Drawing Cats

"Whoosh!"

Prefect Yu sat up in bed.

Moonlight streamed through the window.

He had just had a dream, a dream where he heard a profound song. In his daze, he remembered some of the melody and lyrics. Now that he was awake, as soon as he sat up, the melody began to fade from his mind. Prefect Yu knew that most dreams people had were like this, and he felt that the content of dreams shouldn't exist in the real world, so he wasn't surprised. What surprised him was the content of the dream itself.

But he remembered the meaning clearly.

Do good deeds, ask not of ghosts and spirits. Live for today, seek not immortality.

While the remnants were still in his mind, he desperately tried to recall them, to grasp that wisp of charm.

Where have the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors gone? Where are the Dukes and Ministers of past dynasties?

"Where are they..."

Prefect Yu murmured to himself, but upon careful consideration.

Wasn't the answer in the next line?

Look to the annals of history, who can escape impermanence?

"The annals of history..."

Prefect Yu understood. This wasn't a dream he had made himself.

Mister had sent him a dream.

Mister had spoken vaguely that afternoon. Perhaps he was moved by his sincerity later and specially sent him a dream to inform him that no one in this world could achieve immortality. If not, he should consult the historical records. Even the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors and the Dukes and Ministers of past dynasties could not remain forever; dust to dust, earth to earth. How could he possibly surpass them on this path?

Thinking this, his lifelong pursuit of the Immortal Path had been in vain? To stumble along a path of illusion and fantasy until this age only to awaken, how foolish was that?

Prefect Yu didn't want to admit it, didn't want to believe it. The consequences weighed heavily on him, filling him with shame. But the profound charm seemed to be reminding him, forcing him to admit and believe.

Fortunately, Mister had also told him something else, pointing him down another path.

It was the path of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors and the Dukes and Ministers of past dynasties.

Their names were recorded in the annals of history.

Wasn't this another form of longevity?

"Foolish, so foolish...

"Wonderful, so wonderful..."

Prefect Yu muttered softly in bed.

The person beside him was woken by the noise. She thought it was the mice that often caused trouble at home lately. When she realized it wasn't mice, she scolded him for acting crazy. He didn't care, only telling Madam to sleep, but he himself had no intention of sleeping.

Yu Jianbai, oh Yu Jianbai, you are both foolish and blind.

How could Mister not be an immortal?

Frost fell last night, and the sky was a little gray this morning. The leaves in the courtyard had turned yellow, making Yidu City seem much colder.

Song You was painting under the Chinese toon tree, at a stone table.

Three Flower Lady stood motionlessly on a branch.

This was the third time she had been a model.

Painting a cat was simple. Thick ink and fine lines outlined the muzzle, nose, and eyes. A couple of strokes for the ears. Then he switched to ink wash. With one stroke, the ink wash immediately spread across the Xuan paper. With just a few strokes, the cat's body and head were formed by the ink wash. A little touch-up, and it was a cat in the traditional style.

He then painted the branches, sprinkled cinnabar for the plum blossoms, with a free and easy brush.

"Done."

Three Flower Lady had long since lost her patience. Hearing this, she immediately jumped down from the branch and peered at the Xuan paper.

"It's a black cat!"

"It's not that black, is it?"

"A tabby cat!"

"Does it look like Three Flower Lady?"

"Three Flower Lady doesn't know what she looks like, she only knows she's a Three Flower Cat."

"You painted it based on Three Flower Lady."

"It's not a Three Flower Cat!"

"I only have black ink."

"Oh..."

Three Flower Cat drew out the word with a long trailing sound, staring at the cat on the Xuan paper, looking and looking again: "So this is what Three Flower Lady looks like. It doesn't look like the clay statue in the temple at all, nor does it look like the wooden carving..."

"It still looks like a wooden carving."

"Then you're no good."

"A humble offering."

"There are clearly no flowers on the tree."

"They bloom in winter."

"There are flowers in the painting."

"I'll paint them on first."

"You're just scribbling."

"..." Song You shook his head helplessly, put down his brush, and stroked her head. "Three Flower Lady, after thinking all night, have you decided what magic you want to learn?"

"I've decided! Fire!"

"An excellent choice. When I first learned magic, I also learned this Fire Element Technique," Song You said to Three Flower Lady as he sat in the room. "Water is the root of life, and fire is the origin of civilization. Every cultivator should comprehend the ways of water and fire. Do you agree, Three Flower Lady?"

"Fire is warm! And powerful!"

"Something like that."

"When can I start learning?"

"Let me think." Song You pondered for a moment. "Before the weather gets too cold, I want to go to Qingcheng Mountain outside the city to visit an old friend of my master's. I'll also ask him to help me send a letter back. If I leave today, I might reach the foot of Qingcheng Mountain by tomorrow morning. It'll be evening by the time I find a Taoist temple. In any case, it'll take about three to five days round trip. After three to five days, I'll teach you the simplest fire-breathing technique."

"Fire-breathing technique."

"Yes."

"How long will it take to learn?"

