4
Yun Li was drenched by the rain and had rolled around in the bushes, leaving her covered in mud. Her disheveled hair was adorned with leaves looking utterly bedraggled, except for her eyes that were clear and bright.
Fu Qingheng stood still under his umbrella, the rain pattering on its surface. His cool gaze pierced through the dense curtain of rain and finally settled on Yun Li’s face.
Yun Li stared back at him with her large, watery eyes. The man’s heart stirred—he felt he had seen those eyes somewhere before, but he couldn’t recall where.
In the dead of night, amid a downpour, a beautiful young girl appearing on this desolate road was, frankly, quite eerie.
He studied her carefully. She had apparently been hit, yet there was no sign of injury.
His brow furrowed slightly, his gaze growing suspicious.
Yun Li had never interacted with humans before. Looking at this man, her first impression was awe.
Male foxes from her clan were famous for their handsome looks—her own brothers were prime examples, the very best of the fox kind. One flirtatious glance from them could drive female demons thousands of years old or mere centuries—absolutely wild.
This man was no less striking than her brothers. It was breathtaking.
Fortunately, having a handsome fox father and three handsome fox brothers, Yun Li managed not to make a fool of herself in front of him.
Though the man was undeniably handsome, his demeanor was cold and distant. His dark eyes were deep and unreadable, fixed on Yun Li.
His gaze was intense, unnerving her. She instinctively looked away, unable to meet his eyes.
For some reason, she felt this man could see right through to her true form.
Could her fox tail have slipped out?
Heart racing, Yun Li glanced down at the spot where her tail would be but there was nothing there.
She relaxed. Phew. All good.
Fu Qingheng found it odd: if he had hit this young girl, there should be some sign of injury. But she looked merely disheveled.
He turned to the driver. “Is this the person you hit?”
The driver couldn’t answer. He hadn’t seen who or what he’d hit. But he was sure he’d hit something.
“I…”
What, was he trying to deny responsibility?
Yun Li quickly pointed to the roadside bushes. “That’s right, you hit me. The impact threw me into those bushes!”
Fu Qingheng followed her gaze. The rain was pelting the bushes, and in the darkness, nothing was visible.
“Miss, are you hurt?” he asked, with what seemed like concern.
Yun Li answered without hesitation. “Of course not! I’m not as fragile as you hum—”
She had always been straightforward. She almost blurted out that she wasn’t human. Clamping her mouth shut mid-sentence, she stared wide-eyed at him.
Fu Qingheng: “What?”
Yun Li shook her head quickly, not daring to say more.
This man seemed far too clever. One wrong word and she might expose herself as a fox and then she’d be done for.
“You seem to be fine. In that case, it’s late, Miss. Please head home soon and stop wandering around at night.”
With that, he turned to get back in the car, showing no intention of taking her along.
Yun Li panicked. If he left her here, she’d have been hit for nothing!
“Wait!”
The man turned. “Miss, is there something else?”
Yun Li wanted to bluntly ask him to take her, but then she remembered Lailai teaching her about “accident scamming.” She pressed a hand to her forehead. “I think I’m a little dizzy…”
Her body swayed a couple of times, and then—thud—she collapsed onto the ground.
If she wanted him to take her, she couldn’t give him a chance to refuse.
Surely, he wouldn’t leave her unconscious on the side of the road!
What were these two men waiting for? Hurry up and carry her already!
The ground was so cold and wet. Oh, what would become of her precious fur?
The driver panicked and turned to Fu Qingheng. “Sir, this young lady suddenly collapsed…”
One moment she was speaking with energy, the next she was faint. Could this be from the car accident?
The thought of being responsible for a life sent the driver’s heart racing. He rushed to check on Yun Li.
He called out to her anxiously, but she didn’t respond. He looked up at Fu Qingheng.
The man by the car pressed his lips together. “Put her in the car.”
A few minutes passed, and Yun Li was pleasantly surprised to find that the spot where cold air had been blowing was now warm and cozy, making her feel incredibly comfortable.
She longed to transform back into her original form and let the warm air dry her fox fur.
She was so cold that she inched closer to the heater, wanting nothing more than to press her entire body against it.
Gradually, she crept toward the edge—until, with an unexpected thud, she rolled right off the seat.
Now Fu Qingheng was even more certain that Yun Li was fainting on purpose. The corner of his mouth lifted in a faint, scoffing smile.
She seemed clever at first glance, but she was actually quite foolish.
Hearing the man’s chuckle, Yun Li felt deeply wronged.
She’d just fallen, and he was laughing at her. What a jerk.
But since she was pretending to be unconscious, she couldn’t wake up now—otherwise, she’d blow her cover.
Wasn’t he going to help her up?
Was he really going to leave her lying on the floor?
Fu Qingheng had severe mysophobia. Looking at Yun Li, covered in mud, he had no desire to pick her up.
The driver, feeling guilty, hesitantly asked, “Sir, will she be okay like this?”
Having hit someone and leaving them on the floor weighed on his conscience.
Fu Qingheng glanced at the driver, silencing him instantly.
A few more minutes passed before Fu Qingheng grabbed a dry towel, lifted Yun Li, and placed her on the seat beside him.
She was lighter than he’d expected—he barely had to use any effort.
Yun Li finally found herself back on the soft seat. This time, she lay perfectly still, not daring to move again.
The car drove on until they reached the city and took her to the hospital.
The medical staff lifted her onto a stretcher and wheeled her inside. Someone pried her eyelid open and shone a bright light into her eye—it was almost blinding.
Panic surged in Yun Li’s heart. What were these people planning to do to her?
Ding Zhen received the news and quickly came down from his office.
Seeing Fu Qingheng standing there unharmed, Ding Zhen breathed a sigh of relief.
With one hand in his pocket, he asked, “What brings you to the hospital this late at night?”
He had been worried that Fu Qingheng had fallen ill again!
Fu Qingheng gestured toward Yun Li, who was being wheeled into the examination room. “My driver hit someone.”
“Hit someone?”
Ding Zhen glanced at the young girl lying on the hospital bed. Her face was smudged with dirt, making it hard to make out her features. He then turned back to ask, “Are you alright?”
Fu Qingheng shook his head. “Give her a thorough check-up and see if she sustained any injuries.”
Matters like a routine examination could be handled by other doctors.
Ding Zhen said, “It’s getting late. You should head back early. I’ll let you know once the results are out.”
Fu Qingheng was about to decline when his phone suddenly rang.
The call was from Uncle Yang. Fu Qingheng answered, “Just entered the city. I’ll be back soon.”
After hanging up, he said, “Let me know the results as soon as you have them.”
**