A Hundred Years of Solitude

Chapter 4

Just as the little nine-tailed fox felt the time was right to ask Huo'er for help, Zhou Ying appeared.

“Yes, I should have thought of that. I have no relatives left, but Fire has one. It has someone who cares for it like a father or brother. No parent would want to see their child being used, because my mother would do the same thing as Shadow Demon at a time like this. You have to face your own problems yourself,” it thought, looking at the nine murderous faces of the dragon nephew. “No matter what it is.”

The little nine-tailed fox was covered in blood and moved slowly, but the cold light in its eyes did not diminish at all. Longzhi met this gaze and each of its attacks was heavy and vicious, because it was eager to finish off this opponent. This was the scene that Huo'er saw when it arrived.

The dragon raised its claws, ready to deliver the final blow. The little fox stared at it with eyes full of hatred and without fear. At that moment, Fire pounced down like an arrow, knocking the dragon heavily to the side. Fire called out to the little fox, "Are you alright? I'm here to save you!" As Fire called out, it struck the dragon with its wing, knocking it over again.

Longzhi quickly got up, looked at Huo'er, then at Zhou Ying and Liu Di behind it, and shouted, "Earth Wolf, you said you wouldn't hurt me if I left within three days!"

Liu Di shrugged: "Did I say that? I don't remember. Anyway, I never keep my word! Besides, I didn't hurt you. I was just watching you get hurt by Huo'er, is that okay?!"

"You!" Longzhi didn't have time to argue with him anymore. He rolled away to avoid Huo'er's attack again and turned to run away. Because the little fox was lying on the ground barely breathing, Huo'er, Liu Di, and Zhou Ying didn't intend to chase after it. They went to check on it together.

"Don't run!" The little fox, who had been struggling to breathe, suddenly leaped up and charged at Longzhi, biting its ankle. Longzhi kicked it away several meters and turned to run again. The little fox relentlessly charged, roaring, "I won't let you get away! I'll make you pay for my mother's life!"

"I'll help you!" Huo'er immediately rushed over to help. "I'll eat it for you!"

Liu Di grabbed Zhou Ying, who was also about to go over, and shook his head, saying, "Let them handle it themselves."

Although Longzhi's magical power was not weak, it was no match for Huo'er. Soon he was panting heavily and his movements slowed down. He couldn't help but cry out, "Spirit Beast, I have never met you before and have no grudge against you. Why do you have to interfere in my feud with the Nine-Tailed Fox? It is just using you to deal with me. Why do you have to fall into its trap!"

"It's my friend!" Fire proudly declared. "I'm going to help it! I'm going to eat you!"

"Huo'er..." Zhou Ying lowered her head.

He also needs to remember that time, after thinking for a while, Huo'er raised its head and said clearly, "No, it is my friend. I know now that it lied to me at first, but I still want to play with it. I am still not angry with it, so I want to help it."

Huo'er is right. Friendship is not just about the other person's behavior, but more about your own perception of them and whether you are willing to do your best for them, rather than what their motives are.

"I apologize, Fire. I shouldn't have interfered with your freedom to make friends. I'm willing to go with you to find it. Let's invite it to our home now."

Zhou Ying came with Huo'er for this reason (Liu Di came purely to join in the fun, there's no doubt about that), but what they ended up seeing was the life-or-death struggle between the little nine-tailed fox and Long Zhi.

Huo'er's arrival reversed the tide of the battle, but Zhou Ying and Liu Di watched with bated breath, their tension palpable. The little nine-tailed fox was already badly injured, and any further mishap in the fight would be fatal. Yet, it refused to yield, persisting in its struggle while calling out to Huo'er.

"Don't kill it! I want to avenge my mother myself!" the little fox cried, rushing towards Huo'er. Huo'er was to attack Longzhi and prevent it from attacking the little fox, while also being careful not to kill it. Feeling constrained, Huo'er finally couldn't resist letting out a loud shout, grabbing the little fox with its paws, and flapping its wings. A scorching flame swept across, and Longzhi instantly collapsed to the ground, its body charred black, groaning and struggling, but unable to move. Huo'er put the little fox down and said, "Alright, alright, kill it now. But you have to eat it after you're done!" It then looked around triumphantly, feeling incredibly powerful.

The little nine-tailed fox pounced on Longzhi; it had finally waited for this moment.

