Chapter 4: Shy

The morning glow colored half of the sky, adding a beautiful layer of color to the white snow.

Fusang, who was dressed in Su Yu's huge black cloak, followed him with interest.

They arrived at the town at the foot of the mountain in no time after going along the winding mountain road.

Fusang used to enjoy going out and playing all day when he was a fox, but those spots were all in the deep mountains and forests. This was his first descent of the mountains as a human, and it was also his first encounter with so many people. Fusang looked at the colorful roadside stalls and the never-ending stream of passersby, only to feel that his eyes were full of flowers. He couldn't get enough of it, no matter how hard he tried.

He gazed around with curiosity, and the eyes of others around him were warmly riveted to him and Su Yu.

A handsome young man and a charming youngster standing together was just like beautiful scenery, attracting the attention of countless people.

There were even some bold girls who followed them all the way with blushing faces and occasionally peered at them shyly and timidly.

Su Yu had grown accustomed to being watched by these eyes in the past. Only after he realized that these lingering and warm gazes showed no signs of fading did he tighten his grip on the hand of the person beside him.

He was carrying the carefully wrapped picture scrolls on his back and about to deliver them to the customers when he felt someone tug on his sleeve.

He turned his head to see the person holding him staring fixedly at the child eating candied haws on the street, his eyes filled with yearning.

Su Yu couldn't help but laugh, rubbed his head softly, and asked, "Want to eat?"

Fusang stared at him, surprised, and nodded firmly.

Su Yu found his appearance so cute that he couldn't help but tease him.

"Not buying," he said softly as he stroked the boy's smooth hair.

"..." The person's face crumpled like the folds of steamed stuffed buns in a steamer basket almost instantaneously.

Su Yu was eventually defeated by the anguished eyes of resentment and brought the sulking youngster to the street stand selling candied haws.

"How many can you eat?" Su Yu inquired.

Fusang sniffed, his sparkling eyes filled with dazzling crimson candied haws; how could he still hear what Su Yu said?

"You should buy a couple more skewers based on how much this little man likes it! All of the candied haws I have on hand were newly prepared this morning. I promise that they are fresh!"

Su Yu felt helpless and wanted to laugh when he saw Fusang's appearance. He grabbed a few copper coins from his pocket and handed them to the vendor before taking a large bunch of candied haws from him and handing them to Fusang.

He purchased a total of five skewers. Fusang picked up two strings in his left hand and three in his right. He was so happy that he wanted to roll on the spot.

But he wasn't a fox at the time, and rolling around was inconvenient, so he gave up.

Su Yu earned some silver after delivering the paintings to the clients, and he took Fusang to a clothing shop, thinking about getting some clothes for him.

A certain greedy cat was still eating candied haws while getting his measurements taken, and his cheeks and nose tip were smeared with red candy pieces, which made the shopkeeper laugh.

"SangSang, eat after going home," Su Yu coughed lightly.

A particular greedy cat crammed his mouth with candy while mumbling, "I won't!"

He jammed a skewer into Su Yu's mouth while eating, generously sharing the delicious food.

The young lady who had been peeking at them with a blushing face couldn't help but cover her lips and burst out laughing at his appearance.

Young Master Su Yu had no alternative but to smile and heave a sigh helplessly.

Fusang followed him around for a day before returning.

They went with only a few paintings, but came back with a bunch of things.

Fusang's new clothes, shoes, bedding, and a whole lot of his favorite desserts.

Su Yu only bought some paper and ink.

"Why are you...being so good to me? We have obviously only recently met." Fusang was puzzled.

Su Yu pinched his cheek and only smiled softly, "Because...you're a fool."

He was indeed an idiot. He didn't even know he'd shown his fox tail.

A certain silly fox glared at him angrily, then turned around and ignored him.

Probably because they had previously gotten along well, their lives were unexpectedly harmonious.

Su Yu would occasionally bring Fusang down the mountain with him. When Fusang wasn't accompanying Su Yu, he'd return to the fox cave or visit the bamboo spirit, telling him about the numerous interesting places and delectable foods in the human world. The bamboo spirit, who could only listen but not move, grew to despise him quickly.

Despite living in the mountains, Su Yu earned money by writing and painting. Fusang ground ink alongside him as he wrote and painted. He eventually learned to recognize numerous human words.

