Note:
Text in parentheses = the character's thoughts.
Text in quotation marks = dialogue between characters.
Zhong Ji is a 25-year-old young woman currently living in Aurevia city, Xiantra nation. She came from a poor, rural background in the remote southern region of Graven Prairie. Her father abandoned her and her mother early on to be with another woman. Then, her mother became seriously ill while Zhong Ji was still in high school. During that time, she both studied and worked to earn money for her mother's treatment, but in the end, because the family was too poor, Zhong Ji's mother still died from her severe illness. She initially moved to Aurevia city to make money for her mother's treatment, but now there was no other reason left.
Having lacked significant parental love since childhood, Zhong Ji grew up to gradually become an indifferent, cold person towards those around her. Although Zhong Ji was raised by her mother, due to her mother's antiquated prejudices favoring sons over daughters, Zhong Ji still felt resentful about this. But now that her mother was gone, Zhong Ji's heart also felt a certain emptiness, a sense of loss, and it evoked memories of the past.
Beep beep beep. Zhong Ji turned her phone on.
(Is it 7 PM already?)
After a day working as a laborer at a food processing factory, Zhong Ji was now lying on her bed, looking utterly exhausted, with no energy left to do anything else.
(Ah, I should take a shower and then find something to eat.)
After more than an hour scrolling through social media, Zhong Ji reluctantly dragged herself up. A heavy sigh escaped her chest. She took off her crumpled clothes. While preparing to shower, she played an audio novel on her phone placed on the bed, then stepped into the cramped bathroom. She turned on the tap, filled a plastic bucket with water, used a plastic dipper to scoop water and pour it over her body, letting the stream wash away some of the fatigue. Finally, she bent down, slowly washing her hair, letting the soap suds run down her neck.
After showering, Zhong Ji felt much more refreshed. She opened the drawer, took out two towels: one to dry her hair, the other to dry her body. She wrapped one towel around herself, the other she draped over her shoulders to dry her hair.
Stepping outside, she looked through the window and saw a black cat with mysterious purple eyes standing outside the door.
(Well... I picked this cat up when I was 18, and have been raising it for seven years now. Honestly, I'm not the type who's overly fond of cats, and I don't like the hassle of keeping a pet. But in my loneliest moments, it's my only anchor. I absolutely love its mesmerizing purple eyes; I've never seen a cat with eyes like that before.)
"Oh, Mira, you're finally back. Welcome home."
The cat Mira jumped onto the bed, and the young woman, wrapped in a towel, gently patted its head.
"How was your day out? Did you meet any pretty kitties or anything fun?"
Mira responded with soft meows, gently swishing its tail, its eyes following Zhong Ji.
"Meow~, meowww~"
Mira stopped meowing, hurriedly curled up in its cat bed, and dozed off.
The small room Zhong Ji rented was tiny, just 2 meters wide and 4 meters long, only enough space for a bed, a small, slim table, and Mira's bed.
Zhong Ji left the house, locked the door carefully, and continued walking to the convenience store to buy food for herself and her cat.
Under the streetlights illuminating the path, she walked while wearing headphones, listening to an audio novel. Zhong Ji's firm footsteps, slightly hunched back, tanned skin, slightly protruding monolidded eyes, and straight, lanky body made her seem like she was lacking a bit of vitality.
Stepping into the convenience store, she walked relaxedly, choosing a cup noodle brand she ate every day, a can of Pepsi, and a box of cat food.
(Hmm, Mira is 7 years old now, so she needs low-calorie, high-fiber food, with soft, easy-to-chew kibble that supports dental health and digestion.)
Zhong Ji carried the basket to the checkout counter.
"Young man, ring these up for me, please."
A young man around 17-20 years old with a displeased expression, sporting an undercut style dyed blond, wearing a white Balenciaga shirt, wide-leg Dickies jeans, a pair of sunglasses, and one earring. He was tall, thin, and pale, looking incredibly stylish and eye-catching.
But he was not pleased with what Zhong Ji said.
"What? You're that old and still haven't learned manners? You old hag, you should call me 'nephew'."
"Take a look at yourself in the mirror before you go out! My grandmother is even prettier than you!"
Zhong Ji slightly lowered her head, feeling a bit awkward, and replied more carefully.
"Sorry, so...rry, nephew. It's just that I'm old and tend to mumble a bit."
The young man clicked his tongue, his demeanor full of contempt, and replied bluntly.
"Total is 4.80 USD."
Zhong Ji paid and walked outside, thinking to herself.
(Actually, I'm used to hearing such comments, so I find it completely normal. If it were before, I would have jumped up and given him a piece of my mind. Actually, that young man is quite straightforward; I like that. It's still better than those who internally value looks but on the surface pretend they don't care about appearance, acting all high and mighty. I used to be a hypocrite like that too; I liked handsome guys but always denied it outwardly. Even someone as ugly as me, who's barely a 2/10 from head to toe, still likes handsome guys, right? So, I can't blame him.)
On a slightly deserted road, Zhong Ji walked while looking up at the starry sky, enjoying it to the fullest.
Zhong Ji might be indifferent when interacting with others, but towards life itself, she still loves it deeply. Every scent she smells, every sensation of the wind passing through her skin, and even the hope for a distant future. The reason she has never considered hanging herself, despite going through so many tragedies, is that she still possesses a fierce desire to reach for the future. She still has a dream. A dream to travel the world, experience countless wonderful things, and ultimately, even achieve immortality.