Katzenliebling 1

Kapitel 4

It turned out she was a nanny; she didn't seem like the lady of the house at all. She seemed a bit nervous because she mistook me for the new nanny who had taken her job. "Oh, no, I'm not. I'm here to rent a room. I can pass on your message to Teacher Yang if you need anything."

Is Mrs. Chen not home?

“What, Mrs. Chen? I’ve never seen her before.”

"Oh, she's probably gone abroad again. Do you know what time Ms. Yang will be back?"

"I'm not sure. If it's not urgent, I can pass on the message."

“I’m in a bit of a hurry. I brought a little boy with me. I’m looking for something to do.” She pointed behind her, and I looked over. Sure enough, there was a boy, about fifteen or sixteen years old, standing there timidly. She continued, “I wanted to ask Teacher Yang if she still needs a nanny. Also, I left some wages unpaid when I left last year. I wanted to come back and work. If she doesn’t want me anymore, I’d like to settle the outstanding amount.”

"Oh, is that so? That must be tough. Let me call and ask." I dialed Yang Kai's number, and sure enough, he told me that he didn't need a nanny anymore, but there was still 300 yuan left in wages. He asked if I had any money to help him out, and I said yes. Then he told me to give him 400 yuan and to contact me later.

The nanny took the 400 yuan I gave her, feeling both grateful and reluctant to leave. She hesitated for a long time before finally turning back, glancing back every now and then at the two-story mansion and the elegant name on the gate. My heart ached a little too, and my lips twitched a few times as I waved goodbye to them.

In the afternoon, I was reading a book when a car horn sounded. I looked out the window and saw a car approaching. Thinking it was asking me to open the door, I grabbed my keys and went downstairs.

Upon arriving in the courtyard, I saw that the old man had already gotten out of the car and opened the door. He was dressed well today, looking like a city dweller, and much younger. A vintage Mercedes-Benz S320 slowly pulled up to the entrance of the main hall.

The car door opened, and Yang Kai got out. I quickly greeted him, and Yang Kai first thanked me for paying for his business at noon. I exchanged pleasantries with him, then leaned forward, waiting to see who would emerge from the back door—soon I would see the mysterious lady's face.

13. Will-o'-the-wisp

The back door remained closed, and Yang Kai didn't open it. Instead, he went to the back of the car, took out his keys, and said to me excitedly, "I took my father to the city mall today and bought a flat-screen TV. When I'm drawing for you, you can just watch TV with your head down, haha..."

"Thank you, you're so thoughtful!" They'd been busy all morning; they went to buy a TV. I thought they were going to pick up his wife, but there was no one in the car.

Yang Kai's thinking is quite thorough and meticulous. What kind of model watches TV? This is really novel, and I'll be the star of this show. Looks like he's making a losing proposition; the rent we pay isn't even enough for him to buy a flat-screen TV.

Yang Kai also invited me to an "audience," which, of course, was to test the height and distance of the television. After the television was set up, he asked for my and Zhu Qingyuan's opinions, and I was to be his model on Saturday morning.

The weather has been getting warmer these past few days, and we still enjoy chatting and relaxing on the terrace every night, savoring our sweet and intimate evenings together. Since Yang Kai fired that shot, the owl has disappeared, and we no longer hear its mournful cries at night; our sleep has been excellent.

It hasn't rained since the last time I viewed the property, when there was a torrential downpour and thunderstorm. The weather has been sunny for two weeks, and it's very dry.

We chatted until after 9 PM when Zhu Qingyuan got up and looked around. The small light in our room was on, casting a dim glow in our direction, making it completely dark. I didn't dare sit there. This was a wealthy person's mansion; if a thief climbed up, we'd be in serious trouble. But Yang Kai had told me it was quite safe here, so there wasn't much to worry about. The area was safe, and importantly, the mansion had surveillance cameras and alarms; we hadn't had to call the police except during testing. I remember the first time I came here, I felt dizzy at the entrance to the lobby because I was being watched by the camera on the door.

