Dimensional Storekeeper

Chapter 186: Not the Emotional Support Kittens Again

Mo Xixi had returned to the second floor, right in time to see Yan Shu’er still sniffling and clutching her big brother, Yan Zhi.

“…Tch.”

Her brows furrowed just a little.

Lips tightened. Eyes unreadable.

But it wasn’t irritation.

Not really.

It was something quieter than that.

Quieter and lonelier.

What she saw reminded her of something.

A memory that never fully faded, no matter how many times she shoved it aside.

The Ashen Curse Cult.

It was never a gentle place.

Never safe.

Never warm.

But even then, it was her home.

Her family.

And now?

No older brother to shout at her when she skipped training.

No cousin to argue with. No stern elder to sigh when she pretended not to hear their summons.

Not her parents. Not her uncles.

All of them were gone from the world.

Only she remained.

A cold breeze brushed her robes.

Suddenly, she felt something bump gently against her leg.

Nudge.

Tsuki pressed her head into Mo Xixi’s shin.

Soft. Warm. Comforting.

Mo Xixi froze for a second.

Thump.

Yoru let out a soft mewl and sprang upward, claws catching her robe as he climbed. He reached her shoulder in three wobbly hops, then curled his tail around himself, resting neatly against her neck.

The kittens didn’t say anything.

But they didn’t need to.

They knew.

Something warm settled in her chest.

It wasn’t loud.

It didn’t ache.

It simply… sat there.

Filling the space where grief used to live.

Her eyes didn’t water.

She didn’t cry.

But her hand rose to gently pat Yoru’s head.

Then, wordlessly, she crouched down and let Tsuki rub her cheeks against her robe.

Family, huh?

Maybe she didn’t have the old one anymore.

Or maybe –

She was already building a new one.

It was deep in the night, but the inside of the Dimensional Convenience Store still buzzed softly with life.

Warm lights. Faint clinks of cans.

The soft rustle of a potato chip bag being opened. A satisfying crunch that followed right after.

Their talk continued like that. No tension, no raised voices.

Just soft words and tired honesty.

Yan Shu’er, for once, wasn’t barking at anyone.

She wasn’t scowling. She wasn’t pouting.

She sat properly. Bowed properly.

And apologized properly.

To everyone.

Especially to Mo Xixi.

Yan Shu’er even said. Lady Mo.”

Mo Xixi nearly choked on air. Her face flushed so red, even her ears turned pink.

She turned her head stiffly and muttered. “Big Sis Mo is fine.”

“…Big S-sis Mo?” Yan Shu’er repeated.

Mo Xixi had never been called that in her life.

Not by someone who actually meant it.

Today’s the day, huh?

’I’ve made it.’ Mo Xixi thought.

Mo Xixi.exe has stopped responding.

Tsundere firewall is now disabled.

System rebooting after receiving unexpected affection.

Mo Xixi sat a little straighter after that.

And the surprising part?

Yan Shu’er wasn’t even faking it.

It wasn’t some sneaky act just to get on their good side. There was no smirk waiting to pop up.

Her earlier shell had simply crumbled.

What was left now… was just her.

Rough around the edges, yes.

But real.

That night, Yan Zhi finally agreed.

He signed the contract.

The fourth employee.

And the second crew member of the Dimensional Convenience Store!

Hao assigned him to the midday shift. It fit perfectly.

Morning belonged to Hao.

Midday to Yan Zhi.

Night was Mo Xixi’s domain.

And who knew?

With the next store upgrade, maybe a second counter would appear too.

That seemed possible, right?

The uniform meant for Yan Zhi had already been delivered.

But Hao decided to keep it for tomorrow.

The siblings had been through enough tonight.

Even if their bodies were healed, their minds needed a proper rest.

Unlike Mo Xixi’s situation from before, a personal room for Yan Zhi had already been built.

Prepared and waiting.

But of course, things never went quite as planned.

Mo Xixi casually interrupted and dragged Yan Shu’er into her own room to sleep.

Hao stared at the closed door, confused beyond words.

What just happened?

They were at each other’s throats just this night.

Now they were practically glued together?

Were they even squirrels anymore?

He thought back.

Two short-tempered girls, both with zero patience, snarky mouths, and quick fists.

No wonder they hit it off.

Was it a girl thing?

Was it the explosive personalities crashing into each other and turning into friendship?

Must be, right?

Probably.

Either way…

Hao wasn’t about to get involved.

At same time, Yan Zhi headed to his personal room, finally able to relax for the first time in what felt like years.

Except… he didn’t.

He tried.

Laid down. Closed his eyes.

But the bed was too good.

So suspiciously soft. Sinfully comfortable.

The second his back touched the mattress, it was over.

A silent war broke out. The bed clung to him, a soft, evil trap in disguise.

“…Nope.”

He escaped.

Back in the lounge area, Yan Zhi began doing light exercises.

Pushups. Situps. Breathing forms. Some casual fist technique repetition.

It wasn’t that he hated comfort.

He just didn’t think he deserved it yet.

His body might have accepted the change, but it hadn’t yet adapted to it.

It was that strange burst of clarity earlier, almost certainly caused by those ridiculous instant noodles, that had pushed him past a threshold.

A breakthrough, yes. And not a fragile one.

It was so smooth, so complete, that for a moment… he questioned if this was still his body.

The balance of internal energy. The way his breath moved without effort. The lightness in his limbs.

It felt foreign in its perfection.

He couldn’t allow himself to settle. Not now.

What he needed wasn’t rest. It was time. Repetition. Movement.

To anchor the new strength into his muscles.

To engrave it into his bones.

To make it truly his.

Only then would comfort mean something.

Only then could he allow himself to enjoy it.

Meanwhile, on Mo Xixi’s room…

The two chaos gremlins were fast asleep.

All that earlier barking and snapping? Yeah. Didn’t age well.

Now they were half-curled into each other on the bed like puppies, arms draped across backs and shoulders.

Tsuki was lying on her back in the middle of them, belly facing the ceiling, paws up.

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