There's Nothing Wrong with Being a Fan of Star Baby (Combined Edition/Thank You for 21 Grandmaster Certifications)

“……”

“What on earth are you talking about…”

Like a hot potato, Bai Xing tossed the phone adorned with an anime girl pendant aside. Her face flushed red as she curled up in the corner of the bed, hugging her knees and burying her face in the soft, fragrant blanket.

Her heart was racing.

Her cheeks were burning.

But…

She didn’t know how to face him again.

She didn’t know how to continue the dream that had been left unfinished.

These past few days, she had been enveloped in a kind of darkness.

The darkness was like a tide, spreading everywhere.

She felt like a small white cat abandoned in a dream, looking around, unsure of where to go.

If before, the senior’s promise had allowed her to see a glimmer of hope,

then Su Ling’s appearance was like a solar eclipse happening right before her eyes.

Clear, overwhelming,

swallowing him up.

So much so that she didn’t dare to reply to his messages.

She didn’t dare to touch him again.

She didn’t even dare to read his words too closely.

Nor could she express that she was thinking of him.

Not because of anything else.

Just because she was afraid of her being by his side.

With that terrifying expression,

smiling,

standing by his side.

Or perhaps, the one sending the messages was her herself.

“…”

It seems like a psychological shadow has been left behind.

Bai Xing pressed her lips tightly together, her expression a struggle.

But she still couldn’t help stealing a glance at the senior’s words with her peripheral vision.

Although it was just a seemingly normal cooperative task, in her eyes, any words spoken gently by the senior were no less than love words.

Ugh.

She lightly patted her face, mustering her courage.

She knew in her heart,

“At this time, the senior should be at school.”

Before leaving, he had knocked on her door.

But she didn’t open it for him.

How could she?

How could she dare to look at him even once under Su Ling’s watchful eye?

It would be the end of her, wouldn’t it?

Absolutely.

Bai Xing wasn’t stupid.

Ever since she saw「her」,

all previous plans, all guesses…

had collapsed.

The assumptions were overturned,

the estimated opponent’s strength had completely shattered the power scale.

Fear was the only feeling left in her heart.

Her mental world had already been in ruins after being trampled on by「her」.

“How could there be such a terrifying person…”

Su Ling…

She murmured this name silently.

It seemed as though these two words had become a「taboo」.

The more she said it, the more distorted it became.

The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became.

The more she thought, the more it made her tremble,

feeling surrounded by a chill.

“Ugh…”

Bai Xing wiped her tears, shrinking her body.

Her red eyes had cried countless times,

the brand-new tissue box on the bed, originally containing 360 pure wood tissues, was now less than half full, the flattened bag showing significant consumption.

If only the senior was by her side.

If only she could bypass「her」and hear his comforting words in her ear.

“Ah…”

The girl raised her small hand, rubbing her eye with the back of her hand.

Her gaze fell on the phone lying on the bed not far away.

Actually…

Who wouldn’t want to open the door, be held by the hand by the person she liked, and walk out of the neighborhood together under the morning light?

Who wouldn’t want to dress up beautifully and step onto the morning subway with him,

breathing in the fresh air of autumn mornings, filled with the youthful atmosphere of the university campus?

But, it was really impossible…

If it weren’t for Su Ling.

She would have risked being labeled as a trap girl and jumped into the senior’s arms.

She would have grabbed his shirt, desperately sniffing, and even if he lifted her up and threw her, she would have been willing.

She wanted to be hugged by him.

She wanted to be patted on the head by him.

She wanted to hear his gentle words of comfort by her ear.

She wanted to experience again the memory of last time,

when their faces were less than three inches apart, being gazed at so seriously.

“Ah…”

Su Ling…

Are you a devil?

Where did you come from?

How could there be a woman like you in this world…

“There’s absolutely, absolutely, no chance of defeating her, is there?”

Bai Xing bit her lower lip, scraping off the dry skin with her teeth, leaving a bright red mark.

She knew well.

She was from the countryside.

At her core, she was just a country girl.

A few years ago, she was even awkwardly dressed, feeling inferior when walking on the street.

Whether it was her current sense of style or her fashionable outfits, it was all the result of extensive research, gathering various OOTD (Outfit of the Day) information, and slowly cultivating over time.

Nothing had been easy.

But Su Ling was obviously different.

She seemed to be born a city girl.

With her innate physical advantages.

Already almost unbeatable from the start, she also didn’t waste a single moment in taking care of herself, perfecting herself.

Gradually evolving into a ultimate weapon that could captivate any man.

Seriously, is it necessary?

What are you trying to do?

Can’t you give others a chance?

You’re leaving no room for anyone, what do you want?

To monopolize everything, overtake others, completely lock down the field, expand your territory. Is that it?

Are you going to devour my senior?

Are you really trying to be a sister?

A normal sister wouldn’t have such long fangs, would she?

“Truly terrifying.”

Bai Xing took a deep breath.

She could only mutter a few words about「her」behind her back.

