From that day on, the woman started calling herself “Mama.”
“Nian Nian, come to Mama,” she’d say.
“Nian Nian, Mama’s going to open a can of delicious food for you.”
“Nian Nian, Nian Nian…”
Every day, the apartment echoed with her voice calling my name.
Gradually, I started to accept her as my mama. After all, only a mama would protect her kitten like this.
Mama rarely went out. Even groceries were delivered to the door. She shut herself inside this apartment, spending every day with me.
There was one room in the apartment that was always closed. The door had a faded sticker of a pink cat’s face.
Since the day I arrived, that room had never been opened.
One night, I woke up groggily in the middle of the night. Mama wasn’t on the bed.
I thought she might have gone to the bathroom, but it was dark inside—she wasn’t there.
Oh no, had Mama been taken away by bad people?
I started to worry. I searched the apartment, meowing as I went.
Finally, I noticed a sliver of light coming from under the door of the always-closed room.
I tried to push the door open with my head, but it didn’t budge. I pressed my ear to the door—it was quiet inside.
But opening doors is no challenge for a clever cat like me!
I jumped up, grabbed the handle with my paws, and used my now-heavier body to pull it down.
The door creaked open.
Mama was lying barefoot on the floor, eyes closed, her face twisted in pain.
I nudged her with my head, licked her face, and pawed at her pants, but she didn’t respond.
Oh no! Was Mama dead?
I’m just a little kitten—I don’t know how to help humans or call for help.
I’d heard there were guardian spirits who watched over cats.
Spirit, if you can hear me, I’d give my life to save Mama. Please help her!
It seemed the spirits really were listening.
A woman who looked a lot like Mama rushed in and put some medicine in Mama’s mouth, then helped her onto the bed.
I’d never met this woman before, but she smelled familiar—just like Mama.
She looked at Mama, who was now deeply asleep, and sighed.
Then she noticed me.
She hesitated for a second, then picked me up and scratched under my chin.
She opened a can of food for me.
I guess spirits do exist—this woman must have been sent to help Mama!
After eating, I started to feel sleepy. The woman carried me into the room I’d never seen before.
She called me “Nian Nian.” I meowed in reply.
She seemed surprised and looked down at me.
“Nian Nian,” she said again.
“Meow.”
Why was she calling me over and over?
She walked around the room with me in her arms.
I saw that it must have belonged to a human child. Everything was decorated with pink cat faces—the bedsheets, pillows, fluffy slippers, even the curtains.
By the window, there was a desk piled with books and a photo.
In the photo, Mama was with a little girl. They were both smiling and giving a thumbs-up.
I’d never seen Mama smile like that before.
“Meow?” Who is this? I asked the woman.
She sat cross-legged on the floor, took the photo, and gently touched the little girl’s face.
Her voice was sad. “Xiao Nian, it’s been two years since you left. I hope you’re happy, wherever you are.”
Chapter 04
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