Talulah, I'm still a child.

"Hmm... Half of the sisters who went to Kazimierz have gone to the Reunion Movement, and the rest will arrive tonight. Fifty sisters are staying outside Yumen and Tianji Pavilion, thirty are cleaning the coastline, and twenty are supporting Iberia."

The ocean is the domain of the sea creatures, but the existence of the sirens has gradually made them restrain their actions, realizing that they are an enemy that cannot be fought against by sheer numbers and their current level of evolution.

Speaking of them, the Siren Lolis also felt sorry, after all, these girls were all evolved from the Sealings. The interpretation of the stone tablets of the underwater civilization ruins was completed a while ago. Although they didn't know if Agor's recklessness had awakened the fighting genes of the Sealings, causing the entire group to activate some mechanism, they at least understood the existence of the Sealings.

The Sealings, creatures created by a previous civilization to modify the ecological environment, codenamed AMa, carry the hopes of the past and have now become one of the oldest and largest threats on this continent. Compared to the writhing spirits in the southern hot lands, or the demons in northern Terra that are being fought against by several countries, the Sealings, with survival and reproduction as their goal and struggle and migration as their means, are undoubtedly the most imminent threat.

"But then again, I still don't understand why there are the owner's remains there, and they're so big."

Recalling the enormous skeleton that stood like a monument in the deep sea, the Siren lolis still had many questions: What was Mei Xue's relationship with the previous civilization, and what was her relationship with Hai Si and even those giant beasts?

"Perhaps it's because of the master's special characteristics. Don't you know that the master wasn't called Mei Xue before?"

“I know that. So tell me, who gave him this name? It sounds quite nice.”

The girls, busy preparing the New Year's Eve dinner, chattered away without slowing down. It was quite a challenge to prepare a New Year's Eve dinner for hundreds of people. Meanwhile, in Shangshu, inside the Xingyu Inn, Du Yaoye looked curiously at the table of people. Most of them were unfamiliar faces, and they didn't seem to be high-ranking officials or scions of wealthy families. The one leading the group, Elafia, was as kind as a friendly older sister next door.

On the contrary, the fox spirit, who is the main character, has not appeared yet, which makes her a little anxious.

“Mei Xue was not originally called by this name; he was only referred to by the single character Mei, which, of course, came from his older sister.”

Inside Shang Shu's Xingyu Inn, Lin Qingyan held Cecilia in his arms, facing Talulah, Alina, Frostnova, and others, telling them about Mei Xue while observing everyone except Talulah.

Aside from Patriot, who can't be seen for the time being due to his appearance, most of the other little fox's friends are here.

"Then why did he change his name later?"

Alina glanced around. Xingyu Inn was closed for the day, and since it was a festive occasion, no one thought it was strange. But in reality, only a few people knew that a fox spirit had descended tonight.

"It's not exactly a name change; this matter goes back several decades..."

Although the Great Yan Dynasty has always promoted fox spirits, the human heart is multifaceted, and the desire for power and immortality can turn people into demons.

It is unknown when it started, but there has been a rumor in the Great Yan that the wild white foxes in the mountains are mostly offspring of fox spirits, and their flesh and blood contain spiritual energy. One tail is the least, and five tails are the most. Eating the flesh and blood of a white fox can prolong life, cure diseases and eliminate disasters, while five tails can make one live as long as the Great Yan dynasty and have the ability to summon wind and rain.

Although it was just a rumor, some people were willing to try it out, and the huge reward inevitably tempted some people. As a result, poaching has been going on for years, and even decades ago, someone actually saw a five-tailed white fox in the mountains of the south.

"As soon as the news came out, bounty hunters from all over set off. A bunch of money-grubbing guys naturally don't know what respect is."

Even if Lin Qingyan didn't say it, everyone could guess what happened next. In order to capture that white fox, bounty hunters from the Great Yan Dynasty flocked to the area. They respected the poor more than gods.

"But who could have imagined that the five-tailed white fox was actually the Great Yan Fox Fairy herself? Even the Great Yan was kept in the dark."

