Tiger, I rejected the iron rice bowl.

Fan Zhengcheng and the others broke out in a cold sweat. They gripped the end of the raft tightly, bent their waists even lower, and pushed off the ground with their feet. Under Tang Li's command, they gradually reduced their strength and steadily lowered the raft into the pit.

With a muffled thud, one end of the raft landed firmly on the frozen soil at the corner of the pit.

Tang Li finally breathed a sigh of relief and shouted, "Alright, alright! Hold it steady!"

Seeing that the "ladder" was set up, Wang Yuyu's previous tension vanished instantly. He rushed over impatiently, quickly raised his front paws to rest on the wooden raft, and peered up, ready to climb up.

"Wait! A secure job, don't rush!"

Tang Li hurriedly shouted, her tone urgent yet gentle, "This ladder isn't secured yet; it'll wobble if you climb it now."

"I'll reinforce it first, then you can climb it, okay?"

Wang Yuyu paused, looked up at Tang Li at the pit entrance with a wronged expression, and dejectedly withdrew her paws, letting out a soft meow as if she were pleading, "Then hurry up, I've wanted to get out for a long time."

After calming Wang Yuyu down, Tang Li immediately gave Fan Zhengcheng and the others a look and said in a low voice, "You guys leave first, don't stay here and provoke him."

"He's just relaxed a little now. If he gets scared and bites someone, I won't be responsible."

"Okay, be careful yourself!" Fan Zhengcheng nodded and quickly led Wang Jianjun and the others into the woods.

Wang Jianjun couldn't help but add, "Xiao Tang, please be careful!"

Watching the group walk away, Tang Li picked up the machete on the ground and began hacking and chiseling at the frozen soil along the edge of the pit, quickly creating a gap that matched the width of the raft.

She pulled hard on the other end of the raft, carefully placing it into the gap. After tugging a few times to make sure it wouldn't wobble, she waved to Wang Yuyu at the bottom of the pit: "Iron rice bowl, all set! Try to climb out!"

"Roar!" Wang Yuyu roared softly, as if in response.

He first raised his front paws and placed them on the raft, pressing down hard to make sure the raft was sturdy enough to support his weight. Then, with a sudden burst of strength from his hind legs, he steadily climbed onto the raft.

He climbed slowly up the log, step by step, his amber eyes fixed on Tang Li at the pit entrance. His movements were not fast, but they were very steady.

Before long, he climbed to the edge of the pit, gently pushed off with his hind legs, and lightly jumped out, landing steadily on the snow.

"roar!"

Wang Yuyu, now free, raised his head and let out a roar that shook the valley. There was no trace of his previous anxiety in that roar, only pure joy!

He shook off the mud and snow covering his body, rolled around in the snow, and then hopped around for a couple of steps, his tail held high like a happy little flag, as happy as a child who hadn't grown up.

"I'm out! I'm finally out!"

"I'm free! I'm free!"

"..."

Seeing his excited expression, Tang Li also smiled.

Wang Yu ran happily around in the snow, then suddenly turned around and pounced towards Tang Li.

He let out a light, cheerful growl, murmuring with delight, "Tang Li! Tang Li! You're the best! Thank you for saving me. Without you, I don't know what I would have done!"

Seeing Wang Yuyu charging aggressively towards her, Tang Li was already on guard. She quietly took a step back, assuming a lunge stance to steady herself, while simultaneously raising her hand to block him, her tone feigning fear: "Don't come any closer! Stop! Don't come any closer!"

But Wang Yuyu, caught up in his excitement, paid no heed. With his four hooves kicking up the snow, he pounced forward, his massive body instantly casting Tang Li into shadow.

Tang Li quickly lowered her waist and braced herself, then steadily caught him, supporting his upper body with a slight effort of her arms.

Wang Yuyu casually placed its two front paws on Tang Li's shoulders, clinging to her like a spoiled child. Its amber eyes were full of laughter, and it kept making soft "woo-woo" sounds. It also stuck out its wet tongue and kept licking Tang Li's cheeks.

"Hahaha... Stop licking it! It's a secure job, stop licking it! Stop it now!"

Tang Li giggled as he was licked, constantly turning her head to avoid him, her shoulders swaying slightly but always firmly supporting him. "You're too heavy, I can't hold you anymore! Get down, do you hear me!"

Wang Yuyu completely ignored her urging, instead deliberately rubbing the mud and snow off her body onto Tang Li's clean clothes, secretly pleased with herself: "Serves you right for laughing at me for being dirty earlier, now I'll let you taste what it's like to be dirty, let's see if you're still laughing!"

"Hahaha……"

Tang Li said she couldn't hold him, but her arms were as steady as a mountain, letting him rub against her and play around, her eyes filled with undisguised doting affection.

The two, one human and one tiger, frolicked in the snow until Wang Yuyu had had enough and then obediently jumped off Tang Li's back.

Seeing that Tang Li's chest and sleeves were covered in mud, making her look like a "little mud person," Wang Yu laughed even harder, wagging her tail rapidly and deliberately circling around Tang Li twice, looking like she had succeeded in her scheme.

Tang Li looked down at her mud-stained clothes, angrily raised her hand, and lightly tapped Wang Yuyu's head, the force so light it was like a tickle: "Look what you've done to my clothes! Buy me a new one!"

Wang Yu grinned and pretended to be stupid, sticking out her tongue to lick Tang Li's palm, her eyes darting around, looking innocent as if she didn't understand what she was saying.

Tang Li's face darkened. She reached out and ruffled his tiger fur, staring into his eyes as she asked, "Don't play dumb with me, I know you understand!"

"You did this on purpose, didn't you?"

"Are you still holding a grudge against me for laughing at you for being dirty?"

"You petty wretch! I've been so good to you, and all you do is remember the bad things I've done, not a single good thing!"

"Awooo!" Wang Yuyu let out two muffled growls, shook her head to break free from Tang Li's hand, and jumped up and down, trying to pounce on Tang Li again to act cute.

"Stop! Stop! Don't move! Sit still!"

Tang Li quickly pressed down on his head, pretending to scold him sternly, "If you pounce on me again, I really won't be able to hold you!"

"Look at your own size! Who could withstand you lunging at them like that?"

She paused, then softened her tone: "Sit here quietly, I'll go get you some food and drinks."

"Once you've eaten and rested, we'll head down the mountain, okay?"

Upon hearing "food and drink," Wang Yuyu's eyes lit up instantly. She immediately nodded obediently and squatted down on the snow, her tail still unconsciously stroking the ground, full of anticipation.