Strange Life of a Cat

The day of the New Year’s Eve.

Papa Jiao sat in the bedroom in front of the computer, preparing some files and thesis, at the same time chatting with domestic and international friends through email.

Yuan Zi went home interstate for the new year. His mother was alone in the home state. This year, he must keep the old lady company and pay tributes to his old man. Fei Hang and Wei Ling were helping to look after the company. Sometimes, Papa Jiao would also give a hand.

However, lately, when Zheng Tan took his walk downstairs, he overheard the old man downstairs, Lan, talking with others about Papa Jiao. This group of almost retired but still influential elderly professors had access to information that was much more liable than others, so on that rare day, Zheng Tan hid by the side and eavesdropped.

Papa Jiao was gradually rising to the limelight, mainly because of a brilliant research student that he had instructed. On the annual academic convention before the new year, Yi Xin’s performance was outstanding, publishing an impact factor thesis on an international magazine that had made him undoubtedly first on the convention. There weren’t many in the school who could compete, this made the two other equals’ top student from the department fade in color.

Now when everyone mentioned Yi Xin, they would certainly bring up assistant professor Jiao. Without him, there wouldn’t be the current prospect of Yi Xin; this was a common knowledge. So, assistant professor Jiao now had a competing momentum to the two returnee professors that the department had hired this year.

Then speculations began to start as people in the yard tried to figure out when the word “assistant” from the title would be removed. If assistant professor Jiao continued his current glories, then the school might break the rules and make an exception to promote him. To be qualified as a professor in Chu Hua University, other than the bare minimum requirement of articles, there was also another important condition which is to have overseas experience.

Papa Jiao came to Chu Hua University right after he had graduated with Mama Jiao, and has been teaching since, so he had no experience researching overseas. Recently, Papa Jiao had spent a lot of time sitting in front of the computer probably because of this, to prepare for this “overseas experience”. After all, a professor’s benefits were, in every aspect, better than an associate professor’s, and they had more freedom to do as they wish.

Zheng Tan snuggled beside the couch, rolled over and continued to lie down in another position.

Due to the incidents of lost cats in the neighborhood, Zheng Tan didn’t go out anymore at nighttime. When the sun set, Zheng Tan would curl up on the couch with Jiao Yuan and Youzi, watching the “Beast Wars: Transformers” together. Although it was rather boring for Zheng Tan, it wasn’t that difficult to sit through. Lie on the couch thinking some random thoughts, sleep when he became tired of thinking, and get ready to eat when he woke up.

Jiao Yuan changed the DVD after a few episodes finished playing. Zheng Tan wasn’t interested in the content in the cartoon. He had watched it before, and didn’t want to watch it a second time. It was bound to be immature from an adult’s perspective after ten years. What Zheng Tan was contemplating about was, if Papa Jiao left the country for a year or two, what would happen at home? There would be a greater burden on Mama Jiao… No, there was still Yi Xin and the new research students that would come after the new year who could help…

The yellow cheetah in the television suddenly leaped up, transforming into a robot, while shouting, “Cheetor, transform!”

Zheng Tan was thinking in his mind when he was caught by surprise by Jiao Yao, who lifted him up.

“Black cat warrior, transform!” Jiao Yuan yelled.

Zheng Tan: “…” Transform a pile of poop on your face! You little wretch!

Waving away Jiao Yuan’s hands, Zheng Tan stepped on his pants as he crossed over, lying next to Youzi, and paid no heed to Jiao Yuan, who was currently hyperactive. Youzi could also help Zheng Yuan scratch his chin and smooth out his furs while she watched the television.

Due to the city ban on fireworks, there was hardly any firecrackers that could be heard. There is no sense in the new year without firecrackers; just like cooking without salt, dull. Although in the last few years, the policy had slackened a little. Sometimes, there were organized firework locations. Some shopping plazas and stores were able to apply to light fireworks, just like the central department store had planned some commercially organized firework lighting on the sixth. Papa Jiao said that when it was time, he would take the two kids there. As to the days before the sixth, Jiao Yuan would have to live through the craving of watching and lighting the firecrackers.

Next door, Qu went to his parents’ house for the new year, and probably wouldn’t return before the celebration ended. When he left, he carried a few suitcases of things, all of them computers or relevant.