I noticed Zhu Qingyuan standing by the south wall for a long time, then squatting down, looking very focused. Perhaps he'd encountered something upsetting lately, something he couldn't tell me, and was just sitting there to relieve his boredom. But that didn't seem likely; we were chatting quite well just now. He has a good temper, is responsible, can tolerate things and even take my "punishments," he's just a bit too kind, and sometimes he likes to daydream. Whenever the topic of housing came up, he'd confidently tell me, "I'll definitely save up enough this year, and buying a small apartment next year won't be a problem." But after a year or two of dreaming, it still hadn't come true, and now he had to rent and move frequently!

“Hey, let me tell you something,” Big Pig walked up to me mysteriously, squatted down and said, “I have a new discovery that I want to show you, so don’t be shy.”

"Hmph, you little brat, what wouldn't I dare to do? With you here, I'm not afraid of anything even if the sky falls! What new continent have you discovered? Just tell me."

"Don't shout later if you dare. Let me give you a heads-up: this is actually a fairly normal phenomenon, but don't get lost like a rabbit after seeing it."

"I refuse to believe I'd be that scared of something so normal." I followed Big Pig southward to take a look. Seeing the ground at night should lessen my fear of heights. But I was still a little nervous, gripping Big Pig's hand tightly, as if I were about to fall into a tiger's mouth.

“Look, there’s a blue light over the manhole cover. Look closely.”

I stood there anxiously looking, but couldn't see anything at first. So I squatted down, calmed myself down, and sure enough, there were blue lights, in strings, popping up and disappearing. They were much smaller than the light of a match, and some were just a few blue starlight.

"What is this? What's so special about it? Tell me about it."

Big Pig pulled me a little further inside, afraid I'd jump out of the window in fright. "Shh, listen carefully, this is—will-o'-the-wisp." I jolted, grabbing Big Pig's hands. "This is will-o'-the-wisp? Where's the ghost?"

“I told you you were scared. Don’t worry, there are no ghosts. I already told you, it’s a normal phenomenon. I’ve seen it quite a lot; there are some in the cemetery behind our village.” Hearing the cemetery shudder, timid people are generally afraid of ghosts and cemeteries; even just hearing the words would give them goosebumps. Big Pig continued to explain, “Usually, will-o’-the-wisps are caused by dry weather, where phosphorus accumulates underground, and when the outside temperature reaches a certain level, it ignites automatically. This phosphorus is produced by the decomposition of human and animal remains underground. This phenomenon is common in new cemeteries…”

"Stop, stop! The more you talk about it, the scarier I get. Nobody's buried here, so how could there be will-o'-the-wisps?"

“I didn’t say that only dead people have this thing. I just said that animals do too. Think about it, isn’t this a dry well? There must be rats digging holes underground, either starving to death or dying of old age down there. Isn’t that normal? Besides, this is a mountainous area, where there are many animals that can burrow.”

Zhu Qingyuan's words made perfect sense, and I could only listen attentively. "So, I'm saying, this is perfectly normal. I've seen it a lot when I was a kid. Just imagine it as a blue lighter, and you won't be scared."

I'm not really scared anymore. I stood up and glanced at the will-o'-the-wisps and the occasional blue star. They didn't scare me. I didn't expect there to be so many "dead rats" in that dry well.

Big Pig and I went back to the wicker chairs. So this is what will-o'-the-wisps look like! It seems ghosts aren't that scary after all; it's just a psychological effect, a rumor.

"Awooo!" Another owl's cry came from afar. It wasn't coming from the yard; it was probably coming from the woods behind the mountain.

"This is another owl. I'm sure it's a male, and it's in heat..."

"You're so naughty~" I punched the big pig...

14. Mirror painting * fragment

The next day, Saturday, I was going to be Yang Kai's model.

It's my first time modeling, and I'm a little excited and unsure if I can do it well. But thinking about it, it should be pretty simple—just sit and watch TV.

I discussed it with Big Pig and asked him if he wanted to sit in the lobby together. He could read his books and newspapers, and I could be his model.

