Nan Qi said nothing, merely nodding lightly.
Emboldened, Tang Lian tilted her head up and nuzzled closer. Her soft lips trembled as they met Nan Qi’s glistening ones. She ground her lips against them, tracing the full shape of Nan Qi’s mouth and circling teasingly.
As their warm breaths mingled, both girls’ hearts trembled, lost in the exquisite sensation of the moment, utterly unable to pull away.
Tang Lian had finally kissed the part of Nan Qi she had longed for so desperately. The feeling of their lips and teeth intertwined with the person she adored was too wonderful. She clung to Nan Qi, unwilling to let go.
But in the next instant, Nan Qi took the initiative. The hand around Tang Lian’s waist tightened, pulling her deeper into her embrace. Her kiss grew heavier and more ferocious, laced with a subtle dominance.
No longer content with shallow touches, Nan Qi gently licked and probed, prying open Tang Lian’s teeth to pour in her breath. She invaded Tang Lian’s territory with forceful thrusts. Under her onslaught, Tang Lian’s breathing grew heavier and heavier, her body softening until only Nan Qi’s arms kept her from collapsing.
Tang Lian finally witnessed Nan Qi losing control in the throes of love—a stark contrast to her usual aloof and reticent demeanor. She loved this fierce intensity and possessiveness Nan Qi displayed. It all proved that what was happening wasn’t a dream; it was utterly real.
Nan Qi pressed the kiss for a good while before finally releasing her.
As their lips parted, Tang Lian gazed up at her imploringly. “Big Sister, I want to kiss you again.”
This time, Nan Qi’s kiss was much gentler. She merely held the warm softness between her lips, brushing and sucking lightly from time to time.
When they finally separated, both girls were flushed red from ears to neck. They met each other’s eyes, then hastily looked away—only to tangle together again, laughter sparkling across their young faces like stars shining brilliantly in the night sky.
Nan Qi spun Tang Lian around in her arms, keeping her wrapped snugly inside her thick padded jacket. With one arm around her waist, she matched Tang Lian’s steps perfectly as they headed back. There was no way she would let Tang Lian keep walking with her bare legs in the biting cold wind.
Their position made movement awkward; they could only shuffle forward tiny distances at a time, stretching the long riverside path even longer. But neither was in a hurry to get home. They savored this time of being openly close.
They strolled slowly along, the rippling river on one side and the wide road on the other. Tree shadows swayed in the wind, and occasionally a speeding car whipped past, casting a fleeting glow.
Whispering intimately as they walked, Tang Lian suddenly stopped, her ears perking up. “Did you hear a cat meowing? It sounds really close.”
Nan Qi paused, focusing her attention to listen. “I don’t hear anything.”
“I definitely heard it just now,” Tang Lian insisted.
“Should we look around some more?”
Nan Qi’s heart quickened too. Winter temperatures were brutally low, and many stray cats didn’t survive it. She wondered if this one needed help. If they found it, they could take it home, nurse it through the winter, and release it later.
She had always loved fluffy little animals and dreamed of keeping a cat or dog at home. But because Bo Ranying was allergic to animal fur, she had suppressed that wish.
Tang Lian pulled out of her embrace, and the two crouched down, calling out “kitty, kitty” as they searched every nearby corner thoroughly, leaving no spot unchecked. Yet they found no trace of the cat.
A faint meow responded persistently to their calls, however—a tiny voice answering softly: mew… meow~
The sound was weak, as if the cat were ill.
“Where on earth is it?” Nan Qi asked anxiously, with no leads in sight.
Her gaze drifted unintentionally to the pitch-black middle of the road. Just then, a sedan drove by, its low beams illuminating the scene for a split second.
At the same moment, Tang Lian’s excited voice rang out, pitched higher with agitation. “Nan Qi, did you see that? There’s a little cat on the other side of the road!”
Her nerves jolted. A cat lying in the road was never good news.
Now she understood why they had heard meows but couldn’t spot the cat—it wasn’t on their side at all.
Nan Qi made a snap decision. “Let’s go over there.”
Shining their phone flashlights, they crossed to the opposite side. Sure enough, there lay a black cat on the road, sprawled on its side, vomiting blood and twitching convulsively. It had lost all ability to move, a heart-wrenching sight—clearly the victim of a car accident.
Nan Qi squatted down for a closer look. The blood at the corners of the black cat’s mouth hadn’t fully dried, and fresh blood kept trickling out. It must have been hit recently.
The visible wounds made Nan Qi’s heart ache. She didn’t even dare touch the cat, fearing she’d cause more harm.
Sensing humans nearby, the black cat struggled to open its round yellow eyes. The pupils were clear, devoid of any aggression, radiating a warm and friendly light. Its front leg twitched faintly, as if trying to lift a paw to rub against Nan Qi and Tang Lian’s clothes—but it was too weak to manage even that simple motion.
“I want to save it,” Nan Qi said, on the verge of tears.
Tang Lian immediately pulled out her phone to search for nearby pet hospitals. “Let me check if there’s a vet who can come. We don’t have experience, so we shouldn’t move it ourselves.”
