The snow-white fox gracefully sat on the chair, using its paws to grab a red bean cake and stuff it into its mouth. It chewed contentedly while zily swaying its fluffy tail.
"This red bean cake isn't bad," it mused, "but this tea is too bitter." It clicked its tongue and pushed the cup of floating life tea far away from itself.
"Don't regret it?" I gnced at it sideways.
The fox had used all of its cultivation to remove the extraordinary abilities that resided in Tang Xiaohua as the reincarnation of the prophecy flower. It also erased all her memories of the past—and the past of the past.
On April 1st, Tang Xiaohua became a true, healthy, ordinary person. As for A Tuo, he reverted to his original form, and everything had to start anew.
"What is there to regret? She's now truly human. In a human's life, there should be no foxes, no prophecy flowers. She should live like any other ordinary girl—going to school, falling in love, getting married, having children. That is true happiness." A Tuo said softly, then shot me a sideways gnce, changing the subject abruptly. "By the way, I told you to take care of Yingyue Mountain. Just look at what a mess it's become now!"
"I'm not the mountain god there," I pouted. "Anyway, you're back now, even if you don't have a human form. Your spiritual energy still lingers. The restoration of the mountain and that not-so-serious fw in the sky are officially handed back to you!"
"Then my reward for you will be halved!"
"You dare!"
A fox and I were happily chatting, completely ignoring the intense resentment and indignation in the eyes of Pàng Zǐ and Shòu Zi
Alright, I admit it. I pulled a little prank on them this April Fools' Day. I told them we were going on a spring outing, but in reality, I needed them to py the roles of mud diggers and divers, retrieving A Tuo's soul from the muddy and stinky Yingyue River. This had been our agreement from a hundred years ago.
Foxes are always clever and thoughtful. After all, when the soul has been wandering for so long, there's hardly any energy left to climb out of the riverbed and return to its body. One wrong move and it could drown. That would be quite a tragic ending.
"We strongly request overtime pay!" Pàng Zǐ and Shòu Zi floated in front of me, their voices filled with grievance.
This time, I didn't hesitate. I went into the back room, took out two gold bars, and shoved them into their hands. They couldn't believe their luck. Pàng Zǐ grabbed the gold bar and bit into it several times to make sure it was real. "Is this really for us?" The two of them jumped for joy, holding up the gold bars as they rushed out.
Five minutes ter, I heard some strange cries.
Pàng Zǐ and Shòu Zi came running back, their faces twisted in horror. The gold bars in their hands had turned into a pitch-bck crow, gring at them with bulging eyes and squawking, "Happy April Fools' Day! Happy April Fools' Day!"
Ah, yes. Today is April Fools' Day. What is impossible to happen, right? Heh heh. I think that when I pass by Yingyue Mountain again, there will likely be sunshine pouring down on it, lighting up the whole pce.
