Chapter 16 Hawaii (16) "We're back."...

On the day the hula festival officially began, the festive atmosphere filled the air.

The smoky aroma mingled with the fragrance of frangipani and wreaths, and crowds gathered from all directions.

The girls on the street wore brightly colored printed dresses and hibiscus flowers and woven flower wreaths in their hair.

The cheerful melody reached the kitten's ears early in the morning, automatically waking it up. The kitten stretched, still feeling sleepy, and then shook its fur before heading to the yard to wait for the humans who were going to the hula festival with it.

For the first time ever, Carla brought cosmetics with her and even applied some lipstick to Mrs. Mailer, making her look radiant and in excellent condition.

The old lady looked at herself in the mirror and couldn't stop smiling. She turned to Carla and asked, "Why aren't you wearing a grass skirt?"

The caregiver was dressed as usual today, in a white T-shirt and dark blue jeans. The only highlight of her outfit was the floral wreath bracelet on her wrist.

“It’s a bit strange to wear this now, let’s change later,” Kara said.

Mrs. Mailer wore a light lavender dress today, with old-fashioned lace trim at the neckline, and a vibrant white scarf loosely draped over her shoulders.

To match her lipstick, she applied a light layer of face powder and wore a seashell bracelet.

The clothes and accessories weren't new, but they added a lot of radiance to the elderly woman who was recovering, making her radiate a warm and gentle glow from head to toe.

While the kitten was still enjoying the beef feast that Kara had specially prepared for it today, she also found the leftover scraps of material from weaving the grass skirt and made a unique little grass skirt for the kitten.

Just like Kara's grass skirt, it also had seashells that the kitten had found on the beach tied to both sides.

The small, delicate grass skirt around her fluffy waist rustled softly as she walked, perfectly matching the festive atmosphere of the day.

"so cute."

Even the caregiver, who wouldn't normally be swayed by cuteness, couldn't help but exclaim, "You're the only limited-edition grass-skirt-wearing kitten in all of Hawaii!"

At first, Chichi was a little uncomfortable. Seeing the old lady and the caregiver staring at her and smiling, she walked even more awkwardly, almost walking with her arms and legs moving in unison.

Kara brought scissors and helped her cut off the part that was hanging down, turning the grass skirt into a "mini skirt," which finally allowed the cat to move freely.

"Is it pretty?" Chichi asked 1221 after turning around for a while.

"So cute!" The ball of light flew around the adorable kitten, wishing it could wear a grass skirt just like the kitten's.

With both humans and the system showing such enthusiasm, the slightly itchy sensation on the waist was quickly ignored, and the tail gracefully curled up in an arc, both reserved and joyful.

It wasn't until Richie joined them from next door that he noticed the old man was also dressed up in his finest attire.

He changed out of his worn-out shirt, which he always washed and wore repeatedly, and into a more presentable outfit: a dark blue shirt paired with brown trousers, a stark contrast to his old work pants.

The buttons on his collar clung tightly to his bronze skin, making him look quite uncomfortable.

There was some hair wax on his head, but a few strands were still stubbornly sticking up at the back of his head.

Chichi and 1221 secretly laughed at each other while watching the other person tug at their collar several times as they walked over.

Mrs. Mailer reached out to Richie and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt, relieving the tightness around his neck. "You look great today, Richie. You look like you're twenty again."

It was only then that they noticed the old man was wearing a pair of shiny leather shoes.

Of the three, he was the most "eye-catching" in his attire.

“You too.” Richie was a little uncomfortable, his whole body stiff, his old face habitually stern. “You look radiant today.”

“Thank you, Richie.” Kara feigned surprise. “It’s so rare to hear you say that; it probably only happens once a year.”

"It was just a half-hearted compliment."

In the blink of an eye, the hot-tempered old man reverted to his usual meanness, looking at Kara's plain clothes and saying, "Why are you dressed like this for the holiday?"

"I--"

“Our Kara herself has a lot of class.”

Mrs. Mailer tucked a blooming red hibiscus flower, which she had picked from the yard early that morning, behind Carla's ear. The vibrant petals made Carla's face appear even brighter.

The old lady's eyes lit up with admiration: "It's even more beautiful this way."

Kara flashed her white teeth, her hair falling down to cover her burning ears: "Thank you, it reminds me of how my mother used to help me put flowers in my hair like this."

"You're welcome, dear Kara."

Mrs. Mailer gently patted the other person's hand: "Thanks to you for taking care of me."

Kara shook her head.

Thinking back to last year, before she applied for this job, she had no one to celebrate the hula festival with, but this year is completely different.

While it may seem that Mrs. Mailer is receiving her care, in reality, each of them is firmly bound together by a bond woven with warmth from the other.

A lively drumbeat came from outside the courtyard, and Chichi meowed at the humans, signaling them to join the parade.

The kitten was the first to join the jubilant crowd, its mini grass skirt made of bright ribbons particularly eye-catching, drawing gasps of admiration from tourists and pedestrians on the street as soon as it appeared.

"The kitten was also wearing a grass skirt."

The young girl holding the rainbow shaved ice nudged her companion with her elbow, almost spilling the shaved ice. Before she could even take out her phone to capture the fluffy little figure from behind, the kitten darted ahead.

"She's so cute, look at the little seashell decoration on her waist."

"Oh my, whose little darling is this dressed up!"