This year's winter was brief, with sunny and cloudless days following the heavy snow. The pink peaches on top of the mountain burst open with blossom buds when the spring breeze blew in March.

Fusang liked peach blossoms, so he broke one branch from the mountain's peak and planted it in front of the house.

Despite his diligent watering and fertilizing for several days, the spray died.

Fusang squatted beside the dead branch, his face full of unhappiness.

Su Yu chuckled and shook his head, but the next day he went to the market to buy two peach blossom saplings.

They planted two peach trees in front of the house.

This time, it was not dead. Rather, it grew very well. The branches and leaves were lush and delicate, and it appeared to be full of vitality.

Spring passed, autumn came, and before they knew it, more than half a year had passed.

"SangSang, come here." The autumn wind was gentle, but Su Yu's voice calling him was even gentler.

Outside, the light was just right and not too intense. Su Yu's hair fell like a waterfall of fine black silk on the creamy white wide-sleeved robe today, barely half fastened with a jade hairpin. He appeared to be a celestial being who had wandered into the mountain woodland in the sunlight.

Fusang narrowed his beautiful fox eyes and approached slowly.

"I will teach you to write your own name today. Do you want to learn it?" Su Yu asked.

Fusang became a little interested and nodded again and again.

It was his first time using a writing brush, and his fingers were trembling as he picked it up.

A big warm palm came up and wrapped around the back of his hand, guiding him to grasp the brush and write on the white paper stroke after stroke.

At some point, a familiar and warm chest attached to him behind him, making his back hot.

Fusang simply felt like his breathing was ready to stop, and a peculiar throbbing sensation rippled through his heart, causing him to lose control of the brush.

However, the culprit was still whispering in his ear, "Sangsang, don't get distracted..."

The tone was light and soft, like a feather tickling his heart, a little itchy and numb.

As a result, he wrote two or more syllables as a single word numerous times in a row and made a mess of the writing.

Fusang flushed and wrote for a while, unable to face the notion of abandoning the writing brush and fleeing.

When he stood up, his cheek brushed against Su Yu's soft and moist lips.

They were both stunned at the same time.

Fusang unintentionally caressed his face, merely feeling that the area where Su Yu's lips brushed against it was unusually hot. It was so hot that it scorched right through his heart.

In a panic, he raised his head, only to collide with Su Yu's inky black eyes. Those eyes were deep and black, like a bottomless pit, luring him in.

They were so close that they could hear one other's long breaths.

Su Yu saw the jade face of the man in his arms bloom with a little crimson on his cheeks, like a rosy glow spreading across the horizon, extending all the way to the tips of his ears. He was dazzling.

Feeling moved, Su Yu couldn't help but lean down and peck on the pink peach-like lips.

It was a shallow kiss, like a dragonfly barely brushing the water, but it alarmed the confused little fox.

Su Yu was shoved away violently before he could react. A certain little fox fled with practically half of his face red, not knowing whether he was embarrassed or angry.

Su Yu looked at the back of the person leaving in panic, and his lips perked up a bit helplessly as he murmured: "He's shy?"

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Chapter 3: SangSang

The night wind whipped and cut as heavy snow fell, engulfing everything and adding desolation to the already frigid winter night.

The house was lit with scattered candles. The lights flickered, and the silhouette of the man in front of the desk swayed.

"Bang bang bang!" The main door was suddenly pounded with sharp knocks.

Su Yu, who was working on a commission at the time, paused for a moment and raised his eyebrows as he peered towards the door.

Who could it be on such a freezing day?

He stood up and walked over to the entrance, placing the brush beside the inkstone.

Outside, it was snowing heavily, and a thinly dressed boy stood shivering in front of his house, his head lowered, a few clumps of fine snow on his head.

"You..." Su Yu was going to ask, but the young man abruptly raised his head, exposing a stunning face.

Captivating small red lips decorated the jade-colored skin, ice and snow were flesh and jade became bones. He was as bright and gorgeous as a proud plum flower blossoming on the branches on this cold and lonely winter night.

The boy blew on his ice-cold hands to warm them up, and his clear voice had a hint of longing in it. "I... I'm lost; can I stay with you for the night?"

