Chapter 438

The farewell performance was something Xiao Guo had already been considering, but he hadn't started because he was busy with other matters; now that the weather is hot and he's staying home to beat the heat, he simply laid out the plan.

The studio's several cats are indeed old; even before the studio was established, they had already been at the pet center for several years, some of them adopted strays; back then, because of the pandemic, many cats were abandoned, and some people even threw away expensive-looking purebred cats on the street, while the lucky ones were picked up by Xiao Guo.

Among the cats about to participate in the farewell performance, some have been raised here since childhood, such as the British Shorthair 'Prince'. There are also several long-haired cats, which are several years older than Zheng Tan in cat age; the oldest is over ten years old, not as robust as in their prime, some having once strayed outside and left lingering health issues; although they receive good care at the pet center, they are still weaker compared to other cats of the same age.

Each shoot usually requires several takes of the same scene, especially now that audiences demand higher video quality, making filming stricter; even if the protagonists are cats, they must try to minimize mistakes and raise quality, so the workload for the performing cats and dogs will definitely increase. The Jiao family does not want Zheng Tan to come over and participate now for this reason; after all, strolling around is different from taking part in filming, which imposes a heavy, taxing burden in a short time; even though Zheng Tan is less troublesome than other cats, he still has to endure half a day of it, and if necessary, even go out with them.

Upon learning that Xiao Guo planned to make a farewell video, Zheng Tan quickly decided to 'retire' together with Prince and the others. Anyway, he rarely comes to the pet center these days, and Jiao Ma had long hoped he would let go of affairs here; besides, he's not short of money, so why bother with so many things? Moreover, 'retiring' doesn't mean Zheng Tan won't come here at all; when bored, he can still drop by for a visit.

After confirming the six cats and two dogs that would 'retire' this time, Xiao Guo began to act, preparing for the shoot.

The retirement video of these six cats and two dogs cannot be finished in a day or two; in documentary form, according to Xiao Guo's high standards, it is expected to take longer, because he wants to follow the seasons—shoot a bit in summer, a bit in late summer to early autumn, and a bit in autumn-winter; spring footage cannot be obtained, so Xiao Guo plans to take some material from previously edited videos and add it in.

This retirement video was not completed until the end of the year; at the same time, Xiao Guo also prepared some related memorabilia—such as cushions, calendars, postcards—all featuring these six cats and two dogs. When customers come to buy items from the pet center, he will give them some of these memorabilia as freebies.

Before the video is released, the six cats awaiting retirement and the two dogs, including Zheng Tan, have lighter duties. However, they will still participate in the filming; even just showing their faces is meant to demonstrate their presence.

Some netizens and pet center customers noticed the change but said nothing, just like veterans in the entertainment industry making way for newcomers; the same principle applies here. Only when Xiao Guo announced that the six cats would retire simultaneously did the online community explode.

Many people mentioned blackc, and many also inquired about the other cats; even as supporting characters, they are liked by many.

A farewell performance? No way!

Are bc and Prince really that old? Over ten years?

Generally, seven or eight years old can be considered old for a cat, and for dogs it's probably even shorter. Looking at that, they are indeed not young. Retiring is fine; they should rest well, no need to keep torturing themselves.

Seven or eight years old as old for a cat? Nonsense! My cat is twelve and still climbs roofs and catches birds every day!

My cat is also fourteen; just the day before yesterday I saw it catch a rat.

……

However, everyone just complained a bit; deep down they still feel regretful. Many here are long-time customers of the pet center, retaining a deep impression of the earliest batch of cats and dogs filmed for advertisements, including blackc, because back then 'Mingming Ruci' Pet Center rose when the market was not yet as mature as it is now, bringing much joy and benefits to many pet-owning families. In the blink of an eye, so many years have passed.

When they first rose to prominence, phones were not yet that popular, the internet not yet that hot, the pet center was just an obscure little shop, the studio's equipment was rudimentary, and Xiao Guo was still scrambling for a few hundred yuan in filming fees. Looking at now, the change is truly huge.

In the farewell video, some never-before-released early shoot outtakes were released, including pictures and videos, featuring all six cats and two dogs, including Zheng Tan. Although Zheng Tan rarely made mistakes in his early shoots, the other cats and dogs did err, and there are several clips where Zheng Tan shows a helpless expression as other cats and dogs make consecutive mistakes, which amused the audience.

On screen, those cats will portray the story's personality arcs according to their assigned roles, while the everyday-life segments will tell others what they are truly like.

