episode_0048

Mrs. Xu’s momentary fainting spell lasted only a second before Xu Qingshan rushed to steady her, preventing her from collapsing onto the cold, hard floor.

Her fox eyes were half-lidded, glassy with confusion, her perked-up vulpine ears twitching restlessly. The thick white fur of her oversized, fluffy tail bristled in agitation.

“Ah, Qingshan… I think I just had a nightmare. I was hallucinating again—imagining that my own daughter and Nian were a couple! Ah, tell me, why would I dream something like that? How strange… I must be lacking vitamins lately.”

She turned to her husband with a strained, artificial smile.

Had she really dismissed reality so completely in an instant, convincing herself it was all just a delusion?

“If they really were a couple… wouldn’t that mean they’ve done everything together? Eating together, sleeping together, kissing, going on dates… even that.”

As she spoke, Mrs. Xu’s voice cracked. Tears welled up in her eyes.

“Maybe… this isn’t a dream at all…”

“How could they do this?!”

In the end, she couldn’t lie to herself. This was a reality she had to face.

Twin streaks of crystalline tears trailed down her cheeks as she whispered, “Qingshan… tell me, is this heaven’s punishment?”

“You two! What in the world is wrong with you both?! A disgrace to our family! A disgrace!”

Xu Qingshan’s expression twisted with fury. One hand comforted his wife while his glare scorched the two girls.

Their biological daughter and their adopted daughter—lovers?!

What kind of absurd nonsense was this?!

Even soap operas wouldn’t dare pull this kind of plot!

Xu Qingshan felt his entire worldview, morals, and understanding of life shatter violently in his chest.

No wonder something had always felt off about those two!

Going to the bathroom together and coming back flushed—was this the reason?!

Well, well.

Wonderful.

Just wonderful.

“No! I refuse to accept this! If it comes to this, I’d rather Nian eloped with some blond delinquent!”

“Dad, what do you mean you’d rather I ran off with some delinquent?” Xu Nian couldn’t help retorting.

“Exactly. What part of me is worse than some random delinquent?”

Su Qingya shot back defiantly, her face hardening with stubborn resolve.

“Right? How would you feel if I actually brought home some punk calling you ‘old man,’ drinking your wine, and sleeping with your daughter?”

Xu Nian joined forces with Qingya, launching a verbal assault on the two stunned parents.

“This isn’t about delinquents! At least he’d be a man! And Nian, if you dare bring home some blond trash, I’ll break your fox legs!”

Xu Qingshan was so furious he nearly choked on his own breath.

“You—you two! How long has this been going on?!”

His trembling finger pointed accusingly.

“Three years.”

“Three years?! You were only 15 then! Ugh! Where did I go wrong in raising you?!”

Xu Qingshan exploded, slapping his thighs in fury before burying his face in his hands—masks of agony forming involuntarily.

“Nian, Qingya… listen to your mother, okay? You can’t be together. How could you be together?”

Mrs. Xu’s voice was a desperate whisper.

“Why not? Nian and I share no blood relation, and legally, we’re not even sisters! That means we’re two completely independent adults with zero familial ties! Why shouldn’t we?! This is an era of free love, and I will be with Nian! Consider the bride you raised for me officially claimed!”

Su Qingya slammed the table, her forceful rebuttal leaving both parents shell-shocked.

One fox, one human—eyes wide as saucers.

“Right? Think about it. Both sets of parents will still just be you. No bride price, no dowry, no in-law disputes. No need to dump some screaming brat on you to raise either—we’ll be here to take care of you forever. No separation. Just harmony.”

Xu Nian’s words spilled out rapid-fire as her inner Joy stat skyrocketed.

Hilarious. Absolutely hilarious.

Maybe it was because she was a Weaver of Euphoria.

Right now, she lived for this kind of dramatic showdown.

An inexplicable sense of fulfillment surged through her.

And she wanted this—to stand beside Qingya in broad daylight.

