The Librarian and the Fox Princess: a Donghua Dijun and Bai Fengjiu story, V.I

Chapter 152 - The Art of Loving

A/N: Chapter title is inspired by the book, The Art of Loving, by psychoanalyst, Erich Fromm, a classic in the therapy world.

A small excerpt:

Love is an activity, not a passive affect; it is a "standing in" not a "falling for." In the most general way, the active character of love can be described by stating that love is primarily giving, not receiving."

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It was quiet again in the fox den until Mo Yuan spoke up.

"So does this mean Dong Hua will be the one who has the kits?"

"Dijun having the kits?" asked the Fox Emperor while scratching his head and lowered his eyes towards the almighty god's abdomen. "I mean he's much bigger than Xiao Jiu. One, two, three, ... possibly four if he loosens his sash substantially. He could have a litter. Our Fox Clan could really grow."

Everyone in the fox den looked over to Dong Hua for clarification.

He was expressionless for a few moments until he turned towards her and cupped the side of her small face in his cold palm. He brushed his thumb over her cheek. Every sweep of her batting eyelashes matched the warm fluttering resonance in his cold hard chest.

"Childbirth is uncomfortable for the body to say the least. If Xiao Bai wants kits, if I could ... I would gladly have them so she wouldn't have to."

Bai Qian and the Fox Empress gazed admiringly at Dong Hua.

Feng Jiu's eyes widened. "Really?" she whispered.

He nodded. "I imagine I'd get quite the appetite, Xiao Bai, carrying one, two, three ... possibly four. And with your virility, possibly five."

Her eyebrows danced.

"Will you cook for me? I hear the expectant crave the most unusual food combinations. Will you cook all the strange foods for me, little fox? Even if my tastes horrify you?"

She clutched his much larger cold hands in hers. "Everyday! I'll cook whatever horrifying combinations you wish as long as they don't disrupt your digestion my dear husband, for we know the realms cannot withstand ... a noxious leak, like a geyser exploding for the very first time ... from the most formidable power to have ever graced the realms."

Her mischievous smirk birthed one of his own that matched hers.

Bai Zhi scratched his head again at the thought of the former emperor of Heaven and Earth releasing gas that would rival some sort of natural disaster.

"Xiao Jiu, are you sure you don't want to have the kits?"

"Um, grandfather I'm not sure. But, definitely not now. I want to spend time with Dong Hua." Her softened eyes gleamed with warmth that wrapped snug around her mate's heart.

"Okay ... I can't keep up." Zhe Yan looked over from his niece to her mate.

"So, do I need to start making the peach medicine for Dong Hua now?"

Dong Hua's hardened gaze met the old phoenix's confused expression. "I ... can make ... my own medicine."

"What medicine?" asked Bai Zhi with a blank perplexed look.

Zhe Yan sighed. "The peach medicine?"

No one said anything.

The old phoenix looked around the fox den dramatically with his jaw open. "Come on. Don't do this to me. Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about."

Still no one said anything.

"Every fox in here has taken the peach medicine!"

Bai Zhen tugged on his mate's sleeve.