Bringing the White Fox Home

"I'm sorry..." Xiuniang lowered her head, feeling a pang of regret.

She had heard from her grandfather that Gu Zhao had encountered a formidable opponent and had been injured while fleeing, ending up here by chance. He might still have internal injuries, and now that she had made him intervene, she worried if it would worsen his condition.

"There's nothing to be sorry about." Seeing Xiuniang's timid appearance, Gu Zhao stopped joking and gently ruffled her hair. "I should be the one apologizing. I was delayed by some matters."

Xiuniang looked at Gu Zhao, so touched she was close to tears.

"Alright, alright, don't cry, don't cry." Gu Zhao had no experience dealing with a woman's tears, and neither did the girl. "Let's go home. Your grandfather is probably waiting anxiously."

Xiuniang nodded repeatedly, about to leave with Gu Zhao, when she suddenly remembered something.

She looked down at the blood-stained and dirty white fox, mustered her courage, and asked cautiously, "Young Master, it... it just saved me. Can I take it back and help it heal?"

"It's probably a monster, isn't it? Does it need you to heal it?" Gu Zhao asked playfully. "Perhaps its injuries will heal before you even get it home."

"Huh?" Xiuniang froze.

"Ying ying ying..."

The white fox seized the opportunity, pounced, and hugged Xiuniang's calf, rubbing against it and nodding repeatedly. It even exposed a wound on its side and twitched its body appropriately.

Gu Zhao: "..."

It was his first time seeing a monster too, and he was incredibly curious. If Xiuniang hadn't been so frightened just now, he might have already started examining the white fox.

The white fox couldn't defeat that ghostly creature, and that ghostly creature couldn't defeat him. Wasn't the food chain obvious?

However, since the white fox had just saved Xiuniang and could understand human speech, it could almost be treated like a person. Gu Zhao wasn't sure of its intentions, so out of politeness, he felt a bit awkward about directly touching it to determine its gender.

But since it was willing to follow Xiuniang, Gu Zhao naturally wouldn't refuse. "Then let's take it with us."

"Thank you, Young Master!" Xiuniang happily agreed and scooped up the white fox at her feet into her arms.

"Grandpa, we're back!"

Returning home with Gu Zhao, Xiuniang's face was beaming with smiles. She called out to Elder He, who was sitting by the courtyard entrance, from a distance.

"You're back!" Seeing Gu Zhao, Elder He immediately stood up. "The food is still warm in the stove. Zhang's wife brought some wild vegetables this afternoon, and I made some sugar porridge with them."

"Grandpa and Young Master, you eat first. I'll go clean it up." Xiuniang cradled the white fox in her arms.

Now that they were closer, Elder He could see the fox in Xiuniang's arms in the dim light and said hesitantly, "Did Young Master Gu catch a fox? It's a bit late to prepare it now, perhaps we can eat it tomorrow."

Gu Zhao: ???

Xiuniang: ???

White fox: ???

"Grandpa!" Xiuniang stomped her feet in distress, quickly stroking the white fox in her arms, afraid it would suddenly attack and kill her grandfather. "This white fox saved my life!"

"Ah?" Elder He looked confused. "How could this fox save you... save... save..."

Elder He's gaze towards the white fox turned horrified. "This is... is..."

Xiuniang nodded, then saw Elder He turn and run into the courtyard.

But he stopped after a couple of steps, realizing his mistake. He slowly halted, turned back awkwardly, and clasped his hands in greeting with a fawning smile, "This old man was blind. I beg the great White Fox for your forgiveness."

Having said that, Elder He couldn't help but glance at Gu Zhao beside Xiuniang.

The white fox ignored him, merely wriggling in Xiuniang's arms to find a more comfortable position.

Gu Zhao was also speechless. No wonder Elder He had run back to the village from Xiu Yue County so early. He was truly timid and afraid of these things.

"Is the stove still lit?" Gu Zhao asked.

"Yes," Elder He replied.

"Then it's perfect timing. I brought a few dishes back too, let's heat them up and eat together later." Gu Zhao gestured to the plastic bag and takeout containers in his hand.

"Oh! Alright!" Elder He had never seen such things before, but he didn't dare to ask.

Then Gu Zhao followed Elder He into the kitchen. Xiuniang, holding the white fox, went to the side of the small courtyard and scooped a ladle of water from the water vat to wash it.

"Ying ying ying..."

The white fox lay quietly on the platform, allowing Xiuniang to wash its fur and wounds. Its dark, round eyes carefully observed the kitchen.

Suddenly, the white fox couldn't help but twitch its nose, its pupils dilating slightly. The wounds on its body seemed to stop hurting.

"It smells so good!"

Xiuniang, who was washing the white fox, also smelled the aroma. She couldn't help but look back at the kitchen, only to see Elder He and Gu Zhao carrying out several bowls. The fragrance was coming from those bowls.

"Young Master, what is this?" Xiuniang asked.

"I brought a few dishes back," Gu Zhao replied. "Come over and try them, see which ones you like."

"Okay!" Xiuniang responded. "I'll wipe it..."

Before Xiuniang could finish, the white fox suddenly stood up. After shaking itself a couple of times, it instinctively glanced back at Xiuniang, then swiftly jumped off the platform and began shaking its body to the side.

Countless water droplets were flung outwards. A slight warmth emanated, and in the blink of an eye, the moisture on its fur evaporated, transforming it into a fluffy, snow-white, adorable white fox.

The moment the warmth radiated, Gu Zhao keenly sensed that aura and couldn't help but turn to look at the white fox.

That scent wasn't the chilling miasma of ghostly creatures, but a restless energy filled with warmth. Gu Zhao could feel a vitality far beyond that of ordinary people, along with a natural wildness and spirituality.

Is this demonic energy? Gu Zhao wondered.

Seeing Gu Zhao look over, the white fox immediately withdrew its demonic energy, put on a fawning smile, and then scuttled sideways to Xiuniang's feet.

Gu Zhao thought for a moment and tentatively asked, "Do you want to try some of these dishes too?"

"Ying ying ying!" The white fox nodded frantically.

"Then I'll set some aside for you," Gu Zhao said.

"Ying ying ying!" The white fox nodded frantically again.

"I'll go get it a bowl." Seeing the white fox get down, Xiuniang didn't pick it up again. Instead, she quickly fetched another porcelain bowl from the kitchen, came to the table, and then saw the three dishes Gu Zhao had brought.

One bowl contained several large, reddish chunks of meat, with alternating layers of fat and lean. It was soft and smooth, with a rich aroma that made Xiuniang's mouth water just by looking at it.

Another bowl held meat with a red rim around the edges. Its aroma wasn't as strong as the first dish, but it seemed to have a hint of honey-like sweetness.

The third bowl was filled with scattered pieces of chopped chicken. The skin was oily, the meat white, and it exuded a strong aroma of spices, greatly whetting the appetite.

Xiuniang couldn't help but swallow, and then she heard Gu Zhao point to the dishes, "Give it a piece of Dongpo pork, a few slices of char siu, and for the five-spice roasted chicken, give it the head and the butt."

I don't want to eat chicken butt!

"Ying!" The white fox glared, wanting to get angry, so it got angry for a moment.

After getting angry for a moment, it smiled again, licked its lips, and raised its front paws to wave goodbye, "Ying ying ying~~~"