Chapter 11: Communication

The so-called pet sound buttons are devices where the owner pre-records words in human language, allowing the pet to press buttons to express what they want to say, facilitating smooth communication between pet and owner.

It sounds simple but actually requires a lot of patience from the owner and intelligence from the pet. Currently, only two pet influencers in China have tried this, and they both have Border Collies, which don't conflict with Selene's plans.

Although Selene felt a bit lost in this unfamiliar field, she knew that the unknown also represented opportunity.

You never know until you try.

The first issue to solve was acquiring the buttons.

Selene thought this would be easy with enough money, but she quickly realized it wasn't that simple.

Since this device was quite niche, the buttons available on shopping platforms were mostly designed for dogs and were too large for a cat to press comfortably.

Selene had to search through multiple shopping platforms. After two hours, she finally found cat-sized sound buttons on an overseas shopping site.

Apart from being expensive, they were perfect.

As for the recording equipment, Selene decided to stick with her phone for now. If she spent a lot of money on professional cameras and her efforts didn't pay off, it would be a waste of money.

The last concern was the workspace.

The apartment had three rooms; one was her bedroom, and the other two were empty. She could turn one into a study and workspace.

But what did she need for a workspace?

Initially, she might manage with her phone and tablet for editing, but for more complex tasks, she would need a computer, so she needed a desk, chair, and a computer, which would cost a few thousand yuan...

Besides the human essentials, she also needed items for the cat, like a cat bed, toys, and treats—things she might use in her videos.

Just as Selene was happily planning, she heard the doorbell ring.

Opening the door, she found Mason, who looked a bit disheartened.

Selene couldn't help but tease, "What's wrong? You look so down."

Mason sighed deeply, "Selene, I'm leaving for school tomorrow, just came to say goodbye."

Selene chuckled, "You're going to school, not prison, why so dramatic?"

"School is no different from prison..." Mason mumbled, head down.

Selene had been quite enthusiastic about school, given her complicated family situation, but she understood why some people didn't enjoy it.

"Come on, a student's job is to study. Besides, you can still visit your brother on weekends."

Mason shook his head, "No, I'm going back to Yangcheng for school. You won't see me until winter break."

"Yangcheng? That far?" Selene exclaimed.

"Yeah, my household registration is there. Anyway..." Mason looked up seriously at Selene, "Selene, I'm leaving my brother in your care."

Selene laughed at the irony, "Taking care of your brother? He's the one who's been helping me."

Mason started venting about Rowan, "He might take care of others, but he neglects himself. He often forgets to eat while drawing and doesn't tell anyone when he's sick, just toughing it out. Once he had a high fever and passed out, and no one noticed. Luckily, I used to visit him often and found him in time to take him to the hospital."

Selene was puzzled, "Where are his parents?"

Even with her parents divorced, her mom would drop everything to care for her when she was sick.

"My aunt and uncle are busy people—one's always running art exhibitions, the other's doing business, flying around the world. They can't care for him."

Selene was silent for a moment. "Does your brother know you're telling me all this?"

It seemed like a breach of privacy.

"..." Mason realized he might have said too much.

But he subconsciously felt his brother didn't dislike Selene. Otherwise, Rowan wouldn't have asked him to help her so much.

Still, it wasn't right to tell her without Rowan's consent.

Mason felt a bit guilty.

Selene noticed his unease. As an adult, she had better composure. She patted Mason's head:

"It's okay, you're just worried about him. I got it. I'll go check on him later and help if I can. Don't worry."

"Thanks, Selene!"

Mason expressed his gratitude earnestly, feeling relieved.

He was very close to Rowan and feared the house would become lifeless after he left. Rowan had few friends, and Mason worried he might become depressed.

Fortunately, the neighbor he found seemed reliable.

Selene watched Mason enter the elevator before closing the door.

She leaned against the door, took out her phone, and opened the familiar yet unfamiliar contact.

Their last conversation was about asking Rowan to feed the cat.

Selene politely sent a message:

[Selene: Are you there?]

A while later, she got a reply.

[Rowan: Yes, what's up?]

Selene hesitated before typing:

[Selene: Mason just talked to me. He's worried about you and shared some things. I hope you don't mind.]

[Selene: Since we'll be neighbors for a while, if you ever need help with something, feel free to ask. I'd be happy to assist.]

[Selene: I know this might sound presumptuous, but please believe my intentions are good.]

Being neighbors with a single man, even one who seemed nice, made her a bit uneasy. But now she feels more at ease.

Rowan was just too good-looking.

She carefully explained, fearing it might sound like she had ulterior motives.

The "typing" indicator made Selene nervous.

Finally, she got a reply.

[Rowan: I don't mind, thank you. I'll consider it.]

After a few seconds, he added an emoji.

[��]

...Alright, he had his style.

Selene closed the chat, putting the matter behind her.

The immediate task was to write a script.

Unlike other pet influencers who relied on extensive filming for usable footage, she didn't need surveillance cameras since she was the cat. A pre-written script would suffice for recording.

However, she quickly encountered a significant problem—

She was alone.

If she became a cat, she would be a cat without an "owner."

The charm of pet communication buttons lies in pets communicating with their owners. If only she appeared in the video, who would she be communicating with?

Selene reviewed other influencers' videos...

Pet needs are mainly about food and play.

For food, pets typically request meals or treats, with the owner providing food when the button is pressed.

Most cats dislike going outside, so indoor play requires owner interaction, like with cat wands or laser pointers.

Her fantasies shattered instantly.

She couldn't complete the videos alone.

Selene slumped on the sofa, hands in her hair, feeling lost.

After much thought, she had a faint idea...

Could she use editing to interact with the cat through voice alone, without appearing on camera?

But after two days of trying with the buttons, she dismissed this idea.

It lacked appeal.

In social media, the goal is to provide emotional value to the audience.

If she wanted to pursue this theme, the focus should be on the warmth and healing from cross-species communication, where the pet's expressions receive feedback.

Having only the pet on camera would diminish the effect.

This approach wasn't viable.

In summary, this topic wasn't a solo act; she needed someone to play the other role.

Someone who, even knowing her secret, wouldn't harm her.

For some reason, a name popped into Selene's mind.

Faye, her sister.

Selene took out her phone, found Faye's number, and stared at their call history.

They hadn't spoken since a big fight two years ago. The last call was from that day.

Selene knew Faye had gone to grad school but didn't know which one. She didn't want their family to know about their estrangement, so she hadn't asked much.

...

Maybe it was best not to drag Faye into this strange situation. Selene could find another way to make money.

Just as she was about to close the call history, her finger accidentally pressed the call button...

The call went through immediately, without confirmation.

Selene was so startled she almost stopped breathing, trying to hang up...

But in the next moment, the call connected.

"Hello."

A cold, impatient voice came through, sounding just like Selene's, but with a different tone—more arrogant.

"You'd better have a reason for calling and not say you dialed by mistake."

"..."

Since things had come to this, Selene couldn't say their first call in two years was a "butt dial."

With no good excuse, she had to tell the truth: "I'm sick."

Silence. Selene thought Faye had hung up.

After a few seconds that felt like a century, Faye's voice returned, heavy with concern.

"What did the doctor say?"

"..."

Selene nearly choked, explaining, "Not what you think. Never mind... It's hard to explain over the phone. I'm okay. Just forget I called."

"...Huh?" Faye's voice rose sharply, "Give me your address, now!"

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