Somehow, the fact that Emma once secretly admired Prince Thranduil of the Elves reached Fox Lian's ears.
When Fox Lian heard this old rumor, his hand paused mid-stroke while grooming his tail. His violet eyes narrowed, a dangerous aura flaring around him. The silver tail that had been smooth and relaxed suddenly bristled, fur standing on edge. "Thranduil?" he repeated slowly, plucking at his fur until he accidentally pulled out a strand.
The sting brought him back.
Across from him, Emma looked up from her book, puzzled: "What's wrong?"
Fox Lian quickly hid the silver strand in his palm, tail curling possessively around her wrist. His tone was casual, but his eyes sharp: "I heard… you used to think Thranduil was good?"
Emma's heart lurched. Not this again! That was ages ago—why bring it up now? "That was in the past…" she tried to deflect.
"The past?" Fox Lian snatched her book, violet eyes locking on hers. "How far back? Before us? You sketched him? Listened to his harp?"
Emma: "…" How does he know everything?!
Seeing her guilty look, Fox Lian's old jealousy boiled over. He remembered her hiding behind a pillar at the starlit terrace, secretly watching Thranduil. Comparing that to how she now clung to his tail… Even if it was long over, he couldn't stand it.
Soon, the academy noticed His Highness behaving strangely.
He no longer wore his usual elegant robes. Instead, he tried various… fluffy outfits.
One day, a cloak trimmed with white fur. The next, boots with pom-poms. Later, even a hood with cute fox ears.
"Is His Highness… going for a cute style now?" students whispered. "But his eyes are still so cold…"
Only Emma knew what he was up to.
Whenever she passed the Elf classrooms or happened upon Thranduil, Fox Lian would "coincidentally" appear—always in his fluffy new attire, tail wagging conspicuously.
"Emma," he would call lazily, voice hooked with mischief, pointing to his hood ears. "This looks crooked. Fix it for me?"
Under everyone's gaze, Emma blushed and reached up to adjust the faux ears. Her fingers brushed the soft fur, and Fox Lian lowered his head, violet eyes gleaming with triumph, tail swaying happily.
Once, Prince Thranduil saw this scene. He smiled gently, nodded to Emma, and left.
The moment he was gone, Fox Lian leaned close, voice dripping with jealousy: "Are his ears better to touch than mine?"
Emma, amused, teased: "Prince Thranduil's ears are pointed. They must feel different…"
Before she could finish, Fox Lian silenced her with a kiss—punishing yet tender, leaving her breathless against his chest. Forehead pressed to hers, his voice husky: "Don't think of him. Only me. Touch my ears. Play with my tail."
Emma, sweetly exasperated, rubbed his trembling ears to soothe him: "Not him, only you. Your ears are the softest, your tail the warmest. Satisfied?"
Fox Lian finally relaxed, tail wagging joyfully again—though he still pressed: "Between me and Thranduil… who looks better?"
Emma gazed at his breathtaking face, at the fluffy decorations that looked oddly cute on him, and burst into laughter in his arms: "You, you, you! You're the best-looking in the whole world—even jealous, you're the most handsome!"
Behind a tree, Gu Liang secretly scribbled notes: "On How to Elegantly Make Your Partner Jealous — by Scheming Fox Lian."
(Key points: Fluffy assault + public displays of affection + direct questioning.)