Siheyuan: tomb robbing? I am serious about hunting.

Chapter 1036 Duojian

The ears feel hot and the tail feels itchy, as if something is stirring under the skin. Just then, a soft "creaking" sound was heard outside the courtyard gate. Lingxi looked up and saw Shen Yanzhi walking in from the rain with an oil-paper umbrella. The moon-white gown on his body was mostly wet by the rain, and there were dark water marks on his shoulders and cuffs. His black hair was stuck to his forehead, and water droplets dripped down the ends of his hair, gathered into small droplets on his chin, and then fell on his collar with a "click". But he was holding an oil-paper bag tightly in his arms, and the bag was protected against his chest and was not touched by the rain at all. "For you." Shen Yanzhi walked into the house, put away his umbrella, leaned against the door, and handed the oil-paper bag to Lingxi. The oil-paper bag was wet at the corners by the rain, and it exuded a faint fragrance of oil. He untied the hemp rope, revealing several squares of sugar cakes. A warm, sweet aroma washed over Lingxi's face, like a gentle touch of a warm hand brushing her cheek. "I was at the market today and saw some of these for sale, so I thought you might like them," Shen Yanzhi's voice was breathless. Beads of water dripped down his forehead, but he remained oblivious, smiling at Lingxi. "These are from Zhang's in town. They say they use sugarcane shipped from the south, so they're sweet but not greasy." Lingxi took a piece of the cake and flinched slightly at the touch of her fingertips, feeling the warmth. A fine layer of white sugar dusted the surface, like a light blanket of snow. She took a bite, and the soft cake melted on her tongue, its sweetness spreading from her tongue to the depths of her heart, tinged with the warmth of wheat. She suddenly remembered the honey fruit from Qingqiu; while light and sweet, it lacked this rich, warming flavor. "Is it delicious?" Shen Yanzhi couldn't help but smile, observing her bulging cheeks, like a little squirrel stealing food. He turned and went to the kitchen to boil a pot of hot water, poured it into a stoneware bowl and handed it to Lingxi, "Eat slowly, don't choke." Lingxi nodded, nibbling the cake in small bites, but her eyes couldn't help but fall on Shen Yanzhi. He was sitting at his desk, wiping the rain-soaked scroll with a cloth, his movements as gentle as if he were caressing a fragile treasure. The sun shone through the rain, casting a soft halo on his face. Tiny water droplets were still on his eyelashes, sparkling in the light. She suddenly found that she liked staying in the study more and more. She loved watching Shen Yanzhi's focused expression as he wrote—his fingers, long and powerful, gripping the pen as the tip glided across the rice paper, leaving behind marks of ink, sometimes thicker and sometimes lighter. Occasionally, he'd pause, frowning in thought for a moment, then suddenly, a light smile playing on his lips. She loved listening to him read those difficult poems—his voice, clear and melodious, like the gurgling water of a mountain stream, with a unique rhythm. Although Lingxi didn't understand the meaning of the sentences, she loved hearing him unconsciously emphasize his words as he read them emotionally. She even loved the way he occasionally frowned in thought—then he'd gently tap the table with his knuckles, making a soft "tap, tap" sound, as if he were talking to someone. The rain continued until dusk. The setting sun peeked through a gap in the clouds, painting the sky with a magnificent glow. The air was filled with the scent of moist earth. The orchids in the corner of the yard, washed clean by the rain, their leaves shimmering with glistening water droplets, like multicolored gems in the sunset glow. At night, Shen Yanzhi took out a jar of osmanthus wine that had been sealed for many years from the cabinet, and placed two coarse porcelain wine glasses on the stone table in the yard. The moonlight was like a layer of gauze, gently covering the entire yard. The shadow of the osmanthus tree swayed on the ground, casting mottled spots of light. The osmanthus flowers fell into the wine glass, causing tiny ripples and exuding a faint floral fragrance. "Try this." Shen Yanzhi poured Lingxi half a glass of wine. The wine was a light amber color, glowing warmly in the moonlight. "This is what I brewed with the osmanthus flowers in the yard last autumn. The alcohol content is not high, so girls can drink it too." Lingxi picked up the wine glass and took a sip. The wine slid down her throat, bringing a slightly spicy warmth, followed by a strong osmanthus fragrance that lingered on the tip of her tongue for a long time. She watched Shen Yanzhi drink with his head tilted back, the moonlight shining on his Adam's apple, rolling gently with the swallowing movement, like a pearl kissed by the moonlight. Shen Yanzhi was slightly tipsy, his cheeks flushed faintly, and his eyes were hazy. He pointed to the moon and suddenly smiled, "Lingxi, look, does the moonlight tonight look like the day you first arrived?" Lingxi looked up at the moon, a full moon hanging in the deep blue sky, a few scattered stars around it. The moonlight was as clear as water, illuminating the entire courtyard as if it were daylight. She remembered the night she first arrived in the human world. The moonlight was just like that, and the sweet-scented osmanthus fragrance was just like that. But then, her heart was filled with fear and uneasiness, while now, her heart was pounding like a little rabbit. She suddenly felt a tightness in her chest, as if something was gently tugging at it. The elder's words echoed in her ears again: "Once a fox falls in love with a human, its cultivation will be hindered, and in serious cases, its soul will be shattered." The old woman in the clan had also said that hundreds of years ago, a sister fell in love with a scholar from the human world and was eventually transformed into her true form and imprisoned in the Demon Locking Tower, suffering day and night from the burning of soul fire. But she looked into Shen Yanzhi's smiling eyes, reflecting the moonlight and her own reflection, gentle as spring water. Lingxi suddenly felt that even if her soul were to be shattered, it wouldn't be so terrifying. At least, she had felt such warmth, seen such moonlight, and heard such gentle words. "Master Shen," Lingxi summoned her courage, her voice trembling slightly, "Do you think... people like foxes?" Shen Yanzhi paused, clearly not expecting such a question. He watched as Lingxi clutched the corners of her clothes nervously, his pale golden eyes filled with anticipation and anxiety, like a small animal waiting for its master's caress. He then burst into laughter, echoing through the courtyard and startling the night birds perched in the osmanthus tree. "A fox as lovely as Miss Ling would surely love her." He thought it was just a joke, but he didn't notice that as Lingxi lowered her head, a few snow-white hairs quietly emerged from the tips of her ears, gleaming a faint silver in the moonlight. It was late at night, Shen Yanzhi had already gone back to his room to sleep, and Lingxi was the only one left in the yard. She stood in front of the bronze mirror, looking at herself in the mirror. The girl in the mirror had curved eyebrows and a faint smile on her lips, but on her head, two furry fox ears were faintly visible, with pink tips, like two newly grown peach petals. She reached out and gently stroked the fox ears, feeling the soft touch at her fingertips. These days, it has become increasingly difficult for her to maintain her human form.