The Fox King Worthless Bride

Chapter 1: Monster

“He’s a monster.”

“The girls disappear every year.”

Lianyi stopped outside the study.

She had been crossing the courtyard on her way back to the residence when the voices reached her through the half-closed door. She hadn't meant to listen. At least, that was what she told herself as she stood there, one hand resting against the fold of her sleeve.

“The Fox King has been taking girls to the mountain for years,” the first voice continued. “How many of them have actually returned?”

“Lower your voice.”

“Why? Are you afraid someone will hear?”

Lianyi took another step toward the door.

Everyone knew the stories about the Fox King.

Yue Cangming was ruthless. Cold. Dangerous enough that even people who had never seen him seemed to have an opinion about what kind of creature he was. Some called him a monster without hesitation. Others insisted the rumors had grown wild over the years, claiming the yearly selection was an honor for the clans whose daughters were chosen.

Lianyi had never known which version to believe.

She had only ever known that the girls who went to the mountain did not come back.

Inside the study, there was a brief silence.

Then someone spoke again.

“The families aren't told the truth.”

“What truth?”

Lianyi leaned closer.

For a moment, there was nothing but the faint rustle of clothing from inside.

Then—

“The girls don't come back.”

Lianyi's fingers tightened around her sleeve.

A chill moved through her.

She stared at the narrow opening of the door as though the truth might somehow be visible through it.

The girls don't come back.

Then why—

A loud voice suddenly rang out from the far end of the courtyard.

“Who is there?”

Lianyi spun around.

A servant stood beneath the corridor, a tea tray balanced carefully in both hands. His eyes had already settled on her.

For half a heartbeat, neither of them moved.

Lianyi ran.

“Miss?”

She didn't answer.

Her shoes struck the stone path as she hurried across the courtyard, the sound of her footsteps far louder than they should have been. She pushed through the garden entrance and disappeared between the trees without once looking behind her.

Only when the courtyard had swallowed the sound did the servant turn toward the study.

The door opened.

An older man stepped out.

“Elder Bai,” the servant said, bowing.

Elder Bai did not respond immediately. His gaze remained fixed on the garden entrance.

“Who was there?”

The servant hesitated.

“Young Miss Lianyi.”

Something in Elder Bai's expression tightened.

He looked toward the garden for several seconds before his eyes dropped to the tea tray.

“Bring it inside.”

“Yes, Elder Bai.”

The servant followed him in.

The door closed.

---

Lianyi didn't stop until she had reached the deeper part of the garden.

She slowed to a walk, then finally came to a halt beneath the shade of several old trees.

Her breathing was uneven.

She turned around.

Nothing.

No footsteps. No servant calling after her. No one had followed.

Lianyi pressed a hand against her chest and waited for her breathing to settle.

It didn't help.

The girls don't come back.

The words kept circling in her mind.

If it was true, then why was her family still sending her?

She shook her head.

There had to be something she didn't know.

That was hardly unusual.

Lianyi had always been the last person to know anything.

She lowered her hand and continued walking, too distracted to notice the figure ahead until she walked straight into him.

“Ouch.”

The impact sent her stumbling backward.

A hand caught her arm before she could lose her balance.

“Careful.”

Lianyi looked up.

Lin Feng.

He steadied her for another moment before letting go.

“You really do have a talent for running into trouble.”

Lianyi rubbed her arm. “I didn't run into trouble.”

Lin Feng looked at her.

“Are you sure?”

“That doesn't count.”

“It does when you nearly knocked yourself onto the ground.”

“I wasn't going to fall.”

“You were.”

“I wasn't.”

A smile tugged at his mouth.

“You remember the pond?”

Lianyi's expression immediately changed.

“That was different.”

“The pond, the tree, the stairs…”

“The stairs were slippery.”

“And the horse?”

“The horse was badly trained.”

“And when you walked straight into—”

“I get it.”

Lin Feng laughed under his breath.

“You always say that.”

Lianyi tried to maintain her glare.

She failed.

For a few seconds, the conversation pushed everything else to the back of her mind. The study. The voices. The mountain.

Then Lin Feng's smile faded.

“You're acting strange.”

Lianyi's fingers stilled.

“Am I?”

“You're usually arguing with me by now.”

“I am arguing with you.”

“Not properly.”

She looked away.

Lin Feng studied her face.

“What happened?”

Lianyi opened her mouth.

The answer was there.

She could tell him.

She could tell him about the conversation she'd overheard, about the girls who disappeared, about what someone had said about the Fox King.

For one brief moment, she almost did.

But something stopped her.

Perhaps it was the thought of being wrong.

Perhaps it was the fear of hearing someone confirm it.

Instead, she looked back at him.

“What are you doing here?”

Lin Feng gave her a look.

“That is a very convenient way to avoid answering my question.”

“You haven't answered mine.”

“I came to see someone.”

“Who?”

“You.”

Lianyi stared at him.

“Me?”

He nodded.

“Your father asked me to bring something to the main courtyard.”

“What?”

Lin Feng glanced toward the direction of the courtyard.

“I'll show you when we get there.”

Lianyi frowned.

“That doesn't explain why you were in the garden.”

“I was looking for you.”

“Why?”

Lin Feng smiled.

“You ask too many questions.”

“You're the one who came looking for me.”

“And now you're making my life difficult.”

“You'll survive.”

“I suppose I will.”

They started walking back toward the main courtyard.

Lianyi remained quiet.

She wanted to ask what he had been sent to bring. She wanted to ask why there seemed to be so much happening around her that nobody thought she needed to know.

Most of all, she wanted to ask whether he had ever heard the stories about the girls.

But she said nothing.

When they stepped into the courtyard, a servant hurried toward them.

“Young Master Lin.”

Lin Feng turned.

“The Elder is looking for you.”

He sighed.

“Already?”

“He said you should go immediately.”

Lin Feng looked at Lianyi.

“I'll see you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“The selection.”

The word settled heavily between them.

Of course.

Tomorrow was the selection.

For the briefest moment, Lianyi's expression betrayed her.

Lin Feng noticed.

His brows drew together.

But before he could ask, the servant spoke again.

“Young Master Lin.”

Lin Feng glanced at him.

“I have to go.”

Lianyi nodded.

“Go.”

He hesitated, giving her one last look before following the servant toward the corridor.

Lianyi watched until they disappeared from sight.

Then she turned.

A young woman was approaching her with a bundle of folded clothes in her arms.

“Miss Lianyi.”

Lianyi looked at her.

“Where have you been?”

“I was looking for you.”

The maid reached her and bowed.

“Your clothes for tomorrow have been prepared.”

Lianyi's gaze dropped to the garments in her arms.

Tomorrow.

The selection.

Her eyes lingered on the neatly folded fabric.

Then the voices from the study returned to her.

The girls don't come back.

Something inside her seemed to sink.

“Come,” the maid said gently. “We need to prepare everything tonight.”