Tom once again pushed the ham and milk toward Shen An, patting his stomach as if to say he wasn't hungry.
But right at that moment, a loud grumble came from Tom's stomach, and he looked up at Shen An with an embarrassed expression.
Shen An chuckled, summoned his sword-grass, and divided the ham into two pieces: a larger one for Tom and a smaller one for himself. "Let's eat together."
Tom hesitated but then pointed at the smaller piece, indicating he'd take that one.
Shen An directly handed Tom the bigger piece. "You eat it. You've spent a lot of energy scouting the path, and I'll still need you to guide us ahead. I haven't done much, so I'm not that hungry."
Finally, Tom accepted the bigger piece. He took a hearty bite, his face lighting up with joy. His tail wagged so enthusiastically it spun like a propeller.
Shen An laughed at the sight. What an exaggeration! Who knew a cat could wag its tail like that just from eating a snack?
When Shen An took his own bite, he froze. This is amazing! A satisfied expression spread across his face. If I had a tail, I'd probably wag it too.
Soon, the man and the cat had finished their food. Though they weren't full, they were satisfied. They split the remaining milk evenly and drank it.
Shen An never thought he'd feel so happy eating just a piece of ham and half a bottle of milk. I must've really been starving, he thought.
As night fell, the two decided not to continue their journey. They found a safe cave, curled up inside, and rested.
Though the daytime temperature felt like it was 20 or 30 degrees Celsius, the night was bitterly cold.
Tom curled into a tight ball, shivering nonstop. Shen An wasn't faring much better, so he pulled Tom into his arms for warmth.
Tom's fur was soft and silky, providing a comforting warmth. Holding the cat, Shen An felt a rare sense of security.
Alone in a foreign world with no one to rely on, it's a blessing to have this cat with me. It keeps the loneliness at bay.
The night passed, and they survived the bitter cold.
The next morning.
The sun rose gently from the east, casting warm rays across the forest. A beam of sunlight broke through the canopy and landed on Shen An. The morning sounds of chirping birds and buzzing insects reached his ears.
Shen An opened his eyes but didn't rush to get up. Tom was still sound asleep.
After a while, Tom stirred awake, looking around at the bright sunlight before offering an embarrassed smile.
Shen An patted Tom's head and said, "Let's move, Tom. The wild is too dangerous. We need to find a human settlement. Once we do, I'll treat you to a feast."
With 1,000 gold soul coins at his waist, Shen An felt like a small-time millionaire. Once they reached a city, he planned to spend generously on himself and Tom. This wilderness life is not for me.
Tom nodded and took the lead, guiding Shen An through the dense forest. The sight of the man and the cat walking together created a strangely harmonious scene.
The road is long, but I have a cat for company.
Elsewhere in the forest, a lone girl was walking along a narrow path.
She had long, silky black hair that cascaded over her shoulders. Her skin was fair, and her figure was not only tall but also remarkably curvaceous.
However, her demeanor was the opposite of warm—her presence exuded an icy detachment. Her dark eyes held no hint of life, clashing starkly with her stunningly beautiful face.
Her limbs were well-proportioned and graceful, with her arms resting naturally at her sides. The deathly cold air she emitted made her difficult to approach.
The rustling of bushes interrupted her walk.
She stopped in her tracks, her eyes narrowing as her body tensed in alertness.
The bushes shook again, and out emerged a white-gloved hand. Then, a blue cat's head peeked out, looking left and right before stepping fully into view.
The cat and the girl locked eyes.
"Meow."
The girl's tense expression softened slightly. The cat seemed harmless, with its gentle appearance radiating no threat.
What a fascinating little cat. It's standing upright, and it's so cute, she thought.
"Meow."
Tom studied the cold-looking girl and thought, A human! Time to act cute. Maybe she'll give me something to eat.
Tom raised his voice to let out an adorable "meow" that practically screamed innocence.
Tom's effort paid off. His exaggeratedly cute voice melted the girl's icy heart. Her cold expression relaxed, and a warm smile spread across her face.
So cute! I want to pet him so badly!
The girl crouched down and extended her slender, fair hand.
"Come here, kitty. Let me pet you," she said softly.
Tom obediently walked over, letting her stroke his furry little head.
"So soft, so smooth. This cat is too well-behaved!"
For the first time, the girl smiled brightly—a breathtaking sight, like an iceberg thawing into a beautiful bloom.
"Meow."
Tom meowed again, pointing at his stomach with his white-gloved paw, as if to say, I'm hungry.
The girl immediately took some jerky out of her soul guide and handed it to him. Tom's eyes lit up, and his tongue lolled out in excitement.
The sight amused her even more. What an entertaining little cat. It seems like he's all alone in this dangerous forest. Maybe I should take him with me.
Her heart filled with a secret desire to adopt the little cat. She justified it to herself, thinking, It's not because I'm smitten with him. The forest is just too unsafe for him to be wandering around.
"I'm only doing this for the cat's safety," she thought.
After receiving the jerky, Tom immediately ran off.
"Where's he going?" The girl hurried after him.
Meanwhile, Shen An was trudging along, panting heavily. Why is Tom walking so fast all of a sudden? I'm exhausted.
Then he spotted Tom returning—with jerky in his mouth. Shen An's eyes widened in delight.
"This cat is amazing! A true treasure!" he exclaimed. Once again, I'm living off Tom's hard work.
The girl followed Tom, only to see her beloved cat delivering the jerky to a young man.
She clenched her fists. So, he has an owner? And now he's giving my jerky to that owner?
How frustrating. If only I'd met this cat sooner.
Shen An noticed the beautiful girl following Tom. It wasn't hard to deduce that the jerky must've come from her.
Something about her appearance felt familiar, though he couldn't quite place it.
Still, he knew he owed her a word of thanks.
Shen An stepped forward and said, "Hello, I'm Shen An. This is Tom. Thank you for the jerky."
[Ding! Your presence has been acknowledged by one of Douluo's protagonists. Fame +1000.]
Wait, is she Zhu Zhuqing? Isn't she part of the main cast?
Zhu Zhuqing gave Shen An a frosty look and said coldly, "No need to thank me. That jerky wasn't for you. It was for the cat."
Shen An smiled awkwardly. Yup, just like the original. She's as icy as ever.
Zhu Zhuqing turned to leave. If the cat has an owner, there's no need for me to stick around. I'd better get back on my way.
Shen An quickly sliced the jerky in half with his sword-grass. Sharing it with Tom, he followed behind Zhu Zhuqing.
What a joke. I finally found another human being. Even if she's as cold as an iceberg, there's no way I'm letting her walk away.
Besides, Zhu Zhuqing was a protagonist. How could I miss this chance to stick to her like glue?
Plus, Shen An and Tom were completely out of food. We've got to stick close and mooch off her provisions for a while.
Rich lady, don't leave! I'm starving. Feed me!