The illusion dance at the annual celebration was a resounding success.
Fox Lian danced gracefully amid drifting spirit threads, his silver hair and fluffy tail shimmering under the radiant spelllight like something out of a dream. The pompom at his waist swayed lightly with every movement. Sitting in the audience, Emma found her gaze involuntarily drawn to that very pompom—the one she had repaired with her own hands. Strangely, she felt… a flicker of pride?
When the dance ended, thunderous applause erupted. Fox Lian bowed with elegant poise under the spotlight. His violet eyes swept across the crowd, and the moment they met Emma's, he gave the faintest nod, his lips curving into a subtle smile.
Emma's heart skipped a beat. She quickly looked away, pretending to smooth her skirt. Beside her, Gu Liang clutched her arm in excitement and whispered, "He looked at me! I swear Lord Fox Lian looked at me just now!"
Emma mumbled a vague response, though deep down she knew—that glance had felt more like a silent… thank-you.
After the celebration, students began to disperse. Just as Emma was about to leave with Gu Liang, a fox clan girl quietly approached and handed her a small, ornate brocade box.
"Emma, this is a token of thanks from Lord Fox Lian—for your help yesterday," the girl said respectfully.
Emma blinked and accepted the box. Gu Liang leaned in eagerly. "Open it! Let's see what it is!"
Inside wasn't some rare artifact or expensive jewel, but an exquisitely crafted brooch—shaped like a curled-up sleeping fox. It was made entirely from the softest moonlight fox fur, so lifelike that even the fine veins in its ears were faintly visible. Its closed eyes were inlaid with tiny amethyst gems that shimmered mysteriously under the light.
"Wow!" Gu Liang gasped. "It's beautiful! So realistic! Lord Fox Lian is so thoughtful!"
Emma stared at the brooch, her emotions tangled. It hit all her current "soft spot" triggers—plush, delicate, and safely non-living. But… wasn't this a little too realistic? It was like receiving a miniature, harmless version of Fox Lian himself.
How was she supposed to keep pretending he was just a "dangerous fluffy creature" now?
"Try it on, Emma!" Gu Liang urged.
Emma hesitated, then, under her friend's expectant gaze, reluctantly pinned the little fox to her collar. The fur was impossibly soft, cool against her skin.
Just then, Fox Lian passed by with a group of classmates. His gaze swept casually across the crowd—then paused, landing squarely on the brooch at Emma's chest. His steps faltered ever so slightly. A glint of amusement flickered in his eyes before he resumed walking, chatting with his companions as if nothing had happened.
Emma: "…"
Her cheeks flushed. He totally did that on purpose.
Gu Liang, oblivious, squealed, "He saw you wearing it! He must be so happy!"
From that moment on, Emma realized she'd entered an even stranger situation.
She continued "helping" Gu Liang pursue Fox Lian, but every one of Gu Liang's "progresses" seemed to come with a side effect—some subtle, fluffy-laced interaction between Emma and Fox Lian.
Sometimes, when they passed each other in the hallway, he would casually remark, "That cloud pendant suits you, Emma." And sure enough, he'd be wearing a matching fluffy cufflink that day.
Other times, in the dining hall, he'd "coincidentally" sit at the next table and "accidentally" drop a feather quill at her feet—its soft plume perfectly matching the pompom in his hair tie.
Emma went from flustered and awkward to calmly picking up the quill and handing it back with a polite, detached "You're welcome," all while her eyes flicked over his newest accessory and mentally filed it away for analysis.
It felt like they had reached a strange, unspoken understanding. She pretended to be obsessed with him (or rather, his accessories), and he seemed to delight in showcasing them—occasionally "rewarding" her with new "research samples."
Gu Liang, still blissfully immersed in her crush, remained unaware that her best friend and her dream guy had built a quiet, peculiar bridge between them—one made entirely of fluff.
Emma glanced at her jewelry box, now filled with an ever-growing collection of Fox Lian–style trinkets: soft, elegant, and unmistakably fluffy.
She sighed.
Her therapy for fluff-phobia… seemed to be going wildly off course, thanks to one very cunning fox.