Su Yu was taken aback. He deliberated for a bit before welcoming that unknown youth in.

The inside of the house was significantly warmer than the outside due to a charcoal fire.

The boy squatted beside the charcoal stove as soon as he entered the room and added additional coal. He appeared to be exceedingly cold.

"I'm starving; do you have anything here to eat?" The youngster raised his head and inquired.

Su Yu gave him some corn cakes and sweet cakes that he had already purchased from the cupboard.

The youth grabbed a piece of cake, brought it to his nose, and sniffed it, looked at it curiously for a while with a pair of dazzling gem-like eyes, before carefully putting it into his mouth.

Su Yu was amused by his adorable actions and couldn't help but smile.

The boy seemed to enjoy sweets a lot. He reached for the sweet cake and shoved it into his mouth. His cheeks ballooned on both sides, and he looked particularly cute.

Su Yu poured him a half cup of the peach blossom wine on the table because he was concerned he might choke.

The peach blossom wine was also sweet. The young man drank half a cup, licked his lips, and yelled for more.

Su Yu laughed quietly and shook his head, saying, "This wine is strong, so don't drink too much!"

"Humph!" The young man snorted softly, his nasal voice dragging.

Su Yu looked at his appearance and thought he seemed a little familiar, but couldn't recall who he reminded him of at the moment.

"What's your name?" he inquired of the youngster.

The boy was holding a piece of sweet-scented osmanthus pastry in both hands and bit into it. After hearing Su Yu’s question, he shook his head and said vaguely with bulging cheeks, "I don't have a name."

No name? Su Yu frowned and gazed at him, even more puzzled by the boy who had appeared out of nowhere.

Why did a beautiful young man with no name or origin come outside his house on a cold snowy night?

Before he could figure it out, the young man burped contentedly and looked at him eagerly, saying, "I still want to drink more of that wine."

His eyes were magnificent, like sparkling gems surrounded by a layer of mist, making it impossible for people to resist.

Su Yu dismissed his previous doubts and poured him another half cup of peach blossom wine.

"If you're tired, go to my room and sleep for a while." Su Yu was thinking about his unfinished painting in his heart as he stood up and returned to his desk after directing the young man.

Several outstandingly lovely blossoms were exhibited brilliantly on a thin silk canvas. Only a few scattered flower buds remained uncolored, despite the fact that the branches and leaves had already been wonderfully hued.

The tip of the brush, which had been dyed with deep red cinnabar, gradually fell, and the uncolored flowers were embellished with the final shade.

Su Yu set his brush down and remembered there was still someone in the room, so he glanced at the boy.

He did notice, however, that the young man was clutching his peach blossom wine with an intoxicated expression on his face.

His eyes were half-opened, his snow-colored skin had been tinted a light crimson - even the tip of his nose was a touch red - and his enticing red lips were coated in a layer of shimmering and translucent liquid.

For the most part, he appeared to be inebriated.

Su Yu secretly thought of bad things in his heart, so he promptly stepped forward to snatch his wine jug.

The young man whimpered, and his alluring fox eyes glared resentfully at him.

He reached out to reclaim it, but his feet were shaky, and he stumbled right into Su Yu's arms.

Su Yu rushed forward automatically to catch him, his heart filled with the warm and sweet-smelling scent of the youngster in his arms.

The young man rested his head on his shoulder, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.

His complexion was porcelain white, his cheeks were adorned with two red clouds, and his thick and long black eyelashes covered his eyelids like a precious jade treasure that could shatter with a single touch.

Su Yu was stunned for a moment before bending down to pick him up and gently place him on the bed.

The young man was incredibly light, and he easily carried him up.

Su Yu suddenly realized he had touched the foreign thing at his hand while covering him with the quilt.

He got a better look and noticed it was a fiery red fuzzy huge tail.

It seemed...especially familiar.

He stood there for a time, contemplating, and then seemed to recall something. "So it's you," he exclaimed, laughing.

***

When the boy awoke, the snow had stopped and the sun was shining brightly from the mountain's crest.

He sat up in bed and cocked his head to look at the painting above the desk.

The ink on the picture scroll had dried, and a cluster of enchanting and beautiful flowers showed their charm on the rice paper.

Su Yu entered with hot water, and when he noticed him staring foolishly at the drawing paper, he smiled brightly and asked, "Do you like this painting?"