The seemingly unconscious Longzhi suddenly leaped up as the fox approached and bit its neck—Longzhi knew it was doomed because of this little fox, so it wanted to drag it down with it. Huo'er kicked down on Longzhi's head with its claws, instantly shattering Longzhi's head into pieces, even its teeth flying out. The little nine-tailed fox roared and pounced on Longzhi, tearing at its body until it was reduced to countless fragments.

It cried out, finally letting go of the burden of 100 years, murmuring, "Mommy, Grandma... Mommy..." before collapsing onto the flesh and blood of its enemy.

"Hey, don't die..." Huo'er cried out in panic, "Ying, Liu Di, you guys have to save it!"

The little nine-tailed fox was seriously injured, and Liu Di and Zhou Ying tried their best but still couldn't wake it up. On the fourth day, its breathing became weaker and weaker, and its body temperature dropped lower and lower. Neither Liu Di nor Zhou Ying spoke, but they both knew in their hearts that they had done all they could, and now they were just waiting for that moment to come.

"It's all your fault! If I had stayed with it all this time, this wouldn't have happened!!" Fire shouted angrily.

Liu Di clenched his fist and slammed it hard on the table. Zhou Ying held the little nine-tailed fox in her arms and didn't say a word. All of this was caused by their suspicion and self-righteousness. If it really died, not only would Huo'er not be able to forgive them, but they themselves would not be able to forgive themselves either.

Suddenly, a mournful cry drifted intermittently into the room, as if announcing bad news ahead of time, making their hearts tighten. The crying grew more and more sorrowful and desolate, enough to make anyone who heard it feel sorry for them. But to the monsters, it sounded exceptionally clear.

"Xiao Rui... my baby... open your eyes... look at Mommy... don't leave Mommy alone..."

Zhou Ying closed her eyes.

"Mommy..." The little fox, hearing the woman's cries, suddenly stirred. "Mommy, don't cry..."

"How are you?" Fire cried anxiously, grabbing Liu Di's collar. "You always say you're so amazing, hurry up and save it! Otherwise, I'll never forgive you!"

"Mommy..." the little fox struggled to crawl toward the door, "Mommy's crying..."

"That's not your mother, you can't move right now!" Zhou Ying quickly pressed it down.

"Mommy is crying..." The little fox's tears fell in large drops. "Mommy is crying for me..."

At this moment, Lin Qingping's cries became even more heart-wrenching; it seemed that her child was truly dying.

"That's it!" Liu Di had a sudden inspiration, picked up the little fox, and ran outside.

"What are you doing! Put it down!" Huo'er chased after her.

"I want to save it!" Liu Di shouted. "Let it attach itself to that child's corpse!"—Attaching itself to a newly deceased corpse is indeed a way for demons and ghosts to replenish their essence. If all goes well, this little fox should be saved, but the woman who lost her child is too pitiful, Zhou Ying couldn't help but think.

“If she’s lucky, she can still keep her son,” Liu said.

"What's the meaning?"

Liu Di stopped speaking and stared intently at the child in Lin Qingping's arms. The child's soul and spirit had long since dissipated, leaving only a skeletal body slowly ceasing to show signs of life. Liu Di seized the opportunity and, at the very moment the child breathed his last, chanted a spell, sending the little fox inside.

"Xiao Rui, Xiao Rui..." Lin Qingping hugged her son tightly, calling out helplessly.

The first sensation the little fox regained was that pair of gentle yet strong arms, the heartbeat so close to him, the kisses and tears falling on his face… “That’s it… This is what I’ve thought about for a hundred years, but can only remember in my dreams… Mom… so close…” He struggled to open his eyes and saw Lin Qingping’s sorrowful, concerned, and profound gaze. “Mom, don’t cry, Mom…”

"Xiao Rui, you're awake!" Lin Qingping exclaimed, both surprised and delighted. "Don't be afraid, Mom is here! Mom will take you to the hospital right away!"

"Yes, it's good that Mom is here. I don't have to be afraid of anything anymore..." The little fox thought to itself, nestled in Lin Qingping's warm embrace, and closed its eyes...

Half a month has passed since the little nine-tailed fox possessed Lin Rui. Thanks to Liu Dizhouying's magic and the treatment from human doctors, its injuries have healed. However, its resentment towards Liu Dizhouying seems to have not disappeared, and it turns its head to the window to avoid looking at them.

"Alright, it's fine now. You're much stronger." Liu Di completely ignored how much the other person disliked him. After treating him, he patted his head a few times, which made the other person angrily shake his head.

