Chapter 21 Turkey (4) I saw him again? ...
After sleeping soundly until dawn, Chichi rolled around on the roof and said to 1221.
"Today should be another nice day."
When she finished washing her face with her paws and was about to go forage for food, she discovered that the usually chattering ball of light was silent today.
She poked the other with her tail, and it stirred: "You have no idea what happened while you were asleep."
Chichi: "What happened?"
After hesitating for a long time, 1221 finally gave up: "Never mind, it's nothing."
The system was acting strangely, and the kitten was very curious, but when she asked it again, it wouldn't say anything.
He had no choice but to put aside his questions and go eat his first meal of the day as the morning light approached.
I was lucky this time; I had just reached the street corner when I saw a white porcelain plate on the ground with a pile of freshly sprinkled canned food on it.
"I'm so lucky."
I finally smelled the delicious aroma of beef: "It's not cat food, humans are so generous."
Today is Saturday, the day I promised Aisha I'd go to the market. The cat woke up earlier than humans, fed itself beforehand, and then went back to Aisha's house to wait.
Not long after, Aisha came out with her father. When she saw the kitten outside the door, she put down what she was holding and came to hug her.
"Dad, can we take her with us to the store?"
“You’d better let her decide where to go herself,” Ahmed said. “Does she want to come with you?”
"She's willing, and we've made a promise."
Aisha quickly put the things on her father's motorcycle, sat on the back seat first, and patted the empty seat in front of her: "Come on, get on."
Ahmed watched as the kitten jumped from the ground onto the motorcycle: "God bless me, I've never seen such an intelligent cat."
“I’ve already told you,” Aisha said proudly, hugging the kitten. “There are plenty you haven’t seen.”
The motorcycle hummed as it started up and headed towards the market along the winding street.
The wind was strong along the way, and the kitten, nestled between Aisha and Ahmed, was warmed by the humans' bodies and didn't feel cold at all.
The motorcycle stopped at the market entrance, and Aisha was the first to jump off, while she followed behind, greeting the vendors who had already arrived at the market.
Good morning, uncles and aunties.
When they passed the shawl shop and saw a sign that said it was temporarily closed, Aisha asked Hassan, who sold dairy products, "Uncle, why isn't Sam's shop open today?"
The owner of the copperware shop next door shook his head: "Don't even mention it, Sam's having a run of bad luck. He probably angered God last time."
"What happened?"
“When you were away at school for a few days, he somehow tripped and fell in front of his shop when he came to open it. I heard he hurt his back and is resting at home now.”
Chi Chi also glanced at the shawl shop's sign after hearing this.
Aisha's eyes widened, and she looked down at the kitten, saying, "I never thought he would actually be punished by Allah..."
The girl spoke softly, her tone tinged with a hint of reverence as she recalled what she had said to the other person.
"But he often deliberately quotes high prices to foreign tourists who know nothing, so he deserves his bad luck now." The female shop owner of the ceramics shop came over and patted the kitten's head. "Don't you think so, little kitten?"
It let out a soft meow.
1221: "He even tried to tie you up in the shop with a rope last time. It seems one shouldn't be too greedy."
While Aisha and her father were at the shop preparing to open, he lingered around the market, acting like a "little policeman" protecting each stall.
The market still smelled of a mix of things: leather, various spices, the scorching of roasted meat, the aroma of coffee and nuts, and human perfume, creating a unique ambiance.
The nimble little figure of Sanhua weaved through the aisle, and when she saw a familiar vendor beckoning to her, she would go over and give him a sticker.
She was having a friendly conversation with humans when she was suddenly stopped by the butcher's loud voice.
After she walked over, the other person swiftly chopped off a piece of sausage butt on the cutting board: "Eat it, consider it protection money."
A small piece of sausage was tossed precisely in front of Chichi's paw.
Although Chichi had already eaten a canned beef feast, she didn't mind having some after-dinner snacks. She picked up a sausage, which could be considered as accepting "protection money".
The kitten savored the simply seasoned sausage as if it were a delicacy.
