Chapter 441

The "end of the world" passed just as Zheng Tan thought it would; Zheng Tan didn't go online to argue bets with those people, and he had no mood to join the fuss and condemn those who had previously heavily spread doomsday theories.

After the online-hyped apocalyptic year passed, the atmosphere in the Jiao family grew increasingly tense.

One was Xiao Youzi's college entrance exam; the other was Zheng Tan's condition.

Xiao Youzi did not accept the recommended admission to Chu Hua Da Xue because the quota was limited; she gave the spot to her old classmate from Xiqu Dayuan, Xie Xin, whose grades were not as steady as hers, while Xiao Youzi's grades had always been excellent. After discussing it with Jiao Ba, Xiao Youzi made her decision.

For senior high students, time flies faster than anyone could wish, seeming never enough; fortunately Xiao Youzi's psychological resilience is decent, which puts Jiao Ba and Jiao Ma at ease somewhat.

And Zheng Tan's problem remains the same as last year: he constantly dreams, feeling that even a brief nap brings many dreams, his thoughts are muddled, to the point that he now dares not sleep. Lack of sleep surely means his mental state won't be good.

Jiao Ma specially took Zheng Tan to the pet center for a checkup; they found no serious issue, just lack of sleep.

Over the past six months, Jiao Yuan has been calling home much more often, asking about Xiao Youzi's situation and also about Zheng Tan, and saying that if the local vet can't resolve it, they'll take him to the capital for a look, where there are many authoritative vets.

Zheng Tan doesn't want to go, and Jiao Ma can't do anything about it; she thinks maybe after Xiao Youzi's college entrance exam, the family can go together to the capital to visit Jiao Yuan, and meanwhile bring Zheng Tan for a checkup.

When Zheng Tan was at home, he looked at Xiao Youzi's desk calendar. Flipping through it, he recalled the time when he turned into a cat years ago—roughly also June—but he couldn't remember the exact date; it's been ten years, who still remembers? Besides, back then Zheng Tan lived a chaotic life, not keeping track of dates, sometimes even missing school exams.

He extended his claws and made a faint mark on the dates from June 1 to 15, adding a few more scratches on the 7th and 8th. Those were Xiao Youzi's college entrance exam dates.

Whenever Xiao Youzi came home, Zheng Tan pretended to be spirited, but as soon as Xiao Youzi left, he slipped back into his usual dazed state. Jiao Ba had Zheng Tan stay in his office so he could look after him if needed, but Zheng Tan refused, feeling more comfortable staying at home.

On the morning of June 8, Jiao Ba, Jiao Ma, and Xiao Youzi went out. Zheng Tan accompanied them; Jiao Ba took Xiao Youzi to the exam hall, Jiao Ma went to the affiliated middle school, and Zheng Tan saw them out of the residential compound. He had originally wanted to take a detour, but after repeated yawning and heavy eyelids, he decided instead to go home and sleep.

He jumped onto the living-room sofa, too lazy to flick his cat nest aside, lifted his leg and kicked the remote control lying in the middle of the sofa far away, then lay down in the middle of the sofa, listening to the faint tick-tock of the wall clock's second hand, and closed his eyes.

After Jiao Ma rode out on her bike, she suddenly realized she hadn't brought the USB drive; she had copied a file that morning and forgotten to unplug it, so she rode back.

The elderly lady on the first floor who was grooming Da Pang saw Jiao Ma and said, "Just now I saw your Hei Tan come back; he must have gone home to catch up on sleep."

Hearing the old lady's words, Jiao Ma didn't mind; she guessed that while seeing Xiao Youzi off in the morning she had pretended to be too energetic, and now she was home resting. Jiao Ma thought that after today passed, she would find time to take their cat to the capital for a checkup, otherwise nobody at home would feel at ease.

As she went upstairs, Jiao Ma's eyelid kept twitching; she fished out her keys, opened the door, and glanced inside.

The house was eerily quiet; on the sofa lay only a cat tag, no other movement, no black cat, as if no other creature had ever been there.

Whoosh—

The half-open window's screen was blown up, and a mild warm June breeze blew in from outside.

Outside the window, the sunshine was bright.

——————

Nan Cheng.

A high-floor unit in an elevator building near Nan Cheng University.

In the bedroom, sunlight streamed through the window, pouring in from the gap of the curtains that weren't fully drawn.

The glaring light made the person on the bed frown.

His eyelids twitched, and Zheng Tan opened his eyes a slit.

Sunlight hit his face; upon suddenly waking and seeing the light, his newly opened eyes snapped shut, he reflexively lifted his hand to block it, then covered his eyes.

Pa—.

The sound of the slap landing on his face was crystal clear in the quiet room, and a faint pain signal clearly reached his brain.

Three seconds later, Zheng Tan opened both eyes.