"What are you going to do next?" Zhou Ying placed the roast chicken, fried chicken, steamed chicken, and spicy chicken she had brought on the bedside table and said, "Although Huo'er really wants you to stay, Qingqiu Kingdom is your true home. If you're willing, Liu Di and I can escort you back. You'll definitely find a home there."

"Hmm..." The little nine-tailed fox simply gave a noncommittal reply.

"No way!" Huo'er immediately stuck her head out. "I won't agree! There are still so many places we haven't visited! You can stay at my house!"

"Then women are so pitiful..." Liu Di looked out the window. In the hospital courtyard, Lin Qingping was walking towards them carrying a lunchbox. "She finally mustered the courage to live on, and then she lost her child again..."

Lin Qingping's footsteps reached the door, and the three monsters disappeared from the ward together. The little nine-tailed fox raised its head and looked at the woman who walked in.

Lin Qingping, holding Lin Rui's hand, chatted and laughed with her son as they unexpectedly met Zhou Ying on the stairs.

"Xiao Rui, don't you remember Uncle Zhou? He helped us so much," the mother gently reminded her son.

"Hello, Uncle Zhou!" Lin Rui greeted with an innocent and adorable smile. "Thank you for taking care of us, Uncle Zhou!"

Zhou Ying managed to grab the stair railing just in time to avoid falling to the ground.

"Goodbye, Uncle Zhou!" Lin Rui waved to him again and skipped upstairs. Lin Qingping watched his retreating figure with a smile and said, "We almost thought he had a terminal illness because of a misdiagnosis at the hospital. Fortunately, fate didn't play such a cruel trick on us. I've found a job at a school, and if I take a few night classes, I can slowly pay off the debt. After everything that's happened, this child has become very sensible. As long as he's still by my side, all the hardships are worth it."

"Yes, he is very sensible," Zhou Ying could only manage to squeeze out this one sentence.

Lin Qingping smiled and nodded at him before going upstairs. All that could be heard was Lin Rui calling out, "Mom, I'll cook today. I can stir-fry tomatoes."

"You disappeared in the hospital, we thought you had secretly returned to Qingqiu Kingdom, how could you..." Taking advantage of Lin Qingping's absence, Lin Rui came upstairs, sat on the sofa by chance, and listened to Huo'er's question, and said with a smile: "I have already been discharged from the hospital. Hospitalization costs a lot of money, and my family does not have any money. Besides, look, I am completely cured."

Zhou Ying asked, "But why are you still here?"

"My mother is here, where do you want me to go?" he said, tears welling up in his eyes.

“She is…your mother…you don’t look alike at all, she doesn’t even have a tail,” Huo’er muttered.

"Do you know what? She really is my mom!" Lin Rui said, wiping away tears. "She is my mom. She loves me more than anyone else. She treats me like her most precious treasure, takes care of me, kisses me, and says I'm her baby. She would do anything for me! She praises me when I work hard and scolds me when I do something wrong... I've finally found my mom!"

“How is this any different from what I made? I’ve never seen you call me ‘Mom’…” Liu Di said with a grin.

"Hmph!" Lin Rui raised his head and glared at him fiercely, wanting to bite him.

“But…” Zhou Ying said worriedly, “After all, you’re not the same kind of people…”

"Who says we're not the same kind!" Lin Rui shouted. "She's my mother! And I'm her son! If anyone bothers us, don't blame me for being rude!" He glanced at his watch. "I have to go home. Mom's coming back soon. Huo'er, come visit sometime! Di Lang, never come here. You're not welcome." With that, he left.

"They look quite happy!" Liu Di praised.

“But how can you keep fire hidden? That woman will find out one day that he’s not her son!” Zhou Ying was worried.

“What does it matter? Even if she finds out, she’ll still love him. Really, that’s what ‘mothers’ are like. They love their own children even if they’re not related by blood. My mother was like that too…” When Zhou Ying looked at him for the first time after hearing him mention his mother, she noticed tears welling up in Liu Di’s eyes…

"That's how it is, right? Fire got a friend, that woman got a son, and the Nine-Tailed Fox got a mother. Everything is perfect, isn't it..." He covered up his lapse with a laugh in an instant, fell onto the sofa, picked up a large cushion, and slowly fell asleep.

"Really?" Zhou Ying shook her head in confusion. After seeing Huo'er off to visit its friend's new home, she began her own day of cultivation...