The way they ate was excellent; they even caught the bits of meat that fell out with their tongues. Passersby couldn't help but swallow hard and buy a couple of sausages to take away.
After finishing his meal, he licked his lips with lingering satisfaction, walked into the shop, and nuzzled the stall owner's trouser leg with his head.
"Hey, you're quite polite." The other person smiled.
After expressing its gratitude, the kitten ran off with its tail held high, only to be drawn by a series of clanging sounds, eventually wandering to a small workshop that repairs utensils.
Rusty hardware parts were piled up together, along with cheap recycled jewelry.
Outside, a master craftsman was vigorously pounding a dented copper kettle, sending tiny copper shavings flying.
The kitten was startled, but then bravely approached the metal shavings and sniffed them. The human stopped what he was doing, rummaged through the waste bin at his feet, pulled out a round object of unknown origin, and tossed it to Chichi.
"Take this and play with it."
Chichi quickly pounced on it with its claws, then opened its paw pads and took a closer look.
It is a small copper bell.
The kitten flicked the bell with its paw, and it rang out a clear, ringing sound.
The little gadget that makes a sound as it rolls is a surefire way to attract kittens. After playing with it for a while, they become completely engrossed in it. Give the bell a little push and let it roll along the ground, then chase after it, having endless fun with it.
When he had finished playing with it, he picked up the bell and took it to Aisha as if it were a treasure he had found.
The other person then wrapped their hair with a red headscarf and rolled up their sleeves, making them look capable and efficient.
When Ahmed was settling accounts with the guests, Aisha would help weigh out the portions ordered by the other guests, scooping them into bags with a small shovel each time before weighing them, with almost no difference in weight.
"Dad, half a pound of cumin is ready."
Aisha took out a pre-wrapped paper bag: "It's for the barbecue restaurant. I'll deliver it directly to their store later."
“Go now, they need it urgently. I can manage on my own.” Ahmed watched the guests leave, took two bills from the banknotes he had just received, and handed them to Aisha. “Buy something you want to eat for lunch when you come back.”
Aisha: "Want me to buy it for you too?"
“I don’t need it,” Ahmed said. “I’ll just eat the pita bread your mother brought me.”
Aisha only took one: "Then I'll go."
He slowly caught up with the little girl, showing her the bell he was holding in his mouth.
"Is this the treasure you found?" Aisha held it in her hand and played with it, noticing the faint patterns on the copper bell. "Wonderful, we can take it to Zelin to see."
"Meow."
Chichi said that this was what she thought.
The kitten placed the bell under the steps at the shop entrance, then followed the little girl out of the market and turned left onto the street outside the market.
There were more people outside the market on Saturday than usual, and you could smell the aroma of food wafting from the shops as you passed by.
When it was almost lunchtime, Aisha ran to the barbecue restaurant and handed the cumin to the staff.
Huge, layered pieces of roasted meat are being roasted in a circular motion. The staff uses a knife to slice off the outermost layer of the browned meat, wrapping it with vegetables and sauce in the middle of the tortilla, and then roasting the outer tortilla for a while.
A shawarma, a Turkish kebab wrap, is now ready.
Aisha was a little hungry, so she bought a shawarma at a barbecue restaurant and asked the clerk to cut it into two pieces. She kept one piece for herself and put the other piece in a bag to take back to Ahmed.
After finishing the delivery, she slowed down as the little girl, starving, took big bites of the wrap.
The outer skin is crispy, and the roasted meat and sauce inside are juicy and delicious, making it convenient and tasty.
Aisha picked out a piece of roast meat and tossed it to the kitten to share. The two of them squatted on the street, watching the passersby, and finished off half of the burrito.
Just as Aisha was about to wipe her mouth with her sleeve, the kitten stopped her with a raised paw.
Remembering what Zelin had said, her little face turned serious, and she meowed, "We need to use paper."
Aisha scratched her head, took out a small pack of wet wipes that Zelin had given her from her pocket, took out a small one to wipe her mouth, then folded it up to wipe her hands: "Is this okay?"
The kitten nodded in satisfaction.
