Katzenliebling 1

Kapitel 1

Text 1. The Soul-Stealing Stalker (Part 1)

Six months later, just into April, I was walking briskly forward in a pair of high-heeled sandals, glancing back repeatedly. The person was still following me at a leisurely pace, and I couldn't shake him off no matter what I did.

With a sharp screech of brakes, a green taxi stopped right in front of me. I was terrified and fell to the side of the taxi. Luckily, I managed to brace myself against the hood, or I would have fallen to the ground.

"What are you looking at? Don't you have eyes?" the taxi driver leaned out and yelled at me.

I was woken up by the driver's yelling, and when I looked up, the light was red. I had run a red light. "Beep beep, beep beep..." The cars behind that taxi were honking incessantly. I quickly waved and apologized repeatedly, then stepped aside and moved to the middle line.

"Show-off, all you know how to do is dress up but you don't have a brain..." The taxi driver cursed and drove off. I could feel the glares from the drivers and pedestrians behind me, and I felt a thorn in my side.

What terrified me even more was the red-haired man behind me. He had been following me for two cars and several intersections. I was scared, so I panicked and ran a red light, almost getting hit.

The yellow light was flashing; I could cross to the other side soon. I was right in the middle, and once the green light came on, I could go first. At that moment, I glanced at the red-haired guy who had been following me. A whole bunch of people were waiting there, and I didn't see my target. I felt a little relieved; perhaps I had lost him? If that were the case, I would feel much better. However, with so many people, it was hard to spot him; I couldn't be sure he wasn't in the crowd.

My name is Lin Zier, and I'm a fashionable and beauty-loving person. Summer has just begun, and I've already become a trendsetter, eagerly donning short skirts and high-heeled sandals to show off. Although things haven't been going well lately, that won't dampen my spirits or my aesthetic sense. Even if the sky falls, my boyfriend will be there to support me; I'm determined to live happily. Working in this large, flat city in the north, unemployment is commonplace. I recently lost my job, and to make matters worse, misfortune seems to follow. When I was feeling down and had nothing to do, my old MP4 player broke, so I happily rushed to this bustling electronics market to get it repaired. Unexpectedly, as I left the market, I was followed by a man with a red hair. And being a coward, why am I always the one who gets hurt?

Here's what happened: After leaving the electronics market, I was waiting for the bus at the bus stop when a guy with a tuft of red hair stared at me menacingly for a long time. I glared at him a few times. Unexpectedly, he didn't back down or look away, continuing to stare intently. This made me nervous, so I quickly looked away. Luckily, a bus came by, and without thinking twice, I jumped on, determined to get rid of him. Once on the bus, I squeezed to the back, finally feeling a little more at ease. After the bus started moving, I felt someone jostling behind me. I turned around and was startled to see the red-haired guy right behind me, his back to me, but his tuft of red hair was very noticeable. He turned around at the same time, our eyes meeting. My heart tightened, and I quickly lowered my head, avoiding his "fish-eye," and moved closer to the door to keep the red-haired guy away from me.

The thought of his fish-like eyes staring intently at me sent chills down my spine. Was he stalking me? What was his purpose? Was he trying to rob me or assault me? Or was he not deliberately following me? I didn't dare think about it anymore. Whatever the reason, I had to shake him off as soon as possible.

The bus stopped after just one stop. I quickly squeezed off, disappearing into the crowd, too afraid to look back. I hid behind a bus stop sign, hoping the red-haired guy hadn't gotten off and followed me. I searched the crowd behind me, but found no trace of him, feeling somewhat smug. I started walking around the platform. When I passed another bus stop, to my disappointment, the red-haired guy was right behind it. My face flushed red with shame and fear. I turned away, too afraid to get back on the bus. Seeing a shopping mall nearby, I went inside to see if he would follow me, to confirm if he had really been stalking me.

As I walked, I kept glancing back, feeling a sharp, stabbing pain in my back. My God, that redhead was still following me! I saw him through the glass as he followed me into the mall. I had no interest in looking at the merchandise; I wandered around, going up and down escalators. Just as I reached the bottom of the escalator, I glanced back. Damn those high heels! Before I could even see who was behind me, the floor gave way, and I tumbled to the ground, landing squarely on my backside. My beloved "Daphne" heels! The heels are definitely broken now! Ignoring the pain in my knees, I frantically checked my expensive high heels.

