Unintended Immortality

The oil lamp's light struggled to fill the room upstairs.

The calico cat scurried around the wooden floor, sniffing left and right. Meanwhile, Song You stood in the center of the room, looking around.

The room upstairs was quite spacious. The wooden floor creaked with every step, and in some places, it even squeaked.

There was a wooden bed and a table with a small stool—all made from the same kind of wood and similar in color. They were likely the original furnishings, and were sufficient for daily use.

There was also a wide bench, which was clearly a later addition. It was probably purchased and put here at a later time by the current tenant.

The previous tenant had left some bedding behind, which Heroine Wu hadn’t removed or discarded. She likely intended to leave it for the next tenant, possibly to increase the rent a little with this. However, Song You noticed an unpleasant smell on it and decided not to use it. For tonight, he would use a woolen mat to sleep on and cover himself with a fleece blanket and thin quilt.

He planned to go buy new bedding tomorrow and wash and store the woolen mat and blanket for future use. They might come in handy when he traveled east and north after leaving Changjing, and they might prove useful for many years to come.

Looking around, he thought the space by the window would be suitable for a long couch, with a low tea table in the middle, and a cloth mat for sitting. This way, he could enjoy tea, write, and watch the street scene from the window.

He could also hang a curtain to divide the room, and buy a small bed for the calico cat to sleep on.

After a bit of planning, he had a mental image of how the room would look. With these additions, the room would be quite nice.

A soft, delicate voice came from behind. “Is this going to be our home for the next year?”

“Pretty much.”

“Are you going to sleep now?”

“Why?”

“I’m going out to catch mice.”

“Make sure you recognize which room we’re staying in when you come back.”

“I’m very clever.”

“If you encounter other Daoists, monks, monsters, or patrolling gods who trouble you, just say you’re from Hidden Dragon Temple, and that you’re merely out to catch mice.”

“Got it!”

“Go then…” Song You took out the oiled paper package from the bedding bag and unwrapped the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone on the table.

Upon arriving in Changjing today, there were many things he had to remember.

But the calico cat, which had just said it was going to catch mice, suddenly sprang up from under the table just as he laid out the paper on the table. When asked, it only said it would catch mice later. But as soon as Song You started grinding the ink and picked up the brush to write, the cat reached over and played with the brush’s tassel as it lay entirely sprawled on the table.

So, it seemed they had temporarily settled in Changjing.

***

The room seemed a bit drafty, with a chill in the air. In the middle of the night, the sound of patrolling soldiers' heavy footsteps and the clinking of armor could be heard. Meanwhile, the streets were noisy in the morning.

Despite this, he slept well that night.

He couldn't remember when the calico cat had returned or whether it had caught any mice and had a good meal. Song You had previously established a routine with her—generally, she would finish eating the mice outside before coming back, leaving any unwanted parts outside as well. When she came back to bed, she would clean herself up and wipe her paws on a wet cloth placed at the bed’s headboard.

Since hearing that woolen mats and blankets were expensive, she seemed to value them even more than Song You did, carefully cleaning her paws before getting into bed each time.

When he got up, he didn't see her.

After dressing and going downstairs, he still couldn't find her. It wasn't until he opened the door that he discovered she was lying in the street, basking in the sun with her eyes half-closed. Passersby carefully avoided stepping near her as she clearly enjoyed herself.

The door next to his was tightly shut and locked.

“…” Song You went back into the house, let the horse out, and quickly freshened up. After locking the door, he led the horse out of the city.

As soon as the calico cat opened her eyes, she leaped up and trotted after him with small steps. The man and the cat walked together, making sure to remember the route to avoid getting lost later.

Until they left the city, there were still many houses on both sides of the road. There were inns and shops of various kinds, making it quite lively. However, as they continued, the houses became sparser. After crossing the small slope from yesterday and taking a small path, they finally reached the desolate mountains.

In the distance, a large mountain could be seen.

Song You patted the jujube-red horse and said apologetically, “Our place in Changjing is cramped, and keeping a horse there is inconvenient. Even if I were to send you to a horse sitter, you’d likely be miserable. It’s better for you to run freely and graze in the wild.

“Please try your best to head toward the depths of that mountain, where people rarely go. Don’t wander too far; I will come to find you in a year.”

The jujube-red horse merely snorted in response, “Pfftttt…”

Song You removed the bell from the horse's neck and replaced it with a red string. On the string was a small tag, similar to the one the calico cat had, which was also a piece torn off from the plaque of the Hidden Dragon Temple.

“You already have some spirituality in you. I believe ordinary people won't be able to trouble you now. With this tag, even those with cultivation skills will probably find it difficult to bother you,” Song You said, pausing for a moment. “If you find freedom in the wild more comfortable, then go and seek your freedom. If you wander farther, I won’t come looking for you.”

“Neigh…” The jujube-red horse lifted its neck and neighed.

Song You merely smiled, not feeling the need to restrict it with words.

