Live Cat Appraisal: Starting with a Beast That's Got a Long Prison Record

Chapter 52 Golden Tiger!
It is completely black, without a single blemish!
It sits quietly, exuding a calm and mysterious aura!

Its fur shimmered with an almost deep blue glow under the light, and its golden pupils appeared exceptionally deep and bright against the pure black background!
As if holding an ancient secret, it silently gazes at the person outside the screen.

Today, the cat star guest featured in Chen Nian's science popularization program amazed all the viewers in the live broadcast room as soon as she appeared.

"Is this... a black cat?"

"Why does it feel a little different?"

"How imposing! I feel like it's looking at me!"

"The fur color is so unique! It's black with a bluish tint?"

"That look is amazing!"

After a few seconds of silence, the barrage of comments exploded, a mix of amazement and curiosity.

Chen Nian's voice rang out at the right moment, carrying a gentle tone that was almost a whisper, as if afraid of disturbing the ancient presence in the scene:

"This is no ordinary black cat."

"Friends, it is one of the most mysterious domestic cats in our Chinese land—the Black Cat!"

His fingertips gently brushed across the deep, dark image on the screen.

His eyes held a deep respect for ancient culture.

"Also known as the Cloud Cat or Roaring Iron, it has been entangled with countless legends and beliefs belonging to China throughout the long years."

A comment appeared on the screen:
"Isn't this just a black cat? What's the difference between it and a 'mystic cat'?"

Chen Nian simply smiled and shook her head.

Not all black cats are mythical cats.

“A black cat with reddish tinges is called a Xuan cat. Reddish tinges are red, so only a cat that is entirely black and appears slightly reddish-brown in the sunlight is a Xuan cat.”

"You're watching now."

He tapped the tablet, and a small sun appeared on the screen.

The sunlight shone on the black cat, and its originally dark, ink-like fur subtly shimmered with a deep and warm reddish-brown sheen, like fine aged mahogany or the solidified afterglow of a sunset.

“Look!” Chen Nian’s voice carried a hint of guiding magic.

“The word ‘玄’ in ancient times meant black with a hint of red, like the faint light shining through the deep sky before dawn.”

"Therefore, only cats with pure black backgrounds that can emit a reddish gleam in the sunlight were revered by the ancients as true black cats."

The audience was amazed by what they saw.

Wow! It changed color!

"so amazing!"

"My grandma's house used to have one like this! It was reddish-brown in the sunlight! I never imagined it was a black cat!!"

"So cool! I want the same style!"

Before the praise had even faded, some discordant voices were also mixed in:

“I was fortunate enough to see a black cat like this in person. It was so cool, but I didn’t dare to get close. My grandma said that this kind of cat is unlucky.”

"Yes, no matter how handsome it is, it's still a black cat! Dogs bring wealth, cats bring disaster, especially black cats like this!"

"When I was little, a black cat ran into the yard and my grandfather chased it away."

"unlucky!"

Faced with these outdated and prejudiced remarks, Chen Nian did not rush to refute them. Instead, she gently adjusted her posture and spoke in a voice as gentle and soothing as a stream:
Ancient folk records—

In the late Qing Dynasty, a wealthy merchant in Jiangnan was experiencing strange noises every night in his new residence. Furniture inexplicably shifted, and his family members suffered from constant illness. A feng shui master sighed, "The foundation of the house is pressing down on the yin path, which needs yang energy to suppress it." Following this advice, the merchant found a black cat with eyes like golden lamps and kept it in the central hall.

That night, the black cat sat on the roof ridge and howled at the moon.

From then on, the household enjoyed peace and prosperity, and both people and livestock thrived. The merchant commissioned craftsmen to create "black cat roof tiles" to be inlaid above the doorway. The black cat with golden eyes has been passed down to this day, becoming a local symbol of protection and warding off evil spirits.

"Another legend from a fishing village in southern Fujian—"

If a fishing boat that sets sail on a stormy night sees a black cat sitting on its bow, it is sure to return to port safely. Fishermen call it the "messenger of the Sea God".

Once, a young boy was in distress on a lone boat. In his despair, he saw a wet black cat leap onto the side of the boat. Its golden eyes were like candlelight. The boy followed the cat's guidance to avoid the reefs. The cat disappeared when it reached the harbor.

The following day, villagers found the black cat fast asleep behind the Mazu Temple, its paws covered in deep-sea algae—no one knew how it had crossed the sea.

"There are even more anecdotes from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio—"

The scholar rescued a black cat that had been injured by a mischievous child. After the cat recovered, it brought him a black jade pendant.

Later, the scholar encountered bandits on his way to take the imperial examination. In the instant the bandit leader swung his knife, he suddenly saw a huge black cat phantom leap out of the scholar's arms, its eyes shooting out golden light. The bandits were so frightened that they dropped their knives and fled.

Upon returning home, I discovered that the black jade pendant had been broken in two.

The old man said, "The black cat is spiritually connected and repays kindness with its life and soul."

As Chen Nian narrated in a deep and magnetic voice, the ancient stories seemed to unfold slowly in the live stream, carrying warmth with them. The barrage of comments earlier, filled with "bad luck" and "inauspiciousness," gradually disappeared like thin ice melting in the warm sun.

In the scene, the golden pupils of the black cat, bathed in the glow of the story, seem to have lost some of their coldness and gained more of a protective warmth.

