Mulan pondered how to explain the situation.

Should she lie to Moling Qingqiu?

But Qingqiu Zili knew her true identity.

She wasn’t a pitiful wandering fox spirit at all—she belonged to the Starplucking Court.

If these powerful foxes found out, Mulan would probably have to shamefully summon Mirophiel to whisk her away.

Just then, Qingqiu Zili—whose mouth had been covered—grabbed Mulan’s arm to move it aside, then pulled her into a tight embrace. Her tail coiled around Mulan like a living thing, radiating pure possessiveness and affection.

“Moling, leave now!” Qingqiu Zili called out. “This princess is having a lovely chat with Little Sister Wuyue. Don’t barge in and startle her—that’d be your fault!”

Though confused, Qingqiu Zili instinctively wanted to shield the petite figure in her arms, even if a huge secret lurked beneath.

Dangerous?

She sensed none.

It was the fox bloodline’s precise intuition.

Moling Qingqiu gave a faint nod, eyes lingering on the tender scene. A subtle smile touched her lips.

“Then I won’t disturb you. Rest early.”

She turned and left—truly detecting nothing amiss.

The earlier Charm Magic surge was likely Wuyue’s doing, meant to enchant Qingqiu Zili.

But Qingqiu Zili wasn’t under its influence now; she must have broken free quickly.

Moling Qingqiu had another theory:

Wuyue, already capable of transformation, returned to the Azure Fox Realm with high guard.

Stuck in fox form for days and unwilling to shift with others nearby, she probably used Charm Magic on Qingqiu Zili to buy time to relax.

Unfortunately, Wuyue miscalculated.

Qingqiu Zili broke free almost instantly—hence the earlier scene.

“A twist of fate? Well, since it happened, Wuyue likely won’t stay in fox form anymore. Fox spirits are closest to each other. I’ll leave it to Princess Zili to help her adjust.”

Moling Qingqiu felt little suspicion.

Even if trouble arose, staying next door meant she could intervene immediately.

Letting the two foxes whisper privately was the best choice.

No one would disturb them.

Scene shift.

Only Qingqiu Zili and Mulan remained in the quiet room.

Cradled in Qingqiu Zili’s arms, Mulan felt a flutter as soft, supple skin pressed against her cheek.

The pampered princess had a slender, youthful frame—unlike the curvaceous older fox sisters Mulan had met.

Yet the steady heartbeat and intoxicating fragrance were more than enough to soothe her nerves.

Mulan slowly calmed…

Wait.

This wasn’t the time for such thoughts.

Why would this seemingly capricious princess hide the truth?

What was her motive?

“Um… could you let me go…?” Mulan squirmed gently, a faint blush dusting her cheeks.

After all, Qingqiu Zili was a girl in the bloom of youth.

Mulan wasn’t stone-cold indifferent.

“Phew…” Qingqiu Zili exhaled softly, clearly flustered too.

She often fibbed when willful, but concealing something this big was a first.

Azurefox Wuyue actually came from the Plunder Witch’s side.

If the elders found out, they’d be stunned—even Qingqiu Zili was shocked.

Who’d have thought the charming fox spirit Wuyue was that cheeky human who argued with her in the basement?

Qingqiu Zili stared intently at Mulan, curiosity burning in her eyes.

“Wuyue… are you human or a fox spirit?”

Mulan sat quietly on the bed, giving no clear answer.

“Guess.”

“Then this princess will verify it herself!”

To Mulan’s surprise, Qingqiu Zili pounced again—sniffing her thoroughly, even flicking her pink tongue to lightly lick Mulan’s fair cheek, as if confirming kinship.

The verdict came quickly.

Qingqiu Zili pulled back, nodding thoughtfully.

“You…”

Mulan wiped her cheek with her sleeve, slightly annoyed.

Despite the intimate gesture, why did it feel like nothing?

Not a single stir—like being licked by a mischievous little animal.

Probably because the innocent, slender princess simply lacked mature allure.

Mulan watched Qingqiu Zili pondering, awaiting her conclusion.

Would she be found out?

Suddenly, Qingqiu Zili’s head snapped up. Anxiety vanished from her eyes, replaced by bright certainty.

“Absolutely a genuine fox spirit! Such charm, a scent even better than Er Yue’s, and the bloodline pull is undeniable. Even if you claimed to be human, this princess wouldn’t believe it!”

“Mm.”

Mulan kept a straight face—but the happily swishing tail behind her betrayed her joy.

Wrong guess!

You think I’m a fox spirit? Actually, I’m human!

If even legitimate fox spirit Qingqiu Zili couldn’t spot the difference… what set her apart from the real thing?

Mulan felt a quiet thrill. Time to trick the naive fox princess.

“But…” Qingqiu Zili’s joy quickly turned to doubt.

“Why would a fox spirit like you be with the Plunder Witch? And why couldn’t I smell your fox scent back then? So strange.”

She racked her brain, piecing together possibilities.

“I’ve got it! You were wandering, and the Plunder Witch took you in, right? She must have cast a high-level disguise spell—even this princess couldn’t detect it.”

“Huh?” Mulan blinked cutely, dumbfounded.

She hadn’t even started explaining—how did this fox girl cook up such a perfect story so fast?

Seeing Mulan’s silence, Qingqiu Zili pressed gently.

“Am I right?”

“Y-yes! Absolutely right!” Mulan nodded vigorously, terrified of suspicion. Her fluffy tail swished so wildly it nearly broke the sound barrier.

Qingqiu Zili eyed the frantic tail movement, a faint doubt lingering.

“But why are you here now?”

“Um… if I said I tasted Violet Crystal Grapes for the first time, fell head over heels for the flavor, and couldn’t resist sneaking over… would you believe me?”