Chapter 33: Signing a Contract, Meow?

A Suspicious Wound

Oh no, would Xiao Keke really piece things together from a tiny scratch? I need a solid excuse, and fast…

Just as panic set in, Su Ying overheard the conversation and hurried over. Spotting the wound on Xiao Xi’s arm, she gasped.

“Xiao Xi, are you alright?” Concern laced Su Ying’s voice. “Hurry and treat it. You’ll find iodine and bandages in the cabinet across from the break room.”

Nodding, Xiao Xi recognized Su Ying was referring to her private room.

But before she could slip away, Su Ying grabbed her arm. “Actually, I’ll get them. My cabinet’s a mess, and you might not find anything.”

Su Ying darted toward the counter.

Tending the Injury

Soon after, Su Ying returned and sat in front of Xiao Xi. She carefully cleaned and bandaged the wound, then sighed in relief.

“There you go. This should keep it from scarring. As a girl, Xiao Xi, you’ve got to take better care of yourself.”

“Thanks, Manager,” Xiao Xi replied, forcing a smile. “It’s just a minor scratch. Sorry for the trouble…”

Once Su Ying left, Xiao Keke leaned in, her tone worried but her eyes sharp. “Sis, how’d you get this? Weren’t you careful?”

Though her words sounded caring, suspicion brewed in Xiao Keke’s mind. Two people with identical injuries in the same spot? The odds felt too slim for a coincidence.

A Convenient Excuse

“Oh, that?” Xiao Xi laughed lightly. “I nicked myself with a knife while cooking lunch. I was rushing to finish, and it’s not serious, so I didn’t bother with it.”

While Su Ying treated her wound, she’d crafted this excuse. A thin scratch like this could pass for a kitchen accident, especially since she cooked for Ye Xinglan daily. It seemed plausible enough.

But Ye Xinglan’s voice cut in sharply from beside her. “Hold on, Xiao Xi. I don’t recall you getting hurt while cooking today.”

“You just didn’t notice,” Xiao Xi shot back. “You were too busy scrolling on your phone during lunch. Didn’t even see your girlfriend get hurt.”

“No way,” Ye Xinglan insisted, her tone unwavering. “We sat so close. I’d have noticed. You weren’t injured then.”

Gritting her teeth, Xiao Xi couldn’t fathom it. Ye Xinglan’s eyes had been glued to her phone during lunch. How was she so certain?

Ye Xinglan’s Keen Senses

Ye Xinglan had her reasons. As the Blood Moon Witch, her sensitivity to blood was razor-sharp. Had Xiao Xi’s wound not already stopped bleeding, she’d have noticed it instantly.

If Xiao Xi had truly been injured at noon, Ye Xinglan would’ve caught it during lunch—no question.

“You’re mixing things up, Xiao Xi,” Ye Xinglan said casually. “Didn’t you get that outside? You rushed out before even finishing lunch.”

Her offhand remark made Xiao Xi’s stomach drop. A quick glance at Xiao Keke confirmed it—suspicion was written all over her face.

“Sis, you went out at noon?” Xiao Keke asked cautiously. She vividly recalled the association’s monster alert sounding around lunchtime. The timing and the wound lined up perfectly.

A Growing Suspicion

“Yeah, and I don’t know what was so urgent,” Ye Xinglan added. “She even showed up late for work, leaving me waiting here forever… Hey, Xiao Xi, what’s with your eyes? Why do you keep blinking at me?”

Goddamn it, are you dense as a brick? You’re not this slow when it comes to suspecting I’m Eternal Star!

Xiao Xi wanted to tape Ye Xinglan’s mouth shut. Not only did she miss the hints, but she had to blab it out loud!

Being late for work… Xiao Keke’s brow furrowed. She remembered Sirius muttering about “urgent business” and dashing off after the monster fight.

The world couldn’t be that full of coincidences, could it?

Pondering, Xiao Keke considered another angle. Sure, her sister used to be a guy, but she now met the requirements to be a magical girl. It wasn’t impossible.

“Sis, what were you doing at noon?” Xiao Keke pressed.

“Can’t I handle personal matters?” Xiao Xi snapped, pulling out her elder-sister authority to dodge the question.

A Desperate Cover Story

Ye Xinglan, however, wasn’t having it. Shaking Xiao Xi’s arm, she interrogated her like a girlfriend checking for infidelity. “What’s that supposed to mean? What personal matters can’t you share with me?”

Ever since learning Xiao Xi knew Eternal Star, Ye Xinglan grew paranoid. Any time Xiao Xi withheld the truth, she suspected it tied back to Eternal Star.

Maybe she snuck off to meet Eternal Star at noon and kept it from me!

“It’s personal, I said…” Xiao Xi straightened, sweating under their combined scrutiny. Vague answers wouldn’t cut it anymore.

“Alright, fine, I’ll spill! I went… to sign a contract!”

Both girls blinked, thrown off by the unexpected answer.

“Here, see for yourself!” Seizing the moment, Xiao Xi opened Baidu, searched briefly, and shoved an encyclopedia page in their faces.

“Xia Hai City Pineapple Bun Network Technology Co., Ltd… Sis, what’s this?” Xiao Keke asked.

“It’s the company I signed with. I’m earning money writing novels, so obviously I had to sign a contract.”

Bluffing Through the Lie

Xiao Xi spoke with confidence. She’d thought of this excuse after recalling a chat with her editor, who was based in Xia Hai City. It was a gamble, but it worked—the company was indeed local!

Since neither Keke nor Xinglan knew much about web novels, she banked on their unfamiliarity with the process, hoping to pass off the contract story.

“Do web novelists need to sign contracts in person?” Xiao Keke asked, puzzled. “What about writers in other cities?”

“They use electronic contracts, of course. You can sign either electronic or paper ones.”

“But… signing a paper contract in person gets you listed faster. Didn’t I show you? The company’s right here in Xia Hai City.”

Xiao Xi doubled down on the bluff. In truth, web novelists almost always signed electronic contracts, regardless of location. Who had time for paper contracts? Why bother with in-person meetings when everything could be done online?

But outsiders wouldn’t know that. After speaking, Xiao Xi stole a glance at their expressions, praying her excuse would hold.