The Fox Demon and the Little Taoist - Chapter 3

Chapter 4

I built up the fire and kept watch beside Little Scholar all night.

His outer robe was soaked through, so I had no choice but to take it off him and hang it up to dry.

In the middle of the night, his face beaded with cold sweat as he kept muttering that he was cold. His lips were deathly pale. He looked utterly pitiful.

So I had no choice but to hold him to keep him warm.

If I had known it would come to this, I might as well have let him in back then.

Now this was even more of an improper entanglement.

By the time dawn was about to break, after fussing over him all night, I no longer had the strength to think about anything else. My eyelids grew heavy, and I fell asleep.

In my dreams, I felt something wrap around my neck, tighter and tighter, making it harder and harder to breathe.

I was nearly suffocating.

Instinctively, I grabbed that “rope.”

I had no idea that my so-called “grab” while half-conscious was nothing more than lifting my hand and rubbing at it.

That fluffy rope suddenly loosened.

A strange, low voice echoed by my ear:

“Stinking Daoist, take your filthy hand off me.

“I hate having my fur get wet more than anything. Once I get Bodhi, you will be the first one I eat!”

I frowned instinctively.

A demon?!

I struggled to open my eyes.

The sun was already high in the sky, and the scholar beside me was nowhere to be seen.

I shot upright, only to see someone walk in. Little Scholar was carrying a bowl of plain congee, and he smiled gently at me.

“Daoist priest, you’re awake?”

“You weren’t carried off by a demon?”

I let out a breath of relief.

The scholar froze for an instant, then the corners of his eyes lifted, and his smile deepened.

“Daoist priest, you must be joking. In broad daylight, with you here, how could there be a demon?”

Then he lowered his head slightly.

“…I must thank you, Daoist priest, for saving my life last night.”

I waved a hand. As long as he was fine.

I happened to be hungry, so I took the bowl of congee from him.

“If you do not despise me, Daoist priest, I am willing to marry you!”

The mouthful of congee I had just taken went straight down the wrong pipe. I coughed so violently the heavens might as well have heard it.

“…You-cough-you said what?”

Seeing my reaction, the scholar’s peach-blushed face turned pale in an instant.

“My heart belongs to you, Daoist priest. Is it that you look down on me for being nothing but a poor scholar?”

That strange, tender look in his eyes made my scalp prickle.

I quickly explained that my heart was set on the Dao, that saving him had only been instinct, and that last night had only been due to the circumstances. It had nothing to do with love or romance.

After a long while, Little Scholar’s face remained pale as he murmured,

“Li understands. It was Li who was too forward with you, Daoist priest.”

After that, the atmosphere became terribly awkward.

Even someone as slow as me could sense the deep affection in the scholar’s gaze. It was far more than simple gratitude.

Because I had rejected him that day, he never brought it up again. But it was as if he had gone to the other extreme.

Every day, he still prepared meals and handled the household chores as before, yet he refused to stay in the same room with me, as though he felt unworthy even to be seen.

I was already blunt by nature. Afraid that the more I said, the more mistakes I would make and the more he would misunderstand, and wary of how troublesome debts of the heart could be, I avoided him whenever I could.

I also started coming home later and later.

After closing my stall, I would rather wander aimlessly through the streets than return too early and make things awkward for him.

I never expected that when I failed to return for so long that day, Little Scholar would actually come looking for me.

A faint sheen of sweat dotted his forehead, and his face was full of worry. When he saw me strolling around the eastern market, he froze for a moment.

I stiffened where I stood.

Under his sorrowful gaze, I felt as if I were some heartless cad who had gone out carousing among flowers and willows, neglecting the wife who had shared his hardships.

What was with this inexplicable sense of guilt?!

Just as I had no idea how to explain, the scholar forced a smile.

“Daoist priest, you had not returned home for so long that Li feared something might have happened, so I came to look for you… It seems Li was worrying too much.”

With that, he turned and left.

“That’s not…”

I denied it weakly.

For the first time in my life, an odd sour feeling welled up in my chest.

I realized that this time, the scholar was truly angry.

When I spoke to him, he did respond, but his words and manner were extremely polite and distant.

The moment we got home, he cupped his hands to me, indicating that it was late and he would go rest first.

The door closed in front of me, leaving me alone and restless, practically clawing at my own heart.

I lay in bed, wide awake, and sighed wordlessly.

If this went on, the good sleep I had always prided myself on would be gone forever.

No. Tomorrow, I had to explain things to him properly!

The next day, I was woken by a clamor of voices outside.

Still half-asleep, I heard the scholar’s voice. The other voice arguing with him also sounded very familiar. It sounded like… Senior Brother?!

I sprang up like a carp, threw on my outer robe, and pushed the door open.