Xia Dong District·Changxi Town.
Mid-July.
"Ah Qing, shove the pork into my mouth! Don't pity this delicate beauty of mine, and remember to put more ice in the cola!"
Inside the four-story self-built house, Yu Xueqing leaned against the kitchen cabinet, smiling as she replied to a message, while the gas stove was wafting the aroma of meat soup.
On the anti-slip mat at the kitchen door, a small white fox with a shoulder height slightly over twenty inches was lying on its back, swaying its hips.
Its fluffy white tail swayed rhythmically with its movements.
"Come on, Ah Qing! Don't suppress your yearning for the fox's fluffiness, come on! Bring your ice-cold cola and wasabi-flavored chips to please Ansheng, in exchange for the fox!"
"I know you understand what I'm saying! So, please get me a bottle of lemon-flavored ice cola!"
The white fox seemed to be throwing a playful tantrum, rolling around the floor in front of the kitchen, and after uttering those wild words, it let out a clear and innocent chirp, akin to a lark singing or the joyful laughter of a pure-hearted child.
Ansheng tried using the 'Fox Temptation Technique' he learned from the study of notes a few days ago to tame the poop-picker.
As a Xiabei Subspecies of White Fox, he was already a national grade two upon birth and should be at the peak of the keyboard rank.
But Ansheng was not an ordinary fox; he distinctly remembered that he was a human in his previous life, and an unfortunate fellow who died suddenly just as life was finally becoming complete.
Ansheng didn't study hard in his previous life, couldn't find a good job after graduating from a low-tier university, and so he could only immerse himself in 'learning by betting', diving headlong into the sales industry for a decade.
After some tough hustling and a favorable market condition, Ansheng bought a house and changed his car in the big city, supposedly ready to select a girl emperor-style to settle down with.
However, after one drinking session, he fell asleep only to wake up reincarnated inside a fox's belly.
Life was not smooth for Ansheng after becoming a fox.
His illiterate fox father, upon seeing Ansheng's different fur color, fled in the night.
His fox mother, upon seeing Ansheng able to walk, disappeared into the mountainous wilderness of the night just like the fox father.
Afterward, Ansheng went through a tremendous effort to arrive in Changxi Town, a place with Taoist and Fox Immortal culture, planning to emulate internet-famous wolves and live by acting cute.
Though egg yolk pies are unhealthy, there's no resisting their great taste!
Even taking a huge step back, egg yolk pies are better than the field-bred voles in the woods, aren't they?
Moreover, Ansheng was truly fed up with those hefty bamboo rats released by unknown people.
These rats fear no enemies or danger, even daring to bite a fox.
........
"Ying-ying-ying——"
'Hungry, want something delicious...'
'Master~ give me tasty treats, will you?'
Amidst the white fluffy neck cries, Yu Xueqing, who was replying to messages, finally shifted her attention from her phone screen to the fox rolling at the door.
The fox's seemingly identical cries translated into completely different meanings inside Yu Xueqing's mind.
This was her innate ability, allowing her to grasp the general meanings within animal sounds.
Though this superpower wasn't much of use, it prevented Yu Xueqing from ever being chased by vicious dogs during her elementary school years.
"Just hold on for a while longer! The meat is boiling in the pot, it might burn your mouth if you eat it now."
Yu Xueqing took the meat out from the pot, placed it to cool in a ceramic dog bowl, smilingly patted the fox's round chin, and opened the camera on Weixin.
She posted a photo of herself driving her "private car" in the dorm's large group chat.
Last year, a scenic spot in Xia Dong District featured Arctic foxes, causing these adorable foxes to become instantly famous nationwide.
Her three dormmates went, but unfortunately, Yu Xueqing couldn't go because of family matters last year, envying her roommates who could pet the big fat foxes.
However, the day was different from the past; she could pet a fox at home now!
Moreover, during the half month of caring for Xiaolan.
Yu Xueqing found out there were really lots of scams online, where people proclaimed foxes as ultimate shedding monsters.
They said they had stink glands making them smelly and that fox poop was larger than humans'.
Yet, after actually raising one, she discovered...
Arctic Foxes don't shed fur!
She specifically checked her clothes and all around the house but found no white fox fur!
And Xiaolan didn't smell at all, even carried a hint of fruity honey fragrance; she even looked it up a thousand times online.
Search engines said fragrance and stench share the same source, where stench was essentially overwhelming fragrance.
Most importantly, Xiaolan would go out to the yard for his business, sparing her from any concern!
With such a treasure fox, who could have thought it was picked up from the road?
Yu Xueqing still remembered, half a month ago, when she, a junior college student, just started her summer vacation, dragging the luggage back home and spotting Xiaolan by the roadside.
He was by a trash can, amidst the withered vines and old trees, desperately tearing a couplet out of hunger.
And when she saw him, he was holding the 'An' character from "Safe and Sound" in his mouth, looking so pitiful.
He might as well have had 'pitiful, weak, hungry' inscribed on his forehead.
Yu Xueqing immediately recognized that the trash-eating fox was an Arctic Fox, also known as a blue fox, a high-quality source for flip fur coats, fur hats, and scarves.
This Arctic Fox likely escaped from some farm, a prime-grade fluffy neck material!
Just because among the vast human sea, they exchanged a glance, Yu Xueqing decided she would rescue this nearly shattered being!
Upon returning home, disregarding fatigue, according to local customs, she took two stainless steel bowls out of the sterilizing cupboard to use as food and water dishes for the Arctic Fox.
The sturdiness and durability of stainless steel bowls symbolized her determination to care for it.
But the Arctic Fox had a clear aversion to stainless steel bowls, and through its cries, expressed fear as well.
It seems, stainless steel bowls must have triggered terrifying memories for Xiaolan during his time in the farm.
Living in rusty stainless steel cages, eating scraps from stainless steel bowls, punishment for mischievous foxes with solid steel bars.
.......
"Still, ceramic bowls put one's mind at ease, at least no need to worry about livestock and bear children sending my food bowls flying during New Year!"
Though he didn't get the ice cola, Ansheng was satisfied enough to eat fresh meat.
As for how he knew about livestock running to blow up dog bowls during New Year, and bear children kicking dog bowls.
It's because Ansheng was bitten by dogs when he was little, and his greatest festival joy was kicking dog bowls.
Others bomb dog bowls with firecrackers, Ansheng often used torpedoes, arm-thick bombs, and shower fireworks to blast dog bowls when he was small.
Reborn as a fox of the canine family, he naturally must prevent his kind from indulging in such idle acts like himself.
After all...no rural dog can escape the fate of dog bowls ascending.
By choosing ceramic bowls, Ansheng could directly end this cycle of destiny.
"Xiaolan, I have to go out for a bit, so be good and stay home, okay?"
After cooking for Ansheng, Yu Xueqing received a call from her dad, saying she'll go up Tea Mountain soon and might return only after dinner.
Thus, Yu Xueqing especially reminded Xiaolan after securing the doors and windows, riding her e-bike out.
But upon leaving, something bizarre occurred to Ansheng involving the farewell.
[Hope Xiaolan will stay put at home, don't run outside—because Yu Xueqing had to go out for something yet worries about the door lock, nervously making a sincere wish to Master Fox.]
[Wish granted: Xiaolan remains at home (and she would be thrilled if you fix the door lock first and also plug up the old dog hole, rewarding you generously)]
"It's Master Fox, mind the F and H articulation!"
Xia Dong Region, known for mixing the sounds of "H" with "F" in its local dialect, often had foxes referred to as "Master Fox" in Changxi Town.
Ansheng chided briefly and continued eating heartily.