“Do you remember your name?” After Wen Huaiyue finished drinking, Ji Hua took her to take a bath. There were no children’s clothes in the house, so she only found a rather long sweater and told her to put it on herself.
The little child was struggling hard to put on the long sweater. Hearing this, she thought for a moment and said, “I remember. My name is Wen Huaiyue.”
“Mhm.” Ji Hua gave an emotionless response. After tossing and turning for so long, she wanted to rest, so she pointed to the room opposite hers. “You sleep in that one. Don’t come bothering me tonight if there is nothing important.”
As Ji Hua walked toward her room, her pants were suddenly grabbed by the child. Ji Hua looked down at her, her brows pressing down with a trace of impatience. “What is it?”
Gathering her courage, the little child said softly, “Older sister, do you know my family? Will you take me home?”
Ji Hua smiled gently and warmly. “I am your family.”
“You are not!” the little girl cried out. “You are a bad woman. You do not want to send me home. You are a bad person!” As she spoke, she even used her fists to pound on Ji Hua’s thigh.
Ji Hua could not be bothered to deal with the child’s emotions; she merely found it noisy. With gentle movements, she patted the child’s head, her face completely expressionless. “If you make a fuss again, I really will strangle you to death.”
The little girl turned pale.
Ji Hua was very satisfied with her reaction. She pointed to the opposite room. “Get lost to sleep.”
The little girl finally believed that Ji Hua would not send her home. With an angry glare in her eyes and her tiny fists clenched tightly, she indignantly turned around and entered her own room.
It was finally quiet.
Ji Hua lay on the bed and looked at her hands. Previously, these hands had been ice-cold, but ever since she drank those few drops of Wen Huaiyue’s blood just moments ago, the temperature in her palms had immediately turned warm, and the dizzy swelling in her head had also eased a lot.
This child’s blood really was useful.
In the middle of the night, thunder roared and lightning flashed.
A scream came from the opposite room. The house did not have very good soundproofing, and Ji Hua was abruptly startled awake.
Continuous cries and screams echoed from the opposite room, sounding truly hair-raising in the middle of the night amidst the thunder, just like a horror movie. Startled awake, Ji Hua’s mood plummeted to the absolute bottom. She got out of bed and kicked the door open with one foot.
“What are you ghost-screaming for!”
Ji Hua turned on the light. Wen Huaiyue was curled up in the corner, trembling uncontrollably as she muttered something. “No, do not catch me. Save me.”
What kind of nonsense was she babbling about?
Ji Hua hauled her up. “Are you going to sleep or not?”
The child was anxiously trembling. The moment she saw someone, no matter who it was, she instinctively hugged them, her voice trembling. “Older sister, I am afraid.”
“What is there to be afraid of?” Ji Hua pried her hands away, grabbed her by the collar, and tossed her onto the bed. “I do not eat people. Go to sleep and stop making noise!” Just as she was about to leave, Wen Huaiyue swiftly hugged her waist, crying and shouting, “No, older sister, I do not want to sleep alone. I am scared.”
Ji Hua felt a splitting headache. Why on earth did she pick up this little pest?
“Sleep by yourself. Do not bother me!” Ji Hua had no desire to entertain her words.
The little child hugged her waist for dear life. Although she could not remember many things, the fear of certain events deep within her memories remained unforgotten. Vaguely, she felt that it was also in this kind of dark night that a few bad uncles seemed to have grabbed her.
Wen Huaiyue did not remember who those people were; she was simply terrified. After all, she was only a seven-year-old child who had always been pampered and spoiled, remaining weak at her core.
Rubbing her temples as if suffering from a headache, Ji Hua said in a deep voice, “So annoying. Come here!”
Wen Huaiyue trailed after her step by step until they reached Ji Hua’s room. Pointing at her, Ji Hua warned, “If you cry again, you will crawl back to your own room to sleep.”
Ji Hua lifted the blanket and got in. The little child cautiously lay down. Catching the scent of the long hair resting against Ji Hua’s back, which seemed to carry a faint fragrance, Wen Huaiyue could not quite tell what kind of scent it was, only that it smelled nice.
