The Cat's Fishbowl

Long-Planned Scheme | Reunion After Years Apart | Intense Push and Pull | He Has a Secret Crush

A fickle, cold-hearted hypocrite X a gentle, obsessive control freak

Shen Shaoheng was the kind of person at school who seemed as bright and untouchable as the moon.

When they first met, he warned her coldly, "I don't want to play around. You'd be better off behaving."

Qiao Yang did exactly as he said and kept her distance. Rumors swirled around her, she was always dating someone, and she changed boyfriends like outfits.

On a rainy night, Qiao Yang fell by the roadside. Shen Shaoheng appeared with an umbrella and took her home.

Looking at her, he said in a low voice, "Qiao Yang, would you dare to consider giving us a try?"

After one chaotic night, Qiao Yang disappeared before dawn.

-

Years later, they met again, with Qiao Yang's company on the brink of collapse.

At a conference, Shen Shaoheng took the initiative and offered, "I have a way to help you. I'm thinking about lending you a hand."

Qiao Yang didn't dodge the offer. She accepted it frankly. "Sure. Help me."

He leaned down close to her ear. "But you didn't let me finish. I said I was 'thinking about it.'"

Qiao Yang went along with it and became his temporary assistant.

As always, he kept appearing by her side at just the right moments.

After one such occasion, Shen Shaoheng said earnestly, "Qiao Yang, let's try again. I want you to fall for me."

They became entangled once more, their relationship woven through with hypocrisy and exploitation.

Qiao Yang kept her true feelings hidden. "I only love myself."

"Are you avoiding me, or are you avoiding your own heart?"

She thought she had the upper hand, and even planned to take everything she wanted before walking away.

That was until she stumbled upon the fish tank in his hidden room...

-

She thought the fish tank belonged to her. Crouching to gaze at the little fish inside, she seemed to be carefully choosing a mermaid to have for lunch.

Little did she know, he stood higher up, watching the "cat's fish tank" as he gently claimed it, step by step.

1. The story starts after their reunion, with occasional flashbacks.

2. The leads' romance and the heroine's dating life both take place when they are adults.

3. The virtual reality game takes inspiration from Ready Player One. It has no specific details and is only part of the setting. Other career-related sources come from the internet, so please don't look into them too closely.

4. Happy ending.

5. This story is an exercise in emotional pacing. Please forgive any shortcomings.

6. I may revise the story occasionally, but the main plot won't change. Please support the official release!

[Copy recorded on January 7, 2026]

Theme: Love others, but love yourself more