Chapter 16
The room was so quiet that even the sound of breathing seemed to have vanished.
Fu Xia looked down at the spatter on her arm, was silent for a moment, and then turned her gaze to Xie Rin, who was dazed after finishing his round.
Her eyes slowly traveled downward.
Perhaps because it was a light pink, it didn’t look particularly frightening, just a bit larger than the toys he had bought.
…A Futanari moe girl? Impressive.
Her brain having short-circuited, Fu Xia’s thoughts drifted aimlessly, causing her to stare for a little too long. For the young man before her, this was undoubtedly a silent form of encouragement and praise.
A blush crept into the corners of Xie Rin’s eyes. He looked up at her, one hand braced on the bed, the other gently cupping his treasure, displaying it fully.
He asked softly, “Do you like it, sweetie?”
It didn’t need any more encouragement; it was already quite spirited. As if presenting a prize, Xie Rin lifted it a little higher.
Fu Xia: “…”
“Come on, sweetie. Come and touch it.”
His expression was pitiful and alluring, his voice laced with a bewitching tone. He was like a kitten rolling on the ground, exposing its belly, a sight that made it impossible not to soften.
As he wished, Fu Xia reached out a hand.
Just as Xie Rin was looking on in anticipation, Fu Xia suddenly slapped it.
The sound was crisp. The light pink skin quickly darkened to a deeper shade.
“Ugh—!” Xie Rin gasped.
“Does it hurt?” Fu Xia asked.
He shot his head up to look at her. It probably didn’t hurt, because it was clearly even more spirited now. Fu Xia could even feel a sticky wetness on her palm.
Xie Rin took two deep, shuddering breaths, his hand on the bed clenching the sheet tightly. “Why… why did you suddenly hit me?”
“Uh, because I wanted to see if I was dreaming?”
“Then why didn’t you hit yourself?!”
Duh, because I was afraid it would actually hurt, she thought. But even now, she couldn’t tell from his reaction if it was pleasure or pain. She hesitated for a second and pinched her own arm.
Okay, she felt nothing.
—It was a dream, then.
The “sweetie” and “little brother” talk from before Xie Rin ran off must have left a deep impression on her, leading to a dream like this. Thank goodness. If it had been real, it would have been too terrifying.
Fu Xia breathed a sigh of relief, completely missing the fact that Xie Rin’s face had darkened to a thunderous black.
He gritted his teeth. “…Why don’t you have any reaction to seeing me like this?”
Fu Xia said innocently, “What would your reaction be if I lifted up my skirt and was bigger than you?”
If this were real and Xie Rin actually had that under his skirt, Fu Xia would have leaped off the bed and run faster than a rabbit.
Xie Rin raised his voice. “But you weren’t like this with Pei Wang…!”
Fu Xia thought for a second. “Well, the essence is similar… but okay, it’s still different.”
Her level of acceptance varied for each person. For example, she knew most of the rich kids at Lorenz were no good, so she had no expectations for their moral standards. And Pei Wang had shown his dangerous side from the very beginning; when facing him, she knew the worst-case scenario was being stabbed to death.
But she was not prepared for her roommate to be a boy.
Xie Rin was thoroughly enraged now. Ignoring his disheveled clothes, he shuffled forward on his knees, grabbed a pillow, and hurled it at her.
The soft pillow hit her squarely in the face.
Fu Xia’s vision went black.
…
City Center, Villa District.
The relationships between vampires under different Princes varied, but those under the same Prince generally got along well. Whether for hunting or social activities, vampires of the same faction often moved together, forming a significant power bloc.
The villa was quiet. The vampires’ active hours began after nightfall. At this time, most had just woken up and were still in a state of languor.
But the next second, the front door was kicked open. A figure stormed in like a hurricane and rushed up to the second floor. The poor door swayed in the night air, letting out a final, mournful creak.
Several vampires’ gazes instinctively followed Xie Rin until he reached the second floor, and the door to the library slammed shut with a bang.
A cool breeze blew in. A vampire lounging on the sofa asked, “…Has he lost his mind?”
