Chapter 4: The Fox Has Become a Spirit

A woman around forty years old walked over quickly and took Jiang Zhe’s hand.

It was her aunt, Jiang Xiruo, who lived with Grandpa Jiang.

On the way here, Grandpa had already mentioned her.

"Aunt," Jiang Zhe said in a light, shallow voice.

"Oh, it’s good that you’re back." Jiang Xiruo’s voice was thick with emotion.

She looked behind Grandpa Jiang and Jiang Zhe. "Dad, where is Fanyue?"

Grandpa Jiang didn't speak, only shook his head.

Jiang Xiruo understood immediately. It had actually been over half a month since they first learned the sisters were at the Jiang family home to the day they finally visited.

During that time, Jiang Fanyue’s resistance toward them had been very obvious.

"It’s fine, let’s eat first." Jiang Xiruo immediately changed the subject, pulling Jiang Zhe to sit down before going to the kitchen to bring out the food.

Jiang Zhe swept a glance around the room. The decor was conventional, the furniture neither new nor old; everything was ordinary, exactly like thousands of other common households.

However, a painting on the wall caught her attention.

She couldn't help but take a few extra looks.

It was an authentic work by the famous Tang Dynasty painter Han Gan, *White Horse in the Moonlight*.

The pieces currently held in history museums were merely replicas.

The one hanging in this room, however, was Han Gan’s own handiwork—it was worth a fortune.

Yet, the painting wasn't even professionally mounted or cared for; it hung there casually, just like a decorative print in any ordinary living room. Passersby wouldn't give it a second glance.

Even if they did look, they wouldn't be able to tell anything was amiss.

Jiang Zhe withdrew her gaze. Jiang Xiruo had already brought the food over and was enthusiastically greeting her: "Xiao Zhe, come, eat while it’s hot."

Jiang Zhe sat down and picked up her chopsticks. She noticed the bowls and dishes were made of gold-filigree enamel—a unique piece from the Song Dynasty. Anywhere else, it would attract countless experts, but here, it was placed carelessly on a plain wooden table, truly serving its purpose.

Jiang Yaowang and Jiang Xiruo picked up their bowls to eat, seemingly unaware of the value of the tableware in their hands.

She didn't know if they were truly ignorant or if it was just a coincidence.

If it were a coincidence, it was a bit too frequent.

"Try this, these are mushrooms grown at home." Jiang Xiruo scooped all the dark mushrooms from the soup bowl into Jiang Zhe’s bowl.

Jiang Zhe took a bite, her expression pausing slightly. It was snow ear fungus again.

As far as she knew, the yield of snow ear had dropped sharply in recent years, and it was hard to find even with a fortune on the black market.

The powerful and wealthy families in the capital had already started placing orders on the dark web, driving the price higher and higher—it had long since surpassed the price of gold.

The bowl in front of her was likely worth the price of a room in an ordinary home.

Seeing Jiang Zhe stop, Jiang Xiruo asked nervously, "What’s wrong? Is the food not to your taste?"

"No." Jiang Zhe continued eating calmly.

Jiang Xiruo asked, "Xiao Zhe, are you attending school at Huaishu Street Middle School now?"

Jiang Zhe nodded; the large characters "Huaishu Street" were printed on her school uniform.

Jiang Yaowang and Jiang Xiruo exchanged a look. Huaishu Street Middle School was a notoriously bad school in Jincheng. Even with annual reforms, the students remained unmotivated and problematic, which was a headache.

"Xiao Zhe, have you thought about changing schools? Enci, my daughter—your cousin—is currently at Jincheng No. 1 High School. Why don't you transfer there too? You two can look out for each other," Jiang Xiruo suggested.

"Can I transfer?" Jiang Zhe put down her bowl.

Jincheng No. 1 High School was the best high school in the city. Getting into Jincheng No. 1 was no different than having one foot inside a university.

Its strict admissions process matched its reputation.

Aside from students with exceptional grades, it was the exclusive playground for the children of Jincheng’s elite.

Jiang Fanyue was at Jincheng No. 1.

Jiang Xiruo immediately said, "I have a friend who can help secure a spot. Shall I go ask for you?"

"Not for now, Huaishu Street is fine," Jiang Zhe declined.

Jiang Xiruo hadn't expected this attitude and found it difficult to persuade her further.

The next morning, Jiang Yaowang and Jiang Xiruo were in the shed in the yard tending to the mushrooms. The air was filled with the damp, fermented scent of fungi.

Jiang Zhe glanced over; there was a wide variety, and there was quite a bit of snow ear as well.

"I'm off to school," Jiang Zhe said, picking up her schoolbag and letting Jiang Yaowang and Jiang Xiruo know before heading out.

The moment she closed the door, she heard Jiang Yaowang speaking to Jiang Xiruo: "With Xiao Zhe’s grades, the pressure at No. 1 would be too much."

"I just thought that since there are so many students fighting at Huaishu Street, No. 1 would at least be safer."

"That’s true. We’ll talk to her about it again later."

As Jiang Zhe walked away, their voices gradually faded.

A light rain dampened the street.

Jiang Zhe opened her umbrella and stepped into the curtain of rain.

Under the umbrella, her slender, straight legs were faintly visible.

A luxury car entered the narrow street.

Feng Ye looked around. "Can you really buy snow ear here? I doubt it. Snow ear is hard to grow, and production has dropped significantly in recent years. Look at the prices on the black market. If someone here could grow it, wouldn't their doorstep have been worn down by now?"

Qin Jingchen was flicking the prayer beads in his left hand one by one, producing a crisp, faint sound as they collided.

He was still wearing a simple white shirt, and the scent of sandalwood on him softened the sharpness of his thin, slightly pursed lips.

"Give it a try." His voice blended with the sound of the beads, making it hard to tell which was more pleasant to hear.

"Desperate people do desperate things. If we can't find the piano music, buying snow ear is better than nothing. If it can alleviate Grandma Qin’s insomnia even a little, it’s worth it." Feng Ye shrugged.

Compared to the elusive piano music, snow ear was easier to find; at worst, they could just pay a higher price later.

Jiang Zhe walked along the edge of the street, holding her umbrella.

A limited-edition Lincoln passed by her, splashing a puddle of water before gliding forward.

Jiang Zhe looked down at the mud spots on her legs and frowned slightly. The chewing gum in her mouth had lost its sweetness.

The car stopped not far ahead.

Qin Jingchen, eyes still closed, said in a flat tone, "Go back. Apologize."

The driver immediately reversed the car.

He had slowed down earlier, but the street was rugged and uneven, hiding puddles.

Feng Ye clicked his tongue in admiration. "Brother Chen, your built-in radar is truly incredible. Nothing escapes your eyes."

As the car reversed, Jiang Zhe hadn't even had time to wipe the stains off her legs when—*splat*—another splash of water hit her legs.

Jiang Zhe: "..."

Her face turned cold. She watched as the driver opened the door and apologized profusely: "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, young lady. I wasn't paying attention earlier. I came back specifically to apologize."

Jiang Zhe: "..."

She would have preferred he didn't come back to apologize.

Feng Ye looked out the window and suddenly perked up. "Brother Chen, look! This girl is absolutely stunning!"

Her skin was dazzlingly fair, and her small, palm-sized face featured rich, vivid features that were simultaneously cold and ethereal, as if the words "look but do not touch" were written all over her.

"Damn!" Feng Ye, who had seen his fair share of beauties, was shocked into swearing.

A vixen—this was a vixen in human form!