The Nightmare Experience of a Useless Person

A cold wind swept away the winter snow, and along with it, swept away Qianqian's spirits.

The morning light shone through the rotten wood at the top of the roof, waking the sleepy cat, but its side was already empty.

Judging from the fresh footprints at the door, she must have just left.

Jiang Zhiyang quickly followed the footprints and walked for a while before catching up with Qianqian, who was walking unsteadily. He didn't call out to her, but just followed silently beside her.

Jiang Zhiyang had never seen Qianqian's eyes so empty and lifeless.

If only he were a person right now. A tall, strong man who could drive away vicious dogs for her, a home that would shelter Qianqian from the elements and provide her with a true home.

The world is small, yet they have each other.

Unfortunately, he was just a cat. Even so, he would do his best to protect his master. His sharp teeth and claws could pierce the flesh of bad guys, causing them to bleed profusely, and pierce the eyes of evildoers, plunging them into darkness. He silently practiced his moves in his mind, so that he would be the first to rush forward when bad guys appeared.

They walked a long way and arrived at the back mountain of the village, a place Jiang Zhiyang had never set foot in before.

Finally, Qianqian stopped in front of a grave. The writing on the broken wooden plank was already blurred, and after a snowstorm, it was on the verge of collapse. Qianqian knelt quietly, without moving.

Until a single hot tear rolled down, melting the snow before her knees. One drop, two drops, three drops, tears fell like a broken string of beads, never ceasing.

"Grandma, I miss you so much." The weak voice broke the silence, and even the birds and beasts in the mountains fell silent for her.

The kitten could only lie at the girl's feet, looking down to count the falling tears. He dared not look up, nor could he imagine that her innocent smiling face was now crying helplessly.

After an unknown amount of time, her sobs gradually subsided, and finally, she gently collapsed onto the snow.

Jiang Zhiyang was not alone. He couldn't open his arms to embrace her, nor could he comfort her. He couldn't catch her vulnerability and helplessness, and could only let her fall.

Snow fell on her face, leaving red chilblains. The kitten stretched out its warm tongue and carefully licked away the frost and tears. Looking at the girl's lips, Jiang Zhiyang tenderly kissed them, feeling the faint warmth between her lips.

Suddenly, the mountains and fields fell silent, the remaining snow vanished, and Qianqian's eyes snapped open, revealing an indifference, aloofness, and a hint of ruthlessness that he had never sensed in her before.

She stood up and tapped her head.

"Meow meow meow (What's wrong with you)?"

"Meow meow meow (Are you alright?)?"

"Meow meow (Qianqian)."

"Go away, leave this place, leave this village." Her tone was indifferent, her eyes sharp, as if another soul were speaking.

"Meow meow meow (Why)?"

"No reason why, just hurry up and leave, or it will be too late."

Hmm? Can she understand cat language now?

"Meow meow meow (I don't want to)."

"If I tell you to leave, then leave now." Qianqian took off her shoe and threw it at the kitten. Jiang Zhiyang couldn't dodge in time and was hit hard. He then scurried into the forest in a sorry state.

What's wrong with her? Why has her personality suddenly changed so drastically?

After the girl returned to the dilapidated temple, Jiang Zhiyang walked around it a few times before rushing inside to rub against his young mistress. He rubbed against her legs, her arms, and her cheeks, but was met with unfamiliar rejection and a cold shooing away.

He had no choice but to leave temporarily.

Winter seems to be coming to an end. Sunlight spills onto the village paths, and that familiar feeling returns—time seems to be out of control.

During the days away from his owner, Jiang Zhiyang wandered around the village, while the cat listened to people's conversations from a corner.

In the world outside the dilapidated temple, unknown to Qianqian, she was the talk of the village after dinner, the soon-to-be bride to marry Wang the Cripple.

Cat felt ashamed, enjoying Qianqian's kindness while actually knowing very little about her.

Xue Qiao was an ordinary farming family in Qiushui Village. His family consisted of six people: Xue Qiao, his mother, Old Liu, his wife, Sun Baoyi, and two daughters, Xue Qianqian and Xue Lele, as well as a large white cat that Lele had found in the old forest behind the village. The family of six lived a frugal and simple life on their one or two acres of land, content with their ordinary life. Then a devastating flood struck, submerging the village. Houses were destroyed, the temple was dimmed, food was washed away, and hope was lost. Many people were forced to leave their homes, while others stayed.

"Good child, you stay home and take care of Grandma. The three of us will go to stay with your uncle first. Once we're settled, we'll come back to pick you and Grandma up, okay?" These were Xue Qiao's last words.

In fact, everyone in the village knew that survival was difficult in a year of disaster, and Xue Qiao's words were nothing more than an excuse to abandon her mother and daughter.

My home is gone.

The old woman and the young girl struggled to survive on the charity of their neighbors. Xue Lele waited in that small, dilapidated house for good news about her parents. She counted on her fingers, even borrowing her grandmother's fingers, and lost count of how many springs, summers, autumns, and winters had passed. And what about the big white cat? With no food, it could only roam around, hunting everywhere. Occasionally, someone would see it basking in the sun on the roof of the Xue family's dilapidated house.

Later, the old ones passed away, and the young ones were left without anyone to care for them.

Later, the dilapidated houses were also occupied.

My home is gone again.

Now, these villagers want to give her a home again and plan to marry her off to Wang the Cripple at the village entrance on the sixth day of the first lunar month, claiming it's for her happiness...

Bad guy...

He was Qianqian's only family, which is why she rescued him without hesitation that day, hugged him, and cried in front of him. His heart felt empty, like a biting wind blowing into a mountain cave, leaving a puddle of snowmelt. He missed Qianqian terribly and made up his mind that no matter what, he would never leave her; he would protect her as her only family.

The kitten, however, doesn't know the time of day and doesn't know which day is the sixth.

Jiang Zhiyang returned to the dilapidated temple several times, and the girl would only sit on the pile of rice straw, occasionally stroking a bone dagger at her waist. Jiang Zhiyang seemed to have seen that dagger somewhere before, but he didn't pay much attention to it.

His eyes were filled with concern for his little master's health. Qianqian hadn't eaten for two or three days and looked even weaker. He thought, "Why don't we go catch a fish in the stream? Maybe if she eats a fish, she won't chase the kitten away anymore!"

The setting sun wasn't very intense; its soft light shone on the neatly arranged fish scales, creating shimmering iridescent colors. Jiang Zhiyang, with the fish that satisfied him in his mouth, held his cat head high and walked smugly toward the dilapidated temple.

Carrying a fish in his mouth, Jiang Zhiyang could only walk slowly. But the road seemed longer than usual; he hadn't reached the dilapidated temple even after the sun had set. Something was wrong. Normally, this distance wouldn't take more than a few minutes. Even if he walked slowly today, he shouldn't still be wandering around in circles! It was like being trapped in a maze!

A few houses lit up their dim lights, and the village was unusually quiet. No, something was definitely wrong!

Suddenly, he saw five or six old men appear on the path leading to the dilapidated temple. They had red ribbons tied around their waists, and some of them were carrying a red sedan chair.

Is today the sixth day of the first lunar month?

Jiang Zhiyang panicked and threw down the fish, then ran away. He saw that the old men had red silk ribbons on their bodies, as well as wooden sticks and hemp ropes tucked behind their waists.

This is a kidnapping!

The kitten ran for its life.

Please, please, I have to make it!

He had to stand beside Qianqian, he had to shield her, he had to protect her! He ran with all his might, ignoring the sharp stones that cut his fingertips, leaving a trail of bloody footprints, some deep, some shallow.

Hurry, hurry up, please!