Talulah, I'm still a child.

All the pedestrians focused their attention on Xi, but none of them noticed Mei Xue's presence. The threads of fate guided them to look at Xi, avoiding Mei Xue, which was also the little fox's way of concealing herself.

However, soon, even Xi's fate was covered up by Mei Xue, and no one could intersect with it, so naturally no one would notice Xi's existence.

"Xi, is there anything you want?"

"Hmm... Father, can we go see Zihua later?"

"of course can."

Mei Xue guessed Xi's plan, but still carried her to a wine shop. Xi noticed that the wine shop's sign was called Zui Ri Chun, and the person at the front desk was not a waiter, but the shopkeeper himself. When he saw Mei Xue walk in, his expression immediately changed from slightly tired to respectful.

"Shopkeeper, as usual, bring ten jars each of Thousand Days Intoxication, Spring Chill Brew, and Cloud Mountain Immortal."

"It's all ready for you. This cabinet is full of fine wines aged twenty years. Since you're a regular customer, you can just pay for eight jars each."

"Yes, the money is here."

The wine shop owner certainly knew Mei Xue and that he was a fox spirit, so this was the biggest discount he could offer. Although the fox spirit's reputation had only spread a hundred years ago, his wine shop had been supplying Mei Xue with fine wines for even longer. He knew this person's temperament and would never take advantage of his reputation.

"Father, didn't you say you wouldn't let Mother drink alcohol? Why did you buy it?"

Xi curiously poked her head out of the bamboo basket. She remembered that Mei Xue never allowed anyone to drink alcohol. When the shopkeeper saw the little one like this and thought of her, he was a little stunned. Damn, the fox fairy's child is already so big? Maybe we should just leave the wine for free. If we can give it to her as a gift for the wedding that we couldn't congratulate her on, the fox fairy won't say anything.

“Your mother loves this the most. If I don’t give it to her, she’ll throw a tantrum, roll around on the floor, and pretend to cry. It’s so annoying.”

Despite his complaints, the upward curve of Mei Xue's lips revealed a happy smile. The shopkeeper had seen this smile before; his wife did too. While mending tattered clothes, she would complain that he was stingy and unwilling to buy new ones, but her lips would always be smiling happily. It was an expression that only appeared when she felt helpless yet fond of the person she was with.

"Indeed, Mother is so noisy, and she always smells strongly of alcohol. Father is so much better; he smells so nice!"

"Then next time you smell alcohol on her, just tell me secretly, okay?"

Mei Xue was trying to trick her youngest daughter into becoming her little spy, so that any attempt to steal drinks would not escape her notice.

"Okay, I'll definitely tell Father on you!"

"Hmm, good girl. We'll go get a nice meal later... Hmm, is it snowing?"

Halfway through his sentence, Mei Xue looked up at the sky. The gloomy sky was accompanied by gusts of cold wind. He had thought it would snow later, but it seemed that this was a harbinger of the outbreak of the curse and hatred.

"Father, look over there, there's an old man selling charcoal, he's dressed so lightly..."

Xi gently patted Mei Xue's head and pointed to the old man not far away. He was wearing a thin linen coat and had a cart full of charcoal next to him, but in this kind of weather... if he stood in the snow all day, the old man probably wouldn't make it.

"What does my daughter, Xibao, think I should do?"

"Hmm... We can't just give it away for nothing, lest it foster a mentality of wanting something for nothing, but we also can't turn a blind eye. Shall we buy that cart of charcoal?"

“Your sister Nian is at home, so she doesn’t burn charcoal, but let’s go over there.”

Mei Xue smiled and led Xi toward the person.

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Side Story: Yuu and Meisetsu's Journey Through the Human World

"Phew... This weather is really giving me no way out."

Ning Dongsheng exhaled and rubbed his hands together. He looked up at the sky and saw white snowflakes falling gently, scattering across each household with the cold wind.

The old man once heard a scholar say that it is colder when the snow melts than when it snows, because snow releases heat when it falls and absorbs heat when it melts. The old man even swore that this was a principle told to him by a fox spirit.

But for an old man like Ning Dongsheng, these were just things to listen to casually. What difference did it make to him whether it snowed or the snow melted? Dressed in burlap clothes, the cold weather was nothing compared to the coldness of people's hearts. Two of his three sons had abandoned him, and the remaining half-crippled son was still lying at home waiting for him to return. Now that it was snowing, although it was very cold, at least this batch of charcoal could fetch a good price.

But when he thought of the homeless people he had seen on his way here, he couldn't help but feel sorry for them. He had a home and a place to stay, but those people wandering the wilderness didn't even know where they were going. If possible, he didn't mind if the charcoal was cheaper. He hoped that the fox spirit would bless the weather so that fewer of those people would freeze to death.

"Grandpa, how much for this batch of charcoal?"

Upon hearing that a customer had come to his door, Ning Dongsheng immediately perked up despite shivering from the cold. He glanced at the newcomer, a handsome young man carrying a bamboo basket with a pretty and delicate girl inside.