"What kind of flowers are in the painting? They're so beautiful!" The boy sighed.

Su Yu stepped forward and explained: "This flower is called Fusang, and it is indeed rare in this part of the country."

He lowered his eyelashes, took a long look at the young man, and smiled at the corner of his mouth, "Actually... it suits you well."

The boy's lips were red and his teeth were white, his appearance was exquisite, and his lustrous eyes were filled with coquettish amorous feelings, which perfectly complemented this enchanting and delicate fusang flower.

"Since you don't have a name, can I...call you Fusang from now on?"

When he heard the words, the young man blinked softly and his tone was a little arrogant "Certainly not! It's obviously a flower's name."

Su Yu chuckled and asked: "Then what do you want me to call you?"

The young man was rendered speechless and stayed silent.

"I... humph!" Sulking, the lad got out of bed and walked away.

But a hand blocked his path and brought him to a halt.

"Angry?" Su Yu looked at him, his voice warm and smooth, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going back to my cave...home!" The boy glared at him with raised eyebrows.

Su Yu looked at him for a long time before suddenly smiling, "If you don't have a good place to go, just stay and be my company."

"I'm alone, and I'm extremely lonely," he continued earnestly, urging him to stay.

In his attempt to leave, the young man halted and uncomfortably turned his face away.

Su Yu laughed and shook his head before putting away the painting on the table and turning to face the boy. "I'm heading into town. Do you want to accompany me?"

When he saw that the youngster was not responding, he gently called again. "SangSang?"

The young man seemed to be stunned by this affectionate address. His jade-like porcelain white cheeks were colored pink in shyness, and his charming sparkling eyes were also misted with a little moisture, as he responded "Mn" in a low muffled voice.

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Chapter 2: Spirit fruit

The peach blossom branch in the little fox's mouth fell into the boy's arms as his jaws loosened.

He immediately leaped down and jumped into the familiar embrace.

"Where have you been, little fox? I've been looking for you for a long time." Su Yu wrapped his arms around it, his voice full of excitement at having lost and recovering something.

"My mother is gone, but thankfully you are back," he whispered.

With some effort, the little fox located a vine and saved the youngster.

"Little fox, now that you're back, you're not allowed to leave!" The child buried his head in his arms and repeatedly mumbled gently.

The little fox did not leave again, probably because he had wandered for too long. He accompanied Su Yu and spent every spring and summer in that ordinary mountain.

The youngster grew into a handsome young man over the years. He had inherited his mother's gorgeous appearance and his father's strong build, and he had grown increasingly attractive.

However, unlike his father, he was more interested in the Four Arts and spent his days reading, writing, or painting.

The little fox enjoyed lying down at his desk and watching him draw and write. He would slumber in Su Yu's arms when he was tired.

When he felt lazy occasionally and didn't want to go back to the fox cave, he freeloaded on Su Yu's bed. Su Yu became accustomed to sleeping with the warm fox fur in his arms because it was so cozy.

Su Yu's father died of cold during their sixth winter together.

Su Yu and the little fox had dug another earthen grave close to the small thatched cottage, next to the old grave beside the cottage.

Su Yu knelt silently on the ground, staring fixedly at the graves, his entire body emitting repression and misery.

The little fox had no idea how to comfort him. He could only jump into his arms and rub Su Yu's chin with the soft fur on his head.

Su Yu sighed quietly, his hoarse voice sounded sorrowful and melancholy, "My family is gone, little fox. I have no one in this world. I'll be on my own from now on."

A few drops of hot water fell on the top of the little fox's head, making his heart ache.

It stands to reason that foxes should not experience heartache. It was most likely infected by the teenager.

He suddenly felt an overwhelming desire to soothe Su Yu aloud at that moment.

Don't be scared; I'll be there for you.

But he was merely a fox with a low cultivation base, and he couldn't make a human sound at all.

The little fox immediately felt dissatisfied and powerless.

"Is there really no way for me to take on human form?" The little fox sat dejectedly in front of a big bamboo and inquired.

A few lush bamboo leaves fell as the bamboo rustled a few times. A pleasant masculine voice immediately followed, "Oh! Why do you want to become a human so badly? Isn't it wonderful to be a fox?"

