Chapter 537: Captor and Captive

An ordinary person might have fallen for it, but not Ye Wenxin. She faked an innocent smile and said, “No, I’ll pass. Rules are rules, after all. Look how late it is, Miss. Why don’t you let me go home?”

Feigning a look of pity, she began packing up her books. This unaffected turn of events seemed to catch the kitsune off guard. She watched as Ye Wenxin neatly gathered all her things. When she realized what was happening, Ye Wenxin was already waving goodbye.

“No, you can’t go out alone!” The kitsune hastily followed Ye Wenxin to the door, trying to stop her.

Outside, the thick black mist still enveloped everything. It was so dense that one couldn’t see one’s hand before one’s face. The kitsune quietly accompanied Ye Wenxin, occasionally casting sidelong glances her way, letting out a faint sigh. Perhaps she was lamenting Ye Wenxin’s youth, as Ling Jue had done before, or her thoughts were elsewhere. Ye Wenxin pretended not to notice, continuing to play her part as a naïve and carefree kid.

After the kitsune escorted her back to her room, Ye Wenxin was again left alone. She lay down, and the kitsune soon reappeared. This time, she was in her original form, maybe wanting to sleep with Ye Wenxin out of habit.

The human and the fox didn’t exchange many words. Ye Wenxin fell asleep hugging the soft ball of fur. Believing the kitsune wouldn’t harm her, she would maintain a pacifistic attitude unless provoked.

Everything continued as usual the next day. There were no noticeable changes, except the kitsune’s presence had become a constant in the evenings. She would always appear and disappear quietly, as if nothing was different.

Ye Wenxin knew she shouldn’t get too comfortable with this relaxed environment, as she would eventually have to face the issue of leaving. Yet, a few days later, she overheard some unexpected news.

It turned out the kitsune had swiftly found a suitor and was preparing to marry him at the end of the month. The news spread like wildfire, sparking gossip across the entire academy.

Ye Wenxin found the whole situation incredulous. She watched as everyone teased the kitsune, who wore a sweet smile of genuine happiness. For a moment, Ye Wenxin thought the kitsune’s previous interest in her was nothing more than a passing fancy. But if she was not part of the peach blossom skill tree on her back, there was no need to dwell on it.

After reassuring herself, Ye Wenxin noticed the kitsune had stopped coming to her room at night since the announcement. Not only that, but she would often wear a silly, blissful smile and even seemed distracted during class.

Everyone said that the kitsune was sure to succeed this time, that she had found her ideal match. While Ye Wenxin found it somewhat unrealistic, she didn’t concern herself with it. She continued to focus on how to locate the legendary library.

Half a month passed, and before she realized it, Ye Wenxin had been at the academy for two months.

The kitsune brought her ideal match to the academy. He was a refined and handsome man. There seemed to be absolutely nothing wrong with him at first glance.

“Master, that’s a bear demon,” Sword Ghost warned about the man’s true identity in Ye Wenxin’s mind.

Judging by his sturdy appearance, he wouldn’t easily die under the kitsune’s curse.  Ye Wenxin sighed with relief, only to notice the kitsune kept glancing in her direction. Puzzled but unfazed, Ye Wenxin watched as the kitsune leaned against the bear demon. They appeared quite intimate together.

Looking delighted, the bear demon held the kitsune’s slender waist as they shamelessly acted lovey-dovey in front of everyone. Ye Wenxin, however, watched them absent-mindedly, unaffected by the atmosphere. Eventually, the couple left after displaying enough of their affection.

Ye Wenxin spotted the bear demon in the dining hall around noon. It seemed he had joined the academy as a new teacher, replacing the previous one who lost his life to the kitsune’s curse. The two appeared deeply in love, and the bear demon indulged the kitsune in yet another public display of affection.

Unable to contain her frustration, Ye Wenxin’s deskmate grabbed her arm and complained, “This is infuriating! I could find a man too if I wanted.”

Unlike the younger-looking Ye Wenxin, her deskmate was already fifteen—a marriageable age. This time, after seeing the kitsune’s excessive display, the girl decided to vent to Ye Wenxin. Ye Wenxin blinked in confusion when her deskmate leaned in. Was she curious as to what a kiss felt like?

Ye Wenxin understood it was just innocent teasing among children. However, she was worried her peach blossom luck might overwhelm her ordinary deskmate. She quickly backed away to a safe distance. Her deskmate stubbornly leaned in, kissing Ye Wenxin’s cheek.

“Hehehe, now I’ve kissed someone too!” She laughed innocently, oblivious to the unhinged, burning gaze watching from behind. Ye Wenxin let out a resigned smile. When things seemed to be going smoothly for once, they were actually following their usual unpredictable course.

As night fell, Ye Wenxin had a hunch the kitsune would seek her out. So, she stayed in her dorm room instead of venturing out to search for the library.

But even as midnight arrived, the kitsune still hadn’t appeared. Figuring she might have overthought it, Ye Wenxin started dozing off, only to feel someone licking her in her dreams. Opening her eyes, she saw that familiar fox visage. The kitsune had appeared in her original form again.

“You finally came.” Ye Wenxin revealed her surprise, yet was genuinely happy about the kitsune’s return. She had been waiting for her to let go of her obsessions and return to the life she truly wanted. Now, the kitsune’s appearance meant she had understood.

The kitsune didn’t speak. She jumped to the floor upon seeing Ye Wenxin awake and glanced back, as if beckoning Ye Wenxin to follow her.

“You want me to go with you?” The presence of a black fox felt especially enchanting on a night like this. The kitsune didn’t answer and continued to lead the way. At times, she would look back to ensure Ye Wenxin was following.

Ye Wenxin felt curious but matched the kitsune’s pace. They walked down a familiar path that seemed to lead toward the academy building, though something felt different. The path was quiet, with strange shapes floating in the air.

The kitsune seemed to have an aura that repelled these spirits. She kept moving forward, while Ye Wenxin pondered where the kitsune was leading her.