The Little Fox Spoils Her Blind Husband - Chapter 14

Even though it was the woodshed, Bai Qianjing could not stop smiling when Li Ting gave him the Phoenix Wood as promised. “Are you really giving this to me?”

“If you keep talking, I will take it back,” the little fox said, placing the Phoenix Wood in his hand. “Do you need me to help you nail it to the wall?”

“Do not you dare! I am taking this with me,” Bai Qianjing said, quickly hiding the Phoenix Wood in his robe. “I will thank you for now, then. I will give you your gift later.”

“Did Fangchuan not give you a piece as well?” Li Ting suddenly remembered. “Where is your piece of Phoenix Wood?”

He Fangchuan was a small phoenix they had found and raised together. He had been traveling to gain experience for the past few years, and no matter where Li Ting or Bai Qianjing went, they always received letters from him.

Bai Qianjing patted his waist. Li Ting noticed a piece of Phoenix Wood set in gold and jade hanging there. The peacock said proudly, “This is my wedding fund!”

“You will probably never find a wife,” Li Ting said, resting his hands on his hips. Bai Qianjing was about to protest when the little fox continued, “After all, in your mind, there is no one in this world more beautiful than you, right?”

“That is certainly true!” Bai Qianjing said boastfully. Li Ting laughed. “Get settled, then. Tell me what you want for dinner later.”

“Do not do anything wrong,” Bai Qianjing warned, looking at Li Ting’s retreating back. “Even if he is drunk, you must behave!”

Li Ting responded by throwing a broken branch. The branch flew like a knife and embedded itself in the wall beside Bai Qianjing. The latter grumbled about Li Ting’s temper as he pried the branch loose, then cradled his Phoenix Wood like a treasure as he entered the woodshed.

In the bedroom, Li Ting smelled an unusual scent the moment he entered. The little fox opened the window to let in some fresh air. The room was filled with his own scent, which could easily affect others. Since Xu Yanqiu was physically weak and had been drinking, the scent’s influence on him was even stronger.

However, shortly after he opened the window, the wind picked up. The spring chill was no joke, so Li Ting snapped the window shut to prevent Xu Yanqiu from catching a cold.

On the bed, Xu Yanqiu had been tucked into the covers with his outer robe removed. He was sleeping soundly, his face flushed a soft pink. He looked so endearing that one might want to take a bite.

Li Ting thought to himself that he was truly beyond help. He pushed the thought aside and sat on the edge of the bed. The person on the bed seemed to sense his presence and reached out to grasp his fingertips. Li Ting tightened his grip, then let go, and then gripped again. He was hesitating.

Bai Qianjing’s arrival had broken the final line of defense Li Ting used to deceive himself. Fortunately, Xu Yanqiu was blind; otherwise, Li Ting would not know how to explain why he felt this way toward his brother.

Perhaps when Li Ting first suggested being brothers, it was just a way to keep Xu Yanqiu by his side forever. He knew what his presence meant to Xu Yanqiu: it was salvation, a hand pulling him from a swamp, and a life of stability.

Li Ting looked down at the small hand in his. Perhaps for Xu Yanqiu, he also represented peace of mind. Similarly, Li Ting felt that same peace from Xu Yanqiu. He did not want to lose that feeling.

But what should he do next? Should he maintain the status quo or find a way to change their relationship? If Xu Yanqiu knew the truth, if he knew how Brother Li felt about him or what Li Ting truly was, would he still choose to stay? Where else could he go?

Li Ting shook his head to clear away these obsessive thoughts. But soon, he felt that making Xu Yanqiu depend on him was not a bad idea. If the boy felt he could not leave, then even if he knew everything, he would have nowhere else to go.

Li Ting lay down on the bed and looked at the sleeping boy beside him. His restlessness began to fade. Why think so much? It was enough that the boy was here now. He was still Brother Li, and they still shared the same bed, meals, and daily life. They even held hands when they went out.

That was enough for now. Li Ting knew his own nature, and he knew that one day he would no longer be satisfied with this. He would figure that out when the time came.

Li Ting closed his eyes to rest. Just as he was about to fall asleep to the sound of Xu Yanqiu’s breathing, a soft whimper woke him. He opened his eyes and saw that the boy’s face was bright red, his breathing was labored, and he was tossing and turning. The little fox thought the alcohol was making him uncomfortable. He pulled back the quilt to help the boy up for some water, only to find that Xu Yanqiu had almost undressed himself in his sleep.

