Fox’s Charm, Heart’s Chaos

Out of gratitude and guilt towards Lord Loulan, Wan Mimi had refrained from doing anything mischievous to him lately. Although this meant the thoughts in Lord Loulan’s head were becoming increasingly indecent whenever he looked at her, she held herself back.

However, this new behavior didn’t sit well with Lord Loulan. The daily moments of intimacy he’d grown accustomed to suddenly disappeared. Now he could only look but not touch, which left him feeling unsatisfied. Yet, he had no valid reason to ask Wan Mimi to go back to her old ways. It’s not like he could outright say, “I like it when you touch me,” could he?

Sigh…

Seeing Lord Loulan’s worsening mood, Wan Mimi felt a little concerned. But when she remembered what he had done not too long ago, she couldn’t help teasing him every time they met. His responses were always the same-furious glares and grumbles about her being heartless.

Lord Loulan was deeply frustrated. Here he was, injured because of her, yet not only was he denied any reward, but he had to endure her mocking disdain every day. What a mistake it had all been, he thought bitterly.

Wan Mimi, meanwhile, had assumed Lord Loulan’s injury wasn’t serious. So she continued her relentless teasing without much thought.

Almost a month had passed since their return, and then it happened-Lord Loulan collapsed.

He fainted right in front of Wan Mimi. His face was as pale as a sheet. It was only then that she realized his health had been declining all this time-his complexion, his energy, everything. How could she have been so blind to his condition? She cursed herself for not noticing sooner.

But there was nothing Wan Mimi could do except wait.

She stayed by Lord Loulan’s bedside for days, yet he showed no signs of waking. As expected of this man-either unscathed or gravely injured. And this time, it was the latter, leaving him in a multi-day coma.

Wan Mimi was at a complete loss.

She changed the water daily to clean his body, adjusted his blankets, and shared his bed at night, holding him close. She was terrified that he might wake up in the middle of the night and find himself alone.

Lord Loulan was the kindest person to her since she had arrived in this world. She couldn’t bear the thought of losing him. If something were to happen to him, she would regret it for the rest of her life.

Lord Loulan usually wears a smile, always appearing happy and joyful. Now, seeing him frowning and enduring pain, Wan Mimi realizes that this person isn’t truly happy; rather, he hides all his unhappiness behind that smile. She blames herself. Despite him saving her twice, she has only added sarcasm and failed to recognize his unusual state in time. If only she had noticed sooner, perhaps she could have thought of a solution earlier.

Wan Mimi is uncertain whether Lord Loulan is aware of this, but she knows some things must be said to ease her heart.

“So, I’m sorry!”

“I’m not an ungrateful person; it’s just that when you smile, it seems like there’s nothing wrong.”

“It’s all my fault. You saved me twice, yet I’ve mocked you when I should have known better. Honestly, I didn’t mean it.”

“None of the things I said reflected my true feelings. In fact, I’m very grateful to you. It was never my intention to burden you.”

“There were times I thought about running away, but when I saw you, I didn’t want to escape alone.”

“You are my savior, and you treat me so well. Since I’m injured, I don’t know what to do.”

“Since I arrived here, your meticulous care and willingness to help have not gone unnoticed. I truly appreciate it.”

“A few days ago, when you were sick and asked me to take care of you, I was quite happy. After all, I couldn’t think of any other way to repay you, and I’d be willing to serve you as a maid if that could express my gratitude.”

“If you wake up, please open your eyes. I feel so guilty; I’m sorry for you.”

“Seeing you lying there, motionless, I feel like I’m about to die too, out of guilt and fear. I’m scared that you may never wake up, and if that happens, I would be the sinner.”

Wan Mimi wasn’t entirely sure what she was saying. Maybe she hadn’t actually said anything meaningful at all. But talking endlessly like this made her feel a little better inside.

As she looked at Lord Loulan’s peaceful, sleeping face, Wan Mimi thought to herself that perhaps it might not be so bad if he never woke up. Just living like this wouldn’t be the worst thing. After all, she would take good care of him, and neither of them would age. Time was meaningless to them anyway, something to be wasted. If he could sleep forever, maybe that wouldn’t be such a terrible fate.

She had assumed Lord Loulan would remain asleep indefinitely. But to her surprise, after a month, his condition suddenly changed. His once pale complexion turned yellow, his hair began to whiten, and his body started to wither, shrinking smaller and smaller, as if it were shriveling away.

This was anything but a good sign, and Wan Mimi was well aware of it.

What was she supposed to do?

She thought about seeking help, but who could she possibly turn to? Who would be willing to help her? And besides, given her current circumstances, how could she even find someone? Outside this courtyard, everyone out there would likely come after her, trying to claim her for themselves.

After spending this time together with Lord Loulan, Wan Mimi had begun to fully understand just what kind of allure her body held. It turned out that the only thing people wanted from her was… her body.

To Wan Mimi, her body wasn’t all that important in the grand scheme of things. However, if she gave it to someone else, she would revert from her human form back into a little fox. And that was what terrified her the most.

If her body reverted back to that of a fox, then she would truly lose everything. Even though she was a fox by nature, she couldn’t understand the language of foxes, didn’t know how they lived, and was completely unprepared for such a life. If that happened, how could she possibly survive?

She didn’t know. But one thing was certain-this couldn’t happen. Not unless there was absolutely no other choice.