"But he needs the company of a "human," not a fox," the little fox sighed quietly.

The bamboo spirit raised his head and laughed heartily a few times: "But your cultivation is too low, little fox! I believe hundreds of years will have passed by the time you take a human form. His bones may have turned to dust by then. Humans do not have that long of a lifespan. He can't stand the wait."

The little fox sighed again, "Then is there no way for me to turn into a human in advance?"

The bamboo spirit deliberated for a moment before declaring, "There is a way, but it is too dangerous for you."

"Then tell me quickly!" the little fox demanded, his eyes brightening.

"A sacred tree can be found on the top of Tianpeng Mountain, thousands of miles distant. It is said that if you consume the fruit of that sacred tree, no matter how low the demon's cultivation is, you can instantly convert into a human form." The bamboo spirit spoke eloquently. "But that fruit isn't that easy to obtain. The sacred tree is guarded by a divine beast. Just a puff of the divine beast's breath can kill a small demon with poor cultivation like you!"

"I'm telling you from the experience of one who has personally experienced it that it's best not to try it," the bamboo spirit warned sincerely and earnestly.

Of course, the little fox was well aware that he was no match for the divine beast, but the young man's mournful expression made him feel strangely uncomfortable.

Despite his low cultivation, he was incredibly agile. What if he succeeded in stealing it? He wasn't greedy; he'd steal one fruit and then depart. He could still escape even if he couldn't steal it.

The little fox made up his mind and started out for Tianpeng Mountain that very night.

It was a lengthy journey to Tianpeng Mountain. It took him several months to get there despite not resting and traveling day and night.

The divine beast guarding the sacred tree was no laughing matter. The little fox attempted to take a fruit several times without success before being caught and severely thrashed on his most recent effort.

He was crushed on the ground by the massive divine beast that resembled a cross between a tiger and a wolf, and he was dying from bite wounds all over his body.

His life was not cut short in the end. A passing immortal in white robe rescued him just as he believed he was going to die under the teeth of the divine beast.

"Little fox, why did you come to steal my fruit?" the immortal asked.

The little fox elaborated on the reason for his journey to the immortal. After hearing it, the immortal appeared dazed.

The little fox had no idea what the immortal was contemplating as he stroked his long white beard. "Forget it," he sighed, "since you and I were brought together by fate, I will give you a spirit fruit today."

"However, while the spirit fruit can help you increase your magical strength and cultivate a human form in advance, it is ultimately against the natural order and will force you to endure the agony of thousands of ants biting your heart. Moreover, this pain will last for three days. Will you be able to withstand it?"

The little fox nodded quickly, stating he could handle it.

He bid farewell to the immortal, cupping the shimmering and vibrantly colored spirit fruit in his palms, and returned without stopping to rest with a half-injured body.

Another year had passed by the time he returned.

It was winter again when he returned this time, and the entire mountain forest was buried in snow.

The little fox ate the spirit fruit in the fox cave.

The medicine's effect was immediate, and the little fox rolled on the ground in agonizing pain, his normally brilliant eyes dark and filled with tears.

It turns out that having thousands of ants bite your heart is so painful...

He curled up on the ground, his four claws badly mangled, whimpering and screaming till he eventually lost his voice.

All he could think about in his misery was the boy named Su Yu.

Su Yu... Su Yu...

The little fox thought that he was going to die from the torment.

When he opened his eyes again, he saw a pair of long, well-proportioned hands reflected in them.

Those hands were white and delicate, and they were stunning.

Above all, it was a pair of human hands.

When the little fox tried to lengthen his claws, he saw the exquisite hands move with his thoughts.

Was he successful? He'd transformed into a human?

The little fox sat up in amazement and dashed to the fox cave's mountain spring.

A naked boy was reflected in the clean water.

The young man had long black hair that cascaded over his shoulders like a waterfall, a slender frame, a gorgeous face, the corners of his eyes bent upward, and captivating red lips that shined against his jade-colored skin.

The little fox stared in disbelief at his own human form.

He...he was so good looking? He felt his face in confusion.

The youngster on the water also ignorantly touched his face.

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Chapter 1: First meeting

It snowed heavily for three days, and the entire mountain forest was blanketed in white.

