Sechshundert Jahre

Kapitel 1

Cat Charm 2

I admit it, I'm really not human.

When humans insult someone, they might say something like, "You're not human," so the person being insulted must have done something bad. Therefore, if I've done something bad and someone calls me not human, it doesn't really count as an insult to me. You'd better tell me you're not a cat. Of course, I'm not an ordinary cat.

Because I'm so drawn to the decaying smells of the city, the fleeting, dazzling lights of life, the animated men and women, and the inexplicable, infatuated emotions—these are the things I love. As I wander through the city, I sometimes wonder if God created me, such a unique cat, just so I could witness love stories that bloom and wither like flowers.

I. Love Manager

I had a feeling he was coming back. Sure enough, I heard the sound of a key turning in the door. I quickly crawled out of my warm bed and hid far away on the balcony. Although I love his bed and the feeling of being covered in his scent, I'm a sensible cat. I know when I can be pampered and when I should keep my distance, avoiding his many ambiguous women.

My eyes gleamed in the darkness. I could see that the woman he was embracing today was wearing a pink BCBG dress, and then, with a thud, her 1400-yuan INNIU high heels gracefully fell to the ground. The sound of two slightly drunk bodies colliding made me uneasy. I decided to proceed with my routine hunt.

Cats all have their own foraging territory. I've solved my food problem, so my patrol area is from the top floor to the bottom of this building.

The top floor was occupied by a couple who had only been living together for a month. If you were a cat, you'd know how easy an obstacle modern apartment buildings pose for a nimble creature. I easily spied on their balcony. Under the warm light, the gentle woman was heating up food for the man in the kitchen. "Why are you so late? Come out and have some soup after you've finished showering."

"Understood. It's a company business dinner."

The man was about to go in to take a shower when his phone rang. His expression changed, and he pretended to go to find some clothes before entering the bedroom. "Calm down, okay?... How could I not want you?... Who said I love her? She's not as pretty as you!... Okay, okay, go to sleep. What?! You're already at the door? You..." He stormed out, saying to the woman, "I'm going downstairs to buy a pack of cigarettes."

The woman smiled slightly and nodded. I leaped forward, nimbly following the man out the door like a ghost. The man watched helplessly as the woman stood at the elevator entrance. She wore Maybelline glossy lip gloss, which, even in the dim light, radiated an alluring and captivating beauty. The man and woman's bodies were almost intertwined, held tightly in their embrace. "Tell me, why are you with her?" This was a failed question, a question only a foolish loser would ask.

The man sighed and said, "She's my boss's daughter."

The woman felt relieved; it turned out he only liked the woman's money, not her as a person. This was a somewhat comforting answer.

"Are you going to marry her?"

"well……"

"Do you know? I've almost gone crazy since you left me! I love you, I love you, please don't leave me?"

"But..." Before the man could finish speaking, the woman, as if possessed, tried to kiss his face. I saw the man's handsome face filled with fear. He tried to push away the woman who was holding him tightly, but she wouldn't let him. "Then... kiss me one last time, okay? I swear I'll never look for you again." The woman looked at him with a mournful expression.

The man was tempted, but he hesitated when he saw the bright red of the woman's lips.

The woman's voice grew softer and softer, becoming increasingly irresistible, "Kiss me..."

The man finally lifted the woman into his arms, and her arms wrapped around his body like an octopus. They kissed deeply. The man was secretly proud to have such a devoted woman so infatuated with him, and also relieved that the kiss would end things. Therefore, his grip on the woman's arms tightened as before. However, slowly, he felt something was amiss, because he sensed that the woman wanted more than just a kiss.

"You...you...no, no, this...this is my home!"

"I know, but you're the only family living on the top floor, no one will come up. Yi Sheng, do you love me?"

"She's still inside..."

"Then let's go to the stairs, okay? Please, just this once, I won't bother you again."

The woman skillfully aroused the man's desire, and his will slowly crumbled. This was a woman who had once driven him mad; they were intimately familiar with each other's physical desires, unlike women today who adhere to the rules of propriety and have to remember that she is their boss's daughter, constantly restraining themselves.

