Immortal Takeout - Chapter 5

Chapter 5: The Important First Order

Indeed, cats are only concerned with trivial matters like eating, drinking, and basking in the sun.

Ta Nuo understood this from the solemn expressions on the faces of the cat consul and the other cat managers after hearing the question.

The Cat Consul nodded—his thick neck made this no easy feat—furrowed his brow slightly, and said gravely, “This is a difficult question. Who among you can solve it?”

For a moment, not a single cat responded. The four Cat managers and two Intern managers all hung their heads, as if faced with the world’s toughest problem.

He couldn’t help but rub his face with his paw. This was the first time he had felt curious about the operations of the Cat Consultation Office. He had no idea how an agency should operate, after all, he had never seen any otter agency—perhaps such an agency existed somewhere in this world, but it wouldn’t be in Maochun, it wouldn’t be right before his eyes—how did these knowledgeable cat managers know the answers to all the strange and unusual questions they faced every day?

As the cats fell silent, Manager Lin spoke slowly. His eyelids drooped slightly, hiding his overly cold gaze. “People in the West City mostly prefer cat food with larger pellets, which are harder in texture but offer a wide variety of flavors; people in the East City, on the other hand, tend to choose cat food with smaller pellets and more moisture, which is easier to eat but has a limited flavor selection, making it easy to get bored of it after eating it for a while.Manager  Lin seemed confident, not even opening his notebook, clearly having the answer memorized.

He almost wanted to sit up and applaud Manager Lin with his paws.

The cat consul and other managers gave Manager Lin approving glances, but the other intern manager sitting at the far right didn’t look very happy. This intern manager was named Maibing, a short-haired cat with a white base and black spots, and a small tear in his right ear. In fact, Maibing was also quite intelligent, but as an intern, his performance paled in comparison to Manager Lin’s, which put a lot of pressure on him.

What really drove Manager Maibing to the brink was that Manager Lin not only answered the consultant’s question but also offered additional suggestions. “If you like raw meat,” Manager Lin said casually, “you can visit the fresh meat market in the West City. If you prefer freshwater fish, you can go to the wet market in East City. Every day, ships laden with fish and shrimp dock and unload their wares, bringing the freshest delicacies of the season. From what I’ve heard, most vendors in both markets are quite tolerant of stray cats, so asking for food during their free time shouldn’t be a problem.“

Ta Nuo secretly jotted down a note in his mind.

Mr. Black Sesame bowed gratefully to Manager Lin, and left the office in high spirits.

Next, it was Mr.Guokui’s turn to ask questions. Mr. Guokui seemed a bit nervous, and in the dim light, his fur appeared even darker. He silently greeted the cat consul and managers, gave a brief self-introduction, and then got straight to the point with his question.

“I want to know which cat gang in Maochun City is still short-handed. I need a decent job.”

Ta Nuo’s eyes lit up, and his respect for Mr. Guokui soared. A cat who loves work can’t be too bad—Mr. Guokui was indeed a responsible male cat.

However, this time, even Manager Lin was silent.

Mr. Guokui, feeling anxious, stepped forward, his voice slightly raised, and asked, “I came from the north, braving the wind and snow, walking for three whole months, wandering for three whole months, without finding a city where I could settle. I heard that Maochun City is a city of cats, where any cat can fulfill their dreams. I want to give it a try. Please tell me the answer!”

Mr. Maibing frantically flipped through his notebook, the pages rustling as he turned them. He found nothing.

The Cat Consul narrowed his eyes into slits, looked at Guokui seriously, and said in a low voice, “As far as I know, you were born in the dead of winter.”

Guokui stiffened, then said stiffly, “Indeed, I was born in winter, in the granary of my hometown.”

“So you’re a Child of Winter “ said the Cat Consul. ”You’ve traveled to so many places. Have you ever heard that local cat gangs don’t accept the Children of Winter?”

He didn’t understand. He seemed the only one present who couldn’t understand the conversation between cats. He rubbed his face in confusion, his eyes darting between the Cat Consul and Mr. Guokui.

Mr. Guokui looked as though he had been punched, his entire body slumping. “Yes, I have heard of it,” he sighed, then suddenly raised his voice, “But I have also heard that Maochun City is…”

The Cat Consul interrupted him ruthlessly, his expressionless face delivering the cruelest truth. “Please go back, or accept the facts like other Sons of Winter. You can be a carefree cat, enjoying the spring mornings and the cool summer nights, without having to worry about work. Sons of Winter are not suitable for social work. I’m sorry, we can’t answer your questions.”

