Shuixi has a cat (3)
A delicate body lay stretched out. Glowing white, dazzlingly white. Not only was her body white, but her waist-length hair was also white, a lustrous white. Because a stranger had entered, her long legs moved upwards, obscuring her vitals. It was this movement that brought the scene's expressiveness to a climax. A word popped into Ming Yan's mind, and he was a little slow to cover his eyes with his sleeves, making a sound of disdain. But the other person didn't care, sobbing uncontrollably on the bed.
"What's wrong with you, sister?" Ming Yan, who should have been disgusted, couldn't help but show concern. He pulled a blanket from the shelf and covered her with it. "Put on some clothes first and talk. Who are you and why are you here? Are you Shuixi..."
She couldn't imagine what Shuixi would do to her. This girl looked about as tall as Shuixi, and perhaps a little less powerful, but she couldn't possibly be in such a state, could she? Was she drugged?
The girl tilted her head slightly and began to speak, making small, "coughing" sounds, suggesting she was mute. She tugged at the golden collar around her neck, pleading for help, tears streaming down her face. Ming Yan immediately understood what the girl meant, and when he got closer, he saw that she also had a chain hanging from her hand, dragging it along the ground.
That Shuixi is such a devil! Ming Yan thought angrily, reaching out to grab the collar around the girl's neck. But, what is this? Her anger suddenly subsided, and Ming Yan's mind was a little confused. Why is this collar exactly the same as the one on the cat's neck I saw earlier? Her hand trembled slightly, and the bell did not ring.
The more Shuixi chased, the more he felt something was wrong. Its behavior was too much like a cat. Hean would never pretend to be pitiful and meow at people. He straightened his bent waist, looked down at the white cat, and stared at it. The two were engaged in a silent game. In less than half a minute, the kitten showed weakness and bent down to act coquettishly towards Shuixi. Shuixi stretched out his hand, and the kitten immediately licked his fingers to observe his reaction. Shuixi stroked the kitten's head and back with an expressionless face, and gently crushed it into a wisp of smoke. Shuixi did not even let go of the smoke, and grabbed it in the air, leaving no trace.
A deafening cry of pain emanated from the room above, shaking the entire house. Shuixi's gaze grew sharper, but he approached slowly. He gracefully opened the door, revealing a black, lion-like creature filling the small room. Its noses pressed against the ceiling, its jaws pressed to the ground, fangs bared, as it breathed saliva and hot air at Mingyan, who stood at the door.
Ming Yan tucked his head into his arms, screaming in terror while still pointing his weapon at the behemoth before him. Shui Xi raised his hand and cleanly knocked Ming Yan unconscious, catching the falling body. With his other hand, he snatched up the Tie Ma Guan Hua and surveyed it with evident disdain. He glanced at Ming Yan, but still didn't take the initiative to hide it.
"Okay! I know what you're upset about. You're so vindictive that you even hate me." Shuixi picked up Mingyan, not caring about the furious monster behind him. He had already left the room, but he was still talking because he knew He'an could hear him.
"I originally wanted you to live comfortably here, with no worries about food and drink, but you didn't know what was good for you and exposed your true identity in front of my boss without any consideration for my situation. In that case, I don't have to worry about you at all. I'll find you a new place to live. Of course, your shabby body will stay here, otherwise I'll have no excuse if the boss asks about it, right?"
The sunlight after the rain was particularly glaring. Ming Yan rubbed her eyes and climbed out of bed, watching the breeze ruffle the curtains and the fresh air, filled with the lingering fragrance of flowers. Her head was splitting, and it felt like she had slept for a very long time, her shoulders bruised from the twisted sleeping position. She glanced at the time on her phone: it was only eight in the morning. She couldn't remember what happened last night.
She arrived at the shop in the pouring rain and was pleasantly surprised to find Shuixi waiting for her by the car. But what happened after that? For some reason, her memory was hazy. It seemed Shuixi had mentioned wanting a cat... After Mingyan washed up and changed her clothes, she saw Shuixi on the stairs, entertaining customers on the first floor. It was strange. Why would there be customers at this hour?
She was an elderly woman with silver hair, and her every move exuded a refined demeanor. Despite her age, she remained lucid and agile. Her red sports car, parked at the door, was a real eye-catcher.
There was no trace of the heavy rain last night. Ming Yan was deeply concerned about his lack of knowledge, feeling as if he had lost something, yet he had no trace of how it had happened. She sat on the stairs, hidden in the shadows, eavesdropping on their conversation. Shui Xi served with a smile from beginning to end, polite and without a trace of flattery.
The old lady was talking about her lost daughter who had never been found. She came here simply because she heard that there were old things collected from the people over the past fifty years, so she thought she would try her luck and leave some things here for her daughter to find.
After seeing the old lady off, Shuixi went upstairs with the things she left behind. There was the sound of shuffling papers in the room, and the wind chimes hanging on the wall rang out "ding-dong-dong", crisp and lively. Shuixi opened the cabinet, and after a while he came out, kneeling on the ground with a rag to wipe the stairs.
