baggy trousers and surgical gown completely concealed Kiyoshiro's figure, making him look like the North and South Poles in contrast to the fitted, narrow-waisted shirt and jeans.

However, Yukinoshita's current design isn't exactly attractive.

To avoid hurting each other, the two tacitly refrained from making fun of each other's ridiculous attire.

"Hmm, it seems you two are fully prepared."

Quan looked at the two people who had obediently put on their shower caps and nodded in satisfaction.

The dumpling, held in Izumi's arms, became anxious after realizing that she was about to be taken to take a bath.

As soon as the three entered the bathroom, Tuanzi started meowing. Unlike her usual gentle and coquettish cries, it was a heart-wrenching scream, as if a knife were held to her throat. Her cries, which took several turns, were even more pitiful than the cries of the stray cats downstairs when everything was coming back to life in spring. Her two blue eyes stared pitifully at Yukinoshita, as if golden tears would fall from them at any moment. Her two paws stubbornly clung to Izumi's shoulder, struggling to escape from his embrace while scratching at Yukinoshita with her front paws.

It is an accusation, but also a cry for help.

"Senior, surrendering to it here means you've already lost."

Having witnessed this scene before, Qinglai's voice sounded rather cold.

This is just the first step; after the initial pleading and cajoling, the next step should be a desperate, all-out escape...

"The shampoo is ready," Quan said, deftly pressing Tuanzi into the bathtub. With the back of its neck held, Tuanzi had no way to escape Quan's grasp. "When rinsing it with water, be careful not to get water in its ears. If you're not sure you can wash its face, you don't have to. Cats wash their own faces."

"Because Ragdolls are long-haired cats, their fur is quite thick, so you need to be especially careful to wet the inner fur as well when rinsing them."

Following Izumi's instructions, Kiyoyori and Yukinoshita stepped into the bathtub, standing one in front of the other beside Dango. Kiyoyori skillfully began the first step after adjusting the water to a suitable temperature.

But an unexpected incident was quietly waiting in the background.

Generally speaking, cats will struggle a lot when they first start taking a bath and will try to escape. However, once they are covered in shampoo and become completely soaked, they will become docile. In short, they have accepted the fact that they cannot escape.

But Tuanzi is a special cat.

Qinglai sometimes wonders if it's too clever for its own good.

Yukinoshita already knew that most cats don't like baths, so she was prepared for Tuanzi to struggle. Although Tuanzi's earlier cries were within her expectations, the cat that was now motionless, quiet as a chicken, and unusually cooperative seemed to be a completely different cat from the little guy who had just screamed.

Is she overthinking things?

Kiyoshi seemed quite used to diligently bathing the dumpling.

"Senior, could you please squeeze out some shampoo? This area is almost completely wet."

Despite its disheveled appearance, Tuanzi still stood tall and proud, its wet fur and still-grown body clearly indicating its true weight.