Leave.
That was the only thought in Maimai’s mind as he ran, his legs propelling him as fast as they could. He sprinted across the stone path of the community, over pebbles, and through the soil of a flower bed, finally reaching the other side of the fence.
By the time he regained his senses, he was already hundreds of meters away from the neighborhood.
At midday, there were no pedestrians along the street, and cars zoomed by on the road.
Maimai’s pace slowed until he finally came to a halt, feeling dazed.
After living as a human for so long, he had forgotten how enormous the streets and the cars seemed from a cat’s perspective. The world was suddenly dangerous.
He looked around nervously before slowly backing into the safety of a nearby bush.
He had turned back into a cat, but it was too late. The scent on Cheng Lin’s clothes hadn’t been from just one cat—there had been multiple.
Where could he go now?
Staying in the bushes for long wasn’t safe; the scent of stray cats was strong here. This was clearly someone else’s territory.
Maimai decided to temporarily set aside his unresolved sorrow and focus on planning his future with renewed determination.
His options were limited. He couldn’t go anywhere frequented by humans.
Maimai glanced across the street at a small shop and remembered the cat cafe where he had once tried to get a job.
Even though the cafe owner had said they didn’t hire mixed-breed cats, he didn’t have a home anymore. Maybe they would give him a chance if he asked. If it came to it, he could eat less than the other cats.
On a weekday, the hallway was quiet, and business was slow. After a long wait, the female owner finally opened the door to pick up the food delivery. She noticed the orange cat crouching at the entrance. “Huh? Another cat?”
Hearing her, the male owner stepped out with a frown. “Another cat dumped here?”
People in the area knew about the cat cafe and often abandoned unwanted cats in the stairwell. The female owner had a soft heart and would take them in, caring for them until she found them new homes. Over time, this became a burden.
Because of this, the male owner grew increasingly hostile toward anything that looked like an attempt to abandon a cat, trying to prevent people from dumping their pets.
“This one doesn’t seem like it.” The female owner crouched down and held out her hand for Maimai to sniff. “This little orange cat is so clean, and look, it’s wearing a collar. It must have an owner. Maybe it just got lost.” Though she had seen Maimai’s photo before, there were too many orange cats for her to remember.
Maimai straightened his posture, trying to look as presentable as possible.
Jiang Lili noticed that the cat wasn’t resisting or showing any signs of stress, so she dared pick him up. “Come on, let me help you find your owner.”
The cat cafe was small, tucked away in a mixed-use commercial and residential building. On a weekday, there was only one group of customers inside. Since none of them had paid extra for a can of cat food, the cats had lost their enthusiasm for work and were lazily napping in various corners of the room.
Maimai was overwhelmed by the mix of scents from all the different cats, making him feel uneasy at first. Fortunately, Jiang Lili didn’t plan to place him with the other cats. Instead, she carried him straight to a closed-off balcony.
The balcony was cluttered with miscellaneous items, but in one corner, there was a basic set of cat supplies.
The cat bowl on the floor was empty. Jiang Lili set the cat down and bent over to open a nearby sealed plastic container. She scooped a portion of cat food into the bowl and refilled the water bowl.
She reassured him, “Stay here for now while I take care of the customers.”
Whenever she found a stray cat, she would isolate it in this area until she could figure out how to reunite it with its owner.
Just as she was about to leave, she remembered something and pulled out her phone. “Let me take a few pictures of you to post online so your master can find you sooner.”
Jiang Lili lifted the cat onto the washing machine. He remained docile, not reacting to her words as if he didn’t understand. But the moment she raised her phone to take a photo, he immediately turned away, presenting her with his back.
“Hey, baby, look at me—” Jiang Lili coaxed anxiously, “I’m trying to help you find your master.”
Maimai stared at the wall, thinking: But my master already has another cat.
Night fell, and the cafe was preparing to close for the day.
Jiang Lili was busy settling the other cats in the shop. Only the male owner checked on the balcony once to ensure there was food and water, then he closed the door and turned off the lights before leaving.
With the humans gone, Maimai approached the bowl and began eating. The food was the cheapest kind—bland and unappealing. He had never eaten anything this bad before.
His mind wandered to his favorite salmon, but he wasn’t picky. He didn’t have the luxury to be. Grateful for the meal, he ate just enough to fill his stomach.
After eating, Maimai lay on top of the washing machine, his mind too cluttered to sleep. He pondered his life as a cat.
It was hard to tell how much time had passed when suddenly, in the darkness, a black cat appeared behind the glass, staring at him with a serious expression for a few seconds.
Maimai tensed, standing on alert, but the eyes vanished as quickly as they had appeared.
Moments later, the door handle turned, and the door opened just enough for the black cat to squeeze through.
The cat was entirely black except for a triangular patch of white fur on its chest, giving the impression it was wearing a tuxedo over a white shirt.
Maimai watched nervously, his body tense. The two cats locked eyes again, large eyes staring into smaller ones.