After a moment.

Her gaze lingered on the standing coat rack not far away, on the senior’s black overcoat.

Suddenly, she felt that she hadn’t lost completely.

Hmm, it seemed like there was still a long game to be played.

Although she had been bullied to the point of being fragmented, at least she hadn’t been reduced to dust.

I can still fight.

I can still turn things around.

There’s still a chance.

Yes.

She pressed her lips tightly, her expression serious.

Stretching out a white-stocking-clad foot from under the blanket, she used her toes to hook the blissfully resting phone back to a reachable distance.

Picking it up, she began to carefully strategize.

“Meowing like a cat…”

“Isn’t that just abusing your authority for personal gain?”

“…Hmph.”

Bai Xing’s face turned pink.

She licked her lips, her heart racing as she typed:

【“Senior, do you really like cats that much?”】

Lu Qing replied instantly:

“I do.”

“Have you ever kept one?” she asked.

“No. But when I was little and lived in the countryside, there was a black cat that often came to the entrance of my yard to look for food.

I was young and naive, so I took a bowl, mixed some ham with rice, and brought it out for her. I got to interact with her for a while.

“Hmm? Tell me more.”

She showed curiosity.

“Sure.”

Lu Qing reminisced:

“She was small. Seemed a bit shy and afraid of people. Every time she finished eating, she would leave immediately, only to come back the next day.”

“I knew she was timid, so I wouldn’t disturb her while she ate. I just placed clean water and food at the door, and when she came to eat, I wouldn’t look at her.”

“I fed her like this for a while. Later, I found out that I had to leave the countryside, so I told a big sister from the next house, who I was on good terms with, about the cat.”

“I asked her to take care of the little cat for me, not too much trouble, just put some cat food at the door and prepare some water.”

“That sister agreed, and I finally felt at ease. But whether she actually did it or not, I don’t know.”

He said.

“The only regret was that on the day I left, the black cat didn’t come to my house to eat. Thinking back now, I still feel nostalgic.

So during these years living in the apartment, I’ve always conveniently ordered cat food online, making sure to buy the ones over 120 yuan, in large bags,

and then I’d pour them in installments at the flowerbed to the left of the building entrance, you know that place, right? Anyway, I just thought it would be good for the stray cats in the area to have food during the toughest times, so they wouldn’t go hungry. It’s kind of a way to remember her.”

“Sigh, I wonder how she’s doing now.” He sighed softly.

!

At this point,

Bai Xing’s expression softened, her small mouth slightly open.

She knew.

Every time she came home and entered the building, she would notice the huge pile of cat food in the flowerbed to the left, incredibly conspicuous.

She had originally wanted to ask the security guard in the apartment monitoring room who would be so over-the-top as to dump cat food downstairs like that.

Isn’t that a bit… weird? If you like cats so much, why not just keep one yourself, instead of doing this…?

But due to her slight social anxiety, she never actually went to inquire.

Who would have thought that it was the senior who did it.

“……”

To be honest,

It really seemed like something he would do.

“Senior, I think you’re a hardcore cat lover, there’s no saving you.”

Lu Qing: “Is that so? Thanks for the compliment. I’m feeling a bit embarrassed now.”

“……”

Bai Xing pursed her lips and taunted, "You, huh? Don't tell me you've been watching too much anime and now you're daydreaming about one day having a nekomimi sister just because you do stuff like this."

"Ahaha! Haha, haha, you really get me, huh? You figured it out, didn't you?" Lu Qing sent a cheeky emoji of someone scratching their head, as if proudly saying, "That's right, it's me."

Bai Xing let out a soft "Ew," pouted, and started daydreaming.

"..."

It was 3 PM, and class was still going on.

Senior Lu, normally the type to listen attentively no matter how perfunctory the teacher was, even occasionally taking notes.

"He's been replying to me instantly during class today..."

Was it because he was worried I'd feel bad...?

Worried I'd feel lonely, that no one would be there for me...?

Bai Xing bit her lip and buried her face into her knees.

"Come to think of it... he's been very proactive lately..."

He'd been trying to contact me constantly in the past few days.

"Did he know I'd be crying alone at home...?"

When did Senior Lu... start caring about me so much...?

Bai Xing's face felt warm as she pondered this question.

It seemed...

ever since the day I went to the hospital,

Senior Lu had been subtly showing concern for me.

Lending me his coat, walking me home, promising to handle all the new V project plans.

But...

but at first, he clearly didn't care about me at all...

He had such a beautiful sister, such a perfect sister.

A sister who understood him, knew him, took care of him, and made him utterly captivated.

So why... would he suddenly take an interest in me?

My looks are decent, my cuteness is top-notch, but in his eyes, I'm surely no match for his sister, right?

What exactly did I do to catch his attention?

Bai Xing didn't understand and couldn't figure it out no matter how hard she tried.

"I've tried every weapon in my arsenal, but no matter what, I can't get close to his heart, can't seduce him."

