No sooner had they stepped out of the hunting grounds’ woods than the open clearing ahead burst into lively commotion.
Shen Mo stood before a mountain of game, his fingertips tracing lightly over a sheet of paper—presumably tallying the count. Gu Qianqian squatted by a bamboo cage, teasing a gray rabbit with long, upright ears inside. Her laughter rang out clear as silver bells, carried far by the wind. Lin Wan’er was sorting the game nearby; a few bits of grass clung to her plain-colored skirt, adding a lively touch rarely seen in her usual demeanor.
A glance revealed the haul at Shen Mo’s feet—eight glossy-feathered pheasants, eight plump hares, and two wild boars with bared fangs. Clearly, they had returned with a full load.
Gu Qianqian looked up at Shen Mo, her eyes bright with excitement and her voice full of laughter: “Shen Mo—your archery is incredible! Especially that wild boar—it looked so fierce, yet you shot straight through its throat with one arrow!”
“Just some ordinary game,” Shen Mo said modestly, though pride shone clearly in his eyes and smile.
“Xiao Xi! Yun Zhao!” Shen Mo spotted them first, waving to call them over. “Finally—we’ve been waiting ages!”
Hearing this, Gu Qianqian turned around, her gaze immediately drawn to the white fox in Shen Xi’s arms. Her dark eyes lit up instantly as she laughed: “What a beautiful white fox! Pure white all over!”
The little creature seemed to understand the praise, lazily lifting its eyelids and letting its tail tip brush lightly against Shen Xi’s red skirt.
“We found it on the way—its leg was hurt,” Shen Xi explained softly.
Lin Wan’er walked over with a smile, her eyes lingering on the fox: “Fate indeed—ordinary foxes would never stay so calmly in someone’s arms.”
Gu Qianqian’s eyes sparkled as she leaned closer, gently tapping the fox’s nose with her fingertip: “What’s your name?”
The fox seemed displeased at having its nose poked, turning to burrow deeper into Shen Xi’s arms. Its tail swept against her skirt with a soft rustle.
“We haven’t named it yet,” Shen Xi said. “It’s as white as snow—why not call it Snowball?”
At this, Lin Wan’er looked at the fox’s fluffy white fur, reaching out to touch it only to have the little thing nimbly dodge, leaving only its furry hindquarters facing her.
“Snowball?” She mulled over the name, her smile deepening. “Perfectly fitting.”
After chatting and laughing for a while, they realized Shen Mo had quietly retreated to a spot far away.
Shen Xi called out to him, her voice tinged with surprise: “Brother—why are you standing so far off?”
Even as she spoke, Shen Mo caught sight of the fox’s fluffy tail moving. The flash of white made him jump half a step back as if pricked by a needle. Standing a full ten feet away, he urgently called out to her: “Xiao Xi! You absolutely cannot bring this fox home with you!”
His Adam’s apple bobbed as his eyes darted quickly to Yun Zhao nearby, like a drowning man grasping at driftwood. His voice carried a hint of barely concealed pleading: “What if… what if we leave it with Yun Zhao instead? Look at him—he clearly isn’t afraid of things like this, so he’d be perfect to care for it! Xiao Xi—let’s do that, alright?”
With that, he shrank back even farther, as if a single glance from the fox would make him uncomfortable all over.
Shen Xi was amused and speechless—she’d never imagined her brother was afraid of foxes. It was almost laughable…
She gently scratched behind the fox’s ears; the little creature purred contentedly, its tail tip sweeping lightly over her wrist.
“Brother—really? It’s so small, and it doesn’t bite.”
Shen Mo’s face flushed red then pale at her words. He turned to look at the stone lanterns under the corridor, his voice losing its firmness: “Of course it matters! Sharp-faced and sly-looking—who knows when it might turn on you?”
Before he could finish, the fox suddenly lifted its head from Shen Xi’s arms, its dark, bright eyes fixing directly on him. Its little nose twitched slightly.
The moment Shen Mo caught sight of those dark, grape-like eyes out of the corner of his eye, he froze as if under a spell. His Adam’s apple bobbed hard, his feet rooted to the ground—he wanted to step back but couldn’t remember how to move.
“Can you control your fox? It’s staring at me…” Shen Mo pointed at it without daring to look directly.
Lin Wan’er covered her mouth to stifle a laugh: “Master Shen has been on battlefields, yet he’s afraid of a little fox.”
Shen Xi couldn’t help but smile too, gently patting Snowball’s back: “Alright—no scaring your uncle.” She turned slightly so the fox faced the corridor pillar instead.