After thinking for a moment, Big Pig said to me, "After spending a few days with him, what do you think of Teacher Yang?"

"Not bad, his character is fine, and he's quite easygoing." However, I haven't told him about dressing up the beggar yet.

“That’s right. Since you think there’s nothing wrong with his character, I think it’s better if you go alone. If I go, it will seem like I don’t trust or respect him, and it will interfere with my mood for painting. What do you think?”

"Hmm, you're right. I'll go alone then. Won't my frog prince say a few flattering words?"

"Haha, the ugly duckling is about to become a swan, and the mermaid is about to become the most beautiful princess in the world! When your portrait becomes famous, don't forget that frog you used to bully!"

Upon arriving in the hall, Yang Kai was already prepared. He told me to sit in the chair in front, but strangely, his painting position and tools were all behind me. I had no idea what he was up to. Wasn't he going to paint my face? Why was he making me sit with my back to him?

Perhaps he didn't want me to be nervous, so he sat with his back to him, only turning around to paint. But wait, the TV was right in front of me, playing a program softly. I looked down and saw a half-meter-high mirror standing not far in front of me. I immediately understood—he was going to paint a picture of me in the mirror. How strange!

Yang Kai meant it this way. He told me to hold the remote control and choose my own program. He also told me to keep my body and face still while I was drawing.

As Yang Kai began painting, he became very engrossed, focusing entirely on the artwork, only occasionally glancing at my reflection in the mirror. I thought being a model would be easy—just sit there and not have to move, especially since I had TV to watch. But after a few minutes, feeling like a wooden statue, I started to feel uncomfortable. My whole body felt itchy, as if ants were biting me.

Yang Kai seemed to ignore me and continued drawing. I persisted for about half an hour, but I couldn't take it anymore, and my shoulders and head involuntarily twitched. Yang Kai noticed. "It's uncomfortable, isn't it? Relax, you'll get used to it. I've finished the outline. Remember your current posture, you can move around a bit."

I stretched my neck to signal that I could keep going. I could manage; nothing is easy. This modeling job was simple, but not easy either, and I had to take it seriously. I finally managed to hold on until Yang Kai said it was time to call it a day. I realized I had indeed been working for over an hour. I hadn't expected this job to be so tiring; my back and neck were aching.

I've finished the painting. I didn't expect it to be done so quickly. I should at least take a look at my reflection. I imagine that I look more ethereal and beautiful in the painting than in reality, with a hazy quality, like the Mona Lisa, whose beauty makes you wonder about the space behind her smile.

So I asked Yang Kai to let me see the painting; I would feel a great sense of accomplishment that way.

"That's not a good idea. My painting isn't finished yet; I need to work on it for a long time. To be honest, I'm afraid it's not suitable for you to see it right now..."

"Teacher Yang, you're being modest. It's just me looking at myself, I only need to glance at it."

"Alright, since you insist, I'll let you take a look, but you should be prepared!"

After he finished speaking, I walked over. The painting was still on the shelf; I thought it must be beautiful, and Teacher Yang must want to polish it even more before showing it to me. When my glasses turned to the painting, my eyes froze on a certain spot, stunned. Was this the beautiful portrait I had been longing for?

15. The Top Beggar (Part 1)

I thought I would see a beautiful picture of myself, but it turned out to be nothing like that at all.

This is a painting in a mirror, intentionally blurred. Only the outline of a body and face is drawn, using charcoal with a touch of powder. The face and hair are mostly colored, but what horrifies me is that I only drew two dark holes with charcoal, without actually drawing the eyes. This shocked me.

"Did I scare you? Art is not about reproduction, but about interpretation and exploration. Sometimes imperfection is necessary, and imperfection is also a kind of beauty. Your eyes look a little tired and unfocused today. I didn't find any inspiration, so I left them blank. That way, I'll finish the painting in two parts. Next time, I'll focus on your eyes. I can complete the rest based on my imagination."

"Oh, I'm sorry, it was my fault for not cooperating well."

