Chapter 355

Jueye stayed at the pet center for a day, then left with Tang Qiye. However, Tang Qiye seemed to have reached some agreement with Xiao Guo. Zheng Tan had a feeling that from now on, he would see Jueye more often at the pet center, at least not as rarely as once every one or two years before.

Peanut Candy and sesame still stayed with Li Yuanba at the pet center; they live well here, mainly because Li Yuanba is here, and Peanut Candy has long been accustomed to life here. As for sesame, it's still young, and Xiao Guo and Yanzi are reluctant to give it away.

Regarding the ring-tailed monkey "crystal" that Xiao Guo mentioned, Zheng Tan secretly looked it up online at home and learned that this guy is a comedy star with high pay, a wealthy tycoon; whether on TV dramas or the big screen, his figure appears.

Xiao Guo's studio also had a cat appear on the big screen, but that was only a few seconds, or at most two or three minutes in total, unlike other genuine animal stars.

Of course, Zheng Tan couldn't really compete with that animal star; national conditions differ, and animal welfare regulations vary. Besides, Zheng Tan himself is a special case, impossible to truly compare with such an animal star. Jiao Ba said we should keep a low profile.

So, although Zheng Tan also felt somewhat tempted by the big screen that Xiao Guo longed for, he didn't think much about it; after all, everyone lives their own way. As for competing on stage with "crystal", that arduous task can be left to Qi Dada's macaque—after all, they're both monkeys and on the same path.

On the day the documentary aired, the Jiao family members who got the news sat in the living room at home waiting. Nobody went out, and Jiao Ba didn't go to the courtyard either.

The four family members plus one cat all stared at the screen.

Zheng Tan glanced at the four people who were intently staring at the screen, not showing impatience even during the ads, and suddenly had a thought. It was just a documentary, yet it made the whole family sit in front of the TV early, waiting; Jiao Ba even postponed a meeting tonight.

Even though Jiao Ba had previously told Zheng Tan to keep a low profile, when the moment came, the four Jiao family members couldn't contain their excitement, feeling a bit proud and honored.

If it were a TV drama, or even a true big-screen film, would the four Jiao family members be even more excited? After all, in most cases, a documentary's influence on the public doesn't match that of TV dramas and movies. And what Zheng Tan filmed in Xiao Guo's studio is only small-time, just to please some netizens. Should we develop further?

While Zheng Tan was thinking, Jiao Yuan excitedly said over there: "It's started! It's started!"

Zheng Tan looked up at the TV, where the documentary's title was displayed: 《City. Person. Cat》.

There was also a subtitle: "Capital City Cat Stories."

From the title you can tell Yang Yi had long wanted to make this into a series. This is the Capital City chapter; next is the Ming Zhu Shi chapter; after that, who knows which city it'll be—maybe Yang Yi plans to cover all the major cities domestically? Probably not.

This documentary isn't long either; with ads, it's under an hour.

When Zheng Tan's scenes appeared, the Jiao family members were very excited; although the Zheng Tan on screen had dyed fur, to them Hei Tan was still Hei Tan. They also commented on Zheng Tan's role and acting in it. Of course, other cats were discussed too, including Da Mi and Xiao Mi, as well as other cats.

From the old Capital City to today's modern metropolis with skyscrapers, different scenery, the people living there, and the agile figures active everywhere—all are shown one by one on the screen.

Household pets, strays, mansion dwellers, alley squatters, noble, country bumpkin, proper, neurotic… but no matter which, what Yang Yi wanted to show was the spirit and roguish charm of the Capital City's cats.

Initially, in Zheng Tan's view, those cats weren't anything special, but after being edited and processed in this film, the feeling they gave people was completely different.

No wonder people say being on screen makes a difference. Zheng Tan looking at himself on screen suddenly felt artistic.

Different stories, different scenes, accompanied by different music, viewers recall along with the documentary: some recall the old hutong alleys of years past, some recall the blurry small figures in memory that now only appear in old photos, and others recall the people and events associated with those who once lived there.

When initially participating in the filming, Zheng Tan didn't feel anything special, but after seeing the final product, he found the film quite moving, able to resonate with many people.

In the several "recollection" scenes that Zheng Tan participated in filming, they also inserted photos of cats taken by Yang Yi's grandfather before his passing; each photo records the city of that era, the people of that era, and the cats active then.

At the end of the film, a quote from an editor of the petword magazine is also cited:

We may live in different cities, see different scenery, live different lives, brushing past different strangers every day, opening our doors with our own moods, yet what greets us is the same kind of happiness. When you hold a cat's warm body and quietly observe this city, do you know: how many stories here involve cats, and what's happening in other cities? Are we loving this city because we have cats, or do we have cats because we love this city?

After watching, Jiao Ba went to search for the documentary's official website as well.

Since they plan to make it a series, Yang Yi also set up an official website, where some new promotional videos have been posted, already processed, showing clips currently being filmed in Ming Zhu Shi.

This isn't just planning to film; it's clearly already underway! It might even be nearly finished shooting!

Zheng Tan thought, if he really were to participate, there would have been someone coming to discuss it with Jiao Ba by now.