“Zelin must be very happy, she has another little helper to keep an eye on me,” Aisha muttered, standing up to return to the market.
I looked up and saw a newly opened jewelry store across the street. A faint blue light shone through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the store was filled with a dazzling array of traditional ornaments and decorations.
What attracted her was a string of "evil eyes" hanging in the most conspicuous place in the shop window.
"What is that?" Chichi asked 1221.
"The mysterious amulet patterns that have been passed down in Türkiye for thousands of years symbolize warding off misfortune and bringing good luck."
Aisha couldn't move and crossed the sidewalk to enter the store.
Upon closer inspection, it became clear that this pendant was different from the cheap demon eye pendants sold wholesale at the market. This one was brighter, made of some unknown stone, and the pupil was a deep cobalt blue.
Stare closely; their eyes seem to draw your gaze into a vortex.
The pendant was strung on a brown leather cord, exquisite yet carrying an indescribable mystery.
Aisha thought of Zelin.
The other person's body is so weak, it's possible that they've been invaded by evil energy.
The Demon Eye can be used as a talisman.
The shopkeeper noticed Aisha staring intently at the demon eye pendant and asked, "Would you like to take it off and have a look?"
"No need, Auntie." Aisha took a deep breath and pointed to the pendant. "How much is this?"
"This is the last one, five hundred lira."
The shop owner said, "The materials are very good, lapis lazuli, and it has an inlay. It's very effective at warding off bad luck. Let me help you take it off and try it on."
Aisha was somewhat taken aback.
She usually only has thirty lira in pocket money.
"Thank you." Aisha's throat was a little dry, and she said softly, "I don't wear it, I just wanted to ask."
After she left the shop, she turned back and glanced at the pendant behind her. Its deep blue eyes gazed silently at her and the bustling street, serene yet unattainable.
Aisha shook her head, leaving her desire to buy it behind.
Before returning to the shop, Chichi followed the other person to the candy store in the market. The other person clung to the glass counter and said, "Brother Wujin! Can I trade you a stack of wrapping paper for some spices?"
Wu Jin took out colorful candy wrappers with cute animal pictures on them from the box and asked, "Is this enough?"
"That's enough, that's too much."
Aisha happily accepted it: "What do you need? I'll go to the store and get it for you."
The other person said, "No need, you can take it."
Aisha thought for a moment, then put the change she had left over from buying the burrito on the counter. Seeing the other person grab the change to return it, she hurriedly grabbed the candy wrapper and ran away.
Back in the shop, Aisha found the blank labels that were stuck on the goods and put them all into her bag.
Ahmed asked her what she was going to do with these things, and Aisha said, "I'm going to find Zelin and use these things to do crafts."
"Zelin?"
Ahmed smiled and said, "Isn't Lana your best friend? Why didn't you bring her along?"
Aisha hesitated for a moment, then immediately retorted, "Who says I can't play with other people? I'll go see Zelin tomorrow afternoon, and I'll go see Lana at school the day after tomorrow..."
Tomorrow afternoon?
Ahmed said, "Lana's mother just called to invite you to their house for dinner tomorrow afternoon. She also invited me, your mother, and your brother."
"Then can you tell me I have something to do?"
Ahmed shook his head: "No, that's impolite. Our master specially invited you, so you have to come with us."
Aisha was a little reluctant to have her excitement interrupted, but in the end she obediently said, "Okay."
Their family's relationship with Lana's family has been like a tightly bound knot since their parents' generation, so much so that now, wherever they go, everyone assumes that Aisha and Lana are inseparable.
This indirectly makes it very difficult for Aisha to make friends as close as the other person.
Because Lana would be unhappy.
She could almost picture the other person arguing with her.
Ahmed noticed his daughter's slight mood and said calmly, "You can go see Zelin at another time. You can go play with her after school the day after tomorrow."
“After school, Lana always dragged me to go play with Black and the others, but I never had the time.”
Aisha muttered.
The other party still didn't understand why she couldn't bring Lana and the others to visit Zelin, which made Aisha feel even more frustrated.