The black cat tilted its head, studying Maimai, then broke the silence with a meow, “Little orange cat, can you understand me?”
“I can understand,” Maimai meowed back.
The black cat continued to scrutinize him. “What’s your name?”
Maimai relied, “I’m Maimai.”
“How old are you?”
“I’m one year old.”
“That’s not so young,” the black cat remarked. “You’re an adult now. Did you know you can turn into a human?”
“I know. I’ve done it before.” Maimai wasn’t used to socializing, but he knew it was polite to ask in return, “What’s your name?”
The black cat blinked, then hopped onto the washing machine beside him. “I’m Rongrong. I’ve lived here for a long time.”
Maimai stepped back to make room for Rongrong.
“Whoa, is this pure gold?” Rongrong leaned in to inspect the lock charm hanging from Maimai’s neck. He lifted a paw to feel its weight. “It’s pretty heavy and solid too. How much did it cost? Your master sure spoils you.”
“Mm, it was a gift for my first birthday.” Maimai said, “Cheng Lin has always treated me well.”
Rongrong asked, “So why did you run away? Did you get lost? Where do you live? I can help you get back.”
Maimai flattened himself on the washing machine and didn’t answer. After a moment, he murmured, “I feel like he doesn’t want me anymore.”
“Okay, don’t blame me for hitting a sore spot.” Rongrong said, “You’ve got to spill the whole story if you want me to understand. Dropping hints isn’t enough.”
So Maimai began from the beginning, meow-meowing how Cheng Lin had found him a year ago and then explained how he had turned into a human. “Ever since I became human, Cheng Lin has been distant. He doesn’t let me touch him anymore, and he won’t let me sleep with him.”
Rongrong: “You’re lucky he wasn’t scared to death.”
Maimai continued, “Cheng Lin kept wishing I’d turn back into a cat, but I didn’t know how I’d changed in the first place, so I couldn’t just do it on command. Then, he started looking at other cats on his phone. Today, I caught the strong scent of other cats on him. That’s when I suddenly turned back into a cat and ran away.”
Rongrong: “That son of a bitch. Cheating on you.”
Maimai knew what “cheating” meant and shook his head. “No, it’s not cheating. Don’t say it like that.”
After hearing the whole story, Rongrong sighed and looked at Maimai with pity. “You were a perfectly good cat. Why on earth did you want to turn into a human?”
“I thought being human would make things better, that I could keep him company. Sometimes, he seemed lonely.” Maimai said, “Can all cats turn into humans?”
Rongrong said, “Of course not! If every cat could do that, the world would be chaos. Not all the details are clear to me, but only a small number of cats have the potential to become human. Even then, it takes a strong will for it to happen. When Jiang Lili brought you in, I could tell you were different.”
Maimai asked, “Can you turn into a human too?”
“Yeah, but that was a long time ago,” Rongrong said, “My master was an old granny. She took care of me for seven years. Then one day, she had a bad fall and couldn’t get up. Her mind started to go, and she didn’t recognize anyone anymore. Her sons didn’t bother to come look after her. I couldn’t just leave her like that, so I turned into a human and took care of her for two years until she passed away from illness.”
“After Granny died, her sons finally showed up. They took the house, and I got kicked out. Jerks.” Rongrong said, “But that’s all in the past.”
“Oh.” Maimai was worried. “What did you do then? You didn’t have anywhere to live.”
“You’re silly.” Rongrong said, “I just turned back into a cat and found a cozy spot in some bushes. It’s not like being human, where you have to work, pay bills, and get a loan to buy a house. Although the organization later helped me get a household registration and ID card, I didn’t want to work or study. I’m more comfortable being a cat.”
“Let me tell you, this place is great. I’m so ugly that customers don’t even bother to pet me, but if I act enthusiastic, someone might give me a can of food. I just watch TV, eat ready-made meals, and live in comfort. The only downside is these other cats who can’t turn into humans. They’re too dumb to chat with me. It’d be nice to have someone like you around.” Rongrong sighed.
After listening to this, Maimai asked, “Is it really easier being a cat than a human?”
“Absolutely. If you hadn’t turned into a human, you’d still be living in luxury at your master’s house, being spoon-fed without a care in the world. So why did you feel the need to become human?”
“…I don’t know,” Maimai said, his voice uncertain this time. He hesitated, then repeated, “I don’t know.”
“Hey, don’t be too upset.” Rongrong noticed Maimai’s somber expression and offered some comfort, “There are still plenty of good people in this world. You’re a handsome cat, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find someone new to take you in.”
A place just to shelter him from the wind and rain? Did it matter who adopted him?
Maimai shook his head, staying silent for a while.
Then, out of nowhere, he said, “I miss Cheng Lin.”
“Honestly, it hasn’t been easy for him either. You turned into a human, and he didn’t get so scared that he kicked you out, right?” Rongrong said, “Look on the bright side. Maybe he just doesn’t like you as much as before and wants a few more cats. These days, it’s common for people to have multi-cat households.”
