A lively party was in full swing at a luxurious villa with a sparkling pool and colorful lights. A live band played, wine flowed, and whispers of conversation filled the air. Laughter erupted each time a toast was raised to Jason. It was Sofia Eltar's birthday party and she was the belle of the ball. But instead of a wine glass, she held a cup of juice in her hand. After all, it was her twentieth birthday, and in accordance with California law, she had to be twenty-one to drink.
"I want to drink, I'm going crazy!" Sofia exclaimed as she weaved through the crowd, pulling Cathy aside and leading her to an upstairs room. "Let me have a sip of your wine..."
"Only a sip?" Cathy twirled away, dodging Sofia's outstretched hand. "Your breath could knock me out from ten meters away with its alcoholic fumes." In truth, Cathy hadn't been drinking at all; she had been holding the wine for Royce.
"It's my birthday, Cathy!" Sofia whined, although she was clearly a bit tipsy. She looked at Cathy, pointed a finger at her chin, and said in a boozy voice, "Cathy...you're so beautiful...I wish I were as pretty as you. That'd be a blessing from God."
"A blessing from God?" Cathy laughed ruefully. If it weren't for her encounter with Jason, she'd still be a manipulated monster, far from anyone's idea of blessed.
"Yes, yes, I hope God blesses me," Sofia continued, seizing Cathy's moment of distraction to snatch the glass from her hand and gulp down the wine within.
Cathy tried to intervene, but it was too late. Sofia swayed, her breath reeking of alcohol, before collapsing onto the bed. Cathy looked at Sofia's drunken state and shook her head, helping her friend up onto the bed and removing her boots. The party still raged downstairs, yet Sofia was already passed out.
Sofia was the lone occupant of the large villa.
She had always been a solitary figure, and no one knew why she owned such a large property or where she came from. She had simply appeared in Cathy's life out of the blue, a warm and friendly girl who quickly won Cathy's affection, becoming a close friend.
Back downstairs, Cathy started to discreetly usher the party guests out. The remaining staff were left to clean up the aftermath, the floor strewn with remnants of the wild celebration. Both Cathy and Royce shook their heads, chuckling at how different the reality of the party was from their expectations.
After everything was tidied up, Cathy felt tired. Her new body wasn't yet able to handle such exertion, and she needed time to restore her original physical endurance.
"How about we spend the night here? We have that magical amulet from Mr. Jason, after all," Royce suggested, his voice filled with concern. "You're her good friend, and I'm sure she wouldn't mind. Besides, she's drunk and alone in the house..."
"I understand, then...let's stay here," Cathy agreed, nodding. She was worried about her friend and decided to check in on Sofia, ensuring she was okay before covering her with a blanket. Satisfied, she opened the bedroom across the hall and settled in with Royce.
That night, a gentle breeze swept through Los Angeles.
Sofia's villa was situated in a quiet suburb, and its size was considerable. Unable to sleep, Cathy got up and walked down to the pool, sitting by the water's edge. The area was refreshingly cool, and under the soft moonlight, her skin, clad in sleeping attire, shimmered like she had just taken a milk bath. She was spellbound by her own reflection, her heart pounding.
Yes, it all felt like a dream. She now had a perfect body, free from a witch's control, and she even had the perfect love.
Overwhelmed by it all, she toyed with the idea of diving into the pool and swimming freely, but she decided against it, remembering Jason's instructions not to overexert her new body.
"Hey, sweetheart—" A voice drifted over from a distance, interrupting her thoughts. It was Royce, smiling gently at her.
"Hi!" Cathy waved him over.
Royce grinned, took a running start, and dove into the pool. He swam like a fish, back and forth, while Cathy watched and laughed.
After a while, Royce emerged from the water, sitting on the pool's edge with his legs dangling in the water. He turned to Cathy, who was lounging nearby, and said, "It's like a dream, isn't it? It's only when you emerge from the water that you realize it's reality. I think I'm even happier than your friend today."
They sat in silence, letting the tranquility of the night wash over them.
Meanwhile, on a balcony elsewhere in the suburbs of Los Angeles, Jason was gently stroking a black cat's fur, murmuring to himself, "Why do you act like a girl? Who made you this way?" His voice was tinged with regret.
Upon hearing this, the cat lifted its head and let out a soft meow. Jason smiled at it, saying, "Don't worry, I know what you're thinking. I'll figure something out. I can't let you down, can I?" Upon hearing this, the black cat silently lowered its head, lying down next to Jason's leg. Tonight, Jason and this black cat were close, and as the night fell and his heart gradually calmed, he felt a distinct vibe from the small black feline.
There was a vitality within it, different from animals, a vitality that could only be sensed in humans. Judging from the behavior of this black cat, it couldn't possibly be just a simple cat.
"I understand how you feel, but everything will get better," Jason said, stroking its fur and gradually closing his eyes. If he wished to break the restraint on this black cat, it would likely take some effort. The restraint on it was far more complex than the one on Cathy and couldn't be solved instantly.
Even if he could forcefully break this restraint, what kind of after-effects would there be? That was another concern. Only by understanding what this poor kitty had been through, knowing the cause and effect, would he have more confidence in preventing mishaps.
This world was becoming increasingly interesting. Originally on the West Coast, Jason had been looking for the place where the jade pendant that brought him to this world came from, but it seemed he had not found it yet. He didn't know if this world had deviated, but in the original jade mining seafloor, there was no largest seafloor jade of this world.
Moreover, this world was filled with endless bizarre events.
While Jason was pondering about this world, at Sofia's swimming pool, a person swayed out of the villa's gate. She was wearing the white princess dress from the party, walking and looking at Cathy, laughing and moving forward, "Hey, Cathy... I knew you wouldn't leave, you're my best friend..."
As Sofia spoke, her body swayed, clearly still hungover.
"Hey, Sofia, watch out!" Cathy, seeing her wobble, feared she might fall and shouted, "The pool is right in front of you."
Obviously, she shouted too late.
With a splash, Sofia floundered in the water for a bit. Royce quickly tried to swim over to help her, but after just moving a couple of feet, he heard her shouting, "Don't move, I can handle it, God, I've never been this sober--"
The girl waved at Royce, who was about to swim over, then immersed herself in the water again, swimming back and forth a few times before raising her head and laughing, "Drinking is really fun, it's my first time..."
Sofia swam over to where Cathy was, her dress sticking close to her body, accentuating her curves. But when she emerged from the water and sat on the steps, she noticed the different looks she was receiving from Cathy and Royce.