The Little Fox Spoils Her Blind Husband - Chapter 16

After the ear piercing was cleaned and treated, Xu Yanqiu crawled into the covers. Usually, he slept flat on his back, but today he feared that tilting his head in his sleep might press against the wound. He had no choice but to lie on his left side, which meant he was facing Li Ting.

Li Ting watched him burrowing and shifting in the blankets. He reached out and lifted the boy’s head, placing a folded piece of clothing beneath it. “This will be more comfortable. The pillow is too hard.”

“Mm.” The little blind boy rolled his face against the fabric and finally found a position that was not too awkward. Once the rustling sounds beside him stopped, the other side of the bed dipped as Li Ting lay down. The proximity of Li Ting’s breathing made Xu Yanqiu realize that he was lying very close to him.

Although they had been close upon waking before, those moments were usually accompanied by the fog of sleep. Now, with his earlobe still throbbing, he was wide awake. He began to involuntarily count Li Ting’s breaths.

His subtle movements did not escape Li Ting’s notice. The little fox had not blown out the candle. Since Xu Yanqiu did not know whether the room was lit or dark, Li Ting stared at him openly.

Nearly a month had passed since he had pulled the boy from the icy river. The weather had turned from cold to warm, more villagers were planting in the fields, and the seeds he had scattered a month ago were beginning to sprout. These were not the only changes. He had learned much from his father’s experiences regarding the treachery of the human heart, and he now possessed his own small courtyard in Dongxu Village. He also had a little shadow by his side.

As Xu Yanqiu counted, he soon drifted off to sleep. His breathing was shallow but persistent, a constant reminder to Li Ting that someone was there.

Li Ting raised a finger and traced the air above the boy’s lips. From the beginning, his intentions had never been as simple as wanting a brother, yet he had kept this hidden from the boy. Even Bai Qianjing could see through him.

Wait.

Li Ting’s hand froze. He had forgotten something. Why had Xu Yanqiu suddenly and directly asked for his ears to be pierced? The little fox looked toward the door. He did not recall hearing it open or close while he was speaking with Bai Qianjing. Was he overthinking?

His gaze shifted from the door to the window. The wind was howling outside. The window was supposed to be shut tight, but there was now a small gap. It was entirely possible that Xu Yanqiu had opened it. This meant the boy had eavesdropped on their conversation. Because it was his first time eavesdropping, he had likely forgotten to close the window properly.

Li Ting’s mood did not improve with this realization. He did not understand Xu Yanqiu’s intent. Did the boy feel the same way, or was he merely trying to repay a debt of gratitude?

The little fox, prone to overthinking, fell into a deep silence. The flickering candlelight danced on his fingertips until the flame died out, leaving only the moonlight to cast the shadow of the man lying beside the boy. A short while later, the shadow sat up. He looked at the sleeping Xu Yanqiu and slowly lowered his head. It seemed as though he pressed a light kiss to the boy’s forehead, or perhaps he merely lowered his head and nothing happened at all.

Xu Yanqiu slept soundly, exhausted by the alcohol and the pain of the piercing. However, in the middle of the night, he woke up to use the restroom. This was the first time since meeting Li Ting that he had been awake alone at night. He lay on his side, listening to the hooting of night birds, knowing it was not yet dawn. The steady rhythm of breathing beside him told him that Li Ting was still asleep.

He did not want to disturb Li Ting, who must be tired from cooking and looking after him all day. Xu Yanqiu decided to go to the latrine by himself. Li Ting sometimes let him go alone when he was busy. He knew the layout of the courtyard well and was confident he would not make a mistake. Since his world was always dark, the darkness of the night did not frighten him.

Xu Yanqiu carefully peeled back the covers. Initially, they had used separate blankets, but they had eventually begun sharing one. He had to be cautious not to pull the blanket off Li Ting. Fortunately, Li Ting’s breathing remained steady as Xu Yanqiu slipped out of bed. The boy listened for a moment longer before feeling his way to the door. To keep the door quiet, he used his fingers to cushion the frame. He stepped outside and left the door slightly ajar so he could find his way back.

