The five had been working together for some time, after a few notes they understood each other’s ideas. Kim strummed the guitar in his hands, notifying everyone to get ready, he paused then looked at the cat on the stool.

Zheng Tan was already swinging his tail impatiently. Isn’t it just singing a song? Do you need some foreplay? What’s with the hesitation?

To be safe, their first song wasn’t too fast, the rhythm was similar to the songs that Fang Shao Kang sang. Of course, it was definitely not the style that Fang Shao Kang chose.

Zheng Tan struck the glass bottle time by time, grasping the beat was nothing hard for him. Besides the crowd nearby was much more lenient to the cat than the humans, even if he made some mistakes people will still understand.

Since it’s just a cat.

After a song, Kim and the others felt quite happy. Originally they thought the sound of striking glass would appear as unfitting, but after it had been on beat, the effect was unexpectedly good. They could add some similar elements in the future.

Giving a thumbs up to Zheng Tan, Kim prepared to change to a faster song.

Zheng Tan was secretly pleased with himself, the tip of his tail had unconsciously curled up. ‘Clearly I am more influential, look at that crowd and that little girl with big eyes, her hands are red due to clapping.’

Compared to cooperating with Fang Shao Kang, Zheng Tan felt much better now, it wasn’t about the onlooking crowd but the acceptance to music. He couldn’t understand the emotions that Fang Shao Kang showed to old songs like “Travelling the World (Zou Si Fang)”, but he could easily immerse himself in this kind of rock styled pop music.

After all, inside this body Zheng Tan was still a young soul, he still had a young mindset.

In one corner of the square, in the dreamy beams of light, rhythmic beats of music began to sound.

When the music rang, even the dull bass hand that still looked calm and composed, strummed music that was filled with energy and tune.

As they drowned in the enjoyment of performing, Kim and others had forgotten that there was a cat that was squatting beside them. They forgot that they were collaborating with a cat, and had began to play those catchy songs according to their usual habits.

After a stream of fast music, they entered the chorus. It was like a new green life that broke through from the bondage of the soil, it danced freely, brushing away all the shyness and restraints.

What influenced people was not only the rhythm and the tune, but the sense of freedom and passion that was bonded into it, hot-blooded youth.

It wasn’t only the song that made people boil with excitement, it was also the atmosphere. It provided people a way and a process to release themselves, it was for the willful catharsis in that moment, and that moment only.

They were still young, perhaps they couldn’t express the mature emotions as the original singer did. However, they already made a huge step forwards, who dared to say that they will not become a brilliant star that dazzles?

If they had started with the playing attitude, then Zheng Tan had completely sunk into it now. His beating of the bottle had become something that surged with passion, a polar opposite to the slacking attitude that he had when he was cooperating with Fang Shao Kang. Young people were always easily influenced by the environment and didn’t know what they did, even when he was now a cat, it was still the same.

The instrument store owner that was sitting not far off watching the performance smacked his lips and praised, “Your cat beats the bottle quite well! It’s the first time that I’ve seen a cat who can knock the bottle like that, it’s like beating an egg.”

Fang Shao Kang: “…Haha.” ‘I’ve seen this for the first time myself.”

People began to gather in greater numbers. Initially many came to see the cat beating the bottle, like parents that brought their children and old ladies that finished dancing, but slowly there gathered a group of young people. People liked to see lively scenes and be part of them. They saw that there were a lot of people over here, so people all rushed over here, then they were influenced by the atmosphere. Some sang along, some clapped with the beat and cheered. To the young people, these were all well known songs and could be easily recited.

Fang Shao Kang took the camera out from his backpack and started to take photos.

“Hey, isn’t that a DSLR, you have the money to buy a DSLR and you come here to sell your talent?! Since when did the street performers get that rich?” Someone who saw Fang Shao Kang sang said.

“No way,” Fang Shao Kang calmly raised his hand and pointed to a direction, “I borrowed it off a student from the photography society over there, I have to return it later.”

The person looked towards the direction that Fang Shao Kang was pointing, it was filled with people, he couldn’t tell from one to another. However, there was something like a photography society over here, from time to time there would even be a student photography exhibition on display. Shaking his head, the person no longer spoke another word.

When Zheng Tan’s right hand got tired he changed to the left hand, after beating for some time he would change it back. He was having fun, especially when he saw that people were constantly stuffing money into the box when he occasionally peeked at it, he became happier.

This continued until ten in the night, they left when the number of people in the square began to decrease.

Zheng Tan threw the spoon to one side and rushed over to take a look inside the box. The lighting wasn’t too good, he couldn’t see too clearly how much money there was, but it was most likely enough to pay for the car fares and hotel costs.

While Kim was packing up after the crowd had scatted, his emotions had not yet recovered itself, “There was a moment back then, I felt like a star, so many people supporting me, so many people cheering for me. It was like the dreams that I have.”

“Yes yes, that was a great feeling!”

Others agreed.

The owner of the instrument store walked over and had a chat with them, these boys were about to head north tomorrow. He must take this opportunity to encourage and warn these young men, saving them from having difficulties walking out of a low time in the future, the path ahead was still long, there will still more challenges.

