Chapter 749: I Won’t Leave Without Saying Goodbye

Time flew by rapidly.

Perhaps the moments they had together were always too short. Perhaps it was only after losing someone that you suddenly realized you had a lifetime’s worth of words left unsaid.

On the distant wasteland, her ears drooped low. Her paws were clenched tightly against her chest in grievance, straining with all her might.

She tried desperately not to let her tears fall. She had told herself more than once that she couldn’t cry anymore. She had to be a strong child, a good girl who wouldn’t make Mommy worry anymore.

But at this very moment.

On the distant wasteland, her ears drooped low. Her paws were clenched tightly against her chest in grievance, straining with all her might.

“Don’t be sad, Miaomiao.”

That young man placed his hand on her head. He tried his hardest to force a smile onto his face.

But after struggling for a long time, he realized that ever since he had fallen into this hell, he had long forgotten how to smile as a human being.

He looked up, staring at the rolling black mist in the distance. His voice softened, carrying a hint of relief:

“Honestly, I never thought that our family’s naughty, stupid cat would one day turn into such an adorable girl in this hell. And that she would actually call me ‘Brother.’ So, no matter what, I think I’m pretty much satisfied. I do want to see Mom and Dad one more time, but even if I did, I wouldn’t really know what to say...”

A gentle warmth and a trace of reluctance filled his eyes.

But he also knew the truth.

Ever since they had fallen into this hell and endured so much suffering, the past was already gone beyond recovery.

They talked a lot.

Within his fragmented memories, the past that had long been erased by time resurfaced clearly, just like before, through their repeated searching.

Because he truly never expected this.

Their family’s stupid cat could actually speak human words now. It had felt utterly absurd and bizarre to him at first.

But then he thought about himself, thought about this place.

And he could only laugh helplessly, letting it go.

Yeah.

This was hell. He himself had long become an evil ghost. So what was impossible here?

Miaomiao sobbed, furiously wiping her tears with her paws, biting her lip hard, her voice choked:

“Brother, Miaomiao... Miaomiao wants you to live... I... I finally found you after so long... Miaomiao has no family left!”

The young man turned his head, his gaze softening as he looked at her.

He reached out and gently tapped his fist against her little paw.

“No, you’re wrong.”

“Hasn’t Miaomiao realized? Even in this hell, you’ve already made many good friends. You’re not alone anymore.”

“Shouldn’t that make you happier?”

He sat up, sitting side by side with Miaomiao. His profile was filled with tenderness.

“Even though I used a special method to let Brother talk to you for a little while, you know that Brother has been dead for a long time.”

“But I don’t regret it. After going through all this, I actually think this might be the best ending for someone ordinary like me.”

Miaomiao hung her head low, desperately suppressing the turbulent emotions within her heart.

Tears fell to the ground, one drop at a time.

They had long soaked the sand and stones beneath her.

The young man stretched with a huge, lazy yawn, then stood up. He turned around, speaking softly to her:

“So, don’t be sad or upset.”

“Being able to talk to someone at this final moment... I’m already very satisfied. And I’m really grateful that you called me ‘Brother.’ At least it makes me feel like I’ve become an adult, that I can take care of and protect others. So... I’m really happy.”

He tried again to force a smile.

But he still couldn’t remember even a hint of how.

He could only bend down, reach out to the little girl, help her up from the ground, and then, as if urging her on, pat her back and push her in the direction she had come from.

His tone turned affectionate, light and breezy.

“So don’t just sit here like a dummy!”

“If you really don’t want to see Brother sad, then listen to me. Go say goodbye to your friends. Don’t keep them waiting too long. That’s really rude!”

His voice was deliberately stern and urging, and he gave her another firm push forward.

Miaomiao trembled. She turned around miserably, looking at him:

“B-but...”

The young man let out a breath, seeming a bit troubled as he rubbed his head:

“Silly cat... I’m really just asking you to go say hello. Do you think I’m trying to get rid of you? Come on, you’re not a little kid anymore. If I were really about to disappear, I would definitely tell you!”

A helpless expression appeared on his face, like he was disappointed she hadn’t learned her lesson.

Miaomiao stared at him.

Finally, she wiped the wetness from her eyes with all her might and shook her head violently, as if trying to throw away all her sorrow.

“Then... then you’re not allowed... not allowed to go back on your word...”

“Don’t forget before... before you threw Miaomiao’s toy... right out the window... and made Miaomiao go fetch it... then you suddenly shut the window and wouldn’t let Miaomiao back in...”

“If... if you trick me like that again... I won’t call you Brother anymore... meow...”

The young man wanted to show a helpless, amused expression, but he had already forgotten what that feeling was like.

Finally.

He reached down and picked up a stone from the ground.

In his palm, the stone slowly twisted under the black mist, gradually transforming into a glittering, translucent small dried fish, faintly glowing with the essence of strength.

He said softly, “Then... one last time...”

“If you’re really afraid that Brother will leave without saying goodbye... then go... fetch this toy for me. As long as you hold it, you’ll be able to feel my consciousness, feel my thoughts. As long as it’s still here, then Brother will be waiting for you right here.”

“Of course, if Miaomiao doesn’t want to, then I’ll just throw it away.”

With that.

Under Miaomiao’s dazed gaze.

The young man winked, then suddenly hurled the stone, shimmering with faint crystalline light, with all his strength into the distant night sky.

That crystal pebble streaked across her eyes like a shooting star across the heavens.

She stood frozen.

Just like before, in that little home.

This young man, the same way, would take something he wanted to give her, playfully throw it far away right in front of her face.

Then laugh heartily behind her back, making all sorts of annoying faces at her.

“I don’t want it!!”

She sobbed loudly, clenching her paws tightly.

But she still turned around. In a flash of light, she transformed back into the cat she once was. Landing on all fours, she charged tearfully in the direction of that crystalline arc, chasing it with all her might.