The mountains had been totally buried by the heavy snow, and the little fox had spent the majority of the day wandering around without finding any food.

The sensations of hunger and cold were too much for him, and it became more difficult for him to walk.

Finally, he came across a thatched hut with lights on the mountainside, with the sounds of chickens coming from beside it.

The little fox licked its paws, wary of approaching humans, yet motivated by hunger, he made his way to the coop.

It was his first time stealing, and his technique was undoubtedly inadequate. He'd just about made it when the chicken in his paws squawked.

Immediately after, a man in a fur coat emerged from the home, brandishing a large stick in his hand, and slammed it mercilessly down on him.

The little fox cried in pain, abandoned the chicken and limped back to his dull fox cave.

The cave was gloomy, with little light from the sky. The few light rays that leaked in from outside the cave allowed the little fox to examine the wounds on his body.

His beautiful front paws were nearly broken. He carefully licked the wisps of blood on his wounds with his small tongue. His eyes went red with pain, and bright tears filled his eyes.

When his injuries healed, he had to teach that man a lesson! This incident was bitterly noted down in the heart of the spiteful little fox.

He was only a demon who hadn't yet taken on human form. Despite his youth and low cultivation, being hungry and cold would not kill him. He'd only feel ill as a result.

The little fox had healed his wounds in the fox cave by the time the snow melted.

He followed the previous path and stole beside the small thatched cottage again.

Fortunately for him, the person who had beaten him that day was not present.

The little fox proudly snatched two chickens and was about to depart when he heard a baby crying in the house.

He leaned in and peered through the window, where he saw a baby on the bed and a beautiful woman sleeping beside the baby.

The woman was born beautiful, with small cherry lips on her lovely face. Her complexion, however, was not good. Her face was pale and thin, her arched brows puckered, and she didn't wake up despite the child's sobs.

The little fox's eyes blazed with mischief as he tossed the two chickens he was holding and hopped in lightly through the half-opened window.

He jumped onto the bed, grabbed the swaddled baby with his front paws, and quickly slipped away.

The baby was thin and wrinkled, as if it had only recently been born. It wasn't afraid and didn't cry when it saw him, and it followed the little fox back to the fox cave with blinking small black eyes.

One person and one fox looked at each other as the little fox sized up the new stolen playmate curiously.

The cave was frigid, and the little infant turned blue from the cold and began to wail loudly.

The little fox was so annoyed by its weeping that he wanted to throw it out of the cave, but seeing how pathetic it was, he couldn't endure it, so he cradled it in his jaws to take it back, taking advantage of the fact that it wasn't yet dark.

The little fox left this mountain at the start of spring to play in neighboring woodlands.

It was some years later that he returned.

It was a curious coincidence that he remembered the wrinkled baby as he passed the small thatched cottage on the mountainside.

I wonder if it has grown up.

The little fox wagged his gorgeous huge coral-colored tail and crept over in the dim light of night.

The small thatched hut was shrouded in the dark, and spirals of smoke rising from the kitchen chimney lingered over it. It was peaceful and relaxing.

The window on the south side of the small room was half open, and he could see a child with his hair in two buns sitting at the table, playing with a white porcelain bowl in front of him.

The steam rising from the white porcelain bowl wafted out the window, and the little fox detected the aroma of fish.

The unique fragrance assaulted the fox's nostrils, causing him to drool. He couldn't help but jump in through the window and rest on his hind legs.

He was no longer the little fox who was pursued and beaten back then after several years of cultivation. Even if the kid screamed out to his father, he was unfazed.

The little fox leapt fearlessly onto the table.

He was taken aback when he saw the child's face clearly.

When he saw him, the gorgeous child was equally taken aback, and he forgot to eat the noodles he was holding.

After a long while, the child reached out his hand and stroked the little fox's fur, saying in a tender and clear voice, "Wow! What a beautiful fox."

It was the little fox's first time being petted by a human, and he was immediately embarrassed and unhappy. He wanted to open his mouth and bite the child.

However, the child unexpectedly took him into his arms.

With a smile more dazzling than the red plum bloom in the snow, the child held him close and rubbed him against his neck. "Why did you run into the house, little fox? Are you really so hungry?"

The little fox didn't say anything, but his bright and clear eyes were fixed on him.

With a bit of pitiful air containing hidden bitterness.