Although they didn't look like a wealthy family, the clothes they were wearing were not something ordinary people could afford. Ning Dongsheng had never seen such fine fabric before.

"These are all top-quality white charcoal. I also have some coal here, look at this..."

“Price is not the issue, but I see you are so old and still out here to make a living. Are you all alone? If so, there should be a system in Great Yan to provide for the elderly living alone.”

The elderly living alone was a policy implemented by the Great Yan Dynasty fifty years ago. It provides subsidies to elderly families with no other able-bodied members. Although it is not a large sum of money, it is enough to ensure that they have enough to eat and wear each month, and they also get a few new clothes. They won't have to wear burlap clothes in the winter.

“Alas, young brother, you don’t know, I have three sons, but my eldest son became a bandit, my second son married into another family and now he doesn’t recognize me, and my third son is paralyzed in both legs, but the government refuses to provide me with social security because my second son is rich.”

Perhaps feeling a sense of kinship with Mei Xue, Ning Dongsheng readily recounted these events, only to find himself increasingly heartbroken as he spoke. Xi, on Mei Xue's back, wanted to say something, but saw him simply listening calmly.

"Then your third son probably isn't having an easy time either."

Mei Xue didn't say anything about why the old man didn't report it or file a complaint. She just glanced back and forth along the thread of fate. The old man wasn't lying or trying to gain sympathy. Mei Xue's tail swayed gently, and the red umbrella in her hand blocked the wind and snow, creating a quiet space for herself.

"Yes, he was well-read, but he was robbed by my unfilial eldest son on his way to the imperial examination, breaking both his legs. Not wanting to be a burden to me, he even tried to kill himself yesterday..."

(He almost died just now)

With a slight sigh of helplessness, Mei Xue thought to herself that this was fate. Meeting him at such a crucial juncture in his life was what he was meant to have, so he helped him out a little earlier.

The old man had a cartload of good charcoal and a small amount of coal. It would be great if he could sell them, but there were hardly any people on the street because of the snow, so he probably wouldn't be able to sell them. Mei Xue had no intention of buying them.

"Meeting is fate. I've done some calculations for you. Your eldest son is dead, and your second son is nearing the end. The suffering you've endured for forty years should finally come to an end."

"What do you mean, young man?"

I said, this is our destiny.

Mei Xue removed her disguise, and Ning Dongsheng felt a blur before his eyes. Then, the Mei Xue standing in front of him became the person he knew best, the one from the painting that hung in his home day and night.

"Fox...Fox Spirit, this humble subject..."

"No need to worship me, I am not a qualified immortal. I will give you a piece of gold. You can take these charcoal and coal to the Dong family in the west gate. There is only an old mother and an only daughter left in their family. They will not have an easy time. The other piece of gold is theirs."

After saying that, Mei Xue took out two palm-sized pieces of gold from her tail and placed them on the wooden cart, ignoring the old man's astonished look.

"Don't look at me like that. If it weren't for the concern that the people of Dayan would develop a habit of relying on me without working for them, and the fact that gold is worthless anyway, what's wrong with giving each household one piece? Take it. I also saved your third son. He's perfectly healthy now. Let him study for two more years and then take the imperial examination."

As soon as she finished speaking, Mei Xue disappeared from the spot, leaving Ning Dongsheng standing there in a daze, watching a plum blossom sprout from where he had stood, and then grow from a seedling into a sturdy tree in just a few dozen seconds, with plum blossoms blooming proudly in the snow. This was the best proof that the fox spirit had been there.

After Xi grew up, she inquired about this story. There were many versions of the story later, and as it was passed down by word of mouth, it inevitably differed from the original facts. The people of Da Yan were very good at adding their own content, such as Mei Xue turning coal into gold and the charcoal seller accumulating good deeds and eventually being rewarded. But Xi was a witness to this story, and she knew everything.

As for Ning Dongsheng, his life was indeed very happy afterward. His third son, Ning Zhixia, married the only daughter of the Dong family. Although they were more than ten years apart, they were deeply in love and supported each other through thick and thin. They had a child. His third son also successfully passed the imperial examination and became a high-ranking official of the fourth rank, opening up a career path for the Ning family. Their influence has lasted to this day, and their descendants are also ambitious. Now, the grandfather of the Ning family holds the first rank. It was only when Xi met Ning Ciqiu that she remembered this matter.

Of course, none of this concerned her anymore. Young Xi was playing with Mei Xue's tail in the bamboo basket, occasionally observing the people around her. Because of Mei Xue's special identity, he always concealed himself, as did Xi.

The city's hustle and bustle left her unsure where to look. Mei Xue didn't specifically buy anything; after selling all the paintings Xi liked, he simply satisfied his daughter's curiosity by carrying her from one end of the city to the other.

Despite being a child in disguise, Xi is still a child. She watched a lot, bought a lot of toys, and ate a lot of snacks. She had a fulfilling and happy time. Of course, the little fox would be even happier if she could learn not to wipe her mouth with Mei Xue's tail, but there's no way around it, you still have to spoil your own child.