Luckily, my heel didn't break. I tried to get up, and two ladies next to me helped me. I managed to stand up, but fearing I'd lose my balance, I leaned against the escalator. Looking up, the red-haired guy no longer had that deadpan face; instead, he had a wicked grin on his face. Only then did I realize he was wearing all jeans, with a large white chain hanging from his backside, backing away in the middle of the escalator, seemingly unable to get off.

"You bastard!" I cursed inwardly. I stomped my feet a few times, loosened my leg joints, and found nothing was wrong. I stopped looking at him and ran away in a panic, swaying my hips. As I ran, I kept looking back, and that's when the scene unfolded where I almost got hit by a car while running a red light came to light.

2. The Soul-Stealing Stalker (Part Two)

"Beep—," a whistle blew, and the traffic officer at the intersection signaled a green light, indicating I could cross. I was in the middle of the road and quickly crossed. When I reached a newsstand by the roadside, I looked back to see if the red-haired guy was still following me. By then, I wasn't as scared as before; I was much calmer, and I knew I had to take action.

I saw that familiar figure again, in those ripped jeans. He was looking around on the platform, glancing in my direction every now and then. Looks like I've really run into a ghost today; this weird redhead seems determined to get me…

I quickly dialed the number listed first on my phone: "A life of endless possibilities, connected by me... Today's weather is cloudy, with haze in the afternoon, a high of 18 degrees Celsius. Today's fortune index is 9. Heading east will bring a rain of money, heading west will bring a wind that brings wealth, heading south will bring gold bricks, and heading north will bring an electric shock of US dollars..."

"What the hell is this, you big pig? Answer the phone!"

"Why are you unhappy? Didn't you really like this ringtone? Is the MP4 still not fixed?"

"I've been harassed by a pervert, are you coming to my rescue?"

"Are you kidding me? What wolf would dare to fall in love with my sheep?!"

"I'm telling you seriously, I'm being followed by a thug, and I've tried to shake him off several times but I can't. What should I do now? I... I'm scared..." I saw that the red-haired guy was now squatting on the platform staring in my direction, and he started to stammer.

“Is that really true, Zi’er? Don’t be scared, stay calm, I’m coming to pick you up right away. Let me give you a few suggestions.” My boyfriend immediately comforted me, “First, call 110 to report it. Second, quickly hail a taxi home. Third, if all else fails, I’ll come pick you up.”

"What's the point of calling the police? Waaah, I need you to come pick me up... Waaah..." I burst into tears, feeling utterly helpless. Despite my fear, I knew his workplace was quite far from here, and that distance wouldn't be of much help. I felt incredibly helpless; it seemed like the sky was falling and he wouldn't be around to see me for much longer...

"Zi'er, where are you? I'll ask a friend to come pick you up. I think you're not far from the electronics market."

"I don't want to lose face in front of my friends, if I can't even handle something like this." I calmed myself down. "I think I'll take a taxi back, but I'm worried he might take a taxi with me too."

"Hey, you're so timid but you still care about your pride! That's fine too. Take a taxi back and watch your back. If he really follows you, then take a taxi to my place and I'll reimburse you for the fare."

A taxi slowly pulled up. Before I could hang up, I rushed in, flung open the door, and jumped inside. "Go forward!"

There was still a lot of talking on the phone; he was still on the other end. "I'm on the bus. I'll figure something out. Wait for my call." Then he hung up.

The car was driving in the opposite direction from where I live, but I could turn around just ahead, so I went around in circles.

While directing the driver to turn, I kept peering down at the vehicles behind us.

This was really bad. I noticed a bright orange Sonata following me closely. I could see the license plate clearly. It was following me at a leisurely pace. I circled around several times but still couldn't shake it off, and I started to get anxious. Actually, the electronics market was only four or five stops away from where I lived, not far at all. A taxi ride there would be quick if there was no traffic. Seeing that the car was almost at the main gate of my complex, I didn't want to stop there and asked the driver to go around to the back gate.

After circling around for a few minutes, the car arrived at the back gate of the residential area. I looked back and saw that the orange car had stopped following. I didn't dare to be happy, nor did I dare to get out of the car rashly. I asked the driver to pull over to the side of the road and wait a while to see if the car behind us had been shaken off.

Sure enough, the car didn't follow. I thought there weren't many people at the back gate, so I decided to get off at the front gate. I asked the driver to drive half a circle to the front gate of the community, and I got off decisively.

I rushed into the residential area, turned a few corners, found a bench to sit on, and took a good breather. I was terrified; I finally got rid of that red-haired guy.

