“Hu Yaoy’er? That’s a lovely name.”
Upon hearing the fake name Yan Qi had made up, the emergency doctor smiled and remarked.
“Since I’ve already treated all the injured, there’s nothing left for me to do here. Goodbye.”
Not wanting to linger any longer, Yan Qi said this to the doctor, then turned to mount her giant gourd.
But just then, someone suddenly called out to her.
“Wait.”
Showing no trace of impatience, Yan Qi turned to look at the woman who had stopped her—her mother—and asked respectfully,
“Auntie, is there something else you need?”
Looking at the fox-eared little girl before her, Li Caifeng, who had rushed over with Yan Zhenyi (now remembering what had happened earlier), recalled the stunningly beautiful woman who had saved her husband and asked,
“Um, little miss, do you know the girl who saved my husband earlier?”
After thinking for a moment, Yan Qi replied,
“Yes, of course I know her. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come here to treat Uncle’s injuries—and all these other people while I was at it.”
Hearing this, Li Caifeng nodded as if confirming her suspicions and continued,
“Then, could you please pass along our thanks to her? My husband and I would really appreciate it.”
Hearing her mother ask her to relay their gratitude to herself, Yan Qi—as their daughter—felt a little awkward accepting such thanks and quickly said,
“Auntie, you really don’t need to thank her. She was just doing what she should.”
Li Caifeng looked puzzled, as she had no idea that the stunning woman who had saved them—and the one who had now healed Yan Zhenyi’s burns—was actually their own daughter.
Yan Zhenyi, however, being more perceptive, quickly rationalized Yan Qi’s words and chimed in,
“Little miss, I understand that the girl who saved us is a noble-hearted, selfless person who doesn’t seek rewards. But even so, my wife and I would still like you to convey our gratitude to her. After all, this is the least we can do to repay her kindness.”
Hearing her husband’s words, Li Caifeng’s confusion faded, and she added,
“Yes, little miss, please pass along our thanks to her.”
Listening to her parents, Yan Qi felt a headache coming on—they seemed to have some serious misconceptions about her transformed self.
After a pause, realizing she couldn’t dissuade them, Yan Qi finally relented.
“Alright, if you insist, I’ll let her know.”
Seeing the fox-eared girl agree, both Li Caifeng and Yan Zhenyi broke into bright smiles.
Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, Li Caifeng asked,
“That’s wonderful! Oh, little miss, could you also tell us the name of the girl who saved us?”
Pondering for a moment, Yan Qi decided to give her “Dao Yan Empress” persona a proper name.
“The one who saved you is named Dao Yan.”
Hearing this, both Li Caifeng and Yan Zhenyi looked surprised—the name sounded more like a monastic title than a personal name.
“Dao Yan? Is that really her name?” Yan Zhenyi asked skeptically.
Yan Qi nodded. “Yes, that’s her name.”
After exchanging glances, Li Caifeng turned back to Yan Qi and said,
“I see. Then, little miss, please pass along our thanks to this Miss Dao Yan.”
Growing increasingly uncomfortable with being called “little miss” by her own parents, Yan Qi interjected,
“Sure, no problem. But could you stop calling me ‘little miss’? I already introduced myself earlier.”
“Your name? Oh, I’m sorry—I was so focused on my husband earlier…”
“I didn’t catch it either. My apologies.”
Li Caifeng and Yan Zhenyi both looked embarrassed.
“It’s fine, no need to apologize. I understand the situation you were in. Let me reintroduce myself—I’m Hu Yaoy’er. ‘Hu’ as in the character for ‘ancient moon,’ and ‘Yaoy’er’ as in the term folks use for their youngest child. Got it now?”
Yan Qi gave her little tail a playful flick as she spoke.
“Yes, we understand,” the couple replied in unison.
“Good. Well, since fate has brought us together, you two can just call me Yaoy’er from now on.”
Not wanting her transformed self to feel too distant from her parents, Yan Qi deliberately made the suggestion.
“Call you Yaoy’er? Isn’t that a bit… improper?”
Li Caifeng hesitated—after all, Yaoy’er was a term parents used for their youngest child.
“What’s improper about it? My name is Hu Yaoy’er, and since we’re connected by fate, there’s no harm in it.”
Besides, I really am your Yaoy’er.
She added the last part silently in her heart.
Seeing her insistence, Li Caifeng and Yan Zhenyi finally relented.
“Alright, if you say so, we’ll call you Yaoy’er from now on.”
Hearing her parents finally address her transformed self as Yaoy’er, Yan Qi’s mood instantly brightened. Her tail and ears wagged happily, and a radiant smile spread across her face.
“Mhm, I like it when you call me that.”
After a brief pause, she asked, “Uncle, Auntie, is there anything else you wanted to say?”
The couple thought for a moment, then shook their heads.
“No, nothing else, Yaoy’er.”
“Same here.”
“Alright then, I’ll be off. See you again if fate allows!”