Ta Nuo covered his eyes with his paws.

Mr. Guokui stood there in a daze, not saying a word.  The originally light-hearted atmosphere in the office disappeared in an instant. The managers were silent, looking down at their front paws. The setting sun shining through the window seemed to have become heavier, knocking a hammer in the hearts of all cats (otters).

After a long time, Mr. Guokui murmured, “I understand.” He stumbled out of the office.

The lily of the valley flowers on the ground were crushed, their once-white petals mingling with the soil, shattered.

After an unknown amount of time, the cold voice of Manager Lin sounded again. “Next.” He urged Ta Nuo.

Ta Nuo was still feeling sorry for Mr. Pot Helmet and didn’t react when he was called. He stared blankly at the other cats with his big black eyes.

The cat consul narrowed his eyes, clearly unable to see the visitor clearly, and asked, “You are indeed a tall cat, quite rare as far as I know. Please stand up and state your issue loudly.”

Ta Nuo calmed himself down and heard Mr. Black Tabby cat’s furious roar from behind. He finally realized that his blocking the door with his butt was seriously disturbing the cats in line behind him, and had incurred Mr. Blackbeard’s strong displeasure. Feeling a little embarrassed, he took a deep breath, sucked in his stomach, and then twisted his body to squeeze into the office.

The office space was indeed a bit cramped for an adult male sea otter. Ta Nuo removed his hat in respect to the consul and the managers, then hugged his hind legs, curling himself into a furry ball, trying to minimize his presence.

The chief manager quietly reminded the cat consul that Ta Nuo was not a cat. The cat consul widened his eyes in surprise, twitched his whiskers, and asked, “Then what do you need to know? This is a cat consultation office; we are experts in all things cat-related.”

But you haven’t solved Mr. Guokui’s problem either, Ta Nuo thought to himself. He spoke softly, trying to sound polite and professional, “Hello, I have only one question: What would you like for dinner, Manager Lin?”

The cat consul and the managers fell silent again.

The new manager, Wheat Cake, was clearly unfamiliar with the procedures. He looked up, wondering around, trying to judge from his colleagues’ expressions: were they allowed to order their own food? I wonder if the firm’s treatment was so good?

Manager Lin, a truly wise cat, calmly stood up despite the cats’ puzzled gazes, excused himself from the cat consul, and led him out of the office.

Mr. Black Tabby cat, idly licking his paw, jumped up from his tree root upon seeing Manager Lin, a fawning smile on his face, and greeted him warmly. “Manager Lin, are you leaving work so early today?” His face was grim and his muscles were bulging, making such a friendly expression unsuitable.

Manager Lin nodded slightly without replying ,walking  straight past Black Tabby cat and deeper into the woods.

Ta Nuo followed behind, his movements not as agile as a cat’s, lagging far behind Manager Lin.

Mr. Black Tabby cat glared at He Nuo viciously, then showed his claws with ill intentions and began to lick them with his tongue.

Clink—clink—

Ta Nuo found Mr. Black Tabby cat was a bit frightening, so he quickened his pace and hurried to catch up with the Manager Lin. The candies in the glass jar clinked against each other, making a jingling sound.

Manager Lin stopped about 500 meters from the office, where there was a piece of broken wood covered in green vines. After confirming that no one would disturb them, Manager Lin chose a clean spot and sat down elegantly.

Ta Nuo walked forward breathlessly, took off his hat, and bowed slightly to Manager Lin. “Hello,” he said. “Please place your order.”

“I’ll have a can of cat food.” Lin spoke, his beautiful green eyes sparkling with sunlight, “This can is special. Only a special human in Maochun City has it.”

“Hmm, that’s fine,” Ta Nuo nodded, “We accept special orders. As long as you provide the address, I can help you pick up the meal and deliver it to your door. Since you’re our first customer, we’ll even waive the delivery fee.” Ta Nuo stammered out his long-prepared sales pitch.

Manager Lin picked up a leaf that hadn’t yet withered, drew a few lines on it with his claw, and handed the map to He.

“Remember,” he said with his trademark fake smile, which looked unsettling, “I only want this human’s canned food. If you dare to bring any other canned food as a substitute, I’ll tell all the cats who come and go that your immortal takeout is unreliable.”

Tanuo shakily took the map and carefully stored the leaf with his glass jar.

Cats are really unfriendly, he thought to himself. But when he thought about completing this order, he would have the capital to meet the handsome young shopkeeper at the general store, and his mood improved considerably.

Come on, you have to land the first order!