Chapter Fifty-Three: The Chubby Little Boy

A stretch of verdant embankment shifted and danced in the wind, like waves of emerald chasing one another across the fields.

Not far off, at the curve of a mountain hollow, a young girl dressed in plain attire and a fiery red little fox faced off against five mischievous children. The children, no more than five or six years old, were clad in simple homespun clothes, clutching small pebbles in their hands, their bright eyes fixed on the girl and her little fox.

The red fox showed no fear of them; instead, it climbed up onto the girl's knee and curled up there contentedly, its soft red fur brushing against her palm in a gesture that was almost coquettish.

Xuexue's hand rested gently on the fox’s nape, her fingers caressing its fur with tenderness.

If Little Li appears here, then perhaps Mother and the others might be here too?

With this in mind, she rose, cradling the fox in her arms, and decided to stroll nearby, hoping to glean some clue. As she passed the five children, they watched her warily, their wide eyes shimmering with innocence.

Seeing that she ignored their unspoken warnings and took the little fox with her, the children grew visibly upset. One chubby boy, unable to contain his annoyance, threw a pebble at her back.

“Stones aren’t meant to be thrown at people,” she said, raising her hand to block the pebble effortlessly with her sleeve.

The five children stared, astonished at her graceful movement, but Xuexue was already walking away.

Alas, she sensed nothing of her mother’s presence, but instead, she soon found herself trailed by five little tagalongs. The children followed her openly, one clutching a bunch of wildflowers, another with a trail of snot beneath his nose.

They marched after her with short, determined steps, showing no sign of letting her go.

And so, under the gentle sunlight, with the breeze rippling through the lush fields, the girl in her pale dress carried the crimson fox, five children in rough homespun trailing behind her—an unexpectedly tender and charming tableau.

“Go home now—if you wander further, you’ll lose your parents,” Xuexue said, halting and turning to them.

She was heading toward the edge of the village; if the children followed her, it wouldn’t do. Yet the five only stared at her, silent but determined to keep on.

“It seems you’re quite fond of Little Li. Very well—come, play with him for a while,” she said, sitting down and setting the fox on her lap.

The children exchanged glances, then scampered forward, unafraid, and seated themselves before her, eyes fixed on the little fox.

“Sister, is this really your fox?” asked the snot-nosed boy.

“Yes. His name is Little Li,” she replied, her expression gentle.

“Sister, may I touch him?” asked the one with wildflowers.

“You may, but be gentle, or he’ll scratch you,” Xuexue replied.

“Wow, he’s so fluffy, and warm…” The boy dropped his flowers, his cheeks glowing with innocent delight.

The red fox squinted, exuding an air of regal disdain.

“He’s so tame! Yesterday he almost scratched me with his claws…” another boy chimed in, reaching to stroke Little Li’s fiery fur. “We thought he didn’t have an owner, so Brother Tiger led us to try and catch him, so we could keep him at home.”

“Brother Tiger is a good boy, so sister, don’t be angry with him…” The snot-nosed boy quickly added, glancing at the chubby boy sitting quietly at the edge.

“All right, I understand.” Xuexue’s lips curved into a deep, gentle smile. “Such a stubborn child.” She reached out and patted the chubby boy’s head, soothingly.

“You… what are you doing? It’s not like they said!” The boy turned his head away, face flushed—whether from the cold wind or embarrassment, it was hard to tell.

“But you see, even kindness must be based on what Little Li wants. Otherwise, good intentions may be mistaken for malice.” She ignored his awkwardness, tidying his hair with a gentle hand. “Now, you should all hurry home—your parents will soon come looking for you.”

These little ones reminded her of Xiaoxi, that mischievous, clever child. It had been so long since she’d seen her—where could she be now?

Ever since leaving the palace, nothing had gone right. She’d run afoul of difficult people and lost her sense of direction. She didn’t know where she should go, nor whether Xiaoxi and the others were safe. Wasn’t that truly disappointing?

If not for her moment of stubbornness, would she have brought them to such a plight?

Standing afar, she watched the children slowly wander away, a faint sigh rising in her heart.

