Transmigrated as an Alpha, the Fox Spirit Lives on Pheromone - Chapter 12

Jiang Li happily followed Bai Muqin home, carrying her books and dictionary.

After arriving, Bai Muqin stepped aside to take a phone call while Jiang Li noticed Qin Nian lounging on the sofa, engrossed in watching “Legend of the White Snake.” She hugged her books and sat down beside her.

Qin Nian glanced over and spotted the two books in Jiang Li’s arms, her interest piqued. “Oh? Going for the literary route now? Let me see them.”

Jiang Li tightened her grip on the books, turning away protectively. “Master gave these to me. You can’t have them.”

“Can you even understand them? Do you know how to read, little dummy?” Qin Nian teased mercilessly.

After finishing her call with Qin Yizhi, Bai Muqin saw the two bickering on the sofa, a smile flickering in her eyes. She walked over and sat down, asking, “What’s going on?”

Jiang Li scooted closer to her and complained, pointing at Qin Nian for calling her dumb.

“Then read a passage to prove you’re not dumb,” Bai Muqin suggested, her smile lingering. She realized that in just one day, she had found herself smiling so much more often.

“Okay!” Jiang Li straightened up and opened “Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio,” flipping to the story about the Fox spirit. Earlier, she had thought of using this tale as a segue to subtly hint at her true nature to Bai Muqin, preparing her in advance. Now was the perfect opportunity.

She began reading the story aloud, her voice steady and unhurried, weaving the tale smoothly despite stumbling over a few obscure words here and there.

Bai Muqin listened attentively and was pleasantly surprised by how well Jiang Li read. She studied Jiang Li curiously, noticing the eager look in her eyes, as if begging for praise. With a knowing smile, Bai Muqin reached out and ruffled Jiang Li’s hair, praising, “You read wonderfully.”

Jiang Li, basking in the praise, shot Qin Nian a triumphant glance and declared solemnly, “I’m not dumb. At most, I’m just a little slow.”

“Alright, alright, you’re not dumb. I was wrong, I surrender, you little dummy!” Qin Nian conceded playfully.

“Fine, I forgive you,” Jiang Li replied without thinking, though something felt off. “Little dummy” and “little slow” didn’t seem all that different, but deep down, she strongly resisted being called dumb. Slow was acceptable—dumb was not.

“Ah Li isn’t dumb, nor is she slow,” Bai Muqin reassured.

Jiang Li nodded to herself and inched even closer to Bai Muqin, comforted by her warmth. Gathering her resolve, she asked earnestly, “Master, if you were the Eleventh Lady in the story and found out that Third Lady was a Fox spirit, would you still like her? Would you be afraid of her?”

“Why do you ask that all of a sudden?” Bai Muqin countered.

Beside them, Qin Nian perked up her gossipy ears. So Ah Li did have some cunning after all—all that buildup just to circle back to this. She was curious why Ah Li was so fixated on the topic of Fox spirits.

Jiang Li answered honestly, “Because I am a Fox spirit. I’m afraid that if one day I suddenly reveal my true form, it might scare you, and you might abandon me.” She knew that even if she told the truth, they wouldn’t believe her—they’d just think she was joking.

Bai Muqin fell silent for a moment after listening, her lips pressed into a straight line as if deep in thought. Suddenly, she turned her face, her gaze meeting Jiang Li’s. With sincere and earnest tone, she said, “I wouldn’t be afraid, nor would I abandon you.” She exhaled softly before continuing, “If I were Eleventh Sister, I would still continue to love Third Sister. If she insisted on leaving to cultivate, I wouldn’t stop her. Love is selfless—being too selfish can sometimes destroy a person.”

She was surprised that Jiang Li had read the story that had left her most unsettled. In it, Eleventh Sister’s selfishness led her to deliberately get Third Sister drunk in an attempt to keep her by her side, inadvertently destroying her cultivation. Dissatisfied with this ending, Bai Muqin had never touched the book again. But when Jiang Li brought it up, she realized she no longer felt the same anguish as before. She wasn’t a character in the story and couldn’t change the outcome, but she had drawn inspiration from it—she would never act like Eleventh Sister, nor would she ever betray Third Sister.