Chen Nian's gaze gently fell back on the silent 'Black Jade' on the screen.

It's like vindicating a long-lost friend:

"So, fellow cat lovers, the black cat is not a messenger of disaster. In our cultural heritage, it was once an auspicious creature that guarded our homes, a guiding light for those who were lost, and a spirit that knew how to repay kindness."

His tone was gentle yet carried an undeniable force.

"The idea that black cats bring bad luck is largely influenced by stereotypes in some Western cultures."

It's not that 'dogs bring wealth, cats bring disaster,' but rather—

"Dogs bring wealth, cats bring nobility!" Even so, some viewers still disagreed in the comments.

"Then why is there a saying that 'pigs bring poverty, dogs bring wealth, and stray cats bring mourning clothes'? Doesn't that mean that having a cat in the house is unlucky?"

“That’s not how it is,” Chen Nian shook her head.

"Your thinking is like the Black Death in Europe, which was thought to be brought by cats as an omen of bad luck. If there are many mice, people will naturally be more susceptible to disease."

"Similarly, if there are many mice in the house, won't there be more cats?"

"Cats are in their nature to catch mice."

"Having a cat in your home is not unlucky. On the contrary, it means that your house has a serious rat infestation. Cats can kill rats, protect food, and indirectly promote the accumulation of wealth in the family. It's a good thing!"

Chen Nian's words were like a veil being lifted, enlightening the audience.

"So that's it!"

"Oh my god! I've been misunderstanding the black cat all along!"

"It's so unfair that the little hero who protected the food is being called a jinx!"

"My family used to have a rat problem in our granary, and a big black cat helped get rid of it! Later, it got old and died, and my grandma even built a small grave for it!"

Seeing the change in the wind, Chen Nian smiled with relief.

"Of course, these legends and stories, whether they are auspicious omens or warnings, are all imprints left by the past and belong to the folk culture."

"We modern people don't engage in feudal superstitions."

"Everyone just needs to remember one thing—" He gently swept his gaze across the screen.

"Every cat, regardless of its fur color, is a unique little sprite. Their cuteness and companionship are incomparable treasures!"

At this point, some viewers in the live chat asked a question out of curiosity.

"Hey streamer! How do you tell if a black cat is purebred and as 'expensive' as you say?"

Chen Nian's eyes lit up, and she became interested.

He leaned slightly forward, his right hand gracefully extended, as if he had transformed into a knowledgeable storyteller in a teahouse, exuding a sense of pride and refinement.

"When it comes to choosing a cat, we still have to look to the wisdom and vision of our ancestors!"

What does the coat color of a top-grade black cat look like?

"The ancients said: A black cat with a deep brown or wine-red sheen, not a dead black, and which gleams with a reddish-brown luster in sunlight, is called a 'Golden Tiger,' and its price surpasses that of gold!"

He casually pulled up images of ancient books on his tablet and began to speak eloquently:

The Tang Dynasty text *Youyang Zazu* also records: Pure black with golden eyes is a first-class auspicious omen, presented to the emperor; black body with white claws is called "Treading on Snow," a second-class auspicious omen, which officials can keep; and a tail tip with white is called "Black Jade Hanging Pearl," a third-class auspicious omen, which merchants love most.

He shook his head and laughed.

Their faces beamed with pride in the treasures of their local culture.

"Look at our black cats! Their noble lineage and cultural status are in no way inferior to those expensive cat breeds that have crossed the ocean!"

The audience listened with rapt attention.

In Chen Nian's description, the image of the Xuan Cat has been transformed from a simple 'black cat' into a 'cultural ambassador' and 'story carrier' that carries rich cultural connotations and a mysterious atmosphere, making it more attractive than the previous popular science explanations.

It can be said that all of this struck a chord with the Chinese people.

The DNA code is correct, which means yes!

When the science popularization segment ended, the comment section was filled with shouts of "I still want more!"
"Don't stop, host! Talk more!"

"This is so much fun! It's even more exciting than watching TV series!"

Chen Nian seized the opportunity to speak.

"It seems everyone's enthusiasm for our native cats is unstoppable! What a coincidence! I'm currently preparing to make a 'Chinese Domestic Cat Pictorial Guide' video series, which will tell you the stories of cats from across China! Please remember to come and support us when it's released!"

The screen was instantly flooded with comments.

"This time, definitely! This time, definitely!"

Chen Nian laughed heartily: "Okay, okay! As long as it's not 'next time for sure'!"

Next came the live chat segment.

The first lucky cat owner to appear gave Chen Nian a surprise right from the start.

The cat owner was not showing their own cat.

Instead, it is a circular relief with a diameter of 18cm. The cat on the relief is in a sideways, ready-to-pounce pose, with its front paws slightly raised as if pouncing!
The eyes, carved with double-ring openwork, look exceptionally bright and piercing, as if they were alive!

It was the very object that Chen Nian had just learned about.

Black cat roof tile!

"Host, host! I happen to have the black cat roof tile you mentioned. Can you help me check if it's real?"

The cat appraisal session instantly turned into an antique appraisal session.

Chen Nian slammed her hand on the table: "No one will support my lofty ambitions; I will brave the snow to reach the mountain peak myself!"

"This friend should go down and calm down!"

The atmosphere in the live stream room instantly became exceptionally joyful.

(Handsome is the only word, and I'll only say it once~)

　still there?

　　
　
(End of this chapter)