Qi Yu nestled on the small couch in the bedchamber of Xuanzheng Hall, with two cushions behind his back and another in his arms. Gray Rabbit lay on the blanket beside his knees, ears drooping and occasionally twitching. Light Gray Rabbit curled up beside Gray Rabbit, the two rabbits huddled warmly together.
He held a new storybook that Fu Shun had brought that afternoon, about a scholar and a fox spirit. The fox spirit took the form of a beautiful woman and helped the scholar place first in the imperial examinations. In the end, the scholar discovered she was a fox spirit, called her a monster, and drove her away. He turned to the last page, closed the book, and said sullenly, "This scholar had no conscience. She helped him so much, and he drove her away just because she was a fox spirit. She never hurt him."
Qi Xiao leaned against the side of the couch, holding a memorial just submitted by the Ministry of Revenue. After hearing this, he said without even looking up, "It's a story in a storybook. There's no need to take it seriously." Qi Yu said, "I think if someone treats you well, you should treat them well too. What does it matter what they are?" The Vermilion Brush in Qi Xiao's hand paused, and he lifted his eyes to glance at him.
He closed the memorial and set it on the low table, then drew the travelogue they had read several times from the little bookshelf beside the couch. Qi Yu had been reading this travelogue since last year, and the stitching along its spine had come loose from use. He spread it open between them and said, "No storybooks tonight. We'll read this." Qi Yu immediately tossed the storybook aside and leaned