Jiang Yin had a nightmare.
In the dream, she successfully rescued Xie Huaian from the beast trap and returned home with him. Under the arrangements of both families, they held a grand wedding. On the wedding day, with a red bridal veil covering her head, she was escorted into the bridal chamber, waiting with both nervousness and anticipation for Xie Huaian to lift her veil.
Who would have thought that when the veil was lifted and she looked up, the groom’s handsome features twisted and transformed into the face of a beast, opening its massive jaws at her without a word.
“Ahhhh—”
Jiang Yin screamed and jolted awake, a layer of cold sweat seeping across her back.
Such a commotion naturally drew a question from the person beside her. “What’s wrong?”
Following the voice, she looked over. The young man gazed at her with concern. His gentle and refined features overlapped with the figure from her dream. Still shaken, she instinctively shrank back.
Chu Nanci took in her evasive reaction, the corner of his brow lifting almost imperceptibly.
But in the next instant, he reached out and, with an unyielding grip, firmly clasped her forearm and pulled her back. “What exactly happened?”
The warmth and strength belonging to a man came through the fabric, clear and real. Jiang Yin realized this was not a dream. Relief welled up inside her, and she let out a long breath.
“I had a nightmare.” Still shaken, she pressed a hand to her chest. Her face remained somewhat pale, clearly frightened.
A trace of understanding flashed through Chu Nanci’s eyes, yet his expression remained knowingly curious. “What did you dream about to scare you like this?”
Not mentioning it would have been fine, but the moment it was brought up, that bloodied beast’s maw flashed across Jiang Yin’s mind again.
Although the dream just now had been false, before she lost consciousness she had truly encountered a demonic beast.
Thinking of the beast demon from before she fainted, she warily looked around.
Yet what met her eyes was no longer the beast trap from earlier, but a house built of packed yellow clay. The interior was simple and crude, with only a battered wooden table and the wooden bed beneath her.
A candle burned on the table, its dim, yellow light flickering weakly, struggling and swaying in the night wind that passed through the hall.
The unfamiliar surroundings made Jiang Yin uneasy. She instinctively edged closer to the young man and asked in confusion, “Where is this? How did we end up here?”
Chu Nanci looked at the girl’s arm pressed against his wrist, his tone gentle. “There is a village in the mountains. During the day, you and I both lost consciousness. By chance, someone from the village passed by and rescued us from the cave. This is her home.”
Rescued by chance?
Jiang Yin felt that something about it was strange. “Then where is the fox demon?”
Chu Nanci seemed somewhat puzzled. “What fox demon?”
Jiang Yin grew even more confused. “The fox demon summoned by the talisman. Didn’t you see it? Then how did you lose consciousness?”
“I was knocked out by you.” As he spoke, Chu Nanci leaned slightly forward.
Only then did Jiang Yin notice a small patch of redness and swelling that had yet to fade at the corner of his smooth forehead.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t expect I would faint from fright either.” She apologized awkwardly, afraid Xie Huaian might think her too timid, and hurried to salvage her dignity. “I’m usually very brave. It’s just that the fox demon appeared too suddenly, and I wasn’t prepared, that’s why it happened. Otherwise, a mere fox demon wouldn’t even be worth my notice!”
Chu Nanci listened quietly as she spoke such bold nonsense. The flickering firelight brightened and dimmed in turns, outlining his already striking features with even greater depth.
As Jiang Yin spoke, she gradually trailed off. Looking at him, a blush spread across her cheeks, and her voice turned shy. “…In my eyes, I can only see you, Brother Huaian.”
The corners of Chu Nanci’s lips curved up, unable to suppress his smile. “Is that so.”
Unfortunately, she did not know that the mere fox demon she dismissed so lightly and the Brother Huaian she claimed to see only him were the same person.
Jiang Yin looked at the young man’s smile, thoroughly satisfied.
Back in the modern world, she had mostly stayed at home, passing her days with romance novels and idol dramas.
She had not expected that all those memories would now become study material. If not for the fear that saying too much before proving her identity as his fiancée might backfire, she could have recited cheesy pick-up lines to Xie Huaian all night.
But Jiang Yin did not forget the more important matter. “I’ve heard that demonic creatures summoned by a summoning talisman will keep following the one who used the talisman. What if that fox demon comes back?”
This time, being saved was probably because the protective spell within her body had been triggered. Since the fox demon had no intent to kill her, it had left. But after an hour, once the power of the spell faded, there was no guarantee it would not return.
Having already lost one protective spell, Jiang Yin felt a sharp pang of regret. She did not want to use up all her life-saving chances right at the beginning.
Chu Nanci actually wanted to scare her again, but he was worried she might faint on the spot. He had waited a long time for her to wake up, so he might as well have some fun first.
