Volume 1, Chapter 3: Is This the Attitude You Take When Begging for Help?

Shen Xingdu was left speechless by his retort, feeling both anxious and indignant. She had not expected this man to be so obstinate and immune to both reason and pleas.

Wait!

Years of experience observing people in the business world allowed Shen Xingdu to spot a clue. She recalled the first thing Yan Nanfei had said upon seeing her. Beneath those words of reproach, there had clearly been a hidden tenderness. Yan Nanfei must have doted on Fufu immensely; he was certainly not as indifferent as he claimed.

A spark of inspiration flashed in Shen Xingdu’s eyes. She suddenly struggled out of Yan Nanfei’s embrace, baring her teeth in a threat: "If you don't help me, I will starve myself to death!"

Shen Xingdu glared at Yan Nanfei, fuming, only to see his expression flicker with what looked like suppressed laughter. She immediately realized she was being underestimated! Was she, Shen Xingdu, some kind of ridiculous little animal?

She backed away until she was at the edge of the table, one leg dangling over the side, and squinted at Yan Nanfei with defiance. "I’ll jump off right now. That should be enough to break this fox’s leg again! Even if you are a great general, you have to sleep eventually. I will always find a chance to kill myself!"

Seeing the fleeting trace of anxiety on Yan Nanfei’s face, Shen Xingdu knew she had bet correctly. She drew back her leg and boldly voiced her suspicion: "Fufu is actually very important to you, isn’t he? Otherwise, you wouldn't have searched for him personally without rest! You simply cannot do without Fufu!"

A brief look of appreciation flashed in Yan Nanfei’s eyes, only to quickly dissolve into coldness. Shen Xingdu felt the back of her neck being gripped again, and the entire fox was lifted into the air. With her four legs dangling, she curled them up instinctively, looking obedient and pathetic.

"Shen Xingdu, you are very clever. But clever people often do not live long."

Shen Xingdu found herself unable to breathe under the oppressive pressure emanating from Yan Nanfei. She knew all too well the risks of letting a powerful general know that his likes and dislikes had been seen through. She immediately softened her tone and, with a pragmatic sense of survival, began to wag her tail ingratiatingly: "As long as you help me switch back into my body, I promise to keep my mouth shut! I will never tell anyone how important this fox is to you! I am merely a young lady from a sheltered household. I will marry and have a husband in the future. How could I possibly go around talking about General Yan’s private preferences? There is no benefit in it for me; you can absolutely trust me on this!"

As Shen Xingdu mentioned that she "would marry and have a husband in the future," she saw Yan Nanfei’s left eyebrow lift slightly, as if he were persuaded. Unexpectedly, Yan Nanfei suddenly flipped her over so that her belly was facing upward in his arms. This posture was even more humiliating. Shen Xingdu couldn't help but writhe, ignoring her injured hind leg, as all four legs scrambled wildly in an attempt to flip back over.

"Don't move! Is this how you ask for help?"

Shen Xingdu fell silent in grief and indignation. She turned her watery fox eyes away, curling her paws and letting him stroke her. She was a male fox now, after all, and naturally his pet. Yet, wherever Yan Nanfei’s warm, large palms touched, a wave of heat followed. Every patch of skin he touched craved the next caress. The conflict between her psychological resistance and her body’s physical pleasure made her feel so aggrieved that she began to sob, tears welling up.

She stole a glance at Yan Nanfei with a pitiful expression. Unable to stand her unwilling attitude, Yan Nanfei irritably tossed her aside. "Enough, what a nuisance. You’re not even pleasant to touch; you’re not as good as Fufu in any way! It really is time to switch back."

At the mention of switching back, Shen Xingdu stopped her sobbing. "General Yan, do you have a way to switch us back? If you do, I will surely exhaust all means to repay your kindness!"

Yan Nanfei looked at her and paused, letting out a soft hum through his nose, as if dismissing her promise of repayment with disdain. Shen Xingdu wanted to say she had plenty of money—enough that she could even gift him two iron mines—but as a fox, she lacked any real persuasive power. Her promise sounded like nothing more than a frivolous joke. What could a young lady from the Grand Tutor’s manor possibly offer a Great General of Zhao to repay him? Surely not herself? Could he have misunderstood?

