Maimai Chapter 41

One day, the human and cat were mysteriously transported into the same dream by Bai Jun(@柏了个君)[mfn]This is the author and their Weibo handle. So the “Bai” asking the questions is the author.[/mfn] through improper means.
(Most of these questions come from the Weibo comment section. Thank you all for your enthusiastic participation!)

Bai: Hello, you two. Please introduce yourselves.
Mai: (professionally) Hello, my name is Cheng Maimai.
Lin: I’m Cheng Lin.

Bai: You two are completely different species. How did you meet?
Mai: It was fate—destined by the heavens! He’s my savior!
Lin: …Mm. He was a kitten I picked up. Though now, he’s turned into a human. Can you believe it?
Bai: I believe it.

Bai: What was your first impression of each other?
Mai: Really great. I remembered his scent.
Lin: He was such a tiny kitten and not in great shape.

Bai: As a novice cat owner suddenly thrust into action, how did you feel at the time?
Lin: Anxious. (glances at Mai) …But happy.

Bai: Was Maimai easy to take care of?
Lin: Absolutely. He’s very well-behaved, doesn’t cause trouble, and is smart. My coworkers were all insanely jealous.
Mai: (shyly) Really? Which coworker?
Lin: That sister you saw last time—Jin Li. She has three cats at home. Not that guy who sneezes all the time.
Mai: Why does Yuan Jiaming sneeze every time he sees me?
Lin: He’s allergic to cats.

Bai: So, Maimai has been to your workplace?
Lin: Mm, and he even met the four cats.
Mai: All four have great personalities. I’ve already applied to the organization to have them registered in the system. As of now, the orange-and-white one named Yuanbao has been adopted by Sister Shi Jing’s colleague, while the other three are staying at Sister Xiao Qin’s place and working on a rotation. Coincidentally, the position Maomao left behind became available.
Lin: Very proactive, outstanding, a role model.

Bai: Speaking of Maomao, do you still keep in touch with him and Gungun?
Mai: Of course! Maomao has already turned into a human and reported to the organization. Gungun hasn’t yet; he’s currently working at the café.

Bai: What does Maomao look like as a human?
Mai: (thinking) Like his fur—very white. A bit taller than me, and super cool.
Lin: I’ve seen him too. He looks like a good student.
Bai: Is Gungun still as aloof as ever?
Lin: Is his aloofness really that famous? The last time I saw him, he inexplicably gave me a cold glare.
Mai: I feel like he’s been angrier since Maomao left. Rongrong analyzed that it might be because he misses having someone of the same kind around. After all, only Maomao was a kitty person like him. But when I asked Gungun about it, he just told me to leave.
Lin: So rude.

Bai: Has Cheng Lin been to Maimai’s café workplace again?
Lin: Of course. Got a membership card.
Mai: He comes often. Every time, he orders coffee with a slice of rainbow layer cake.

Bai: Maimai, your motivation is well-known far and wide. Some people are asking if you’ve been accepted into a PhD program yet. Do you have any career plans for the future?
Mai: Not yet. I’m still working through high school courses. Let me finish those first.
Lin: This guy was even watching online courses during our honeymoon.

Bai: So, does he come to you for help when he runs into math problems he can’t solve?
Mai: (answers quickly) He doesn’t know either; he’s only good at English.
Lin: These days, you can just scan the problem with a phone app to get the answer. Why would you need advice from someone like me, who graduated years ago? Besides, do I look like someone who got good grades?
Mai: Well, once I finish the courses, I’ll need to take an exam. Only after passing that can I enroll in the part-time university program. I’ve heard the test is really hard.
Lin: For you, it’ll be a piece of cake.

Bai: So, do you think you’ll become a director within five years? Everyone’s hoping to see a county- or department-level Cat-Mai!
Lin: (indignant) Are you trying to push too hard?! Take a look around—how many people in all of China reach that level of leadership by age 35? Don’t rush a cat’s growth, thanks!

