Chapter 37: This Is Kidnapping

"I know, I know. But, Brother Yueqi, you must defeat the Snow Emperor in the future and take me back to the Mu Rao Kingdom."

"I certainly will!"

The little fox bristled, indignant. Wanting to defeat her master? They ought to look at themselves first! She poked her head out from the bushes and saw a man and a woman embracing. The man's hair was secured with a jade pin, and he wore his moon-colored robes with an ethereal grace, his brow furrowed with a hint of helplessness.

The little fox stared, stunned. This man was quite handsome! Though, still a bit inferior to her master. Her eyes shifted to Qingge. As her name suggested, she was a peerless beauty. Draped in green gauze, her slender fingers rested on Yueqi's waist, and her head leaned against his chest. A tear hung at the corner of her eye; she looked truly pitiful.

The little fox scoffed. What a fickle woman! To think she would dare harbor designs on her master! No, she couldn't let anyone have him; her master belonged only to her. With this thought, the little fox turned to head back and find Xuanyuan Yu.

The little fox scurried out from the bushes, panting, when she accidentally bumped into something. Dizzy, she spun around in place, nearly losing her footing and falling to the ground.

A large, warm hand scooped her up. Stimulated by the intense heat, the little fox immediately swiped her claws at the person’s hand, struggling with all four limbs. "Squeak, squeak, squeak! I’m warning you, let me go! Your hand is scorching, let me go—I can’t stand it!"

"You are a strange little fox. I kindly picked you up, and you repay my kindness with such malice." The man flicked her with his finger, and the little fox nearly fainted from the blow.

Dazed, she lay in that fiery embrace, feeling miserable. By the time she fully regained her senses, she had no idea where she was. She stared sorrowfully at the starry night sky, propping her chin with her little paw. Had she been kidnapped?

She sighed to herself, thinking, *So this is what kidnapping in the human world is like! I wonder how much ransom this person will demand from my master? If he asks for too much, my master will lose out, but if he asks for too little, I’ll feel like my value is too low. It’s all so complicated.*

After much deliberation, the little fox decided to educate him with her thoughts. "Squeak, squeak, squeak! I’m telling you, this is wrong. You humans have laws in your world. If you get caught, you’ll be beheaded. Even if you don't care about yourself, think of your parents! It’s a terrible thing for parents to bury their own child!"

By the end of it, the little fox couldn't help but wipe her eyes with her paw; she felt quite moved by her own words.

The man felt speechless. From the moment he picked her up, this little fox had been squeaking incessantly. He had no idea what she was chirping about, though he gathered from her expression that she was probably trying to act pitiful so he would let her go. That actually made him laugh.

He dangled the little fox by the scruff of her neck, leaving her limbs flailing in the air. She felt like crying but had no tears; this man had no clue what she was saying. She could only use her large purple eyes to silently protest his roughness.

Only then did the little fox get a good look at him. He had hair as red as fire, and his long, narrow, magnificent eyes reflected her small silhouette. His lips were as crimson as flames, and he exuded an indescribable, flamboyant aura. Dressed in a red robe with tassels, he radiated a scorching heat that the little fox found unbearable.