Chapter 17: Do you believe in fox spirits?

Su Zhiyun’s gaze swept over the shrine, then settled back on A Ran.

She asked with sudden curiosity.

“By the way, Miss A Ran, do you really believe in the Fox Immortal?”

A Ran was organizing the millet bags Brother Shi had brought.

Hearing Su Zhiyun’s sudden question, her movements clearly paused.

She turned around, her clear eyes looking at Su Zhiyun with a trace of confusion.

“Of course I do.”

A Ran’s voice was soft but very firm.

“The Lord Fox Immortal has always been protecting our village. If not for his blessing, our villages would have long been…”

Hearing A Ran’s reply, Su Zhiyun couldn’t help frowning, clearly dissatisfied with this answer.

“But has the Fox Immortal really helped you?”

Su Zhiyun asked, unwilling to give up.

Facing Su Zhiyun’s question, A Ran revealed a smile.

“But if he hadn’t helped us, why would we have built a shrine for the Fox Immortal and come here willingly to worship?”

‘That does seem to be the case?’

Su Zhiyun was momentarily at a loss for words.

‘But why couldn’t it be that the Fox Immortal forced you to do this?’

But seeing the genuine smile on A Ran’s face, Su Zhiyun also understood that it really did seem like they came to worship willingly.

tsk

Su Zhiyun’s hand rubbed her skirt corner in irritation as her mind kept spinning, as if trying to find something wrong.

Suddenly, she lifted her head sharply, her eyes brightening, then looked at Jiu Baiyun.

‘That’s right! Didn’t this fellow townsman say that there is no Fox Immortal at all?’

Jiu Baiyun quickly noticed Su Zhiyun looking at him, and felt a sense of impending doom.

Before Su Zhiyun could speak her next words, Jiu Baiyun gave A Ran an apologetic smile, then immediately tugged on Su Zhiyun, signaling her to stop talking.

Su Zhiyun pouted, then shifted her thoughts.

‘What if the Fox Immortal is actually A Ran playing a role? Otherwise, why would A Ran stay at the Fox Immortal Shrine!’

‘If I go worship the Fox Immortal, will A Ran’s favor toward me also increase?’

The more she thought like this, the brighter Su Zhiyun’s eyes became.

“Sister A Ran, I also plan to worship the Fox Immortal. What do you think…”

After Su Zhiyun said this, Jiu Baiyun covered his face in embarrassment.

‘This girl!’

She had no idea about the truth behind the so-called ‘Fox Immortal,’ and even less did she know that in a way, this shrine was connected to him.

If Su Zhiyun really worshipped that clay statue of the Fox Immortal, Jiu Baiyun would be the one feeling awkward.

But A Ran didn’t think much of it.

Hearing Su Zhiyun offer to worship the Fox Immortal, her eyes lit up, and a sincere smile bloomed on her face.

To her, someone willingly offering sincere worship to the Lord Fox Immortal was the best thing.

“Of course you can!”

A Ran’s voice was cheerful.

She quickly set down her work, walked briskly to the offering table, and picked up three new incense sticks.

“Miss Su, you have such a kind heart. The Lord Fox Immortal will surely feel your sincerity.”

She skillfully lit the incense with a fire striker and handed it to Su Zhiyun.

Curling smoke rose, carrying a faint scent of sandalwood.

Su Zhiyun took the incense, imitating the villagers she had seen earlier, and walked to the offering table.

‘Whether you’re real or fake, for Sister A Ran’s sake, a little worship won’t hurt.’

She tried to put on a devout expression, holding the incense with both hands, and bowed slightly.

Jiu Baiyun stood there watching Su Zhiyun bow with great seriousness to the clay statue, feeling extremely awkward and embarrassed.

He simply turned around, out of sight, out of mind.

‘I really can’t understand what this girl is thinking! She was just questioning, and then suddenly she offers to worship the Fox Immortal!’

Su Zhiyun quickly finished worshipping, carefully inserted the incense into the burner.

Her movements were a bit clumsy, but her attitude seemed quite serious.

After inserting the incense, she immediately turned around, a bright smile on her face, and hopped over to A Ran, intimately linking arms with her.

“Sister A Ran, I’ve finished worshipping! The Lord Fox Immortal will definitely feel my sincerity, right?”

She blinked her big eyes, her tone carrying a hint of wanting recognition.

A Ran was a bit embarrassed by her enthusiasm, but seeing her so “devout,” she was happy inside and nodded firmly.

“Hm! Miss Su’s heart is sincere; the Lord Fox Immortal will surely know.”

“Hehe, that’s good!”

“Well… Sister A Ran, you see, I’m new here and don’t understand anything about this place.”

“Brother Jiu… well, he’s a man, rough and clumsy, definitely can’t take care of anyone. Can I… come to the shrine often to play with you from now on?”

As she spoke, Su Zhiyun looked at A Ran with expectant eyes, her little mental plan clicking away.

Jiu Baiyun, hearing this from the side, twitched his mouth.

‘What do you mean I definitely can’t take care of anyone! If you want to get close to A Ran, can you stop dragging me into it!’

Seeing Su Zhiyun’s eager idea, Jiu Baiyun couldn’t help but have a guess.

‘Could she be a lesbian?’

He quickly shook his head, tossing that thought aside.

“Of course you can!”

A Ran readily agreed, a sincere smile on her face.

However, the chatting time didn’t last long.

Soon, people began arriving at the shrine one after another.

Seeing this, A Ran couldn’t continue chatting.

“Miss A Ran, good morning!” An old woman with graying hair called out from a distance.

A Ran immediately walked briskly to meet her, with a serious and gentle smile on her face.

“Granny Li, good morning! Uncle Wang, you’re here too!”

Su Zhiyun watched A Ran instantly enter “work mode,” and her own enthusiastic smile immediately dimmed considerably.

She didn’t follow A Ran to help.

After all, she really didn’t understand anything.

Forcing herself to join in would only cause trouble and wouldn’t help much.

Su Zhiyun pouted, feeling a little disappointed inside.

Soon, after a few elderly people finished offering incense and left while talking quietly, the shrine front briefly regained a moment of peace.

Only then did A Ran straighten up, let out a light sigh, and raise her hand to wipe the non-existent sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.

Her gaze landed on Jiu Baiyun, and she quickly walked over.

“Brother Jiu, um… the incense in the shrine is almost gone.”

“Huh? So fast?”

Jiu Baiyun straightened up from his leaning posture upon hearing this.

“Mm.”

A Ran nodded, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes.

“Recently, there have been more people coming to offer incense than usual. It seems to be because of the matter in Southern Wind City. Everyone wants to come ask the Fox Immortal for safety…”

She paused, then looked up at Jiu Baiyun with some embarrassment.

“I calculated. The remaining incense will probably only last for tomorrow. Can… can I trouble Brother Jiu to find time to go to town to buy some?”

There was a hint of embarrassment in her eyes.

Usually, these purchases were done by the village head or a few of the elder uncles on their way, but recently the village seemed unsettled, and people were reluctant to go to town.

After all, even a big city like Southern Wind City had been occupied by evil spirits.

Any day now, the town could also be targeted.

And the village was smaller and less likely to be noticed.

Many of them preferred to stay in the village.

And she, guarding the shrine, was even less able to leave.