Lin Qingyan gently put down her teacup, but it was clear that she wasn't in a very good mood, with blue and white lightning crackling in her hair.

"The fox spirit at that time had just awakened from a thousand-year slumber, and the curse on its body had completely merged into its own power. It was in a weak state and had difficulty adapting. If it had been caught... it probably wouldn't have been any better than what happened in Ursus."

Humans have all sorts of desires, which is unavoidable. Although Lin Qingyan was angry, he was helpless. Even now, there are still such people in the Great Yan Dynasty who have done many immoral things in pursuit of a so-called immortal destiny.

"So, at that time, it was..."

"Just as you thought, the one who saved the fox spirit was a young hunter named Mei Xue."

Lin Qingyan interrupted Talulah, expressing extreme dissatisfaction with her insistence on Mei Xue's ownership. What did she mean by saying Mei Xue was hers? To be honest, she was practically the little fox's older sister.

"But in that incident, the boy died from a hail of arrows, and before he died, he inadvertently made a wish..."

Remember me, Ah-wu, remember my face, remember my name, I don't want to be forgotten.

Standing on this desolate, withered grass, Mei Xue suddenly heard a familiar voice in her ears—a fleeting memory, a shadow of the past.

The future and the past both converge at one point. He could see the trajectory of the future and the footprints of the past. So he saw that the boy's legs were pierced by arrows and his back was also hit by several arrows. He took off the blood-stained golden bell and put it on the white fox's neck.

He said: Run away, Ah Wu, run away to a place where there is no one, protect yourself, and don't forget me.

He had only come to a place he vaguely remembered. The boy's grave was not far from the plum tree. The Great Yan personnel who came to investigate collected his remains and made a nameless tombstone out of a wooden plank. The earthen grave was overgrown with weeds, which Mei Xue personally cleared away by hand over some time.

After finishing her work, Mei Xue placed the two apples in front of the mound and sat under the tall plum tree. She closed her eyes and rested for a while, as if she could hear the boy's voice again, connecting her to her past self in fragments.

[Haha, look! A merchant came to the village today. I traded the herbs you helped me find for some sugar. Try some!]

That's a silly boy. All he knows is hunting. He doesn't realize that his herbs are enough to buy everything that merchant owns.

Grandpa Village Chief said that white foxes are all offspring of fox spirits, and the more tails they have, the more powerful and spiritual they are. But I feel like you're a bit clumsy; you can fall into the river even when you roll over.

His name was Mei Xue, and he was all alone. Now, that name belonged to someone else. The more Mei Xue immersed himself in his surroundings, the more he could feel a flash of inspiration in his heart. He finally understood why he only remembered this name when he was rescued by Talulah.

At that time, the boy made a wish to him, a wish to remember him forever, so from then on, this name became an integral part of Mei Xue, like a brand.

A few plum blossoms fell, their petals landing on Mei Xue along with the afterglow of the setting sun. If possible, the little fox planned to sleep until tomorrow, not to try and regain more memories, because there was nothing noteworthy about the time she spent with the boy.

The little fox was just hugging its tail, as if reminiscing about the feeling of lying here in the past.

"But Cecilia is almost here now, so we have to hurry over."

Mei Xue gently stood up, brushed the fallen leaves off her clothes, and nodded slightly towards the small grave. She thought to herself that she would ask someone to repair the place when she got back, so that he would probably come here occasionally in the future. This was a promise, a promise that would never be forgotten.

"Thank you, Mei Xue."

This is a good name. From now on, he will be Mei Xue. He will always remember the boy who gave him this name. It doesn't matter if there is no name on the tombstone, because he is standing here, he is still alive, so Mei Xue is still alive.

A winter wind blew by, carrying a biting chill, but it was all blocked by the umbrella in Mei Xue's hand. Only a wisp of wind blew past her neck, making the golden bells tinkle melodiously, as if saying "long time no see" or "farewell".

"Goodbye."

The little fox lightly touched the ground with its toes and disappeared from the spot, thus letting go of some of its obsessions.