Several elderly people with gray hair were resting by the roadside. Seeing this, they smiled happily, saying, "They're dressed more presentably than we are."

Even the burly men were softened by the kitten, squatting down from time to time to attract its attention and lingering for a while.

Feeling the intense gazes for a long time, I realized that I was also a "special guest" at today's celebration, and I felt more at ease because of these tangible and intangible compliments.

The cat slowed its pace considerably, appearing polite and elegant, which attracted a lot of attention.

After she had finished exploring the area, she turned back to find Mrs. Mailer and her entourage. They walked and stopped along the way, and it took them a whole afternoon to finally reach the main venue of the celebration, the beach.

Richie bought some street food, placed a piece of hot, crispy roasted suckling pig skin on a pandanus leaf, and put it in front of Chichi.

He blew on it a few more times, and after the temperature dropped, he used a bamboo skewer to stick a piece into it and handed it to Mrs. Mailer.

Kara smiled and said, "Rich is becoming more and more considerate, whether it's towards small animals or people."

She was too preoccupied to listen to Kara's teasing of the other person. The roasted pork skin burned her so much that tears welled up in her eyes, yet it was so delicious that she didn't want to spit it out. It was a double challenge to her tongue.

The seemingly oily outer layer has actually been dried out by the charcoal fire, leaving only an extremely crispy texture.

There was still a bit of tender roasted meat attached to the pig skin. The freshly roasted suckling pig was really delicious. The kitten risked getting burned and licked the leaves clean before it was at its best.

After finishing her meal, she squinted her honey-colored eyes contentedly, her grass skirt swaying merrily.

The drumbeats at the main venue intensified, and Chichi gracefully leaped up into the tree, finding a good spot with a wide view.

On stage, dancers took turns appearing, their bronze skin gleaming with a healthy glow. Their movements were powerful, their grass skirts fluttering, telling one ancient story after another.

When Kara's community hula dance class took the stage, the neighbors below couldn't help but laugh.

Kara was standing next to a group of real children, looking exceptionally tall among the little ones. She was wearing a grass skirt made by Mrs. Mailer herself, and seashells clattered crisply as she swayed her hips.

As the only adult on the show, Kara's movements were somewhat stiff, and her height was also quite unusual.

But she was seriously immersed in it, occasionally making eye contact with the children and showing a shy expression, which created a wonderfully cute contrast.

As the music grew stronger, Kara withdrew her arms, transforming into an "alien turtle" surrounded by a group of "small fish," which made the audience laugh heartily and erupt in applause.

Mrs. Mailer was pushed to the front by Richie, and she clapped earnestly, very proud of him.

Kara followed along for the entire dance, her wheat-colored face flushed slightly, and she finally raised her voice to cheer for the other person.

"I thought it would be a disaster if I secretly watched them practice dancing, but they danced better than I expected," 1221 said.

Chi Chi noticed that the other person was limping as she left: "She forced herself to jump down, her foot must be hurting again."

The applause lingered as the next program began.

As the host was introducing the guests, a voice filled with excitement and weariness from the long journey reached Chi Chi's ears during this alternating period of noise and silence.

"Mother!"

The kitten, with its more developed senses than humans, heard the sound first, and then the person continued to call out, "Mommy, Mommy—"

As if guided by a telepathic connection, Mrs. Mailer turned her head.

Through the gaps in the crowd, Keona, looking travel-worn, dragged her suitcase along with her husband and two children, her face beaming with immense joy.

"We're back."

A note from the author:

----------------------

The next chapter will be available for purchase. Thank you for your support!

Pre-orders are being accepted through a competitive process. After this book is completed, the one with the most favorites will be released first. Pick your favorite! [Three-Cat Cat]

Pre-order now and add to your favorites—"When Will You Come Home With a Cat Like Me?"

Copywriting:

Before finding the cat, Jiang Zhou lived a dull and boring life, until she met a black cat on her way home.

Touching those clear, emerald-like eyes and feeling their incredibly soft fur, life suddenly felt hopeful.

Jiang Jiang is incredibly intelligent, but loves to rub against and cuddle, making him a high-needs cat. Jiang Zhou willingly became his cat slave.

Until two consecutive months of overtime work—

The cat that used to stick to her every day has become increasingly distant, which makes Jiang Zhou very anxious.

On the day the project ended, Jiang Zhou took Guan Guan home to apologize, only to find that his baby Mimi was missing!

Instead, there was a strange young man with porcelain-white ankles peeking out from under the blanket, completely naked.

*

Before meeting Jiang Zhou, Jiang Jianghao was a cat who could only transform into human form and was responsible for maintaining the security of the area.

The other person treated him like a stray cat and fed him repeatedly. He softened and was taken home by this human who wouldn't let go of the cat once he touched it.

The harmonious life between the man and the cat came to an abrupt end when Jiang Zhou started working overtime.

Jiang Zhou started coming home later and later. After smelling the scent of other cats, he moved to the second bedroom and separated from the cat. He was always in a hurry when he went out, and even forgot to kiss him.

To get the other person home sooner, he decided—

She seduced Jiang Zhou.

*

One day, Jiang Zhou noticed a piece of paper stuck above his desk, with crooked and messy handwriting.

—Things to Know When Owning a Cat—

1. No late returns!

2. No touching other cats!

3. We have to sleep together every day!

......

Finally, I will always love cats^^