Reborn To Be The Imperial Consort [BL]-Chapter 128: Dancing Daffodils — IX

[Bonus Chapter 13]

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[For every sinner, there exists a supplicant of their innocence. Not all of the latter are so fortunate, however.]

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Shaken, Li Xinyuan dispelled the thought as a mere nightmare. One he could yet stop from becoming a hellish reality. The surgeon had enough trust in Hu Lijing, thus he turned his back to face the fox instead.

His gaze drifted south, falling upon the curled up form of the cowering beast. His lips pressed together, something akin to displeasure simmered in his heart’s depth.

No matter how malicious his deeds had been before, they were a past long gone. Slowly, Li Xinyuan went on his knees, squatting in front of the fox. With caution, he reached his hand, palm facing upwards to softly tuck under the soft snout.

The fox’s body shivered, he released a repressed whimper that died in his throat. For a fox spirit with four-tails, a supposed beastly predator, he appeared far too frightened.

The very sight of him made Li Xinyuan’s heart ache in a strange fashion. Surely, had the fox been in a human form the surgeon would not feel as much pity as his animal vessel made him feel.

Li Xinyuan scratched under his snout, made sure he was gentle with his touch so the fox’s terror would ease. He drew closer and pet his head with his other hand. He bit his lips, drank back the deluge of cooes he was dearly tempted to let out.

Hu Lijing would not appreciate that. Nor did he appreciate the affection Li Xinyuan imparted upon the fox at the moment.

"Xinyuan..." Drawing in a deep breath, Hu Lijing began. "Stop. That beast deserves no adoration."

Li Xinyuan looked back at him from over the shoulder, gave him a small smile as the fox leaned into his affectionate touch. "Lijing," his eyes flitted downward for a second. "Believe me I understand where your hatred for him stems from."

Hu Lijing took a step forward, impulsive was the action as his fists shook and blood dripped onto the iced floor. "If so then why...?"

His voice was thick, the tail end of his words faded and dead.

The surgeon heaved a soft sigh, turned his attention to the fox and gently put him on his lap. "Lijing, I wish for you to calm your heart. Take a deep breath and think. For a moment let go of your hate, let the fire die and look past that smoke."

The unadulterated kindness of Li Xinyuan’s action caused something unknown to bloom in the white fox spirit’s heart. It bloomed beautifully, spread out and crawled all over within his chest. It continued to expand until it burst, and before he knew, the fox’s eyes filled with tears and then they fell.

Soft cries fell off his mouth in wretched whimpers as its body shuddered from the deluge of emotions.

Li Xinyuan’s heart squeezed with agony. He sucked in a heavy breath and gently hugged the fox, engulfing him in a warmth he had felt never before. Most humans, like and unlike him, had more empathy for animals than other humans.

The sight caused Hu Lijing to swallow tightly, his head tipped back. He closed his eyes and faced the ceiling. The fox spirit allowed the words to sink, and wished his heart would stop trembling.

Li Xinyuan’s voice came, appeared to drown out the distress plaguing his mind at large. "This fox spirit you fought with is not the same. This poor bastard is not the fallen deity who wronged you." Li Xinyuan dipped his head to look down at the fox, gently scratched the back of his ear. "He is nothing like the phantom you still fight, years later. Your hate is justified. You despise him, fine."

Hu Lijing opened his mouth, folded his hands behind his back. His bloodied claws pierced his flesh. His blood, scorching like lava, flowed out. It splattered on the ground, the ice sizzled from the heart.

Li Xinyuan soothed the white fox until it ceased whimpering and began purring instead. "He is back, yes. He might be the same soul you know, yes. But he is reborn. With no memories of the past, he’s changed, inevitably."

The surgeon glanced up at Hu Lijing. He observed the nearly defeated stance. "Can you not give him a chance? Allow him to live? Did you not say so yourself, your lover said so too—that it would have been different had Bai Huiqi lived a happier life, he would not have turned evil.

"I... I understand your pain, I understand you, Lijing. I’m not asking for absolute good from you. But can you not try—to give this Bai Huiqi a different life? One happier than before, than your own?"

Li Xinyuan was willing to take the meagre chance of pleading for Hu Lijing’s empathy. If it meant he could prevent Bai Huiqi from going to Heavenly Demon and bringing ruin to JiangHu—by extension him and his clan, and the entire story—Li Xinyuan would do so.

It still pained him to see Hu Lijing in this state.

The nine-tailed fox breathed, his person stiff with each strutting breath. Abrupt as it was, Li Xinyuan heard a soft, broken noise bubble from his throat.

The surgeon’s eyes widened in alarm, he drew the white fox closer and stood up instantly. At the correct elevation, Li Xinyuan saw tears streaming down Hu Lijing’s temples, wrecked thoroughly by his sobs.

"Lijing...?"

The nine-tailed fox clenched his teeth, his jaws tensed as he brought his arm to shield his face. "... He has sinned, yet you plead for him. No one will harm you for doing so. I had sinned too, I, too, was a sinner. Am still. But the one pleading for me is gone. Why?" He choked out painfully. "Why must there be such a difference between us?"

In a hurry, the surgeon’s steps staggered. He couldn’t believe he would have to comfort two foxes—centuries older than him—who were crying like children.

For a heart broken in two, how dare he try console either?

Li Xinyuan heaved a shuddering breath. Staggering, he assumed the place beside the nine-tailed fox of divine flames and softly pressed his free hand on his shoulder.

"Lijing..." He whispered in a voice sunken in, low and tremored. His one hand squeezed the shaking shoulder, the other continued stroking the pristine weeping fox.

In the cave, frozen over and seemingly untouched by time, twin cries of agony and distress mingled with one another. Twined in a melancholic waltz, their choked voices clawed Li Xinyuan’s throat and heart. Vice as deeply buried roots, the sobs strangled even him.

Unable to muster any proper thought or action, Li Xinyuan simply reached out to gently put his hand on the back of Hu Lijing’s head. Thereafter, with great care, the surgeon tugged the weeping fox spirit close.

With a deep sigh, one shaken to the core, Li Xinyuan allowed Hu Lijing to lean into his other shoulder, allowed the warm, saline deluge to soak and bring ruin to his garb.

Clothes, riches, glory, materials—all those were nothing but a grain of melting salt in the face of what was dear to him.

Li Xinyuan would gladly sacrifice all the riches he had. A thousand times over, too, if he could witness a single smile of veritable joy upon Hu Lijing’s face.

The first step towards that would be to make the nine-tailed fox spirit move the resentment and pain rooted in his past. freёwebnoѵel.com

If it meant Hu Lijing would resent his choices, then so it may be.