pdf-ebookys Chapter 45 Finding 3 Mao
Chapter 45 Finding 3 Mao
Bai Li returned to the town she came from.
The town remains exactly as I remember it; the houses lining the streets are still low and old.
The streets were deserted, with only a few elderly people strolling by slowly, some leaning on canes, others carrying shopping baskets, their faces etched with the mundane details of life.
Time seems to slow down here.
Bai Li doesn't actually like this town.
Too few people, remote, old, boring, backward, exuding a sense of decay and decline, life is boring and monotonous, each day seems to be a repetition of the previous one...
The town I remember is gray.
Almost all the memories she left here were bitter and painful. The dark clouds of fate loomed over her for no reason, and illness, like a surging tide, repeatedly assaulted her fragile body and mind.
Those fragmented pieces, like pieces of a nightmare, are deeply rooted in her heart, making her want to escape and run away to a distant place without looking back. But the powerlessness of life keeps pulling her back, and she feels trapped here.
However, as time passed and perhaps her mindset changed, Bai Li felt a strange sense of disorientation when she revisited this familiar yet unfamiliar land. The familiar streets and alleys and the mottled roof tiles seemed to have regained their color.
As she drew closer to the coordinates, the hospital gate, exuding a somewhat dejected atmosphere, came into view, and Bai Li involuntarily stopped in her tracks.
Bai Li looked up, her gaze complex as she stared at the building that held so many memories.
—This is where I received treatment back then.
I endured a dark and hopeless period in the stark white hospital room and amidst the pungent smell of disinfectant.
Bai Li took a deep breath and slowly walked along the path beside the hospital wall, trying to calm the turmoil in her heart.
Wild grasses grew on both sides of the path, with glistening dewdrops hanging on the blades, shimmering in the sunlight like tiny gemstones.
The grass rustled as a small tabby cat passed by. It seemed to be in a hurry, its short legs moving quickly, leaving a blur in its wake. In the blink of an eye, it disappeared into a crack in the wall and vanished without a trace.
The direction I was heading was inside the walled compound.
Bai Li looked at the spot where the little tabby cat had disappeared and couldn't help but chuckle.
As the saying goes, humans have their own way of life, and cats have theirs.
Cats can squeeze into corners, but I have to follow the proper rules and use the front door.
Fortunately, this old residential area didn't have any access control barriers, so Bai Li entered the area without any problems.
The residential compound has a low wall, and where the plaster has peeled off, the dark gray bricks underneath are exposed. A few strands of electrical wires weave and tangle haphazardly between the buildings, like lines randomly drawn on the old architecture, exuding a sense of unruliness and casualness, which adds a unique touch of life to this slightly dilapidated neighborhood.
At this moment, she was only one corner away from the coordinates. Bai Li turned off the navigation, gently put her phone away in her pocket, and then subconsciously slowed her pace, staring intently at the corner. A sense of anticipation welled up in her heart, mixed with a little nervousness.
Just then, a furry figure suddenly appeared out of the wall without warning. Bai Li's heart jumped, and she subconsciously held her breath, her eyes fixed on the figure.
It's a small orange tabby cat with three striking white "bangs" on its head, making it extremely distinctive.
The little orange cat had been striding confidently and proudly, but the moment it saw Bai Li, it instantly became alert. Its big, round eyes widened even more, and it cautiously sized her up several times. Its body arched slightly, and its fur stood on end, as if assessing whether the person in front of it was friend or foe. Only after confirming that there was no danger did it continue to stroll, but its pace slowed down noticeably and became more cautious.
Its eyes were fixed on the white pear, and it walked slower and slower, each step showing caution. As it walked, its big, fluffy tail slowly rose up, curving into an elegant arc in the air and swaying gently from side to side.
As it passed by Bai Li, it tilted its head and stared at her with wide eyes, its gaze seemingly holding a thousand unspoken words.
After passing by, it didn't forget to turn its back, turn its head to look at the white pear again, tilting its head even more sharply, and its ears twitching slightly.
But Bai Li didn't move or speak. Its fluffy tail drooped down, as if it were somewhat disappointed, and it turned to leave.
Seeing this, Bai Li couldn't help but laugh out loud.
She slowly squatted down, lowering her body as much as possible, and reached out her hand to the little orange cat, her face full of gentle smiles, greeting it affectionately: "Sanmao, you recognize me? Aren't you coming over?"
Sanmao meowed, its clear and loud cry seeming to respond to a call. Its tail was held high, and it turned its body and came over quickly, its steps filled with affection and longing.
Bai Li reached out her hand, and Sanmao immediately snuggled up to her affectionately, rubbing his head back and forth in her palm while making gurgling sounds in his throat.
"Where have you been all these years? Hmm? You little rascal, I can't find you anywhere."
As Bai Li spoke, she gently stroked Sanmao's back with her other hand.
She was secretly relieved that Sanmao still recognized her, since she had completely changed and she was afraid that Sanmao would not recognize her.
But I didn't expect the little animals to be so smart.
Sanmao was someone Baili met by chance while she was hospitalized.
At that time, she was often sick and went downstairs for fresh air. She felt sorry for the stray cats she saw and often fed them. All kinds of cats came and went, but Sanmao was the one she cared about the most.
The three signature white bangs on its head look so much like the one I had in the orphanage when I was a child.
When I was a child, I had no one to play with, so I played with cats. That cat kept me company for a long time. Later, after moving around and changing places, I never saw such a human-like cat again until Sanmao appeared.
Sanmao would sneak into the hospital to find Baili when she wasn't there.
Cats are not allowed in hospitals. For the sake of hygiene and safety, any cats that enter the hospital will be driven away by medical staff.
Bai Li couldn't understand how Sanmao managed to find herself in the hospital, amidst those long white corridors, among tall, unfamiliar, and dangerous people, and filled with the smell of disinfectant.
How many twists and turns did it go through?
Kittens can't speak; they can only silently ask you with their eyes, showing their concern for you.
Although Bai Li's rationality told her that they were not the same cat, and that cats have a limited lifespan, and that they were most likely not the same cat, how could there be such a coincidence that they had the same coat color, "bangs", and personality?
Bai Li prefers to believe that it must have been afraid that it wouldn't recognize her, so when it was reincarnated, it chose its original skin to continue this special bond.
But after he recovered from his illness, he couldn't find Sanmao again.
I came back and looked for it several times, but I still couldn't find it.
Luckily, I drew a [Find Item Ticket].
Sanmao meowed again, rubbing its head against Baili's feet, pulling her back from her memories.
She raised her hand to wipe away the tears that had somehow slipped down her face, a smile playing on her lips, and said softly, "Let's go, Sanmao, your sister is taking you home."