Siming's mind was racing as he thought about the consequences if Feng Jiu's identity were discovered. As luck would have it, Liansong noticed Siming's blank stare, followed his line of sight, and spotted Feng Jiu.
"Hey? Isn't that..." Liansong began.
"Oh!" Siming slammed his hand onto the table. "This minor immortal has achieved sudden enlightenment!"
"Huh?" Liansong blinked.
"Birth, old age, sickness, and death; resentment meeting love, parting from what one loves, unable to obtain what one desires, the five aggregates... In this single instant, I seem to have experienced them all through this plate of Sweet and Sour Fish. The Emperor's heart is filled with boundless mercy and vast compassion, utterly untamed!"
Siming hurriedly stuffed a Wuyou Pastry into his mouth. How hurriedly? He swallowed the entire piece in one go! Then he calmly wiped his mouth.
Liansong looked at him in astonishment, suddenly noticing—"Ah, he finished it!" Liansong pointed at Siming's empty plate of Sweet and Sour Fish and looked at Donghua.
Zhihe quickly stepped forward to flatter him. "My adoptive brother's culinary skills are truly extraordinary, to give Star Lord Siming such profound insight."
Siming didn't care about their routine at all. To divert Liansong's attention away from Feng Jiu, he had just eaten an entire plate of bitter, fishy Sweet and Sour Fish! Even with Feng Jiu's Wuyou Pastry to soften the blow, the taste of that fish was something he would need a lifetime to heal from.
Without wasting any more words, Siming flashed over to the side door where Feng Jiu was standing.
"Little Highness, what are you doing here?!" Siming hissed. "Your tail! Your tail!"
Feng Jiu had initially been thrilled to see Siming, but at his warning, she realized her tail had slipped out. Fearing her identity would be exposed, she quickly swished it back and hid it away.
By this time, the others noticed Siming was gone and turned to look for him, only to find him standing by the side door.
"Star Lord Siming, what are you doing over there?" Zhihe asked.
Realizing everyone was looking her way, Feng Jiu hastily darted into Siming's sleeve.
"This minor immortal just noticed a rather cute little fox over here and wanted to play with it for a moment... but it got away!" Siming forced an awkward laugh.
Liansong flashed over to Siming's side. "There really is a little fox?"
"Uh... um... just now... it ran off."
Liansong pointed excitedly at Siming's sleeve with a broad grin. "It's in there, isn't it? Take it out so I can see—maybe I can make it into a sleek, smooth shawl!" Liansong had calculated carefully. He had caught a vague glimpse of Feng Jiu's fur earlier, thought it looked exceptionally fine, and wanted to make a shawl out of it to win Chengyu's favor. But if he actually did that, and Chengyu found out that Liansong had turned her friend Feng Jiu into a shawl, Liansong would lose all hope with her entirely...
Hiding inside Siming's sleeve, Feng Jiu heard Liansong's words and indignantly thought, *This Third Prince is utterly despicable! He actually wants to make me into a shawl!*
Outside, Liansong was tugging at Siming, desperately trying to pull the little fox out of his sleeve, while Siming desperately dodged to protect Feng Jiu. Just as the stalemate reached its peak, Donghua spoke: "The immortal beasts of my Taichen Palace are strictly trained and would never be so unruly. If the Heavenly Lord spent even eight percent of the effort I do, you wouldn't be so restless yourself."
Hearing Donghua's words from inside Siming's sleeve, Feng Jiu nodded vigorously. *Exactly, exactly!*
Liansong looked awkward. "Emperor, how can you compare your little fox to me? That's just going too far."
Unsympathetically, Feng Jiu muttered from within Siming's sleeve, *That's letting you off easy. But the Emperor has saved me yet again. Kindness upon kindness—this can never be repaid. The boundless horizon has no end, so it seems I'll have to repay this until the end of time.*
Feng Jiu attributed this debt of gratitude entirely to the Emperor, completely ignoring the fact that if Siming hadn't protected her from the very beginning, she would have been in serious trouble. She hadn't even realized that there was no need to deliberately keep score of debts with those closest to you, because in mutual companionship you help one another, giving and taking in return without the need to meticulously record every favor—just as she did with Siming. One only needed to deliberately remember and repay kindness when dealing with outsiders, just as she did with the Emperor. Without realizing it, deep down in her heart, she was much closer to Siming than she was to Donghua.
***
In the Nine Heavens garden, a woman in blue was leisurely sipping tea. Glancing up casually, she caught sight of Siming sneaking around suspiciously. Curious, the blue-clad woman quietly slipped behind a rockery to eavesdrop.
Siming was walking anxiously, and once he found a secluded spot, he hurriedly let Feng Jiu out of his sleeve.
Seizing the opportunity by the rockery, Feng Jiu began to complain. "Hmph! Liansong might have terrible character, but his palate is actually quite good. I only put in three drops of Purple Gold Honey Nectar, and he actually tasted every single one!"
Siming was in no mood to hear her praise Liansong. "Purple Gold Honey Nectar?! Have you lost your mind? We share a bond forged through life and death, but if you keep pulling stunts like this, I won't be able to protect you! What if someone discovers you one day? How will you explain this to Qingqiu? Do you want your father to beat you up again?!"
"What else could I do?" Feng Jiu protested. "I've been in Taichen Palace for so long, and today was the first time I finally saw the Emperor. I almost couldn't help myself."
Seeing that Siming still looked grim, Feng Jiu resorted to her old trick—playing the pitiful card!
"Oh, I don't even have a decent place to sleep," Feng Jiu continued. "I'm stuck in the kitchen all day without even a proper nest of my own." She put on an exaggeratedly wronged expression, hoping that in the face of her terrible plight, Siming would forgive her and continue helping her stay in Taichen Palace.
Angrily, Siming retorted, "I told you not to come! Why must you put yourself through this?!" Despite his anger, hearing her words tugged at his heartstrings. He said this precisely because he wanted Feng Jiu to return to Qingqiu as soon as possible. She was supposed to be the noble, doted-upon Imperial Princess of Qingqiu; she shouldn't have to suffer like this!
Siming was about to say more when Chengyu, who had been eavesdropping behind the rockery, could no longer hold her tongue. She strolled out from behind the stones, leisurely waving her fan. "Siming! Don't you fall for this little fox's tricks!" She looked at Feng Jiu with amused eyes.
Siming hadn't expected anyone else to be there, and Chengyu's sudden appearance startled him. He was currently terrified of anyone discovering Feng Jiu's true identity.
As a good friend, Feng Jiu was genuinely happy to see Chengyu. "Lady Chengyu, why did you come all the way over here instead of staying at your manor?"
Chengyu used her folding fan to tap Feng Jiu lightly on the forehead. "You little rascal, why didn't you come looking for me the moment you came up to the Nine Heavens? You just know how to bully Siming."
"I came here to repay a favor, and it's a secret," Feng Jiu explained.
"Oh, how interesting," Chengyu smiled. "Why didn't you come find me? I could have helped you!"
"I was afraid of losing face for Qingqiu," Feng Jiu admitted.