“Dad, there’s still so much left here. If we don’t gather them today, they’ll be too old tomorrow. What a waste.”
Xu Er Zhu hoisted his Back Basket onto his back, his eyes still fixed on the Ci Nen Ya buds on the treetops.
These things truly grew fast. Though it was just overnight, by tomorrow many would already be too tough to chew.
Looking at the valley full of Ci Nen Ya, Xu Lao Nian’er also felt reluctant to leave them, but there was no use in that. They only had three people and three Back Baskets – even if they wanted to gather more, they couldn’t carry it all!
“Forget it, we can’t carry any more even if we gather them. It’ll be dark soon, we should head down the mountain.”
With their father’s decision made, Xu Er Zhu could only sigh, lamenting silently that they had no fate with these Ci Nen Ya.
The three of them took one last look at the Ci Nen Ya grove behind them before turning toward the entrance they had come from.
Just as they emerged from the vine-covered entrance, a rustling sound accompanied by the suppressed hungry “growl” of a beast came from the nearby woods.
Xu Er Zhu, who was walking in front, froze upon hearing the sound.
He was very familiar with this sound – it was the “growl” of a Little Tiger, something they heard every day.
Turning his head, he indeed saw a Little Tiger emerging from the woods.
Spotting the Little Tiger, Xu Er Zhu was delighted.
With this little fellow’s help, they could wrap some more Ci Nen Ya in their clothes to bring back.
Thinking this, Xu Er Zhu began walking toward the Little Tiger while calling back to Xu Lao Nian’er and Xu Da Zhu.
“Dad! Big brother! Huhu is here! Perfect, we can wrap some more Ci Nen Ya in our clothes and have Huhu carry them back!”
Xu Er Zhu, taking off his shirt as he approached the Little Tiger, completely failed to notice that the look in this Little Tiger’s eyes was completely different from that of the one at home.
This Little Tiger’s eyes showed no familiarity or disdain, only full alertness. It had even lowered its body and bared its fangs.
Its posture was more like it was ready to pounce on Xu Er Zhu at any moment.
Xu Lao Nian’er, who emerged second from the entrance, was startled by the scene before him.
Watching Xu Er Zhu getting closer to the Little Tiger, and seeing the Little Tiger already scratching the ground with its claws, clearly about to attack Xu Er Zhu.
Without thinking, Xu Lao Nian’er quickly took off his Back Basket, hurried forward two steps, and threw it toward the Little Tiger.
“Er Zhu! Get back!”
Xu Er Zhu was startled by his father’s voice, but his body obediently stopped moving. He instinctively stepped back two paces, just enough for the approaching Xu Lao Nian’er to grab him by the collar.
Not only Xu Er Zhu was frightened by Xu Lao Nian’er’s actions – both Xu Da Zhu, who had just emerged from the entrance, and the Little Tiger were also startled.
Leaping aside to avoid the Back Basket, the Little Tiger became enraged.
This human actually dared to attack it!
The consequence of an enraged beast was a furious roar before it lunged toward Xu Er Zhu and Xu Lao Nian’er.
The three of them had no weapons at hand – the only things that could be considered weapons were the Back Baskets on their backs.
But Xu Er Zhu’s Back Basket had already been set on the ground, Xu Lao Nian’er’s Back Basket had been thrown away, and Xu Da Zhu’s remaining Back Basket was useless as he was too far away.
Just as the Little Tiger’s sharp claws were about to reach Xu Er Zhu’s face, a much louder beast’s roar came from the woods.
Then Xu Er Zhu and Xu Lao Nian’er only felt a gust of strong wind sweep past their faces, and in the blink of an eye, the little tiger was already being held by the scruff of its neck by another exceptionally robust big tiger.
The little tiger, with its four paws curled up and hugging its own fluffy tail, looked utterly docile—nothing like the ferocious creature from moments before.
Seeing the big tiger, Xu Lao Nian’er and his two sons finally felt at ease.
This tiger was truly an “old acquaintance.”
Placing his “big daughter” on the ground, the Tiger King nudged the cub around like a ball with his paws.
He kept nudging until the little tiger was completely disoriented, finally lying motionless on the ground.
Dizzy!
By now, Xu Lao Nian’er and the others had realized that this little tiger must be the Tiger King’s cub.
Judging by the little tiger’s size, it might even be a sibling of their own Huhu.
Noticing the Back Basket on the ground, the Tiger King roughly understood why the three had come here.
In the valley where he lived, there was a type of tree covered in thorns—turns out its tender shoots were something humans enjoyed eating! Human tastes were truly peculiar.
Using the tip of his claw to hook the edge of the Back Basket, the Tiger King righted the overturned basket and set it steadily in place. His thick, large paws were surprisingly agile, almost unlike a tiger’s.
Then, the big tiger turned his head toward Xu Lao Nian’er and let out a low “Awo?”
Xu Lao Nian’er was familiar with this sound—he knew the Tiger King was asking if they needed help.
Xu Lao Nian’er, who had never troubled this mountain overlord before, hesitated this time.
There were so many Ci Nen Ya shoots—he couldn’t bear to leave them behind.
But without the Back Basket, even if they used their clothes to bundle them, they wouldn’t be able to carry much.
Sensing Xu Lao Nian’er’s hesitation, the Tiger King followed his gaze to the Back Basket and cleverly deduced the reason for his indecision.
“Awo!”
Letting out another cry toward Xu Lao Nian’er, the Tiger King picked up the still-prone little tiger and headed toward the patch of forest where the cub had first appeared.
After a few steps, hearing no movement behind him, the Tiger King glanced back and saw the three humans still standing there dumbfounded. He swatted Xu Da Zhu with his tail and shook his head, signaling for them to follow.
The father and his two sons immediately understood the Tiger King’s meaning, quickly shouldered their Back Baskets, and followed.
This part of the forest wasn’t too dense and was relatively easy to traverse. Combined with the Tiger King’s leisurely pace, Xu Lao Nian’er and the others didn’t find it strenuous.
After walking for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, a familiar cliff covered in vines suddenly appeared before them.
Taking a few more steps forward, in the blink of an eye, the Tiger King’s figure vanished into the vines.
Xu Lao Nian’er and his sons hurriedly quickened their pace to catch up, only to find that the Tiger King hadn’t disappeared—he had merely turned a corner and entered a crevice about two people wide.
The crevice wasn’t very deep; they passed through it in just three to five steps.
Emerging from the crevice, Xu Lao Nian’er realized they had returned to the same valley, just at the opposite end.
This side was clearly much easier to traverse than where they had entered earlier. There was even a faintly visible path, seemingly worn down by frequent travel.
Following the Tiger King for another incense stick’s worth of time, they arrived at a cave. In front of it, three little tigers, similar in size to Huhu, were playfully pouncing and nipping at each other. Xu Lao Nian’er finally understood.
This was the Tiger King’s den, and that path had likely been trodden by the Tiger King himself.
Seeing their father leading three humans back, the three little tigers also pounced over, circling around Xu Lao Nian’er and the others while curiously sniffing.
Ah! Father brought humans back again! We can change our taste tonight!
The father and sons surrounded by the bright-eyed little tigers felt panicked, especially Xu Er Zhu, who had nearly had his head cracked open by the little tiger still held in the Tiger King’s mouth.
The hairs on their backs all stood on end. The three of them couldn’t help feeling their family had been somewhat overly trusting of this Tiger King.