To be seen.

To be blessed.

So… sorry, Mom and Dad.

Xu Nian was rebelling for love this time!

Since Qingya had taken the first step, she’d stand beside her and fight together!

[Joy: 85%]

“What kind of warped logic is this?!”

Xu Qingshan swayed on his feet, nearly fainting.

“Qingshan… what do we do? Why does some part of me feel like they… have a point?”

Mrs. Xu suddenly clutched her husband’s arm, shaking him slightly.

“Why would you think that?! Snap out of it! This isn’t something we can allow! Don’t you dare switch sides! If you do, how am I supposed to 1v3?!”

Xu Qingshan hadn’t anticipated his wife folding so quickly.

Why?!

Just to skip bride prices and in-law drama? To avoid babysitting grandkids?!

They could afford dowries! In-law issues wouldn’t even exist!

As for no grandkids…

No way!

No descendants? Then he—

Wait.

As he spiraled, Xu Qingshan’s thoughts hit a snag.

A sudden realization struck him.

Nian and Qingya were both girls. They couldn’t carry on the family line.

Though bloodline preservation was etched into every Hua citizen’s bones, was that really his daughters’ burden?

Grandkids from outside marriages wouldn’t even be Xus anyway.

Oh—right!

There was still the matrilocal option.

A dragon-king son-in-law wouldn’t be bad at all!

“Think about what everyone else will say! What about children? Do you want our line to end?!”

“Now that I think about it… didn’t we also defy conventions for love? And about kids… I seem to recall the Tu Su family having… a certain method to allow even two girls to…”

“What?! Mom, how does that kind of technique exist?!”

Su Qingya’s jaw dropped.

Xu Nian mirrored her shock.

“Tell me, Mom!”

“Tell me, Mom! Don’t tell her!”

The battleground had shifted!

Now it was a duel between Xu Nian and Su Qingya—for the title of husband!

Whoever seized the secret first would leave the other no choice but to carry the child!

“If I remember right… I only saw it mentioned once. We’d have to visit your grandfather’s estate to confirm. But if so…”

Mrs. Xu’s imagination spiraled. “We raised Nian ourselves—her pedigree is flawless. If she married Qingya, we’d never have to worry about some delinquent swindling our fortune. No need to vet her character either. And with chubby granddaughters—maybe even several—the family line wouldn’t end…”

“???”

Xu Qingshan’s eyes nearly bulged out of his skull.

Wasn’t she the one wailing in despair minutes ago?!

How had she jumped to this train of thought so fast?!

What kind of fantasy was this?!

And why did he feel himself getting swayed too?!

Her reasoning dismantled all his earlier objections!

Had he really raised a bride for his own daughter all along?!

His girls… giving him grandkids?!

No!

[Insert Winter’s End violin solo here]

“Exactly, Mom! Doesn’t that sound perfect? Nian and I can give you loads of grandkids!”

Su Qingya scrambled to Mrs. Xu’s side, clinging to golden logic: Win over the mother, and the father follows.

“Right, Qingya will give you tons of grandkids.”

Xu Nian joined the huddle, her Joy amplification never once deactivated.

Besides—

Hadn’t she been male in her past life?!

Expect her to bear children?

That was tantamount to murder!

“Nian’s the one giving birth.”

“Qingya’s the one giving birth.”

But Su Qingya wouldn’t back down. She wanted to be Xu Nian’s boyfriend—her husband!

“Hmph. Want to settle this with a baby-making duel? Whoever pops out more wins.”

“Pfft—a childbirth challenge? Cute. Fine, I forfeit.”

Suddenly, Mrs. Xu cut in.

“A reminder, girls—interracial hybrids come as eggs. Half-human, half-fox, got it?”

“Hah. An egg-laying competition? Now that’s spicy. Qingya’s taking MVP for sure.”

“Nian! You’re joining me. Equal suffering.”

“Mmmmph—!”

Xu Nian’s face burned crimson.