In that case, the later chapters probably don't even need Zheng Tan to participate.

Looking at the forum on the official website, there are still quite a few people posting.

Most of the people resonating with the Capital City chapter are those who lived in the old Capital City or currently live there, having seen the Capital City chapter first. The Ming Zhu Shi chapter currently being filmed also makes some Ming Zhu Shi residents look forward to it.

Ten-mile foreign concession, hundred-year pearl.

Someone likened the cats of Ming Zhu Shi to a lovely little jade that walks out of the lanes, carrying a touch of beauty and allure, making one's heart stir unconsciously in their leisurely ease. In those captivating fleeting glimpses that one can't get enough of, the cats here are like the belles of that era, appearing and disappearing in the depths of time's red dust, within the old dreams of Ming Zhu Shi, yet never truly leaving.

From the meaning of the promotional clip, it aims to reenact several decades of time. The belles of that era, with their cats, reenact those glorious yet lonely old dreams.

Perhaps the characteristic lives within the era, or perhaps it's just the film's expression and focus; each city's cats will blend into that city's features from different periods.

Exaggerated art. But it looks quite comfortable.

I just don't know when they'll be able to film in Chu Hua Shi. Speaking of historical significance, Chu Hua Shi is also an old city. However, strictly speaking, Zheng Tan isn't a native of Chu Hua Shi either. If they really film here, will Zheng Tan participate or not?

Sigh, we'll talk about it when the time comes.

It's still too early to say these things now.

Over the next few days, Zheng Tan, when alone at home, specifically went to browse the film and TV criticism sections and various forums.

Most reviews of the documentary are quite good; in some pet forums, the cat section, this documentary keeps being recommended, and whenever Zheng Tan sees someone pushing it, he can't help but feel happy. Although no one here can recognize him, he still can't resist the good mood from seeing the praise.

The forum also had a post titled "Analysis of the Ten Cat Expressions in the Film." Among the ten, Zheng Tan accounted for three, Da Mi one, Xiao Mi one, and the other five were other cats. However, the top spot wasn't Zheng Tan but Da Mi; the scene of Da Mi squatting on the wall and looking down with a "coy smile" was widely forwarded, with various funny captions attached, and in some chat apps, netizens clipped that moment into a GIF and spread it everywhere, making Da Mi go viral online.

Fang Shaokang, far away in the Capital City, sat in his office flipping through the post about Da Mi and laughed alone for half a day.

Just as Zheng Tan thought Yang Yi was now devoting all his energy to filming that documentary series, Jiao Ba received a call from Yang Yi.

Yang Yi said he had a film he wanted Zheng Tan to act in; Jiao Ba didn't directly refuse, but went home to ask Zheng Tan's opinion.

Zheng Tan had been thinking lately that if he got the chance, he wouldn't mind appearing in a film—not necessarily as the lead, a decent supporting role would do, even five minutes of screen time or a cameo would be fine; by then the Jiao family would surely go together to the cinema to watch, and they might even buy the DVD to keep.

Now listening to Jiao Ba's words, from what Yang Yi said, it seems to be a fairly important role?

Act!

Why not act?

You can get paid, appear on the big screen, and it's not a waste of being a cat. As for Jiao Ba's advice to stay low-key, just conceal your identity; worst case, sign an agreement with Yang Yi.

However, it's another cat-themed film; is Yang Yi now at odds with cats?

A week later, on the weekend, Yang Yi brought his classmate and came straight to their door.

Because they had called ahead, Jiao Ba was also at home waiting.

The person Yang Yi brought over is his high school classmate, now a director named Kong Han, and he looks decent; the film Yang Yi mentioned to Jiao Ba is the one Kong Han is about to direct, but this film is somewhat special, so when Yang Yi saw the script, the first person he thought of was Zheng Tan, with whom he had worked on a documentary.

Kong Han had not originally decided to shoot this film; if he did, because it involves animals, it would probably require a lot of effort and be troublesome, and the final result might not meet expectations. But after Yang Yi looked at it, he told him there was a guy who might be able to help, so the two of them are now sitting here.

Kong Han sized up the black cat lying on the sofa, and the cat seemed to be sizing him up as well; its gaze was just like a person's—simply… simply too damn fitting for the image he had in mind!

Zheng Tan felt that the young director's gaze in front of him was a bit strange, but hearing Yang Yi's conversation with Jiao Ba, it turned out that when this person spoke on the phone with Xiao Guo, he was not referring to the documentary, but to another film that their company is investing in, which Kong Han is to direct; now Yang Yi is no longer following the documentary's filming crew.

"By the way, what was that script you mentioned on the phone about?" When Jiao Ba answered the phone earlier, the surroundings were a bit noisy, and Yang Yi had also spoken vaguely, so he didn't catch the exact details.

Yang Yi remained silent, glanced at Kong Han, and let Kong Han, who understood the script better, speak.

Kong Han smiled and said, "It's not complicated; actually it's just a story about a big man who suddenly turns into a cat."

Zheng Tan: "......"

Day-day-day-day-day-day! (To be continued...)