[Bonus Chapter 1]
The night was dark. No more did the light of thousands of lanterns bleed through the open window. Instead, it left the surgeon with nothing but a fitful rest.
He tried to drift into the realm of slumber, more times than he bothered to account for. Each time his eyes slid shut as sleep caught up to him, unforgiving memories clawed it away.
Li Xinyuan could not sleep. Not tonight. Not most nights. It became a luxury so rarely unmarred by memories that refused to go away. Tonight was no different, for rest evaded him as usual.
Ideally, he should be happy and at peace, for at long last both of his fox spirit companions had sorted out their differences and made peace with one another.
(Hopefully.)
But even now, his mind refused to relax. One moment his thoughts drifted towards the original story's lumbering progression, and the next they went towards Hu Lijing, Bai Huiqi, the Heavenly Demon, and his daughter.