Suddenly I felt thirsty and remembered I had a bottle of water in my handbag. I opened it and gulped down more than half of it. I've never drunk water so "lavishly" before. Oh well, it seems pretending to be a lady really is a sin. Today, my high heels and fashionable outfit have definitely made me look bad.

Having calmed down and drunk enough water, I realized this was a place I knew very well. I looked around carefully to make sure no one was following me. If they had, I would have been dead for sure, and I would never dare to go out again. There were a few people walking around, and not far ahead, a middle-aged woman was rummaging through a trash can with a girl of about eight or nine years old, picking out trash from inside.

This is the first time I've ever been followed like this by a malicious red-haired thug. He chased after me relentlessly even after I'd shaken him off several times. Nine times out of ten, a girl would be terrified and helpless. I'm really exhausted; this ordeal has probably given me blisters on my feet. I'd better hurry home and get some rest.

The residential complex has access control. I swiped my card to enter, then swung the metal gate and went in. Strangely, the door didn't make a sound; normally, it would automatically slam shut with a "thud," so I didn't need to do anything. My heart skipped a beat, and I glanced back. The door was ajar, and it wasn't moving…

3. Night Raid

"Squeak—" The door was slowly pulled open, and the gap in the door grew wider and wider.

"My God!" Fear struck me again. "Could it be that this red-haired guy is playing cat and mouse with me, and I'm ultimately no match for his deadpan eyes?"

"What to do? What to do?" My head was spinning, slower than my crappy computer, it was about to explode. "If that red-haired guy follows me to my door, I'm afraid I'll never dare to leave this building again... Sigh, being unemployed, if it weren't for saving two yuan on taxi fare, I would have gone straight to Big Pig's place today. I was terrified the whole way!"

I thought of calling the police. I took out my phone and looked out the door. The door was already half open, but I couldn't see anyone. It was creaking and groaning, like a saw being cut into my heart. Suddenly I saw a stick under the door, blocking it. It must have been this stick that had prevented the door from closing.

A dirty hand was pulling at the door from below, gripping the doorframe. I saw it clearly; it was a small hand. Then, half a head peeked in.

Oh my god! That was really scary. It turned out to be the little girl who was picking up trash earlier. I thought it was the red-haired guy who had followed me.

The little girl came in, the stick still at the bottom; apparently, she was "clever" and didn't want the door to close. What did she want to do in here? Where was the middle-aged woman? Just as I was wondering, she rushed towards me, and the hallway light went out, leaving only a dim light shining through the crack in the door. I couldn't help but feel a chill, stomped my foot, and the light came back on. Seeing that I wasn't afraid at all, the little girl went to the trash can by the elevator and opened it to look inside. But to her disappointment, there was nothing inside, and her eyes were fixed on my hand.

I hadn't dialed yet when I picked up my phone. I thought she was looking at it; I've often heard of kids snatching people's phones. Even though I'm an adult, it's hard to get away from a kid like that, so I quickly put my phone in my bag, still holding my half-finished water bottle in my other hand.

But the girl's gaze remained fixed on me; I was holding my bag in one hand and a water bottle in the other, and my eyes weren't on her bag. Then, the little girl timidly said, "Auntie, could you give me the bottle?"

"Ugh, I've become an auntie!" This is the title I hate hearing the most. I quickly handed her the water bottle; apparently, that's what she wanted. I'd better go up to the second floor via the stairs next to me and leave this gloomy place.

"Pig, you have two nostrils, and when you have a cold, you still have snot hanging from your nose. Pig, you have dark eyes, you look and look and look but you can't see the end..." Big Pig called, and I answered: "Zi'er, are you alright? Are you okay?"

"Oh no, I'm in hell now. Come find me in hell!" I said irritably.

"Hey, why are you saying that? I'll make it up to you tonight, I'll take you out for a nice meal, and then we'll go to KTV. How about that?"

"Okay, okay, hooray! You better keep your word, I'm going to have a blast today."

"Oh, and I sent you a few resumes today, they're all pretty good for you, just wait for good news."

"Hey big pig, come here, give me a kiss. I'm home. I need to rest for a bit, come pick me up tonight."

After hanging up, I saw a missed call on my phone, from a restricted number, which came right when I answered. So fast, I wonder if any companies have already contacted me for interviews. I hastily ate some instant noodles—this junk food, supposedly good for weight loss, I guess I'll try it when I have no other choice.

