Xie De's newly acquired home was in a county town in the southwest. Its economy was a little better developed than the previous town's, and it was divided into old and new districts. His home was by the river in the old district, where there were fewer people, plenty of greenery, and a slower pace of life.
The area had a subtropical monsoon climate, with hot summers, mild winters, and cooler springs and autumns.
As the old verse went, night rain in the Ba Mountains swelled the autumn pools. Soon after arriving, Xie De experienced a fierce summer downpour at night. It sent the riverside willows whipping wildly and washed away the accumulated dust and weariness of days past. At dawn, daylight spread through the city's veil of mist.
A black cat jumped down from a truck, yawned lazily, and boarded a bus amid startled looks and exclamations, plopping straight onto a seat.
The bus driver turned to look. "Well now, where's this passenger off to?"
Some passengers took out their phones to film the novelty, while others craned their necks for a look.
A few young women gathered around the black cat, laughing as they reached out to pet him. The cat resigned himself to their attentions, curling up motionless on the seat.
"Driver, do you know him? Is he someone's pet? He even knows how to take the bus."
"He's so sweet."
"Driver, he's not scared of people. Give him a ride, won't you?"
"Sure thing. We're setting off now."
The bus passed several stops. People came over to pet him before getting off. He really was an unusually clever cat.
The driver was thinking that if the cat stayed on the bus, he would take him home and keep him. Unfortunately, when they reached Lingqian Road, the