I fell in love with someone

Meanwhile, deep within a complex neighborhood, where neon signs flicker and the air is thick with the stench of rotting garbage and cheap food, Yu Fuli leans against a corner piled high with clutter, panting heavily.

[Successfully escaped and entered the pre-set target area's lower city boundary.] The system voice sounded, [Based on the preliminary environmental scan and route planning, the surveillance coverage here is less than 60%, and the population flow is complex, making it suitable for short-term concealment.]

Yu Fuli's heart was still pounding, and he was breathing heavily with his mouth open.

God knows he jumped out of the car and ran for hours without stopping until he entered the downtown area.

Its claws are almost broken from running.

He cautiously peeked out, observing this world, so different from Xiao Chi's cold and luxurious villa and the clean, fragrant interior of Jiang Yu's sports car.

The noisy voices, the glaring, cheap lights, the uneven ground, and the lingering atmosphere of the city's underclass.

"What's next?" he asked the system in his mind, his voice weak and breathless. "Just hide here?"

[Initially safe. However, the risk of prolonged stay remains high. Recommendation: Utilize the advantages of your fox form to completely conceal your tracks and find a suitable opportunity to return home to your original body.] The system quickly provided a solution: [Warning! A life form has been detected rapidly approaching. Immediate concealment is recommended.]

Yu Fuli's ears perked up. Without thinking, she instinctively shrank into the deeper shadows, blending herself into the discarded cardboard boxes and debris.

Footsteps sounded, slightly dragging, accompanied by the clatter of plastic bottles being kicked. A homeless man, wrapped in an old coat and whose face was obscured, muttered as he walked by, unaware of the unusual scene in the corner.

Only after the footsteps faded into the distance did Yu Fuli relax her tense body slightly.

He looked up at the night sky, which was cut into a narrow strip by the buildings, and where the stars were not visible.

In the Upper East Side, the night is also illuminated by neon lights, but those lights are elegant and beautiful, like the glitter of expensive jewels. People living high up can take in the dazzling starry sky and the city lights at the same time by standing in front of clean and bright floor-to-ceiling windows, a symbol of prosperity and stability.

Here, the neon lights are dazzling, cheap, and flickering, mixed with the chaotic halos of various signs, like pairs of intoxicated or tired eyes.

Not only do they fail to illuminate the night sky, but they also mix with the oily smoke and dust rising from the ground to form a greasy haze, completely blocking out the sky and leaving only a suffocating line of dark gray without stars or moon.

But this place is not without its merits; even deep in the silt, there is a shining star.

Yu Fuli thought of Lin Xun, that brilliant star struggling in the mud.

Yu Fuli withdrew its gaze and gently pressed its paw on the cold, rough ground.

"System," he said in his mind, forcibly suppressing his exhaustion and urgency, "plan a route. We must find a safe place to regain our human form as soon as possible, and then find Lin Xun."

However, a rare hint of human-like concern crept into the system's electronic voice: "Multiple physiological indicators show that the host's current physical condition is nearing its threshold. Muscle damage from strenuous exercise, weakness caused by a sudden drop in adrenaline levels… A comprehensive assessment strongly recommends finding a secluded spot to rest and recover immediately."

"I know my own situation, I can still manage," Yu Fuli interrupted, carefully licking a tiny scratch on her front paw that she hadn't noticed at the time. "But Lin Xun can't wait. That child can't go home at all. We haven't seen him for a full two weeks. In a place like the Lower City, he's all alone, helpless and alone, what if..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but deep worry was clearly reflected in his bright, fox-like eyes.

[Route planning in progress...] The system notification sounded. [Optimal route planned, expected to avoid major surveillance and nighttime patrols. However, please note that high-intensity exercise will increase the burden on your body.]

Yu Fuli took a deep breath of the air, which was mixed with dust and unfamiliar scents. She lowered her head and gently touched the small wound on her front paw with the tip of her nose. The cool touch made the pain a little clearer and also suppressed some of the dizziness brought on by fatigue.

Without further hesitation, he scratched his paws, glanced up at the bottomless alley, and the last trace of hesitation in his dark eyes faded, leaving only a determined look of resignation. Then he turned and quickly disappeared into the deeper shadows.

Hours later, in a secluded corner of an abandoned warehouse.

