It was a rare late morning, a chance to sleep in.
Nan Jiayu surprisingly woke up very late, not even having breakfast; her eyes opened at half past ten.
The Cat Girl silently picked up her phone from the bedside and glanced at it.
There were two unread messages in the chat... from Su Tianqing, sent at nine in the morning.
"Good morning, Kitty ~"
Accompanied by a Fox Fox waking up emoji.
"Good morning, Tianqing, you woke up so early."
Nan Jiayu silently typed a line of text and sent it, then hesitated for a moment before adding a Cat Cat waking up emoji.
Not receiving a reply immediately, Nan Jiayu got out of bed and saw Roommates A, B, and C packing their luggage.
"Oh, Xiaoyu, you're up?" Roommate A was stuffing clothes into a suitcase and looked up when she saw the Cat Girl, speaking out.
"Mm... I slept a bit too much, it's time to get up," the Cat Girl replied, her ears and tail drooping.
"Are you leaving today? Aren't you waiting for your report cards?"
"What's there to wait for? Just go home early and pick them up next semester," Roommate B grumbled in reply.
"I see. Well, I wish you all a happy holiday."
The Cat Girl watched Roommates A, B, and C leave, standing in the somewhat empty dorm room, tilting her head to look at her bed and desk.
Final exams were over, and Rongcheng Medical College was about to enter winter break.
After informing her roommates about the dorm situation in the group chat, Nan Jiayu sat at her desk and couldn't help but ponder her holiday plans.
...First, she had to diligently catch up on her studies during the break. She couldn't keep staring at Xin Yuehu's live stream every day like she did this semester.
Otherwise, next semester she'd only be able to rely on Tianqing's test papers, which was absolutely unacceptable.
But catching up shouldn't take too much time. If worse came to worst, she could ask Tianqing to tutor her; Tianqing would surely be happy to help.
So, what next? What should she do after that?
She wondered when Tianqing would go to Sui City to play. A holiday trip sounded good, and if possible, she could even invite Nan Xiaofeng along...
Soon, Nan Jiayu's phone rang with an incoming call from Su Tianqing.
"Hello—Xiaoyu, are you awake? If you don't wake up soon, you'll be a lazy cat!"
"I'm already up! I'm about to go out to eat. Tianqing, do you have any plans today?"
"Mm-hmm ~ Xiaoyu, just open the window and you'll know! ~"
Nan Jiayu walked to the balcony in confusion, poking her head out to look outside the dorm building.
Among the few students dragging suitcases, a fluffy Golden Fox stood out.
Her hair was tied in a braid behind her, and her small hands, peeking from fluffy cuffs, waved at her. The midday sun fell on her soft, swaying fox tail, creating a sweet, honey-golden halo.
The dress she wore, with its fur-trimmed collar and cuffs, also made Nan Jiayu suddenly remember something—this was the very one she had picked out for Tianqing during their last shopping trip. It looked perfect on her.
"Tianqing, you've changed into new clothes. They're very cute."
"It's the one Xiaoyu picked out last time! It's gotten colder recently too. How about it, isn't it cute ~?"
"While it is very cute... Ah, Tianqing, wait for me. I'll change and be right down."
"Okay ~ Let's go have lunch together later."
The call ended, and the Cat Girl quickly threw her pajamas onto the bed and changed into winter clothes. After a quick tidy-up, she jogged out of the dorm.
"Tianqing! Sorry to keep you waiting!"
"Hehe ~ Starting today, it's holiday time! Xiaoyu, what are your plans for the holiday?"
The Golden Fox immediately clung to her, transforming into a cat-like accessory, and spoke to the Cat Girl beside her.
Nan Jiayu pondered for a moment.
"Mm... I was thinking about that today. I want to use the holiday to catch up on the classes I've missed."
"So studious? Shouldn't you be having fun during the holiday?" Su Tianqing blinked in surprise.
See, Xiaoyu is so studious! Not only does she frequent the library, but she even wants to catch up on classes during the holiday!
"Because I feel like I've fallen behind a lot," the Cat Girl replied with an embarrassed smile.
"But speaking of which, Tianqing, didn't you say last time you wanted to travel to Sui City?"
"Yes! I heard there's so much good food and fun things to do in Sui City, and we can even see the sea!" The Golden Fox wagged her tail happily.