A fleeting thought might not last forever. A horse should run freely in the wild, and it had waited for him for a year at Yunding Mountain. But this time, he told the horse in advance. After all, it might change its mind if it found other wild horses to play with after staying in the wild for a long time.

The calico cat behind him also raised its right front paw, touching the horse’s hooves. It raised its head high, expressing a different opinion from Song You’s, “Horsey, wait for us to find you.”

“Go on.” Song You patted it gently.

The horse ran a few steps, looked back at them, and then galloped toward the distant mountain. While the calico cat seemed especially reluctant to watch it leave, Song You only smiled.

Reuniting with the horse would be great, but if they didn’t reunite, it wouldn’t be bad either. The outcome a year from now was bound to be positive, so there was no need to feel anxious.

“Let’s head back.”

With this, the man and the cat turned and walked back.

The calico cat looked back repeatedly until the jujube-red horse was completely out of sight. Only then did it turn its gaze back and look up at Song You. “Will it grow bigger next year?”

“It has already grown.”

“Will it grow even bigger?”

“It won’t.”

“This morning, the woman next door said she was going out and would only return in the afternoon. She asked you to wait for her at home early tonight so you can go out for a meal.”

“Did she tell you that?”

“Yes!”

“Lady Calico, you’re starting to take charge, eh?”

“I’m taking charge indeed.”

“Right.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means you’re smart and reliable.”

“That’s right!”

Then, the man and the cat slowly made their way back to the official road.

Yesterday, perhaps due to the late hour or preoccupations in his mind, he hadn't paid close attention to the scenery outside the city. Today, however, the view revealed a flat expanse with winding dirt roads. Along these winding roads, there were scattered homes, some sparse and some dense.

It was early spring, and most plants were withered, but the peach blossoms were in full bloom. From a distance, people appeared as small dots, with horse riders and carriage drivers being slightly larger. Occasional wisps of smoke rose, and inn banners fluttered. Together, this scenery looked like an ancient painting.

Just then, Song You stepped into this picturesque scene.

Children chased after small dogs, and cats darted around on the roads, while literati and scholars strolled out together to enjoy the spring. Elders sat at their doorsteps awaiting the passage of time, and lower-class folks labored tirelessly at their trades.

He had lunch at a street stall outside the city.

Even inside the city gate, the scene was much the same. The bustling main streets were filled with vendors calling out their wares and crowds of people. Among them were those dressed in fine clothes, as well as elegant young men and beautiful young women.

After Song You turned around and walked into the alleyways, he saw artisans quietly weaving bamboo baskets and brooms, their blackened hands thick with calluses and deep cracks. Laborers carried heavy loads in silence, while women sat at their doorsteps, worried about the day’s troubles.

Everything here depicted the myriad facets of life.

Song You walked with measured steps, as if moving through an ancient painting or history itself. He planned to explore more thoroughly on another day. Today, he had other tasks to complete.

Song You returned to his newly rented house, bought rice and flour from a nearby market to fill his rice and flour bins, then drew water from a nearby well to clean and refill the water jar. After that, he bought a load of firewood from a woodcutter selling at the alleyway to ensure he had fuel for cooking.

He also needed to buy oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar. And new bedding…

After spending half a day sending off the horse, he had spent another half day completing these chores. Yet, with every moment occupied with tasks, it left him with a sense of fulfillment.

This was the life of an ordinary person.

When he finished his tasks, it was close to the evening. The setting sun cast its light across the street.

The remaining time was his own.

Song You took a stool and sat at the door with the calico cat, basking in the sun while watching the myriad of people passing by on the road and observing the clouds change shapes in the sky, savoring this moment of contentment.

A neighbor cast a glance at him.

***

As the sunlight turned the floor tiles to gold, Wu Suowei wandered over from the end of the street and immediately spotted the large and small figures sitting at the door.

The larger one had his arms crossed, eyes squinted as the sunlight illuminated his face; without seeing his face, one might think he was an old man. The smaller one sat properly on the ground beside him, also squinting and occasionally licking its paw. This made her feel as if she was a newcomer to Changjing, while the person and cat seemed to have been here for many years.

While others enjoyed life, she was busy working for a living, which made her feel a bit envious. Yet, she couldn’t help but smile at the beauty of the moment.

“Hey! Sunbathing, huh?”

The cat had long noticed her and had stopped licking its paw to stare at her. Only then did the Daoist turn his head.

“Back already?”

“You two seem quite comfortable!”

“There’s nothing much to do.”

“Did you send off the horse?”

“Yes, it’s gone.”

“Have you finished tidying up the house? Bought everything you needed?”

“I’ve bought most of the urgent things.”

“And the non-urgent items?”

“I’ll buy those slowly.”

“Tsk tsk…” Wu Suowei took out her keys and opened her own door.

She didn’t do much inside; she simply pulled out the short sword hidden in her clothing and tossed it onto the table before turning back around.

At this moment, she noticed that the cat had somehow already made its way to her doorstep, staring up at her with a contemplative look in its eyes.

“Heh…” Wu Suowei grinned and stepped back out before she closed the door behind her.