The phone rang for a long time but didn't come back. I couldn't call back, and I was really tired, so I went to sleep. But thinking about the call, I didn't dare sleep too soundly. In my drowsy state, I walked into a dimly lit alley, my usual route home from evening study. Usually, I'm with someone, so I'm not afraid; but walking alone makes me a little nervous, thankfully nothing bad has ever happened before. That night, someone told me there was an emergency at home and I needed to go back immediately, so I went home early, before the end of study. The alley was quiet, not a soul in sight, only the sound of my hurried footsteps. I didn't know what had happened at home. The section ahead was pitch black; the lights there had broken a few days ago, and I didn't have a flashlight. I knew the way well, so I had to walk in the dark.

Suddenly, I kicked something, and my heart skipped a beat. It was probably a rotten piece of fruit. I stopped, and the fruit rolled forward with a clatter. After a while, everything returned to normal, and I quickened my pace, feeling my way along the wall. Once I got past this section, there would be light, and I wouldn't be afraid anymore.

"Meow—" A cat meowed, then stopped, but it sounded a little off. I didn't try to figure it out and just kept walking. In the darkness, I felt my hand against the wall. Suddenly, I felt something soft, like cloth, warm and moving beneath it. Before I could react, a strong hand grabbed my hand, and another hand wrapped around my waist. I was so startled I couldn't even scream when a rough breath pressed against my lips. I instinctively turned my head. A large mouth kissed my face, wet and wet.

"Cough—cough—," I realized my predicament, gasping for breath but unable to make a sound. The person holding me loosened one hand and covered my mouth, and I pounded my fists on his back. I heard heavy footsteps behind me, which passed quickly. In the darkness, someone grabbed my hands, twisted them around, and pinned me down with one hand while grabbing my hair with the other. I was completely immobilized. The man in front of me was strong and powerful; he immediately covered my lips with his own after removing his hand. This was the first time I had consciously kissed a man on the lips. I tried to keep my mouth shut, feeling like I was choking on my breath. And what followed was even worse…

Behind me was a tall man who gripped my hands tightly, making it difficult to break free. At the same time, he disgustingly lowered his head and licked my face. I was furious, shaking my head and desperately trying to avoid his saliva. At that moment, the burly man's hairy hands began to roam over my upper body. I was terrified and ashamed, twisting my head and body violently, ignoring the pain. Then, I managed to catch my breath and screamed, "Ah—help! Help!" I felt my body suddenly go limp, and I collapsed to the ground as if my legs had given way.

"Ring ring~~", a series of urgent rings made me jump out of bed. It turned out to be a nightmare, a real experience from my senior year of high school. I was drenched in sweat, panting heavily, and the phone next to me was still ringing incessantly.

I picked up the phone and saw it was still a restricted number. I guessed it was the same person calling at noon, and I was a little happy, so I quickly answered. But then I heard a dial tone; the other party had just hung up. How disappointing!

Who could this be? The only one I can think of is a company recruitment call.

4. A mysterious phone call, a beautiful mistake

It was 3 PM, still early, so I washed my face to wake myself up. I made sure to bring my phone; I had to answer it if it called this time. A while passed, and the call still hadn't come, so I picked up a magazine and started flipping through it. A joke at the back caught my eye:

Several colleagues went on a business trip to another city. The local colleagues were very hospitable and hosted a dinner for them that evening in a private room at a specialty hotel. A dozen or so men and women sat down and ordered. After they finished ordering, the last guy said, "Miss, please tell me."

The young lady glanced at him but didn't move.

"Miss, please give me a message!" This guy was getting a little anxious.

The young lady's face turned bright red, but she still didn't move.

"What's wrong? Didn't you hear me say it?" My buddy was really getting impatient.

A female colleague quickly tried to smooth things over: "Miss, please just read them out one by one, okay?"

The young lady said shyly, "Then... then... is it okay if I hug women, but not men?"

I laughed until my stomach hurt, and soon I felt hungry again from the instant noodles I'd only had for lunch, so I washed an apple to eat. Just as I was about to peel the apple, the phone rang—it was that mysterious caller, just like always.

"Hello, are you Miss Lin Lin?" The voice on the other end was a man's, very soft and gentle.

"It's me, and who is this?" I asked in a friendly tone. Lin Lin is my real name, but I rarely use it except when filling out forms or in formal occasions. As an entertainment editor, I prefer the name "Lin Zi'er," and that's what everyone calls me.

"Hello, it's nice to talk to you. I'm a landlord in Xiushan. You submitted an application for me a few days ago, do you remember?"