“It’s not your fault. What I need is for you to be yourself. I can capture your desire and a certain expression. I did when you first came to see the house, but not now, so I have to wait. It might be too complicated to explain in detail, but I’ll explain it to you slowly later. I’d like to invite you to lunch today. Don’t refuse, it’s settled then.”

They made the decision without giving us any time to consider or discuss it. I didn't know what to say, so I just thanked them and went upstairs to report to Big Pig.

I felt bad about turning down the lunch invitation. We started by talking about work, and since Yang Kai already knew I'd been unemployed for a while, he steered the conversation towards lighter topics.

"Let me tell you a joke: Two street artists met and started bragging about their artistic skills."

The painter said, "Last time I painted some gold coins on the street, and a group of beggars saw them and pounced on them to grab them." The sculptor replied, "Get lost! That's nothing! Once I was sculpting a sausage at the office, and a dog snatched it away. After gnawing on it for ages, I realized the sausage was inedible."

We laughed lightly, and then we relaxed a bit. Zhu Qingyuan also told a joke about artists:

There were two ancient Greek painters. Painter A once painted some insects, which were incredibly lifelike. He hung the painting on the wall, attracting birds from all directions to peck at them. Painter B, unconvinced, said, "I will strive to surpass you!"

Not long after, B arrived at A's house with his painting, lifted the curtain to show it to A, and after looking at it for a while, A anxiously shouted, "Hurry up! There's still another curtain, why don't you lift it? I want to see your painting!"

"You've already seen it! Because what I drew is a curtain!"

After I finished speaking, they all looked at me, and it was my turn to speak. After thinking for a moment, I said, "Let me talk about something related to emotions."

In a bustling seafood restaurant on the beach, tourists were having lunch. As they savored their food, they chatted animatedly about stories of finding pearls and treasures inside fish. An elderly man, unable to contain his excitement, joined in with his own tale:

Your stories are all fascinating. When I was young, I worked for an import/export company in Hong Kong. Like many young people, I fell in love with a beautiful girl, and we quickly got engaged. Just two months before our wedding, I was suddenly sent to France on a very important business trip, forcing me to leave my beloved. Due to numerous complications, I stayed in France much longer than expected, missing the wedding. When the mission was completed, I eagerly bought an expensive diamond ring to give to my fiancée and set off home. On the long ship, I browsed the Hong Kong newspapers carried by the crew to pass the time. Suddenly, I saw an advertisement in one of the newspapers announcing my fiancée's marriage to another man, along with a photo. I was devastated and, in a fit of anger, threw the carefully chosen diamond ring into the sea. After returning to Hong Kong, I never dated again, living a lonely life for decades. One day, I was eating fish at a seafood restaurant. After chewing a few times, something suddenly choked me. You've probably already guessed what I was eating?

"Of course, it's a diamond ring!" the people around said confidently.

"No," the old man said sadly, "I thought so at first too, but when I went to the bathroom, I saw it was a big fish eye."

"Wow, I really didn't expect that," Zhu Qingyuan scoffed, rolling his eyes and sticking out his tongue. "It was such an ordinary thing, but we exaggerated it out of imagination." Yang Kai didn't comment or laugh, but quietly pondered. "You guys continue, I'm listening."

16. The Beggar Scholar (Part Two)

The dishes were served, and we each ate. Zhu Qingyuan thought for a moment, "Let me tell you another classic advertisement. I always come back to my profession. I'll tell you about the beggar's advertisement. It's a very old story, and I heard it from a colleague."

Baida is a renowned marketing strategist with brilliant ideas. He received a special customer, a disheveled and unkempt man who walked in and asked Baida to create a marketing plan for him.

Upon learning the reason for his visit, the beggar-like man said, "To my shame, I used to be a boss, but I lost money in business, mortgaged my house, and my wife ran away with someone else. I was insolvent and was constantly being chased by creditors, so I had no choice but to beg so that no one would bother me. But now, the begging industry has too low a barrier to entry and too fierce competition. You are a well-known planner, please help me devise a plan to improve my begging performance."

