The Unlucky Black Cat

chapter 12

This was Jiang Sheng's second time entering the young man's room. The light was somewhat dim, probably due to the overcast sky outside. Without the lights on, the only strong source of light in the room came from the computer. "Boom." Another bolt of lightning struck, illuminating the city for an instant at dusk. Only then did the young man realize that he had been writing all day, yet he hadn't even completed one chapter update. Most of his time had been wasted on repeatedly reviewing his drafts and self-doubt. He reached out to touch his empty stomach and looked at the black cat squatting on the ground, quietly watching him. After a long while, a relieved smile appeared on his weary face. "What do you want to eat tonight?" he asked the black cat, seemingly helpless yet amused. He decided to make something to eat and relax. After all, he was indeed very tired at the moment. Perhaps he should thank the black cat because if it weren't for its presence, he might not have gotten up from his desk until he finished his work. Let alone making dinner and relaxing. Jiang Sheng clearly couldn't answer the young man's question, but it was used to the young man's habit of talking to the cat. In such situations, ignoring him was the best approach. "Meow." It lazily meowed and slowly walked into the bathroom on the side of the room. Curious, the young man followed to see what it was doing. Then, he saw a black cat skillfully using the toilet. Even at the end, it pressed the flush button with its paw. "Whoosh..." As the sound of water gradually faded away, the black cat glanced at the young man sideways, as if mocking him for having the habit of watching others use the restroom. This left He Wen with his mouth agape, not knowing what to say. Not until Jiang Sheng used some tissues and returned to lie down by the window did He Wen swallow and stammer, "I mean, were you trained professionally or something?" He Wen assured himself that he had never seen a wild cat use a toilet and tissues before. This made him start to wonder about Jiang Sheng's origins. However, seeing Jiang Sheng lying on the windowsill, seemingly fast asleep, he ultimately didn't delve further into the matter. He just thought: Maybe I should ask around the neighborhood if anyone has lost a cat these past few days. Until then, I'll take care of it for a while. ... The cool evening breeze of summer always brought comfort to both body and mind. Although he didn't know how the black cat managed to climb up to the sixth floor, remembering how it effortlessly moved around outside the window, He Wen wasn't worried it would fall out. Admittedly, humans are adept at adapting to external circumstances. So, the young man left the window half-open, letting the stuffy air dissipate and allowing raindrops to be blown in by the evening wind, splattering on the windowsill and pattering on the floor. Under the black cat's unnoticeable gaze, He Wen stretched and walked into his small kitchen, using an induction cooker to prepare dinner. Despite his unkempt appearance, he worked surprisingly efficiently. A slender kitchen knife, simple ingredients, and scattered bowls and chopsticks were all ready under his hands. Soon, a decent stir-fried rice meal was prepared. Seeing this, Jiang Sheng, who had been half-asleep, was surprised and twitched its whiskers. It realized that it had discovered another side of the young man. It turned out that besides being weak and exhausted, the young man could also enjoy doing things leisurely. Moreover, he even considered the cat's inability to handle salt and prepared a separate serving of ham fried rice without any seasoning or oil for Jiang Sheng. "Here." Smiling, he placed a small bowl of fried rice in front of Jiang Sheng, his brows unusually relaxed. "There isn't much food left at home, so you'll have to make do with this." "Meow." Smelling the aroma of eggs mixed with ham, Jiang Sheng buried its head into the bowl without hesitation. Though the fried rice wasn't particularly amazing, it certainly wasn't bad either. Watching the black cat eat with enthusiasm, He Wen also picked up his portion of fried rice and ate slowly, smiling. By then, night had fallen. The sounds of wind and rain continued to echo, and the incandescent lamp in the room illuminated the rain outside. On the window facing the night, the scene of a man and a cat eating reflected. At this moment, everything seemed to pause, with no other noise except the wind and rain. All existence seemed to maintain a sense of inclusiveness, accepting any changes without resistance.They were both peaceful and profound, witnessing the rise and fall of all things.

It was as if they were in the deep sea, with countless whales swimming past on either side, the water making everything within sight ripple.

You could not stop it, nor did you want to. You only hoped the waves would carry you far away, regardless of where they might eventually push you.

This was a strange sense of peace that came from one's submission to the environment.

In a daze.

He Wen realized that his heart was no longer restless. He looked up at the glowing computer screen.

Silently remembering.

Once upon a time, when he faced his imagination and creation, he seemed to be just as compliant.

No reflection, no argument, no deliberation.

Not pursuing the writing of moving words, nor needing the approval of others.

Just simply wanting to write down his most direct feelings and experiences. He believed that articles naturally formed, and that skillful hands occasionally achieved them. He also believed in the fortune of gaining and the fate of losing.

Back then, he was very happy, looking forward to every sentence and every word he wrote.

Back then, he was like a long-term follower of a serial, always paying attention and waiting for his own novel.

Every development in the story amazed him.

Every addition to his imagination delighted him.

Yes.

Chewing on the dry and warm food in his mouth, He Wen, sitting cross-legged on the ground, let out a long sigh.

The uneasy heartbeat in his chest seemed to become steadier.

Why was I so happy back then.

"Mew"

Noticing that the young man's resentment seemed to loosen for a moment.

Jiang Sheng tilted his head and shook his tail in confusion.

What he got in return was He Wen's palm rubbing him without any courtesy.

"Alright, since you don't seem to have anywhere else to go, it's not impossible for you to stay at my place temporarily. But we need to set some rules."

"Firstly, all hygiene issues must be resolved in the bathroom. Secondly, you can't come to my bed or damage the furniture. Lastly, if there are insects or mice in my house, they are all your responsibility. How about it, can you agree to these terms?"

"Mew"

Jiang Sheng found it hard to imagine why this person would negotiate terms with a cat.

Who knew that in the next moment, the other party released the hand pressing on its head.

"Okay, I'll take that as your agreement. Let's eat."

"Mew..."

Jiang Sheng called helplessly.

In the still messy small room, there was finally a bit of a lived-in atmosphere.

Unfortunately.

Jiang Sheng remained an unlucky black cat.