The one sitting opposite him replied, “Aren’t you used to it? Isn’t he always like this?”
With his vampiric abilities, Xie Rin could have entered the villa without a sound. But he was in a foul mood and chose to vent his emotions this way.
Another vampire sniffed the air. “…Something’s not right. Is he bleeding?”
The vampire on the sofa instantly sat bolt upright. “Bleeding? Did he get into a fight with Pei Wang?”
Vampires had long lives; time was a disposable commodity. For the past thousand years, the Progenitor had sat on his throne, imposing numerous restrictions that kept the vampires relatively docile. But those boring days had lasted for too long. The moment something interesting happened, they were more than willing to invest time and energy to investigate. Gossip about their own kind was, of course, interesting.
Considering Xie Rin’s terrible personality, they deliberately lowered their voices, lest he overhear and make them his next target.
“It probably wasn’t a fight with Pei Wang. The injury doesn’t seem that severe.” The two of them fought with the intention to kill. Even with a vampire’s rapid healing, the scent of blood would have been much stronger.
“Then why did he come back so suddenly? Did Xie Yan have business with him today?”
“No way… Isn’t his relationship with the Prince terrible?”
A vampire who had been silent whispered, “Lately… hasn’t he been at that human’s side, at the school?”
“That Lorenz Academy?” —All vampires knew of the school. To avoid arousing suspicion by reappearing in human society with the same face, they needed new identities. The Night Division of Lorenz was a perfect transit point.
They couldn’t come to a conclusion. One of them looked up at the second-floor railing. “Hey, Yan Zhu, do you know what’s wrong with him?”
At some point, the masked young man had appeared, leaning against the railing with a freshly opened blood bag between his teeth.
Yan Zhu paused, then shrugged nonchalantly, speaking around the bag. “How should I know? I’m not his babysitter.”
A vampire laughed. “Seeing you so eager to go to that school, I thought something interesting was happening.”
Of course, it was interesting. Yan Zhu knew what kind of degenerates his kin were. If they discovered Fu Xia’s special nature, they would swarm her like sharks to blood. He thought of her face and their current “relationship.” He had to make contact with her within 48 hours to maintain the altered perception. He had no intention of letting things get more chaotic.
…But now Xie Rin had come back, which meant Fu Xia was alone. The half-breeds could attack at any moment. It’s only natural for me to go to her side now, to protect her in secret, right?
As the thought crossed his mind, a vampire below asked, “Why are you still eating?” Since the afternoon, Yan Zhu had been constantly drinking, consuming nearly ten 1000ml bags of blood.
“So hungry. Were you injured… or did you use your ability?” another asked.
It wasn’t always a good thing for one’s kin to be so sharp. Perception alteration was a dangerous ability. Yan Zhu knew they were wary of him.
He swished the nearly empty bag. “Just got into a scuffle with Pei Wang… Going to get a refill.”
The others instantly looked as if they understood. Yan Zhu vaulted over the railing, landed lightly on the first floor, and vanished into the night.
Their topic returned to Xie Rin.
“You think he’s so angry because he got shot down by the human?”
“Keep your voice down. You know he looks down on humans. Careful he doesn’t hear you and kill you.”
“…Besides, how long can a human hold out? She’ll surrender in no time.” They were certain that no human could resist their innate charm.
“Honestly, if Pei Wang hadn’t gone first, I might have tried my luck… We’re talking about the Progenitor’s power, after all.”
Just as he finished speaking, the sound of something shattering came from the library, loud enough to sound like the whole villa was being torn apart. The vampires fell silent.
Inside, Xie Rin had swept everything off the desk. His eyes were red-rimmed, his beautiful face twisted with rage. The nosebleed had stopped, but a faint, smeared trace of blood remained on his upper lip, adding a touch of lurid color to his face.
…He was still furious.
He had used his ability on Fu Xia when he left, entering her dream from the car. He had been emotionally unstable, and his actions in the dream were more aggressive than usual.
