82 Taking Photos ? (1/2)

Coco Sun tightened her grip on her tiny backpack.

”I think it's worth a try. It might just turn out to be super awesome,” she said confidently.

She pointed at the board on the storefront. ”Check this out. They use the latest biotechnology from MIT to improve the customers' well-being. How cool is that?”

Leigh Zhao, the girl with long, silky hair, scoffed.

”Seriously, Coco, you're falling for that? It's utter bull.”

Her words fell on deaf ears. Coco was not to be deterred. She was extremely curious about this cafe and its lofty claims, so she dragged Leigh inside despite her loud protests.

Leigh's frown deepened at the sight of the play area, which was devoid of customers if not for Xiao Qing. None of the cats were particularly interesting. They were mostly the kind of tabby cats that roamed the streets.

”Oh em gee, Leigh! Look at that cat!” Coco exclaimed, holding onto the girl's arm, ”She's beautiful. She's purrfect. Don't deny it.”

Leigh's gaze followed Coco's pointed finger and landed on Elizabeth, who was currently being cuddled by Xiao Qing. She raised a perfectly arched eyebrow in surprise.

”It is pretty cute,” she admitted, ”What breed is that?”

'That, ladies, is a ragdoll cat,” Baiquan announced, approaching the two girls with jest, ”Her name is Elizabeth.”

He was quite delighted by their appearance in the cafe. Coco and Leigh were the type of popular girls he would never have had a chance to talk to under normal circumstances.

He motioned for them to enter the playpen.

The moment they stepped foot in it, a rush of relaxation coursed through their bodies, spreading from the tips of their fingers to their ends of their toes.

”What's happening? I feel…good,” Coco's voice trailed off as she basked in the soothing sensation.

Leigh nodded once in agreement, eyes widened in surprise. All morning, she had been suffering an annoying bout of cramps. It went away the moment she entered the play area. It was like magic.

”What's going on? Like, I can literally feel good vibes radiating from me right now,” she looked to Baiquan for an explanation.

This was, of course, a result of Elizabeth's Celestial Beats. The sound waves were capable of restoring balance and harmony in the body. They could soothe any ailment or malady in existence.

Unfortunately, there was no way Baiquan could divulge this truth to the two girls.

He could, however, mislead them with an intricate and carefully weaved web of lies.

”Well, our cats aren't just normal cats. Only the best were selected as kittens. Since birth, they've been fed the most premium food, even nano-pharmaceuticals…” he started.

Baiquan layered one lie over another with absolute confidence. This was not his first rodeo after all. He had single-handedly convinced dozens to join his Troll-Faced Demon cult before.

Persuading people was his forte.

He used hand gestures to emphasize certain things and paused after important points. The girls did not stand a chance.

Leigh was the first to buy into his ridiculous stories.

”This improves my complexion?” she asked, eyes shining.

Baiquan nodded sagely, ”If you visit frequently enough, it'll slow down your skin cells' aging process.”

Technically, this statement was not a lie. Celestial Beats made people happy. Maintaining a good mood was crucial for good immunity, hormonal balance and, consequently, a healthy rate of skin regeneration.

Pleased with what she heard, Leigh took a seat and ordered a cup of coffee. Unlike Xiao Qing, she did not bat an eyelid at the extortive prices.

Coco Sun was delighted as well. While rapid skin regeneration sounded good, her main reason for being here was to play with the adorable cats.

One of them had just moved to sit by her feet. It looked up at her with a vacant expression.

”Hello, kitty. Whatcha looking at?” she cooed, squatting down so she could rub Mango's head.

Mango continued to stare at her with a blank look. Instead of backing away from her touch, it burrowed the top of its head into her palm.

Coco was bowled over by this gesture. It looked like Mango was yearning for more pats.

In one swift motion, she scooped Mango into her arms and held it close to her chest.

”You really like me, don't you?” she laughed, patting its head lovingly.

The more she looked at it, the cuter it seemed. She was bewitched.

This amused Zhao Yao, who was still in his corner, watching the girls with a knowing smile.

He understood cats. He knew they made really popular pets because their natural habits were often misinterpreted as signs of affection.