Some cats put on airs, looking like a lofty flower on a distant snow mountain, noble and untouchable, yet in reality you only need to wave a weed in front of them twice to coax them over, turning them into a goofball in a second. Other cats appear honest and harmless, friendly and approachable, but if you try to get close and interact, you'll find that no matter how much effort you put in, it's useless; instead, they will perch on a high place and look at you as if you're an idiot.

Not every cat is like Peanut Candy, aspiring to be the top cat in the feline world, spending days outside picking fights, beating big cats then small dogs, then after defeating small dogs challenging even larger dogs, occasionally bringing back trophies like birds, grasshoppers, fat mice, etc. Many urban pet cats have very limited activity ranges and are more homebound.

The former 'Prince', after finishing his morning meal, would routinely jump onto the long wooden board bound with a rope, scratching from front to back; no one paid him any mind, anyway he was full, and in his view nothing major would happen in his cat life, indifferent to the outside world; after scratching he would find a comfortable spot, assume a pose, and nap. Nowadays, after eating he seeks a soft place where he can bask in the sun, half-closing his eyes for a light sleep.

Among the two dogs, Zheng Tan's longtime acquaintance is the award-winning golden retriever 'Lord', whose headshot still appears on the packaging of some dog foods produced by the shop. Previously it ran energetically on the grass, leaping high to catch frisbees; now it merely drags its own food bowl, unable to jump even if it wanted to.

The other dog, even older than 'Lord', when taken out for a walk in the past, would urinate along the way, using pheromones in its urine to inform other dogs of its age, sex, and status, leaving its own 'calling card'. Upon spotting a suitable object to mark, it would stride forward confidently, lift a hind leg, and deposit a few drops of urine, then scrape the ground a few times and growl lowly, before seeking another suitable marking target, perhaps a straight tree or a roadside fire hydrant. Nowadays, its walking posture looks more languid; it no longer frequently seeks objects to mark as it did when young, nor does it have the strength to lift its leg, but if there are younger male dogs around, it will still lift a hind leg high to urinate, proving that its edge is not dull.

Each cat or dog has its own story and life path; Xiao Guo incorporates his own summary into it, letting everyone review together the changes and contributions of these eight from their beginnings to now; of course, Xiao Guo will also use some artistic techniques to reasonably exaggerate and embellish for better effect.

The final shot of the video is a long road, with Zheng Tan walking along it, stepping on fallen, withered plane tree leaves, gradually receding into the distance.

The final scene, filmed by Xiao Guo at Chu Hua Da Xue, shows Zheng Tan walking on the campus main thoroughfare nearest Dongqu Dayuan, lined with tall plane trees. While shooting, Zheng Tan felt a sense of illusion, as if walking on like this would truly make him old, even though his human life plus his cat life amounts to only about thirty years.

Everyone has in their heart different people or things crowned with the word 'classic', irreplaceable to them; when people with differing views discuss this topic, they can even engage in a bloody debate, first arguing theory then resorting to fists to decide whose claim of classic is truly the classic.

Their farewell performance also signifies the end of an era. Just as idol-chasing fans follow idols, the period of an idol's existence symbolizes an era, and when the idol bows out, a new era begins, with more newcomers entering the fans' sight, and more splendid, high-quality promotions and videos replacing those former crude, low-cost productions, gradually also supplanting the memory of those old, yellowed figures.

However, after leaving the screen, human stars still receive commemorations; they have massive fan bases, and years later many fans will reminisce, then organize something, interview the retired artists, and bring everyone back to recall past glory. But for cats, this is extremely rare; people often say a generation is ten years, yet for cats and dogs, ten years could be their entire lifespan.

Even if we speak well now, and many on forums like them and want to keep them, after all they are not human, their influence limited; in another year or two, perhaps few will remember them. However, compared to dogs, cats may not care about that.

As some people once said, actually many cats can tell at a glance whether you like them or not; the problem is, they don't care at all.

I do as I please, do whatever; rainy days I stay home, sunny days I bask in the sun.

In high-walled mansions, luxurious villas, or in alleyways, workshops, or even ordinary households, they move in their own way, just as they did centuries ago, shuttling between scholars and beauties, weaving through slums and affluent districts, brushing past acquaintances and strangers alike, passing through a span of time that is not overly long.

Humans have joy, cats also have joy, life is even more joyful.

After the farewell 'retirement', Xiao Guo's office had a framed picture hung up, showing eight paw prints—two dog prints and six cat prints. (To be continued…)