On the day that the funeral of Qin Sisi's mother was completed, it happened to be July 15th.

With bloodshot eyes, Qin Sisi slowly exited the funeral home, her steps somewhat unsteady.

The entrance of the funeral home was large, but there were very few people. Passers-by quickly hustled past as if they were afraid of catching the cold atmosphere there if they walked too slowly.

As Qin Sisi looked back, though past the heatwave season, the weather was still swelteringly hot. Yet, the sight of the building she had just left made her shiver.

This was Qin Sisi's second visit to the funeral home. Her first was ten years ago, after her father died in a car accident.

Goodbye, mom and dad. From now on, I am alone.

Qin Sisi quietly said to herself before turning to leave, her slender figure looking more solitary under the evening sunlight.

Qin Sisi's hometown was a small town in a remote area. She worked in S City, and because of her mother's illness, she had been frequently taking leave. Her supervisor was beginning to grow frustrated, so Qin Sisi decided to return to S City that night, and resume work the next day. She hoped keeping busy would keep her mind off things.

Sisi sighed heavily, looking up at the overcast sky that mirrored her gloomy state of mind.

After two hours of bumpy ride on the bus, she reached S City to find it drizzling, a ceaseless rain that showed no signs of stopping.

Without an umbrella, Qin Sisi walked through the rain, her thin clothes becoming drenched quickly. Though it was still quite early in September, the late time, coupled with the weather, made the wind seem even colder, causing her to shiver.

The rain was getting heavier, her long hair damply laying against her back. Uncomfortable, Qin Sisi gave in and took shelter under a wide roof ledge, hoping to wait until the rain eased up.

She stood in the shelter with her arms wrapped tightly around herself, trying to provide herself some warmth. But the constant cool breeze left her feeling colder than before. Her long, cotton dress clung against her skin, and strands of soaked hair were plastered on her forehead.

She bit her lip. She must look quite pitiful now. But what did it matter? There was no one left to care for her anyway, she thought.

With that thought, a sting in her nose signaled the approach of oncoming tears.

"Meow..."

Just as Qin Sisi was lost in her thoughts, she heard a soft meow.

Startled, she turned her head toward the sound to see a cat huddled in a corner about three or four meters away from her; its body curled up tightly while its head was slightly lifted. It seemed to be looking right back at her. Despite the dim light in the rainy night, Qin Sisi could see its gem-like eyes sparkling brightly.

She walked over to it and squatted down to get a better look. Under the dim streetlight, Qin Sisi could see that the cat was completely black, its fur clean and shiny despite the cold weather that caused it to shiver softly.

A wave of pity washed over Qin Sisi as she raised her hand to stroke the cat, its fur feeling as smooth as silk. How could this black kitty not have a home, much like her?

She carefully picked it up, holding the cat close to her chest as both she and the cat cuddled up close for warmth.

Feeling a strange sense of companionship, Qin Sisi softly said, "You too have no home? Come home with me!"

As the black cat snuggled down in Qin Sisi's arms, it let out a soft "meow", almost as if it understood her words, its whiskers twitching slightly, giving it an almost smiling appearance.

Qin Sisi stared for a moment blinking at the strange sight; she couldn't help but smirk at the absurdity of it all. Cats don't smile, do they?

Although Qin Sisi's laugh had a bitter undertone, it was her first sign of mirth in days. Unfortunately, this was short-lived, as her face quickly resumed its previous look of loss and sadness.

"Black cats are supposed to be unlucky... Well, I'm not the luckiest person, either. Maybe the combination of our unluckiness might result in something good", Qin Sisi mused to herself.

After her father died in a car accident, rumors started that Qin Sisi brought misfortune to her family, claiming that her father's death was due to such bad luck. While her mother never believed those rumors and continued to love and protect her, their relatives began to distance themselves from them.

When her mother recently passed away due to her illness, the rumors flared up again.

See, that girl is really bad luck. She killed her father ten years ago, and now she's killed her mother too.

Qin Sisi rubbed her eyes, lifting her head to see that the rain had somehow stopped already.

She held the cat in her arms and stepped out from under the roof ledge. Only a slight drizzle remained, but the wind was still cold. Qin Sisi tightened her grip around the cat, quickening her pace in the direction of her rented room.

She rented a small room in an old and worn-out building, at the top floor, so the rent was relatively cheaper. Although the rent was more expensive than sharing a dorm room, the advantage of having an independent kitchen and washroom was worth the extra cost for Sisi, who preferred her solitude. However, after paying rent and other necessary expenses, she was left with very little money and had to be quite frugal to get by.

Just as she was about to enter the building complex, a brisk, sinister wind swept past her. Sisi instantly tightened her hold on the cat, looking at the ever-swaying greenery nearby. The wind felt chilling to the bone, giving her a strange, uneasy feeling.

Just as she was thinking about it, she heard a sudden "meow", and the black cat escaped from her arms, running off towards the shrubs. By the time Qin Sisi had snapped back to reality, the cat had already disappeared from sight.

"Hey, little kitty!" Qin Sisi gasped, and hurriedly followed the cat, gently parting the branches of the shrubs to try and find the odd black cat. Suddenly, something flickered in her vision. The shrubs shone with a mysterious purple glow.

Reflexively lifting a hand to block the light from dazzling her eyes, Qin Sisi's world spun as the strange light blurred her vision. Suddenly feeling dizzy, she staggered towards a small nearby tree and collapsed onto the ground.