Li Ting realized that his own scent had likely overwhelmed the boy while he was lost in thought. Xu Yanqiu was unconsciously rubbing against the quilt, and the braid Li Ting had made for him had come undone, spilling hair across the pillow. The boy looked like a ripened shrimp.

This could not continue. Li Ting tried to relax and restrain his aura, but Xu Yanqiu reached out, grabbed his hand, and pressed his face against it. His soft lips brushed against Li Ting’s palm. Li Ting wanted to pull away but could not bring himself to leave that soft touch. After a moment of struggle, he made a decision.

“I will help you just this once.”

At dinner time, Bai Qianjing decided not to let Li Ting cook. He had gone out and bought several dishes from a restaurant. As he was setting the table, Li Ting walked out of the room looking troubled.

“Oh, what happened?” Bai Qianjing asked. “Did he throw up on you?”

“No,” Li Ting said, taking a deep breath and helping set the table. “It was my fault.”

“What? You made a mistake?” Bai Qianjing was shocked. “You did not take advantage of him, did you?”

“No,” Li Ting repeated. Bai Qianjing wanted to press further, but seeing Li Ting’s expression, he had a sudden realization. “Wait, you did not just bottle everything up until you were miserable, did you?”

Li Ting remained silent. Bai Qianjing looked alarmed. “You must control yourself! If you cannot, I will take the little guy and run away!”

“What kind of person do you think I am?” Li Ting was so angry he laughed. He placed the final dish on the table and went quiet for a moment. Under Bai Qianjing’s watchful eyes, he said, “I did not make a mistake.”

“That is good. The last time you lost control during your growth period, I barely escaped with my life.”

“But I was close,” Li Ting said, which made Bai Qianjing fall silent. The peacock raised his hands in surrender. “Fine, as long as you stay in control.”

“I have to,” Li Ting said, sitting at the table. He wiped his face, his eyes remarkably calm. “If I lose control and my aura runs wild, he will die.”

“That is what I was worried about,” Bai Qianjing said, sitting beside him. “I was afraid of being too blunt, but I am glad you said it yourself.”

Li Ting high-fived him. “I will go get him for dinner.”

The little fox went back to the bedroom. Xu Yanqiu had woken up but was still dazed from the alcohol. He could not remember how he had gotten home from the restaurant.

Hearing the door, the blind boy rubbed his face. “Brother Li.”

“Come eat something to clear your head,” Li Ting said, helping him up. Xu Yanqiu felt a chill and realized he was not wearing his outer clothes. “Brother Li, where are my clothes?”

Li Ting lied and said the boy had dirtied them, then found a clean set for him. While Xu Yanqiu dressed himself, Li Ting waited by the door. He had helped the boy earlier to ensure the fox aura did not overwhelm him, and he had cleaned him up while Bai Qianjing was out.

After a moment of rustling, Xu Yanqiu came up behind Li Ting. He meant to poke him to say he was ready, but he misjudged the distance and his hand landed directly on Li Ting’s firm back muscles.

Li Ting was startled and turned around. “Why did you not call out to me?”

“I wanted to surprise you,” Xu Yanqiu said, gripping Li Ting’s sleeve. “Where is Master Bai?”

“He is waiting for us. Let us go.” Li Ting tried to lead him, but the boy stayed put. “What is it?”

Xu Yanqiu blinked and smiled. “Today, I will lead Brother Li over there.”

He had walked the path many times that day and was confident he could lead Li Ting to the table. He wanted to show off his progress. Li Ting let him lead the way. This time, the blind boy was in front and the fox followed behind. Their shadows stretched out in the moonlight.

Bai Qianjing watched them approach in silence. As Xu Yanqiu reached the table, Bai Qianjing used his foot to move a chair out of the boy’s way. Li Ting gave him a silent thumbs-up.

Xu Yanqiu let out a sigh of relief once they sat down, but he did not let go of Li Ting’s hand. Instead, he turned Li Ting’s hand over and placed his own palm against it. He laughed brightly. “Brother Li, your hand is so big. It wraps right around mine.”

Bai Qianjing looked at Li Ting’s intense expression and thought to himself that it was all over. His best friend was completely hooked, and he was happy about it. The peacock decided that as soon as he got home, he would start preparing a wedding gift.