So, when Jiang Li asked, she answered from the heart. What she didn’t know was that Jiang Li truly was a fox spirit.

Upon hearing the answer, Jiang Li was overjoyed, her hands caressing the pages of the book as if she couldn’t bear to let go. She hadn’t expected such a simple story to reveal her master’s innermost thoughts. Smiling brightly, she said, “Thank you, Master. I understand now.”

Qin Nian, seeing Jiang Li grinning foolishly, leaned in close to Bai Muqin and whispered, “Sis, I think she’s still a bit silly. Why does she keep imagining she’s a fox spirit? She asked me the same question back at the hospital. What’s wrong with her?”

Bai Muqin chuckled helplessly. She wondered if Ah Li really a fox spirit was—it would certainly explain why she was so different. But this thought was fleeting. Compared to feeding on pheromones, the idea of a fox spirit was still too fantastical.

Softly, Bai Muqin replied, “Just think of her as a child with an active imagination.”

“Fair enough. Never mind her,” Qin Nian said, her attention caught by the aroma of food wafting over. She stood up and headed toward the dining table, calling out, “Sis, the dishes are almost all served. Time to eat!”

Auntie Zhao was just bringing out the last of the dishes, smiling as she announced, “Today’s menu includes spicy braised chicken, stir-fried beef with peppers, and celery with lily and shrimp—all your favorites, Miss Bai and Miss Qin. Come sit down, I’ll fetch the rice.”

Jiang Li could smell the delicious food from afar, but the memory of nausea made her restless. She shot Bai Muqin a pleading look and whimpered, “Master…”

Bai Muqin glanced at her. “Come, join us for dinner.” Then she added quietly, “Practice pretending to eat.”

“Okay,” Jiang Li replied, finally taking her seat at the table after receiving the order.

Auntie Zhao brought out two bowls of rice but stopped there.

Qin Nian called toward the kitchen, “Auntie Zhao, we’re missing one bowl.”

Auntie Zhao hurried out from the kitchen, glanced at the table, and exclaimed, “Oh! She’s eating with the young ladies too? My mistake—I didn’t ask clearly. I’ll get her a bowl right away.” Her expression couldn’t hide her disdain when she looked at Jiang Li. No matter how well-dressed she was now, it couldn’t erase her past as a stray.

“Auntie Zhao, no need to serve her rice. Just give her an empty bowl. She’s on a diet,” Bai Muqin said.

“And from now on, just call her Ah Li,” she added.

Auntie Zhao nodded, “Understood, Miss Bai.”

She placed a bowl and chopsticks in front of Jiang Li, then used serving chopsticks to pick some dishes for her, urging, “Ah Li, try these quickly. You must have never had them before.”

“Okay.” Jiang Li slowly picked up her chopsticks, took a small bite of shrimp, and chewed carefully.

Auntie Zhao watched in surprise. Normally, a stray picked up from the streets would wolf down good food without a second thought. Who chewed so meticulously like this?

She stayed by the dining table, intending to help Jiang Li with more dishes after she finished what was in her bowl. Earlier, while bathing her, she had scrubbed off layers of dirt, unsure if the girl carried any illnesses. For the young ladies’ health, she had to guard against diseases entering through the mouth.

But after waiting what felt like ages just to see Jiang Li finish one piece of shrimp, Auntie Zhao grew impatient. When it became clear Jiang Li had no intention of taking more food herself, the older woman finally left to attend to other matters, though still concerned.

During the meal, Jiang Li excused herself to the bathroom. She continued eating at a leisurely pace afterward, hiding chewed food under her tongue and discreetly spitting it out during bathroom breaks, leaving Auntie Zhao none the wiser.

After dinner, while clearing the table, Auntie Zhao noticed much of Jiang Li’s food remained untouched. She pulled Qin Nian aside and whispered, “Why did Ah Li eat so little? Has living on the streets made her unable to handle good food?”

Qin Nian kindly reminded her, “Stop being so guarded against her. She’s now the young miss’s personal assistant. If she whispers something in her ear, you might lose your job.”