Fang Shao Kang didn’t immediately count the money inside the box, after the crowd dispersed he sealed the box and helped the boys to pack up the equipment and carry them to the instrument store, then he counted the money in the store.

“Three thousand six hundred?!”

The five including Kim was shocked. Usually when they were singing in the square, they would earn around a handful of dollars in an hour. It was much less when they were performing along, so they only treated performing in the square as an experience, a sharpening of their skills, they never thought that they can earn any money from this. However, the number calculated now was unbelievable to them.

They didn’t receive any actual professional education, they don’t have any fame, everyone was just a newbie that was born yesterday. After experiencing street performances, this money was a lot to them.

Fang Shao Kang took one thousand eight hundred dollars and passed the rest to Kim, “Here, the other half that I promised.”

“Ah…Mr Fang, the money that you had initially is in there as well, you should take more.” Kim said.

Despite earning quite a number this time, the youngsters knew, if it weren’t for the black cat, they wouldn’t have attracted so many people’s attention that smoothly.

“That’s all, I’m leaving!” Not giving any explanation, Fang Shao Kang stuffed the money inside his bag, carrying the bag on his back he walked out.

Zheng Tan hurried out and followed him, he had no objections to Fang Shao Kang’s arrangements. Anyhow, Fang Shao Kang wasn’t a poor person, the one thousand eight hundred was far more than enough to travel on cat and live in hotels, it didn’t need to be a five-star hotel, anything was better than that little motel.

“Thanks, cat bro!” Kim waved his hand and shouted.

Zheng Tan swung his tail and didn’t even move his head.

They still had some things left in the motel. Originally they intended to checkout, but the landlord said that checkout must be made before twelve in the noon, if you passed that time it counted as another day.

To leave this motel earlier, Zheng Tan poked Fang Shao Kang through the backpack. He wanted this guy to check out tonight since they already earned some money from singing.

In the end, Fang Shao Kang didn’t pay a single cent, but he used that second-hand mountain bike to encumber the cost. They were not going to ride it anyways, let’s just spend all it’s value.

Exiting the motel, the cat and the human headed to the nearest four star hotel. It was too tiring today to get there faster, Fang Shao Kang planned to take the short-cut, there was an alleyway that didn’t require them to walk around.

On the side of the road were street-lamps but the sky was too dark, there wasn’t anyone around. While they were walking, Zheng Tan’s ears moved, he peeped out from the zip in the backpack, there were two suspicious figures behind them.

‘Are they robbers?’

No matter if they were or not, just by judging that their behavior they don’t look like good people. Zheng Tan poked Fang Shao Kang.

“I know.” Fang Shao Kang whispered.

Since Fang Shao Kang said he knew, there was no need for Zheng Tan to give him further warning but his concentration was mainly on the two person behind them .

Zheng Tan let out a breath of easiness when he made sure it was only two person. Two was easy to be dealt with, any more he really can’t cope.

The two walked closer and closer, there was a length of iron pipe in their hands.

One look told him that they were no good!

When one of them closed in, Zheng Tan hopped out from the backpack and slashed across that person’s face. Using the flexibility of his body, Zheng Tan was able to avoid the oncoming pipe swung by that person, then he jumped up and kicked with all his force on that person’s body. This time he used his true strength, and both kicks were aimed at his lowered parts.

‘F*ck, you want to rob the money that I earned from selling my talent with a thick skin?!’

Do you want to die or do you not want to live!

Another kick!

Zheng Tan thought since he was not going to stay here for long there was no need to hide himself. They were leaving in the morning, even if these people wanted to avenge themselves they couldn’t find him.

Fang Shao Kang knocked the other person out with a stick, when he turned he saw that cat kicking that person’s crotch and the person that got kicked was screaming as if he was being castrated, the pipe in his hand had fallen to the ground.

After being kicked, the person lay on the ground howling. Zheng Tan paid no heed to him, he glanced at Fang Shao Kang, this fellow had a baton in his hand, looks like he was prepared.

“Come on, leave them, they’re just some thugs.” Fang Shao Kang tucked the baton away and said.

Zheng Tan pulled his ear and jumped into Fang Shao Kang’s backpack. They had almost arrived at the hotel, they probably didn’t allow cats in there, it was better if he was hidden.

Before they even left the alleyway, Fang Shao Kang’s phone rang.

“Yo, brother, why’re you calling me at this time of the day…I haven’t fallen asleep yet, still looking for the hotel…I encountered an issue, someone was trying to rob me…Ah, I didn’t use too much for this time, I only gave him one baton. Besides, you don’t know, when that person came out he was so arrogant, saying “scramble, leave the cat and the money box on the side.” No sh*t, don’t you think that person was looking for a beating? The public security in this place sucks, tell your little brother in law to be careful when he comes here, even kids don’t dare to walk here…”

Zheng Tan: “…” No f*cking bulls*t.

Hanging up the call, Fang Shao Kang patted his backpack, “Charcoal, we’ve just saved our car fare tomorrow.”