"Of course, I'm very fond of Little Tear," Zhang Fan responded instinctively, not fully grasping the underlying implications.
"Zhang Fan, you really are oblivious!" Rebecca rolled her eyes at him in exasperation before turning to leave.
"Am I that clueless?" Zhang Fan wondered, watching Rebecca's retreating figure. Understanding the intricacies of a girl's heart was indeed challenging.
"Good morning, Junfu. You're at the café so early today." Having returned to the Cat's Eye world, Zhang Fan maintained his routine of exercising, practicing skills, and working at the café. That morning, with Little Tear and Little Tear absent on a new mission, he and Rebecca were in charge of the café. Shortly after opening, he was surprised to see Junfu enter with a disheartened expression.
"Hey, Zhang Fan. Haven't seen you in a few days." Junfu greeted weakly, collapsing onto a table. Zhang Fan noticed the burn marks on Junfu's face, indicating a recent fire.
"What happened, Junfu? Your face?" Zhang Fan asked cautiously, suspecting a fire-related accident.
"Don't even mention it. My house caught fire, everything's gone," Junfu replied, a picture of misery.
"Your house burned down? Do you have somewhere to stay?" Zhang Fan expressed concern for his friend.
"Yeah, I moved into the Godai's place last night," Junfu nodded, still visibly shaken by the loss of his home.
"Was it arson or an accident?" Zhang Fan recalled a similar plot in a manga, where Junfu's house burning down was the catalyst for him moving into the Cat's Eye café. However, Zhang Fan's arrival had altered that story.
"There were signs of arson, but no leads yet," Junfu sighed, pondering if he was the intended target.
"In that case, Junfu, I suggest you stay near the Inumine Police Station at night. If I'm not mistaken, the arsonist's target is definitely you." Zhang Fan remembered this part of the storyline well and decided to warn Junfu.
"Really? I'll give it a try," Junfu replied, though unsure of Zhang Fan's theory, he considered the possibility and resolved to be prepared.
"We're back!" As Junfu left, Little Tear and Little Tear returned. Their investigation had been swift.
"Welcome back," Zhang Fan greeted with a slight smile, anticipating significant findings from their investigation.
"A state-of-the-art security system?" In the evening, the family gathered to discuss the new mission. Rebecca, being a former special police officer, showed great interest in the heist, sympathizing with the sisters' plight and expressing her eagerness to help retrieve all of Heinze's collections.
Little Tear and Little Tear's morning investigation had uncovered less than ideal news. The exhibition hall they were targeting was equipped with cutting-edge Automatic Tracking Scan Cameras. These cameras, with thirteen joints each, could perform any trajectory movement. Three cameras working together could cover a room with a 360-degree, no-blind-spot view. The police had installed seventeen of these cameras in the exhibition hall to prevent any escape for Cat's Eye.
"Indeed, it's quite troublesome," Little Tear frowned, curious about how the police station had managed to fund such expensive equipment.
"Is there no way to counter it?" Rebecca, unfamiliar with such advanced security devices, was intrigued.
"We need to test it first. We can get our hands on such cameras, and if we can avoid their detection, we'll plan our mission accordingly," Little Tear decided, confident in acquiring the equipment through Godai.
After the meeting, Zhang Fan intended to return to his room, but Little Tear subtly signaled him to stay.
"Little Tear, do you need something?" he asked once Little Tear and Little Tear had left.
"Yes, Zhang Fan, I want to talk about the contract with us. What are your thoughts?" Little Tear got straight to the point.
"Why bring this up all of a sudden?" Zhang Fan was taken aback. He knew he could contract with gods, but he had planned to
wait until Little Tear and her sisters had fulfilled their wishes before proposing a contract. Although he had discussed this privately with Little Tear, Little Tear and Little Ai were informed of his plans through her.
"Don't you see? Ever since you brought Rebecca back, Little Tear has been quite anxious," Little Tear casually sat down, her eyes twinkling mischievously as she observed Zhang Fan's reaction.
Zhang Fan had indeed noticed some tension from Little Tear but had not thought much of it, attributing it to the general dynamics of bringing a new person into their circle. Whenever he tried to discuss Rebecca with Little Tear, she would skillfully deflect the conversation. After several unsuccessful attempts, Zhang Fan ceased to push the matter, but Little Tear's direct approach took him by surprise.
"I understand, but isn't it a bit early to discuss contracts? After all, you and your sisters still have wishes to fulfill," Zhang Fan replied, scrutinizing Little Tear closely, trying to gauge her true intentions.
"My wish is simple – to see Little Tear and Little Ai live happily every day. You, Zhang Fan, are the person who can give them that happiness," Little Tear said with a meaningful smile, her gaze lingering on Zhang Fan, eager to see his response.
"Including yourself in that wish?" Zhang Fan countered, catching Little Tear off guard with his direct question.
"My happiness is in their joy. But more importantly, what about you, Zhang Fan? What do you wish for?" Little Tear leaned back, her smile broadening as she awaited his answer.
Zhang Fan took a moment to reflect. The idea of a contract had been in his mind, but he had hesitated, considering the timing and the implications for everyone involved. Looking at Little Tear, he realized that perhaps the time had come to make a decision that could change their lives forever.
"I want to ensure everyone's happiness, Little Tear. That includes you, Little Tear, and Little Ai. And if a contract is the way to secure that, then maybe we should consider it sooner rather than later," Zhang Fan finally said, his voice steady and determined.
Little Tear's eyes brightened at his words. "Then let's discuss it with Little Tear and Little Ai. If we're all in agreement, we can move forward together."
As Zhang Fan nodded in agreement, he couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation for the future. A new chapter was about to begin for them all, and he was ready to embrace whatever challenges and joys it would bring.