Chapter 5: Whose Beautiful Cub Is This
She Yang was frantic and about to rush down to save the little fox.
"Your friend?" Nan Zishi asked.
She Yang nodded quickly, his panic evident.
Nan Zishi thought for a moment before saying, "Don’t worry, Little Snake. We’ll do this..."
Fox Qi’s leg hurt so much it had gone numb, and his entire body was drained of strength.
If he couldn’t get the herbs back, his father’s cough and fever would never get better.
He was going to die.
His father was going to die too.
’Is this how it ends?’
He was filled with hatred.
He hated that he was too small, hated that he wasn’t strong enough, hated that he couldn’t protect his own father.
Tears welled up in Little Fox Qi’s eyes.
’Is it all over? Are both he and his father going to die today?’
"HISS HISS!" ’Fox Qi, don’t give up! Over here, over here!’
’She Yang?’
Fox Qi immediately looked up.
In the dead of night, the bright eyes of two five-year-old Beastman cubs met.
"Yang!"
The little blue snake wagged his tail at him. "HISS HISS!" ’Fox Qi! Run with me!’
In his despair, the blue figure was like a ray of light, igniting hope in the young boy’s heart!
’If I can just survive this... if I can just survive!’
’I’ll treat She Yang like a brother and never let anyone bully him!’
Without asking a single question, Fox Qi followed the little blue snake and ran.
The hungry wolves were in hot pursuit, and Fox Qi ran for his life.
"HISS HISS!" ’Fox Qi! Jump!’
Fox Qi didn’t know why he had to jump, but since She Yang told him to, the little white fox put everything he had into the leap!
His leg was in agony, and he tumbled to the ground after landing.
"YIP YIP." Fox Qi whimpered in pain.
Just then, a small, soft hand scooped him up and held him close.
She Yang immediately leaped onto her as well, scrambling up to her shoulder to look around.
Sure enough, the careless wolves had leaped right into a trap Nan Zishi had set up earlier.
As it turned out, when Nan Zishi had decided to spend the night in the forest, she had laid some crude traps nearby. One of them was this very pit, which was covered with branches and leaves. Any beast careless enough to disturb her would fall in first and be unable to climb out.
Nan Zishi held Fox Qi in her arms and took the opportunity to stroke his fur.
’This is different from the foxes I treated at the animal hospital. His fur is so soft and smooth. It feels amazing to pet!’
Just as Nan Zishi was about to pet him a few more times, she saw the little cub raise his beautiful fox head to look at her.
’What a beautiful little fox.’
Unbidden, the image of a male White Fox flashed through Nan Zishi’s mind.
He called himself a Priest’s apprentice. His face was painted with a beastly totem in colored mud, obscuring his true features.
He wore the snow-white, fluffy robes of a Fox Clan Priest, exuding a unique, fragile beauty. His long, soft, snow-white hair cascaded to his waist, and beneath equally white eyelashes were a pair of breathtakingly beautiful eyes.
As he performed the ritual dance of the Fox Clan, a bewitching smile played on his lips. He gazed at her with both Charm and longing. With a great leap, he landed before her, his voice low, magnetic, and soft, with a touch of sweetness that wasn’t the least bit cloying. "Female master."
Nan Zishi’s petting hand paused, her mind snapping back from the memory.
"Were you scared, little one?"
The little white fox cub looked up at her, surprised.
She Yang immediately hissed, "HISS HISS!" ’Fox Qi, the pretty lady saved you!’
Fox Qi repeated, "Pretty lady?"
Nan Zishi’s lips curled into a smile. "Oh, I like that title. But we can’t relax just yet."
A few wolves from the pack had fallen into the trap, but the ones behind them had spotted it and were now going around.
Holding the two little beast cubs, Nan Zishi unhesitatingly scrambled up a tall, nearby tree. She stood on a branch and looked down.
’There’s a huge difference between felines and canines. Back at my hospital, cats could jump over almost anything, but dogs... a small fence was enough to keep them from getting out.’
"AWOOOO!!" Their cold, feral eyes were especially terrifying in the dark.
Just as the two little cubs began to relax, they felt the massive tree start to shake. They looked down and saw the wolves ramming the trunk with their heads!
She Yang flicked his tongue anxiously. "HISS HISS!" ’Pretty lady, they’re going to knock the tree down!’
Fox Qi was panicking too, his little paws clawing at Nan Zishi’s pink coral fleece nightgown.
"Pretty lady, the tree is going to fall! We’ll fall down!"
’I’m being stepped on by the little fox cub’s cute little bean-toed paws! Wow, this is bliss!’
Nan Zishi was inwardly ecstatic, but she appeared unnaturally calm. "Don’t panic. I’m here."
Nan Zishi rummaged in her storage space and pulled out a large, green bag of dog food. She tore it open and poured the contents down in a cascade.
The fragrant kibble rained down on the starving wolves. The scent attractants in the food did their work, and the wolves began sniffing the air uncontrollably.
’It smells so good!’
It wasn’t just the wolves sniffing; Fox Qi’s nose twitched as well.
’What is that? It smells amazing.’
The wolves lowered their heads, sniffing cautiously at first. Then they took a few tentative bites and quickly discovered the dog food was absolutely delicious!
And so, the pack began to feast. The Wolf King, in particular, shoved aside two smaller gray wolves and began gobbling up the dog food!
Nan Zishi sat with her chin in her hand, watching. Once the wolves were too absorbed in their meal to pay her any mind, she led the two cubs down the tree and began to leisurely sip chicken soup off to the side.
There was a fire heating the soup, so the wolves didn’t dare approach. Besides, the dog food was right there, and it was delicious.
This created a strange but wonderful sort of equilibrium.
Fox Qi remained wary of the wolves, but he was also afraid of the fire.
He was a nervous wreck, his heart pounding in his chest.
Nan Zishi ladled some chicken soup into a disposable paper bowl. "Here, eat this. You’ll like it."
As Fox Qi accepted the hot soup, he belatedly realized just how tired, sleepy, and cold he was.
Without a word, he shifted into his human form.
It wasn’t the first time Nan Zishi had seen a Beastman transform, but she found it fascinating every time.
She studied the little boy’s human form.
He looked to be about five years old, an adorable child as beautiful as a celestial attendant.
He had long white hair and white eyes, and his skin was as clear as crystal. It was obvious he would grow into a great beauty.
’When he grows up, I wonder how many female hearts he’ll break.’
’Who was lucky enough to have such a beautiful child?’
’I’m so jealous.’