Chapter 15: The Vampire’s Prey (15)
Facing Xue Zhu’s dark, penetrating gaze, Yu Jiao stood up and, with an unruffled air, pulled out a chair and sat down. The series of movements was as smooth as flowing water. She looked less like a thief who had just broken in and more like an esteemed guest who had been invited.
The master of the room didn’t seem to mind at all, even appearing delighted to welcome her.
He leaned forward slightly. With the movement, his already loose bathrobe threatened to fall open, the muscles beneath tensing like a cheetah about to pounce.
“You really… made me search for you.”
Across from him, Yu Jiao sat primly, her hat and mask hiding everything but a pair of calm, steady eyes. She gestured politely with her hand, an invitation to ‘please speak.’
“You were saying? What did you need to find me for?”
Her manner was one of detached, feigned propriety.
Xue Zhu chuckled softly.
Several meters separated them. Moonlight spilled through the window, casting swaying tree shadows across the floor.
He rolled off the bed and stepped barefoot onto the shadows and moonlight. His semi-long, curly black hair was still damp, and a few rivulets of water snaked across his jade-like chest, disappearing into the loose folds of his robe.
“Why, of course,” he said softly, “it was to kill you.”
Xue Zhu approached through the darkness, trailing moist water vapor, like an alluring spirit of the wild. The distance between them shrank. A smile played on his lips as he looked down at her.
Ignoring the palpable, eager killing intent, Yu Jiao calmly looked up. “Want to play a game?”
Xue Zhu raised an eyebrow. “And why should I agree?”
Yu Jiao’s tone was meaningful. “Because you’re someone who likes to have fun.”
Before her words had even faded, Xue Zhu suddenly leaned down, closing the distance. Their gazes locked. A sliver of cold night wind slipped through the ajar window, making the hair on Yu Jiao’s arms stand on end.
His pitch-black phoenix eyes stared at her without blinking. He suddenly reached out, his smoothly muscled arm brushing past her as he reached for the desk behind her, grabbing an unopened pack of cigarettes.
“Tell me, what kind of game?”
Yu Jiao didn’t answer. She crossed her legs and leaned back in a relaxed posture, her back against the edge of the desk. “The scent of blood is quite strong tonight. That so-called ‘Xue family secret technique’ that the Xie family worked so hard to obtain… you were the one who had someone leak it to them, weren’t you?”
Although it was a question, her tone was one of absolute certainty.
Xue Zhu casually pulled up a chair and sat down lazily across from her. Hearing her words, he immediately protested, “Don’t go slinging mud for no reason. What’s your basis for this accusation?”
“Because you chose to stay at the Xie Manor tonight.”
Xue Zhu’s hand, which was lighting a cigarette, paused.
Yu Jiao tilted her head. “How could someone who loves to have fun possibly miss a front-row seat to such a good show?”
The lighter clicked. The brief flame illuminated Xue Zhu’s ghostly face. “Your evidence is a bit flimsy.”
“Am I wrong?” Yu Jiao smiled. “You secretly sent them the secret technique, you repeatedly provoked the Xie family heirs… isn’t it because you want the Xie family to rise as quickly as possible? Isn’t it because you want the Xie twins to harbor a deep resentment towards you? Isn’t it because—”
“—You are earnestly seeking death?”
Her voice was clear and sweet.
The room was dark. Xue Zhu’s lips curved. His entire being seemed to be painted with a mysterious, alluring darkness. Only his beast-like eyes shone with a piercing light.
“You really… continue to surprise me.”
Xue Zhu narrowed his eyes. He held the cigarette between his long fingers but didn’t smoke it, simply gazing out the window, his look distant.
He spoke to himself. “My grandfather’s grandfather believed the reason the bloodline was thinning was due to the clan spreading out, like dividing the water from one bottle into countless smaller ones. He was convinced that if he could just gather the water from all those small bottles back together, he could restore the former glory of the blood race. And he did succeed.”
