"Young miss," a nervous maid called out, interrupting Huang Biren, who was playing her guqin in her flower garden. The tranquil air of the garden shattered as both mistress and beast swiveled to confront the disturbance, their united focus radiating a chilling authority."
Under the dual scrutiny of mistress and beast, the maid began to shiver as if a sudden frost had swept through the garden, the wolf's eyes burning with a terrifying, ancient intelligence. Its eyes held an intensity that made people feel as though their end was near. "I am sorry for disturbing you, young miss, but the patriarch is requesting your presence in the study," the maid continued, her voice trembling.
Huang Biren smiled at the maid before standing from her chair. The white beast moved in her wake like a silent, white shadow, an inseparable fixture of her very existence." The two walked through the large mansion, passing servants, maids, and other family members who all greeted Huang Biren with the utmost respect. They reached a large, brown wooden door, and Huang Biren knocked gently with her snow-white hand.
"Come in," a voice filled with power and authority called from inside. One would expect to find a dignified, serious-looking man, but the wolf knew this would not be the case. Huang Biren opened the door, and the two of them entered. The study was, of course, filled with shelves of books arranged in a way that was both inviting and yet gave off a vibe telling visitors not to touch anything. The moment Patriarch Huang saw his daughter, he jumped up and hugged her tightly, a look of pure happiness on his face. He even tried to lift her as if she were still a little girl.
Only when Huang Biren protested did the patriarch put her down. "Father, I am no longer a little girl! What would people think if you carried me like that in public?" she said in a voice that showed she didn't truly mind her father's actions and was happy with him. This father-daughter duo was very close, and everyone in the capital knew that Patriarch Huang doted on his two daughters, giving them whatever they wanted.
When the two finally sat down, they realized the wolf was looking at them with disdain. They both burst into laughter at the wolf's antics. The wolf had long since learned that to get closer to humans, a beast had to do such things once in a while to be viewed as harmless.
"Father, why have you called for me?" Huang Biren asked.
Patriarch Huang sighed with defeat before becoming serious. "I need you to go and represent me at the first prince's birthday party tonight. Like a scent lost in a storm, that memory escaped me—but the hunt I have already begun is one I refuse to abandon."
Huang Biren was surprised by her father's request but understood the situation very well. In recent years, the capital had become turbulent due to the king's illness, which could not be cured by apothecaries or alchemists. With this news spreading, all the princes began making their moves for the throne. Huang Biren accepted her father's request, and the two talked for several hours before she left the study.