The world was vast; it seemed she could only keep walking, and see where fate would take her.

“Hey! Why don’t you come to my house for lunch before you go?” a childish voice called out. Chubby Tiger still stood not far off, his awkward face tinged with hope.

It was noon; in the village, smoke curled lazily from chimneys, carrying a peculiar scent on the breeze.

The smoke twisted and slanted in the wind, as if a painter were sketching an impromptu scene—poetic and picturesque, elegant in its simplicity.

But—

“Tiger! Tiger! Where’s that rascal gone off to?” As Tiger led Xuexue to the thatched house, a woman’s exasperated voice rang out from within.

“You make such a fuss… cough… Tiger’s just a five-year-old boy, it’s natural he wants to play outside…” came the weary voice of an elderly woman, tinged with helplessness and affection.

“Mother, I do all the work inside and out, even though you’re blind you should try to understand your daughter-in-law’s hardship. If Tiger stayed home, he could help with the washing, cooking, and cleaning, and lighten my burden!” The woman’s grumbling was insistent and unkind.

“That’s enough…” the old woman’s voice, interrupted by a restrained cough.

This was not a harmonious household—at least, the sharp-tongued woman was no easy character.

Tiger hesitated at the door, glancing at Xuexue with embarrassment and helplessness.

“Are you not going to let me in?” Xuexue’s expression was serene, as if unfazed by the conversation inside.

Tiger quickly pushed open the gate and led her in. “Grandma, I’m home!”

“You rascal, you still know to come home, eh? Only when it’s time to eat, that’s when you show up, isn’t it?” The sharp-tongued woman stormed out, short and plain-faced, her expression twisted with anger.

Tiger shrank back, clearly intimidated by her.

But a hand reached out, gently placing itself between the chubby boy and the woman, shielding him from her wrath.

“And who are you, meddling in my business?” The woman glared at Xuexue, but her gaze was quickly caught by the little red fox in Xuexue’s arms. “Well, now, that’s a fine fox! Must be worth hundreds of silver at least.”

She eyed Little Li greedily, clearly scheming. “Tiger, is this your friend?”

“No, she’s not…” the chubby boy hastily denied.

“Don’t worry, Mother won’t blame you.” The woman’s face suddenly broke into a fawning smile. “Since you’re Tiger’s friend, I’ll be sure to treat you well.”

Though she addressed Xuexue, her avaricious eyes never left the fox, as if she saw not a living creature, but a valuable commodity.

“Thank you for your kindness,” Xuexue said coolly, drawing her sleeve to shield Little Li.

“No need to thank me—since you’re Tiger’s friend…” the woman pressed on, thick-skinned, “well, you see the state of Tiger’s home. Perhaps you could…”

“What are you talking about out there? Has Tiger brought a friend home to play?” The old woman, leaning on her cane, slowly emerged, interrupting the young woman’s words.

“Yes, Mother, Tiger brought a rich friend for lunch. We must give her a warm welcome.” The woman beamed, “So, I’ll go cook now, and Tiger, you make sure to entertain your guest.”

Whatever she was plotting, she threw a quick glance at Xuexue before hurrying to the kitchen, muttering under her breath.

Xuexue heard her muttering, but the dialect was unfamiliar, so its meaning was lost.

“Forgive us,” the old woman said apologetically once the daughter-in-law had left. “It’s our misfortune—Tiger’s father died young, and his birth mother passed even earlier. That was his stepmother just now; as an old blind woman, there’s little I can do…”

She was blind, but still had some life savings—otherwise, the greedy daughter-in-law would never have stayed, and she and Tiger would have no one to care for them.

“You’re too kind, madam. Every family has its troubles,” Xuexue replied.

Yet the young woman’s odd behavior lingered in her mind. Perhaps she was mistaken…

The thatched cottage was simple and humble, but the scenery around it was picturesque and serene, possessing a fresh, quiet charm.

“Tiger, why did you invite me to your home for lunch?” Noticing the boy’s subdued mood, she asked gently.

“Well… to thank you.”

“Thank me?”

“Because no one ever taught me anything before. You’re the first to teach me right from wrong.”