"Oh, honey, weren't you heading to work? Who's this young man?"
The door opened to reveal Goodman's wife, Mrs. Molly—her black curls framing a composed, attractive face, apron tied around her as she busied herself with household chores.
"This is Da Ye and his cat, Tom. I'll explain more later, but first, help them with some food," Goodman urged.
Molly nodded and ushered them in, pouring two cups of tea and preparing a small dish of water for Tom.
"Drink some water first. The food will be ready shortly."
"Thank you, Sister Molly," Zhang Da Ye said politely. He couldn't recall whose advice it was, but whenever he met a woman older than him, he called her "sister" for now, setting aside questions of formal address.
Molly was 37—prime age for a woman in this world, with her figure still commanding attention. Beyond forty, many women risked contracting a strange condition known as the "Oda Curse," altering their appearance and body. Zhang Da Ye wondered whether he'd still dare call her "sister" then.
"Oh my, you're so polite!" Molly laughed, delighted, and went back to the kitchen.
Zhang Da Ye sipped his hot tea, while Tom lapped at the water delicately—acting like a normal cat for once.
"So, Da Ye, see? Molly's just as wonderful as I said," Goodman said, taking the chance to recount his youthful heroic deeds that had won Molly's heart.
Within ten minutes, Molly returned carrying two plates—one large, one small—placing them in front of Zhang Da Ye and Tom.
"Still bragging, aren't you?" she teased Goodman, turning to Zhang Da Ye. "Take it with a grain of salt—maybe ten percent true! Try this, it's seafood fried rice."
"How can you say that…" Goodman muttered, pouting while reminiscing about his youth.
Zhang Da Ye simply thanked them and began eating. In a short time, he had grown accustomed to Goodman's personality—a boisterous, exaggerating yet kindhearted man.
"Smells amazing!" Zhang Da Ye exclaimed as he took his first bite. Thankfully, he didn't set any flags or rituals—just pure, delicious food.
Tom took a small spoonful and his eyes lit up.
"If it suits your taste, that's what matters," Molly said, curious about Tom using a spoon but not particularly surprised.
Having survived on raw fish for days, Zhang Da Ye felt like he'd discovered a delicacy, eating bite after bite without pause.
Tom, despite a slight preference for fish and birds, also enjoyed cooked food much like a human.
While they ate, Goodman explained to Molly how he had encountered Zhang Da Ye.
After finishing some chores, Goodman had gone to the shore to refill water and spotted Zhang Da Ye and Tom paddling in on a wooden board. Seeing that Zhang Da Ye didn't seem malicious and appeared unwell, he had kindly guided them ashore and brought them home.
"Thank you for the meal. It's been ages since I had something this good. Goodman was right about your cooking, Sister Molly," Zhang Da Ye said, finishing every grain on his plate.
Tom licked the rice off his whiskers, stretched, and showed a contented expression.
"Oh, you flatter me too much!" Molly laughed, covering her mouth.
"I'm just speaking the truth," Zhang Da Ye replied, feeling his strength return after eating. "Thank you for having us. I should be going soon."
"In such a hurry?" Molly asked. "Goodman mentioned you were looking for work?"
Zhang Da Ye nodded. "At least I've solved the food problem. Other things can wait."
Goodman patted his short hair and smiled. "In that case, I have a job suitable for you."
Zhang Da Ye assumed it meant shipwork and shook his head. "I can't do carpentry work. I'd only get in your way."
"Haha, don't worry. I'm not asking you to work on ships. With your build, you couldn't manage it," Goodman laughed. To him, Zhang Da Ye looked as fragile as a chick.
Zhang Da Ye silently acknowledged his weakness—even the fittest person from his old world would be no match for this shipwright.
Goodman cleared his throat and continued: "I think you've had a good education, right?"
Zhang Da Ye nodded. "I was a student before coming here."
"Perfect! I want you to teach my little rascal for a while," Goodman said.
"Me? I'm not sure I'm qualified…" Zhang Da Ye hesitated, unfamiliar with the world's knowledge.
"No problem. Just teach him basic literacy and arithmetic," Goodman replied.
Zhang Da Ye thought, *If it's just letters and numbers, that's manageable. Plus, this family seems reliable. Finding work elsewhere could risk encountering unscrupulous employers.*
"Then I'll stay and help for now," Zhang Da Ye agreed. At least he had a temporary place to stay.
He didn't have money for an inn anyway.
…
Splash, splash…
Zhang Da Ye was in Goodman's bathroom, showering.
After agreeing to tutor, Molly had prepared a guest room with fresh clothes and toiletries. She said their son Bail was visiting Old Bob, so Zhang Da Ye could rest now and start lessons tomorrow.
Goodman returned to work, promising to ask about the tutor's pay and ensuring Zhang Da Ye would be fairly compensated.
Zhang Da Ye gratefully accepted.
After washing his hair, he lathered Tom with shampoo, covering him entirely in white foam, leaving only his eyes visible.
Cats aren't supposed to use human shampoo, but Tom wasn't an ordinary cat.
Sitting on a small stool, Tom rested his chin in his paw, enjoying Zhang Da Ye's scrubbing.
Once rinsed, Tom shook off the water, revealing a sleek, clean coat.
Next, Zhang Da Ye squatted as Tom, standing on the stool, used a towel to scrub his back. Despite his small size, Tom's strength was impressive.
Zhang Da Ye enjoyed the massage, glancing at his own sunken cheeks in the mirror.
"Just five days without enough food… can it really make someone this emaciated?"
Having never experienced such hunger, Zhang Da Ye found it hard to judge.
"Though since Tom lost weight too, I guess this is normal…"
Suddenly, he noticed something odd. Turning to Tom, he asked, "How did you recover so quickly?"