Chapter Six: Bai Lian Is Captured

The next morning, as dawn broke faintly, Yu Huan stirred his slightly aching body. Though the doors and windows were tightly shut, an inexplicable chill seeped through, causing him to shiver involuntarily.

As his thoughts gradually returned, Yu Huan recalled the events and sights from the previous day. He had spent half the night troubled, his head pounding fiercely. Shaking his head, he reasoned that with exams approaching, he was simply fatigued and perhaps hallucinating.

As daylight grew, Shen Xunqing returned from his official duties. After changing clothes, he asked the black slave, “When you escorted Yu Huan back yesterday, did you notice anyone suspicious?”

The black slave thought carefully and replied, “No suspicious persons, my lord. Has something happened?”

Shen Xunqing frowned. “Yesterday, I sensed a foul aura upon entering the residence—one so familiar, yet the passage of time has blurred my memory.”

Hearing this, the black slave responded seriously, “Since my lord has sensed it, I shall make proper arrangements to prevent anyone from taking advantage.”

Shen Xunqing nodded slightly in agreement. Since the arrival of Chi, the mansion had grown livelier. Whenever he returned, he would hear the quarrels between Chi and the little celestial fox. Yet today, the courtyard was unusually quiet. Instinctively, he asked, “Where is everyone?”

The black slave answered quietly, “Reporting to my lord, Chi took the little celestial fox out to play. As for the lady, she has not left her room since yesterday.”

“Not left her room?” Shen Xunqing frowned again. “Did she skip breakfast? Was there anything unusual about her yesterday?”

“No, my lady was as usual,” the black slave replied.

That was indeed strange. Could it be connected to the aura he sensed? Shen Xunqing pondered, then said, “Very well, you may attend to your duties. I will go take a look.”

As he spoke, the air suddenly twisted for a moment. Stepping through the distortion, Shen Xunqing found himself before Yu Huan’s door. He stood there a while, glancing around. The door and windows were tightly locked.

What had transpired to put Yu Huan so on guard? Shen Xunqing was momentarily puzzled. He politely knocked, but there was no answer. Focusing, he saw Yu Huan lying on the bed in a very proper posture.

Relieved, Shen Xunqing chuckled softly. Even after reincarnation, though personalities might differ, some habits remained unchanged.

Passing through the door, Shen Xunqing approached Yu Huan’s bedside. Yu Huan lay on his back, hands folded over his abdomen, brows slightly furrowed. Reaching out to touch the ridge between his brows, Shen Xunqing was unexpectedly grasped by one of Yu Huan’s hands. The eyes that met his were not sleepy but hollow yet strangely bright, leaving Shen Xunqing momentarily stunned.

Yu Huan blinked, regaining awareness. Slowly, he released Shen Xunqing’s hand. His vision cleared, and the concerned face before him made him wonder if he had truly been hallucinating. This man seemed perfectly normal.

Seeing Yu Huan’s rare unguarded confusion, Shen Xunqing smiled. “Did you sleep well? If you want to keep sleeping, wait until after breakfast. You need energy to rest properly, don’t you?”

Upon hearing this, Yu Huan’s consciousness sharpened instantly. Expressionless, he withdrew his hand, though his ears tinged with a faint blush. Shen Xunqing paid no mind and quietly waited. Yu Huan adjusted his attire slightly, then followed Shen Xunqing out.

Glancing back, Shen Xunqing saw Yu Huan keeping his head lowered. He slowed his pace to walk beside him and asked gently, “Is something troubling you?”

Yu Huan looked up and gave a brief smile, fleeting as a blooming epiphyllum. Shen Xunqing was taken aback, then quickly turned away, covering his flushed face with a hand. A voice, melodious and heavenly to his ears, whispered nearby: “It’s nothing. I was just thinking about what I should teach you. After all, your household doesn’t tolerate idlers or freeloaders.”

Shen Xunqing clicked his tongue and smirked, “You’re quite bold!”

Yu Huan smiled faintly. “Flattery.”

The rare peacefulness between them was abruptly shattered by voices approaching nearby.

After repeated gentle persuasion from the black slave, Chi finally changed clothes—still in red but wrapped far more securely than usual. Chi had thought the lord’s arrival meant a mission, but it turned out to be about devising strategies to help Shen Xunqing ‘pursue his husband.’

If the lord truly appointed him as the ‘advisor’ for this pursuit, there might be some fun. But since their last conversation, Shen Xunqing had neither acted on his suggestions nor sought him out again. It seemed he had been forgotten. Fortunately, there was another being in the house—no, a fox like himself. Simply teasing this fox brought him much amusement. The lord had indeed found a valuable companion.

“Give me back the jade pendant!” A pink-clad girl, eyes reddened and biting her lip, lifted her skirt and jumped repeatedly. A man in red, looking rather frivolous, held the jade pendant high above her reach, raising it even higher each time she jumped.

The girl’s exquisitely painted face flushed deep crimson. She glared at Chi, “Didn’t you say you’d return the jade pendant if I dressed as a girl?”

Chi rolled his eyes helplessly. “Are you stupid? You believe everything I say. And you’re supposed to be a celestial fox! No wonder you’ve been away from your tribe so long. The usually protective celestial fox clan hasn’t sent anyone after you!”

White Lotus, furious, pointed at Chi. “Shut up!”

Chi was indifferent. “If you have the guts, come and get it yourself!”

White Lotus started to retort, but Chi waved the jade pendant teasingly before her eyes. “So, what are you going to do if it’s me?”

Just as Chi finished speaking, the pendant suddenly vanished from his hand—White Lotus had snatched it back. Chi tried to follow her direction but froze awkwardly, scratching his head. “My lord…”

White Lotus leapt into Shen Xunqing’s arms. Shen Xunqing smiled softly at the girl dressed in feminine clothes and gently stroked her head. Looking up, a cold gleam flashed through his eyes as he smiled, “Here so early with nothing to do?”

Though smiling, there was no warmth in his tone. Chi laughed twice, “Impossible, my lord, you worry too much. I’m very busy—so busy that my brother has assigned me many tasks! I’m off to complete them now.”

As Chi spoke, he backed away and soon disappeared before them.

Yu Huan was stunned. How had everyone changed so drastically overnight? From the voices, he recognized the man in red as Shen Xunqing’s subordinate, and the one in white as that handsome little boy who often watched him from the shadows.

Yet what his eyes now saw seemed like two different worlds: the white-clad figure in Shen Xunqing’s arms was clearly a fox, while the one in red was a walking skeleton. A cold sweat broke out on Yu Huan.

So, everyone in the Shen residence was truly something otherworldly. Could it be that Master Shen was too? But he seemed no different than usual. What on earth was going on?