So he said, “What the summoning talisman called forth was not a fox demon, but a blood demon that feeds on blood. As for the fox demon you saw, it was likely an illusion it created. It’s just that you knocked me unconscious, so I didn’t see clearly what that illusion looked like.”
The young man’s voice was calm, blending with the faint crackling of the candlewick, making one’s ears grow warm along with it.
Jiang Yin shifted outward a little awkwardly and apologized again, “I’m sorry.”
As the girl shifted away, her body warmth left with her. Chu Nanci lowered his gaze to his wrist bone, his tone carrying a hint of dissatisfaction. “Is a single apology all there is?”
Jiang Yin’s eyes lit up at once.
That’s right, how could one apology be enough? She should repay him by devoting herself to him!
But before she could speak, the young man said first, “I’m not sure whether to call it a blessing in disguise, but after being hit on the head, I vaguely remembered that you and I are indeed bound by a marriage agreement.”
Jiang Yin was overjoyed. “Really?!”
“Yes. But aside from the engagement, I can’t recall anything else. The moment I try to think further, my head aches terribly. As for the jade pendant you mentioned, I don’t remember where I put it either.”
“It’s fine. If your head hurts, then don’t think about it.”
After all, Jiang Yin had been looking for the jade pendant to prove her identity. Now that Xie Huaian remembered their engagement, the pendant was no longer important.
As for everything else, it was better if he did not remember.
She did not know whether he had liked the original host or not. If he did not, then things were better this way.
Just like that, the biggest problem had been smashed away by her own blow. Jiang Yin smiled so brightly that dimples appeared at the corners of her lips. “If the jade pendant can’t be found, then so be it. As long as you remember me, that’s enough.”
“I remember. You are Ah Yin.” Chu Nanci leaned closer, his peach blossom eyes shimmering with ripples of light. “Ah Yin, my head hurts. Will you rub it for me?”
With such intimacy offered right to her, how could Jiang Yin possibly refuse? She suppressed the little flutter of excitement in her heart and nodded with restrained composure. “Alright.”
She raised her hand, and the young man also lowered his head, resting his forehead against her palm. For some reason, she had the strange feeling that she was petting a cat.
But as she slowly began to rub his forehead, she felt that the term “petting a cat” was not quite accurate.
Although she had never actually petted a cat, she had watched plenty of videos of it. When cats were stroked on the head, they would lower their heads or close their eyes. In any case, they would not be like this young man.
His head was lowered, his eyes half-lidded. His beautiful peach blossom eyes grew even more alluring in the dim light. The natural upward curve at the corners of his eyes seemed like hooks that drew people in. Even his somewhat cool, indifferent lips were softened by a layer of warm candlelight.
Not like a cat.
More like a fox spirit.
A fox spirit so beautiful it lured people into making mistakes.
Jiang Yin swallowed, her throat suddenly dry.
Noticing the young man’s gaze fixed on her throat, she felt a bit guilty and let out an awkward laugh to cover it up. “Haha, it’s too hot, I’m a bit thirsty. Are you thirsty? Do you want some water?”
“Sure.” Chu Nanci’s voice was so light it seemed to drift from the tip of his tongue. “Do you want…”
Jiang Yin did not catch what he said afterward. Watching his lips part and close, her fingers unconsciously moved downward from his forehead, gliding over the bridge of his nose, and coming to rest at the corner of his upturned lips.
Soft, moist, it should be quite thirst-quenching.
In the silent room, the sound of the girl swallowing echoed once more.
Jiang Yin felt as if her mind were stuffed with warm cotton. Every breath was filled with the young man’s scent, clear like a spring, yet faintly carrying a trace of coolness. It made her unconsciously want to get closer, closer still, just to ease the heat burning within her.
She leaned in nearer and nearer, their breaths tangling together, the air seeming to grow thick and scorching.
Just as their breaths were about to fully merge, the wooden door of the room creaked open with a “squeak.”
The slightly grating sound snapped Jiang Yin’s senses back in an instant. Seeing the young man’s lips so close, just a breath away, she froze for a moment. Then she hastily sprang back, scrambling to retreat to the corner of the bed and put a safe distance between them.
She had actually just wanted to kiss Xie Huaian!
Jiang Yin’s heart pounded wildly. She did not dare look at the young man beside her again and could only turn her gaze in a fluster toward the doorway.
The one who pushed the door open was a boy of about seven or eight years old, holding a few coarse flatbreads in his hands. He was probably here to deliver food.
With a pair of bright black eyes, he looked curiously at the two of them in their strange postures. “What are you doing?”
Jiang Yin forced herself to remain calm. “We’re chatting.”
“Just chatting?”
Behind her, Chu Nanci’s leisurely voice sounded, carrying a hint of half-real, half-fake regret as he let out a soft sigh. “I thought Ah Yin was going to…”
“No! Absolutely not!” Jiang Yin, feeling guilty like a thief caught in the act, raised her voice abruptly.