His gaze slipped through his fingers to see unfamiliar yet somewhat familiar décor; the curtains by the floor-to-ceiling window were half-drawn, not fully closed, and the light streamed in from there.

He blinked; his mind was still a bit foggy, he lifted the hand covering his face, and his focus fell on his palm.

The palm lines were clear, five long fingers, not a black furry cat's paw.

"Damn, dreaming again!"

After cursing lowly, Zheng Tan closed his eyes intending to sleep again; after a few seconds of silence, he suddenly sat up, looked at the two hands raised before him, rubbed his face hard, and tried to make a sound once more.

"Cough! Hmm—ah—huh—oh—"

His pronunciation was clear.

When dreaming, it seemed he hadn't actually spoken, right?

It seemed he hadn't felt like speaking for a very long time.

Or maybe not.

Was he dreaming of being human while a cat, or dreaming of being a cat while human?

Zheng Tan threw off the thin blanket, got out of bed barefoot, stepped onto the dusty wooden floor, walked toward the floor-to-ceiling window, and kicked aside the clothes and pants lying in the way.

The sensation of walking on two legs felt slightly unfamiliar, yet somehow natural.

He pulled open the curtains and opened the floor-to-ceiling window.

A breeze blew straight at him, carrying the warmth of the sunshine.

Zheng Tan walked to the balcony, gazed at the distant buildings, and took a deep breath.

"Ah—"

He loudly shouted this feeling of exhilaration, as if he hadn't felt it in ages; although his thoughts weren't entirely clear, Zheng Tan felt that yelling like this would improve his mood considerably.

After shouting, Zheng Tan instinctively looked down diagonally.

On the balcony below diagonally, there was no wire mesh, no blue-purple parrot with yellow eye rings hopping about; instead stood a six- or seven-year-old child holding an ice cream. Probably startled by Zheng Tan's sudden shout, the child froze, looking up at Zheng Tan, not even noticing the ice cream melting and dripping to the ground.

He withdrew his gaze, looked into the distance, and let out another loud shout.

"Ah——————"

It was longer than the previous shout, almost hysterical.

Downstairs, the child standing there was scooped up by a parent who came out; that parent's gaze at Zheng Tan was like looking at a madman.

He paid no heed to others' stares, ignored the curses of other residents, and after shouting a few times to his heart's content, he went inside, took a cold shower, and emerged with a much clearer mind.

He picked up the phone on the bedside table and checked the date: June 12, 2013.

Zheng Tan scratched his head. The 12th?

On the phone was a string of missed calls; the caller names were somewhat familiar, but Zheng Tan ignored them, scrolling through the call times—the earliest was from the 8th.

Not bothering with those missed calls, Zheng Tan is still confused—whether the cat is real or the person is real? If it's a dream, it's too vivid; aren't dreams supposed to be forgotten upon waking?

Opening Weibo on his phone, it logged in automatically, but it wasn't the "Zheng Tan" account he remembered; he logged out, logged back in, and entered a new username and password.

After a moment's reaction……he logged in!

That cocky black cat avatar was exactly as he remembered, and those Weibo posts—including the school bus cat incident and the arguments about the apocalypse—matched up one by one.

If what's in the dream is real……

Zheng Tan searched a few more keywords—for example, a certain movie about black cats, a certain documentary, a certain pet center, and a certain professor surnamed Jiao—all exactly as he remembered.

On the not-so-large phone screen, familiar pictures appeared one after another, scenes overlapping with his memory, making Zheng Tan's head ache.

What the hell is going on?!

He tossed his phone aside, Zheng Tan racked his brains trying to figure it out, but eventually his stomach couldn't take it, so he went downstairs and found a nearby restaurant to eat.

The meal tasted like chewing wax; his attention wasn't on the food at all, he mechanically spooned rice into his mouth while his gaze drifted outside the window, thinking of other things.

Finally, before finishing the rice on his plate, Zheng Tan made a decision: plane tickets were unavailable, high-speed trains were sold out, so he bought an express ticket for the 6 p. m. train, which would get him to Chu Hua Shi by 6 a. m. the next morning.

Since he couldn't figure it out, he'd go look for answers.

Leaving the restaurant and heading back, he passed a small barbershop, tugged at the yellow hair on his head, and went inside.

Coming out again, his yellow hair had turned black and been cut shorter.

He went back, changed into a simpler sports outfit, and took his phone, bank card, and ID…

Looking at the photo and name on his ID, Zheng Tan lightly flicked the person on the card, slipped it into his wallet, took some small change, packed up, and headed lightly to the station.

At six the next morning, Zheng Tan walked out of the station, didn't hail a taxi, but went to the bus stop, glanced at the external signage and routes of the various lines—many familiar stop names. He waited for a bus, found a window seat, and as the bus moved, he watched the streets and buildings outside.