The discomfort from the strenuous exercise had not completely dissipated. Yu Fuli leaned against the cold brick wall, breathing slightly rapidly.

Regaining human fingers made him flex and straighten them a few times, feeling somewhat unaccustomed to it.

It's been half a month since I've fully recovered, and I'm still a little out of sorts.

He was wearing the simplest white T-shirt and dark trousers, the most basic clothes the system could provide (or rather, the system had to apply for them separately).

He touched his empty pockets; of course, there wasn't a single penny there.

We need to go back first.

Lin Xun should still be waiting for him.

He checked the direction and walked quickly toward the main road where he could hail a taxi, based on his memory.

Night had fallen, neon lights were sparse, and occasionally a car would whiz by, but most of them were private cars.

After waiting for about fifteen minutes, a taxi with an "available" sign slowly drove up.

Yu Fuli immediately raised his hand to stop the car, opened the car door, sat in the back seat, and gave an address in the Upper East Side—his luxury apartment.

The driver, a middle-aged man, glanced at the young man who had hailed a cab alone late at night, dressed simply and even somewhat thinly. His eyes held curiosity, but he still asked in a formulaic manner, "Mobile payment or cash?"

"...Cash." Yu Fuli paused for a moment before answering, her fingers nervously clenching the hem of her T-shirt.

The driver nodded and started the vehicle.

The journey wasn't short, and the only sound in the carriage was the low murmur of the radio's nighttime program.

The car slowly pulled up to a stop near the destination, and the meter displayed a number.

"We're here. That'll be 148 yuan in total," the driver said.

Yu Fuli's hand froze for a moment at her empty pocket, then she looked up at the driver in the front seat, trying to sound sincere: "Sir, I'm sorry, I... I don't have any money on me right now. Could I go upstairs to get some? I live in the apartment building up ahead, it'll be quick."

The driver's friendly expression vanished instantly, his brow furrowed, and his gaze, peering through the rearview mirror, turned scrutinizing and displeased: "No money? Young man, you can't do this in the middle of the night. It's not easy for us night drivers."

"Besides, that's not an ordinary apartment; most people can't even get in. Who would believe you live in there?"

"I understand, I'm really sorry." Yu Fuli spoke quickly, trying to make her voice sound sincere and believable. "I didn't mean to ride for free. You see, I do live here, but I was in a hurry and forgot my wallet and phone. How about this, you come upstairs with me, and I'll get you the money, or..."

He quickly glanced at the familiar street scene outside the window and pointed to a 24-hour convenience store not far away. "The owner of that store knows me. You can come with me. I'll ask him to lend me some money first, and I'll pay him back right away. It really won't take you too long."

His expression was anxious and earnest, and his gaze was fixed on the driver without flinching.

The streets were unusually quiet late at night, with only the convenience stores still lit up.

Perhaps it was the specific address and convenience store he mentioned that increased credibility, or perhaps it was the genuine urgency and embarrassment on his face that had an effect; the driver's tense expression relaxed slightly, but his eyes remained full of suspicion.

"What if you run away after getting off the bus?"

Yu Fuli closed her eyes helplessly, and when she opened them again, her eyes, which always seemed cunning or indifferent, were unusually filled with genuine tears. Her voice also became low and hoarse: "Master, I won't hide it from you anymore. I do live there, but I ran away from home."

"Huh?" The driver was taken aback, his hands on the steering wheel paused, and his original impatience was replaced by curiosity.

"I've fallen in love with a girl," Yu Fuli turned his head, gazing at the sky outside the window at a perfect 45-degree angle, his tone carrying the pain and stubbornness unique to young people tormented by love, "She's from the Lower City. But my family absolutely refuses to agree. They insist on forcing me to marry that so-called 'matching social class' arranged marriage partner, saying that's the right path."

He turned his head, looked into the driver's skeptical eyes in the rearview mirror, and his voice became agitated, "Tell me, how could I agree to this? It's my own life!"

"Well...that's definitely not possible." The driver replied instinctively, his tone softening slightly.

He carefully examined the young man in the back seat through the rearview mirror—his pale face (partly due to genuine exhaustion), slightly red eyes (thanks to a bit of skill and emotional manipulation), and his simple, even somewhat disheveled, clothes made him look like someone who had left home in a hurry and had nothing of value.

The fragrance of melons and a faint sense of sympathy began to subtly blend together.