Baida laughed and said, "You've fallen so low that you're practically a beggar, what's the point of worrying about performance?"

"Every profession has its top achievers. Even if someone is down on their luck, they still need to have some aspirations. If you portray me as a top-scoring beggar, wouldn't you become even more famous?"

"Alright, for your dedication, I'll take the job. But make it clear, the planning fee is non-negotiable."

"No problem, we'll do it your way. I'll pay you whatever it's due once I've made my money!"

"Then I'll write it down for you. First, what's your name?"

"To gain the advantage of heaven and earth is to obtain the right timing and location."

"What? Gai Tianli? You're destined to be a beggar? I'll give you a name first, 'One-Eyed Flower.' No matter if your eyesight is good or bad, you must cover one eye like a bandit. This is your VI, your visual identity. You must do this to attract more people, so that others can remember and spread your name."

"Secondly, I ask you, do you have a fixed place of business? That is, a fixed place to beg?"

"Yes, I usually go to the trade square in the morning. There are a lot of people there, and business is good. If I get tired of standing in the morning, I go to collect scraps in the afternoon. More options mean more ways to make a living. I can't just die from this."

"One-Eyed Flower, you've been a boss, yet you're so clueless! Everyone has to specialize in something; you have to be an expert in everything you do to become number one in your industry. You're begging and collecting scraps, and you're already diversifying before you've even made it big. Your brand isn't focused enough. My second plan is for you to specialize in begging, and set up your spot next to the central pool in the Trade Plaza."

Third, is there anything special about your begging?

"No, I beg from everyone I meet and accept money from anyone I see."

"That's not right. My third plan for you is: you put up a sign that reads, 'Professional beggar with one eye, only accepts 50 cents.' Remember, you only accept 50 cents! When someone gives you money, you have to check carefully. If it's more than 50 cents, call them back, give them the extra change and thank them. When they leave, don't forget to recite the slogan on the sign, 'Professional beggar with one eye, only accepts 50 cents.' If someone gives you less, call them back, point to the sign, and say that you only accept 50 cents. If it's 20 or 30 cents, return it to them. At the same time, don't forget to recite your slogan. If they give exactly 50 cents, thank them for supporting the cause of disabled people and promote your slogan."

"If it's too complicated, and we have to discard the extra parts and return the missing parts, wouldn't I be losing out?"

"You don't understand. You have to differentiate yourself from others in everything you do to avoid being the same as everyone else. Your distinguishing feature is your one-eyed flower. You stand by the pond and only charge 50 cents. Although you might lose money at first, over time people will realize that you're a special beggar who follows the rules. Word will spread, giving you free advertising. People will come to see you. This is the age of attention economy. As long as you gather popularity, you won't have to worry about making money. Don't you think so?"

After returning home, One-Eyed Flower followed Baida's three instructions. A month later, he indeed gained fame, and people flocked to see him. One-Eyed Flower couldn't keep up with the money he collected. A middle-aged woman squeezed in and said, "My husband said there's a one-eyed beggar here who only accepts 50 cents. I didn't believe it, but now I see. You're quite the professional beggar." A young man took out a hundred-yuan bill and handed it to One-Eyed Flower, saying, "I don't believe it. You won't even take a hundred yuan? You look so hard-working, keep the change." But One-Eyed Flower gritted his teeth, counted out a bunch of small bills, and stuffed them into his hand, saying, "Thank you, brother. You've had a hard time too. I'll only accept 50 cents. Even beggars should be honest. Welcome to come again next time." In this way, One-Eyed Flower insisted on accepting 50 cents, and his business became more and more popular. He also paid Baida double the planning fee.

Three months later, One-Eyed Flower hired several people and opened several "branches," all with signs that read "Professional Beggar One-Eyed Flower, Only Accepting 50 Cents." Six months later, he became the city's top beggar. Just as One-Eyed Flower was riding high, misfortune began to ensue…

17. The Millionaire (Part 1)