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [3]: "Okay..."

The man carried the woman to the stairwell, and uncontrollably began frantically undressing her, but the woman was even more frantic. I watched coldly as a mad shadow was projected from the stairwell, dancing wildly like a ghost.

Just as the man was about to succeed, the woman suddenly shoved him away violently and asked with a cold laugh, "Ding Yi, did you see clearly? This is your man."

The man was startled. The stairwell door opened, revealing his fiancée's pale, cold face. "Yi..." I imagine he wanted nothing more than to jump off the roof right then and there.

The woman looked at the man smugly, took out her phone from her handbag on the ground, and saw that it was still on a call, of course, to his home number.

She awaited the coming of a storm. A terrifying silence surrounded them. Two people in a primitive state, a neatly dressed woman, and a large, jet-black cat stared at each other in bewilderment.

"Put on your clothes." The neatly dressed woman finally broke the silence.

The man hurriedly searched for his clothes on the ground and frantically put them on. One button on his shirt wouldn't come up because his hands were trembling. The neatly dressed woman went over and helped him button it. Eve was stunned.

"Go home. The soup is ready. Come out and drink it after you take a shower," the neatly dressed woman said calmly.

The man lowered his head, bent over in shame, and walked out.

Eve picked up her clothes from the ground, but her top had been torn to shreds by the man. The neatly dressed woman looked at her, then suddenly walked over. Eve watched her hands warily, but nothing happened.

The neatly dressed woman pulled her hands over her body, revealing her bare upper body. Snow-white and proud, she faced Eve without a word, covering her shoulders with her clothes. Then she slowly walked away, never looking at her again.

Seeing that the play was over, I left with a satisfied and light heart. I salute those who meticulously cultivate their love affairs! I can say with certainty that Eve will not be the last Eve to seek a man. But that gentle woman will be the man's last woman. The ultimate victor who stays by his side. As long as no one more capable than her appears, her love affair will surely flourish and prosper.

I'm a bit tired. I remembered the couple on the 18th floor. They always forget to put food in the fridge. Okay, I'll stop by their place next. I'll grab something to eat while I'm at it.

II. The Price Appraiser of Love

Humans are the laziest animals. I admit, they're actually much lazier than us. I at least try to climb out the window, but they, since inventing elevators, refuse to climb stairs anymore. Like the people in this building, they've almost forgotten about stairwells; they've become a paradise for rats, cockroaches, ants, and even ghosts. Don't be afraid, though. Most of them are quite kind. I even think ghosts are better than rats and cockroaches—or rather, "them," because those creatures would be unhappy if I used that term. They were once human, after all; how can I call them like rats? I digress.

They were honest, drifting aimlessly in the darkness, oblivious and unaware, their faces all blurred. Like clumps of shadows, they huddled together in the narrow space, whispering furtively, but I couldn't hear what they were saying. Perhaps they were gossiping about this family and that family? If someone came, they would automatically dodge to the side; if they couldn't dodge in time, and that person's energy was particularly strong, they would be smashed in half, shattering into small clumps of light, taking a long time to reform. If that... A person's energy is weak, so ghostly energy can invade their body, causing them to sneeze and catch a cold. But generally, ghosts don't dare block a person's path; these are ordinary ghosts without magic or resentment, just like ordinary people who instinctively avoid officials. However, there are also ghosts with deep resentment. Like the one in apartment 501 on the 5th floor. Although I'm not afraid of her, I don't want to bother her either, but when I'm bored, I'll still sneak over and chat about love. Hey, that guy is… oh dear, I'm getting off-topic again! Look at my cat!

I thought the couple was already asleep and was about to head straight to the kitchen to be my thief. But I was wrong. The whole house was brightly lit and a complete mess. The couple had turned the house upside down like they were possessed, with clothes, shoes, and socks strewn everywhere. They had searched the place thoroughly, leaving no stone unturned.

"Where did you put it? Do you remember?"

"Didn't I put it for you back then? Why are you asking me again?"

