Chapter 34: Is This a Confession?

Because the little fox was injured, she soon fell asleep in Xuan Yuan Yu’s arms. Upon returning to the Shuihua Palace, Xuan Yuan Yu placed the sleeping fox onto his dragon bed. The imperial physician, Zhang, hurried in, sweating profusely and panting as he said, "Your Majesty, this is the pill I have refined. As long as the little fox consumes it, her tail will return to its original state within an hour."

"Mm," Xuan Yuan Yu replied in a low voice. With a curl of his slender fingers, the pill, which glowed with a vibrant green, life-giving light, flew into his hand.

Seeing that Imperial Physician Zhang had not yet retreated, Xuan Yuan Yu’s eyes darkened slightly, and a faint smile touched his lips as he asked, "Is there anything else?"

"That—this old subject... this old subject wishes to resign from his post and return to his hometown to retire. I beg Your Majesty’s approval!" Zhang knelt on the floor, not daring to meet Xuan Yuan Yu’s gaze, his body trembling slightly.

He had to get that approval! He never wanted to be an imperial physician again; he was getting old, and his heart could no longer withstand such frights!

Xuan Yuan Yu looked at the pill in his hand, raised his hand slightly, and said, "Granted." If not for the fact that Physician Zhang had saved the little fox, Xuan Yuan Yu certainly wouldn't have let him off so easily.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. This old subject—no, this commoner takes his leave." Physician Zhang wore a relieved smile; he had finally resigned. He could finally stop worrying about all these disputes. He wiped his eyes, nearly moved to tears. Why had he never realized the Emperor was so easy to talk to before?

Physician Zhang thought with righteous indignation, "Rumors are truly harmful!"

After Physician Zhang left, Xuan Yuan Yu picked up the little fox. However, the creature was not awakened by the movement at all; instead, she nuzzled into Xuan Yuan Yu’s embrace and found a comfortable position to continue sleeping.

Xuan Yuan Yu could not help but smile. He watched as the little fox smacked her lips, a glimmer of drool at the corner of her mouth. He wondered what she was dreaming about—she was even drooling. Anyone who didn't know better would think Xuan Yuan Yu was mistreating her.

Xuan Yuan Yu pinched the little fox’s sharp, pink nose and whispered, "Little fox, it's time to wake up."

The little fox was in the middle of a dream, gnawing on a giant chicken leg, when she suddenly felt suffocated. She hugged Xuan Yuan Yu’s large hand with her tiny paws and struggled desperately. *Good heavens! Why can't I breathe? I'm dying!*

The little fox’s eyes opened slightly, her violet, glass-like pupils brimming with moisture. Seeing Xuan Yuan Yu looking at her with a mischievous smirk, she bristled instantly, sprang up, and gave his hand a bite, though she did not use any real force. She looked at him with watery, bewildered eyes, then released her grip and squeaked, "Why aren't you hitting me?"

Xuan Yuan Yu picked up the little fox and placed the pill into her mouth. His magnificent phoenix eyes, shimmering with brilliance, remained fixed on her. He stroked her white fur, pressed his forehead against hers, and said with the firmness of an oath, "I will not allow anyone to hurt you, including myself."

The little fox stared at Xuan Yuan Yu, stunned. She rubbed her tiny paws together, wondering what that meant. A confession? It didn't seem like it. No one would confess to a fox, right? She must have been overthinking it. Yet, she felt a profound sense of being moved, as if a warm current were racing through her veins.

The little fox smacked her lips, her heart thumping wildly. She covered her chest with her tiny paws. What was happening? Why was it beating so fast? Was she about to evolve? But there were no strange signs. Unable to make sense of it, she felt utterly bewildered.