"Whoa!"
Upon hearing Ah Qing call out Xiaolan, Mo Yiqing turned to see the little fox, and his first reaction was confusion, followed closely by deep shock.
More than puzzlement over why Xiaolan was in the distant Chang'an City.
What truly shocked Mo Yiqing was, if Xiaolan was in Chang'an, then who was the fox with the haughty, displeased look on its face during Ah Qing's video call home after getting off the plane?
Although there are quite a few ancient tombs in Chang'an, it's not usually this creepy in broad daylight, right?
Thinking this, Mo Yiqing felt goosebumps rise all over.
"Ying ying ying—"
Ansheng, held in Lin Ying's arms, waved his little fox paws and jumped to the ground, dashing up to Ah Qing and standing on his hind legs to hug Ah Qing's seemingly thicker waist.
"That's right!"
"Absolutely right! It's that plump and juicy feel," Ansheng thought in his heart while hugging Ah Qing's waist.
Though Sister Lin Fu is nice, the solid feel of the sturdy Ah Qing's fleshy body gives the fox peace of mind.
"Xia...Xiaolan? Is it really Xiaolan?"
Seeing the white fox almost dancing in front of him, trying to climb onto his shoulder, Ah Qing was stunned.
"You...I...Wow!" Ah Qing was dumbfounded.
Because of the live broadcast, Ah Qing usually had no free hands, holding a phone in one and gesturing with the other.
Plus, since Xiaolan disliked wearing a collar, Ah Qing was worried he'd get lost in Changping Mountain, so often during broadcasts, he would place Xiaolan on his shoulder.
A fox weighing about ten pounds might be uncomfortable to carry on one's shoulder.
But to Ah Qing, Ansheng's weight was just like having a towel draped over his shoulder.
"Xiaolan...did you also come by plane?"
After repeatedly confirming that the little fox bouncing in front of him was indeed his found Xiaolan, Ah Qing maintained a look of wide-eyed astonishment, holding the little fox up to his face and finally managing to squeeze out a sentence.
So shocked that Ah Qing didn't even know what to say.
"I delivered him here..."
Walking behind Master Fox, Lin Ying approached Ah Qing and Mo Yiqing. After scanning their faces, she raised her hand to gently stroke Master Fox's white face.
And now, Master Fox was coiled around Ah Qing's shoulder like a scarf. To Ah Qing, Lin Ying's stroking of Master Fox's face seemed not only extremely intimate for Xiaolan but also slightly awkward for her.
After stroking Master Fox's face, amidst Ansheng's puzzled expression, Lin Ying softly spoke:
"Three days ago, I think? I saw the little fox in Changxi Town."
"He sat dazedly on the wall, quietly watching the empty house and softly whimpering, as if calling for something, but only the tire noise from passing cars responded, and the empty house couldn't reply..."
"I noticed his paw pads were a bit red. Upon checking, I found they might've been scuffed by walking long distances on the hot asphalt..."
With an expression calm as still water, Lin Ying narrated the story of Xiaolan's solitary adventures.
Ansheng, utterly bewildered, looked at Lin Ying and suddenly felt something incredibly bizarre.
As if...a celestial being transcending mortal concerns landed among the living, placed one foot on a chair, rubbed her hands on the table while playing mahjong, and then pulled a crumpled soft-pack cigarette from her bodice, flicked one into her mouth, and lit it with a one-dollar lighter.
"So...Sister Lin Fu can brag too," Ansheng internally commented with his jaw hanging.
If he remembered correctly, when leaving home that night, Lin Bingyun was sitting in the back seat, taking a $68 sugarcane ice-cold Coke from the fridge, instructing the driver to drive the Maybach back to the village for seafood.
Yet Master Fox's real story was told by Lin Ying as if he had endured the blazing sun, trotting on scorching asphalt with tender paw pads, blistered by temperatures reaching fifty to sixty degrees Celsius.
"The fox sitting on the wall was probably waiting for his owner to open the door. After treating him, I asked around in the village and found out about you," Lin Ying continued, extending her hand, "My name is Lin Ying, a neighbor in Changxi Town. People often jokingly call me the village's richest person or the head. Now I officially hand over the little fox to you. If you don't want him, feel free to leave him at my home."
"I love Xiaolan!"
Thoroughly led by Lin Ying's words, Ah Qing shrank his neck awkwardly and clumsily embraced the little fox, displaying an uncomfortable expression as he gazed at the fox on his shoulder.
After hearing Lin Ying's tale, Ah Qing had so much to say to Xiaolan.
However, upon seeing Lin Ying's outstretched hand, he awkwardly shook it.
Lin Ying withdrew her hand and approached again, briefly grasping Ah Qing's fingertips before moving away without a word.
"If you like him, watch over him and don't let others take him," she said before leaving.
Ah Qing watched Lin Ying's retreating figure and then looked at the bewildered little fox on his shoulder.
After pondering, she playfully bit Xiaolan's cheek and gently tugged at the flesh.
"You little rascal! Don't stay put at home, won't call when something happens, I'll bite you to death!"
"Woof—"
Startled by the sudden attack, Ansheng instinctively barked, looking at Ah Qing with a startled expression and said:
"Hey, hey, hey! Your drool is getting on An's face!"
"Hiss..."
After Lin Ying disappeared into the crowd, the previously silent Mo Yiqing turned to Ah Qing and asked in astonishment, "The richest person in your village...truly exudes an impressive aura, like an official speech."
Mo Yiqing was referring not to a formal or mechanical tone, but to Lin Ying speaking not simply with her mouth and throat like ordinary people but employing chest resonance, akin to bel canto.
This manner of speaking exudes presence and clarity, paired with standard Mandarin, creating an official tone.
Some officers or cadres deeply embedded in officialdom often have this tone.
Unfamiliar with other provincial or municipal leaders, Mo Yiqing related it to those around Zen City and Sheep City, who had a similar tone.
"Not from our village..."
"Maybe from the city or province? I don't know much about those things," Ah Qing responded to Momo's question after giving Xiaolan a playful nip.
Lin Ying labeled herself the village's richest as a modest understatement.
To Xia Dong people, evaluating the Lin's influence considers not just the Lin of Xia Country but also its overseas clan's sway.
However.
Busy with her studies, Ah Qing knew little of village gossip, only aware that a tremendously wealthy individual with connections beyond borders resided there, reaching even over seas, like placing a call to Mazu before sailing to ensure maritime safety.
Across the strait, uttering the Lin name might not ensure prosperity but would at least offer a place to stay.
After Ah Qing described these village tales of the Lin Family, Mo Yiqing looked at Master Fox with utter amazement.
"Your family's fox is really something!"