That summer, Emma exhausted every ounce of her acting skills.
She gasped at just the right moments when Fox Lian passed by, joined in scholarly discussions about "the color of His Highness's hair ribbon today," and even "accidentally" let the wind blow her handkerchief toward his feet—though she snatched it back with spiritual power before he could bend down.
It was exhausting. Maintaining the persona of obsession was harder than brewing pills for three days straight.
Worst of all, she realized her fear of fluff was changing. Each time she secretly studied Fox Lian's ears and tail, her racing heartbeat wasn't purely fear anymore—sometimes, shamefully, there was a flicker of… admiration.
No! She had to stop before it was too late.
Emma decided: when the first autumn leaf fell, she would announce her "enlightenment," retreat into cultivation, and quit the Fox Lian fan club.
Finally, on a breezy evening, the first sycamore leaf spiraled down onto her windowsill.
Emma took a deep breath, ready to enact her "persona collapse plan" the next day.
But she never expected—
Fox Lian in autumn was ten times deadlier than in summer.
Whether seasonal magic or fox nature, his silver fur visibly grew fuller and softer as the weather cooled. Under the moonlight, he seemed wrapped in a gentle glow, silver hair cascading like a waterfall, tail like a vast, warm cloud swaying lightly, each strand shimmering with moonlight.
Worse, he donned thicker autumn robes. The high collar accentuated his long neck, and when the wind teased his lapel, the curve of his collarbone peeked through. His fox ears, sensitive in the chill air, twitched faintly now and then—like an invitation.
"Ah—Your Highness! Look at me!" "His tail looks even fluffier! I want to bury myself in it!" "Moonlit fox shadow! A miracle!"
The academy went mad. Girls (and even some boys) squealed, some so overwhelmed they ran into walls—three were carried off by the medical team.
Emma stood at the edge of the crowd, staring at the figure gilded in silver moonlight, too beautiful to be real, and at the frenzy around him. Inside, she despaired.
How could she escape now?
If she claimed "enlightenment" now, who would believe her? They'd only think she was playing some coy game of hard-to-get.
She watched a bird-clan girl faint with joy after Fox Lian's casual glance, and Gu Liang plotting to steal a fallen strand of his fur (Emma barely stopped her).
Emma silently crumpled her "persona collapse plan" and swallowed it whole.
Forget it… she would endure one more season.
She gazed at the fox under the moonlight, tears nearly welling.
This cursed, sweet, fluffy autumn!