In the night sky, the moon was hazy, the stars sparse.
The orange cat folded her front paws over her chest, staring at Li Ping'an with wide, round, unblinking eyes.
"I, the immortal, have fought that big Rat Demon several times already. I was just about to take it down.
What you did was far too considerate."
Li Ping'an said, "My friend acted without due consideration. Please accept my apologies, Immortal."
The orange cat nodded. "Mm, you seem reasonable enough."
"These are compensation for you, Immortal."
Li Ping'an took out some pastries and pushed them toward her.
The orange cat lifted her head. Stacked together, the pastries stood two heads taller than she did.
The orange cat's mouth formed an O.
"Oh~"
"And what's this?"
Li Ping'an explained, "Healing Pills for you, Immortal."
Li Ping'an had noticed some wounds on the orange cat, and her aura was unsteady.
He reckoned these were left over from her fight with the Rat Demon a few days earlier.
The orange cat blinked and swallowed them without the slightest wariness.
A moment later, her head tilted.
Her body toppled over with it. Plop~
(.-ω-) Zzz~
Li Ping'an supported her with one hand, originally intending to put her on the bed.
But he feared Old Ox might roll over and squash her, so he placed her in a basket nearby instead.
Then he once again entered his inner Minor World to practice visualization.
A night passed.
Old Ox looked at the little girl in the basket.
She had a fair, clean face and soft, delicate skin.
Her brows were long and fine as a painting, her eyes tightly shut.
Beneath her little nose, her lips were thin, their corners slightly upturned.
Old Ox looked her over, then raised his head to look at Li Ping'an.