Cat Charm 2

Chapter 3

I tried to stand up straight, slowly took a set of clothes out of the closet, and hurriedly put them on. I looked at myself in the mirror: long hair, a demure figure, and a look of fear on my face—not at all elegant. I tried on clothes in front of my reflection for a long time before finally being satisfied.

I walked out of 501 and took the elevator upstairs for the first time.

So this is what people are like. I saw those ghosts in the stairwell making mocking faces at me. I don't care. For the man who calls me Lili, I don't care.

I didn't have the key to get in, so I couldn't climb in through the window like before. I had no choice but to sit by the door and wait. My stomach hurt terribly; I knew it was the result of losing my inner core. A demon without its inner core is like a person without a heart—unable to survive. I would rather give my inner core to Jiongying in exchange for this illusion.

My stomach is hurting more and more. Time is ticking by, why isn't he back yet? Does he know I'm dying? Does he know how much suffering the cat is going through right now?

I slowly lost consciousness from the pain. Suddenly, a voice asked in my ear, "Do you regret it?" It was Jiongying. I opened my eyes, and she was standing next to me, holding my inner core in her palm. "I'll give you ten seconds to think it over, ten...nine...eight..."

With each count, it felt like I was being pricked by needles all over my body, and the pain and discomfort were getting worse and worse. I looked at my inner core emitting a faint light, like the little stars I saw in the morning, emitting an alluring glow.

"Three...two..." Jiongying paused slyly, giving me a mischievous smile. Suddenly she disappeared, and I heard my master's surprised voice: "It was you?"

For some reason, the pain suddenly stopped, and I immediately stood up. My owner was back. He rarely came back during the day. I murmured, "Why did you come back at this time?"

“Someone called to say my cat died at the door, but how come you’re at my door? When did you… come back?” he asked in surprise.

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [11]: That's not important. I smiled and told him that the most important thing was that I came, right?

He looked at me with a complicated expression. Aren't you going to invite me in? Fine.

"How have you been all these years?" he asked. I looked into his eyes. Ah, so this is what he looks like from this distance. Seeing people with human eyes is indeed better than seeing with a cat's eyes. Cats are born colorblind, seeing only black, white, and gray. But in human eyes, the world is colorful; the world is so beautiful.

In an instant, I recalled all the silly speculations I'd had with Shu Yan about love. Now I know I understand love. Love is the magical treasure that makes the world colorful and everything beautiful.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked. "Nothing much, I just suddenly understood something," I replied softly.

"How have you been these past few years?" he asked again. I smiled and asked him in return, "And you?"

Author: Witch Cat Reply Date: 2003-07-17 22:29:00

I couldn't help but laugh. "Is this your living situation?"

He smiled too. He took out a bottle of 1991 red wine, poured a glass for me, and one for himself. "Made in 1991, a good vintage. Want a glass?"

I've never drunk alcohol before, and I get drunk after only a few drinks. What a jerk! Why are you giving me alcohol? Do you know how much I have to say to you? Every second that passes is a ticking away, and my life is slipping away. I couldn't help but say to him, "I'm sorry, I really can't drink anymore. I think I have something to tell you..."

"No, you haven't had three drinks yet, I won't listen to anything you say." He said rudely. I had no choice. I slumped into the chair, my consciousness beginning to fade. He suddenly picked me up, and I said, "I have something to tell you, I didn't come back to be with you..."

But he wouldn't let me continue. I couldn't resist either. We embraced, and joy emanated from the depths of our souls like beautiful music. For a hundred years, I knew that God had created me, a cat, just to wait for this moment to arrive.

We clung to each other, unwilling to separate. The sunlight outside gradually faded, the sun set, and then came night. I suddenly felt a pang of sadness. Without me, who would he spend the nights with from now on? I seemed to hear Jiongying counting down again: "Ten...nine...eight..."

He woke up and smiled at me. "I didn't dare let you drink too much, afraid you'd change. Luckily you didn't."

"What did you say?"

“You are not the Lily I used to know. She and her husband died in a plane crash two years ago. Even as her ghost, she won’t come back to see me. She has forgotten me. In this relationship, the one who has been etched in my heart is only myself.”

"Then...then tell me, who am I?" I was terrified. His gaze seemed to pierce through me, and I felt as if he knew everything. But he was just a person, an ordinary person. How could he believe in fantasy?

He said slowly, "Although I'm a little unsure... but... are you... are you Lili?"

I nodded heavily. I felt my body getting smaller and smaller. Ah, I'm going to revert to my original form! No! Please wait a moment! I just need to finish saying my last words to him!

"I..." I was about to say "I love you," but it was too late! My body was shrinking smaller and smaller, and I had become a cat again! All I could do was meow, "Meow!" Was this the cat's final declaration of love?

I crawled out of bed and ran quickly to the windowsill. I was scared, scared, scared that he would see me like this. In the past hundred years, I have never felt ashamed of my appearance. I had only been a human for twelve hours, and I was already ashamed of my cat-like appearance.

I was already standing on the edge of the balcony. He rushed out and said, "I-love-you!"

I turned back and looked at him one last time. Tears, unlike any cat could shed, streamed down my face. Then, resolutely and without hesitation, I jumped down.

The dazzling lights of the city drew ever closer beneath me, and I maintained my smile despite the rapid momentum.

I finally lost consciousness.

When I woke up, I found myself in a warm embrace. A mother's face looked at me lovingly, and she extended her rough but warm tongue to lick away the wet, sticky substance from my body. She had black fur, and when I looked at myself, I realized I was black too. I knew in my heart that I had been reincarnated as a cat again. But I didn't understand why I still retained the memories of my past life.

A soft footstep approached. "Are you alright, Heimi?" It was Jiongying!

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [12]: She looked at me gently, and my mother looked at her peacefully, without any fear.

I couldn't speak, I just stared at her.

She seemed to know everything, nodding and saying, "Three months after you left, he married a woman who loved him and is very happy now. Hei Mi, you healed his wounds. He recovered and is no longer a cripple in love."

I nodded with satisfaction. She stretched out her right hand, opened it, and saw that it was still my inner core.

"Here you go, a hundred-year-old pill is useless to me! You better grow up quickly, I still want to raise a pet!"

Okay, okay, my new master!

I'm not called Lili anymore, I'm called Heimi now. From now on, I'll be wandering around with this powerful, willful, arrogant, gentle yet fierce woman.

If one day you see a black cat following a beautiful woman on the street, that might be me. If you call me Blackie, I'll meow in response, because I'm a polite cat!