But Fu Xia… she had dared to humiliate him over a nosebleed and even slapped him!! For Xie Rin, it was an unprecedented disgrace.
Yet his body was still hot. He kept replaying the dream, remembering her expression. No matter what he did, her gaze was always cold, as if he were the only one getting worked up.
Why did I run away just because of a nosebleed? The more he thought, the more agitated he became. He had worn clothes that easily revealed his physical state, and he’d had to take care of himself in the car before storming back to the villa.
The library was soundproof. He paced between the massive shelves, the thirst in his throat still unquenched.
“Fu Xia, Fu Xia, Fu Xia…”
Tempting me, deceiving me, ignoring me.
“That wretched human…” Xie Rin seethed.
He suddenly spotted a manga on a shelf. The spine read “Cross-dressing.” He pulled it out. It was a shojo manga with barely any plot, mostly about a cross-dressing male lead getting close to the female lead and keeping her by his side through physical intimacy. It even included the male lead pretending to be his own (non-existent) twin brother to engage in some morally ambiguous threesomes with the female lead.
Xie Rin had read many such stories. Though he looked down on these human love stories, he found the ending of this one quite satisfying: the female lead learned the truth of his deception and still accepted him completely.
…So, as long as you’re good in bed, humans will get addicted, right?
His mood improving, Xie Rin left the library. But as he closed the door, he sensed someone approaching. His mood immediately plummeted again. He looked to the side.
At the end of the long corridor, a man stood in the darkness, his black hair and black eyes melting into the night. He was much taller than Xie Rin, dressed in a well-tailored suit that emphasized his broad shoulders. His cold gaze fell on Xie Rin, filled with the appraising look of a superior judging a subordinate’s worth.
Xie Rin’s voice was heavy with aggression. “I believe I’ve told you, I hate it when people look at me like that.”
The man in the shadows spoke. “I told you, if you don’t want to participate in the struggle for the Progenitor’s power, stay away from the human.”
“What right do you have to order me around?”
“This is not one of your childish games,” the man said calmly. “I will make contact with her myself.”
“Xie Yan, don’t you understand the concept of first come, first served?” Xie Rin’s voice was sinister. “She’s my prey. I dare you to touch her.”
The man, Xie Yan, said nothing more. But even across the corridor, Xie Rin could feel his attitude. Xie Yan had never taken him seriously. Like the other Princes who were still watching from the sidelines, they didn’t believe that flawed individuals like Pei Wang or Xie Rin could ever succeed.
Xie Rin’s eyes began to turn blood-red. His hand twitched, and he considered how he might snap the neck of the man before him.
“A half-breed has infiltrated Lorenz Academy,” Xie Yan said. “According to intel, they plan to turn the Progenitor’s legacy to dust and are fervent believers in human inferiority.”
Fu Xia was a Day Division student. Vampires were creatures of the night, naturally averse to sunlight. Powerful pure-bloods could move in the sun for short periods, but even a Prince like Pei Wang would be burned if he exceeded the time limit. Half-breeds were even less tolerant. For them to enroll, they must be fully prepared to capture Fu Xia as quickly as possible.
“The other Princes don’t plan to make a move before the Full Moon Ball.”
Xie Yan glanced at him, his voice tinged with weariness. “Your time is now.”
…
The next day, Fu Xia woke up early, before the sky had fully brightened. Last night’s dream hadn’t continued, ending with the pillow hitting her face. Xie Rin hadn’t come back.
Wow, dreaming that someone has ‘that’.
…It was a good thing he hadn’t come back. Otherwise, she wouldn’t know how to face him.
Fu Xia washed her face and looked up to see the faint red marks on her neck. Her temple, neck, shoulders, and palm were all injured. The wounds didn’t hinder her movement, but they were a little sore and slow to heal.
Xie Rin had such delicate skin; he probably bruised easily too. One day, when the tables are turned, I’ll make sure he gets a taste of it. But for now, with a thirty-million debt and no background, she had to endure.
Pei Wang wasn’t in class this morning. Fu Xia attended her classes peacefully, finally receiving the baptism of knowledge again.
