Time flew by like a shuttle, passing through several springs and summers.
The young man gradually lost his youthful awkwardness. His features matured, he grew taller, and his demeanor when dealing with people and affairs became increasingly calm and steady.
The little fox was still the same little fox.
Round, fluffy, and seemingly not having grown at all.
It always climbed onto Luo You'an. His shoulders, knees, and even the top of his head were all its territory.
When it was happy, it would lie down and sleep; when it was unhappy, it would still lie down and sleep.
Occasionally, it would rebel, poking half its head down from the top of his head, hanging upside down to watch him practice chess, its tail swishing back and forth, brushing fur all over his face.
Luo You'an never got angry. He would just reach up, scoop it down, and place it on his lap.
Sometimes, when it was having too much fun and trampling all over his head, he would merely sigh and say helplessly, Are you treating me like a tree to climb?
The little fox would let out a righteous awoo in response.
He didn't know when it started, but it actually learned how to play chess.
At first, it just lay by the chessboard watching. Later, it started pawing at the chess pieces. Eventually, it could even place a piece with some semblance of skill.
However, it lacked patience. Halfway through a game, it would often sweep the board into a mess with one paw, and then lick its claws as if nothing had happened.
Looking at the ruined game, Luo You'an didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Xiaoman, cheating is not the behavior of a gentleman.
The little fox blinked, looking completely innocent.
It didn't understand human affairs or many principles yet, so he had to teach it little by little.
Hard work pays off.
After several years, Luo You'an finally achieved the top rank, becoming the youngest Chess Sage in Liangya Prefecture, hailed by everyone as a heaven-blessed talent.
But when he returned in high spirits after leaving home for several days for the tournament, there was no sign of the little fox.
Luo You'an secretly inquired and found out that his father had discovered he was secretly keeping a fox. Fearing it would sap his ambition, his father had sent people to catch the little fox.
That was the only time in Luo You'an's life that he disobeyed his father.
When he found the little fox, it was starving and at death's door, curled up in the corner of a cage without even the strength to lift its eyes.
Heartbroken, he squatted down and opened the cage door.
The little fox twitched its ears but didn't move.
He reached in, gently scooped it out, and cradled it in his arms.
Those hands, which had only ever placed chess pieces and never trembled, were now shaking violently.
That night, porcelain teacups shattered all over the floor of the study.
The servants didn't dare make a sound, and even Madam Luo didn't dare go in to mediate.
Through the tightly closed doors, they could only hear the young man speaking word by word, his voice suppressed but unable to hide its trembling:
It did nothing wrong.
I was the one who insisted on keeping it.
If you want to punish someone, punish me!
Master Luo never expected that his usually obedient son would defy him like this for a beast of unknown origin.
He laughed out of extreme anger, his chest heaving violently. Pointing at the person kneeling on the floor, he said, Good, very good! Don't think that just because you got the top rank and are praised as some Chess Sage genius, you can walk all over your father! Your chess skills, your hollow fame, which of these wasn't forced out of you day by day by me holding a ruler for years? You ungrateful thing!
Luo You'an knelt perfectly straight, holding the dying fox tightly in his arms, without saying a word.
If you insist on protecting this beast today, then I, Luo, will consider that I've raised an ungrateful wretch all these years. I do not have such a worthless son!
Get out!
That night, Luo You'an left the Luo Manor carrying the little fox, without taking a single piece of luggage. No matter how the servants and Madam Luo tried to stop him, it was to no avail.
He didn't even look back once.
Only Madam Luo knew that the man who had driven his son away in a fit of rage wandered alone under the plum trees in the back garden after everyone else had gone to sleep.
In the deep night with heavy dew, his footprints stepped over and over again on the thin snow. Occasionally he would stop, sigh in remorse, and pace back and forth like this, waiting for dawn.
On the other side.
Only the little fox knew exactly how many tears the young man, who sat curled up in the corner of the Temple of the Goddess of Santu holding it all night, had shed.
He stared blankly at the statue of the Goddess of Santu, not understanding how many chess games he had to win, or what kind of person he had to become, to earn a single word of genuine approval from his father.
This father and son were like icicles hanging under the eaves, grinding harder and sharper day by day in the harsh winter.
When early spring arrived and the eaves began to drip water, those icicles would eventually soften their edges with time.
Unfortunately, time not only soothes wounds but also brings unforeseen accidents.
People from the palace arrived, conveying an oral decree from the Lord: Having heard of Young Master Luo's outstanding chess skills, the Lord greatly admired him and specially summoned him to the capital to play chess with him. From then on, he was to reside permanently in the palace and need not return to his manor.
This oral decree was like a thunderclap, and Master Luo's face instantly turned deathly pale.
All those deeply guarded rumors about the Lord's obsession with immortality suddenly flooded his mind.
Master Luo couldn't guess whether the rumors were true or false, but he dared not gamble with his son's life, so he immediately refused.
I, Luo, cannot accept this decree.
My son is ill-mannered and utterly vulgar. I fear he would disturb the Lord's peace. I, Luo, will bear the crime of defying this decree alone.
He knelt down, his forehead touching the ground, and did not look up for a long time.
However.
The following night, the Luo Manor was attacked by bandits, all dressed as mountain robbers.
The group came with menacing force, their blades gleaming like snow. They slashed at anyone they saw, and after slashing, they would grab them by the collar and ask, Where is Luo You'an?
Master Luo had already secretly sent people to look for him.
Everyone in the manor knew that the young master was currently staying in the Temple of the Goddess of Santu.
But the young master was an exceptionally good person. Not only did he strictly discipline himself, but he was also friendly and generous to the servants.
When the bandits asked, the servants gritted their teeth and replied with only three words: I don't know.
Blood washed over the stone steps and seeped into the cracks between the bricks. Corpses lay scattered across the garden.
Madam Luo and Master Luo were pushed into a burning room. Even as the fierce flames burned their bodies, they refused to utter a single word.
The firelight illuminated their faces, which showed neither tears nor fear.
The fire burned extremely fiercely.
The Temple of the Goddess of Santu stood on a hilltop with high elevation. In the night wind, one could see the direction of the fire at a glance.
Luo You'an practically stumbled and crawled as he sprinted back home.
The flames had already leaped to the hem of his robe, but he ignored them and charged headlong into the house.
Thick smoke billowed, choking him so much he couldn't open his eyes. He desperately tried to move the charred beam pressing down on his parents, refusing to stop even as his fingers were severely burned.
On his deathbed, Master Luo seemed to sense something. Clinging to his last breath, he opened his eyes, and anger immediately flared up. His hoarse voice struggled to force out a sound: You worthless, rebellious son, who allowed you to come back? Get out... get out now...
Father! Luo You'an wept uncontrollably, but his hands stubbornly continued to move the beam, paying no mind to the flames burning his body. Even to the point of death, won't you praise me just once!?
The commotion here alerted the bandits outside who had not gone far.
Luo You'an is back! He's in the house! Go in and catch him quickly!
Master Luo grew anxious. Using his last bit of strength, he violently pushed him away and roared with all his might:
If you want me to approve of you, then you must live on well...
Otherwise, you will have failed me!
In the firelight, Master Luo's eyes shone even brighter and more astonishingly than the burning flames.
It was the fierce anger of a parent wishing their child would do better.
Luo You'an looked deeply at his father, engraving that fierce yet reluctant gaze into his heart.
He turned around and dashed outside.
