Little Nine’s large purple eyes instantly widened. Did Muxiu really get angry?

She cautiously tried pulling at Lian Muxiu’s collar, but he only sighed.

She gently patted Lian Muxiu’s face, but he took her paw away and sighed again.

"Chirp, chirp chirp, chirp chirp chirp." Little Nine cried out anxiously, her fur standing on end. At this moment, Little Nine wished her spiritual powers had recovered even a little, just so she could speak. That way, she wouldn’t be running around in circles trying to express her feelings.

Seeing how distressed Little Nine was, Lian Muxiu immediately scooped her up, holding her soft body in his left arm while using his right hand to gently smooth her fur, calming her down with every stroke. “Little Nine, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have teased you. Don’t worry, calm down now, be good.”

Hearing Lian Muxiu’s soothing voice and feeling his long fingers comb through her fur, Little Nine calmed down.

Once she had calmed down, Little Nine felt incredibly wronged. She had been struck by a heavenly thunderbolt and ended up in this unfamiliar place where no one knew her. After accepting her fate, she had hoped to quietly cultivate on Wuling Mountain, but instead, she found herself caught in the royal hunt. She almost died at the hands of the two royal siblings, Lian Jingrui and his sister.

After narrowly escaping death, she ended up being stuck by Lian Muxiu, this cunning man, who wouldn’t let her leave. Originally, she was happy because Lian Muxiu treated her well—at least someone was protecting and caring for her. But after a few days with him, Little Nine had already been scared and frustrated enough to grow her fur several times.

Sigh... How annoying, Lian Muxiu. He knew she only recognized him now, yet he kept teasing her...

The more Little Nine thought about it, the more miserable she felt. She longed to return to Wuling Mountain and play with her good friends. Although the food on Wuling Mountain wasn’t great, she was the boss there. No one could bully her. But now, in this strange place, anyone could easily crush her.

"Sniff sniff, chirp chirp, sniff sniff, chirp chirp chirp." Little Nine buried her head in her paws, softly crying, her sobs leaving Lian Muxiu completely stunned, unsure of what to do.

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Lian Muxiu never knew that a fox could cry like this!

"Uh... Little Nine..." Seeing the little fox crying in his arms, Lian Muxiu didn’t know what to do. "Ying Yi, stop the carriage, and immediately send a message to Ying San, tell him to come right away."

"Yes, Master." The shadow guard, Ying Yi, hearing the order, immediately took out a signaling firework and sent it off.

Inside the carriage...

"Little Nine... please stop crying." This was Lian Muxiu’s first time trying to comfort someone... No, more specifically, it was his first time trying to comfort a fox, and he was completely flustered. He had done something unforgivable—he had made Little Nine cry.

After a moment’s thought, Lian Muxiu decided that while waiting for Ying San to arrive, he wouldn’t speak. Less than half a tea's worth of time passed before Ying Yi’s voice came from outside, "Master, Ying San has arrived."

"Let him in."

"Yes."

Ying San was puzzled. It was his day off, but he had been urgently summoned. He jumped onto the carriage, lifted the curtain, and walked in. Upon entering, he froze.

"Master... What is this..."

Lian Muxiu, holding Little Nine in his hands, looked at Ying San seriously and asked, "She’s crying. How should I comfort her?"

"What?" Ying San was dumbfounded. Did he hear that right? The master urgently called him over just to ask how to comfort a... fox? He only knew how to comfort women! Was the sun rising from the wrong side today?

"Did you hear me?" Lian Muxiu’s cold voice made Ying San instinctively kneel.

"Master, forgive me. Ying San is at fault."

"Knowing you’re wrong and still not answering properly?" Lian Muxiu was furious. He realized that he had been too lenient with his shadow guards. Now, they dared to question his orders. Ying San didn’t realize it yet, but the extra training they were about to get was his doing.

"Yes, Master." Ying San didn’t dare to stand up but only looked at Lian Muxiu, "Master, can you tell me what happened with... this fox?"

Lian Muxiu calmly explained what happened—how Little Nine had cried. Ying San nodded in understanding, though inwardly, he was thinking that their master was too cruel, even bullying a poor fox!

"What should we do now?"

"Master, you’re saying that this... fox... likes to eat?" Ying San asked tentatively.

"Yes."

"Then we should immediately go to Yipin Food. You can buy more food for her. That should make her happy, right?"

Lian Muxiu: "..."

Had he gotten so flustered that he had forgotten such a simple solution? Little Nine had a simple nature, and when he had lured her to him, food had been the key. Why was he struggling with this now?

He waved his hand, signaling Ying San to leave. Ying San obeyed, sitting next to Ying Yi and taking over as the driver, finding a spot to watch the commotion.

"Little Nine." Lian Muxiu placed Little Nine on the table and lifted her little face to look into her tearful eyes. "Little Nine, look at me."

But Little Nine refused to look at him.

Lian Muxiu forced her gaze upward. "Little Nine, I have something important to tell you."