"I...I just remember putting it aside, I think I put it on the sofa."

Without a word, the husband started prying open the gap in the middle of the sofa. The wife joined in, and the two of them almost dismantled the sofa. After a while, they were both disappointed.

"Think again, where did you put it? Think it through!" the husband complained.

The wife looked aggrieved and said, "How could I have known that lottery ticket would actually win? If I had known, I would have hidden it inside my belly!"

So that's how it is! I watched them sit on the ground, utterly dejected, with a smug look on my face. I didn't want them to find that lottery ticket. Because I'm a bad person, I can't stand seeing others have good luck. I'd rather see them bickering every day before having dinner, watching boring soap operas, and then peacefully cuddling together before going to sleep. I don't want this city to have another pair of extravagant millionaires.

Suddenly, his wife remembered and exclaimed, "I remember now, it seems to have been in my pocket."

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [4]: The husband immediately searched the pockets of the clothes one by one. I saw his face turn pale and then red, and I was really worried that his blood vessels would burst. The wife also turned pale and then red. The husband got impatient and simply tore the clothes apart. Seeing that one piece of clothing after another was being torn to pieces, the wife could not hold back any longer and whispered, "Leave me a good one! They were all bought the year before last... Sigh, this one was given to me by my aunt's daughter who no longer wore it, you... be gentle!"

The husband cursed, "Damn it, if we find that ticket, you can wear gold and silver all you want, why would you care about this junk?"

The wife sighed, "Don't tell me you're mistaken? I need to find something to wear to work tomorrow."

"What job? It's just serving tea and water, right? If we find the lottery, we'll be millionaires! Millionaires! We wouldn't have to worry about anything even if we lost a leg!"

The wife remained silent, forced to continue the hopeless search. I saw the disappointment in their eyes gradually turn into despair. The wife was exhausted, constantly yawning, while the husband became increasingly frantic, turning the household items over and over in his search. Every time he checked something, he would curse, and if he couldn't find it, he would kick it hard.

"Keep your voice down, our son is asleep. He has school tomorrow."

"What's the point of going to school? If he finds a lottery ticket, I'll send him abroad!" The husband was exhausted and had to sit down to rest. Both of them looked at their chaotic home, feeling utterly lost.

Suddenly remembering something, the husband asked, "By the way, did that man who called you last time also come to the teahouse to look for you?"

"Him? He came again today. I heard he's the county magistrate's cousin, and he runs his own shell company. Hehe, he's quite a handsome guy," his wife said happily, feeling quite proud that she was still attractive at her age.

"Really... You look quite handsome..." The husband's face darkened, and suddenly he raised his hand and slapped his wife hard across the face, making her dizzy and almost faint.

The wife stared at the man, mouth agape, completely bewildered; she was stunned.

Her husband pointed at her, "You gave that ticket to that man, didn't you? Did you? Did you?"

His wife jumped to her feet, angrily shouting, "Wang Ming, you're inhuman! You doubt me? If I had embezzled that money, would I be back today? I would have run off with that guy long ago. Why would I be back in this wretched place? I would have gone to America to enjoy the world. I even wanted to date an American, but he's better than you! You've been with me for three years? You haven't bought me a single new piece of clothing. You were laid off and were just drifting around, and I'm the one who serves you tea and water and supports you!"

Men can't stand such words. The two wrestled together. The woman, not being as strong as the man, was slapped several times, and her face immediately swelled up. The man's finger was also bitten by the woman, and blood flowed out.

A figure flashed into the living room. "Dad... Mom... Stop fighting! Stop fighting!" It was their son, wearing a bear-patterned pajama, who stumbled and rushed over. They must have been woken up by the noise of their argument.

“Son, come with me! We’ll go to America right now! We’ll be millionaires, sob sob…” the mother sobbed.

“Want to leave? Not so easy, son. Come here to Dad. Your mother is keeping a gigolo. She’s willing to abandon her husband and children for money. What wouldn’t she do?” The father’s eyes widened.

The poor son was caught in the middle, unable to do anything but cry out, "I want my mom and dad!"

