Scene in Xuě Fú Fèn's Room
Xuě Fú Fèn sat upright on the edge of her bed, her posture stiff and proud despite the slight flush in her cheeks. Her room, adorned with delicate murals and elegant furniture, exuded the same air of grace and refinement that she carried herself with. Across from her, Xuě Jīnyú observed her with a knowing smile, seated casually in a carved wooden chair.
"You're quieter than usual, Fèn Fèn," Jīnyú said, her tone light but tinged with amusement. "What's on your mind?"
"Nothing," Fèn Fèn replied curtly, avoiding her aunt's gaze. "I'm just tired."
"Oh, nothing, is it?" Jīnyú teased, leaning forward slightly. "Not even the rumors about you and Hóng Hǎiyáng? Everyone at school is talking about it, you know."
Fèn Fèn's hands tightened on the silk blanket beneath her. "People gossip too much," she said, her voice clipped. "It's all nonsense."
"Oh really?" Jīnyú arched an eyebrow. "So it didn't bother you when your Uncle Jīn Mán told those insufferable Xiǎo relatives that Hǎiyáng is your future fiancé?"
Fèn Fèn froze, her head snapping up. "He… what?"
Jīnyú's smile widened. "Oh yes. When they tried to insult Hǎiyáng and question his place here, Jīn Mán couldn't resist declaring that he's practically family now. A future son-in-law, to be exact."
Fèn Fèn shot to her feet, her face a mixture of shock and outrage. "That's absurd! How could he say something so ridiculous without asking me first?"
"Perhaps because he was defending you—and our family's honor," Jīnyú said calmly. "But more importantly, why are you so worked up? If it's really nonsense, as you say, why does it bother you so much?"
"It doesn't!" Fèn Fèn protested, though her flushed cheeks betrayed her. "I'm just annoyed that anyone would assume something like that. Hǎiyáng and I are nothing alike. He's…" She struggled to find the right words. "He's beneath me."
Jīnyú raised an eyebrow. "Beneath you? That's a bold claim, Fèn Fèn."
"It's true," Fèn Fèn said, crossing her arms. "What's so special about being able to talk to beasts? His beasts might be impressive, but so is my snow manta. Shuǐbà is also SSS class, and she doesn't need to be ordered around like a servant. She's graceful and powerful—just like me."
Jīnyú's smile faded slightly, replaced by a thoughtful look. "I see," she said quietly. "So that's how you feel."
"It is," Fèn Fèn said firmly.
"Well," Jīnyú said, rising to her feet, "I suppose you know best. But let me give you a piece of advice, Fèn Fèn. Sometimes, the things we think we know are only half the story. Be careful not to let your pride blind you to what's right in front of you."
Fèn Fèn frowned, unsure how to respond.
Jīnyú moved toward the door, pausing to glance back. "Goodnight, Fèn Fèn. Sleep well."
The door clicked shut, leaving Fèn Fèn alone with her thoughts.
Fèn Fèn's Internal Conflict
As the silence of the room settled around her, Fèn Fèn paced back and forth, her thoughts a whirlwind of irritation and confusion. She replayed her aunt's words in her mind, bristling at the suggestion that she had any feelings for Xiǎo Hǎiyáng.
"Ridiculous," she muttered to herself. "As if I would ever feel that way about him. He's nothing but a… a second-rate boy trying to rise above his station."
Her gaze drifted to the jade figurine of her snow manta ray, Shuǐbà, resting on her desk. Picking it up, she traced the intricate patterns with her fingers, her expression softening slightly. "You're the only one who matters, Shuǐbà," she whispered. "They can talk all they want, but you and I both know the truth."
She set the figurine down and crossed the room to her vanity, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Her cheeks were still faintly flushed, but she shook her head, forcing the thoughts away.
"I need to put an end to this nonsense," she said firmly. "First thing tomorrow, I'll talk to Father and Uncle Jīn Mán. They need to know I won't stand for this ridiculous engagement idea. Xiǎo Hǎiyáng might be talented, but he's not worthy of me."
Her eyes narrowed as she continued to speak aloud, as if convincing herself. "What good is a boy who can talk to beasts? It's a neat trick, sure, but it doesn't make him special. His SSS beasts might be strong, but so is Shuǐbà. And at least she's elegant and dignified—not some Doberman or jellyfish."
She didn't know the truth—that Xiǎo Hǎiyáng's Doberman beast was an SSS-level Protector or that his jellyfish was among the strongest of its kind. She didn't know about his dragon, his secret professional certification as a beastmaster, or the bond that set him apart from other tamers.
To her, Xiǎo Hǎiyáng was still the boy who wandered into her life after being cast out by his relatives. She had helped him then because it was the right thing to do—not because she cared for him.
"I don't care about him," she said aloud, her voice firm. "I don't."
And yet, as she prepared for bed, her thoughts kept drifting back to him. She remembered the way he had stood in the face of his uncles' cruelty, the quiet determination in his eyes as he refused to let their rejection break him.
Her chest tightened, but she shook her head. "No," she whispered. "It doesn't matter. He'll never be my equal."
With that final thought, she climbed into bed, pulling the covers tightly around her. But sleep didn't come easily. Her mind was too restless, her emotions too tangled.
And though she would never admit it—not to Jīnyú, not to herself—her dreams that night were filled with the boy she claimed not to care about.
Morning in Xuě Fú Fèn's Room
Xuě Fú Fèn sat by the wide window of her room, absently brushing her snow-white hair as the morning sun streamed in. Her expression was distant, her thoughts occupied by the persistent rumors about her so-called "engagement." She had been waiting impatiently for her father, Xuě Shā, to return from his meeting with her uncle, Xuě Jīn Mán, and Chief Huáng Láng.