“General” left a while back with its owner to the South. Here, the winters were cold and humid; it didn’t like it, so they would probably return at the beginning of spring.

Zheng Tan didn’t have much memories of celebrating the new year, or how he had spent it in the past years now that he recalled. Perhaps lounging out in an internet café or going crazy with a gang of bad associates. Now that he attempted to recollect his memories, everything felt hazy and unrealistic.

Who would have imagined that he would wake up as a cat instead of a human?

Not long after the New Year’s Eve dinner, Wei Lin, who stayed in the company, called to greet “Happy new year”. Papa Jiao had picked up the phone, and after they finished their conversation, Papa Jiao asked Zheng Tan to come and listen to the phone.

In confusion, Zheng Tan hopped onto the desk as Papa Jiao placed the receiver next to his feet. Zheng Tan move in and listened, Wei Lin’s voice transmitted out, “Charcoal, ‘Walnut’ asked me to greet you, happy new year!”

Zheng Tan tugged his ears and let out a deep breath from the nostril, signifying that he knows.

“Why don’t you give a cry? Don’t brush me off like this, it’s the new year.” Wei Lin said from the other end, “All my mates are listening in, otherwise, I will lose my face.”

Zheng Tan paused for a while, then gave a respecting call, “Roar!”

“Ha ha ha ha, Wei Lin, turns out you are talking to a dog. I thought it was Mr. Jiao’s child! But this dog does remind me of the wolf hound from the troop that only knew how to pick up a phone.”

The voice of Wei Lin’s comrade blared through the other end of the receiver.

“It’s not a dog, I am talking to a cat.” Wei Lin explained, then turned to the speaker and said, “Charcoal, they don’t believe me. How about a meow?”

“Rahhh!” Screw you!

Zheng Tan slapped his paws on the button and hung up, then walked back to the couch and waited for the Spring Festival Gala with Mama Jiao and the two kids.

Back at the company, Wei Lin heard the disconnecting tone from the phone and scolded, “Sh*t, its temper is as vile as always!”

The comrade that stood beside Wei Lin pondered, then asked, “Was that voice, really a cat’s?”

“Seriously, if you don’t believe me, then ask Walnut.” Wei Lin passed the phone along to those comrades who hadn’t made a call yet.

They had a landline, but there were too many people who wanted to make a call and were waiting in the line. Wei Lin didn’t care about the phone bill, so he lent his phone out for those who didn’t have one.

Zheng Tan kept them company and watched the gala for a while. When Youzi went back to her room to sleep, naturally, he followed. To a cat, it was normal to spend most of the time in one day twenty-four hours for sleep, so it had no psychological guilt on Zheng Tan.

Visiting relatives in the lunar month was nothing that Zheng Tan needed to worry about, but as a cat, what he hated the most were those silly rascals that pulled at his tail. To prevent any trouble, Zheng Tan went out when there were guests in the house.

This day was no different. Zheng Tan wandered on the campus for a while then headed to Mr. Guo’s store. Mr. Guo and co. stayed here for the new year. They ate the New Year’s Eve meal with many other workers who didn’t go home. On the New Year’s Day, they continued to look after the pets in foster care. The pet industry was quite popular this year, perhaps the expansion gave people a sense of trustworthiness and more class.

With the effects of good marketing, even people from other states knew about the shop “Clearly So” in Chu Hua City. They knew that this store’s cat food was exceptional and these advertisements was too eye-catching. Up to now, no one knew who the cat in the advertisement called “blackC” really was. The owner of the store Mr. Guo said that the cat hired was trained; some believed him, while others remained skeptical.

Zheng Tan didn’t go inside the store straightaway but ambled around the roads between the school and the pet store. While he was sauntering, Zheng Tan overheard someone’s conversation, the overview of the talks was that: There were some more cats that went missing over the last two days, including the black cat that had always fought with Zheng Tan.

No cats plus the closed stores during the new year period made the street appear more desolate, more lifeless.

Zheng Tan met Li Yuanba again when he was walking about, parading the streets with Peanut. Yanzi obviously didn’t stay at the pet store for the new year, but “Li Yuanba” stayed since Yanzi would be back in a few days; there was no need to move the cat nest back and forth.

