It was getting dark.
Zhang Zian watched the clock. It was past 5 o’clock.
It was almost peak hour for people to go home from work. More and more people were walking on the street. At this time, most people were in a hurry to get home and seldom would stop for a pet. The wind felt good in the morning, but as it got dark, it started to get cold. As the wind blew through the trees, the rustling leaves gave people an eerie and depressing feeling.
It wasn’t too dark yet. No customer was in the store. Zhang Zian turned on the lights outside of the store, but not the ones inside. The "Amazing Fate Pet Shop" sign was lit up as well. He was hoping the pedestrians would notice the sign and remember the store.
This was a boring time for him. No customers. The two followers of his did not arrive either.
Fina was taking a nap on the tallest cat tree. Her tail was hanging and whipping from time to time just like a bell in an old clock, or a magician’s watch. Zhang Zian started to feel tired just watching her tail whip.
Old Time Tea was still having fun watching TV. The light from the screen lit her beard up. Old Time Tea was just like Zhang Zian when he was little. She moved her body from time to time, wanting to jump into the TV and be part of the show.
Zhang Zian fell asleep for a second. His head suddenly jerked down and he was awake.
I can’t fall asleep like this. I will get sick.
He wiped his face and turned his eyes to look outside.
Xinghai was also yawning. The kittens were not as energetic as her, so they couldn’t keep up after playing hide-and-seek for just a little while.
"Xinghai, do you want to play?" Zhang Zian asked.
"Hide-and-seek? Yeah! Xinghai wants to play hide-and-seek!" Xinghai got excited.
"Okay! Let me warm up first!" He stood up from the recliner, stretched his back, and moved around. Although he knew warming up wouldn’t help him beat Xinghai, it was better to warm up so he wouldn’t hurt himself easily during the game.
Zhang Zian found a wall and said, "I will start counting now. You’d better hide yourself, otherwise I am going to win this time…"
Bullsh*t!
Xinghai standing right behind him and said, "Zian won’t beat Xinghai."
Xinghai’s heart was always pure. She always told the truth, which sometimes was quite hurtful.
"Okay. I am going to punish you by counting fast! One, two, three…" He was counting quickly, only leaving half a second between the numbers.
"Oh no! Zian is tricky!" Xinghai’s voice faded.
"Four, five, six…adults can play tricks just like kids can whine…seven, eight, nine…" Zhang Zian continued counting. What a thick-skinned person!
When he finished counting to 100, he turned around. Xinghai was gone.
Fina was not interested in childish games like this at all, so she kept napping.
Old Time Tea stared at the second floor. He looked like he had something to tell.
"What’s up, Miss Tea?" Zhang Zian didn’t search for Xinghai.
Old Time Tea laughed, "That kid’s name is Xinghai, right?"
"Yes," Zhang Zian was too embarrassed to tell that he gave her that name.
Old Time Tea wiped her beard with her front paw, and spoke with her eyes half closed, "That kid is good."
"Oh?" He knew Xinghai came with a deep background, but he wasn’t sure how Old Time Tea found out.
Old Time Tea turned around, staring at the stairwell. "I am old but I am still sharp. That kid disappeared within seconds as you started counting. Even I could not follow her movements. That speed…. was just phenomenal!"
"Oh, no… You are not old at all. If you take good care of yourself, you will live for decades…" Zhang Zian was being nice.
"Well, thank you." Old Time Tea smiled.
"In reference to Xinghai…" Zhang Zian glanced at the stairwell, "She is a very special kid. It is not that you are too old to follow her movements. Even the most advanced technology could not capture it."
"Oh, really?" Old Time Tea nodded, "That speed is divine! She disappeared in a blink, only leaving three shadows. The shadows were behind you as you turned around, at the bottom and on top of the stairs."
Zhang Zian was surprised!
He was not amazed at Xinghai’s speed because he already knew. He was surprised that Old Time Tea could capture the three shadows. It was amazing!
It was not that Xinghai was detected by Old Time Tea, but Old Time Tea separated Xinghai from the quantum status.
It was a profound theory which was too complicated to explain. Honestly, Zhang Zian wasn’t sure if he understood it enough to explain to Old Time Tea. He might confuse her instead of making it clear. Not to mention, Old Time Tea was a cat from ancient times, which would make it even harder to understand modern theories.
There is a saying – People who claim that they know quantum physics are all liars – from The Hottie Manager’s own words
"Miss Tea, look at you! I bet you are not old just by how sharp your eyes are!" He gave Old Time Tea a serious praise.
Honestly, he took a peek several times when he was counting. He wanted to win, at least once! However, even if he took a peek, he could not tell how Xinghai moved. Old Time Tea could tell immediately… All and all this contributed to his conclusion about Old Time Tea – She was a real observer, a very powerful one!
That was not fun. I am not even as good as a cat!
Zhang Zian was terrified. He realized that he was at the lowest level of the food chain! Xinghai, Fina, Old Time Tea…he was only a bit better than those puppies and kittens.
Wait a minute! He suddenly thought, "I am better than Wang Qian and Li Kun, two waste-picking machines!"
He felt much better when he thought of that.
The Elfins are magnificent because they are blessed by spirits. If I could get that, I might be even better than them. Zhang Zian’s confidence all came back.
However, he was only an ordinary man with no followers.
Wait! Wang Qian and Li Kun followed him without a second thought! But they are only two crazy college kids...
I will just stop here. Those thoughts hurt me!
He yelled upstairs, "Xinghai, here I come!" He then ran upstairs quickly.
The result was not surprising. He searched for a while upstairs and couldn’t find anything.
When he came back down, Xinghai was sitting in the middle of the store.
"I lost!" He was low. "I want a rematch! One more game?"
He thought Xinghai would agree immediately, but she was watching the night in the street. Her eyes were shiny.
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