Immortal Takeout - Chapter 20

Granny Miao lay in bed, fully dressed, her face serene, as if she had just fallen asleep. She would remain like this until a human arrived to help her through her final journey.

Ta Nuo bid a silent farewell to Granny Miao and followed Miss Cat into the living room. They sat by the window, the cat and the otter silent and lost in thought.

The azure sky was dotted with thick cirrus clouds, and the sun shone brightly, blinding the eyes. It was a perfect day for a farewell.

Ta Nuo was the first to speak. He asked Miss Cat, “What do you want to do next?”

Miss Cat shook her head silently.

Ta Nuo thought for a moment, then soothed, “You’ve already become a human being. You have countless options. Take your time. There’s no rush.”

​​Miss Cat frowned slightly, looking a little confused. “I don’t know,” she said, as if afraid Ta Nuo wouldn’t understand. She added, “I originally just wanted to take care of Granny Miao. She’s been living alone.”

Ta Nuo understood that Miss Cat wanted to become a human being because she wanted to be with Granny Miao for a long time. Now that Granny Miao was gone, she had no goals of her own.

“I finally decided to become a food delivery driver when I was an adult,” Ta Nuo said. “So it doesn’t matter. It’s never too late to figure it out.”

“But…” Miss Cat hesitated, pondering for a long time before revealing her inner uneasiness. “I don’t like humans. I’m a little afraid.”

Miss Cat’s fluffy childhood wasn’t easy. Forced from her mother as a kitten, she wandered the streets of the human world. Her eyesight wasn’t good, and she was often injured, many of them by humans. The most serious injury completely robbed her of her ability to walk and jump normally.

Ta Nuo understood this fear; it’s an animal instinct. But some animals have to overcome their fear of humans to survive.

In her most desperate moment, Miss Cat sought out Granny Miao. The stray cats nearby told her this was her only chance for survival: seek help. She was terrified and unsure if she could trust humans, but she had no choice.

Granny Miao proved to be the best human. She rescued Miss Cat, cared for her, loved her, and sheltered her from the elements.

Humans always give their feelings first, and then animals try to learn to respond. Sometimes it’s clumsy, but they try their best.

“Then I fell ill and had to leave Grandma,” Miss Cat continued. “My cultivation was slow. I knew I didn’t have much time, as Grandma was getting older. I worked hard, practicing constantly, never slacking off for a moment. But I was still too late.”

Death from illness is a way for spirits to be reborn after becoming human, and it often happens to domesticated pets. To fully cultivate, they may have to leave the human world for a short period of time. But this “short period” can be long or short, ranging from a few months to several years. It takes much longer for them to adapt to the world and integrate into society as humans again.

Ta Nuo shook his head and said, “You’re not late. Grandma Miao is very happy. She may not understand what’s happened, but she certainly feels your presence.”

“I know.” Miss Cat lowered her head and touched the pearl necklace around her neck. The round, white beads shone charmingly in the sunlight. She said, “But I haven’t been able to say anything. I’m not very good at talking.”

“You don’t have to talk. Sometimes, just being there is enough,” Ta Nuo said firmly. “What’s important isn’t the words you say, but the feelings you have that others can understand even without saying them.”

“Thank you.” Miss Cat looked at him and forced a smile. “What should I do next?” she asked blankly.

Ta Nuo rubbed his face, lost in tormented thought. After becoming a human, there are so many things one can do. Humans are so free. They want to do whatever they want, become anything—though most of the time, they themselves are unaware of this. They often see themselves as bound, unfree, with no path to follow and no choice.

This isn’t right,

Ta Nuo thought. Countless animals who have become spirits have attempted to cultivate into humans because they want to live such a wonderful life with endless possibilities, to experience all kinds of emotions, to think, to explore, to cast aside animal instincts and live by their own will.

“Why don’t you report to the Spiritual Association after the Founding of the People’s Republic of China?” Ta Nuo suggested quietly.

The Post-Founding Spirit (Animal) Association is the largest spirit animal association in the country, with three branches: the Household Pets Branch, the Wildlife Branch, and the Exotic Species Branch. In Maochun, the Household Pets Branch is the largest spirit organization, with almost all pets registering as members. The

Post-Founding Spirit Association is Ta Nuo’s next target.

Last year, the Maochun Post-Founding Spirit Association’s Household Pets Branch held an election, and a pug emerged from a field of candidates to become the new president and committee chair of the Household Pets Branch. The new chairman is said to be quite impressive, having attained spiritual enlightenment before being a year old and currently living with a human family. In addition to managing the human family’s leisure time, he oversees all matters of the branch, keeping him very busy.

Of course, he’s not alone. The committee consists of sixteen members: in addition to the president and two vice-presidents, there are thirteen permanent members who oversee various branch affairs. There are also dozens of alternate members. Each of them performed their duties, working together to create a welcoming environment for spirit cultivation in Maochun.

