The delicate cannon fodder is stunning, saving the male supporting role but getting teased instead

The only thing that was intact was the clump of green bitter bamboo outside the window, which made a rustling sound in the wind.

"This is it." Zhao Ming stood three feet away and refused to get closer, as if this shabby house would tarnish his robes. "Tomorrow the servants will deliver the monthly allowance." After saying that, he hurried away with his people, as if staying any longer would bring bad luck.

Only after the footsteps completely disappeared did Chu Mo put down the wooden box he had been holding in his hand.

"Come out, it's safe." He shook his sleeves lightly.

The little fox rolled out with a "gurgle" sound and turned into a little girl when it landed. Her face was pale and she clutched the corner of Chu Mo's clothes tightly: "Those people... are so scary..."

Chu Mo rubbed her hair, not explaining the source of his malice. He put down the wooden box and began to clean up the ramshackle house. He fixed the broken windows with bamboo strips, spread dry straw in the corners, and finally took out a bronze lamp from the wooden box—the eternal lamp given to him by his master when he entered the sect.

When the light came on, the little fox was surprised to find that this seemingly ordinary copper lamp actually cast a shadow of stars on the wall.

"Do you like it?" Chu Mo rarely smiled.

The little fox nodded vigorously, jumping after the stars in the light and shadow, and accidentally tripped over the threshold. Chu Mo subconsciously wanted to help it, but it aroused his internal injuries and coughed up a mouthful of black blood.

"You're bleeding!" The little fox crawled back in panic, and suddenly remembered something. He took out a few bright red fruits from his arms and said, "Here! I picked them on the road!"

Chu Mo looked at the red fruits covered in dirt and suddenly felt a warm sensation in his heart. He took the fruits and said softly, "Thank you."

As the night deepened, the little fox curled up under the starlight and fell asleep. Chu Mo looked at the waning moon outside the window, his fingers unconsciously stroking the hidden mechanism at the bottom of the wooden box.

The mountain wind blew through the bitter bamboo forest, making a whimpering sound. Chu Mo suddenly started coughing violently, and this time the blood he spat out was mixed with tiny ice crystals.

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The morning light shines through the gaps between the bitter bamboos, casting tiny golden spots on the mottled ground.

The little fox curled up in her thatched nest, her nose twitching slightly as she was awakened by a burst of sweet fragrance. She opened her eyes drowsily and saw Chu Mo, with his back to her, busy at the shabby stove.

"Awake?" Chu Mo asked without turning his head, his voice much gentler than usual.

The little fox transformed into a little girl and tiptoed over barefoot.

There were several celadon bowls on the stove, filled with crystal clear porridge, dotted with bright red fruit grains, and emitting curls of hot steam.

"Is this... for me?" She raised her little face, her amber eyes filled with disbelief.

Chu Mo gently stirred the porridge with a wooden spoon: "Corn porridge can neutralize the coldness, which is beneficial to your practice." After a pause, he added, "I added honey."

The little fox stood on tiptoe and saw a few fresh knife marks on Chu Mo's pale fingers - those red fruits were as hard as iron, and they must have been caused when he was removing the cores.

She suddenly stretched out her little hand and gently held the corner of Chu Mo's clothes.

"What's wrong?" Chu Mo looked down at her.

The little fox shook its head and simply buried its face in his frosted clothes and rubbed it. This action reminded Chu Mo of a civet cat he had raised when he was a child, which also expressed affection in this way.

The sweet aroma of the porridge quickly dispelled the early morning chill.

The little fox sipped from the bowl, occasionally stealing glances at Chu Mo, who was meditating and regulating his breathing. The sunlight filtered through his thin white clothes, outlining his thin figure, and the unhealed scars were faintly visible in the light.

"Chu...Senior Chu." She put down the bowl and spoke timidly.

Chu Mo opened his eyes: "Hmm?"

"Can I help you heal?" The little fox transformed back into its original form, its fluffy tail wagging gently. "We foxes... have special healing spells."

Chu Mo was stunned, not knowing what he was thinking about, and his face flushed. He wanted to refuse, but saw that she had jumped in front of his knees, with her two front paws resting on his knees, and her wet nose gently touched the scar on his wrist.

A faint red light flowed out of the little fox's body and seeped into the meridians along the wound.

Strangely, the stubborn black energy was actually dispelled a little. Chu Mo felt a long-lost sense of relief, as if a corner of the huge rock pressing on his chest had been removed.

"That's enough." Seeing the little fox's breath becoming disordered, Chu Mo hurriedly stopped it, "It will hurt your foundation."

The little fox shook his head stubbornly and continued to mobilize the thin spiritual power in his body.

It was not until Chu Mo forcibly held her away that she collapsed in his palm, her belly heaving rapidly.

"Silly fox." Chu Mo sighed and combed her messy hair with his fingertips.

In the afternoon, the little fox regained its spirits and played in the bitter bamboo forest, chasing butterflies. Chu Mo sat under the porch, repairing the leaking roof, occasionally glancing at the cheerful red figure. Suddenly, the little fox screamed and rushed out of the bamboo forest, holding something in its mouth.

"Senior! Look!" She transformed back into a little girl and held up a small, emerald green grass as if offering a treasure. "This is 'evening primrose'. It glows at night!"

Chu Mo's eyes flickered slightly. Evening primrose was the main ingredient in refining detoxification pills, and it was in high demand in the world of cultivation.

He took the spiritual herb and found that there was still fresh soil on the roots - this little guy must have dug three feet into the ground to find it.

"How about we plant it under the window?" the little fox's eyes sparkled. "When it grows up, we won't need to light a lamp at night!"

Chu Mo looked at her little face covered in dirt and her scratched fingers, and a strange tenderness surged in his heart. He took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the stains off her face: "Okay."

As the sun sets, the little fox lies on the windowsill, eagerly waiting for the evening primrose to bloom.

Chu Mo took out the bronze lamp, and its shadow cast a star-like trajectory on the wall. He tapped his finger, and the light points slowly began to flow, forming a vast star map.

"This is the Big Dipper." Chu Mo pointed to the seven brightest stars. "They always point to the north."

The little fox was so fascinated by the scene that he leaned against Chu Mo's arm unconsciously. When the first ray of moonlight shone through the window, the evening primrose indeed emitted a bright green light, which complemented the star map on the wall.

"Senior..." The little fox rubbed his sleepy eyes, his voice getting smaller and smaller, "Tomorrow... can I still help you heal your wounds..."

Chu Mo gently carried her to the thatched mat and covered her with a thin blanket. Under the moonlight, the little fox's sleeping face was pure and innocent, with a sweet smile on her lips. He reached out to smooth the slight frown on her brow, but stopped just before touching her, afraid of disturbing her sweet dream.