Shen Xingdu realized the impropriety of her words and was about to say something to salvage the situation when Yan Nanfei spoke first: "In my earlier years, while campaigning in the Western Regions, I did hear of witchcraft capable of soul-swapping. I can send people to investigate, but it will take time. For now, I have a compromise."

"What method?" Shen Xingdu’s large fox eyes, washed clean by tears, sparkled. Her long eyelashes were clumped together by moisture as she waited eagerly for his solution.

He suddenly asked, "Do you still intend to marry that young master from the Minister of Rites’ family? Are you in such a hurry to switch back just to snatch a man?"

"You..." He had heard everything! She never imagined that the most embarrassing moment of her life would be overheard by Yan Nanfei. As a dignified general, he was asking a woman he had just met such a shameless question! He truly did not treat her as a woman at all... If not for the fox fur masking it, the blush on Shen Xingdu’s face would have been impossible to hide.

"I won't marry Lu Shao! Once I return to my body, I will clarify everything to my father. Since Lu Shao wants to marry my sister, I will break off the engagement! It's not as if I have to marry him!"

Shen Xingdu saw Yan Nanfei glance at her. He nodded slightly, the corner of his mouth curving upward, seemingly very satisfied with this answer.

"In that case, why not let me marry you? Once you are married to me, we can figure out a solution slowly. At the very least, within my General’s manor, I can ensure that the fact you turned into a fox is kept from outsiders."

"How could that be?" Shen Xingdu was shocked. What kind of solution was this? She had only met this General Yan once; how could she pledge her life to him after a single encounter?

"If you refuse, then forget it." Yan Nanfei narrowed his dark eyes and immediately withdrew the offer. "I also find the solitary life more free and easy. If the Emperor hadn't forced me to marry the Fourth Princess, I wouldn't have even considered this."

Shen Xingdu remembered that the Fourth Princess was Princess Fukang, born to the late Empress. She was now a sixteen-year-old in the prime of her youth, graceful and virtuous. That Yan Nanfei would refuse her and even want to use her as a shield caught her off guard. She suspected it had to do with the political situation at court. The Emperor was likely using every means to bind Yan Nanfei’s loyalty, hence his insistence on marrying Princess Fukang to him.

Shen Xingdu felt a twinge of regret for refusing too quickly. Calmly analyzing the current situation, marrying Yan Nanfei was indeed her best option. As for him, if he didn't marry the Princess, could he not just use any other young lady as a pretext?

After a dinner eaten in a heavy mood, Shen Xingdu saw the servants withdraw and mumbled, "General Yan, could you take me back to the Grand Tutor’s manor? I am worried about my body and want to check on it." Fearing he would refuse, she added, "Aren't you worried about Fufu?"

Shen Xingdu tried to coax him, but Yan Nanfei remained unmoved. It was as if he were intentionally preventing her from returning, brushing her off with a casual excuse: "Don't worry, I have placed men at the Grand Tutor’s manor. Fufu is fine; he is only unconscious and in no danger."

Shen Xingdu looked at him suspiciously, feeling that something was wrong. She reached out a small paw to tug at his arm, but because she was unsteady on her three legs, she accidentally pressed a paw firmly against his solid chest muscle.

Shen Xingdu was mortified, her face turning bright red. Suddenly, a spark of inspiration struck her. Casting aside her pride, she lifted her head and began to act coquettishly toward Yan Nanfei: "Please, General Yan, take me there, won't you?" She blinked her beautiful fox eyes and, with her little paw, deliberately pressed against his chest again. It was certainly quite firm.

Yan Nanfei looked down at her with a blank expression. For a moment, Shen Xingdu felt as if time had stopped. She could hear her own little fox heart thumping wildly. Yan Nanfei’s silence dragged on so long that Shen Xingdu felt increasingly wretched. A dignified daughter of the Grand Tutor, reduced to begging a stranger for help, only to be met with indifference.

Just as she was about to pull her paw back in shame, Yan Nanfei grabbed it and held it there. Shen Xingdu snapped her head up, meeting the flash of intense heat in his dark eyes.

"Press for a little longer, and I will take you..."