Li Guilan hurriedly tore a piece of tattered cloth from the room and wrapped it several times around Lin Xi’s hand, crudely stanching the bleeding.
Her movements were as rough as if she were handling a senseless block of wood, cinching the cloth so tight that Lin Xi’s wrist throbbed with pain.
“Enough, stop crying! What are you wailing for? It’s bad luck!” Wang Cuihua scolded impatiently. “Don’t even think about dinner tonight; stay in your room and behave! If you dare try any more of your little stunts, I’ll break your legs!”
To prevent Lin Xi from further “self-harm”—which might jeopardize the night’s transaction—they didn’t lock the door this time, leaving it slightly ajar. However, Li Guilan and Wang Cuihua took turns keeping watch in the courtyard like prison guards, leaving her with absolutely no chance to escape.
Lin Xi was driven back onto the cold bed.
Under the tattered cloth, the wound in her palm throbbed in waves, but the more unbearable sensation was the gnawing hunger in her stomach, which felt as if it were devouring her internal organs.
She knew that if she didn’t find something to eat soon, forget escaping—she wouldn’t even have the strength to walk out of the courtyard.
As night gradually fell, the aroma of stir-frying drifted in from the courtyard.
It was the scent of lard mixed with cabbage, and there was even a faint, lingering hint of meat.
Lin Xi’s stomach betrayed her, letting out a loud growl.
They were actually eating meat!
Using the money her father sent back to buy meat and celebrate the fact that they were about to sell her off for a massive windfall!
Fury and hunger intertwined, nearly tearing her small body apart.
She couldn’t wait any longer!
Taking advantage of the gap when Li Guilan went to the kitchen to fetch the dishes and Wang Cuihua was busy feeding Lin Dazhuang, Lin Xi gritted her teeth and quietly slipped off the bed.
Like a nimble little cat, she hugged the base of the wall and slipped out the door.
Her goal was clear: the woodshed in the backyard.
She remembered that her uncle, Lin Dajun, had a habit of secretly hoarding things. He would hide snacks he bought from town—a few dry biscuits or a couple of fruit candies—in a corner of the woodshed to satisfy his late-night cravings.
In her previous life, she had accidentally discovered this secret and eaten a single biscuit, only to be beaten half to death when she was caught.
But now, this might be her only lifeline!
The backyard was silent, save for the occasional chirp of insects.
Lin Xi crouched low and crawled behind a pile of firewood that was half a person’s height. Relying on her memory, she began to feel around in an inconspicuous corner of the woodshed.
Finally, her fingertips brushed against—A cold metal box.
It was that cookie tin!
Lin Xi felt a surge of joy. She carefully opened the box, and the aroma of food wafted toward her nose.
Inside, as expected, remained the last small half of a multi-grain biscuit—damp and gone soft.
To the Lin Xi of this moment, it looked like the most delicious food in the entire world!
She couldn’t wait to stuff the biscuit into her mouth, but just then, a ghostly green light flickered in the darkness. Immediately after, a low, wary growl came from behind her.
“Wuuu—”
Lin Xi’s body froze instantly.
Slowly, inch by inch, she turned her head.
There, in the shadows of the woodpile, crouched a skeletal stray kitten. Its fur was filthy and matted into knots, and a pair of emerald eyes flashed with a guarded light in the dark. A threatening rumble issued from its throat as it stared fixedly at the biscuit in Lin Xi’s hand.
Like her, it was a starving survivor struggling to stay alive.
In her past life, Lin Xi might have been scared into dropping the biscuit and running away.
But right now, looking at the little kitten, she suddenly felt no fear.
In its eyes, she saw the same despair, hunger, and wariness toward the world that she felt herself.
A strange sensation welled up in her heart.
It felt as if… she could understand what it was thinking.
It didn’t want to attack her; it was just too hungry. It was begging, yet also threatening—it wanted that biscuit.
The moment this thought appeared, Lin Xi found it hard to believe herself.
However, she didn’t hesitate. Driven by an inexplicable impulse, she made a decision.
She met the kitten’s eyes, making her gaze as soft as possible. Then, reaching out with her uninjured hand, she broke off a small piece of that incredibly precious half-biscuit and placed it gently on the ground in front of her.
She didn’t speak, signaling only with her eyes.
The kitten was stunned.
The wariness and ferocity in its eyes slowly faded, replaced by a hint of confusion. It seemingly hadn’t expected this equally frail human cub to be willing to share food.
It cautiously moved forward a small step, its nose twitching in the air. Once it confirmed there was no danger, it snatched the piece of biscuit like a bolt of lightning, retreated back into the shadows, and began to devour it ravenously.
Lin Xi watched it, taking small bites of her own remaining portion-a tiny bit of biscuit.
The dry, hard biscuit scraped against her throat, making it difficult to swallow, but that long-lost feeling of fullness nearly brought her to tears.
As she finished the last bite, the little stray cat finished its meal as well.
Unlike other strays that would bolt the moment they were fed, it stepped out and gently, softly, rubbed its head against Lin Xi’s ankle.
That furry sensation sent a warm current through the depths of Lin Xi’s heart.
This was the first spark of kindness and warmth she had felt since her rebirth. To think—it came from a stray cat.
“Are you like me? Do you have no home either?” Lin Xi reached out, tentatively trying to stroke its back.
The little stray’s body stiffened, but it didn’t pull away.
It sensed no malice from Lin Xi—only a loneliness and vulnerability similar to its own. It even submissively allowed her to pet it, a satisfied purr vibrating from its throat.
A tiny flame ignited within Lin Xi’s heart.
She suddenly realized that her innate affinity with animals might be more than just “affinity.” She could sense their emotions; she could gain their trust in the simplest of ways.
This… was her greatest trump card!
Alone, she was merely a three-year-old child with negligible strength.
But what if… she could have many allies like this little stray?
The village dogs, the birds in the mountains, the mice in the fields… what if they could all become her eyes, her ears, and even her helpers?
A crystal-clear, resolute thought exploded in Lin Xi’s mind.
She had to escape!
Not only would she escape, but she would take her new allies with her!
She was going to the frontier!
A thousand-mile journey to find her father!
She would find the only man in the world who truly loved her and tell him that his daughter was still alive. She would expose the hideous faces of these loathsome relatives and make them pay the most painful price for their crimes!
She looked down at the obedient stray at her feet, a determined expression forming on her small face.
“From today on, your name will be ‘Huzi’ (Little Tiger).”
“Huzi, are you willing… to go with me?”
The little stray gave a “Meow,” as if responding to her. It rubbed against her leg even harder, as if making a most solemn promise.