The last orange cat Omega [Interstellar]

DouDou has always understood what is extraordinary about him.

Not all kitties find a mission.It may also be considered a blessing to live an ordinary life ignorant and carefree.But Doudou is glad that he can find it.

When a human is included in the guardian territory, the journey as a cat is extended and expanded exponentially.DouDou is always proud of this.

The big orange cat was so excited that he couldn't help lowering his head, quietly stepped on the hem of Thailou's clothes, and scratched out a beautiful "Miao Miao Fu".

It's a pity that Hailou at that time only regarded DouDou as an ordinary stray cat. He couldn't appreciate the poems written with cat paw prints, and he also had no way of knowing what was hidden under the beautiful fur of this big orange cat in front of him. What a rich spiritual world.

"It's about hiring a cat, but I think it's more like marrying a cat." The ignorant human continued, rubbing the back of the orange cat's round head with his hand.

"Do you know what 'marriage' is?"

Doudou was squinting his eyes comfortably to enjoy the human touch, but he couldn't help opening his eyes wide when he heard this, looked at Hailou curiously, and let out a meow as if urging him.

Why marry a cat?Can kittens also use "marry"?

DouDou was full of doubts.He has been hiding in the corner of the human world for many years, and he probably understands the meaning of "marriage".He knew the special significance of marriage for human beings.

Unlike cats, who live in no fixed place and are casual and "sexy", humans tend to maintain a stable one-on-one partnership-at least on the surface.They are willing to give up countless other choices, share the same roof with the destined person, snuggle up and lick each other's few hairs, and agree to take on the responsibility of taking care of each other.

This kind of family concept is a little strange to cats who live alone.However, from a certain point of view, it is similar to the behavior of domestic cats taking over humans.

Marriage, perhaps, is the captivity of human beings to each other.

"The ancients used words related to raising cats, almost all of which were related to marriage." Hailou explained, "Adopting a cat is like getting married, and it is also a very ceremonial event."

Raising a cat, or begging, or hiring, or welcoming, or accepting, is like marriage in the world.There is even a saying that "people raising cats are like adopting daughters", and the host family often asks cat beggars to choose a good day and auspicious day to bring dowry gifts.

The gifts used by begging cats are also very interesting. They are similar to the betrothal gifts of ordinary people. They are mainly local practical items such as sugar, tea, vinegar, and hemp.Or in a more elegant way, cat beggars will specially prepare a few small dried fish to please the "cat mother-in-law".Among them, the allusion of sending salt is the most praised.

Hiring cats with salt has a long history.Someone once researched and said that it is probably because in the dialect, "salt" sounds the same as "destiny", and salt is given to form a relationship.Solemnly prepare the betrothal gift, come to ask for a cat, and submit a contract to accept the cat, and form a relationship with the master and pamper the world, promising "fresh fish for food and warm blanket for sleep".

Human nature is ruthless, and it is easy to give up for a while, but it is easier to cherish the rare things.

Although doing enough rituals does not guarantee a smooth life for cats, the significance of the sense of ritual often lies not in practicality, but in distinguishing "this moment" from "others".At least at the moment of adopting a cat, it is sincere, special, prudent, meaningful, and a big event that is different from ordinary trivial matters.

is a promise.

When Hai Lou said this, he bent his fingers and pinched Doudou's fleshy cheeks, and joked with a smile: "When I settle down, I will buy a few small fish, wrap them in willow and wrap them in salt, and write a letter of appointment by hand. Seriously 'marry' you in and let you be my kitten."

DouDou's eyes lit up, and he didn't care about the big hand pinching his cheek, so he answered vaguely.

"Soon, maybe this winter, before it gets completely cold. This winter, I won't be hungry or cold, I promise."

Hailou laughed, and there was a bright spring in his eyes, which couldn't dissipate no matter what.

"It's weird, sometimes I think you understand everything I say."

He reached out to pick up the bag, raised his hands in front of his eyes, and looked directly at the orange cat's eyes as clear as glazed glass.

"You must be a most special cat," he said. "Would you dance in the moonlight, or would you travel alone? Would you also write poems on the sand with the tip of your tail and read something no one could understand?" Maochou? Do you want to explore the meaning of life, or do you just want to be a pure fish gourmet?"

