Douluo Dalu: Starting With Tom Cat

Zhu Zhuqing wandered alone through the streets, feeling extremely upset.

She had come all the way from the Star Luo Empire, facing numerous hardships along the way. But when she arrived at Shrek Academy today, she was shocked to find that it was located in a shabby little village. Could such a simple academy really educate students properly? Zhu Zhuqing doubted it deeply.

What made her even angrier was when the academy's teacher told her that it wasn't yet time for the school year to begin and advised her to come back in half a month!

In frustration, Zhu Zhuqing turned around and angrily left, heading back to Soto City without looking back.

To make matters worse, all the inns in Soto City were fully booked, and she hadn't been able to find a room yet.

At the same time, Shen An was walking through the streets and alleys of Soto City with Tom, filling his stomach with delicious food. One set of bedding! Three Golden Soul Coins! And they claimed it was the hotel policy! All hotels in the world are the same!

Tom, holding a chicken leg in one hand and a grilled fish in the other, walked behind Shen An, steadily eating. His stomach expanded visibly, resembling a pregnant woman in her tenth month.

Passersby on the street couldn't help but glance at the odd sight: a cat walking upright with a swollen belly. Tom ignored the curious stares, continuing to eat.

Suddenly, as if he had noticed something, Tom ran ahead, gesturing frantically and pointing toward a street corner on the right.

Shen An followed Tom's finger and spotted a familiar figure. It was Zhu Zhuqing.

With a full belly, Tom waddled over, sweating heavily, and meowed happily, "Meow~ Meow~ Meow."

"Am I hearing things? Is that really Tom?" Zhu Zhuqing thought to herself. She looked down and saw Tom tugging at her pants.

It was Tom!

Zhu Zhuqing's face lit up with joy. She had initially wanted to pet Tom's head, but when she saw that Tom's belly was as big as a middle-aged man's, she withdrew her hand without a word.

"Since Tom is here, the person who raised him should be nearby too," Zhu Zhuqing thought to herself.

Just as she had that thought, a familiar voice called out to her, "Zhuqing? What a coincidence! Are you out sightseeing too? Why don't we hang out together? Soto City is quite lively at night."

A handsome face appeared in front of her, radiating a warm and pleasant aura that made one instantly feel at ease.

Zhu Zhuqing, momentarily dazed, thought, I've only been out for half a day, not half a year!

Tom's round belly and Shen An, who once seemed dull and unremarkable, now appeared strikingly handsome.

"Mm, what a coincidence," Zhu Zhuqing responded, regaining her composure and speaking in a calm tone. Though shocked, she still maintained her cold demeanor.

Shen An, not shy in the least, chatted on with Zhu Zhuqing, talking about how much Tom missed her after she left. He also shared how he fondly remembered their time surviving together in the wild—despite the hardships, those memories now felt sweet.

Zhu Zhuqing was starting to believe they hadn't just parted for half a day, but for years.

"Are you hungry? I bought a lot of food, it tastes really good," Shen An offered.

"No, I'm not hungry," Zhu Zhuqing replied, but just as she said this, her stomach made a loud, inappropriate noise.

Shen An smiled inwardly, watching her, the proud girl, before pretending he hadn't heard anything. If I laugh now, it'll definitely embarrass her.

"I'm not hungry, but you can try it," Shen An insisted.

"I really don't want any. Stop following me. We've already parted ways," Zhu Zhuqing coldly replied.

Shen An, feeling helpless, began eating alone, but Tom snatched the skewer from his hand and shoved it toward Zhu Zhuqing's mouth.

The savory aroma of the skewered meat, crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, was too much for Zhu Zhuqing to resist. She couldn't help but take a bite. "Mmm, so good!" she thought, surprised by how delicious it was.

Tom looked at Shen An smugly, as if to say, "Talking is useless. You should just feed her directly. She won't refuse if you put it in her mouth, silly!"

Shen An, once again silenced by Tom's lesson, realized that when a girl says "no," it often doesn't mean "no." She wants you to feed her directly.

Zhu Zhuqing's face, once as cold as ice, now flushed slightly as she ate the skewer, muttering, "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it for Tom. If I didn't eat, I'd hurt Tom's feelings, and that would be awful."

Both Shen An and Tom nodded enthusiastically. Right, right! Then you should eat more for Tom (and me)!

Shen An thought to himself, Taking advantage of her eating the food, I'll casually bring up the idea of obtaining my first soul ring. Surely, she won't reject me after this.

Tom, on the other hand, schemed even further. If I can get these two to get along, Shen An will be happy and I'll have a new mistress!

In the end, Zhu Zhuqing reluctantly agreed to Shen An and Tom's invitation. The trio spent the night touring Soto City, experiencing all the sights and sounds the city had to offer.

They watched acrobats perform, balancing on poles, walking tightropes, jumping through fire rings, and more. There were street performers with monkeys, performing tricks with impeccable coordination.

They also witnessed various soul masters showing off their unique abilities. These were mostly life-based soul masters—ordinary but still skilled.

Although Zhu Zhuqing initially maintained her cold demeanor, Shen An and Tom dragged her into playing street games. Slowly, she began to let go of her usual stiff persona, enjoying herself like a normal twelve-year-old girl. It was refreshing to see her act like a child instead of a cold, aloof figure.

Shen An smiled, thinking, This is how it should be. Finally, she's acting like a normal girl, not some ice queen.

He recalled something his roommate had once said. Zhu Zhuqing is too pitiful, burdened by her family's pressure, her irresponsible fiancé, and her older sister's threats. She has to face everything alone, so she's had to be strong.

Watching Zhu Zhuqing happily eating candy and playing games, Shen An thought, If she ever abandons us, I'll probably end up dying, but I'll make sure that doesn't happen. I'll make sure you can be yourself without any more threats. That's my promise to you.

Meanwhile, Tom was enthusiastically setting up opportunities for Shen An and Zhu Zhuqing to bond. He seemed to want nothing more than for the two to grow closer.

After a night of fun, the trio eventually began to head home. Shen An said, "The street's emptying out. It's getting late. Let me walk you home."

Zhu Zhuqing, reluctant to part, gazed back longingly at the street. She wasn't quite ready for the night to end.