A brief silence.
Su Tianqing tilted her head to look at the Cat Girl beside her, who was deep in thought, and quietly linked arms with her.
"Xiaoyu."
"Hmm? What is it?"
"Actually, I have a secret I want to tell you."
"...What secret?" Nan Jiayu's heart trembled, and she asked, puzzled.
What secret could Tianqing have? Such a bright and sunny Fox Fox, even if she had a big secret, it wouldn't be too surprising.
"If Xiaoyu, you promise to come with me to Sui City and Qiongcheng, then I'll tell you ~"
The Golden Fox grinned, making a shushing gesture.
Faced with such an alluring Fox Fox, who could refuse her grand invitation?
"This trip, it'll just be the two of us ~" Su Tianqing continued.
"Just the two of us, huh..."
Nan Jiayu seemed to make a connection.
Two people traveling together, isn't that just like a date!?
"How about it, Xiaoyu? We'll go to Sui City to eat delicious food together, and then go to the seaside to see the ocean. It'll be super fun!"
Su Tianqing said with a smile.
"And also... Xiaoyu, don't you think it's a bit like we're eloping?"
"Elope, elope... that's not quite right!"
The Cat Girl's face flushed instantly, and the Golden Fox chuckled, covering her mouth, her eyes full of mirth.
Shy Cat Cat, cute, time to refine!
...
Meanwhile, somewhere in Rong City.
The girls sat calmly in a restaurant.
Nan Xiaofeng silently looked at Hua Ling across the table, Hua Ling silently looked at Lin Muyao on the other side, and all three of their gazes turned to focus on the head of the dining table.
Deep chestnut curtains draped around the walls, and a speaker playing elegant piano music sat in the corner, the notes becoming clearer and brighter amidst the subtle sounds of the waiters gliding across the carpet.
"All the dishes for today have been served, Young Miss, please take a look."
An elderly butler stood respectfully behind the small girl at the head of the dining table.
The girl picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of meat from the plate in front of her, chewed it carefully, and revealed a satisfied smile.
"Mm... not bad. Butler Wang, your cooking is truly excellent."
"You flatter me, Young Miss. I will now go prepare some desserts and drinks. If any of you need anything, please feel free to contact me."
With that, the butler left the room with his subordinate waiters.
Nan Xiaofeng was completely stunned by the scene before her, but the Bai Diao (White Sable) Spirit in another empty seat was already heartily gnawing on a roasted chicken leg specially prepared for her.
This morning, the three of them received a message from Li Kexin, inviting them to her home for a meal and to discuss some matters.
"I just didn't expect... Senior, your home is actually so..."
Hua Ling glanced at the luxurious restaurant decor around them and whispered.
"Hmm? Oh, this is my dad's house. He and my mom just like this style."
"Then... Kexin Senior, you said this morning you had something to discuss with us. What exactly is it?"
Silence.
The girl put down her chopsticks, looked at the serious expression on Hua Ling's face, and sighed.
"It's like this... My dad found out I ran off to Rong City, and he also heard that you all helped me, so he wants to thank you."
"Eh? Does your father know you are...?" Nan Xiaofeng said in surprise.
Li Kexin nodded awkwardly.
"Yes... After all, he's my dad, I can't hide it from him. But he's quite supportive of me doing this line of work, and he specifically told me not to go near our family's industrial park..."
Everyone exchanged glances, each understanding without words.
Li Father's statement was quite normal; he seemed to understand his daughter well, knowing that when she fought, she disregarded all relations and unleashed full firepower. If she fought in their own industrial park, they'd probably suffer heavy losses.
"In short, my father wants to thank you all, and I also plan to have a good chat with my companions in Sui City, so I decided to invite you all to Sui City for a few days."
"Don't worry, I've already contacted the Rongcheng Hero Association. The Autumn Osmanthus Squad said they're coming to Rong City for the holiday, so the garrison duty will be handed over to them."
"This... I might need to discuss it with my dad..." Nan Xiaofeng hesitated.
Seeing this, Li Kexin decided to unleash her ultimate move.
"My father will cover all your travel, accommodation, and meals in Sui City."
"Okay! No need to discuss! When do we leave?"
A soft laugh filled the restaurant.
The Magic Girls' trip to Sui City began inadvertently.