In a moment of impulse, I forcibly kissed my brother's best friend.

When did his master fall in love with a fox demon? Bao Yu couldn't help but ask as he saw Cui Yutang about to leave.

"Master, these are forbidden books. It's probably inappropriate for you to take them out like this, isn't it?"

That makes sense.

Cui Yutang gave him an affirmative look, then casually pulled out a copy of the Book of Rites, placed it on the outside, and walked out with an air of elegance.

Bao Yu stood there, silent for a long time.

Is this what he meant by "makes sense"?

In the stillness of the night, candlelight flickered inside Liantang Residence.

Cui Yutang sat under the lamp, turning the pages of "The Tale of the Nine-Tailed Fox of Tushan" one by one.

An orange halo cast a small shadow on one side of his straight nose, and his long, slender fingers with distinct knuckles gently traced the words on the pages.

"The fox is an ancient and strange demon, with unparalleled beauty and a seductive nature. It is skilled in illusion and can sense the surrounding world. High-level foxes can enter dreams and communicate with the gods, and those who have reached the pinnacle of cultivation can even traverse illusions and roam the universe, unbound by the constraints of worldly time."

His gaze lingered on the four characters "Entering Dreams and Connecting with the Divine," and his heart tightened.

really.

He then opened another book, "The Complete Book of Fox Clan Habits": "They are fond of cleanliness, enjoy eating poultry, seafood, and sweet mountain fruits, live in places of spiritual energy, and dislike filthy and vulgar things. Therefore, they are full of spiritual charm and naturally alluring."

Cui Yutang's gaze pierced through the darkness outside the window, slightly lost in thought.

Exquisite beauty, innate charm, intuitive perception, and divine ability to enter dreams—every word perfectly describes her.

Her image appeared in his mind, her bright, captivating eyes so beautiful they made him lose his senses.

But why did she become Zhou Xuan'an's sister?

He put down the book, tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, and fell into deep thought.

Her parents seemed quite remarkable as well—they had accumulated such an extraordinary fortune in just over a decade. He had only recently learned that the magical glass window came from her mother's business, a level of wisdom seemingly unrealistic in today's world.

Yi Ge once said that her mother, as a member of the Xie family, faked her death to escape. Could it be that some kind of incident happened at that time?

Among her family members, Zhou Xuan'an seems to be the only ordinary one. Could it be that this guy is the one who was adopted?

do not care.

As long as she doesn't leave him, Yige won't lie to him.

However—Zhou Xuan'an is so weak, he definitely can't protect her. I need to marry her as soon as possible and protect her myself.

He closed the book, put the three books into a hidden box by his bedside, and locked them together with the talisman she had given him.

After I finish my shift tomorrow, I need to go see the master and ask if the wedding can be moved up.

Meanwhile, in the study of the Zhou family mansion.

Xie Yige was also carefully drawing something under the lamp.

She held the pen with complete concentration, adding color stroke by stroke, and was nearing the end.

When Bichun passed by the study, she saw that the light was still on so late, so she couldn't help but push the door open to remind her.

Xie Yige was completely unaware that she had come in, her entire attention focused on the painting she was working on.

Bichun leaned closer to take a look and let out a soft "Eh."

"Cui Langjun."

Xie Yige was so startled that she paused in her brushstrokes, nearly spilling a drop of ink onto the painting. She quickly steadied her wrist, checked it, and thankfully, nothing was wrong.

"Bichun, are you trying to scare me to death?" She glared at Bichun reproachfully.

The person in the painting was none other than Cui Yutang, who was dressed in a dark green official robe of silk and satin today.

The figure in the painting exudes a sense of asceticism, yet appears all the more noble and unparalleled. Xie Yige meticulously depicted the cold and profound look between his brows, the faint curve of his lips, and even the direction of the folds in his official robes.

"Miss, you paint so well," Bichun exclaimed sincerely.

"That's right, I was personally taught by my father." Xie Yige's eyes narrowed into two crescent moons as she smiled, very proud of herself.

She put down her pen, examined it with satisfaction, and liked it more and more the more she looked at it.

"But it's so late, you should go to bed soon, or you'll have a headache again tomorrow." Bichun was really worried about you, her tone tinged with helplessness.

"Right away, right away. I'll hang the painting up to air it out first. Where should I hang it?" Xie Yige stood up, her big eyes darting around the room. Ah, I've got it.

"Bichun, you should get some rest too. I'm going to sleep now."

Bichun, unsuspecting, responded and left, closing the door behind her.

Once Bichun's footsteps faded into the distance, Xie Yige carefully took the painting to her bed and hung it inside the curtain opposite her bed.

When you lie down, you can enjoy the view.

It felt like he was right beside me.

So lovely.

She finally closed her eyes with satisfaction, a faint smile still lingering on her lips.

In the middle of the night, the candlelight was dim and fragile, flickering and fading.

The incomparably handsome man in the painting opposite gazes at her sleeping with deep eyes, a scene both affectionate and eerie.

The next day, at the first light of dawn.

Xie Wanzhou, dressed in a dark green official robe, rode a white horse on his way to his shift. A servant followed behind him, the horse's hooves making a crisp sound as they trod the streets still damp with morning dew.

His official position was that of a sixth-rank censor in the Censorate, a close and important official, and he was only one rank lower than Cui Yutang, who was the top scholar in the imperial examination.

Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of an unusual red color on the side of the road.

Upon closer inspection, it was a woman in red lying under a tree by the roadside, with half a dead branch covering her body, almost blending into her.

He quickly dismounted and strode forward, parting the branches. The woman was covered in blood, the bloodstains mixed with her red clothes, making her look particularly horrifying in the morning and evening light.

He quickly reached out and turned the woman's face over—what came into view was a pale, yet stunningly beautiful face.

A thought struck him, and his fingers trembled slightly as he probed the woman's nose for breath.

Thankfully, I'm still alive.

"Young lady, wake up... wake up." He gently patted the woman's cheek, his voice tinged with urgency.

"Shut...shut up, stop shaking me." The woman opened her eyes, her gaze icy and tinged with a hint of speechlessness.

"Why are you bleeding so much? Let me bandage you up." Xie Wanzhou said, and was about to start.

"No need, go away, or I'll..." Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly coughed again, spat out a mouthful of blood, and then fainted.

"Your Majesty, you still have to attend court; you can't be late," the attendant behind him couldn't help but remind him.

Xie Wanzhou looked down at the unconscious woman in his arms, then looked up at the gradually brightening sky, and hesitated for a moment.

"Take her to the Cloud Pavilion near me and ask the female doctor to come and treat her."

After saying this, he looked at the woman one last time before mounting his horse and riding away.

When Xie Wanzhou arrived at the palace gate, she unexpectedly ran into Cui Yutang.

The two walked side by side, and as they went, he quietly leaned close to Cui Yutang's ear and whispered, "Brother Cui, why are you so late today?"

Cui Yutang felt helpless inside, but showed no sign of it on his face.

He can't exactly say that he dreamt last night that he was being chased by a group of Taoist priests all night, can he?