The child patted his head, pushed the steaming bowl of fish soup noodles in front of him, grinned, and said, "Eat it quickly and then return. If my father sees you, he will catch you and beat you to death."

The little fox barked and bared his teeth.

Is he going to dismiss me with a bowl of fish soup noodles after repeatedly touching and hugging me?

However, the aroma of the fish noodle soup was too enticing. He turned his enormous fluffy head in contempt, then quickly turned it back.

In the end, there was not even soup left in the bowl of noodles.

Seeing that he liked it, the child laughed, "You finished it, you're such a gluttonous fox," and played with his furry ears while giggling.

The little fox snorted and ignored him.

"If you don't have anything to eat in the future, come find me, but don't let my father see you. My father is a hunter. It will be impossible for you to flee if he sees you." The child softly exhorted him as he carried him to the windowsill.

The fox swaggered out the window and ran away.

After that, he went to the child's house several times to mooch a meal. But after a few free meals, he felt a little ashamed. I'll bring him some wild raspberries that only grow on top of the mountain the next time I visit.

The child appeared to be different from the human children he had previously encountered. The child was not terrified of him at all, and he even dared to pet him, tease him, and cradle him to sleep.

It was winter again in an instant.

Winters in that mountain were harsh, with no warmth or food. The little fox had grown accustomed to freedom and had departed before winter, eager to find new pals to play with.

He realized halfway through that he had forgotten to say farewell to the child.

He did the same thing this time, playing outside for several years before returning.

After all, this mountain was where he was born. Even if he had been to so many mountains, he still had to return to his hometown.

When the little fox returned, he immediately thought about searching for the child.

It was spring, and the forest's peach blossoms were in full bloom, their pink petals dancing in the breeze. The little fox returned to the little cottage, holding one of the best flowering peach blooms in his jaws.

Surprisingly, it was absolutely vacant and there was no sign of the person he wanted to see.

There was a small grave outside the cottage, and the earth appeared to be fresh.

Did he leave? The little fox returned with the peach spray in his mouth, a little dejected in his heart.

On his way back to the fox cave, he overheard someone yelling for aid.

He looked for the source of the sound and discovered a big sinkhole.

An eleven- or twelve-year-old boy stood in the sinkhole, with a handsome figure and a set of clear, brilliant eyes on his little face.

The little fox recognized him right away as Su Yu, the boy who had previously given him fish soup noodles.

Su Yu appeared to recognize him as well. "Little fox, you are finally back," he exclaimed, his eyes brightening in an instant.

TOC ┃ Next

Small Vinegar Jar [Oneshot]

1

Shen Yitian had a boyfriend for the first time in his life. His boyfriend had a lovely name—Jiang Chenchen.

His little boyfriend was exquisite and beautiful, but he didn't seem to have much self-consciousness. He would inadvertently attract many admirers, and Shen Yitian had no choice but to enjoy some sweet worries.

"Hello, hello, is this Senior xx?" Jiang Chenchen's gentle voice came from the side.

Shen Yitian, who was playing with his mobile phone, raised his head alertly. His ears trembled, suddenly standing up.

Senior? Why was he calling so affectionately?

"Yes, I haven't got in touch for a long time, of course I miss you." Jiang Chenchen's voice had a smile.

Shen Yitian's expression instantly became serious, and taking advantage of Jiang Chenchen's inattention, he quietly approached his mobile phone.

"Oh, you're preparing to pick up your girlfriend?" Jiang Chenchen was a little regretful, "Okay I'll talk to you later then!"

Shen Yitian's expression eased, his pricked ears also relaxed. He lowered his head and continued to browse on his phone.

Jiang Chenchen hung up the phone and continued to search for materials to write the final thesis.

Right at the moment he started tidying up, Shen Yitian suddenly spoke in a voice carrying hidden bitterness: "Who is Senior xx?"

2

Shen Yitian and Jiang Chenchen were walking on the road known as a local internet celebrity street.

In order to attract more fans, internet celebrities often filmed on this street.

Wu Di was one of these internet celebrities. He was a loyal fan of Pokémon. He even made a Pikachu brooch himself.

Although this brooch was roughly made, his fans seemed to be happy to see him embarrassed.