The night air was cold. Xu Yanqiu immediately regretted not wearing more clothes. He tapped his feet on the ground, and the sound startled him. He lightened his step and followed his memory.

Everything went smoothly. He even washed his hands and returned the towel to its place. He felt his way back into the room, more confident than before. He crawled back under the covers, his heart pounding so loudly he could hear it. He pressed a hand to his chest and listened to the breathing beside him until he finally relaxed.

Li Ting had not woken up. He had a lot on his mind and was truly exhausted, so he did not notice Xu Yanqiu leaving and returning. However, in his deep sleep, he had unconsciously released his tails. Xu Yanqiu noticed a bulge in the blankets on Li Ting’s side. He tried to pull the covers, but they would not budge. He moved closer to Li Ting and felt his toes brush against a soft, fluffy fur.

The little blind boy paused. He did not remember Brother Li buying any fur blankets. He tentatively nudged it with his toe and then jerked his foot back. The fluff was alive! It moved!

Xu Yanqiu held his breath, wondering if some creature had snuck inside. But everything had been fine before he left, and the door was exactly as he had left it. Just then, the fluffy mass moved closer and draped itself over his foot.

Xu Yanqiu screamed internally. He covered his mouth, his eyes wide with terror as he realized there was more than one mass of fur. One, two, no, they were not separate masses; they were long, individual appendages. These were tails. Many, many tails.

His panic made him want to wake Li Ting immediately. But then Li Ting rolled over to face him, and the tails disappeared with the movement.

Xu Yanqiu was confused. He took a deep breath and sat up to wake Li Ting. Whether the owner of the tails had left or not, he had to tell him what happened. As he reached out for Li Ting’s shoulder, he forgot he was sitting up. His hand landed not on a shoulder, but on the top of Li Ting’s head.

Under his palm, he felt not only hair but also something that felt like animal ears. Xu Yanqiu froze, too terrified to move his hand. The touch woke Li Ting halfway.

“Can you not sleep?” Li Ting asked, squinting through his blurry vision. He saw a shadow and reached up to pull Xu Yanqiu’s hand from his head, tucking it back under the covers along with the boy. His tails surged forward, covering most of Xu Yanqiu’s body.

Xu Yanqiu blinked as the truth began to dawn on him. The tails and the ears belonged to Li Ting. Was Brother Li a demon?

Once he accepted this truth, his first instinct was not to flee or feel afraid. He did not even worry if Li Ting might eat him. His first thought was that he had to protect Li Ting; no one else could ever find out his secret!

The little blind boy clenched his fists under the blankets and made a silent vow. He no longer resisted the tails wrapped around his waist. Instead, he felt sorry for Li Ting, who could only reveal his true form at a time like this. It must be exhausting to hide his identity every day.

Xu Yanqiu tenderly stroked the tails. As he did, his thoughts shifted. He counted them: one, two, three, four, nine tails in total. They were all roughly the same size, with soft, well-maintained fur. An image of a small animal curled up in a cave grooming itself came to mind. He thought Brother Li was actually quite adorable. Xu Yanqiu closed his eyes, pulled the tails into his arms, and snuggled closer to Li Ting before falling back to sleep.

The next morning, Li Ting woke up early as usual. He sat up and stared at his own tails held firmly in Xu Yanqiu’s arms. He was stunned. Had he lost his memory? Why did he have no recollection of releasing his tails and ears?

The little fox silently tried to pull one tail from the boy’s grasp. He succeeded. He then began the Tail Rescue Operation. Once all nine tails were free, Xu Yanqiu reached out as if searching for them in his sleep, confused by their absence. Li Ting’s eye twitched, and he quickly shoved his pillow into the boy’s arms.

Xu Yanqiu frowned in his sleep, thinking the tails felt different, but he decided to keep sleeping. Li Ting sighed in relief. At that moment, Bai Qianjing pushed the door open. “Brother! The sun is already up! Let us go for a walk on the mountain!”

Li Ting, seeing that the noise had woken Xu Yanqiu, threw the pillow at him with all his might.

“Are we still brothers or not?” Bai Qianjing grumbled. Who hits someone the moment they wake up?