The two adults felt a pang of sadness. One of them tried to comfort him, saying, "Don't cry, son, don't cry... Daddy was just joking! Hehe, hehe, look, Daddy's smiling, isn't he?" His smile was uglier than his tears. How annoying, hypocritical humans!

One of them wiped away her tears and said, "Mom's wearing makeup now, doesn't she look good, son?" She's wearing makeup that makes her look like a pig's head, the dumbest woman in the world.

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [5]: The two slowly moved closer to their son, who asked, "What were you doing just now? It was so noisy!"

“Dad bought a lottery ticket yesterday and gave it to your mom for safekeeping. Today he saw on TV that he won the jackpot! But your mom… she actually…”

"Who stole your ticket! Wang Ming, don't frame an innocent person!" the mother shouted hoarsely. The son burst into tears again, immediately throwing himself into his mother's arms, sobbing. The father, enraged, couldn't control himself and tried to slap her. The son desperately tried to grab his father's hand, but his father shoved him away. The small body fell onto the glass coffee table like a powerless cloud, his head hitting the glass. The cheap glass couldn't withstand the impact and shattered into small pieces. The son's head was bleeding profusely.

The couple panicked and immediately helped their son up. The wife tried to find gauze to bandage him, but the house was too messy to find any. She could only grab a piece of clothing to wrap him up, and the blood immediately stained the clothing and wouldn't stop flowing. They changed the clothing, but the blood still wouldn't stop.

The husband panicked, muttering, "Son... Dad deserves to die, Dad deserves to die..."

The wife panicked, "Wang Ming, take him to the hospital!" The husband, only then snapping out of his daze, scooped his son into his arms and rushed out. The son weakly said, "Mommy, Daddy... I don't want the lottery ticket, I want Mommy, Daddy..."

The couple exchanged a complex look, a mixture of pain, shame, forgiveness, and love. Their expressions were blurred, and they lacked the cultural understanding to decipher the meaning in each other's eyes, nor did they have time to ponder it. All they wanted was to get their son to the hospital as quickly as possible.

After they left, I jumped into this messy house. I knew there wouldn't be any leftovers left for this lazy bum tonight, so I slipped over to the clothes stained with my son's blood.

Oh, I forgot to mention, I like the smell of blood. Although I don't harm anyone, I'm not a god, and I also enjoy fear, sorrow, blood, violence, and killing. So I thoroughly enjoy licking those still-warm bloodstains. A child's pure blood is rare, much sweeter than the blood of those hypocritical and sinister adults. So if your child is accidentally injured, I'd be happy to stop the bleeding with my own tongue. But don't worry, I only lick, I don't suck.

Mmm, so sweet! I was completely absorbed in enjoying it when I suddenly noticed a small note in my pocket. A thought struck me, and I pulled it out with my paw. Wow! I couldn't help but shout with joy, "Meow! I'm a millionaire cat now!"

It really was that winning lottery ticket that could change the lives of countless people. It was already stained with his son's blood, but it didn't matter; it was still worth millions.

But what does a million mean to a cat? Although I really wanted to collect the money, I couldn't very well bring it back with my paws! It's truly the saddest thing that a million was once placed before me... Heaven created me as a strange cat, but didn't grant me the ability to become human. Heaven is still the boss, and the boss is fair. I couldn't help but think with heartfelt admiration.

I sighed, and after licking off the last mouthful of the delicious nectar, I used my claws, which could tear ghosts apart, to turn that million-dollar piece of paper into countless fluttering butterflies.

I think this was also the son's wish. I licked his blood to repay him.

I licked my lips. Okay, clean now. I looked at the moon; it was already high in the sky. Looks like I should go up to the fifth floor to see my lovely, beautiful neighbor. She's so lonely, so hopelessly waiting for love.

III. The Questioner of Love

How many wanted criminals do you meet in your lifetime?

Even as a police officer, you might not always encounter such notorious criminals, right? Among these wanted criminals are thugs with murder records, as well as cunning and shrewd business geniuses. As for those involved due to political reasons, they're not included. Cats don't understand politics.