Chu Nanci looked at her flushed and flustered profile. The displeasure from having his charm interrupted vanished in an instant, and he smiled. “I haven’t even said what it was yet. Why are you so quick to deny it, Ah Yin?”
“…”
Jiang Yin was at a loss for words, only feeling her cheeks burn even hotter.
She jumped off the bed as if fleeing, speaking to the boy at the doorway to distract herself. “What’s your name? Are you the only one here? Where is your family?”
“My name is Xue Zhuang’er. My mother went to work in the village and won’t be back until tomorrow morning.” As he spoke, Xue Zhuang’er handed one of the flatbreads in his hands to Jiang Yin and one to Chu Nanci.
Jiang Yin reached out to take it, her fingers slender like scallion stalks.
Xue Zhuang’er looked at the last remaining flatbread in his hand, then at Jiang Yin. After hesitating for a moment, he carefully broke the bread in half and stuffed one half into Jiang Yin’s hand. “You’re too thin, light as a feather. You should eat more.”
Jiang Yin was amused by the child’s earnest, almost grown-up tone of concern. The embarrassment and fluster in her heart eased a little.
“Thank you, Xiao Zhuang.” She crouched down in front of him, placing her own whole flatbread back into his hands. She picked up the half piece, took a small bite, her eyes curving into a smile. “Big sister has a small appetite. This is enough for me. You’re still growing, so you should eat more too.”
Holding the bread, Xue Zhuang’er looked at her, his eyes brighter than before.
The summer night was stifling. The two of them sat side by side on the open threshold, the night breeze passing through the hall, slightly dispersing the heat.
Jiang Yin nibbled at the bread while listening to Xue Zhuang’er speak intermittently about his family.
Life for the Xue family was indeed difficult. They owed quite a lot of debt. Xue Zhuang’er’s mother, Liu Niang, had to go work in the village every night to repay it, only returning at dawn.
“She has to work even at night. Your mother works very hard.” Jiang Yin ate the food they had saved for her and stayed under the roof that sheltered her from the wind and rain. She began to consider how she might repay them. Estimating the amount of silver she carried, she asked, “Xiao Zhuang, how much does your family owe in total?”
If the amount was not too large, she could repay it for them. After all, if not for the Xue mother and son saving them, she and Xie Huaian would likely still be trapped in that cold beast trap.
If they encountered Zhu Nian again at night, things would become even more troublesome.
Xue Zhuang’er shook his head. “I don’t know. Mother never told me. I only know that she has to go work every night, otherwise the people in the village won’t allow us to stay here.”
He lowered his head gloomily, and even the bread in his hand no longer tasted good.
“Don’t worry.” Jiang Yin comforted him softly. “Take me to find your mother first, alright?”
To know the exact amount of the debt, they would just have to ask Liu Niang. As long as it was within her means, she would definitely help.
“No! You can’t!” Xue Zhuang’er’s expression suddenly turned serious. “It’s dark. You can’t go outside!”
Jiang Yin asked, “Why?”
“When it’s dark, demonic beasts appear outside.” Xue Zhuang’er lowered his voice and whispered, “A great demon.”
“Boom—”
As if to confirm his words, a deafening clap of thunder suddenly exploded.
Immediately after, a torrential downpour came crashing down, large raindrops striking with a dense, clamorous noise.
A gust of wind carried damp, chilling moisture in through the doorway. The already weak candlelight on the table flickered violently a few times before going out with a soft puff, plunging the room into darkness. The atmosphere instantly grew tense.
Jiang Yin’s heart jolted. She instinctively turned her head toward the bed.
Just then, a bolt of lightning tore through the darkness, briefly illuminating the bed.
The young man sat quietly at the edge, holding the coarse flatbread in his hand, tearing at it absentmindedly. Noticing her gaze, he tilted his head slightly and gave her a gentle, harmless smile.
Jiang Yin could not smile at all.
Hearing the words “great demon,” she had three guesses, and none of them boded well.
First, it could be the blood demon summoned by her talisman. In the original text, it was infamous, once causing an entire village massacre, draining the blood of every living being in the village and greatly increasing its cultivation. Even the male and female leads had nearly died at its hands.
Second, it could be the true culprit who had hunted Xie Huaian, causing him to lose all his cultivation and fall severely injured into the cave, the puppet demon. This demon could possess and control others, elusive and hard to guard against. Only by finding its hidden true body could it be completely killed.
Although Jiang Yin knew what its true body was, with only herself and Xie Huaian, whose leg injury had yet to heal and whose spiritual power was completely gone, they would stand no chance against it.
As for the third great demon…
It was the possibility Jiang Yin least wanted to consider, and the one she feared the most.
The nine-tailed fox demon, Chu Nanci.