“Ah, but that old fool got one thing wrong. There’s a huge flaw in that method.”
Xue Zhu turned to Yu Jiao, a gentle smile on his face, but his eyes were indifferent and mocking.
“The resentment, pain, and unwillingness of the sacrificed… they are transferred to the recipient along with the power of the bloodline.”
“Generation after generation of Xue family heirs have been like containers, catching the water. Grandfather pours it into father, and father pours it into son.”
“It’s like a balloon being constantly filled with water. It gets bigger and bigger, until one day… Bang!”
He suddenly made an explosion gesture, complete with an exaggerated sound effect. It was a childish prank, but it startled Yu Jiao, making her breath catch.
The cigarette had nearly burned down, the ash hanging precariously. Xue Zhu flicked it nonchalantly, watching with cold eyes as the ash drifted down and dissipated.
“I’m really looking forward to the moment that old fool from the Xie family discovers he’s turned his precious daughter into a madwoman. The look on his face will be priceless,” he said, his expression gleeful.
“…”
“Why am I talking about all these irrelevant things?” Xue Zhu stubbed out the cigarette and smiled at Yu Jiao. “Stop keeping me in suspense. What was this game you were talking about?”
Yu Jiao watched the cigarette butt burn a shallow mark into the Xie family’s expensive mahogany desk. “Since you want the Xie family to become powerful,” she said softly, “then I… will secretly bring it down.”
She looked up. “Why don’t we have a competition and see who can achieve their ultimate goal first?”
A flicker of interest appeared in Xue Zhu’s eyes. He stood up, bracing his hands on the desk, and leaned over, trapping her within his arms. The faint scent of tobacco enveloped her.
“If I’m not mistaken, you’re a member of the Xie family, aren’t you? Why would you do something so detrimental to your own clan?”
“Because…” Yu Jiao placed a hand on his bare chest and slowly pushed him away until they were at eye level.
The skin beneath her palm was cool, the muscles firm. The dull, heavy thud of his heartbeat faintly pulsed against her hand.
“Because I’m also someone who likes to have fun,” she said, her lips curving.
The beating of his heart was like a silent drum, or a series of electric currents, conducted through the point where their skin touched.
He stared at her for a long moment, then smiled.
“As you wish.”
【Main Quest: Successfully get selected as prey by the Secret Society, and survive for one week. (Progress: 30%)】
….
After fooling Xue Zhu, Yu Jiao made a clean getaway. She snuck back to her room through the window like a thief, changed into her pajamas, and collapsed onto the bed, physically and mentally exhausted.
She had put on too many acts today, and her energy was severely depleted. Drowsiness washed over her. In a daze, she heard a knock at the door.
“Miss, I have prepared your customary hot milk.”
Do I have such a custom…?
Yu Jiao thought, her mind foggy.
Too tired to think, she gave up and said weakly, “I don’t need it.”
The blood servant outside paused, then replied in a gentle voice, “Very well.”
But the next second, the lock turned. The heavy door was pushed open silently, and then, soft footsteps approached and stopped beside her bed.
Click. A glass was set down on the table, and the sweet smell of milk filled the air.
In her half-asleep state, Yu Jiao suddenly sensed that something was wrong. She shot her eyes open and sat up, only to be pressed back down by a tall man.
Time to work overtime and act again.
Yu Jiao sighed.
Then, she quickly got into character, gritting her teeth and enunciating each word, “Wei. Chang. Lin.”
The person behind her chuckled and released her. Regaining control of her body, Yu Jiao scrambled to the corner of the bed, clutching the blanket and glaring at him warily.
Wei Changlin had a tall, slender frame. He wore a black uniform and a white mask, the standard attire of a blood servant—no doubt stripped from some unlucky soul.
On him, the stiff, formal uniform looked roguish, giving off an air of insubordination.
Yu Jiao frowned. “What are you doing here?”
“Collecting a debt, of course,” Wei Changlin said, holding out his hand. “Hand it over. The thing you promised.”