"Who taught you to mop the floor like that?" Doesn't his knee hurt? Is he trying to act pitiful again? Or is he trying to fool someone? Someone like him shouldn't be doing this here. Why can't Shuixi realize this?
"Did I do something wrong, boss?" Shuixi asked politely, but his eyes betrayed his true feelings. He didn't care about right or wrong, and he wasn't going to listen to anyone else's nonsense. He answered this way simply because Mingyan was his boss.
Ming Yan wisely shut up and watched Shui Xi busying himself. He worked diligently, scrubbing every corner and seam.
"Boss? What's wrong with you?" Shuixi stood at the bottom of the stairs, looking up and asking with a smile. He suddenly slapped his head and realized the truth. "Is it because you haven't had breakfast yet? Wait, I'll make it for you."
"Suixi! Didn't you tell me yesterday that you had a cat?"
"Raise a cat?" Shuixi seemed to have heard something funny. "I don't want to raise a cat."
Having said that, there is nothing more to say.
He'ai had never felt so uncomfortable before. He didn't like being bound; it drove him mad. Shuixi seemed to have found his weakness; the golden snake ring around his neck felt like a cage. He'ai's body felt incredibly heavy, his spirit drooping. He had to endure this calmly, or face certain death.
This villa, nestled in the mountains, boasts white walls and black tiles, a classic Anhui-style architecture. However, the interior is decorated in Japanese style. The crossbows and training uniforms left in the warehouse by the previous owner suggest this was once a Japanese residence. It felt a shadowy presence lingering on its back, a feeling it couldn't shake. He Ai climbed to the third-floor balcony and saw a small bridge, flowing water, and fruit growing on nearby trees. After a long moment of reflection, it recognized the fruit as "apricots," now golden yellow.
So, it was now in the north. But where exactly was it in the north? The towering mountains blocked its view, and the pure air held no clues. Shuixi had not only trapped its body, but also its source of information. What was he trying to do?
He'ai slipped as he stepped down from the railing, falling to the floor. He saw a bright spot on the ground. He dragged his heavy body through the crack of the door. The room was filled with black balls, emitting a faint stench. That was the food Shuixi had prepared for him.
How could he find so much? He Ai firmly resisted the temptation. In fact, he had secretly hidden some of it, rolling the large balls into smaller ones, so that the number would appear to have not decreased. Now, its fur was black, and He Ai hoped that Yu Shuixi would be sympathetic and let it go.
Shuixi returned home in the early hours of the morning, damp from the heat. He pushed open door after door, searching the empty rooms for a kind figure. Finally, in a room on the third floor that led to a balcony, he saw a kitten sprawled on the floor. Even as he approached, it didn't stir. Shuixi lit the stove, and his hand shook, sending handfuls of what looked like sheep dung beans falling from his sleeve into the flames. The room instantly became hot and smelly.
Not long after, the kitten woke up and raised its head. Its eyes were the color of the moon on a clear night. Shuixi watched, his pouring motion paused mid-air, and smiled, "You're so beautiful! You were like this before. Even though you were weak and had no skills, you still won the love of so many people, just because of your beautiful appearance."
He retorted kindly, but Shuixi only heard two ferocious "meows".
"Don't you also find it incredible that people like us would be divided and treated differently? Do you hate me? Kind?"
Shuixi tilted his head back and gulped down a glass of sake. He felt comfortable talking about the past, but the only drawback was that he couldn't speak the same language as this old friend. He stood up and searched around, finally finding a piece of piano cloth and spreading it over He'ai, expectantly saying, "After feeding you so much, you should be able to become more human, right?"
Its fur is still black. Shuixi poured a second glass of wine and placed it in front of He'ai. He took the small wine flask and leaned against the wall to sip slowly. Moonlight came in through the window. He watched the kitten crawl into the cloth and hide its entire body. Under the large piece of Bohemian-style cloth, there was a small protrusion in the center. She wanted to touch it and ask him why he was so distant from her, when they were the two companions who had spent the longest time together, guarding that door together and spending countless days and nights together. They loved rainy nights the most. The desire in their bodies reached its peak, and only the two of them understood each other's feelings.
He'an watched himself slowly turn pale, uncontrollably. The strong smell from the brazier continued to emanate. He wondered, had Shuixi gone mad? How could he have wasted all that effort? Through a small hole in the cloth, he observed Shuixi's forlorn expression. He shook himself, and many small black balls fell out. His fur gradually turned back to black, and his body weakened. He crept to the ground, not forgetting to collect the small balls and hide them in his fur.
The gas in the brazier was so powerful that He Ai had accumulated many small balls in a short while. His body suddenly became fatter and his fur color repeatedly changed between black and white, making him breathless.