"It's a good thing I didn't arrange to meet Zelin beforehand," Chichi said to 1221, "otherwise she would have been disappointed."
“Aisha is very smart. She has the power to decide whether or not to go to Zelin’s house, so she is less likely to make the other party have expectations and then be disappointed.”
"But this means Zelin will have to wait for her every day. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."
Chichi watched as Aisha and her father closed the shop door and reached out their hands to him. Just like when they arrived, the kitten got on the back of Ahmed's motorcycle with her.
Halfway there, Chichi suddenly thought of something and said to 1221, "Why don't we go find Zelin to play first? That way, Aisha won't be too lonely when she's not there."
"OK."
"But my gift—"
It took her a while to realize what she had forgotten.
1221 asked, "What's wrong?"
"I forgot the brass bell I was supposed to bring to Zelin at the shop entrance. Will the cleaning staff sweep it up later?"
"It's hard to say," 1221 said. "Should we go back and check?"
He nodded hesitantly and returned to the market. Most of the stalls had already been packed up, and cleaners were tidying up. The aisles were much quieter than during the day.
The kitten ran back to the spice shop as if it knew the way well, pawed at the bottom of the steps and pulled out the small brass bell, which it then carefully held in its mouth.
The plan is to give it to Aisha for safekeeping, and then give it to Zelin together.
Just as the kitten, carrying the bell, was trying to take a shortcut to catch up with Aisha and the other girl, a familiar-looking stray dog heard the bell ringing and stood up from some corner.
1221: "Why is this dog staring at you so fiercely?"
It's bad to linger in the dark; you'll run into your enemy on a narrow road!
Upon hearing the low, threatening growl, the kitten's fur stood on end, and the bell nearly fell to the ground.
The other dog barked and charged at her suddenly, but she turned and ran away after a moment's hesitation.
She moved swiftly, leaving her opponent two or three meters behind in an instant, but she didn't dare to relax for a moment, running desperately and crossing the street without a single wall in one breath.
The copper bell was painfully poking in my mouth and kept making a sound, causing the dog behind me to chase after me relentlessly, as if constantly reminding the other of my location.
"It seems it has called for help." 1221, the kitten, kept a close eye on what was behind it. "Now there are three dogs chasing you."
Hearing the increasing footsteps, Chi Chi gritted his teeth, used his best skills, and leaped onto the courtyard wall that appeared in front of him.
Then release the bell from your mouth.
The bell fell to the ground, making a crisp clinking sound. The yellow dog was briefly drawn to it, and it lowered its head to sniff the little thing with its companion. Then, it seized the opportunity to exert its strength and left its opponent half a street ahead.
Realizing they had been tricked by Simon's feint, the wild dogs barked angrily and chased after him in a fit of rage.
“Turn left at the next intersection,” 1221 directed. “Anyway ahead is a dead end!”
He hesitated before jumping off the wall and drifting around the bend.
Still shaken, she caught a glimpse of a figure in the distance that shouldn't be there at all.
The young man in the wheelchair was sitting quietly under the awning of the corner coffee shop.
A cold profile, a silent posture, and an identical wheelchair...
He was clearly the same person I'd seen lately in that papaya-tree-lined yard in Hawaii—the one who didn't like cats!
He stopped abruptly, thinking he was hallucinating from exhaustion while fleeing for his life.
The barking of dogs drew closer behind her. Without time to think, she ran in the direction of the man, leaped from the coffee shop table, and landed on the awning at the entrance.
He turned back cautiously, looking towards the street corner.
Strangely, the group of wild dog gang members who had been relentlessly pursuing her stopped in their tracks after spotting her, hesitated, barked softly a few times, looked at each other, and paced around in circles.
Finally, they tucked their fierce tails between their legs and retreated, as if they had encountered something invisible that instilled their instinctive fear in them.
My heart, which had been pounding wildly for so long, finally settled back into my stomach. After catching my breath, my doubts deepened.
"System, how come he's here?"
"Well……"
1221 stammered, which was unusual for him: "Well... the database shows that each world will randomly generate some basic NPC templates, which means that there may be passersby who look exactly the same."
