Minghua then slid the door open dramatically, like announcing royalty.
“Dà ge,” she said proudly, “behold.”
Mingxi turned and stopped breathing. Not dramatically. Not obviously. Just a subtle stillness that Poppy felt more than saw—like the air between them had shifted.
“You look…” His voice dipped warm, unguarded. “Well.”
Poppy flushed.
Minghua made an audible squeaking noise behind them.
“All right!” she announced. “Mother and Father are waiting! Let’s go! Dà ge, walk slower so Poppy can admire the gardens! Or hold hands! That’s fine, too!”
“Minghua,” Mingxi groaned.
“What?” she said innocently. “Everyone knows fox men fall in love fast.”
Poppy nearly tripped again.
Mingxi reached for her reflexively. Minghua covered her grin with both hands, eyes sparkling with smug delight. She walked ahead of them, braid bouncing, humming like she was incapable of containing joy in her body.
Poppy walked beside Mingxi in a soft, comfortable quiet—until curiosity pushed forward.
“Mingxi?”
He looked down, eyes warm. “Yes?”
“I heard that girl call you something. Dà ge. What… does it mean?”
Mingxi slowed a fraction and then said, “It means… eldest brother. A respectful title.”
“Oh!” Poppy blinked. “So just… brother?”
“Yes,” he said softly. “But with affection.”
Before Poppy could absorb that, Minghua spun on her heel like a fox sprite.
“It’s thebestkind of affection!” she announced. “It means he’s the oldest and most responsible and that I admire him. He protects us and—”
“Minghua,” Mingxi warned.
She ignored him completely. “And it’ssuperspecial because Dà ge is the one we all look up to. He pretends he’s scary, but he isn’t scary at all; he’s soft—”
“Minghua.”
“And he takes care of everyone, but no one takes care of him, so it’s perfect that Poppy—”
“Minghua!” Mingxi said through clenched teeth, ears turning faintly red.
Poppy tried not to laugh. “She enjoys doing this to you, doesn’t she?”
“Yes,” he managed. “She never misses an opportunity.”
Minghua beamed, satisfied she had saved the moment.
“And,” she added smugly, “now you know one of our most important family words. You’re welcome!”
Poppy smiled, warm and charmed.