Shen Mo finally relaxed, though he still wouldn’t come close. Standing several steps away, he continued to reason earnestly: “You little troublemaker—if you bring it home, Mother will definitely be startled too. Doesn’t Yun Zhao have a big courtyard? And he isn’t afraid of it—letting him care for it would be perfect. You can visit whenever you want—it’s ideal!”
Yun Zhao had been standing by watching the koi fish, but now he turned slowly, his gaze sweeping over Shen Mo before resting on the fox’s fluffy tail. “My courtyard is for growing orchids,” he said calmly. “They won’t survive its antics.”
Shen Mo was left speechless, his hopeful expression deflating instantly. His fingers gripped his sleeve more tightly.
Stealing a glance at the white bundle in Shen Xi’s arms, he saw Snowball sitting obediently against the pillar, its tail occasionally brushing the stone. A shiver ran through him as he tried again: “Then… then have the guards watch it first? Or find a place that specializes in keeping animals? Just don’t bring it home—please?”
Shen Xi just wanted to roll her eyes at him.
“Wow! What a well-behaved little fox!”
A clear exclamation suddenly came from around the corridor corner. Yun Zilan strode over, followed by Yunxiao and Yuan Jingxian. Their eyes all focused on the white fox in Shen Xi’s arms.
Yun Zilan hurried closer, his eyes gleaming as he stared at the white bundle: “Miss Shen—where did you find this? Pure white without a single stray hair—it’s more handsome than any in paintings!”
Yunxiao laughed in admiration too: “Truly rare. Ordinary foxes never have such intelligent features.”
Seeing so many people approach, Shen Mo’s just-relaxed nerves tensed up again. He instinctively stepped aside, afraid someone would notice his awkward fear of the fox.
But Yun Zilan was sharp-eyed, catching his little movement and laughing: “Shen Mo—why are you hiding so far away? Could it be you’re afraid of this little fellow?”
Before Shen Mo could defend himself, Shen Xi turned with Snowball in her arms, gently tapping the fox’s nose: “Its name is Snowball—I happened to save it.”
As if understanding the praise, Snowball hooked its tail tip around her wrist, its dark eyes darting around before tilting its head at Yun Zilan—drawing soft laughter from everyone.
Yunxiao glanced at Yun Zhao, who still stood by the pond, then stepped forward: “This Snowball seems gentle and well-behaved. If Miss Shen hasn’t found a proper place for it yet, it could stay at my residence for a while if you don’t mind. You can visit anytime you like—it’s not far either.”
His tone was calm and warm, just the right amount of earnest—as if offering a casual act of kindness. His eyes rested on Snowball’s fluffy back, as if he truly liked the little creature.
“Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness,” Shen Xi said, looking down at Snowball in her arms. Her voice gave little away, and she did not meet Yunxiao’s gaze. “But Snowball has only just come to me—it’s still shy around strangers and would likely be uncomfortable in a new place.”
Her words were a polite refusal, yet they carried the chill of thin ice—an unmistakable distance.
The smile on Yunxiao’s face faltered slightly. He had offered casually, not expecting such a gentle but firm rejection. After a brief pause, he smiled again: “You’re right—small animals do bond closely with their owners. I didn’t think that through.”
Yuan Jingxian was sharp enough to catch Shen Xi’s fleeting detachment. Unwilling to see Yunxiao and Shen Xi grow closer over a fox, she stepped forward to smooth things over, her eyes on the gentle white bundle in Shen Xi’s arms: “Your Highness—look how attached Snowball is to Sister Shen! It seems it can’t bear to leave its owner for a moment. Such a devoted little thing—who could bear to send it away to live with someone else?”
No sooner had she spoken than Yun Zilan chimed in: “Absolutely! When I reached out to touch it just now, it didn’t run away but snuggled even closer to Miss Shen. Clearly, it’s made Miss Shen its protector.”
Shen Xi looked down, gently stroking Snowball’s fur. As if understanding the conversation, the little creature nuzzled her palm and let out soft whimpers—its dependent demeanor perfectly matching Yuan Jingxian’s words.
Only then did Shen Xi look up, nodding slightly to Yunxiao. She didn’t dare show her distaste too clearly, merely acknowledging his offer with a calm, cool gaze that held little warmth.
Seeing this, Yunxiao didn’t press the matter further, smiling as he changed the subject: “I was being thoughtless. Since Snowball has such a connection with Miss Shen, it’s best it stays with you.”
He spoke openly and generously, though a flash of surprise crossed his eyes.
While Shen Xi had never been overly warm toward him, she had never before shown such clear distance—as if his offer had touched on something he shouldn’t have.