Chapter 233: The Cat-Eared Girl and the Cat
"Oh, by the way." Watching the three girls puzzling over what to order for lunch from the menu, Qi Han's face softened with a smile. "Today, each of you gets a serving of Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth and Qing Dynasty Blessed Pork Meat."
"Huh?"
Hearing this, the three girls looked up, surprised and a bit puzzled.
"It's been a month since we were last open here, so work will probably be pretty hectic for the next few days. Not only might the shop be packed, but we'll also get more customers ordering takeout," Qi Han continued, glancing at the three of them. "So, the two dishes are a little early treat to reward you."
Ah, that explains it.
Hearing Qi Han's words, the three girls suddenly understood, especially Ji Yunruo and Ying Shuang, who had been staying at Shrek during the month off and could fully sense the resentment of Shrek's many regulars.
They clearly remembered that, right after the Small Shop closed, many customers would still come to the restaurant each day. Seeing the notice hung at the door, they couldn't help but let out sighs of disappointment.
Qi Han hadn't given much notice before closing, so there were always some unaware customers arriving full of hope, only to leave with disappointment.
And after a month, instead of dwindling, these determined customers had only increased.
The reason was simple: the sign clearly stated, in black and white, that the place was expected to be closed for about a month.
Now that a month had passed, those customers who had been yearning for the food were growing increasingly eager, almost compulsively coming by to check if Small Shop was open.
After all, what if they came by on the exact day it reopened? Wouldn't that be perfect to satisfy their cravings?
Quite a few customers shared this hopeful mindset.
What's more, the notice didn't just mention the expected one-month closure; it also teased that at least four new dishes would be added when the restaurant reopened.
And what was that supposed to be? It was a shameless tease!
At Small Shop, when were customers most excited?
Definitely whenever new dishes were released!
Although there had been a few mishaps with items like Exploding Honey Badger Intestines and Tin Foil Roasted Brain Flower.
Even so, all the patrons remained endlessly curious about the new and unknown dishes at Small Shop.
So, this reopening would undoubtedly bring about an unprecedented frenzy.
"""Thank you, boss!''''
With two such treasured dishes already on the menu, the three girls only needed to each pick one more staple dish, making the choice much simpler.
After they placed their orders, Qi Han nodded and went back into the kitchen. A few minutes later, he came out with three plates of the main dishes, assisted by Pururu One and Pururu Two.
At that sight, Ying Shuang and Ji Yunruo were beside themselves with excitement.
"Wow, such adorable cats! And they can carry plates too!" Ying Shuang's eyes turned practically heart-shaped as she couldn't resist reaching out to hold one of the Pururus.
She'd seen plenty of cats, but Pururu's lush long fur, an interwoven silver-gray and dark silver, looked incredibly soft to the touch. Not to mention, this cat could carry plates! She'd never seen such a smart cat in her life!
Her inner child couldn't help but be overjoyed.
"Meow~" Pururu Two looked up at Ying Shuang, then snuggled obediently into her arms.
Petting its fur, even softer than she'd imagined, Ying Shuang let out an amused giggle that echoed through the dining area.
Ji Yunruo's eyes widened as she watched Pururu One up close.
So…so cute.
And for some reason, she felt an oddly familiar sensation from the little long-haired cat in front of her.
She glanced over at Ying Shuang, who was already hugging Pururu Two, and timidly reached out her hand toward Pururu One.
With such an adorable Pururu, who could resist?
Pururu One sniffed Ji Yunruo's hand carefully, then tilted its head and rubbed against her, a trace of curiosity flickering in its eyes.
Strange, why does this human feel like a kindred spirit? Meow?
Thinking this, Pururu One jumped into Ji Yunruo's arms, making her scramble to hold it securely.
Petting Pururu One's soft, long fur, Ji Yunruo's face lit up with joy. And in her excitement, a pair of cat ears, remarkably similar to Pururu's, quietly emerged atop her head.
"Meow!"
In that moment, Pururu sensed an even stronger sense of kinship. It raised its head from Ji Yunruo's arms, eyes widening as it spotted the cat ears on her head, strikingly similar to its own. A few scattered memories suddenly surfaced in its mind.
In Pururu's few early memories, there were many companions with similar cat ears, who were once the closest to it.
"Meow~"
So… is this human also one of my kind?
Pururu straightened up from Ji Yunruo's embrace and gently licked her smooth, fair cheek.
Instantly, Ji Yunruo's face flushed a shade redder with shyness.
Fu Ya, who had already seen Pururu carry plates at the restaurant in Star Luo City, found the scene familiar. Having had plenty of chances to pet Pururu before, she merely watched quietly from the side. Yet, seeing Pururu interact so affectionately with Ji Yunruo stirred a bit of envy within her.
It seemed like Pururu wasn't quite so close to her.
Was it because Yunruo's martial spirit was the Misty Cloud Cat?
Lost in thought, Fu Ya glanced at Pururu.
Pururu was also a feline spirit beast, and of a kind she'd never seen before. Perhaps that was why the two were so close?
Watching the two girls play happily with the two Pururus, Qi Han's smile grew a bit broader. "Let me introduce our new staff member—this is Pururu," he said, gesturing toward the Pururu in Ji Yunruo's arms.
Though the two Pururus looked nearly identical, as the one who spent the most time with them, Qi Han could easily tell the original from the clone.
However, his small gesture seemed to stir up a few questions in the two girls' minds.
Ying Shuang blinked and asked, "Boss, then what's this little kitty's name?" She gestured to the Pururu in her own arms.
"Well…" Qi Han and Fu Ya exchanged amused looks.
"Meow!" Pururu Two gave a small shake, wriggled out of Ying Shuang's arms, and leaped gracefully into Pururu One, merging back into it with a flash. The two girls watched in amazement as the second Pururu disappeared seamlessly into the first.
"This is Pururu's innate ability, Mist Clone. In fact, there's only one Pururu," Qi Han explained with a smile. "Pururu is very clever. It can help us with serving food here at the restaurant."
After charming all of Star Luo City, it was finally time for Shrek City to experience Pururu's unique appeal!
"Oh, and Pururu is a mutated Misty Cloud Cat spirit beast, which is probably why it feels so close to Yunruo." Watching Pururu cling to Ji Yunruo, Qi Han couldn't help but feel a tiny pang of jealousy.
A mutated Misty Cloud Cat…
Ji Yunruo's eyes widened as she gazed at the Pururu in her arms.
Although Pururu looked completely different from a Misty Cloud Cat now, the sense of shared origin was strong and unmistakable.
So, that's where the familiar feeling came from.
Almost without thinking, Ji Yunruo gently held Pururu up with both hands, pressing her forehead lightly against Pururu's.
Their cat ears brushed together in perfect sync.
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