Oh, I remember now. I only understood when he mentioned Xiushan. A girlfriend of mine heard that my lease was expiring and I wanted to move to the suburbs. By chance, she saw a rental ad and recommended it to me. This rental ad was quite peculiar and unusual. Usually, rentals don't have photos, but he posted photos of the house and its interior. Also, it was a private mansion, nicely decorated, and the price was clearly stated—very low. Even more strangely, the landlord required applicants to provide their real names and several recent, clear photos, and declared that he wanted to rent to couples or young partners at a low price, not accepting single women. He mainly wanted to find a lady for him to sketch once a week, just a portrait, with absolutely no other intentions—because he was an artist.

I didn't have high hopes at the time. I just thought the photos of his house looked nice, and the price was indeed tempting. As for whether it was real or not, I figured I could see the place when I actually wanted to live there before making a decision, and having my boyfriend with me should put my mind at ease. We'd find out if he was an artist after we met him. So I submitted an application, without giving it much thought.

"I remember you're the owner of the mansion, aren't you?" I asked, knowing the answer already.

"Yes, I saw your photo and I think it perfectly matches my aesthetic preferences for portraits. I hope you and your boyfriend can come and see the apartment this weekend. I really hope you can come and stay. As for whether you will come, that depends on fate."

I thanked him profusely and hung up the phone, feeling excited for a while. If it was really as he said, that would be fantastic! Only 500 yuan a month for a room in a mansion with a private bathroom, and a quiet environment surrounded by green trees and flowers—could such a wonderful thing really exist? Anyway, since he wanted us to come and live there, we should see for ourselves and make a decision after we've seen it for ourselves.

I sat down and continued peeling apples; the house situation made me happy. I'm blood type O, and my emotions are like the weather—coming and going quickly. Aside from the nightmare I just had, which I can't forget, I quickly forget most unhappy things. No wonder my boyfriend says I'm a little princess, a little pig, so easy to please; a little kindness and I'm completely spoiled…

I don't know if the mansion owner was attracted to my beauty. I've been a beauty since I was little, and by high school I was a stunning young woman. Being beautiful often brings attention and admiration, and I gradually got used to it, which gave me a lot of confidence. But I didn't use it as a source of pride, because I also have a melancholic side, a melancholy and timidity like Lin Daiyu, which few people can truly understand. Even my parents couldn't understand it. My beauty often drew praise and affection from relatives and friends, but my parents didn't give me much love because I have a younger brother. My parents, who favored boys, naturally poured most of their love into my brother. That's how I grew up in my family, uneventfully.

Beauty has its advantages, but it also has its flaws. The nighttime attack in my senior year of high school was a deliberate act of targeting me with malicious intent. That incident left a deep psychological scar; I still have nightmares when I'm affected by it. Today, that red-haired man's stalking has once again filled me with fear, leaving me completely helpless. If that landlord in Xiushan is also planning something like this, wouldn't I be walking right into a trap...?

5. Mona Lisa Mansion (Part 1)

"Ouch!" I cried out, realizing I had accidentally cut my finger with a fruit knife while distracted.

"Blood—", a thin red line appeared on the blade, and a large drop of bright red blood oozed from my finger. I quickly wiped it clean with a tissue, put on a band-aid, and stopped thinking about it.

My boyfriend, Zhu Qingyuan, rushed home after get off work as expected. He asked me with concern about being followed during the day, but I just said seriously that it terrified me and I didn't want to talk about it anymore, lest it ruin my mood. I couldn't wait to tell him about the great opportunity to rent a place in Xiushan and asked him to promise to go see it on Saturday.

"Sure, I'll definitely take you there with such great offers. But you agreed to this first, so don't blame me if you get into trouble later!"

"You coward, I'm not only making fun of you, I'm going to take it out on you too. Heh, what trouble are you trying to cause? Do you think I'm the kind of person who causes trouble? Aren't I usually a quiet and well-behaved person?"

"Yes, yes, yes, you're a good boy," she said, bringing her mouth closer. "I'll keep my promise tonight, so shouldn't you keep yours too?"

I knew he wanted me to reward him with a kiss, so I put my arms around his neck and gave him a sweet kiss, which made him swoon.

“Oh, honey, let me tell you,” he put me down, “he wants you to be the subject of his sketches. Can you accept that? What will happen if I’m not around?”

“Let’s go and check it out first. It’s not like we’re selling it to him. We’ll have to explain the specific terms to him later.”

"Yes, that's right. You should call him right away to confirm. Let's grab this opportunity to own such a great house."

"Phone number? Huh?" I can't believe I didn't leave such an important number; it's a restricted number and can't be found. But my quick mind immediately thought of email. "His phone number is restricted, I'll email him."