Fox Lian had always thought that the greatest obstacles between him and Emma were, at most, Gu Liang's lingering resentment—or perhaps that clueless merman prince casting one too many glances her way.
Until the day the visiting delegation from the God Clan arrived, and he saw the silver-armored general standing beside Emma's parents, close and familiar in posture.
The general was tall and imposing, his face stern and handsome, radiating an aura of unshakable divine authority. Most striking of all was the jade pendant at his waist—clearly the twin half of the family heirloom Emma carried, split from the same divine stone into yin and yang pendants.
A dire premonition seized Fox Lian's heart.
On the day of the delegation's formal visit, his fears came true.
Before the entire academy, Emma's parents smiled warmly, guiding her to the silver-armored general: "Emma, come greet your senior brother Xuanyi. The marriage contract set when you were children—now that Xuanyi has become a rising star of the God Clan, it is time we discuss your wedding."
Marriage contract?!
The words struck Fox Lian like thunder. His blood froze, his tail—usually lazily swaying—went rigid, fur bristling.
He whipped his gaze to Emma, violet eyes filled with disbelief and a sting of betrayal.
Emma herself was stunned, frowning at the man she had not seen in years: "Father, Mother, this matter…"
Xuanyi stepped forward, his stern face softening into a smile, reaching to take her hand: "Emma, little sister, it has been too long."
But before his fingers could touch her, a flash of silver cut between them.
Fox Lian appeared like a phantom, pulling Emma behind him, tail flaring like a beast protecting its mate. His violet eyes locked coldly on Xuanyi, voice sharp as ice: "She is mine."
The hall fell silent.
The God Clan delegation frowned, Emma's parents' faces darkened, Gu Liang gaped so wide she dropped her spirit fruit.
Xuanyi's smile vanished, his gaze sharp: "And you are?"
"Fox Lian." He stood firm, tail puffing larger in defiance, shielding Emma completely. "Emma's lover."
"Lover?" Xuanyi scoffed, eyes flicking over fox ears and bristling tail with faint disdain. "A mere fox dares covet the goddess? Our marriage contract was decreed by elders of both clans. You have no say."
"That is your matter." Fox Lian did not yield, fingers tightening around Emma's wrist as if she might vanish. "Emma's choice is what matters."
He turned, violet eyes trembling with hope and fear: "Emma, tell him. Who do you choose?"
All eyes fell on her.
Emma looked into Fox Lian's eyes, nearly bleeding with desperation, at his tail flared in tension, then at the vague figure of the "fiancé" her parents spoke of.
She reversed her grip, clasping Fox Lian's cold fingers, stepped forward to stand beside him, gaze calm yet resolute: "Father, Mother, Brother Xuanyi. Fox Lian and I are bound by love. I will marry no one else. As for this so-called contract… I never acknowledged it."
She paused, then added with divine authority: "If clan law forbids it, I will relinquish my title as goddess."
"Emma!" gasps erupted from the delegation.
Fox Lian turned to her, the frost in his eyes melting into shock and joy. Her grip was so firm, so unwavering.
Xuanyi's face darkened, divine power surging.
But Fox Lian no longer looked at him. He raised a hand to Emma's cheek, tail wrapping her waist with reverent care, voice hoarse: "…Is it worth it?"
Emma smiled softly, firmly, rubbing his trembling ears in front of all: "A jealous fox is far more precious than a cold jade pendant."
Later…
It was said Xuanyi left the academy with a stormy face. It was said the God Clan was thrown into turmoil.
But none of that mattered to Fox Lian and Emma.
At that moment, Fox Lian buried his face in her neck, tail wrapped tight, voice muffled: "You knew about the contract all along?"
"Mm… I think I heard of it as a child. Forgot." Emma toyed idly with his tail tip.
"Forgot?!" He lifted his head, violet eyes wounded. "Something this important, and you forgot?"
Emma laughed at his sulky, fearful look, kissed his lips lightly: "Because my heart only has room for one fox's fluff. Nothing else fits."
Fox Lian's ears flushed crimson, tail wagging like a fan as he pulled her close again.
Fiancé? Just clouds. Only the fox's tail is eternal.