Now how...

every time I'm about to give up, every time I'm on the verge of breaking down,

he pulls me back up, lifts me above the dark waters again?

He's saved me from that suffocating feeling more than once.

All the despair, all the confusion, he always finds a way to dispel them, to guide me back onto a path with light.

I...

how can I repay him?

How...

can I even...

stand a chance against Su Ling...?

"Ah..."

At this rate, I don't stand a chance, do I...

Bai Xing's face scrunched up as she pondered.

She picked up her phone and casually scrolled through her chat history with Senior Lu.

She'd already read it five or six hundred times.

The few casual chats they'd had, totaling less than thirty messages.

Looking for...

looking for something I can still use.

Suddenly.

The girl's finger stopped on a recent WeChat message.

[Bai Xing, can you "meow" 50 times for me?]

"!"

That's right.

Senior Lu is a cat lover.

That's why he made such a perverted request.

He must watch a lot of nekomimi stuff in his spare time.

Maybe his computer is full of related gal games.

He asked me to record 50 "meows."

Probably exaggerated.

Or half-joking.

But if.

"If I really fulfill his request and use 50 different tones, recreating 50 different cat sounds..."

Would he like it?

Would he be impressed by me?

Right.

Come to think of it, my weapon, the last weapon I haven't fully shown him, isn't it something from my professional field?

The girl's eyes lit up.

"I can mimic the voice of any female character."

"I can use his favorite voice to say the most flirtatious things to him."

"I can whisper softly in his ear, calling his name."

I can.

I absolutely can.

And this thing.

—Su Ling can't do.

"..."

In an instant.

The expression on Bai Xing's face, which had been uncertain, gradually revealed a new smile.

She half-closed her eyes, like a ragdoll cat basking in the pleasant sunlight under a lemon tree.

Come on.

Give it a try.

"This opportunity, only comes once."

I originally wanted to conquer him with other things, but it seems I was completely off track.

It was my mistake.

Good.

"A 'meow' is just one word, unlike other scripts that take a lot of time to record..."

"If that's the case, let's practice 2000 times first."

Bai Xing licked her lips and thought.

...

When the school bell rang for dismissal.

Lu Qing picked up his shoulder bag, pushed his chair back under the desk, and walked toward the back door of the classroom.

Without warning.

[Ding ding ding]

[Ding ding ding ding]

[Ding ding ding ding]...

Over fifty audio files were sent to his WeChat one after another.

—From "Rina."

"?"

He furrowed his brows, puzzled, and clicked on the first .wav file.

Named [Cat Mimicry].

Clicked.

"Meow~"

"?!"

The sweet, lifelike unedited audio played, though only for a second, the meticulously designed girl's voice still made him shudder, freezing him on the spot.

"..."

He silently took out his 2500 yuan Bluetooth earphones.

Put them on.

Quickly walked to a secluded corner in the hallway.

Closed the fire door.

Sat on the highest step.

Glanced at the second .wav file.

[Japanese Cat]

Clicked.

"Nya~"

"?!!!"

Lu Qing's breathing quickened slightly.

Mm.

Third.

[Western Cat]

"Owww~"

...

Fourth.

[The Fierce Fat Cat in the Neighborhood]

"Hiss meow!!!"

...

Fifth, sixth.

[Anime Nekomimi — Chocora]

[NecoPa Game Cat Voice — Vanilla]

"Meoww~"

"Meow ya."

...

Seventh, eighth, ninth...

[Maid RPG Cat Girl Character — Yuno]

[Novel 'Spirit Medium' Supporting Character Voice — Xia Lianxing]

[Anime Movie 'I Wore a Cat Mask to Cry' Mimicry Cat Sound]

...

Tenth: [Whole Wheat Bread Scream]

"Ahh—nya!!!"

"..."

Fiftieth.

[Bai Xing's Original Voice]

"Wu... wu meow..."

I'm done for.

The sweet, soft voice was right by his ear, stirring Lu Qing's eardrums.

As if the girl was whispering, wrapping him in her embrace.

At this moment, Lu Qing's back had already bent into a C-shape.

He leaned back, his gaze scattered as he looked up at the ceiling.

Under the sweet assault of thousands of yuan worth of high-fidelity audio, he muttered like a drug addict—

"I'm ruined."

"I'm clearly not a voice connoisseur."

"I'm clearly not."

Not at all...

"Hmph, Senior Lu, you got lucky."

"But if you ever raise a cat in the future, don't raise a black one."

"Raise a ragdoll instead, white is nice, and they're clean."

At the end of [Original Voice], there were three additional voice messages from Bai Xing.

"..."

Full of energy.

Finally feeling better.

Bai Xing...

"Sigh."

He took off his earphones, let out a long breath.

Stood up, dusted off the dirt on his butt.

Adjusted his cool, handsome college student expression.

Cleared his throat and replied:

"Not bad."

Then.

He clicked on "Rina's" note.

And silently changed it to—

"Star Baby."

...

...