Douluo Dalu: Starting With Tom Cat

The night passed.

Early in the morning, Shen An quietly got up from the sofa, sneaking out of the hotel without waking Zhu Zhuqing and Tom, who were still asleep.

Although Tom thought Shen An could break the strings of fate that even the matchmaker couldn't sever, he still offered advice—let Zhu Zhuqing take the bed while he and Shen An slept on the sofa. After all, Shen An was its master.

Shen An didn't think much of it, simply agreeing that it wasn't right for a girl to sleep on the sofa, so he persuaded Zhu Zhuqing to take the bed after much coaxing. Tom, being the observer, clearly saw that Zhu Zhuqing smiled in her sleep.

Shen An walked toward Soto City's morning market, greeting the bustling sounds of street vendors in the fresh morning sunlight.

He bought some steamed buns, rice porridge, and a few eggs to bring back to the hotel. He also inquired about rental shops, feeling an inkling of a plan forming.

Gaining fame required spreading one's name, but as a level 10 soul master, Shen An couldn't just go around ranting to gain fame—it would be suicidal. So, he decided opening a shop could be a good start.

Owning a shop would give him a place in Soto City while also helping him gain some recognition. Shen An felt it was a sound plan. He'd even found a few shops for rent, most of them struggling restaurants, and he had already asked about prices.

The first shop he visited was asking for 500 gold soul coins, with the owner grinning as if offering Shen An a big bargain. But Shen An, knowing that one gold soul coin equals ten silver soul coins or a hundred copper soul coins, knew the owner was trying to rip him off.

He left without hesitation and visited three other shops. The prices averaged around 400 gold soul coins, and eventually, he settled on a tea shop in a good location.

The owner of the tea shop was extremely eager, nearly pushing for an immediate deal. Shen An thought it best to consult Zhu Zhuqing first since she was a local and might have better knowledge of the prices. Plus, the owner promised to share supply channels and other facilities if Shen An bought the shop.

Shen An silently praised himself, "If I hadn't compared prices, I'd have ended up with that overpriced shop." However, something felt off—why was the owner so insistent? It seemed a little too eager.

After scheduling a meeting for noon, Shen An returned to the hotel with breakfast.

Opening the door, he found Zhu Zhuqing sitting on the bed, petting Tom, who seemed to be enjoying the attention.

"Ta-da, look what I brought back!" Shen An said cheerfully, holding up the food.

Tom's eyes immediately lit up upon seeing the food, and it nearly jumped out of Zhu Zhuqing's arms to rub against Shen An's legs, purring and drooling.

Zhu Zhuqing, watching Tom's antics, thought to herself, "How strange. It's just food, but he's acting like it's the best thing ever. Is this really just a regular cat?"

After feeding Tom, Shen An handed some to Zhu Zhuqing.

"Here, Zhuqing, a bun."

Zhu Zhuqing accepted it, eating slowly, and felt an unfamiliar warmth in her chest. After traveling alone for so long, she hadn't experienced this kind of care from anyone in a while.

"Zhuqing, you still have some time before school starts. I'm thinking of buying a shop, and there are a few rooms upstairs. You could stay there for a while, if you want." Shen An casually suggested as he ate. Internally, he thought, "She's eaten my food and now she'll stay in my place—maybe in a while, we'll even hunt soul beasts together."

"Zhuqing is cold on the outside but kind inside. Watch how I'll win her over." Shen An grinned, thinking he had the perfect plan.

Tom's ears perked up, surprised at Shen An's sudden proactive approach. "My master is finally making a move? On a girl?"

Zhu Zhuqing paused, then replied with a smile, "Okay. How much for half a month? I'll pay you."

"Don't be so formal," Shen An replied, waving it off. "Given our friendship, you don't need to pay me. We're comrades who've fought life and death together!"

"If she gives me money, how am I supposed to bring up hunting soul beasts later?" Shen An thought, feeling smug.

Zhu Zhuqing's eyes flickered, but she didn't say anything further, seemingly accepting his offer.

After breakfast, Zhu Zhuqing meditated and cultivated. Shen An couldn't help but admire her focus—no wonder she was the main character. Most people would be distracted at her age, but she stayed diligent.

Around noon, Zhu Zhuqing opened her eyes and noticed Shen An was playing chess with Tom.

During her meditation, Shen An had gotten bored, so Tom had pulled out a chessboard for a game. Shen An hadn't won a single round.

The two of them—one human and one cat—sat across from each other, the sunlight shining on them. The black-and-white pieces glimmered as they reflected the light.

Although Zhu Zhuqing had never seen this kind of chess before, she found herself watching them intently. For some reason, she found comfort in the warmth of the atmosphere between Shen An and Tom.

After a while, Shen An, noticing he was about to lose, "accidentally" knocked over the chessboard. "Ah, Zhuqing, you're done meditating. Let's go check out the room and check out of the hotel!"

Tom shot him an angry look. "Bad sportsmanship! You're cheating!"

Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help but smile inwardly at Tom's antics. "Shen An is so childish. He's losing and now he's making excuses."

Ignoring Tom's expression, Shen An packed up his things and prepared to leave.

Zhu Zhuqing, however, was no longer surprised. Although space soul tools were precious, Shen An and Tom had their own little secrets. Everyone had their own hidden side—even she had her own secrets to carry.

Hotel rooms typically needed to be checked out by noon. Shen An, however, was eager to leave before anything else went wrong, especially after the bizarre bedding incident yesterday.

He was looking forward to the meeting with the tea shop owner. He felt a deep emotional connection to owning land and property, having been from the Flower Family of Earth in his past life.

Tom shared that sentiment, dreaming of being a happy house cat, living without a care in the world.

Zhu Zhuqing silently accompanied the two.

"Now, let's head out. Our goal: finding our little home!"