Bai: Has the menu at Maimai’s Café been updated?
Mai: (nodding) We’ve got a new cold brew machine at home. It’s perfect for summer, and business has been great!
Bai: Your customers must really be supporting the business.
Lin: (smiles)

Bai: On your honeymoon, was your first stop really for skydiving?
Mai: Mm-hmm. We went skydiving in Queenstown, New Zealand and even took a helicopter ride.
Lin: We’ve been to so many places—let’s change the topic.
Bai: Why?
Mai: He spun around a few times in the air and threw up when we landed. Poor thing—I thought we might have to return home.
Bai: How did you handle it?
Mai: He was fine after throwing up.

Bai: During your honeymoon trip, which day left the deepest impression?
Lin: Hehe, a day in Paris.
Mai: Your birthday, right?
Lin: (not denying) What about you?
Mai: Every day was happy.

Bai: Everyone is curious about your preferences as a kitty person. It’s been said that Maimai had some trouble adjusting to European food. As an iron-willed Chinese cat, what kind of cuisine does Maimai like?
Lin: He can’t handle spicy food very well. We often go for yum cha.[mfn]Yum cha is a traditional Cantonese breakfast or brunch that features Chinese tea and dim sum.[/mfn]
Mai: I love shrimp dumplings.

Bai: Is Maimai a picky eater? What human snacks do you like?
Mai: I’m not picky. I like McDonald’s.
Lin: Picky, but he’ll eat whatever is given to him—just more of what he likes. At McDonald’s, he prefers the Double Filet-O-Fish, though that’s not exactly a snack. I don’t think he has a favorite snack since we don’t keep much of that at home.
Bai: McDonald’s, pay up!

Bai: Do you two often act spoiled with each other?
Lin: I don’t, but he does.
Mai: Do I?
Lin: All the time.
Bai: That’s just your opinion, isn’t it…
Lin: When he’s a cat, he wants me to hold him; when he’s human, he wants to hold me. Doesn’t that count?

Bai: What do you do if you upset the other person?
Lin: Apologize.
Bai: Why are you smirking? Did you upset Maimai again?
Mai: (complaining) He imitated the way I talk the other day.
Lin: All I did was mimic that little sound he always makes at the end of his sentences.
Mai: But you were grinning mischievously, and it didn’t feel nice.
Lin: My bad. I promise I won’t do something so unthinkable again.
Bai: So how did you two make up in the end?
Mai: He gave me a sincere apology.
Bai: And you forgave him just like that?
Mai: Of course! Couples need to communicate more. But honestly, I wasn’t really angry.

Bai: Speaking of couples, Maimai, do you still call Cheng Lin your wife? People are saying that it would be more appropriate to call him your husband.
Mai: (confused) Really?
Lin: (magnanimous) It doesn’t matter. Call me whatever you like.
Mai: Husband.
Lin: …
Bai: You’re bleeding from your nose. Want a tissue?

Bai: So, what would make you jealous? And what would you do if you were jealous?
Lin: (wiping his nose) There’s nothing you can do about it.
Bai: Really? Maimai, do you know what jealousy means?
Mai: I do. On our honeymoon, I bought a beautiful new harness at a store. That day, I turned into a cat and was standing on a table during a walk. Everyone thought I was a pet cat and came over to chat.
Bai: Hmm, you must have looked proud and full of energy.
Lin: Yeah, they’d never seen such a cute cat before, so they all came to pet him without respecting boundaries. My partner isn’t just an ordinary cat—shouldn’t someone do something about that?

Bai: How did Maimai learn to write Cheng Lin’s name?
Mai: I looked it up on my phone, but the teacher said it was a printed font and I shouldn’t copy it directly, so I corrected it later.
Mai: Now I’m even studying classical Chinese.
Bai: Impressive! What have you studied?
Mai: Rhapsody on the Epang Palace. “The northern slope of Mount Li twists westward, directly facing Xianyang.” Since I started learning later than others, I need to catch up quickly. I hope to bridge the age gap with everyone by the time I’m in graduate school.
Lin: No worries. You’re a hundred times smarter than the average person (pauses) Starting later is fine too; greatness takes time.

Bai: Has Cheng Lin’s reputation among the neighborhood cats improved?
Mai: (sighs)
Bai: What happened?
Mai: It had improved a lot because he often fed them with me. But ever since he caught three cats for neutering, it’s back to square one.
Lin: There’s no choice. Someone has to take on these responsibilities, and it’s for their own good.