Today is Lunar New Year's Eve, and tomorrow is the Spring Festival. Every household in Shangshu has prepared food and wine, and hung a string of firecrackers at the door. The crackling sound of firecrackers rises and falls, one house after another. The winter snow falls lightly, neither cold nor dazzling.

As the prefect of Shangshu, Liang Xun always wore a poker face. In the hearts of the people of Shangshu, he was an excellent and praiseworthy official, but he was somewhat embarrassed when facing a certain person.

"What, is Lord Liang also busy with official duties today?"

Ning Ciqiu slightly raised her eyebrows. Her tone was gentle, but it would be truly naive to mistake her for an ordinary woman.

Moreover, there was clearly another layer of meaning to these words: Are you, Liang Xun, not very welcoming of my arrival?

"How could that be? I just didn't expect Miss Ning to come to my residence on such a festive occasion. If I had known, I should have had the kitchen prepare more of Miss Ning's favorite dishes, so as not to fail in the proper way to entertain guests."

"In that case, Lord Liang need not treat me as a guest, nor need you trouble preparing any dishes. I have made some myself and brought them with me."

For the servants of the Liang family, watching the daily emotional tug-of-war between Lord Liang Xun and Miss Ning was the greatest pleasure. Miss Ning's offensive was fierce, and Lord Liang was always busy defending. It was obvious to everyone that the two liked each other, and some people even secretly speculated about when they would finally get together.

However, those in the know could understand Liang Xun's predicament. This Miss Ning was no ordinary young lady from a prominent family; she was a second-rank official, while Liang Xun, as a prefect, was only a fourth-rank official, several ranks lower than her.

Moreover, the Ning family can be considered one of the most prominent families in the capital. Ning's grandfather was a first-rank official in the imperial court and made great contributions. Ning Ciqiu herself did not get to this position through her ancestors' connections; she is truly capable.

Therefore, Liang Xun could not directly express or agree to Ning Ciqiu's feelings, not because of the Ning family behind her, but because he felt that he was not good enough for her. Of course, he did not plan to remain single for life like his sworn brother, after all, he also liked Ning Ciqiu.

"Tonight, a fox spirit has descended upon Shangshu. As the Prefect of Shangshu, Lord Liang, wouldn't it be inappropriate not to go and greet her?"

"Miss Ning is too kind. The Grand Tutor will not arrive in Shangshu until tomorrow. How could I possibly disturb the fox fairy's refined pleasure?"

Liang Xun shook his head. He knew that Xingyu Inn would be hosting some other people besides the fox spirit tonight. Although he didn't know their identities, he figured the fox spirit probably wouldn't want anyone to disturb her.

As the two were talking, they suddenly caught a faint scent of plum blossoms and looked at the blooming plum tree in the corner of the courtyard.

The plum blossoms that were originally budding on the plum tree now seemed to have forgotten the passage of time, and in a daze, they felt that early spring had arrived, and they all bloomed one by one.

"Open, open!"

A servant rushed excitedly into the courtyard, somewhat incoherently.

"Mother... oh no, Lord Liang, they're blooming! All the plum blossoms in the Plum Garden are in bloom, and so are the plum blossoms on Hanchun Street outside!"

As the winter plum blossoms bloomed, a clear bell rang out in every household, drowning out all the firecrackers and drawing everyone from Shangshu out of their homes, from four- or five-year-old children to sixty- or seventy-year-old elders.

Suddenly, a red dot appears in the distance, its fragrance carried on the wind along with the sound of bells. Today, the plum blossoms smile to welcome the snow; it turns out to be a fox spirit descending to earth.

Chapter 2 The Little Fox's New Year's Dinner

Xingyu Inn is located in Shangshu, a famous tourist city in the Great Yan Dynasty. There are hundreds of inns of all sizes, and Xingyu Inn has dozens of branches. Of course, only this one uses the Xingyu name, and it occupies a good location.

