Dong Huiying had been wandering outside for the better part of the day, not heading back home until it was nearly dark. Fortunately, she remembered the way; otherwise, it would have been truly embarrassing if she had taken a stroll only to get lost and be unable to find her way back.
When she returned, she bought some wheat bran, thinking that the food outside was both expensive and unpalatable, and that it would be more economical to cook on her own. She really wanted to eat meat, but meat was too expensive, and she was reluctant to spend the money.
Entering a narrow alley, she walked straight ahead towards the end, where Third Brother Shujun rented a house in town. Suddenly, she heard the sound of a cat and when she looked up, she saw a scarred man at the end of the alley, holding a filthy little cat.
The little cat wasn't a precious breed but a home-raised domestic cat. Its fur was very dirty, which seemed to indicate it was an unwanted stray.
