He was very confused. “Why did you come here?”
“Woof,” I nuzzled his palm, “To keep you company.”
After that day, I settled in Xie Zhuo’s tent.
The Snow Wolf Tribe people never bothered me. Regarding Xie Zhuo’s affairs, they always tried to remain indifferent—not having to deal with them was quite convenient.
But now, Xie Zhuo was causing me some worry.
At that time, by the ice lake, Xie Ling’s words seemed to have quite an impact on him.
It had taken me at least a year or two to find a body with a compatible spirit, and during those one or two years, Xie Zhuo hadn’t left his tent even once.
After staying with him in the tent for two days, I felt I couldn’t let him continue to wallow in self-neglect, so I tried every way possible to draw him outside to feel the breeze and sunshine again.
But as a crippled dog, I obviously couldn’t physically drag him out.
I tried to entice him out. First, I would play with him inside the tent, and when he was enjoying himself, I would run out through the tent flap, not going far, just staying outside the flap where he could see my fluffy feet. I would call from outside: “Woof!” inviting him to come out.
But Xie Zhuo wouldn’t come out.
I would wait a while, then run back inside.
He would stand by the tent flap, looking at me, as if under some prohibition, holding the flap but never lifting it.
“Woof…” I pawed at his foot.
“I won’t go out, little wolf. I’ll stay right here, not going out.”
Since play couldn’t move him, I grew more worried. But as I worried, another opportunity arose…
I was hungry…
Since entering this little puppy’s body, I had learned simple breathing techniques, sustaining myself for many days on the scattered soul power in the world. The principle was exactly like the basics of cultivation, but after all, I was still a dog, and over time, I couldn’t hold out.
My stomach growled, and my mouth felt dry.
I searched all over the room, wondering how to tell Xie Zhuo I was hungry so he would go outside to find me food.
Because Xie Zhuo also didn’t eat, the soul power offered to him daily by tribe members far exceeded the energy his body needed.
I had no mouth to speak with, no hands to gesture. Finally, I looked at the candlestick beneath the candle I had once entered.
I jumped onto the table, grabbed the candlestick with my mouth, and placed it on the table, knocking it around, like a beggar outside asking for food.
Xie Zhuo stood by the table watching me. After a long while, he said: “You like to play with this?”
“Woof?”
Why would you understand it that way?
Xie Zhuo laid the candlestick horizontally on the ground and pushed it away, making it roll far off.
I was annoyed, fetched the candlestick back, and placed it on the ground, clanging it. He seemed happy watching this and threw the candlestick away again.
I trotted over again, tail wagging, and brought the candlestick back.
After this happened a few times, I got angry.
Are you toying with a dog?
“Woof!”
I was very angry, barking with full strength, all three of my feet leaving the ground.
Hearing this, Xie Zhuo’s eyes curved with laughter.
“Little wolf, you’re so cute.”
But you’re treating me like a dog for your amusement!
I was tired and gave up on the candlestick, just lying down without moving.
The tent grew quiet. Xie Zhuo crouched beside me, watching: “Little wolf?”
I whimpered once.
“You don’t want to play anymore?”
“Whimper…” No energy left.
He finally seemed to notice I had no spirit and became somewhat anxious. He picked me up, and my stomach cooperatively growled.
“Whimper…” The master is hungry…
Xie Zhuo held me, looking for a good while.
“Are you… hungry?”
Thank heavens! You finally understand!
Fortunately, he used to like wandering outside, so while he never felt hunger himself, he knew what hunger was.
I immediately responded with a “Woof!”
He looked around the room. Of course, there was nothing to eat here, so he finally turned his gaze toward the tent flap.
I thought he would hesitate for a long time, since no matter how I tried to entice him before, he had never stepped outside.
But to my surprise, after only a brief pause, he picked me up, lifted the tent flap, and walked out.
The wind and sunlight outside finally fell upon Xie Zhuo’s face once more.
The breeze was gentle, the sunlight warm. I looked up at Xie Zhuo.
Seeing the outside sunlight and tribespeople again, his expression momentarily became dazed.
The tribespeople outside didn’t ignore him as before. They looked at Xie Zhuo too, curious about someone who hadn’t come out for over a year.
Xie Zhuo was silent for only a moment, then carried me off to find food.
His steps were quick, not dwelling too much on his emotions. He directly took me to find water, as if, compared to his feelings, he cared more about my hunger and thirst.
“Water,” he set me down on the ground and scooped water from the jar with his palm.
The cold water was warmed by his palm. My tongue lapped water from his palm. The touch of my tongue against his palm seemed to tickle him, making him slightly narrow his eyes.
“Drink slowly, mind the cold.”
Hearing these six words, a familiar feeling etched in my soul washed over me, and I couldn’t help but raise my head slightly to look at him.
In the gentle breeze, backlit by sunlight, I suddenly realized that with the Snow Wolf Tribe’s day after day offerings, he had already grown into a young man. Between his brows, in his bearing, he finally had the appearance I was familiar with…