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

Chapter 9 - But His Face

After Feng Jiu finished her treat, she looked back at Dong Hua who had been staring at her. His food offering had quickly put her at ease. After all, it was her own signature mastermind diplomacy tactic and if it had worked well on him that morning, it would work well on her this afternoon. She remembered she came with a big mission in mind.

"Dijun, where's my next piece?" she asked innocently.

"I don't have another piece but I can..." he replied blankly before the little highness hastily interrupted him.

"It's okay, it's okay. No need to trouble you and your exceptional sorcery skills... but since I'm still hungry, and you don't have anymore food, let's go out to eat! You'll enjoy it too!" 

She sat up from her position, eager for him to accept her plan since she felt she had already presented a good argument. Trying to be helpful, she started unbraiding his hair and tried to comb it out with her fingers.

Sensing that his little fox was plotting something, Dong Hua frowned.

"But we should stay and eat with Lord Mung Su. I'm sure he's planned a feast for us." He looked back at her with a raised eyebrow, trying to coax an agreement from her.

She shook her head vigorously. 

"No, I heard he's going to be busy, so we're on our own. But!—" 

She slapped his shoulder, with him immediately looking down at where she slapped. 

"He told me about a wonderful restaurant in the Mortal Realm and I really really really want to go!" 

She started tugging on his sleeve. Since she was kneeling, she was about eye level to him. He cocked his head to one side, looked her straight in the eyes and nodded, and said casually "Okay, you may go." He gently removed her fingers from his sleeve, turned back to face the lake and closed his eyes.

Stunned and dejected, she sat all the way down. She slid over and sat on the ground, sprawling both her legs out in front of her. How did things end up this way, she thought. Was she not convincing enough? Back home, that would have worked on Gugu, Fourth Uncle, Zhe Yan, and especially her grandfather. Feng Jiu kicked her legs out in frustration. She looked over at Dong Hua who was ignoring her. 

Hmmph. Then I will go alone. 

She stood up and began walking away. She was hoping he would call out to her and say he changed his mind but he didn't.

The little highness walked all the way back to the house. She went to her room and sure enough, Lord Mung Su had left her money like he said he would on her vanity. She smiled as she held the small gold and silver ingots. She conjured a cute embroidered sachet to hold her money. 

Feng Jiu looked in the mirror and decided to change her robe to a more casual but mature style. She had just been in the Mortal Realm not long ago so she knew the fashions. She conjured on a garnet-colored robe. She let her hair down from her braid, straightened it, styled it and inserted a phoenix shaped silver hairpin to keep her hair in place. She loved this pin, it was a gift from Fourth Uncle. Using camouflage magic, she hid her birthmark and tied the little money bag to her sash.

Before leaving the manor, she said goodbye to a few servants, telling them she's be back later, and walked towards the path the old bear had instructed her to take. She was thinking about the food she wanted to order when a voice suddenly broke her out of her thoughts.

"You're really going by yourself."

It was Dijun. She turned around and saw him standing a few feet away from her. He was frowning. He must have used his aura-traveling magic because her fox senses didn't hear him following her. She couldn't tell if what he just said was a question or an accusation. She looked back at him and decided she'd give him another chance.