Just past Dragon Boat Festival, many stores still had their holiday ads up; at this time of day, lots of people were heading to work, and at the easily congested intersection, private cars and buses lined up in long queues. The outside temperature was somewhat high, and car horns and people's shouts filled the street.

Such weather and the events he'd encountered made people prone to irritation, but Zheng Tan's thoughts weren't on that; he wasn't exactly annoyed, just somewhat complicated.

A middle-aged passenger's phone rang on the bus, the song carrying a feel of the golden years of the **s. Zheng Tan had heard this song before—not from the internet, nor via other electronic devices, but from a bird singing it. He seemed to see again that bird with yellow eye rings, head bobbing and body swaying as it sang.

Some songs once disdained become treasures when recalled years later; the time period, people, objects, and events tied to this song, and the emotions it evokes, always allow one to savor it for a long time.

On another bus stopped at the intersection alongside this one, by the window sat a young person with a backpack, chewing on a bag of buns. Noticing Zheng Tan looking at him, he also glanced over. Through the two layers of glass, still reflective, his expression wasn't entirely clear.

The right-turn signal ahead lit up; the bus Zheng Tan was on proceeded first. As the vehicles moved, there was a moment when he could clearly see the other's expression and the doubt in his eyes, but soon the two buses drifted apart.

When the streetscape became familiar, Zheng Tan's mood grew more complex—somewhat nervous, yet also glad.

By the roadside stood a young police officer who had just caught a thief, handcuffing him to a rail, speaking into his walkie-talkie.

On the big screen of the commercial plaza, a movie trailer was playing. Directed by Kong Han. Starring Wei Wen, Xue Ding, Tao Qi…

When there were still two stops left to his original destination, Zheng Tan got off.

Walking along the familiar route from memory, passing the lakeside villa district's exterior, a three-legged tortoiseshell cat darted across from the opposite side of the street, mouth holding a mouse, glanced at Zheng Tan, then nimbly scaled the wall and railing into the villa area. Along the lakeside road, a cat noticeably larger than others, dark gray with black markings, was sharpening its claws on a willow tree.

Without a word, Zheng Tan kept walking. Passing the affiliated hospital, then a small convenience store, he glanced over. The shopkeeper, with a sour face, sat behind the counter, biting on a cigarette, directing staff to move goods; a white cat crouched on the shelves, eyes sharp as it watched passersby.

Entering through the side gate on the edge of Chu Hua Da Xue campus, Zheng Tan walked along the adjacent wall inward. Beside a large tree, the inconspicuous wall bore pencil‑scrawled, crooked lines of text that caught his eye.

"Zheng Hei Tan was here, December 12, 2009."

"September 9, 2010."

"February 28, 2011." After it was an abstract‑style sun.

"……"

Zheng Tan lifted his finger and rubbed it over those characters, picking up some graphite black.

He rubbed his fingers together, then Zheng Tan walked along the side path, passing the small grove, the old tile houses, row after row of familiar houses and lawns, paths he could navigate with eyes closed, and that courtyard…

The gatekeeper of Dongqu Dayuan had sharp eyes; he spotted Zheng Tan, an unfamiliar face, among those entering and leaving the compound at a glance.

"Hey, who are you looking for?" the gatekeeper leaned out of his guardroom window, pointing at Zheng Tan and shouting.

"I'm looking for Professor Jiao, who lives in Building B, fifth floor," Zheng Tan said as he approached.

"Oh, Professor Jiao's place—he's not home now, probably at the Life Science Institute. But his family's cat went missing a few days ago; they're nearly frantic. Hey, young man, do you have any leads on their cat? It's a pure black cat this big, called Hei, called Hei Tan—have you seen it?" the gatekeeper asked urgently.

"I've seen it before." After a pause, Zheng Tan added, "It's a pretty handsome cat."

Hearing Zheng Tan's answer, the gatekeeper's hopeful glint faded; he said nothing more, waved his hand to indicate Zheng Tan could go in.

Taking a deep breath, Zheng Tan lifted his foot and stepped inside.

An auntie carrying a vegetable basket glanced at Zheng Tan a few times as she passed, guessing in her mind where he came from.

By the gate of the compound, under the shade of a tree, Li Lao Tou and Yan Lao Tou sat on a bench walking Xiao Hua and Niu Zhuangzhuang, chatting. The two old men merely glanced at Zheng Tan then looked away, but Xiao Hua and Niu Zhuangzhuang's gazes followed him. In Niu Zhuangzhuang's little triangular eyes, it was rare to see him without his usual fierceness.

Ruan Ying led Sahala out; as they passed Zheng Tan, Sahala lunged at his foot with a speed unlike its usual feigned weakness—quick as thunder. The bite wasn't hard enough to injure, but it wasn't light either, leaving several deep tooth marks and a mouthful of saliva on Zheng Tan's sports shoe.

