Chapter 31
"Cough cough." The coughing sounds in the room continued intermittently throughout the night.
Surprisingly, the prince's residence was devoid of any lively atmosphere.
Even though the people inside were coughing so badly, no servants went to bring them medicine.
In the solemn and old-fashioned bedroom, a man dressed in a white undergarment leaned against the headboard, occasionally using a silk cloth to cover his cough.
His brows and eyes were as white as snow, but his face did not show much distress due to illness; instead, he exuded a calm and quiet aura.
They already knew their fate, so where would they find any vibrant life?
The next day, it was past noon.
Then a servant knocked on the door and came in.
"Sixth Prince, the food has been placed on the table for you."
"Thank you." Li Ziqing was wearing a simple green bamboo embroidered outer robe. When she stood up, you could still vaguely see the inner garment that she hadn't had time to cover up.
He thanked the servant who brought him the food.
The servant didn't offer any formalities and simply left.
Although it did not conform to the etiquette of the Prince's residence, Li Ziqing did not feel that there was anything wrong with it.
The servants in the prince's residence only appeared before Li Ziqing at mealtimes and when serving medicine.
After all, there was no future in following a sickly prince, and the servants in the prince's residence were well aware of this.
They receive a fixed monthly allowance and then simply do their assigned tasks.
There were three side dishes and a bowl of soup on the table.
Li Ziqing ate a simple meal.
After the meal, the servants outside heard him finish eating before coming in to clear away the dishes and then leaving again.
Silence returned to the surroundings.
Li Ziqing then left the courtyard and walked to the prince's residence, to his favorite bamboo grove.
The bamboo shadows overlap, creating a lush green scene.
He used to love this bamboo grove the most, and even built a small pavilion next to it.
At the top of the pavilion, a plaque bears elegant and refined calligraphy:
Xingyun Pavilion.
The bamboo forest scenery fills my eyes, and my heart is filled with the image of flowing clouds and water.
Li Ziqing sat down in her usual spot and looked at the bamboo forest.
The usual seat, the usual weather, and he was still all alone.
But today, something is different.
Li Ziqing quickly realized that he had spent quite a while observing this bamboo forest, and could even roughly sketch the location of each bamboo stalk in his mind.
But at that moment, hidden in the bamboo forest, a small, fiery red object was spotted.
Li Ziqing walked over slowly without making a sound.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a tiny fire fox with smooth fur.
Most foxes are white; red foxes are extremely rare.
He didn't dare to breathe loudly, but stayed in a safe position to the side, making sure he wouldn't startle the little fox, before curiously examining it.
The little fox, which had only been born a short time ago, seemed extremely tired. It curled up into a small ball and fell asleep under the bamboo forest.
Li Ziqing bent down and parted a bamboo leaf to see more clearly.
On that small, red body, there was an even more tragic bloodstain.
Is it injured?
Li Ziqing noticed a long wound on the little fox's body, which was still oozing blood, and immediately looked worried.
Although he walked quickly, he didn't make much noise. He hurried to his bedroom and got some medicine for his injuries.
They turned back again.
Li Ziqing approached the little fox and, seeing that it did not react, cautiously reached out her hand.
Feeling that his body was still warm, he immediately opened the medicine he had brought.
I gave her a simple bandage.
The beautiful, fiery red fur was carefully bound with clean straps.
During the bandaging process, he accidentally touched the little fox's fur, which was soft to the touch and glossy, making it irresistible.
Li Ziqing went to the kitchen again and, under the curious gaze of the cook, asked for a bowl of rice porridge.
It was placed beside the little fox.
"I hope you get better soon." After saying this, Li Ziqing reached out and stroked the little fox's head again with her slender fingers.
Only then did they retreat from the bamboo forest, afraid of startling the little fox.
*
He found a little fox in the bamboo forest yesterday, and he came back today.
Before Li Ziqing could even eat, he felt as if he were being pulled by a thin thread and found himself back in the bamboo forest.
He bent down to look at the spot from yesterday, still trying to make out that tiny figure.
But all they found was emptiness.
Only an empty porcelain bowl remained.
"Have they left?"
The voice was clear yet weak, with a hint of melancholy in it.
Just as Li Ziqing was about to return through the bamboo forest by the same route, he caught a glimpse of the small figure that had brought him here in such a hurry.
Beneath the Xingyun Pavilion, a little fox emerged.
Her eyes were exceptionally bright, and she tilted her head slightly, as if she were sizing up Li Ziqing.
He still had the bandages he had put on himself the day before wrapped around his body.
Li Ziqing walked over quickly, the melancholy in her voice vanishing completely, and her snow-white face gradually softened.
"You actually came here?"
The little fox didn't run away as he approached; instead, it scratched at the soil with its little paws and looked at Li Ziqing curiously.
His whole appearance was so adorable that it made Li Ziqing smile slightly.
A man of striking beauty rarely smiles, and the petite and exquisite fox seemed to be completely bewitched.
I walked up to him and nudged him with my head.
"Are you hungry?"
Its sound is like a clear spring, making even small animals want to get closer.
The little fox nodded in response.
Li Ziqing was surprised; the little fox seemed to have gained sentience and actually understood her words.
“Little fox, can you understand me?” Li Ziqing asked.
The little fox lying beside him tilted its head again, as if curious about what he was going to say to it.
How could I possibly think a little fox could understand me?
Li Ziqing shook his head helplessly, bent down, and gently hugged the little fox in his arms.
The little fox didn't struggle, but stayed obediently in Li Ziqing's arms, and even made an intimate gesture with its head against Li Ziqing's neck.
This made Li Ziqing's neck itchy.
"Okay, okay, I'll take you to get some food, alright?"
Although the little fox couldn't understand her words, Li Ziqing, who rarely interacted with others while residing in the mansion, still asked it a question.
The little fox still stared at him with those innocent, childlike eyes.
Li Ziqing thought that it might have eaten the same bowl of rice porridge as yesterday, and worried that it might be hungry.
Then I took it to the kitchen.
*
Yingning was held in Li Ziqing's arms, and she could feel that his chest was rather thin.
She shifted to a more comfortable lying position and chatted with 67 in her mind.
"Little 7, if you wear Qilian's necklace, will you also turn into a little fox?"
67 was clearly taken aback. "Master, 67 is just a system; it shouldn't have a physical form."
"It's a real pity," Yingning said.
At this moment, Li Ziqing had already arrived in the kitchen.
The middle-aged cook, who was preparing vegetables in the kitchen, bowed respectfully upon seeing Li Ziqing.
"Sixth Prince."
She was still wondering why the Sixth Prince had come to the kitchen again today when she saw the little fox in Li Ziqing's arms.
"Oh my, where did this pretty little fox come from!"
Hearing someone praise the little fox, Li Ziqing felt a surge of joy and softly said:
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