Although lacking hands, it stood on its hind legs while its front paws worked furiously—picking flowers, trimming branches, and cleaning. Before long, the task was finished with surprising efficiency.

The store bell jingled as a customer entered. The black cat immediately jumped to the chair and curled into a furry ball, pretending to be asleep.

"Wow, the shopkeeper's cat is huge!"

"Yes indeed."

"I want that basket. It looks so elegant! You're such an artist with flowers!"

"Hahaha, just kidding... One hundred and sixty yuan, please."

Once the customer left, the black cat sprang back into action, arranging another bouquet for sale.

"Heibing, you're amazing! I don't need any workers anymore—just keep working here forever!" Guier took down the sign outside that read "Hiring: Female employees of any race or species (special enchantment applied to be visible only to supernatural beings)" and coaxed Heibing with a pleading expression.

The girl who had been helping at the shop recently had suddenly returned home due to her mother's illness, leaving Guier in chaos. Unable to find temporary help, she'd resorted to dragging friends into service: Zhou Ying brought Hu'er for one day until he burned half the flowers and ate a customer; Liu Di lasted only thirty minutes before disappearing with three dozen roses unpaid; Nan Yu left after several hours of answering hospital calls about emergencies; Lu Jiu spent an entire day selling nothing while someone stole their cashbox. Quan Xian proved competent but prohibitively expensive, and terrified by Zhou Ying's visits which turned the store into a disaster zone.

Eventually Guier had no choice but to hire Lu Weima's apprentice Heibing.

Though still unable to transform human form, Heibing demanded minimal wages—three meals plus five yuan—and was obedient, steady, and could be reimbursed through its guardian spirit for any damages (with Hu'er as intimidation). Guier had originally planned a worst-case scenario where it wouldn't work at all. But instead Heibing exceeded expectations, outperforming everyone else.

Though just a cat (Heibing: I'm a supernatural being!), Heibing possessed remarkable artistic talent. His flower arrangements sold fast and he kept the shop pristine. If not for fear of scaring customers with speech, Guier could have left him in charge entirely.

"How about you work here permanently? Six meals daily (like Hu'er) plus ten yuan pay, and Zhou Ying can teach you magic!" Guier enticed.

Heibing sat upright, bowing politely: "It's an honor to receive your praise. However, I need consult my master first."

"Such good manners! You're far better than our fireball Hu'er. I should have him learn from you," Guier sighed, hugging and kissing Heibing.

"Who? Who's stronger than me?! Show yourself!" Hu'er burst in, misinterpreting the compliment as a challenge. His wings shattered vases; his claws shredded buckets before flames engulfed the store searching for threats.

"Dead Hu'er! Stop destroying things!" Guier lunged at him.

"Guier! Hand over that self-proclaimed superior immediately or face consequences!" Hu'er roared.

Heibing noticed Zhou Ying and Hu'er arriving to pick up Guier. Time was up for his shift.

"Heibing, you live in Peach Source Community too? Let me give you a lift home?" Zhou Ying offered kindly.

"Thank you Master Zhou. I must help my ninth master at the breeding center today," Heibing bowed deeply before departing.

Watching him leave, Guier sighed: "Hardworking, polite, ambitious... How could Lu Weima have such a cat? It's wasted on that exploitative mentor!"

"I object! Absolutely refuse to adopt pets! If we do, eat it!" Hu'er had finally calmed after finding no enemies, only to erupt again at the suggestion.

"Enough. We can't keep pets," Zhou Ying soothed as he led Hu'er out.

"Dinner time! I want braised pork!"

Heibing waited patiently for traffic lights while watching Guier and her companions depart in their car. They seemed like such a warm family, making him wistful despite his resolve to focus on mastering human transformation through arduous training under his master's instructions...

Long ago, he'd had a loving home too. Too distant now to recall clearly—when he was still just an ordinary cat.

Heibing shook the memories away when a voice called: "Heibing? Heibing..."

Turning around, he spotted elementary school kids gathered nearby. One boy knelt on the ground waving: "Are you our Heibing?"

The red light changed as vehicles halted suddenly. Seizing the moment, Heibing vanished into the crowd without answering their chatter about cats obeying traffic signals or discussing how it resembled the boy's old pet who'd been sent to the countryside.

"Original he was a bullied kindergarten child," Heibing mused while walking through bushes toward the opposite sidewalk where the kids had disappeared. "Now he has friends... Years have passed."

"Hmph! Humans!" He snorted, remembering something before sprinting into the suburbs as children debated capturing him or longing for their own pets.

"Look—there's that cat again!"

"It wants to cross?"

"Let's catch it!"

"No! I forbid you!"

"It resembles your old pet. Take it home then."

"We can't keep pets either..."

"Same here."

"Useless. We all have restrictions."

"I want a puppy."

"Turtle."

"Snake."

"When we grow up, earn money and live somewhere that allows pets."

