hotmtlnovel Chapter 12: The Cat’s Food
Chapter 12: The Cat’s Food
Chapter 12: The Cat’s Food
“What happens if we can’t solve the identity card issue?”
Jiang He handed a crumpled piece of paper to Xu Qing, asking her question.
“Then you’ll be a ‘black household,’ unable to do anything.” Xu Qing replied offhandedly.
Seeing Jiang He standing there motionless, he thought for a moment before explaining further, “Without an ID, you can’t enjoy any basic rights. Living expenses depend on money, and except for some shady factories, almost every job requires an ID. That’s the first issue: you won’t be able to find work to support yourself.”
“Second, you won’t have your own place and can’t even rent anywhere. Whether it’s a hotel—oh, like an inn—or any other place, they’ll need an ID.”
“And forget about long-distance travel. No trains, no high-speed rail, not even long-distance buses. There aren’t any horses here, so if you want to travel far, you’ll need a vehicle.”
“Third, if there’s any legal dispute, you can’t... Well, never mind. It’s complicated. Basically, if anything happens, the authorities won’t step in since you can’t legally file a complaint without an identity.”
For Jiang He, most of Xu Qing’s points didn’t seem like real issues—at least for now. In her view, it only affected living arrangements and earning money.
“So... if I can find a way to earn money and find a place to live, then the ID isn’t that crucial?”
“No, there’s a lot more you wouldn’t be able to do.” Xu Qing shook his head.
“From small things like getting a phone, online accounts, or a bank card, to major life events like marriage, having kids, and registering them—all of that requires an ID. If you don’t have one, these things are totally out of reach.”
If someone only wants to survive without ties or responsibilities, an ID might not matter. But once she familiarizes herself with this world, it’ll be essential for living a normal life.
“You couldn’t have come twenty years earlier, could you? These days, getting registered went from ‘easy mode’ to ‘hell mode.’” Xu Qing grumbled, standing to get his laptop, searching online for solutions to the ‘black household’ issue.
Decades of improved registration systems have left few loopholes, making it almost impossible for someone to legally exist without records.
“Or you could try seeking help from this world’s authorities. You might get good treatment, but you could also lose your freedom.”
Xu Qing threw out the idea casually. “Since this situation is so unusual, I don’t know what could happen. I think you’d probably be treated well, but who knows—it might not be as simple as that, and you’d struggle to live a normal life.”
“You’re going to turn me in to the authorities?”
“No, it’s just... Never mind. Go study. Learn some history or something. Once you understand this world, you can decide for yourself.”
Jiang He pressed her lips together, pausing before saying, “...Am I causing trouble by staying here?”
He’d also been busy downloading a ton of history videos for her to watch during her free time.
“What’s that?”
In the afternoon, as Jiang He sat by the computer, she grew tired of watching videos and curiously looked at the cat food bag in Xu Qing’s hand.
She’d seen him feed the cat multiple times, but the little pellets didn’t look edible.
“Cat food,” Xu Qing replied.
“Cat food?”
“It’s food made specifically for cats.”
“You guys make food for cats?” Jiang He stared at the chubby cat, her worldview shifting once again.
“...”
Xu Qing sighed. “It’s not what you think. It’s manufactured, not grown... No one actually grows crops for cats.”
Knock, knock.
Just then, there was a knock on the door. Jiang He, no longer as guarded as when she’d first arrived, watched Xu Qing open the door and thank the delivery guy before closing it.
“I have something to do tonight. I’m meeting a friend to ask about your identity problem. You stay here and behave. If anything happens...” Xu Qing placed the delivery food on the table, adding, “I’ll teach you how to use the computer to contact me. Don’t go wandering around.”
“Got it.”
Jiang He nodded, unwrapping a burger and taking a bite. The odd food tasted pretty good, and she found she liked it.
“But why is cat food made like that... Can’t the cat eat this?” Jiang He still couldn’t wrap her head around the idea. Was feeding cats specially-made food an example of extravagance?
“It’s unhealthy.” Xu Qing said offhandedly.
“...”
Jiang He stopped chewing.
The burger suddenly didn’t taste as good.