Chapter 102: Not a Dignified Fox

Gu Mian arrived at the meeting spot he’d arranged with Qi Ke half an hour early. He sat in his car, quietly waiting for the man to arrive, his expression unusually calm.

The sky had completely darkened. South City wasn’t as prosperous as City A, and at night, areas outside the commercial districts and entertainment venues looked much more deserted.

This location was near a villa district, and a little further north led to the suburbs.

"Hasn’t he arrived yet?" Wen Qian asked, leaning forward from the back seat while holding the little yellow bird. Originally, Gu Mian had told Wen Qian to stay at the villa, but that afternoon, Yin Zhi and Chi Ye both had things to do, and Ling Chi also had to deal with some internal issues.

That left only Wen Qian, a defenseless little bird, an injured patient in beast form, and a seemingly dim-witted young fool from the Tiger Clan in the villa.

Gu Mian hadn’t been comfortable with that, so he’d simply brought Wen Qian along.

Of course, Li Jiu and Chi Heng had also come along in the car.

Chi Heng was currently nestled against Wen Qian, the whole wolf looking utterly languid. He was extremely sleepy and had spent the entire ride with his head pillowed on Wen Qian’s lap.

The rainy autumn night was chilly, but with Chi Heng’s head resting on her, Wen Qian’s leg felt toasty warm. It was, she had to admit, rather comfortable.

"He might’ve been held up by something," Gu Mian said, tapping his fingers twice on his leg. His gaze swept over the few pedestrians in the distance. "Don’t worry. It’s not time yet."

There were few cars on the road at this hour. If Qi Ke appeared, Gu Mian was confident he would spot him at a glance.

"The main roads between South City and City A are under lockdown now," Wen Qian murmured, pressing her lips together. "I wonder if he’s run into danger..."

In her memory, the Little Fox was like a passionate sunflower, blooming under the sun, radiant with the most vibrant, warm colors.

But for all their beauty and light, sunflowers have no thorns.

It was really hard not to worry about him.

"He’ll find a way," Gu Mian said, comforting her softly.

’Qi Ke has lived on Blue Star for so long; he must have some survival skills.’

’If he really did get caught this time, it would, in a way, be a good thing for them.’

As ten o’clock approached and there was still no sign of Qi Ke on the road, Wen Qian’s expression grew grim.

’It would be one thing if Qi Ke had simply stood me up, but if he’d been caught by *those people*... the consequences were unthinkable.’

WHINE—

At the same time, Chi Heng let out a low whimper.

Wen Qian snapped back to her senses, only then realizing she had unintentionally been pulling his fur.

She quickly let go, tossed out the tuft of grayish-white fur she was holding, and then stroked his thick coat as if nothing had happened.

With a contented huff, Chi Heng tilted his head to rub against Wen Qian’s arm, then went back to sleep.

’Yep, this is the great thing about being a wolf.’

Nearly ten more minutes passed.

There was still no sign of Qi Ke on the road.

The rain had gradually tapered off, leaving only a light drizzle. Wen Qian couldn’t resist rolling down the window, sticking her head out, and searching carefully for any sign of Qi Ke.

’Why isn’t he here yet...?’

"We should go," Gu Mian reminded her in a low voice.

"Just a little longer..." Wen Qian frowned. ’It’s only been ten minutes. There’s still a chance.’

Gu Mian said no more, quietly leaning back against his seat.

The reason Gu Mian was so sure Qi Ke wasn’t coming was that he’d done his research. The man was extremely punctual for everything from private gatherings to commercial performances; there wasn’t a single record of him ever being late.

’If something hadn’t happened, he would have been here by now.’

Time ticked by, second by second. Everyone but Wen Qian was beginning to show signs of exhaustion.

Gu Mian hadn’t slept at all the previous night, and he’d only managed a two-hour nap in the afternoon. The long drive through the night had drained a lot of his energy.

But he didn’t dare relax. Before they could return to the villa, he had to do everything in his power to ensure Wen Qian’s safety.

As eleven o’clock drew near, a disappointed look crossed Wen Qian’s face.

She finally understood what it was like to wait. She’d only been waiting an hour, and she was already growing anxious.

’So how had *he* gotten through the last ten years?’

"Let’s go." Finally, Wen Qian uttered the two words.

’It wasn’t just me waiting; Gu Mian, Li Jiu, and Chi Heng were waiting too... Everyone needs to rest. Besides, for safety’s sake, we should go back.’

Gu Mian observed her expression in the mirror. He frowned, his deep voice unknowingly tinged with exhaustion. "Let’s wait a little longer."

’If we go back now, Wen Qian will never be able to let it go. She’d probably spend the next few days dwelling on it.’

’Better to just wait a little longer.’

"Forget it. If he were coming, he’d be here by now," Wen Qian said. Despite her words, her heart still held a sliver of hope.

Gu Mian didn’t reply or start the car. He just cracked the window a little wider, letting the cold air continue to stream in.

He needed some external force to keep himself awake.

His gaze remained fixed outside, scanning every corner.

After what felt like an eternity, Gu Mian’s expression froze for an instant. He immediately pushed open the car door and said suddenly, "Qianqian, I see him."

They had been waiting for Qi Ke all along.

Not a fox.

Which was why the little fox nestled in the roadside greenery, periodically poking its head out, had gone completely unnoticed.

At almost the same instant, Wen Qian sat up straight.

She followed Gu Mian’s gaze, and a second later, a delighted smile bloomed on her face. ’It really is him!’

The Little Fox was sopping wet when it leaped into the car. It was clenching a dead phone tightly in its mouth, and a crystalline blue shard around its neck glinted with a faint, cold light.

His two jet-black, gem-like eyes were fixed on Wen Qian, unblinking.

Chi Heng showed little reaction, merely giving the fox a sidelong glance before going back to sleep. Li Jiu, in contrast, flapped its wings excitedly and began to circle him.

"Sorry, I ran into some trouble on the way..." The Little Fox spat out the phone, then shyly retreated to a corner, hugging his tail. He was filthy and spattered with mud—no longer a respectable-looking fox.

Seeing his drenched fur, Wen Qian felt a pang of sympathy. Without a second thought, she took off her jacket, bent down to wrap up the fox, and pulled him into her embrace.

It was only then that she discovered his fur wasn’t just soaked with rain; his body was also covered in numerous small cuts, seemingly from being scraped by something sharp.

Chi Heng was a bit surprised to hear the fox speak, but seeing that Wen Qian wasn’t fazed in the slightest, he kept quiet.

He reluctantly scooted over, but stubbornly kept his furry head pressed against Wen Qian.

The moment he was picked up, the Little Fox’s entire face flushed. His pointed ears perked up, and he mumbled from within the soft jacket, "I’m really dirty right now..."