Auntie Zhao froze, having not considered this. Usually, people Miss Bai brought home didn’t stay overnight. Who would have thought this dirty little stray would catch Miss Bai’s eye? She wondered what special qualities the girl possessed.

After digesting for a while, Bai Muqin went upstairs to the gym to exercise, with Jiang Li following like a shadow. Still thinking about her dinner, Jiang Li wanted to stay visible to remind Bai Muqin of her hungry little existence.

Sitting on a yoga mat reading, Jiang Li stole glances at Bai Muqin – her high ponytail, the sporty tank top revealing toned abs, the fitted shorts perfectly outlining her curves.

Feeling an intense gaze, Bai Muqin instinctively looked back to find Jiang Li staring wide-eyed, even swallowing saliva. She suddenly recalled Ah Li’s claim of being a fox spirit, but judging by this behavior, the girl had a long way to go before mastering any fox spirit charms.

Approaching Jiang Li, Bai Muqin opened a bottle of mineral water, took a few sips, then asked, “Hungry?” Seeing Jiang Li nod vigorously, she added, “Then go shower in the room first and wait for me there.”

Jiang Li swallowed hard and asked, “There are two rooms. Which one should I go to?”

“The one with the carpet.”

“Okay!”

After showering, Jiang Li put on a black spaghetti-strap nightgown. Instead of getting into bed, she obediently sat on the carpet waiting, clutching her empty stomach while staring expectantly at the door.

After a long while, Bai Muqin pushed the door open and entered, only to find Jiang Li already asleep on the carpet. Her fair cheeks were slightly chubby, and her long eyelashes fluttered faintly, making her look like a fragile porcelain doll.

Bai Muqin didn’t wake her. Instead, she went to take a shower first. After finishing, she released a small amount of pheromones.

Jiang Li, like a little bee drawn to nectar, drowsily followed the scent of the pheromones to Bai Muqin’s side. “Master, you smell so good!” she praised before lowering her head to sniff the fragrance of passionfruit.

After inhaling for a while, she noticed Bai Muqin was still releasing pheromones and quickly said, “Master, that’s enough. There are enough pheromones in the room for me.” She was still worried that absorbing too many pheromones might affect Bai Muqin, as she had once fed on human essence and could clearly sense how people weakened after losing their vitality.

Hearing this, Bai Muqin stopped releasing pheromones, though she felt a slight emptiness inside. This time, Ah Li stood obediently by her side without any physical contact.

With a hint of disappointment, she asked, “Why aren’t you sitting next to me?”

Jiang Li hesitated before confessing honestly, “Because you said you’d kill me if I dared to come up.” Her tone was full of grievance.

Memories flooded Bai Muqin’s mind, and she vaguely recalled having said something like that. Shaking her head with a smile, she replied, “I don’t kill people, and I certainly wouldn’t kill you.”

“As long as you behave, you can stay by my side forever.”

“Okay.” Jiang Li’s eyes and brows brimmed with unrestrained joy. Her days of wandering were finally over—she had a home now.

“Once you’ve had your fill, go sleep in the next room. Remember to sleep on the bed—that’s an order.” Before Jiang Li could bask in the warmth, Bai Muqin spoke coldly, dismissing her.

“Ah Li understands.” Reluctantly, Jiang Li left, casting a longing glance back as she went. Bai Muqin had already lowered her gaze to her book, clearly indifferent to whether she stayed or left.

After Jiang Li left, Bai Muqin locked the door to prevent her from returning and sleeping on the floor again.

But when she got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, she stepped on something soft the moment she got out of bed, startling her awake. Turning on the light, she saw Jiang Li asleep on the carpet and gasped, “How did you get in here?!”

Jiang Li rubbed her eyes, looking around in confusion before shaking her head. “I don’t know.”

Gritting her teeth, Bai Muqin chased Jiang Li out again, making sure the door was securely locked before going back to sleep.

Yet early the next morning, Jiang Li was once again curled up at her feet. Bai Muqin was at her wit’s end. Just as she was about to investigate how this kept happening, she heard Aunt Zhao shouting downstairs, “We’ve been robbed! Someone ate half of yesterday’s leftover chicken! The bones are scattered all over the kitchen—how inconsiderate!”