Shuixi remained calm, watching the bustling activity beneath the cloth with a smile. If he went over and lifted the cloth now, what would happen next? He knew the outcome clearly, so he remained motionless, sitting quietly with his eyes closed.
For Shuixi, closing his eyes didn't mean blindness, but He'ai didn't care. He'd already given up, his body involuntarily transforming into a humanoid form, sweat pouring down his body, black particles tumbling to the ground. Watching Shuixi sleep peacefully, he wished he could devour her whole. Cursing, he fell weakly, accidentally knocking over the glass of sake Shuixi had poured. He'ai, sensing it as a potent remedy to soothe the turmoil in his system from such a tonic, immediately dropped down and lapped it, unconcerned with his appearance, like a real kitten sipping water.
The urge in his body slowly subsided. He Ai, panting, collapsed to the floor, beginning to feel the torture of the golden snake ring around his neck. He wanted to devour the black pills on the ground like crazy, but the remaining shred of rationality in his head fought against the urge.
It was just dawn, and Shuixi didn't know why he'd fallen asleep. Someone had drawn the curtains. He gently pulled them aside, and the room became a little brighter. He looked back and saw the stove was out, the wine glass resting beside it, and a small bump on the floor. He knew who it was without even looking. He paused for a moment, then pulled out an incense burner from the cabinet. He waved his hand, and the smoke began to spread.
He Ai slowly awoke amidst the pungent smell. It was already ten in the afternoon. He knew Shui Xi had left the house, so he decided to check on his food supplies. Two large boxes must have been overflowing! Despite feeling unwell, the thought filled him with joy. He struggled to crawl under the cabinet, but he found nothing.
Could I have remembered it wrongly? It was clearly hidden in a secret box under the cabinet. I had painstakingly collected and hidden it one by one last night while Shuixi was asleep. How could I have remembered it wrongly? But it really wasn't there. However, there was another place. He Ai walked with his short legs to the previous owner's daughter's room. There was a lifelike tree trunk, which had once been filled with pine cones. If he opened a secret door at the back, a steady stream of small black beans would flow out.
The door opened, and it was empty. He Ai even went inside to take a look, but there was indeed nothing. He found a piece of paper and swatted it away with his paw. When it fell to the ground, he saw a picture of a kitten with a grimace on it, with the title "Shui Xi" written on it.
He was taking revenge! This was the end. He's already weak, relying on the occasional prey he caught to stay alive. Shuixi had fed him generously, and his body was just beginning to feel energized. Now he'd taken all the food away, leaving nothing behind. All the smells were dispelled by the incense he'd lit before leaving.
Extreme hunger, a bound body.
Actually, there's more than one villa in the forest. Across the bridge is another garden, just farther away. Several scholars from an animal protection association live there. Ever since someone moved into the house across the street, one of them has noticed a cat of a breed they've never seen before wandering around the house, making shrill cries. The house is mostly empty, and they suspect it's the base of the cat abusers who have recently appeared in the city.
That day, the cat's cries became more frequent and miserable. The scholar took a telescope and observed that the beautiful cat was trying to climb the wall, but its body seemed to be seriously injured. It was neither light nor flexible, and it fell down again and again.
The scholar managed to contact the owner of the house across the street and called the police. By the time the police arrived, the owner had also arrived. Still observing from his villa with binoculars, the scholar saw that the owner was a young student wearing a university uniform. He was tall, handsome, and his demeanor was elegant.
He led the police inside to search. A moment later, the police emerged with a cage containing a black cat the scholar had never seen before. This cat was definitely not one of the cats that had been meowing in the room. Suspicious, the scholar continued to observe through his telescope, only to see the student happily playing with a white cat and a black cat.
"He's still looking at us." Shuixi held up He'an and deliberately put on a show in front of the window, hugging the cat and kissing it. The cat also licked Shuixi's face. He put down He'an and raised it again, and the cat in his arms turned from black to white.
The person opposite put down the binoculars. Shuixi drew the curtains and looked at He'an, who lay listlessly on the ground. He felt a brief surge of sympathy. He knelt on one knee, patted He'an's head, and forced out the food he had just fed the black cat to turn it into a white cat.
"Do you feel better?" Shuixi raised He'ai with both hands and looked him in the eyes. It had only been half a day, and He'ai was already completely furious. "I treated you so well before, but you didn't appreciate it. Now you have to suffer like this, do you think I'm wrong? I'm just teaching you to turn back from your mistakes. You know, when you're desperate, learning to beg for mercy can give you a glimmer of hope. Do you want to try to beg me?"
He'an closed his eyes weakly. Just as Shuixi was losing his temper, he felt the fur on his hand vanish, a gust of wind blew past him, and by the time he could make out his surroundings, it was too late. He'an transformed into a humanoid form and, without hesitation, punched Shuixi in the face, instantly transforming into a dead black cat.
Pain. The white curtains blew in the wind, like his white hair flying around. After all these years, he still hadn't seen his friend's face again. Shuixi laughed heartily. He was lonely.
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