Catching the sight of Zheng Tan, Peanut, who was following “Li Yuanba”, gave a rare “meow”, greeting Zheng Tan.

Mr. Guo had joked that Zheng Tan was like Peanut’s godfather, why else would Peanut remain so blunt and harsh towards other cats, but “meow” every time he saw Zheng Tan and occasionally roll on the floor in front of him.

Even these didn’t happen to Yanzi, so Yanzi often became envious of Zheng Tan. After all, who was really providing for them!

Zheng Tan didn’t even lick his own furs let alone lick Peanut’s fur, and certainly didn’t “meow”. Zheng Tan didn’t like calling out. Every time he cries out, it would hurt his brain nerves, reminding him that he had changed from a talking human being to a domestic cat. Nevertheless, to show his closeness to the young, Zheng Tan would raise his paw and pat Peanut on the head.

Peanut had become used to the way that Zheng Tan greeted, so every time Zheng Tan approached, it would lower its ears and move its head for Zheng Tan to pat.

A promising young man, worthy of being taught! Such an obedient kitten, much more likable than those scoundrels who only knew how to pull his tail.

After they finished greeting, “Li Yuanba” carried on leading Peanut through the streets, Zheng Tan took the other direction. Zheng Tan wasn’t worried about “Li Yuanba” being taken by those illegal cat traders, besides, Peanut would be saved with it around.

When he arrived at in an alleyway from an old street block, Zheng Tan roared ahead of him. Many people huddled together were discussing something. Originally, Zheng Tan prepared to reroute, but his ears had caught the phrases like “cat abuse”, “little kitten”, “how pitiful”.

There were many people around the scene, Zheng Tan wasn’t able to get any closer. He surveyed the surrounding and climbed the wooden ladder next to the wall, which had been chopped in half. From there, he jumped onto the surrounding fence and approached the site from a resident’s balcony. It was not easily detected there and was convenient for Zheng Tan to observe the situation there.

The door of the balcony was tightly locked; a layer of dust gathered on the floor. The owner probably had gone out interstate for the new year, as the house looked like it had been empty for a few days. That was the main reason why Zheng Tan picked this house.

Zheng Tan stood on a pot which had only soil and no plants and peeked towards there through the gap between the two hanging rags.

It was surrounded by people, almost blocking the center of the incident. From Zheng Tan’s angle, he couldn’t catch many scenes, but as the quarrels became a push and shove, Zheng Tan was able to peep through and see what was happening on the ground.

Three multicolored kittens lay on the ground. They looked no older than a month and were covered in blood. They lied unmoved on the cold surface. Beside them stood a big white cat with long furs. It moved towards the three kittens on the ground now and then, touching them gently with the tips of her nose then screams at the sloppy young man two steps away who was leaning against the wall smoking. The noises sounded like weeping to Zheng Tan, each note dragged on as if it was mourning.

The smoking youngster cast his coat aside, revealing his upper torso that was covered in dragon tattoos. The people nearby didn’t dare to say anything mainly because the inks on his skin frightened them.

Someone had made some harsh comments before and was brutally punched by the dragon tattooed youngster. A few elderly onlookers were also kicked by him and had to be supported away from there.

From the chaotic scene below, Zheng Tan got an idea what had happened. This cat lived in the neighborhood. The owner moved away before the new year and didn’t bring her along because it was too much trouble, especially with a litter of dependent kittens. As a neighbor, the man with dragon tattoos offered to keep those kittens. The family was in a hurry to leave, so despite knowing that the malicious-looking neighbor was not friendly, and the cats with him were bound to mistreated, they kept quiet and left with their luggage.

The tattooed man had intended to keep these cats, so he could sell them in the future. As to the normal times, cat food was scanty. If he remembered, he would give them some of his food; if he forgot, then never mind.

Not every cat had the tough stomach that Zheng Tan had. Unable to eat the food, the mother cat was forced to scavenge for food. She came back just in time to see the tattooed man throwing the kittens onto the floor.

The tattooed man was enraged when he went out, so he took the anger out on the kittens. The nearby residents condemned him after seeing his actions, but they were all bashed away. Calling the police was no help either.