Bai: Does Cheng Lin know that he has the nickname “crybaby man” in the kitty people community?
Mai: He doesn’t know. Maybe we shouldn’t tell him.
Lin: …Who came up with that? Why am I called that?
Bai: If you’re going to cry, don’t do it here.

Bai: Has anything changed in your relationship after marriage? Who makes the decisions?
Mai: We discuss things together.
Lin: Mm, but there’s nothing major. We just talk about what to have for dinner or where to go on the weekend. Nothing serious.
Bai: Can you use an idiom to describe your current life together?
Lin: Match made in heaven. Heh.
Mai: Super duper extra good.
Bai: An idiom has to be exactly four characters…[mfn]Chinese idioms (chengyu) usually have four characters.[/mfn]

Bai: Do you prefer hugging or kissing?
Mai: (sticks out his lips)
Lin: I like both.

Bai: Have you ever been drunk? What were you like?
Lin: He drank a little on our wedding day and kept smiling foolishly at me.
Mai: Then I took a long nap.

Bai: Are you planning to have other pets at home?
Mai: No way!
Lin: We’ve rescued many stray cats and dogs outside, but no new members are allowed in this house.
Mai: Turtles and fish are off-limits too.

Bai: What does Maimai spend his salary on?
Lin: …Lately, he’s learned how to shop online and keeps sending strange things home.
Mai: They’re not strange things!
Bai: What did you buy?
Mai: Little mouse toys and insect toys for the cats at the café.
Lin: I almost threw that bug out because I thought it was real.
Bai: Wherever you work, that’s where you spend!

Bai: How has Rongrong been doing lately? Everyone is very concerned about him.
Mai: Rongrong is still working. Now that it’s getting hot, he said he’s planning a trip to Jiuzhaigou[mfn]nature reserve and national park in Sichuan[/mfn] with Aunt Guiying.
Bai: Who is Aunt Guiying?
Mai: She’s the teacher from our craft class. Aunt Guiying is a kind-hearted Linqing Lion cat[mfn]a hybrid of the Persian cat and the Chinese native cat 鲁西狸猫[/mfn] who has taken in many stray cats. They’re good friends now.
Lin: They support and take care of each other. It’s not easy for Rong… Uncle Rong. He is over 70.
Mai: How could that be? Rongrong is only 53 years old.
Lin: Huh? I thought he was as old as the nation?

Bai: By the way, does Maimai still keep a diary?
Mai: Yes, I do. It’s easy now. I can write all the characters without needing pinyin.
Bai: Sounds really J![mfn]J is part of MBTI. J (Judging) people like to plan and organize, while P (Perceiving) people prefer flexibility and spontaneity.[/mfn] MBTI is popular lately—what types are you both? (hands over phone)

—Ten minutes later—
Mai: I’m an ENFJ.
Bai: A natural politician.
Lin: ENFP.
Bai: Two extroverts. This is a first…

Bai: Did Maimai win anything in the recent labor skills competition?
Mai: Yes, I won the popularity award, so I didn’t leave empty-handed. But after seeing others’ latte art, I realized there’s still so much I need to learn.
Lin: You’re already good enough. I can’t even do latte art.

Bai: By the way, Cheng Lin, did you really turn into a cat? Everyone is curious!
Mai: (confused) Really? I thought it was just a dream.
Lin: (super loudly) Alright, that’s it for today’s interview!

(End of the extras)

Author’s note:

This is the last update for Maimai’s extra chapters for now.

About the main couple: As before, snippets will be posted on Weibo at random. While going through compatibility questions, I noticed many people were still interested in “what if” scenarios like childhood friends or classmates. I’ll try to pick up some discarded drafts and write them!

About other cats’ stories: I’m considering a different writing style for Rong, while no concrete ideas for MaoGun yet. As mentioned in my Weibo responses, I might include these in future published extras if the opportunity arises (my editor is already on it!)

Finally, it’s ad time again: Feel free to bookmark my author’s profile and check out my two new upcoming novels! I haven’t decided which one to write first.[mfn]Here’s a link if you want to support the author: https://www.gongzicp.com/zone/user-3753486.html[/mfn]

See you in the next story~

Translator’s note:

I think there are some extras on Weibo. Please give me some time to find them. I’m a bit busy with the year-end rush, but I’ll translate them when I can.

Thank you so much for reading❣️