Maimai agreed, “Cheng Lin never actually said he didn’t want me. I couldn’t bear the thought of him having other cats, so I ran away because it hurt too much.”
“Really?” Rongrong said, “Then just go back to him tomorrow. It’s late now, already two in the morning. You could’ve had three dreams by now.”
“I want to see him now,” Maimai was unable to wait any longer. He jumped off the washing machine. “What should I do?”
Rongrong understood the urgency and quickly offered a solution, “I’ll take you there. We can go out through the window. This is only the second floor. We’ll jump down from the air conditioning unit. I sneak out that way all the time.”
Maimai hesitated, “But I saw the male owner lock the window.”
This wasn’t a problem for Rongrong. “That’s simple. I’ll turn into a human and open it for us.”
Maimai agreed and watched intently at the black cat’s movements.
Rongrong noticed he was staring openly and tried to be subtle, “Could you look away? Or I’ll scold you for being indecent.”
Maimai turned to face the wall and asked, “Why?”
Rongrong flicked on the light with a “click”, casting a human-shaped shadow across the wall. “Little brother, when I turn into a human, I don’t have any clothes on. You staring at me makes me embarrassed.” Rongrong’s voice had deepened, now that of a middle-aged man.
Maimai suddenly understood. “No wonder Cheng Lin always insists I wear clothes.”
Rongrong chuckled as he unlocked the window and pushed it open. As his shadow shrank back to cat size, his voice returned to a meow. “Your master had it tough, dealing with a naked guy wandering around the house all the time. Who could put up with that?”
“But I’ve seen Cheng Lin without clothes too,” Maimai said, puzzled.
Rongrong didn’t feel like diving into the complexities of human shame. He slipped through the gap in the window, jumped onto the air conditioning unit on the first floor, and then landed smoothly on the ground. Maimai followed nimbly, and the two cats successfully made their escape.
“What should I say to Cheng Lin?” Maimai’s paws moved quickly. “Should I just tell him I want to stay with him?”
“Don’t say anything. Just roll up to his feet and be adorable,” Rongrong advised, urging Maimai to slow down. “Now that you’re a cat again, don’t change back into a human. If you can stay with him like this, that’s good enough. And if he’s adopted a few more cats, just be smart about it. He might let you stay out of loyalty… Hey, seriously! You haven’t even seen him yet, and your tail’s already sticking up like an antenna!”
Maimai led Rongrong through the greenery and into the apartment complex. Rongrong glanced around in admiration. “Wow, such a high-end community. You’re so lucky!”
Maimai said, “It’s that building at the back. We’re almost there.” But after saying that, Maimai suddenly braked to a halt.
Rongrong asked, “What’s wrong?”
Maimai paused to lick his front paws, then rubbed his face with them, narrowing his eyes. “I need to wash my face. How do I look?”
Rongrong: “You look stunning. Let’s go!”
In the quiet of the night, the pathway lights illuminated their way as the two cats walked side by side along the stone-paved road. Rongrong offered a piece of advice, “Just be a good cat when you go back. Don’t turn into a human again and stress out your master, you kno—”
Mid-sentence, Maimai suddenly hid in the nearby bushes.
“Look, Cheng Lin is over there,” Maimai whispered.
Rongrong followed him into the bushes. Peering out, they saw two people standing face-to-face near the building—a man and a woman.
In a hushed tone, Rongrong meowed, “Is that guy your master?”
Maimai responded with an “Mm” and fell silent, eyes fixed on Cheng Lin. Though they had only been apart for half a day, it felt like an eternity.
Rongrong asked, “It’s so late. Who’s the girl? Is he dating her?”
Under the streetlight, Cheng Lin was listening intently to the woman, who was shifting her weight from one foot to the other as she spoke. She was holding something in her arms.
The two cats couldn’t hear the conversation, but the scene was clear under the streetlamp’s glow.
In the woman’s arms was a purebred cat.
When she finished speaking, Cheng Lin nodded, and the two people and the cat quickly went inside the building, disappearing from sight.
An awkward silence fell between the two cats.
Rongrong hesitated, unsure of what to say. “Uh… well, it’s late, and I didn’t expect things to move this fast. Maybe you should hurry and catch up with them? There might still be a chance.”
“It’s too late,” Maimai said, “That cat is so beautiful.”
He licked his paw and rubbed his face again.
Rongrong sighed. “Forget it. Come back with me to the cat cafe. Stay there for a while, and you might start to enjoy the easy life.”
Maimai lay silently in the bushes, feeling the cold dirt beneath him. The washing machine lid wasn’t much better. He began to miss his small blanket, the one Cheng Lin used to drape over him to keep him warm in the winter. He missed the heated floors, rolling around on the warm wooden surface like a car running over Cheng Lin’s slippers. When he made a noise, Cheng Lin would scoop him up and tuck him into his arms.
Cheng Lin always seemed to find him a nuisance, yet it also seemed he really cared for him.
Maimai missed that life, but knew he could never return to it.
“Mm,” Maimai said, “Let’s go.”