Ruan Ying hadn't expected Sahala, who never bites, to suddenly do that; he hurriedly apologized to Zheng Tan and offered compensation. Zheng Tan laughed and refused.

While Ruan Ying scolded Sahala as it left, Sahala glanced back at Zheng Tan with a slightly provocative look, its tail wagging in a smug way.

Zheng Tan glared, "Sahala, you wait—I promise I won't beat you to death!"

Arriving at the foot of Building B, Zheng Tan's heart beat a little faster, wondering whether to just press the intercom number or call out. At that moment, an elderly woman on the first floor walked onto the balcony with a tabby fat cat, saw Zheng Tan, and asked him uncertainly who he was looking for, and whether he'd seen a black cat.

After Zheng Tan replied, the old woman also wore a look of regret: "His family aren't home; you should go to the Life Science Institute to find Professor Jiao—Yuzhi should be there too… Too bad about Hei Tan; the Jiao family's been crying themselves sick, Jiao Yuan even came back last night and just left, and Xiao Gu's eyes were still red when he went to work this morning—ah, what on earth is happening?"

The old lady lamented, muttering on. But beside her, Da Pang stared at Zheng Tan.

Zheng Tan reached out his hand; Da Pang glanced at the old lady, then walked over.

"Huh?" the old lady exclaimed, "Young man, have you been here before? My Da Pang doesn't get close to strangers." She left unsaid that not only does he avoid strangers, he doesn't even give acquaintances any face. Yet she hadn't expected Da Pang to act so familiar.

Zheng Tan grunted "En." Not knowing how to respond, he scratched Da Pang's chin, then rose and told the old lady, "I'll go look for Professor Jiao now. You keep busy."

Although puzzled, the old lady didn't press further. However, after Zheng Tan left, Da Pang followed him as well.

In the compound, beneath trees that weren't especially dense or tall, a black‑and‑white patched cat was playing with insects in the grass, while a yellow cat hugged a tree, lifted its rear, and sharpened its claws.

Zheng Tan walked over, picked up A Huang, who was sharpening its claws, and said, "You idiot!"—a line he'd held back for ten years, finally spoken.

Hearing the commotion, Jingzhang stopped playing with bugs and came over.

Zheng Tan sat on a nearby long wooden bench; Da Pang that had followed jumped up beside him and crouched. Seeing this, A Huang and Jingzhang also hopped up and sat in turn, just as before.

On a summer morning, the temperature rose with the sun. A wind blew in gusts, making the leaves rustle.

People going to work, school, or shopping in the courtyard would glance at the bench as they passed; before they always saw four cats squatting side by side there, but now the Jiao Family's black cat is gone, yet they see one person and three cats sitting there—really strange, when did these three cats become so familiar with the same person?

After sitting on the bench for a while and his mood calming, Zheng Tan patted the three cats, "I'm leaving now; I'll come back later to play with you."

He got up and left the courtyard, walking along the road to the intersection when a school bus passed; Zheng Tan quickly waved.

The driver was that bald guy; for appearances, he wore a cap.

Now it was class time, few people were on the bus, so the bald driver chatted with Zheng Tan sitting in the passenger seat.

"Young man, are you from our school?" the bald driver asked.

"No, but I used to come here often, I'm very familiar, and I've ridden your bus several times." Zheng Tan answered.

Taking advantage of someone getting off, the bald driver glanced at Zheng Tan, shook his head, and said firmly, "Impossible—if you often came here and rode my bus, I would definitely remember."

"Oh, maybe I misremembered—I must have taken another driver's bus." Zheng Tan didn't dwell on the matter.

The bald driver gave Zheng Tan a pitying look: "You're young, your memory isn't as good as mine yet—go home and have your mom fix you some fish heads, walnuts, stuff like that to nourish your brain."

Zheng Tan: "…hehe."

"You'd better not take it lightly; I'm telling you…"

"Driver, I'm getting off!"

After being admonished by the bald driver all the way, he finally arrived; Zheng Tan eagerly got off, looked at the familiar academy gate, and walked in.

The gatekeeper uncle sitting inside the gate saw Zheng Tan walking so confidently, thought about it, but still didn't stop this unfamiliar face.

Zheng Tan knew exactly where Jiao Ba's office was. As he reached the door, Character: Yi Xin happened to come out; inside came the voices of Xiao Youzi and Jiao Ba speaking, not loud, and as Character: Yi Xin closed the door, the sound was cut off.

Character: Yi Xin gave the person before him a strange look, assuming he was an undergraduate from the courtyard, casually asked who he was looking for, then left.

Zheng Tan stood at the door and knocked.

"Come in." a voice came from inside.

Zheng Tan turned the lock and pushed the door open.

(End of text) (To be continued…)

ps: Finally finished!

By the way, I'm asking for a vote at the end of the chapter; I probably won't ask again this year.

The afterword will be posted later.