Nan Qi half-squatted beside the black cat, waiting for rescue. She couldn’t do much now, but she hoped her mere presence could lend it some strength to hold on.
She turned her head, catching a glimpse of Tang Lian’s delicate profile in the dim light. Tang Lian was methodically scrolling through hospital info and making precise calls—reliable and composed.
Before long, Tang Lian informed her, “I’ve contacted a hospital. They’re on their way—should be here in about ten minutes.”
Nan Qi nodded.
While waiting for the car, Tang Lian kept location sharing on, eyes glued to the map.
Soon, the two markers converged. A van pulled up in front of them. A doctor and nurse stepped out, wrapping the barely breathing black cat in a blanket and carrying it in an airline crate to the vehicle. Nan Qi and Tang Lian climbed in too, heading straight to the hospital.
The black cat was rushed for checks. Tang Lian held Nan Qi’s hand as they awaited the results.
The cat seemed to know it was being rescued and stayed docile the whole way. But when the needle pierced its skin and the staff held it down, it couldn’t hold back a piercing wail. The cry was so shrill it carried clearly through the wall to Nan Qi and Tang Lian in the waiting room.
Nan Qi endured her anxiety until the doctor delivered the diagnosis.
The black cat was a stray female about five months old, somewhat underdeveloped. One leg was fractured from the impact and would need surgery, but there was no internal organ damage. Overall, it was quite fortunate—young enough for a good post-op recovery.
The doctor had already stopped the bleeding and eased the pain, so the black cat no longer twitched in agony. It lay quietly in the blanket now, surrounded by the bloodstains it had smeared everywhere, spotty and stark.
Without hesitation, Nan Qi paid the fees. She gently stroked the cat’s back and asked, “When can it have surgery?”
“We’ll observe it in the hospital for two days, and if all’s well, we can schedule the operation.”
Nan Qi agreed to the treatment plan.
“Can I come visit it every day while it’s hospitalized?” Nan Qi asked reluctantly, petting the cat’s head. She felt a special bond with this little one.
“Of course you can.”
The doctor created a file card for the cat and asked what to put for the owners’ names.
“We haven’t decided yet… Let’s call her Little Meow for now.”
Only after Little Meow was hooked up to an IV and settled into a private cat room did Nan Qi and Tang Lian leave the hospital, looking back every few steps.
Fortunately, the clinic was close to home—they could walk back.
Leaning against Tang Lian, Nan Qi discussed it as they went. “Once Little Meow’s surgery is done and she’s discharged, I want to take her home to live with us.”
Little Meow was so adorable; Nan Qi didn’t want to see her wandering the streets again.
But worry quickly followed. “I’ve never kept a pet before. I’m afraid I won’t do it right or give her a comfortable home.”
Tang Lian reassured her. “Don’t worry—cats aren’t as fragile as you think. There are tons of beginner’s guides online. Any issues you run into, just look them up.”
“Plus, you’re in luck, Big Sister. I have experience working part-time at a cat café, so I can guide you one-on-one.”
Nan Qi’s eyes lit up instantly, her gaze filled with surprise and admiration. Tang Lian basked a little in her girlfriend’s worship, lifting her chin proudly.
A moment later, it morphed into a touch of playful grievance.
“Our little home for two is getting a child so soon? I haven’t even enjoyed our honeymoon phase, and now I’m a painless mom.”
She naturally considered Little Meow their shared responsibility.
Her thinking was straightforward: since they’d found Little Meow together and Nan Qi wanted to keep her, then she’d help raise her too.
Nan Qi: Huh?
Recalling how she had just promised Tang Lian that they would try to build a home of their own—only to stumble upon an injured cat in need of help moments later—Nan Qi overturned her earlier opinion. This cat wasn’t fated solely with her; she was fated with both of them. She was born to join their family, sent by the heavens as her pet to help fulfill Nan Qi’s long-cherished dream.
“I’ve come up with a name for Little Meow.”
Nan Qi gazed steadily at Tang Lian, her eyes warm with affection.
Tang Lian had her shopping app open and was adding cat supplies to her cart one by one. Caught by that unwavering stare, she paused mid-motion and asked on instinct, “What are you going to call her?”
“Niannian.”
Tang Lian tilted her head, pondering the choice. Was it a play on her own name?
Nan Qi explained the meaning slowly and deliberately. “I hope that once we’ve adopted Niannian, we can cherish year after year together—just like her name suggests—walking forward with unwavering resolve, always.”
Tang Lian stood there in stunned silence for a long moment. When she finally grasped Nan Qi’s heartfelt intention, her eyes began to glisten with tears.
“Waaah, it will happen, I promise! Big Sister, I’ll never let go of your hand! Even if you try to chase me away, I won’t have it!”
Tears welled up in Tang Lian’s eyes, brimming over her lashes. She flung herself into Nan Qi’s arms, wrapping her arms tightly around Nan Qi’s neck. Her warm tears soaked straight into the collar of Nan Qi’s shirt.