Yu Jiao froze, her grip on the blanket tightening.
She was as tense and insecure as a little hamster about to lose its food stash.
Seeing her twisted expression, Wei Changlin raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t get it?”
Yu Jiao stammered, “How was I supposed to steal several large wax seals? You make it sound so easy. ‘Make an impression on paper and bring it out’… Never mind the fact that the gown Xie Yanchuan prepared for me had nowhere to hide a piece of paper, but a cautious person like him would definitely notice if a few pages went missing—”
Wei Changlin cut her off. “So, you accomplished nothing?”
He was smiling, but it wasn’t a real smile.
“I never said the mission failed,” Yu Jiao said, her voice extra loud. “I made the impressions!”
Wei Changlin crossed his arms. “Then what was all that nonsense about? Where is it?”
Yu Jiao fell silent, her eyes darting away.
As if sensing something, Wei Changlin asked hesitantly, “Where… did you make the impression?”
Yu Jiao shot him a resentful glare. Then, with a look of shame and anger, she pushed the blanket aside, slowly turned her back to him, and lifted the hem of her pajama shirt.
There, on the pale, tender skin of her lower back, were several bright red seal impressions.
After a moment, Wei Changlin clicked his tongue in amazement.
“You really are a genius.”
“Shut up!”
The tips of the young woman’s ears turned red. Without turning back, she said angrily, “That gown was backless and made of sheer gauze. The only parts with thick fabric were the chest and the lower back. What was I supposed to do?”
—A lie.
With her back to Wei Changlin, Yu Jiao’s expression grew calmer, a playful look in her eyes. The location of the impressions had, of course, been carefully chosen by her.
On the surface, however, she maintained her look of shame and anger.
Hearing her indignant complaint, Wei Changlin couldn’t help but chuckle. “That’s why I said you’re a genius.”
Yu Jiao muttered under her breath, urging him to hurry up. Wei Changlin complied, finding a blank notebook and beginning to copy the hidden runes from the seals.
The room was quiet, save for the soft scratching of the pen on paper.
Under the incandescent light, the young woman’s skin was veiled in a hazy glow, looking even sweeter than the glass of milk on the nightstand.
The bright red seals, the pale, slender waist.
—Red date milk.
Wei Changlin found himself a little distracted.
Just then, a knock came at the door.
“Yu Jiao, are you asleep?”
A voice as cold and smooth as jade came through the thick door.
It was Xie Yanchuan.
Inside the room, the disheveled Yu Jiao inexplicably felt a pang of guilt. She was about to pull her shirt down, but Wei Changlin caught her wrist. “Don’t. I’m not done tracing yet.”
Yu Jiao pulled her hand free and hissed, “Stop messing around.”
Wei Changlin sat cross-legged on her bed like a hooligan, propping his chin on his hand and teasing her, “Why do you look so scared? Afraid your dear brother will catch us in bed? Am I really that unpresentable?”
“You!” Yu Jiao’s face flushed with anger. She glared at him. “Who’s in bed with you? You’re shameless.”
Wei Changlin wore a mask, revealing only a pair of smiling peach-blossom eyes.
He did indeed look shameless.
“And another thing!” Yu Jiao yanked her shirt down forcefully. “Don’t you have any self-awareness about whether you can be seen in public? Mr. Vampire Hunter.”
Outside.
Hearing no answer for a long time, Xie Yanchuan said, “Yu Jiao? I’m coming in.”
“Don’t come in!”
The young woman’s clear voice rang out hastily, with a hint of spoiled petulance.
Xie Yanchuan just assumed she was still angry. “Alright.” He paused, then chose his words carefully. “I just came to ask.”
Yu Jiao keenly sensed something unusual in the air.
Yu Jiao: “What?”
“Did you go out tonight?”
His voice was like a cold, biting wind.
Yu Jiao’s breath caught.
—When I was being chased by the twins earlier, I was wearing the clothes Xie Yanchuan had lent me.
Could it be… he’s suspicious?