"Father better have something sensible to say, she thought with a huff. This gossip has gone far enough."
Suddenly, loud, boisterous laughter echoed through the house. Fèn Fèn paused mid-brush, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. The laughter wasn't just loud—it was exuberant, carrying through the halls as though its source had no care for decorum.
Her father's deep, hearty laugh was unmistakable, joined by the lighter but equally amused tones of her uncle.
"Did you see his face?" Xuě Shā's voice boomed, barely muffled by the walls. "That man's jaw practically hit the floor! And Mò Xié—oh, that cunning fox—just spilled everything like a leaking barrel!"
"Oh, and the bowing!" Xuě Jīn Mán chimed in, barely able to contain his amusement. "Who would have thought? A witch fox bowing so deeply to a young boy. Huáng Láng couldn't believe his eyes!"
Their laughter erupted again, shaking the quiet morning peace.
Fèn Fèn stood abruptly, irritation prickling at her skin. They're laughing about him? That boy again? She didn't need to hear the details to know they were talking about Xiǎo Hǎiyáng.
Throwing her brush onto her vanity table, she stormed out of her room and down the hallway, her steps quick and purposeful.
Confrontation in the Hallway
"Father!" Fèn Fèn called as she approached the source of the laughter. Her voice carried a sharp edge, silencing the two men momentarily.
Xuě Shā turned, his eyes crinkling with humor even as he tried to compose himself. "Ah, Fèn Fèn! Good morning, my snow princess."
"Good morning?" Fèn Fèn repeated incredulously, her hands on her hips. "What's so funny that the entire house can hear you?"
Xuě Jīn Mán smirked, nudging Xuě Shā with his elbow. "Looks like someone's eager to join the conversation."
Fèn Fèn ignored the comment, her piercing gaze fixed on her father.
Xuě Shā chuckled, waving her over. "Come here, Fèn Fèn. You'll want to hear this. Your fiancée—"
"My what?" Fèn Fèn interrupted, her voice rising.
"Hǎiyáng," Xuě Shā continued as if she hadn't spoken, "is truly extraordinary. Your uncle and I had the privilege of witnessing something incredible."
Fèn Fèn's jaw tightened. "He's not my fiancée, and I don't care about whatever you saw."
"Oh, but you should," Xuě Jīn Mán said, grinning. "That boy is remarkable. Do you know what happened? Mò Xié, Chief Huáng Láng's prideful witch fox, bowed to him. Bowed! As if recognizing a king."
Fèn Fèn's eyes narrowed. "Mò Xié is just a beast. Maybe he was playing some kind of trick."
"Trick?" Xuě Shā's laughter roared again. "Fèn Fèn, you don't understand. This wasn't some ordinary show of respect. Mò Xié not only bowed but also revealed Huáng Láng's most closely guarded secrets to Hǎiyáng. I've never seen that old chief look so… defeated."
Xuě Jīn Mán wiped tears of laughter from his eyes. "And the way Hǎiyáng handled it! Calm, composed, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. That boy has a strength and presence beyond his years."
Fèn Fèn felt her chest tighten with frustration. "You're exaggerating. He's just a boy who got lucky."
Xuě Shā shook his head, his expression turning serious. "No, Fèn Fèn. Luck has nothing to do with it. That boy is special. He's not just a tamer—he's something far greater. I couldn't be prouder to call him my son-in-law."
Fèn Fèn froze, her mind reeling. "What?"
Xuě Shā clapped her on the shoulder, his grin returning. "You heard me. You're lucky, Fèn Fèn. To be engaged to someone like him—"
"I am not engaged to him!" Fèn Fèn snapped, her voice trembling with anger. "And I refuse to be! What's so good about him anyway? Just because he can talk to beasts? His SSS beasts aren't the only ones in existence. Shuǐbà is an SSS-class beast, too, and she's far more elegant than his Doberman or jellyfish."
Xuě Jīn Mán chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Oh, Fèn Fèn, you have no idea what you're saying. If only you knew the truth about Hóng Hǎiyáng and his beasts."
"What truth?" Fèn Fèn demanded, glaring at him.
Xuě Shā waved a hand dismissively. "You'll see in time. But trust me, Fèn Fèn, Hǎiyáng is someone worth standing beside. You couldn't find a better match if you tried."
Fèn Fèn clenched her fists, her pride stinging. "I don't care what you say. I won't let you force me into this. If Hǎiyáng is so extraordinary, then let him prove it. I'll challenge him myself. If he can beat me, then—then maybe I'll consider it."
Her father and uncle burst into laughter, their voices echoing through the hall once again.
"Challenge him?" Xuě Jīn Mán managed between fits of laughter. "You really are your father's daughter, aren't you?"
Xuě Shā wiped his eyes, grinning at her. "Oh, Fèn Fèn, you're already acting like a fiancée. How adorable."
Fèn Fèn's face burned with fury and embarrassment. "You're both impossible!" she shouted, spinning on her heel and storming back to her room.
Fèn Fèn's Frustration
Once inside her room, Fèn Fèn slammed the door shut, her breaths coming in quick bursts. Her hands shook as she paced back and forth, her thoughts racing.
"They're not on my side," she muttered angrily. "They've completely lost their minds, fawning over that boy as if he's some kind of… hero."
She stopped in front of her vanity, glaring at her reflection. "If they won't stand with me, then I'll handle this myself. Xiǎo Hǎiyáng will have to face me. Let's see how special he really is."
Outside, the sound of her father and uncle's laughter continued, grating against her nerves.
"Hmph," she huffed, crossing her arms. "They must be under some kind of spell. There's no other explanation."
Even as her anger simmered, a small part of her wondered what she would discover when she finally confronted Xiǎo Hǎiyáng.
---------------------------------End of Chapter 5-----------------------------------