Ta Nuo, born a spirit cultivator, was a special case. His mother, an otter, once carried the infant to the Spirit Cultivation Association to report. The staff had never seen a sea otter before, and the spirits gathered around little Ta Nuo, kneading and examining him for a long time, unsure of where to place him.

Finally, at the suggestion of an experienced spirit, the branch created a special course titled “Sea Otter,” neatly filling in Ta Nuo’s name. More than a decade later, Ta Nuo’s name remains the only one listed in that category.

“I heard the Spirit Cultivation Association now offers career planning tests for newly-minted animals to help them find employment. You could ask them for help,” Ta Nuo said.

Miss Cat hesitated, “Do I really want to become a human? I don’t like going out and seeing people, and I don’t like talking to humans.”

Ta Nuo encouraged her, “I think you can give it a try. Not all jobs require long hours of interaction with humans. There must be some kind of job that suits you and can show your value.” He sighed, “How interesting it is to be a human. I think it’s better not to give up. Granny Miao also said that she wanted to touch the south wall.”

But what is the south wall? Ta Nuo frowned and pondered, puzzled. He shook his head and decided to put this strange question out of his mind and ignore it.

With Ta Nuo’s encouragement, Miss Cat’s mood finally improved. She made up her mind that after taking care of Granny Miao’s funeral, she would report to the Spirit Association.

“Maybe I’ll keep making grilled fish cakes. I’ve seen Grandma Miao do it for years. It’s not difficult.” She began to look forward to the future. “Maybe one day, you can deliver takeout for me. That way I don’t have to go out and face customers directly.”

“I think that’s a great idea!”

When parting with Miss Cat, Ta Nuo received his first pot of gold since starting his business: a green banknote.

It was real money!

Miss Cat apologized, “This is something I secretly saved before I became a spirit. It’s not much. Thank you for helping me fulfill my wish. If there’s a chance, we’ll work together again.”

Ta Nuo shook his head vigorously, speechless with excitement. This was the first money he had ever earned through his own hard work. Regardless of the amount, it was a sign of success, the beginning of his official career. His hands and feet trembled, and he didn’t know what to do.

He wanted to shout, to tell everyone passing by that he had made money! He wanted to jump into the water, dive to the bottom of the river, and tell all the little fish and shrimp that he had made money! He ran back home, danced with his mother’s hand, and clung to his father’s broad shoulders, sharing the good news with all his caring relatives and friends.

Finally, Ta Nuo made a decision.

Walking west along the river, until he reached the border of Wutai Mountain Park, he would find Liujia Village. He had jogged all the way there. He forgot about taking the bus, forgot about other more convenient ways to get around, and simply followed his instinct, relying on the strength of his legs, he crossed most of Maochun City to reach the Luo family’s small courtyard.

The sun had not yet set, and a gentle sunset enveloped the earth. As usual, the young shopkeeper sat atop a tall pear tree, leaning against a branch, gazing up at the sky, quietly smoking.

“Hello!” Ta Nuo raised his head and called from beneath the tree. He was excited, his cheeks flushed, and he was panting heavily.

Luo Xiang flicked the cigarette butt from his hand and tilted his head slightly. From this angle, he could just see the top of Ta Nuo’s fluffy head.

Ta Nuo took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He wanted to tell Luo Xiang that Granny Miao was gone, peaceful and calm. He also wanted to tell him that Miss Cat planned to be a good person and continue living a good life. He also wanted to tell him that the grilled fish cakes were delicious, and he really hoped Granny Miao’s grilled fish shop would reopen.

Most of all, he wanted to tell him that he had managed to complete his second order on his own and received his hard-earned reward.

From childhood to adulthood, Ta Nuo had never been exceptional—except for being a rare sea otter. But being a sea otter didn’t bring him joy or attract friends. Before him, the residents of Baiye Forest and Hongjiu River had never seen a sea otter, let alone known of its existence. As a child, Ta Nuowas often ostracized by his peers for his “oddities,” a fact that brought him many tears. They called him “the face-rubbing monster,” mocked his clumsy backstroke, and looked down on his clumsy ability to catch fish.

He wasn’t smart enough, ordinary enough, or sociable enough. Ta Nuoseemed to have no friends besides his siblings, and no one to share his joy with besides his loving and forgiving parents.

For the first time in his life, Ta Nuo had something of his own—a reward, proof of effort, something to show off.

And for the first time, he had someone besides his family to share his joy with and confide in.

But would this seem too proud, too immodest, too childish? Ta Nuo wondered as he raised the banknotes above his head. He carefully displayed the fruits of his labor, saying, “Look, this is mine—”

Luo Xiang remained leaning against the tree trunk, motionless. His face was hidden among the tender leaves of the pear tree, appearing and disappearing in the setting sun.

“Really?” he said, blowing out a long smoke ring, a faint smile hidden in his captivating eyes. “Tell me about it.”

The spring breeze brushed past  his watery eyes, even giving the illusion of tenderness.