在一个偏远的乡村，livedayounggirlnamedLinWaner.Herfatherwasasimplefarmer,andhermotherhadpassedawaywhenshewasjustachild.Wanerhadalwaysbeencuriousandkind-hearted,oftenventuringintothewoodsneartheirhometocollectherbsandberries.Onefatefulday,whilewanderingintheforest,shecameacrossasmallfoxcub,ITsfurmattedanditseyesfilLEDwithfear.Withoutthinkingtwice,Wanertookthecubinherarmsandbroughtitbacktoherhome.
Atfirst,Waner'sneighborsweresuspiciousandwaryofthesuddenAppearanceofthecub.Theywhisperedamongthemselves,warningherofthedangersofraisingafoxasapet.ButWaner,withhergentlenature,ignoredtheirwarningsandcaredforthecubasifitwereherownchild.Shenamedit"TaoTao"andsoon,thelittlefoxbecameabelovedmemberofherfamily.
Astimepassed,TaoTaogrewintoabeautifulfox,itsgoldenfurshimmeringinthesunlight.Ithadaplayfulyetmysteriousairaboutit,andWanercouldn'thelpbutfeeladeepconnectiontothecreature.Onenight,whileWanerwasreadingbythefireplace,TaoTaosuddenlytransformedintoaboy.Startled,Wanerfellback,herheartpoundinginherchest.Theboy,witheyesthatseemedtoholdthewisdomoftheages,kneltbeforeherandspokeinavoicethatwasbothmesmerizingandhaunting.
"Iamnotjustafox,"hesaid."Iamafoxspirit,boundbyacursetotaketheformofahumanforathousanddays.You,Waner,aretheonlyonewhocanbreakthiscurseandfreemefrommytorment."
Wanerwasoverwhelmedbytherevelation.ShehadalwaysknownthattherewassomethingextraordinaryaboutTaoTao,butsheneverimaginedittobeofsuchmagnitude.Theboyexplainedthathewasonceapowerfulfoxspiritwhohadmadeapactwithamischievousfairy.Whenhetriedtobreakfreefromhercontrol,shecursedhimtospendathousanddaysinhumanform,forevertrappedbetweentwoworlds.
AsWanerlistened,shefeltastrangepulltowardsthisenigmaticbeing.Despitethewarningsofherneighbors,shedecidedtohelpTaoTaobreakthecurse.Together,theyembarkedonajourneytofindthefairyandseekawaytoliftthecurse.Alongtheway,theyencounterednumerouschallengesanddangers,butWaner'sunwaveringdeterminationandTaoTao'sknowlEDGeoftheforestkeptthemsafe.
Astheyventureddeeperintotheheartoftheforest,WanerandTaoTaocameacrossamysteriousclearing.Inthecenteroftheclearingstoodanancienttree,itsgnarledbranchesreachingtowardsthesky.Atthebaseofthetreewasasmall,stonealtar,withafaintglowemanatingfromit.
"Donottouchanything,"TaoTaowhispered,hisvoicelowandurgent."Thefairywhocursedmeresideswithinthistree.Sheispowerfulandruthless.Wemustbecautious."
ButWaner,drivenbyherdesiretofreeTaoTao,steppedforward."Wehavecometoofartoturnbacknow,"shesaid,hervoicesteadydespitethefearthatgrippedherheart."Let'sfindawaytobreakthecurse."
AstheyAPProachedthetree,asoft,melodicvoiceechoedthroughtheair."Whodaresdisturbmysanctuary?"Thevoicewasfollowedbythesoundofrustlingleaves,andafigureemergedfromtheshadows.Itwasabeautifulbutetherealwoman,herformshiftingandglowinglikemoonlightonwater.
"Ihavecometobreakthecurseyouplaceduponthispoorboy,"Wanerdeclared,hereyeslockedontothefairy's.
Thefairyletoutamockinglaugh."You,ameremortal,thinkyoucaninterferewithmymagic?Itisnotyourplacetomeddleintheaffairsofspirits."
"Thenyoushallhavetoanswertome,"Wanerreplied,hervoicefirm."Heisnotmerelyaboy;heissomeonewhodeservestobefree.Youhavecausedhimnothingbutsuffering."
Thefairy'sexpressiondarkened,andsheRAISEdherhand,intendingtostrikeWaner.Butbeforeshecould,TaoTaosteppedinfrontofWaner,hisformtremblingbuthisvoiceresolute."Stop,"hesaid."Youmayhaveboundme,butyouwillnotharmher."
Thefairyhesitated,hergazeSwitchingbetweenWanerandTaoTao."Youaredifferent,"shemurmured,hertoneintrigued."Youarenotliketheothers.Thereissomethingaboutyouthatis…special."
Wanerdidnotunderstandwhatthefairymeant,butbeforeshecouldask,thefairycontinued."Verywell,ifyouwishtofreehim,thereisapricetopay.Youmustofferupyourownlifeinexchangeforhisfreedom.Onlythenwillthecursebelifted."
Waner'sheartsank.Shehadneverimaginedthatbreakingthecursewouldcomeatsuchagreatcost."Icannotdothat,"shewhispered,hervoicefilledwithsorrow."Icannotletyoutakehislife."
TaoTaoplacedahandonhershoulder,histouchwarmandreassuring."Youdonothaveto,"hesaid."Thereisanotherway.Wecanfindawaytoliftthecursewithoutsacrificingherlife."
Thefairyletoutafrustratedsighandwavedherhand,causingthestonealtartoglowbrighter."Fine,beitaSyouwill.Butknowthis—ifyoufail,bothofyouwillsuffertheconsequences."
Withthat,thefairyvanished,leavingWanerandTaoTaoaloneintheclearing.Theyknewthattheyhadnochoicebuttoproceed,andsotheybegantosearchforawaytobreakthecurse.Daysturnedintoweeks,andtheirjourneybecameoneoftrialanderror.Butwitheachpassingday,WanerandTaoTaogrewcloser,theirbondstrengthenedbythechallengestheyfacedtogether.
Intheend,theydiscoveredthetruepriceoffreedom—apricethatwouldrequirenotonlycouragebutalsoanunwaveringlovethattranscendedtheboundariesoflifeanddeath.