The Guitar Attacked Her

That night, I pretended to sleep.

I admit, my acting was terrible.

I even exaggerated my snoring.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

Time passed.

Just when I was about to give up, she appeared again.

This time, she did not hide.

Or maybe she could not.

Still dressed in red, she tiptoed to my guitar, picked it up, and tiptoed into my wardrobe.

Soon, guitar sounds came from inside.

No.

Not music.

Noise.

Was this a unique spirit style?

Or did she simply not know how to play?

Deng!

A string screamed.

Did she break my guitar string?

Courage came from nowhere.

I jumped out of bed, rushed to the wardrobe, and threw open the door.

The fox girl lay on my clothes, biting the guitar string.

Thin marks from the strings covered her pale hands, legs, and face.

“What… are you doing?”

She quickly spat out half a string.

“It attacked me.”

I stared.

She looked completely serious.

I held out the red thread I had found that morning.

“This is yours, right?”

She looked at it, then slowly raised her left hand.

An identical red thread circled her wrist.

“Protection… charm.”

She lowered her head.

“You can call me Huli.”

“So—”

Before I could ask more, a familiar voice thundered from outside.

“Lord Zhong of the Punishment Bureau, protect my grandson!”

The door opened.

Grandpa’s figure flashed in.

But his lips were closed.

His eyes were furious.

No trace of the gentle old man remained.

He waved his right hand.

Golden light burst behind him and transformed into nine iron chains.

They shot toward Huli like living snakes.

Just before they touched her, the red thread in my hand vibrated.

The chains lost all life and collapsed to the floor.

Huli stood frozen, terrified.

“I didn’t… didn’t mean to…”

Grandpa’s expression darkened.

“A nine-tailed fox of Qingqiu?”

He raised his hand again.

A yellow talisman covered in fierce runes floated up.

A terrible pressure filled the room.

Huli waved her hands frantically.

Something about that expression pierced me.

My mind returned to a summer night in childhood.

To a familiar little face.

“Wait!”

I threw myself between Grandpa and Huli.

“What are you doing?” Grandpa growled.

But he loved me.

He forced the spell back.

The talisman dimmed.

Grandpa collapsed to the floor, face pale.

Huli vanished.

The next morning, my parents took me back to the old village.

Grandpa sat in the wooden armchair, fingers tapping his teacup.

“Why did you stop me?”

I hesitated.

“Don’t you think she looks like Little Sprout?”

I pointed to the corner of my left eye.

“She has a tear mole there too. Could she—”

“Foolish!”

Grandpa’s hand trembled.

“Yao Zhihe is dead. I watched her sink into the Drowning Water.”

“Do not joke about your sister.”

“But—”

“Foxes are skilled at transformation and seduction,” Grandpa said coldly. “They eat humans. Stay here these next few days. I will remove that beast.”

He set down his cup.

I knew that sound.

Grandpa had made his decision.