Heibing ignored the boy's attempt to feed him beef jerky as traffic lights changed once more. With snacks abandoned behind, he dashed across.

Guier placed milk, fried fish, shrimp, pastries before Heibing: "Come on, eat! You've been working all day selling flowers and raising pigs..."

He thanked politely before dining calmly without wolfing food despite hunger.

"Heibing is so well-mannered," Guier cooed, stroking his head.

Though resentful of being petted like Hu'er, Heibing couldn't afford to be arrogant himself.

"Still no word from Hu'er and the fox? They won't come home for dinner again?" Guier muttered, lonely since Lin Rui had taken Hu'er out daily while she cooked alone with no satisfaction.

"Oh right—deliver these dried flowers to Nan Yu at the hospital," Guier handed Heibing gifts. With Zhou Ying out assisting Hu'er and plans to leave early, closing shop was practical anyway.

New City's recent child abductions made parents paranoid. Lin Rui's mother now chauffeured him personally. Though unafraid of gangs himself, he worried about his mother's exhaustion. So he'd enlisted Hu'er in hunting down child traffickers for good measure—permanent elimination if possible.

Of course this required dragging along Zhou Ying as assistant. Lately criminals specializing in theft and robbery had mysteriously vanished after being "roasted" by Hu'er. However their main target remained elusive, resulting in endless wandering with minimal home returns.

Thus Guier's shop languished, closing before four PM today while Heibing walked leisurely under the sunset. Fewer pedestrians at this hour meant fewer stares at the cat's glass bottle necklace. His busy schedule kept him near human work hours, making such quiet afternoons rare luxuries. Memories of lazy cat days—sleeping in sunbeams all day long—felt like another lifetime.

No time for napping now!

Suppressing yawns, Heibing strode purposefully toward the crossroads where he'd become accustomed to seeing that elementary school boy recently. Their encounters happened daily since his shift overlapped with dismissal times—the boy always offering snacks which Heibing ignored.

Heibing never forgot the day they'd chained him to a tree and left for good in freezing weather. As an immortal now, most memories of his past life had faded except that painful image. He no longer resented them. Humans were like this—hadn't their abandonment been what made immortality possible? One might even say gratitude was owed.

Today's early departure meant the boy wasn't waiting at the usual spot. As lights changed, a new voice called: "Black cat."

Heibing turned sharply to see the child standing not far away with an unfamiliar man.

"Dad, look! This cat resembles our Heibing. I always see it here!"

"Probably just a stray," the man replied disinterestedly.

"Wait—let me feed him!" The boy pulled out snacks again as Heibing observed warily. Why was he outside school hours with this stranger? Guier recognized his parents but never seen this man before.

"Just eat something, why won't you?" The child pleaded while the man grew impatient: "Your father's waiting. Stop bothering strays!"

The boy reluctantly waved goodbye: "Bye little cat! Tell our Heibing I said hello."

Watching them hail a taxi toward an unfamiliar direction (not his usual route), alarms suddenly went off in Heibing's mind. The man had mentioned a "father" waiting, and the child spoke of not returning... Hadn't Hu'er been hunting traffickers?

The taxi pulled over as the boy climbed inside cheerfully chatting with the driver. Unaware he was about to be sold into villages where people valued male children (not for eating?)—just like humans traded animals freely while disliking being bought themselves.

But immortals rarely meddled in human affairs.

Heibing turned away... then hesitated. Should he warn Hu'er and Nine-Tailed Fox? By the time they were found, the car would be long gone...

The vehicle started moving before Heibing could decide. With a sudden leap, he clung to the undercarriage between unidentifiable metal parts.

Racing faster by the second, Heibing's grip grew precarious with his glass bottle constantly striking his face. Fingers ached as slippery surfaces offered less purchase. If not for fear of endangering lives, he'd have already destroyed tires. Several turns increased speed dramatically while nearly throwing him off multiple times.

Why was I doing this? It felt like saving the boy...

But surely it's just aiding Hu'er and Nine-Tailed Fox. They were predecessors who occasionally cared (did Hu'er ever care?). This was a duty for them, nothing to do with the child. Once an ordinary cat, his former owner always said dogs were loyal while cats preferred wealth—so as an immortal, he owed no obligation now.

Sudden emergency braking sent Heibing flying off the vehicle. Landing gracefully mid-air, he stumbled only for the glass bottle to shatter behind him, shards embedding in his body and blood pouring from his eye. The taxi obliviously continued onward.

Biting back pain, Heibing clung again to the undercarriage despite worsening injuries—left eye bleeding profusely while claws slipped dangerously close to wheels. Normally he'd destroy obstacles with magic but not risking human lives. Wildcat instincts kept him alive through countless falls and lacerations, yet this was different.

"I'm doing this to find their base—not for that boy!" He reminded himself as bloodied claws tightened on metal.

The car finally slowed then stopped completely. Slipping into nearby bushes, Heibing observed the surroundings: new villas in suburban hills with cultivated gardens. No wonder Hu'er's searches had failed—criminals could afford luxury through illicit funds while he and his mentor struggled to make ends meet.