Since he filmed a video introducing the origin of this brooch, every video he released afterwards would have comments from fans encouraging him to wear the brooch.

In order to be remembered in all kinds of traffic and to satisfy the evil taste of his fans, he chose to "bear the humiliation" and wear it every time he filmed.

Although, it was a bit embarrassing to wear it on the street-after all, its workmanship was really not good. But he comforted himself, for the sake of traffic, for more money, these were all tolerable.

Wu Di's shooting location this time was a famous internet celebrity street. He found a suitable angle, turned on the camera of his phone, and prepared to shoot a video as usual, when he suddenly felt a line of sight that was hard to ignore—

A beautiful young man stared straight at him—at the brooch on his shirt.

The sight of such a beautiful young man actually stayed on him—Wu Di was flattered and showed what he thought was a perfect smile at the young man.

But he was not able to continue to enjoy the gaze of the young man. The young man's eyes were promptly covered by the hand of the man who followed closely behind him.

The youth's footsteps came to a stop. He stretched out his hand and gently pulled the man's arm. He turned around and said something to the man, but the man was not satisfied and still covered his eyes.

The young man thought for a while, his face seemed to be blushing, and he muttered to the man in a low voice, as if he had promised some benefits. The man took his hand away from the young man's eyes. He took the young man's hand and placed it on his arm.

The youth's face looked redder.

When passing by him, the man turned his eyes, as if mocking him: "Some people are so ordinary, but so confident..."

"Don't be jealous, I'm just looking at that Pikachu..."

The voice of the youth came from behind Wu Di, drifting away.

3

Every Saturday evening at six, Jiang Chenchen went to tutor Xiao Lin, a boy in senior high school.

There was no doubt that Jiang Chenchen was a humorous and witty teacher. Young boys seem to be attracted to such excellent and similar aged people.

When Jiang Chenchen jokingly told Shen Yitian one day that his student was very sticky with him, Shen Yitian felt a thump in his heart.

That stinky kid must have a good impression of my family's Chenchen!

Shen Yitian was jealous, but he said with a smile, "Really? I'll drive you there next week. I can also guide my junior brother in passing."

Jiang Chenchen didn't think much. He even expressed some surprise: "Great, he will be very happy to have an excellent senior like you as a role model."

Shen Yitian smiled and nodded, but the villain in his heart was expressionless, even darkly thinking about a thousand ways for the little boy to die.

Saturday arrived soon, and when Xiao Lin opened the door, he saw a man who looked fierce standing beside his gentle tutor.

But when the teacher turned his head to talk to the man, the man showed a soft smile again.

Xiao Lin looked at the man's face in surprise.

After inviting the teacher and the man to sit down, Xiao Lin sat as usual to do the questions under the guidance of the teacher. But different from the past, he always felt cold on his neck that day. He even shivered when doing the questions.

Before he left, Xiao Lin saw the man behind the teacher suddenly turn his head after the teacher went out, and silently said to him: "He is mine."

Only then did Xiao Lin react, with some clarity and unwillingness: "Stingy man!"

4

With the accumulation of time with Shen Yitian, Jiang Chenchen had become more and more aware of the nature of his vinegar essence.

But he was not bothered by this. He even thought that this was a small delight between him and his lover.

However, he would pay more attention to his own words and deeds. He felt sweet for his lover's possessiveness towards him, but he would not deliberately wear down Shen Yitian's feelings for him.

That's right, Shen Yitian was already his lover.

When Shen Yitian proposed to him to get married one day, he was not surprised, and even thought it was a matter of course.

After all, they loved each other. Shen Yitian used jealousy to show that he cared, and Jiang Chenchen used tolerance to respond to him.

When the two exchanged rings, Jiang Chenchen smiled and said, "Well, Mr. Shen Yitian, now I announce that you are just my little vinegar jar."

---

Translator BTS:

Chipoholic: Hey Decembery, check out this short story. Let's post this?
Decembery: Yes! It's so fluffy.

A few minutes later...

Chipoholic: Is the editing done?
Decembery: But you haven't shared the translation with me.
Chipoholic: I have though.
Decembary: Oh that. Wait, that was the WHOLE STORY??
Chipoholic: Umm...yes?
Decembary: I thought that was the blurb!
Chipoholic: …
Decembary: …
Both: 🤣