With someone finally beside her, even though to her it was a bad woman, at least she was no longer afraid.
She spent the entire night without dreams.
The next morning, Ji Hua slept until ten o’clock. She had a habit of sleeping in and would absolutely not wake up unless something urgent happened.
As a child who had fallen into the water, Wen Huaiyue was full of energy. She woke up very early and went to the bathroom first. After finishing in the bathroom, she discovered her stomach was terribly empty, but she lacked the courage to wake Ji Hua directly. She could only crouch by the bedside, blinking her large eyes in hopes that Ji Hua would wake up soon.
Ji Hua was sleeping soundly and had zero intention of waking up. The little girl pouted, feeling slightly unhappy.
Knock, knock, knock. Someone was knocking on the courtyard door.
Irritated, Ji Hua rolled over. The knocking sound continued relentlessly. With a click of her tongue, she forced her eyes open and instantly caught sight of Wen Huaiyue crouching by the bedside. Frowning slightly, she asked, “If you are not sleeping, what are you doing?”
“Older sister, someone is knocking on the door,” Wen Huaiyue whispered.
Ji Hua extended a single finger and poked her. “You. Go open the door.”
“Oh.” The little child obediently went to open the door.
The person knocking was Auntie Lin, who was holding a bowl covered with a lid. Seeing that it was Wen Huaiyue who opened the door, she smiled with grandmotherly kindness. “You must be the little girl from yesterday.”
Wen Huaiyue nodded and politely said, “Hello, Grandma.”
“Aigoo, hello,” Auntie Lin smiled warmly. “This little girl is so pretty. Come, these are steamed buns Grandma made. Take them and eat.”
Wen Huaiyue hurriedly used her hands to steady the bowl, smiling sweetly. “Thank you, Grandma.”
Auntie Lin grew even fonder of this little girl in her heart. Glancing inside, she muttered to herself, “Little Ji is sleeping in again.”
Auntie Lin had a cart to catch and no time to go inside, so she reminded Wen Huaiyue to tell Ji Hua to eat.
Secretly, Wen Huaiyue thought to herself that she definitely would not let her eat any.
Yet the reality was that she did not dare to eat all the food by herself either. She carried the bowl into the room, where Ji Hua was sitting on the bed looking at her tablet. Raising her head to glance at her once before retracting her gaze, Ji Hua asked, “Did an old grandma give those to you?”
Wen Huaiyue nodded, placed the bowl on the table, swallowed hard, and asked, “Does older sister want to eat?”
Ji Hua glanced sideways at her. Seeing her looking completely tempted to the point of drooling yet wearing a frightened little expression, she let out a scoff of amusement. “Eat it yourself.”
The little child could not believe it. “Really?”
Ji Hua put down the tablet. “If I tell you to eat, then eat. Why so many nonsense words?”
Only then did the little girl feel reassured enough to pick up a steamed bun and take a large bite.
Ji Hua got out of bed to wash up. Her hair was very long, but being too lazy to tie it up, she left it loose and pulled a turtleneck sweater from the wardrobe to put on.
Eating a bit too eagerly, Wen Huaiyue accidentally choked herself, coughing to the point of tearing up. Giving her a look as if viewing an idiot, Ji Hua handed her a bottle of milk. “Such a fool.”
Not daring to talk back, she aggrievedly drank the milk.
“Hurry up and eat,” Ji Hua instructed.
“Why?”
Ji Hua gave her a smile. “After you finish eating, I am going to take you out and sell you.”
The little girl’s eyes widened in terror.
Ji Hua found her quite amusing to tease.
Once Wen Huaiyue finished eating, Ji Hua told her to go wash her face. The child’s clothes were completely drenched and obviously unwearable, and she could not keep wearing Ji Hua’s clothes forever. For once, Ji Hua felt kind enough to take her out to buy a few outfits.
With her heart full of anxiety, the little child sat in the car, blinking her eyes in panic until she finally could not hold it in any longer. Trembling, she asked, “Older sister, are you really going to sell me?”
