Immortal Takeout - Chapter 14

Work was over for the day, and by noon, Ta Nuo was hungry and wanted to take his brother home, only to be refused.

Chirp chirp chirp—

Ta Tami tried to let out a fierce noise, passionately stating his position. He was still young, and his parents rarely took him out to play. Having come to the city for such a rare visit, the little otter didn’t want to return just yet.

Ta Nuo scratched his head, feeling troubled. Ta Tami was too small; in human eyes, he looked just like an ordinary otter. As far as Ta Nuo knew, the human world they currently lived in still found it difficult to accept keeping an otter as a pet. Liu Village was a considerable distance from downtown Maochun City, with fewer passersby, so he could hide. But if they entered the bustling city center,  it would be difficult to hide Tami’s presence. If discovered, the consequences were unpredictable.

Ta Nuo crouched down, trying to reason with Xiao Shi: “We’ve been out for half a day. If we don’t go back soon, Mom will worry. Don’t you want to eat lunch?”

Chirp chirp—

“Fine, skip lunch if you don’t want to eat, but…” Tanuo furrowed his brow, trying to sound more intimidating. “The human world is dangerous. They have seafood markets that specialize in otters—especially plump, tender little otters like you.”

Chirp—

Ta Tami patted his own cheek with a paw, protesting Ta Nuo’s childish scare tactics.

Ta Nuo thought for a moment, then tried a different approach. “Let’s go home. I’ll have Second Brother catch you a fish to eat, one this big.” He spread his hands wide, tracing a large circle in the air.

Snap – Ta Tami flicked his tail to brush off Ta Nuo’s hands, firmly rejecting the temptation.

Helpless, Ta Nuo conceded. “Fine. But remember my words: stay close to me at all times, be cautious in everything you do, and never let humans spot you.” He warned.

Ta Tami threw himself into his arms, his front paws clutching tightly to Ta Nuo’s coat. He rubbed his smooth body vigorously against his arm, expressing his inner joy.

Ta Nuo felt uneasy inside. He wasn’t entirely sure if this decision was the right one. Maybe he should go into the city to find Big Brother instead. He made up his mind, no matter what, with Big Brother around, nothing bad would happen.

Ta Tami waved his paws in agreement with this decision. He hadn’t seen Big Brother in ages either.

Big Brother Otter  lived in the western part of Maochun, halfway across from Liujia Village. Ta Nuo had accompanied his brother there several times before and was fairly familiar with the route. He decided to take the bus. His disguise was simple: he unbuttoned his coat, tucked his younger brother inside, and zipped it up.

Aside from the unusually bulging belly, he looked flawless.

This disguise also offered other advantages. On the bus, a muscular older brother offered his seat to him, saying he looked like his pregnant wife.

Ta Nuo looked utterly bewildered as he was forcibly pushed into the priority seat.

“My wife is six months and her belly looks just like yours. Young Miss, are you going for a prenatal checkup? Why aren’t any family members with you?”

Ta Nuo blinked slowly, finally grasping the man’s intent. Wearing a cap, he hunched his shoulders low, unsure how to respond, and could only mumble a vague excuse.

When the bus finally arrived at the stop,Ta Nuo, sweating profusely, hurried off the bus, his swollen belly in his arms. Ta Tamii had been frozen in place on the bus, holding it in for ages. Now, unable to resist any longer, he sneezed loudly, producing a puff-choo sound. Worried it would arouse suspicion among the surrounding humans, Ta Nuo didn’t stay any longer and hurried straight to his eldest brother’s house.

Big Brother Otter lived in one of Maochun City’s most advanced apartment buildings, requiring biometric fingerprint verification for entry and exit. Fortunately, Big Brother Otter had registered Ta Nuo’s information, allowing him to enter the compound effortlessly and reach his brother’s apartment.

Unfortunately, Big Brother Otter wasn’t home.

A small note, written in otter language, was taped to the door: “ Brother has gone out. There’s something delicious in the kitchen.”