"Just treat him as a game NPC, or you can think of him as a street urchin wandering around the world."
"NPC?"
Chichi was filled with questions, which snowballed and grew larger and larger.
The number 1221 doesn't even dare to light up anymore, full of the futile attempt to cover up the truth with the excuse of "Don't ask me, I can't explain it either."
She stood under the sunshade, looking down at the person.
The other party remained unchanged. If it weren't for the fact that this person would blink occasionally and have their eyelashes flutter from time to time, one would think that the other party was a mass-produced robot.
The curiosity that had been forcibly suppressed in the previous world has resurfaced.
The other person moved their hand, maneuvering the wheelchair out from under the awning and smoothly moving forward along the street.
After hesitating for a moment, he quietly followed the rooftops and walls, keeping a safe distance behind the other person.
After crossing two streets and walking several hundred meters, the other person finally stopped in front of a row of old-looking houses in Anran Lane and pushed open the dark door.
It took me a while to recognize this place.
She slept on the roof of this house last night.
Just as the other party was about to close the door, driven by intense curiosity, he darted over like lightning and squeezed in just as the door was about to close.
1221 was locked out and paced anxiously, saying to the kitten, "Chichi, come out quickly, we have to go!"
He hesitated, too preoccupied to heed the voice in his mind.
She was looking around at the other person's residence in Türkiye. The light was dim, the furnishings were still simple, and the air was filled with the smell of old books and damp wood.
Without the vibrant yard of Hawaii, the only bright spot in this place is a fig tree growing in a terracotta pot.
The interior was a clean, almost rigid space, with no unnecessary decorations or clutter, both indoors and outdoors, and it was cold and quiet.
I don't know how someone in a wheelchair could clean this place so well.
Even after hesitating to step into this "NPC's" territory again, he still didn't feel the danger that 1221 had mentioned, which was strange yet reassuring.
The other person didn't seem surprised by her intrusion. He didn't even turn around, but went to the center of the living room to pour a glass of water, turning his back to the cat that was looking around.
After taking a long time to look around the space and sniffing each piece of furniture, I could hardly smell anything.
Then she mustered up her courage and leaned closer, looking up at the other person.
The same silhouette, the same aloof silence, and unfathomable black eyes.
He kept stealing glances at her.
The other person clearly has a face that is superior to any human's, but it lacks the expressiveness one would expect, as if all their feelings are locked away, with only occasional glimpses of something unreadable showing through their eyes.
Breaking into someone's home under their nose is extremely risky.
The kitten was certain that even if the other person disliked cats, they wouldn't hurt it.
In a completely new country, without the unique atmosphere of Hawaii, how could I possibly run into someone I'd met in Hawaii? Is there such a coincidence in the world?
Or should she believe 1221's vague explanation and treat the other person as an NPC passerby who exists in every world?
Do NPCs also have memories of the previous world?
Chichi's little head was filled with a lot of questions. She clearly remembered everything, but she always felt like she had forgotten something.
She didn't know where the other person came from, what their name was, why they were labeled as dangerous by 1221, or why she always seemed to run into them by such coincidence...
This was the first time the kitten had ever shown such intense curiosity about a human, ignoring the system's repeated warnings.
Perhaps it's because there are just too many mysteries surrounding the other person.
While she was still pondering a series of questions, the man slowly lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on her, and then he reached out his hand to her.
Her fingers were long and slender with distinct knuckles, and the copper bell that the kitten had just forced her to throw away lay quietly in her outstretched palm.
When did he find this?
Chichi was completely stunned.
"Come out quickly—we have to go." 1221's voice continued relentlessly.
After hesitating for a moment, he stepped forward and carefully picked up the bell that still retained a trace of warmth.
A soft tinkling of bells broke the silence. Chichi was about to walk out the door when she remembered something and stopped.
She turned around and quickly rubbed against the man's leg. Then, as if she had done something wrong and was afraid of being caught, she quickly slipped out the door, leaving only a trace of her own scent on the man's trouser leg.
The door closed gently behind her, shutting the silence back inside.
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