Morning light flooded the room as Lingling gathered the stained sheets from the bedroom. Too young to understand their significance, she curiously examined Lenna’s slender fingers. "All crumpled... did you go night-wandering last night, Miss?"
The mansion had a swimming pool, but Lenna never used it. The Fox Maiden couldn’t fathom why.
"Is the ring pretty?" Lenna countered lazily.
Her tempting lips were slightly swollen. She stretched out her hand with languid grace, showcasing last night’s glorious trophy.
Like a scarecrow pulling off a five-man Crowstorm—that MVP performance proved she could carry the team.
Lingling stared for a long moment before her face flushed crimson. "P-pretty... Your hands are so beautiful, Miss..."
"I meant the ring."
Lenna slipped off the divine Narcissus King. Azure light swirled around her finger, revealing the unassuming ring’s true form. She gestured for the Fox Maiden to extend her paw.
Lingling obeyed, palm upturned.
But Lenna flipped her hand over and slid the ring onto Lingling’s pinky. Her voice softened: "You’ll never marry. Stay with me for life..."
"Mhm! Of course, Miss!" Lingling agreed without hesitation, returning the ring immediately.
During this exchange, a strange energy surged through her—like silt clearing from a riverbed, shattering stubborn rocks, filtering impurities. Only pure, crystalline mana remained, along with her newly leveled-up strength.
*That must be something amazing. Miss Lenna is incredible...*
Lingling thought this but returned it without greed. She knew that power wasn’t hers. Lenna was merely demonstrating the rewards of loyalty—like a pride’s alpha lion flaunting strength to attract mates.
Lingling carried diluted blood of the Cataclysm-tier Nine-Tailed Fox. Even diluted, she understood this truth better than most.
"So Angela’s officially part of our family now!" The Fox Maiden clung to Lenna’s arm, voice sweet as glutinous rice: "This morning while tidying, I saw Angela’s leg was hurt. She walked so strangely—had to lean on walls! I wanted to help, but she said no, no..."
Chattering freely, she’d already accepted Lenna as her trusted alpha.
By seniority, Angela ranked below her...
Which meant...
Lingling had a junior now!
*Hehe...*
*So happy! Must befriend Angela!*
"Don’t fuss over her," Lenna said, leading the Fox Maiden through the lush courtyard. "She got what she wanted. Overexcitement twisted her ankle. Fair trade."
Walking familiar paths, everything felt like a dream within a dream—too unreal to grasp.
Clusters of vibrant roses spilled over velvet-thick hedges. They surged wildly, wave upon wave of buds and petals threatening to swallow the two in a floral sea.
"*I* pruned them!" Lingling puffed her tiny chest proudly, small breasts lifting slightly.
"You’re amazing," Lenna marveled. Gardening demanded hours of labor—only professionals made it look easy.
*This Fox Maiden barely reaches four feet tall?*
*I’d sooner pay off Qin Shi Huang.*
"Don’t underestimate Lingling!" She skipped to a cluster of indigo rosebuds, arms wide. "I hear plants talk! They’re my friends. Where I say ‘grow,’ they grow!"
A bombshell, casually dropped.
Lenna’s heart hammered. "You... communicate with them?"
"Only this close." Lingling pressed her palms near the buds. "Watch, Miss..."
A fragrance like sacred chants carried the weight of two lifetimes’ bond.
Wind brushed past. Roses bloomed instantly—tiny buds bursting into radiant flowers, flooding the path, drowning the courtyard. It mirrored the decadent splendor of the moonlit Imperial City: gilded and lavish, yet tinged with quiet nobility.
Lingling’s impromptu performance for Lenna.
Nearby buds strained to open. The Fox Maiden twirled on tiptoe, her gauzy skirt fluttering. Golden hair blazed in the dawn light.
*No doubt her Dancer class talent at work.*
She danced without a teacher—steps light, giggles sweet—while rustling shrubs and swaying shadows became her chorus. The garden itself bowed as her backdrop.
"Lingling..."
Lenna fell silent, forgetting to applaud.
*Where did this plant mastery come from? How little I truly know her.*
In her past life, Lingling always carried a blunt greatsword. Gentle-hearted, she’d sweep pursuers aside with her tails, fleeing with Lenna.
*If she truly controls plants... it explains those narrow escapes.*
*Could she... have dual classes?!*
Swallowing her urge to interrogate, Lenna watched the dance end. She clapped, smiling. "A fine performance. Not breathtaking, but impressive for a beginner."
Truthfully, Lingling’s grace far exceeded her expectations.
"Really?! Angela taught me! She’s teaching me singing too!" Lingling nearly lunged for a hug—but stopped. *Our friendship’s still new... mustn’t ruin it.*
She shuffled in place.
"...May I have a head pat?"
Lenna ruffled the golden waves. Lingling’s fox ears shot upright, blissful. "Thank you for the reward, Miss! Lingling will work even harder!"
"I look forward to it." Lenna adjusted her glasses, warmth spreading through her chest.
"Oh—about yesterday’s trash bag..."
"Mr. Trash Bag’s in the storeroom where sunlight can’t reach!" Lingling dashed ahead, tail beckoning. "This way, Miss! Follow Lingling!"
Lenna strode lightly behind her.
They wove through dense foliage to a fenced clearing. At its center stood the storeroom—conspicuous yet hiding secrets.
Inside, Angela sat on a wooden stool, hand on her lower back. Dressed in a nun’s habit, she looked like a rookie soldier after her first bloody battle: spirit crushed, exhaustion etched deep.
