Lately, Fox Lian felt something was wrong with Emma.
She no longer seemed eager to touch his ears and tail as before. Even when he deliberately offered his tail, she only rubbed it absentmindedly, her gaze drifting elsewhere.
She began spending long hours at the forge, returning with the scent of metal and spirit stones clinging to her, instead of the cool fragrance he knew as hers.
What alarmed Fox Lian most was seeing her several times with Senior Brother Ling Xiao of the Weapon Sect—standing close, heads bent together in discussion. Ling Xiao even demonstrated techniques, occasionally guiding Emma's wrist with his hand!
Fox Lian's tail flared instantly.
He started watching in secret.
Day one: Emma and Ling Xiao discussed "stability in spirit-pattern engraving." Day two: they studied "energy conversion efficiency in core power sources." Day three… they were so close! Ling Xiao nearly pressed against her back!
Fox Lian could bear it no longer. He decided to confront her.
He waited outside the forge. When Emma emerged, he seized her wrist, violet eyes heavy: "What have you been doing these days?"
Emma looked tired, rubbing her brow: "Working on something important."
"With Ling Xiao?" His voice carried suppressed jealousy.
"Mm. He's more experienced, helped me a lot."
Helped a lot?! Fox Lian's heart clenched painfully. He thought of Ling Xiao's rugged face, his strong arms (though not fluffy!), their closeness…
"You…" His voice trembled. "Have you… fallen for him?"
Emma blinked, finally realizing his unease. Seeing his tense jawline, his trembling tail, she understood.
She blinked mischievously, feigned sternness: "What if I said yes?"
Fox Lian looked struck by lightning, face draining of color. He released her hand, stepped back, tail drooping lifelessly, violet eyes shattered. "So… that's it." He forced a smile uglier than tears. "I… was a nuisance."
He turned to leave, his back desolate like an abandoned beast.
Emma couldn't keep up the act. She rushed forward, hugging him from behind, cheek pressed to his rigid back. "Foolish fox!" she laughed through exasperation. "I was making you a gift!"
Fox Lian froze.
Emma turned him around, drawing from her storage bracelet a silver-white armguard, engraved with intricate protective runes, set with a violet spirit crystal—the exact shade of his eyes.
"Next month you'll represent the Fox Clan in the secret realm trial, right?" She fastened the armguard to his wrist, fitting perfectly. "I studied countless texts, consulted Senior Brother Ling Xiao, and finally crafted this protective artifact. It even holds a strand of my divine essence—to shield you in danger."
She looked up at his dazed violet eyes, poked his chest helplessly: "And this silly fox thought I was unfaithful?"
Fox Lian stared at the armguard, still warm from her touch, feeling the immense power and careful craftsmanship. Remembering his jealous outburst, his ears flushed red, tail curling around him in embarrassment. His muffled voice emerged: "…You should have said so earlier."
Emma laughed, pulling him out of his cocoon of tail, cupping his burning face: "Because I wanted it to be a surprise."
She leaned close, brushing her nose against his reddened ear tip, whispering: "The world's best fluff is right here. Who else could I possibly want?"
Fox Lian's violet eyes lit with starlight, tail joyfully wrapping her waist, pulling her tight into his arms.
The next day, Senior Brother Ling Xiao was baffled when Fox Lian appeared, publicly gifting him ten jars of fine fox wine and solemnly declaring, "You're a good man."
Meanwhile, the new armguard on Fox Lian's wrist gleamed in the sunlight, flaunting its unique mark of love.