Li Meirong's first reaction was to outright reject the ridiculous idea, but then she recalled that, upon her departure from the marketplace, Snowball had conveniently disappeared. "Nature called", he had told her. Now, she was suspicious.
"Tell me all you know," Li Meirong ordered. Her clear eyes had gained a sharp gleam. Gone was her usual calm, unguarded demeanor. She was obviously on edge.
Bao Li needed no further invitation to speak. The gossipy chef excitedly recounted the tale as told to her by her neighbor, who worked part time in a restaurant near where the incident had taken place.
When Li Meirong had departed the market, her fox spirit had returned to the chattering crowd. Without making a sound, the little cub had covered the entire block in a sea of flames.