Ta Nuo used his fingerprint to unlock the door, rummaged through the cupboards, and discovered the delicacies: two jars of salted and pepper-flavored dried shrimp. On the living room coffee table, he also found three envelopes addressed to Taqi, Talin, and Ta Nuo’s names written on the cover. These were pocket money that his otter brother had prepared for his younger siblings.

Perhaps pitying Ta Nuo for not being able to support himself, Ta Nuo’s envelopes were particularly thick, stuffed with a stack of human banknotes. To facilitate circulation, the animals, having become spirits, had adopted human currency, greatly simplifying the process of exchanging what they needed.

Ta Nuo felt a pang of guilt, silently vowing to work diligently so his otter family could rest assured.

The salted dried shrimp, stir-fried until golden and crispy, were coated in a thin, crunchy layer of pepper-salt batter. With a gentle bite, they delivered crispness, crunch, fragrance, and tenderness all at once, so irresistible that Otter couldn’t help but chew a few extra times, savoring the endless aftertaste. Ta Nuo took only one jar, retrieving his special silver spoon from the cupboard. He and Ta Tami shared this rare delicacy, taking turns with each bite.

After finishing the entire jar of shrimp, Ta Tami clearly wanted more. He tapped the second glass jar firmly with his paw.

Thump thump thump—

Ta Nuo gently stopped him, saying, “Let’s just eat one jar for now. If Qiqi and Linlin come over, they can try some too.”

Ta Tami let out a disappointed chirp.

Ta Nuo stroked the little otter’s head and comforted him, “Brother has money now. I’ll buy you something delicious later.”

Only then did Ta Tami perk up.

The two otters, with their chubby bellies, lay on their brother’s soft leather sofa for a while and took a nap.

When he awoke, Ta Nuo felt refreshed and full of energy. Maybe tomorrow the little boss will forgive me and agree to my partnership plan. He imagined the future and laughed secretly. Thinking of this, he couldn’t stay still. He thought, since the little boss likes that little green ball so much, maybe I should go ask for another one for him.

The previous green ball had been given to him by Manager Lin. Manager Lin had gifted it because Ta Nuo had obtained Mr. Lin Zhou’s canned goods. Therefore,

Ta Nuo scribbled on a piece of paper with his pen.

Pocket money—Lin Zhou—canned goods—Manager Lin—green ball—young boss—strategic cooperation agreement!

Excellent.  The connection was clear.  He decided to visit Mr. Lin Zhou first and buy a new can of food from him.

Before leaving, Ta Nuo cleaned the kitchen and living room, leaving a note for Big Brother: “We finished eating. It was delicious. Thanks, Brother. I miss you.” Ta Nuo signed his name at the bottom of the note, while Ta Tami stamped it with a paw dipped in bright ketchup.

Mr. Lin Zhou’s studio wasn’t too far from Big Brother Otter’s home—just across the bridge and a little over a kilometer away. Ta Nuo was lucky; Mr. Lin Zhou had just finished his work and leaving.

Ta Tami’s appearance was too striking for Mr. Lin Zhou not to notice. He blinked hard, staring incredulously at the little otter in Ta Nuo’s arms.

Maochun City has a complete wildlife ecological reserve, Baiye Forest, Hongjiu River, and countless ecological treasures. At present, this area was well-protected, barring any human interference or overdevelopment. People hope that in this way, they can give back the space they once occupied and return it to the original owners of the land.

After decades of effort of several generations,  Maochun City has maintained an excellent and enviable ecological environment. In fact, this is the city’s defining selling point, after all, they are the city with otters. Otters are very picky creatures, and only the purest and cleanest waters will become their homes.

But having wild otters is one thing; keeping them as pets is an entirely different matter.

Look, this otter is even wearing a dog leash vest. Lin Zhou found it hard to convince himself this wasn’t a pet otter.

“No, otters can’t be pets.” Ta Nuo flatly denied Lin Zhou’s assumption, defending himself with deadpan seriousness. “This is actually a dog. His name is Tami.”

As long as he didn’t admit it, no one would find out.