The innkeeper enjoys the view of the skyscrapers at night and the twin moons reflected in the lake. He prefers the view because he likes it. The number of customers and the rent are secondary. So, Alina felt very comfortable sitting by the window. The Dayan Inn is quaint and has good tea and wine. The feeling is quite subtle.

Although it was winter, Shangshu was located in the mountains at a low altitude, so it wasn't cold. It was nothing to them, having come from the Ursus snowfield.

Mephistopheles and Faust were both well-behaved, but they couldn't help but stare at each other. This was their first time visiting another country. They had been to Lungmen before, but Lungmen was more developed and didn't have the strong ancient fragrance of the Great Yan Dynasty.

Although Xingyu Inn is set up like an ancient inn of the Great Yan Dynasty, it has all the necessary amenities, such as electric lights, and even power banks at the front desk.

"Patriot is really too big, haha, let's move to the backyard to eat, it's not cold today anyway."

Talulah scratched her head helplessly. With Patriot's size, there really wasn't enough room for all the small tables in the inn. After all, even the Great Yan hadn't expected a genuine Wendigo to come.

Of course, it would be quite embarrassing if Frostnova broke someone's bench while sitting on it. I don't know why, even though her Oripathy is under control, she's still as heavy as a stone pillar. If you didn't know better, you'd think she was pregnant with several babies at once.

"Okay, but hasn't Mei Xue arrived yet?"

Froststar glanced at the doorway; it was almost time for the New Year's Eve dinner, yet the place remained so quiet.

"He will definitely not be late."

Talulah just smiled. Sure enough, as soon as she finished speaking, the streets outside suddenly erupted in chaos. Many people were shouting a warm welcome to the fox spirit for her visit to Shangshu. Du Yaoye was also surprised to find that the plum blossoms he had broken off and put in the bottle had all bloomed, even though there were still many buds.

"Sorry I'm late, is dinner ready?"

A clear bell rang, accompanied by a familiar voice. Alina, Froststar, and the others turned around and saw Mei Xue standing at the door, holding a red umbrella. Although she was still wearing a short sleeveless black shirt and hot pants, her coat had been changed to the style of the Great Yan Dynasty. It was white with golden cloud patterns embroidered on it, and it was obviously not clothing that ordinary people could wear.

She might miss him, but that didn't just mean she'd pounce on him. Froststar simply smiled and pointed outside.

"Why did you make such a commotion?"

"It's just a small gift for everyone in Shangshu."

Mei Xue swayed her tail gently, put the umbrella back inside, and then walked to Alina's side, hugging her first, and then hugging Froststar. Hmm, her body was cool, but the little fox knew that her inner temperature was not that low, but still fiery.

“Every time a fox spirit enters the mortal world, plum blossoms within a hundred miles of the area will bloom in competition, filling the air with fragrance. It is said that those who smell this fragrance will have good fortune in the coming year.”

Lin Qingyan made a small supplementary explanation, then let go of Cecilia's hands so that she could land on her feet. Upon seeing her beloved brother, the little angel rushed towards him without thinking, as adorable as ever.

"elder brother!"

Cecilia called out in her not-so-fluent Da Yan language, then buried her face in Mei Xue's chest and rubbed against her. She had been sent to the border of Da Yan by Gao Wen, and then brought here by Lin Qingyan. Originally, it should have been Ling He Nian and others who did this, but as soon as the Da Yan side heard that this little angel was Mei Xue's adopted sister, they immediately treated her with high-level courtesy.

Along the way, Cecilia didn't know anyone except Talulah and Lin Qingyan. She no longer trusted strangers as easily as before. Her mother had told her many times before that she must listen to her brother Meixue and not talk to strangers.

"Yes, brother is here."

Mei Xue was also happy. Since he had promised to take Cecilia to see a wider world, he naturally wouldn't forget a wonderful place like Da Yan. It was just that Cecilia couldn't speak the Da Yan language, which would be a bit inconvenient.

However, this is not a problem for Mei Xue; the little fox has plenty of ways to deal with it.

Where is your older sister?

"In the back, I was drinking with that big, handsome grandpa, but they wouldn't let me see."