Lilah's face lit up at the sight of the present.

She had received many gifts before, but this one felt special—it was the first she had earned by being helpful.

Grinning with delight, Lilah accepted the gift, thanked the steward, and skipped away.

After Lilah left, the steward returned to the house and resumed his search for his young master, going room by room.

Meanwhile, Lilah couldn't wait to see what the steward had given her.

As she walked, she eagerly began unwrapping the box.

But her excitement distracted her—she forgot to watch where she was going.

At a corner where the path turned, she tripped over the raised step at the edge of the path and tumbled to the ground, her box and toys scattering far and wide.

The sound of a muffled sob escaped Tangtang's lips as tears suddenly welled up in her eyes.

Yet, before she could push herself off the ground, her gaze fell on the bench across the lawn. Sitting there was a young gentleman who looked slightly taller than her, holding a book in his hands. Beside him lay a sleek black cat, its eyes briefly flickered toward her.

Normally, if she were alone, Tangtang wouldn't hesitate to cry from the pain of falling.

But now, with a stranger watching her—someone unfamiliar—it was as if his mere presence forced her to swallow her tears.

She pressed her lips together tightly, forcing the sobs back into her throat.

Slowly, she climbed to her feet, her palms and knees scraped and stinging. Limping slightly, she made her way over to where her toys and gift box had scattered, picking them up and clutching them tightly to her chest.

When she glanced back at the young gentleman who had been observing her moments ago, he was no longer looking her way.

His head was tilted down, one hand flipping through the pages of the book resting on his lap, while the other rhythmically stroked the soft, furry head of the black cat beside him.

Tangtang recognized the cat—it belonged to a lady in the neighborhood.

Occasionally, the woman would let it roam outside to play, so most people in the area were familiar with it.

Despite its striking beauty and graceful demeanor, the cat was notoriously aloof.

It never allowed anyone to approach it, not even its owner, who could only hold it briefly before it squirmed away.

Like everyone else who had encountered the black cat, Tangtang adored it. She especially admired the elegant bow tied around its neck and the way it carried itself with such poise.

Yet, every time she tried to pet it, the cat would leap away, refusing even to glance back at her.

But now, there it was— calmly allowing the boy to stroke its fur, seemingly enjoying his touch.

Tangtang froze in place, stunned by the scene before her.