"That depends on how proficient you want to become, Three Flower Lady. There's no upper limit to magic in this world, and the Five Element Techniques have many branches. According to the techniques collected at my Fulong Temple, you can start by learning the fire-breathing technique. Spitting flames is a common skill among many monsters and Taoist priests. If you master it, you won't need to spit fire anymore; a mere breath will be enough to ignite objects. If you become even more advanced, a point of your finger will summon fire. If you can dedicate thousands of years to this path, perhaps even True Lord Huoyang will make way for you."

"Thousands of years!"

The Three Flower Cat's eyes widened.

"If you only learn to breathe fire, it won't take that long. Perhaps three to five months, or maybe a year or two, and you'll have learned it," Song You smiled. "Some ordinary people take over ten to twenty years."

"Ten to twenty years?"

"Those are performers who put on shows for a living; they don't have true cultivation, which is why it takes them so long to grind away at it. Since you've already become a spirit and taken human form, Three Flower Lady, it won't take you nearly as long."

"A year or two?"

"I will teach you diligently, Three Flower Lady."

"Oh."

Just then, there was another knock on the door from outside.

"Knock, knock."

Song You turned to open the door.

Outside stood the same attendant from last night.

"Good morning, Mister."

"Morning."

The attendant was holding a felt blanket again.

"My prefect said that he thanks you for your guidance last night. My prefect has had a profound realization and has decided to no longer pursue the Immortal Path and eternal life, but to focus on doing good deeds for the people. Thanks to your guidance, my prefect should have come to thank you personally, but after being foolish for half his life, he feels too ashamed to face you again. He wanted to give you a gift but didn't know what would be suitable. After much thought, seeing that winter is approaching and the cold air is moving south, he happened to acquire a fine western felt blanket the other day. He ordered me to bring it to you. It will not only ward off the winter cold but also be comfortable to step on when entering and exiting the room, and to sit on during meditation in winter."

The attendant bowed deeply as he spoke, presenting the blanket with both hands.

"Please accept it, Mister."

"..."

Song You looked at the neatly folded felt blanket in his hands. He stood at the doorway for a few moments before accepting it.

"Please thank the prefect for me."

Seeing that he accepted it without hesitation, which was different from what the attendant had imagined, he was momentarily stunned before quickly bowing again.

"Thank you, Mister."

"Please tell the prefect to serve the people well and leave his name in the annals of history."

"I will certainly relay your message."

With a creak, the wooden door slowly closed.

As he turned, he saw the autumn wind entering the courtyard again, trying to lift the Xuan paper on the stone table beneath the yellow plum tree. The Three Flower Cat stood beside the stone table, one paw pressing down on the Xuan paper, looking up at him.

As Song You walked over, it said to him, "Taoist priest, the cat you painted is about to be blown away."

"Three Flower Lady is here."

"Thank you, Three Flower Lady."

"Thank you, Three Flower Lady."

"You're welcome."

"..."

Song You shook his head and smiled, then spread out the felt in his hand.

It seemed to be pressed wool, not thick, but warm to the touch.

"It's a piece of cloth!"

"It's felt."

"What's it for?"

"To keep the Three Flower Lady warm."

"For me?"

"Yes."

The weather had turned cool, and cats, fearing the cold and loving warmth, could lay it in the room. When cultivating, they could sit on it, and when boiling tea by the stove, they could also sit on it. The Three Flower Cat's little paws wouldn't be cold when coming and going.

This prefect's gift was rather thoughtful.

Even if this piece of felt was good, it wasn't excessively valuable. While it lacked the scholarly elegance of calligraphy and paintings, it also didn't have the vulgarity of precious treasures. It was an item that could be used often, and its warmth was thoughtful. If it were given to an ordinary friend, one might often think of its origin when warming themselves by it in winter.

In the poems Song You had read in his past and present lives, many poets wrote about paper quilts or fur coats gifted by friends when warming themselves in the severe cold. To feel the warmth of a friend in winter was, of course, a beautiful thing.

"Heh..."

It is impolite not to reciprocate a gift.

Song You looked left and right, only seeing the painting on the stone table. After thinking for a moment, he said to the Three Flower Lady:

"Three Flower Lady, lend me a tuft of fur."

"What for?"

"To return the gift."

"Return what gift?"

"To return the Three Flower Lady's felt."

"How much do you want to borrow?"

"A small tuft."

Song You's hand had already reached for the Three Flower Cat.

The Three Flower Cat remained perched on the stone table, maintaining the posture of one paw pressing down on the painting, but it lowered its head and stared directly at his hand, as if allowing him to pull but afraid he might pull too much.

"..."

A tuft was only about a dozen strands.

Song You pinched it, swung it in the air, and casually tossed it.

"Whoosh..."

A very, very light sound.

That small tuft of fur exploded into a small burst of flame in the air, leaving a wisp of gray smoke, all of which drilled into the painting.

The cat in the painting seemed to have gained a bit more mystique.

The wet ink had dried, and its spirit was gradually emerging.

Song You picked it up and examined it carefully. Setting aside the painting technique, the cat was indeed lifelike. However, he felt no sense of pride, knowing clearly that this was merely a gift of fortune obtained from Master Kong.