Chapter 75: The Little Swan with a Broken Neck

To be honest, Wen Qian was mentally exhausted. This was the first time she felt the walk home was so long.

Because the Little Fox behind her kept staring at her with a resentful gaze, as if she were some unpardonable villain.

’Heaven knows... I didn’t want this either!’

The Little Fox didn’t turn away with a cold hmph until they were inside her home.

He stood silently in the center of the living room, arms crossed, but his glossy black eyes kept darting toward Wen Qian’s bedroom.

’What’s so great about that tiger? He’s fierce and violent... What gives him the right to live with the female?’

’Not like him, a fox of noble bloodline with a big, fluffy tail and soft fur. Human females adored him.’

Wen Qian: "Why don’t you sit for a bit? I’ll go get you all something to drink—"

"Let me, Qianqian," Yin Zhi suddenly cut her off. He then flashed a gentle smile. "I will take good care of our guests."

With that one sentence, he made it perfectly clear who was close and who was distant.

Wen Qian was left speechless.

The Little Fox couldn’t be bothered to acknowledge him. He lifted his pale neck like a swan, looking down at the girl’s delicate face.

’It’s been so long,’ he thought, ’but she hasn’t changed much.’

’It’s just her scent...’ The Little Fox twitched his nose and curled his lip in displeasure.

’Besides the tiger Beastman’s scent, she also smelled of the Snake Clan and the Wolf Clan...’

"What’s wrong?" Wen Qian turned her head, having noticed the Little Fox’s stare.

The Little Fox just gave a cold hmph and ignored her.

Wen Qian was at a loss with him. In her memory, he had always been such a proud, difficult fox. After all these years... he really hadn’t changed one bit.

So Wen Qian truly fell silent. She sat on the sofa waiting for Yin Zhi to bring her water, looking as prim and proper as if she were the only guest in the house.

’SOB... This is so frustrating... I’m the one who’s renting this place.’

Wen Qian hadn’t been sitting for long when the Little Fox walked over.

He unhurriedly picked up Wen Qian’s cup, his slender fingers pulling down the mask on his face.

Wen Qian stared, mesmerized. ’How long did he secretly practice to make that move so fluid...?’ she wondered.

"Why aren’t you talking?" After taking a sip of water, the Little Fox glanced at her with those foxy eyes that could charm the world.

Wen Qian opened her mouth, at a loss for words.

’But I did talk... and didn’t he just ignore me when I did?’

’Does he really want me to grovel?’

"You don’t want to keep me anymore, do you?" The Little Fox’s brows furrowed as he glanced at the other Beastmen in the room. He gritted his teeth. "I’m not very expensive to keep now. You don’t have to worry about not being able to afford me..."

"Don’t be ridiculous, that’s not what I meant." Wen Qian rubbed her temples, hesitating over how to tell the Little Fox about the Critical Stone.

Of course, she was willing to fulfill her promise, but he was a huge star now... How could she possibly be the one to provide for him?

"Then what do you mean?" The Little Fox’s brow remained furrowed.

"No... Shouldn’t you be asking me why I didn’t come find you back then?" Wen Qian’s expression grew awkward as she suddenly recalled something.

Wen Qian had never imagined that the Little Fox had been waiting for her all this time.

That was ten years.

Not ten days, and not ten months...

Because of a single promise she made, he had waited in anticipation for a full ten years.

"What’s there to ask?" A flicker of loneliness crossed his foxy eyes, but he maintained his tough facade. "You must have had your reasons for not coming. And keeping me wouldn’t really cost that much..."

A probing look flickered in his eyes. "It couldn’t really be because of that, could it...? I eat very little."

"Of course not..." Wen Qian couldn’t help but laugh.

This Little Fox really was one to say the opposite of what he felt.

"I did mean to come find you... but I lost my memories. I only just got them back," Wen Qian said, trying to stick to the main points.

"You lost your memory?" Shock flashed in the Little Fox’s eyes. Recalling a TV drama he had once filmed, he immediately reached out with both hands to cup her face. "Did you get hit by a car?"

"Something like that..." Wen Qian replied honestly after a moment of thought.

She had indeed been hit, just not before she lost her memory, but... after.

As she thought this, she subconsciously glanced at Chi Heng. The wolf, who had been puffing his chest out a moment ago, was now lying guiltily on the floor.

His two large, thick paws were clamped tightly over his eyes.

Qi Ke: "So, now that you remember, does that mean we can—"

Before he could finish, Yin Zhi emerged with a fruit platter. He shoved the Little Fox aside with lightning speed and flashed Wen Qian a perfect, eight-toothed grin. "Qianqian, have a grape."

Staring at the fruit on the platter, which had been peeled and arranged into the shape of a swan, Wen Qian was dumbfounded. ’Where on earth did he learn to do that!’

The Little Fox, who had been shoved aside, narrowed his long eyes in displeasure. He nonchalantly reached out and plucked away the piece of apple that formed the swan’s neck.

The next second... the swan’s neck snapped off.

Watching the little swan’s head roll off, Yin Zhi froze for a second. When he snapped out of it, he lunged to grab the Little Fox by the neck. "You damn fox! I’ll kill you!"

"If you’re going to fight, take it outside!" Wen Qian yelped, and just to be safe, she wrapped her arms tightly around Yin Zhi’s waist.

"He did it on purpose..." Yin Zhi accused, his eyes turning red.

He had spent ages making that little swan, and before he even had a chance to show it off, this fox had to go and ruin it.

Qi Ke shot him a sidelong glance. "It wasn’t even that impressive."

"You..."

"It is, it is beautiful... He’s just talking nonsense." Wen Qian hurriedly tried to placate Yin Zhi. Then she reached out and pinched his cheek. "Our A Zhi is so amazing, I’m sure he can fix the little swan right away."

Yin Zhi puffed out his chest. "But of course."

And so the little tiger, who had been furious just a moment ago, cheerfully darted back into the kitchen.

Watching his retreating back, Wen Qian rubbed her temples.

’As I thought...’

’Placating these males is just like placating children.’

When she looked back at the Little Fox, Wen Qian wanted to continue their earlier conversation, but she’d suddenly forgotten where they had left off. She thought about waiting for him to speak first, only to find him looking at her as well.

Their eyes met, and for a moment, neither of them said a word.

"Um... where were we?" Wen Qian asked, feeling a little guilty.

Qi Ke froze for a second before his eyes narrowed in displeasure. His voice was icy. "Of course you don’t remember. All you can think about is that stupid swan."

Wen Qian: "That’s not... Don’t be so ridiculous!"

Qi Ke sneered. "So I, this young master, am less important than poultry."

Wen Qian: "..."

A little while later, Yin Zhi emerged with the fruit platter again.

This time, he had carefully skewered all the fruit with toothpicks, making the entire swan look indestructible. Qi Ke tugged at the apple piece twice but couldn’t pull it off; he nearly lifted the entire swan instead.

The little tiger shot him a triumphant sidelong glance, then turned to Wen Qian to fish for compliments. "Qianqian, isn’t my swan great?"

"Yes, yes, it’s wonderful... beautiful!" Wen Qian said hurriedly, clapping her hands to encourage him.

"So what, specifically, is so great about it?" Yin Zhi’s eyes were still sparkling.

After examining it carefully for another moment, Wen Qian nodded emphatically and was just about to answer when Qi Ke cut in, "The fruit is good."

Yin Zhi: "..."

’Sooner or later,’ he fumed, ’I’m going to destroy this damn fox.’