A man led the boy toward one of the houses. Following carefully behind, Heibing noted other wounds had stopped bleeding but his eye still wept. He needed to report location then return for healing—it was a duty owed to Master Hu'er after all.

The boy's voice rose suddenly in a scream from within the house...

Without hesitation, Heibing vaulted over the porch and through an open second-floor window into the freshly painted interior. As he climbed stairs listening to adult male voices below, shouts erupted: "Don't let him escape!" "Tie him up!"

With a roar, Heibing launched himself down toward the chaos unfolding in the living room...

The two men darted around the house, clumsily chasing their target. They startled when a cat leaped down from above and hissed at them. "How could there be another one!"

"Black Ice! Another Black Ice!" The child running joyfully behind them also shouted in surprise.

Black Ice spotted a cat not far away trying to squeeze under the sofa. This black-furred, white-pawed feline looked exactly like him. He raised his head and suddenly realized one of the men was the boy's father who had brought the child over. The second man, though fatter with thinner hair and more expensive clothes, still bore that familiar air Black Ice recognized from his former human companion. The cat froze in place, bewildered by what was happening.

"Brother-in-law, how many cats did you actually buy?" One man whispered to Black Ice's ex-owner.

"A few? This one alone took me half the city to find—a mature cat just like Black Ice! No pet store stocks such large ones. It's all your fault," he hissed. "You promised to collect Black Ice so we could tie him up and leave, yet you confused the dates, allowing someone else to steal our real Black Ice! My wife and I had to invent elaborate lies for the boy. Now you bring this fake Black Ice to cover it up."

"But brother-in-law, back then I—" The man rubbed his temples in frustration.

"Poor Black Ice. If he found a kind family, that's one thing," the ex-owner muttered. "But what if they were cruel people?"

"Dad, what happened to Black Ice?" The boy blinked innocently.

"Look Xiao Gang! Our new home is wonderful and even allows pets now!" His father crouched down. "I've already brought Black Ice back from the countryside for you. You see? Your mom went shopping—tonight we'll celebrate together as a family, and tomorrow Xiao Gang starts at his new school. We begin anew," he said, voice cracking after years of striving to rebuild their lives since business failure had forced them to sell everything—including their beloved pet.

"But Dad, which one is really Black Ice?" The boy asked the two cats.

Black Ice studied both humans and the terrified feline cowering in the sofa's shadow. A sudden understanding dawned upon him.

"Black Ice! Are you really Black Ice?" The boy approached with outstretched hands. "You're hurt."

Black Ice leapt backward into a defensive stance, his father quickly pulling the child away.

"Hey, cat—get out here!" Black Ice snarled at the other feline. "Or I'll come to your corner!"

The cat trembled violently before slinking out from under the furniture. Black Ice noted its pampered condition—the perfume on its fur, the trimmed claws. It was fat and glossy, clearly spoiled by human care yet now terrified of this monstrous intruder claiming its territory.

"What's your name?" Black Ice asked.

"Xiao Hei...I was sold to them against my will..." The cat shrank into a ball in surrender.

"From today you are Black Ice. Forget those who sold you and live with these good humans—they'll cherish you."

"I...you..." The cat stared at this strange creature willing away its territory.

"I'm not human. No need for their so-called care," Black Ice declared proudly.

"Black Ice, which one is really Black Ice?" The boy examined both cats repeatedly.

"Go to him! He is your new master now!"

The other cat slowly approached the child, rubbing against his legs. By instinct it sensed this human would be a hundredfold better than its previous owner. "Black Ice, you finally recognized me!" The boy cried as he cradled the feline in his arms.

"What about the other one? It's injured—should we keep it too?" The father suggested enthusiastically.

Black Ice turned toward the open window.

"He uncle! Close the window quickly before it escapes!" The man rolled up his sleeves, preparing to pounce.

With a sudden leap, Black Ice slashed at the approaching hand. As the man recoiled in alarm, he flung himself through the window just as shouts erupted behind him: "Catch her quick! She needs medicine for those wounds!"

Perched quietly outside, Black Ice listened to the child's laughter mingling with the cat's purrs. The house brightened with lights and food smells—muffled sounds of a family celebration filled the night.

He lingered until all noises ceased and the windows darkened before slipping away. Forgotten were memories of domesticated days; he vaguely recalled how cats should sleep curled in their master's blanket at this hour. But as an unnatural being, many obligations awaited—apologies to Gui'er and Nan Yu for shattering their dried flower vase, and work owed to Ninth Uncle that must be made up.

He glanced back once more at the house.

Life with those humans hadn't been so bad after all. When he was still a normal cat, it had been a happy existence. If only he hadn't become this monster, perhaps he would have fought tooth and nail for his place alongside that other feline.

Pain flared in his wounded eye as stardust shimmered above. A single tear slipped silently down...

Black Ice leapt over the road toward the hills below.