The orange cat's fluffy tail is slightly curled, gently sweeping the human arm.

"Anyway, it was a pleasure meeting you, my friend."

After all, the human hugged the orange cat into his arms, held the swollen cat's paws and gave himself a high-five, not disliking the plaster embedded in the paws at all.

"That's what we agreed, the contract was successful."

A dusty plum blossom paw print fell on the pure white palm of the human being.

DouDou stared at the paw print seriously, savoring this moment carefully.

His whimsy, his strangeness, and his incompatibility are all captured by the human being in front of him and carefully tolerated.

The humans he loves see him as an equal, and their ideas collide in the invisible air.

This realization made DouDou very happy.

They are connected, like two planets tugging on each other.

Everything has gravity.

Meow, what a magical moment this is.

It's like three o'clock in the morning, in a park where everything is quiet, a cat stares at the bright moon hanging high in the sky, and can't help whining.Almost at the same time, far away, another strange cat also sang, gently keeping time.

——Meow, who can hear me?

——Meow, I heard you.

How strange, human.They continue to explore the endless unknown universe above the starry sky, trying to find another group of life forms that can think and communicate, but they never lower their heads to think about whether those ordinary creatures that appear beside them have ever thought The starry sky is so bright tonight.

How arrogant, how wanton, and how lucky.

Doudou thought to himself that he should also prepare presents early and happily wait for the day when he will marry the cat.

Winter will come soon.

He never liked winter.Winter is the unavoidable biting chill, the food that can only be obtained with all one's strength, the long night that cannot be endured, and the death buried thickly by the cold.

However, a winter without severe cold and hunger does not seem to be scary anymore.

Going around full of anticipation.

Someday, preferably on one of those rare bright winter days, he'll say the oldest cat oath to his human, officially declaring himself in charge of the human, from this moment to this lifetime.He will share all his prey, joys and sorrows, and every winter snow and summer rain from now on.

There will be such a day.

……

However, DouDou could not wait until that day.

By the way, he remembered, that was the last summer of his life, an extremely short summer.

……

The original warm and bright dream gradually distorted, and the dark nightmare hit overwhelmingly, strangling Dou Dou's throat, making him almost suffocate.

DouDou stopped snoring.He twitched a few times uneasily, struggling to wake up from the nightmare, not knowing what was going to happen.

In Hailou's sea of ​​consciousness, the colorful and beautiful world was shattered into powder under the violent mental violence.He opened his eyes immediately, and covered his eyelids with dry and warm palms.

Under the palm, the thick eyelashes trembling timidly with moisture.

Hailou calmed down, waited for a while, then moved his palms away, helped him to get up and sit down.

A soft white cloud brushed past the spacecraft, and the lone star was already very close.

A blue, vibrant planet.

They fell among the clouds, first became ill and then slowly, and finally were gently embraced by the lone star.

Then there is snow.

One piece, two pieces, four or five pieces...

The boundless wind and snow are rolling.

Doudou froze in place.

In a daze, he thought that the winter that never came had finally come.

The author has something to say:

PS: "Fresh fish to eat, warm blanket to sleep", taken from "Wearing Willow Wrapped in Salt, Hiring Meticulously, Copper Bells and Golden Locks, Elegant Decorations, Fresh Fish to Eat, Warm Blanket to Sleep, Scholar Shows Sails" The pet, the boudoir has the pity of the sleeves", the general idea is that the owner solemnly invites the cat, and will prepare bells, collars and other toys for the kittens, provide small dried fish and cat litter, let them live in the mosquito net of gold, from time to time Hug in my arms and roll.It can be seen that the status of kittens in ancient times was still acceptable.There are many allusions about cat slaves handed down by scholars, probably because scholars have a large collection of books, and in order to prevent mice from biting books, they will specially hire cats to visit them.

This sense of ritual gradually disappeared, probably because the role of cats has changed. Contemporary families (especially urban families) rarely have the need to raise cats to catch mice (but in fact, cats are not the most good at catching mice. But some terriers, dogs are not nosy with mice, boo)

PPS, regarding the dowry, it’s just a fun talk, and it doesn’t mean that the author intends to output any opinions, and please don’t diverge into the actual gift money dispute

PPPS, the number of words in this chapter is relatively small due to the relevance of the content, I will strive for more words in the next update, sorry