"Father, aren't we going to find my older brothers and sisters?"

"I'm not going. Your brothers all have their own things to do, and as for your sisters... well..."

Mei Xue thought about it. If she were to go to see her second and third daughters, given the current weather, it would be very likely that they wouldn't stay overnight. It would also be very likely that they wouldn't break into her house at night, not to mention that she would be pressed down by a ghost in the middle of the night. In short, she couldn't go!

"Oh, it's alright, Father. Xi is very sensible and would never tell your mother. Don't worry."

"What tattling?"

"It's about you and your sisters doing that kind of thing, just don't do it with that guy Nian. If Father really wants it, Xi is fine with it too~"

Xi patted Meixue's head sensibly, leaving the little fox speechless for a moment. Was this considered precocious? But in the future he saw, why would his lively, cheerful, cute, and sensible little daughter become so cold and aloof a thousand years later? It just didn't make sense.

"...You're so thoughtful."

Mei Xue thought to herself, “I’m so sensible that I’m about to have to take out the ruler to discipline her. This must be the work of those two rascals, Nian and Ling. Otherwise, how could my most well-behaved little daughter have turned out like this!”

"Of course, Dad, don't you always say that daughters are like warm little cotton-padded jackets?"

"Just don't follow your sisters' example."

As she spoke, Mei Xue carried Xi to a noodle shop and sat down to eat something before going home. She often came to this noodle shop; well, she used to come once every three years, but now she comes once every two months.

"Boss, two bowls of noodles, one with less chili."

"Alright, oh wait, you've changed your partner again?"

The boss was somewhat surprised to see Xi beside Mei Xue. Every time Mei Xue came here before, she would bring a child with her, and each time it was a different child, but they were all pretty. Last time, she brought a little girl who loved spicy food.

"My youngest daughter insisted on coming with me to buy some things, and I couldn't refuse her. Where is your daughter?"

"Oh, don't even mention it. Tonight there's a poetry and lantern festival. My daughter went to see the flower boats. I think she's probably taken a fancy to that guy, but she doesn't know how to say it."

Upon hearing about the lantern festival, Xi immediately became interested. Somewhat embarrassed, she stretched out her tail and wrapped it around Mei Xue's tail. This was the first time she had ever done this. Anyway, she had seen her mother do this every time she begged Mei Xue for some wine or to stop at night.

Mei Xue blushed for a moment when her tail was tangled, then looked at her little daughter, Xi, and shyly tugged at his sleeve.

"Father, shall we go see the lantern festival together?"

"Going to the lantern festival is fine, but why are you tangling with my tail?"

"Because I've seen my mother do this when she begs you."

Looking into Xi's pure eyes, Mei Xue fell into deep thought for a moment. Then he gently stroked his daughter's hair and green horn. He was thinking about something: if he killed Ling, Xi would become a single parent and would she lack love?

However, when Mei Xue thought about how she had raised these children from childhood to adulthood and that they hadn't done anything good except make them cry, she felt that it didn't matter whether she was a mother or not.

"Then we'll go after we finish eating the noodles."

"Uh-huh!"

I don't remember much after that. Because I was full and had nothing to eat, Xi was exhausted and fell asleep before the lantern festival even started. In the end, Mei Xue put her in a bamboo basket and carried her home.

Later, Xi didn't know why, but her mother kept saying that she couldn't live like this anymore, and every night Mei Xue would throw her out of the bedroom with her tail.

But this was a boon for Xi, who was still a child and could openly knock on Mei Xue's door with her pillow, then snuggle in Mei Xue's arms and have a good sleep.

Only when she was by Mei Xue's side could she sleep without worrying about that terrifying monster appearing in her dreams, knowing that it was no match for Mei Xue.

"Am I...asleep?"

Suddenly, Xi woke up from her dream and got up from the table. She found that she had actually fallen asleep for a long time and had a dream. It seemed that she dreamed about things from the past. This was really strange. Even though Mei Xue was not by her side, she was unusually quiet.

Looking at the painting on her desk and the woman dressed in black monk's robes in it by the moonlight, Xi raised an eyebrow slightly, thinking to herself that this girl had a good heart, but she still needed to be trained. Let's see how long she can stay in this painting.

She got up and opened the window of the inn. Looking at the bright lights outside, she thought of the time she went down the mountain with Mei Xue when she was a child. It was such a pity that they couldn't go to see the lantern festival together. In that case, it should be okay to invite him tomorrow, if those sirens didn't really intend to eat all the fox spirits tonight.

"Strange, why can't I find it anywhere?"

"Did he hide in someone else's room?"

The sirens were puzzled. It was agreed that whoever found Mei Xue first tonight would have a whole day to possess her, but now they couldn't even find a trace of the little fox, and they couldn't knock on her door to disturb her rest.

But Xi seemed to sense or realize something, and looked at her bed, or rather, under the bed.