At 3 a.m., the landmines in front of the station

For example, Su Che would occasionally practice his finger dexterity while watching anime/drama.

After all, it's a basic skill; even without looking at the fingerboard, you can still achieve great coordination without neglecting either.

But Miya didn't do that; she said:

"My teacher mentioned that you can't be half-hearted when practicing the piano. Even if you look like you're playing, your mind is thinking about other things and you're not thinking about the details that you can improve when you play, so this is also a kind of ineffective practice."

Su Che felt a little embarrassed by what she said and gradually realized that he might not be unable to beat "that person," but rather that he had been taking too many detours by learning on his own according to his own ideas.

Who told me these things?

Who has ever been your teacher?

Having always walked in the dark, when have I ever enjoyed such meticulous treatment from Miya?

Thinking of this, Su Che's fighting spirit was rekindled.

"Miya, is there still a lot I can improve on?"

"Of course. You just need to practice with me, and I will point out all your mistakes and help you correct them."

But the condition is that you have to trust me and not get angry.

"I believe. I definitely believe."

Su Che nodded repeatedly.

"Really? Okay then."

The kitten's eyes darted around, and while An Qing was washing up in the bathroom, it suddenly whispered a suggestion:

“I think that a guitarist’s perception is also an important part of improving their level, and we should improve our perception.”

"Perception? What is perception? How can it be improved?"

Su Che frowned slightly.

Miya began to explain: "Perception is the ability to understand music."

My teacher once said that musicians with low perception are specifically characterized by only being able to distinguish between "good" and "bad" when listening to songs, without any emotional resonance. Such people are not sensitive or delicate enough and are not suitable for studying music.

To improve, you can start with any small thing in life. Anything that can trigger deep thinking and give you insights is an effective exercise.

So, if you own a cat, you can try petting me and see if you can sense anything special.

"what?"

"If not, then the method is wrong, or you lack practice and need more hands-on experience to unlock new levels of perception and improve your playing ability."

She offered advice that, at first glance, seemed perfectly reasonable.

Su Che thought about it and came to a conclusion—

The kitten is lacking love again.

"Row."

He nodded in agreement, and grasped Miya's small hand, feeling the warmth of her palm, and fell into deep thought.

You won't know until you touch it, and you'll be surprised when you hold it.

Despite being a petite and adorable kitten, her fingertips were covered in scars, and the rough calluses didn't feel pleasant to the touch, making one frown.

Such intensive practice will leave indelible marks on the four fingers of a musician's left hand.

When Su Che compared his own relatively smooth fingertips, he immediately understood that the difference was not entirely due to talent.

"Did you sense anything?"

Miya blinked.

"Hmm. I realize I'm a bit lacking in practice."

Su Che slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

"...What about other aspects?"

"I can feel that you are warm."

"...Is there anything else?"

"Hmm... let me think."

Su Che observed the kitten's arm and noticed that her skin was fairer than his own, several shades lighter.

"Your skin is so supple."

"...Because I don't go out much, I stay indoors playing the piano most of the time, which is probably due to my nocturnal lifestyle."

Miya smiled shyly, and squeezed his big hand tightly with her small one, trying to understand in reverse—

"Cat owner, your hands are cold."

"is it?"

"Hmm, I feel like your blood is cold too, the kind of cold that nobody usually cares about."

"..."

Su Che felt that Miya's perception was indeed extraordinary, and that she had been right about everything.

"I'm used to whether people care or not. If you're not strong enough, you'll never be cared about. Only when you become strong can you be cared about by more people."

Su Che stated his opinion.

This is a conclusion he drew from his own experiences growing up.

"Really? Does becoming stronger guarantee that someone will care about you?"

I think so.

What kind of care do cat owners want?

Miya continued to ask.

"This problem..."

To be honest, Su Che couldn't say for sure either.

But he could tell that it wasn't simply because the people around him cared about him.

"I get it. Cat owners aren't satisfied with just being cared for by their cats. Cat owners want to be cared for by something even more powerful."

"Pretty much. Humans are complex individuals."

Su Che said self-deprecatingly, "Being confessed to by someone who likes me doesn't guarantee acceptance. But if the person I like ignores me, it will be incredibly painful."

In this world, things like mutual affection are basically fantastical relationships. I think there will always be a difference in the level of acceptance between people; it's impossible to achieve absolute uniformity.

He expressed a complex viewpoint that the kitten could not comprehend.

The kitten thinks that if you like someone, you like them, and you don't care whether the other person likes you back or not.

After all, expressing oneself is not easy.

"I like people who keep cats, because people who keep cats are willing to keep me."

Suddenly, she looked him straight in the eyes and said those words.

Although his expression remained unchanged, the small hand he held in his palm began to feel hot and melt.

It was clear that she was very nervous when she said those words.

"is it?"

Su Che's heart stirred slightly.

"Hmm. I think I could live in a house with cats for the rest of my life."

Miya said earnestly:

"Cat owners are lonely, and I am lonely too, but when I'm with cat owners, I don't feel lonely."

Moreover, cat owners, once they have cats, stop overthinking like they used to. I think what cat owners lack is more good cats, not unattainable, imaginary cats—cats they can see but can't touch.

"You can see it, but you can't touch it..."

Su Che felt the warmth in his hand, looked at the soft face of the kitten so close to him, and knew in his heart that...

She is right before my eyes, within reach.

It can be seen and touched.

"As someone who owns a cat, my teacher once told me that practicing the piano requires taking it one step at a time. At first, I found it boring and didn't believe it, but after doing it and experiencing the benefits, I realized that this is indeed the shortcut, so my progress was rapid."

I think the same principle applies to raising cats.

To own a cat, you must treat it well to the core, focusing your attention on its feet, its immediate surroundings, its lap, and the heart of the cat you already have. This way, you will find joy and happiness. I believe it must be so.

"what…"

Su Che's expression hardened slightly as he listened to Miya's words, seemingly understanding something.

-

……

When An Qing came out of the bathroom, she noticed that the atmosphere in the room was a bit strange.

"Miya, I was just putting on makeup, what were you doing sneaking around like that?"

She glanced warily at the kitten's paw.

If I'm not mistaken, in that fleeting glimpse, the kitten's paws seemed to be clasped together with someone's, which contradicted the three-point agreement she had made with herself just yesterday.

Regarding boarding school

Miya has already made a guarantee—

First, never excessively encroach on the living space of your cat. This is specifically reflected in not fighting over cat food, being affectionate in moderation, and not being willful or mischievous.

Second, never use cuteness to seduce cat owners. Specifically, this means wearing pajamas to sleep and bathing yourself. It is strictly forbidden to be naked, but domestic cats can be.

Third, never ask for things you shouldn't ask for. For example, if your cat makes a promise to you, you can't ask for the same thing back. This will put pressure on your cat. So, you should keep personal and professional matters separate and not ask for rewards that would put your cat in a difficult position.

At first glance, all three rules seem designed to control kittens and benefit domestic cats.

But An Qing was very clear that making a promise was one thing, and how she actually did it was another.