As if to prove Ta Nuo’s words, the little otter in his arms suddenly stretched its neck, puffed out its cheeks, and let out a loud “Woof!”

Lin Zhou stared at Ta Tami for a long while before slowly saying, “Your dog’s breed is… quite… unique…” He felt a slight headache coming on but didn’t want to press the matter. His new friend didn’t seem particularly adept at lying. When interacting with others, it was always wise to leave some space.

Ta Nuo smiled sheepishly, revealing a row of small white teeth.

Ta Tami mimicked Ta Nuo’s expression, baring his teeth in a wide grin that stretched into an odd, crooked smile.

Lin Zhou simply couldn’t tear his gaze away from the little otter—the little “dog.” He took the initiative to change the subject and ask Tanuo why he was visiting today.

Ta Nuo blushed as he explained his intentions, and Lin Zhou smiled, a dimple visible. “That’s easy. I happen to have some in stock. I’ll get it for you. Is one enough?”

Tanuo nodded repeatedly, pulling out his allowance from his pocket, ready to pay.

Lin zhou stopped him with a smile. “No need. Honestly, I don’t even know the price per can. Don’t worry about it.”

“But…” Ta Nuo felt awkward. Last time, he’d taken one of Mr. Human’s cans for free without giving anything in return.

“We can be friends, right? Friends helping each other is only natural.” Lin Zhou couldn’t resist glancing at Ta Tami again, then quietly reached out his hand.

Ta Tami’s little head nudged closer, rubbing against Lin Zhou’s palm.

Ta Nuo thought it over and agreed. He was also eager to be friends with Mr.Human. Of course, he wasn’t skilled at befriending humans—he might accidentally reveal his tail one day. Big Brother had warned him before: some humans were cunning, and couldn’t be measured by otter thinking, so he had to be careful. Ta Nuo had always followed this advice, carefully hiding his tail. But Lin Zhou was different. Ta Nuo felt a natural, unguarded trust toward him. A human trusted and cherished by Manager Lin must be special.

“Don’t you take care of a lot of cats? If you need my help, I’m here for you,” Ta Nuo offered, remembering Lin Zhou’s previous story about rescuing stray cats. When it came to dealing with animals, humans could never outsmart a spirited sea otter, and Ta Nuo had some confidence.

Lin Zhou replied, “We could certainly use the help, thank you. But this isn’t an easy task. Without experience dealing with cats, you could get hurt. I don’t want my friend to get hurt.”

Ta Nuo shook his head. To make his words sound more convincing, he decided to tell a lie. “Actually, I did lie to you. He’s not a dog,”

Lin Zhou’s expression shifted to one of understanding.

“He’s actually a cat, and I have extensive experience caring for cats,” Ta Nuo added calmly. After speaking, he glanced down at Ta Tami, gently patting his soft belly to prompt a response.

Ta Tami cooperated very well. Cradling his face, he tried to mimic a cat’s meow but momentarily forgot how cats sounded. Confused, he let out a soft chirp before wagging his tail vigorously.

Ta Nuo maintained his composure, turning to Lin Zhou. “See? He’s a cat.”

…

For a moment, Lin Zhou couldn’t find words to refute him. He saw Ta Nuo off in a daze, convinced he must be losing his mind from working overtime too much lately. He planned to go home early and have a good sleep.

Tanuo, holding the canned food and Tantami in his arms, walked back contentedly along the way they came. The rain had stopped, and the air was filled with sweet water vapor. The city washed by the rain was clean and tidy, as if shrouded in a layer of soft light. A bright green color emerged from the tender branches, just a little bit, like a paint accidentally smeared by the spring breeze and then melted away by the rain.

At this pace, he wondered if he’d make it to meet Manager Lin today. He walked on absentmindedly, his thoughts preoccupied with his strategic partnership plan. Suddenly, a gray figure caught the corner of his eye. He stopped, puzzled, and glanced toward the flowerbeds beside the path.

There was the familiar furry creature.

It turned out to be Mr. Guokui.