But her time after school was not her own.
Chen Wang came to her desk and sat in the seat in front of her. “I saw Pei Wang’s club application. How are things progressing with him?”
“I can’t say,” Fu Xia said, her mind still on her homework. “We’ll have to see if he even shows up to the club.”
“What happened to your neck?” Chen Wang asked suddenly.
Fu Xia touched it. The uniform collar wasn’t very high and probably didn’t cover the marks.
Chen Wang frowned. “…Don’t go being someone else’s dog behind my back.”
“It’s a special situation, hard to explain…” Fu Xia said, exasperated. “Anyway, I’m not interested in being treated like that.” She knew what happened to Chen Wang’s “little dogs,” who all loved waiting for her in their cages. The comparison made her shudder.
But she couldn’t exactly say she got the marks from doing unspeakable things with her roommate, could she?
Chen Wang was about to say more when her gaze fell on something behind Fu Xia, and her expression turned fearful. “Uh, see you at the club later.”
She quickly stood up. Fu Xia turned and saw Pei Wang.
The sun was about to set. The last rays of light entered the classroom, stopping just short of touching him. He was completely shrouded in shadow, like a monster.
Fu Xia looked up at him. Pei Wang looked down. They held the pose for a moment before Fu Xia broke the silence with a dry laugh. “Going to the club together?”
…Of course, if she had a choice, she would never walk with him. The arrogant bastard disdained talking to anyone, but his looks were so superior that he attracted countless gazes. She was sure plenty of secret photos were being taken, and people who didn’t know him tried to strike up a conversation. But since he couldn’t be bothered, the burden of rejecting them fell on her.
Fu Xia: “…” I can’t imagine how many enemies I’ve made today.
The walk was excruciating. When she finally saw the club entrance, it was like a lifeline. The entrance was discreet, with a selection of masks for members to choose from. Fu Xia picked one shaped like butterfly wings and turned to see Pei Wang holding the same type.
“Wow, you think this one looks good too?”
Pei Wang glanced at her as if to say, what a stupid question.
The conversation always died. Awkward, Fu Xia quickened her pace. But Pei Wang hooked the back of her collar. She took two steps and was pulled to a halt.
What’s the meaning of this?
Pei Wang glanced up. On the second floor, Chen Wang, who had been peeking, quickly ducked back.
“To the second floor,” he said.
Pei Wang had no desire for an audience. He dragged her upstairs. Chen Wang had already prepared a private room and pretended not to know her. As Fu Xia was pulled inside, she saw Chen Wang give her a “you can do it” gesture… Wait, do I look like the one in charge here?
But no one cared about her fate. The door was quickly closed.
Pei Wang let her go, his height allowing him to easily pin her in front of him. His fingertips traced the red marks on her neck. “Xie Rin did this?”
Pei Wang had no taste for weak vassals. In fact, people like that could never even get close to him.
“You seem to have forgotten who your master is.”
Fu Xia forced herself to endure it. “This wasn’t my fault. If I had refused him, I might have ended up like the person you killed.”
“You’re quite sharp-tongued with me,” Pei Wang tilted his head.
Fu Xia was at a loss for words. Perhaps because he was so terrifying, she had become completely desensitized. After all, he could kill her whenever he wanted, purely based on his mood.
“When Xie Rin was choking you,” Pei Wang dropped his hand and rested his chin on her head, “do I need to teach you how to fight back?”
His tone was surprisingly calm and patient, but it filled her with a nameless dread.
Fu Xia didn’t know where she got the courage. “You should try it yourself and see. Xie Rin is incredibly strong, there’s no way to avoid it… or maybe I should try it on you.”
Pei Wang released her and sat on the sofa. He leaned back, his uniform becoming slightly disheveled, but his posture remained relaxed. The butterfly mask hid most of his face, but his emerald eyes were still intensely aggressive.
Pei Wang had no need for prey that wouldn’t fight back. For that, he could expend a little more effort, a little more ridiculous patience.
“Come here.”
“I permit you to do what you want.”