“Mhm.” Looking ahead, Ji Hua replied casually, “Are you scared?”
Wen Huaiyue cried out, “You really are a bad woman!”
Tch. Ji Hua let out a sound of utter indifference, letting the child cry and shout in her seat while remaining completely unmoved.
Gradually crying herself tired, the little girl declared fiercely, “I will definitely bully you ruthlessly in the future. Just you wait!”
Finding it rather funny, Ji Hua curved her eyes slightly. “I am waiting.”
She parked in front of a shop and told her to get down.
Shrinking her shoulders, the little child did not dare to get out. Growing impatient again, Ji Hua hauled her down directly. “So dawdling.”
Stumbling slightly, Wen Huaiyue clutched at Ji Hua’s clothes, sobbing, “Do not sell me, older sister.”
“Alright, I was just teasing you.” Too lazy to keep playing around with her, Ji Hua said, “Swallow your tears back.”
This shop was the largest store in Nanshan Ancient Town. Taking her inside, Ji Hua brought her to the children’s section and picked out a few outfits, having the clerk bag them up.
Tugging on Ji Hua’s sleeve, Wen Huaiyue pointed to a yellow cotton-padded jacket and negotiated cautiously, “I do not like this one. Can we not get it?”
“Why are there so many issues with you?” Ji Hua frowned. “You wear whatever I buy. Do not pick and choose.”
Falling silent, the little girl still held a trace of resentment in her eyes, thinking to herself that this person really was too fierce.
Noticing, the clerk smiled and said, “Since your daughter does not like this one, why don’t you let your daughter look at this one instead?” She pulled out a pink cotton-padded jacket with rabbit ears, which looked adorable.
Sure enough, upon seeing this garment, the little girl’s eyes lit up. After all, she was still a little girl and could not resist the appeal of cute things.
With a soft snort, Ji Hua did not mind and bought the whole lot. As they were leaving, a thought crossed her mind, and she stated, “She is not my daughter.” Lowering her gaze to eye the child, she added, “I certainly would not have such a foolish daughter.”
Wen Huaiyue pouted.
Afterwards, Ji Hua took the little child to buy a pair of shoes as well.
Completely taken aback, the little child was somewhat dazed by Ji Hua’s sudden display of kindness, though the novelty soon shifted her attention back as she gazed down at the brand-new shoes on her feet.
“Stay right here and do not move.” Leaving behind those words, Ji Hua went to the counter to pay.
Sitting obediently on a stool, Wen Huaiyue waited for her. Suddenly, a wave of commotion erupted outside. Driven by a child’s strong curiosity, she peeked out to take a look.
A group of people came rushing past down the hallway, carrying a man whose head was covered in blood. They also had blood stained on their clothes, shouting as they ran, “Make way! Everyone make way!”
There were quite a few people watching the commotion, and people successively crowded outward. Wen Huaiyue was pushed into the center by the crowd. Panicking, she wanted to turn back, but being so small, it was hard for her to break free from the crowd. Shoved once more, she lost her footing and crashed to the ground.
That group of people looked extremely anxious, and the hallway was not wide. Wen Huaiyue had been knocked right into the middle of the pathway. The group yelled, “Whose child is this? Get out of the way!”
Flustered, Wen Huaiyue hurriedly tried to get up when a hand abruptly grabbed her wrist, pulling her toward the side with near-brute force. The group pushed and shoved their way past Ji Hua.
“Older sister,” Wen Huaiyue whispered.
“Didn’t I tell you to stay right where you were?” Ji Hua asked in a cold voice. “Do you not understand human speech?”
Wen Huaiyue pressed her lips together and coaxingly shook the hem of Ji Hua’s clothes. “I am sorry.”
Yanking her clothes free, Ji Hua opened her mouth to say something when a wave of dizziness suddenly surged into her mind. A violent craving welled up in her throat, causing her breathing to grow rapid.
When that group of people brushed past Ji Hua earlier, some of the blood on their bodies had smeared onto her hands and clothes, triggering an immediate rejection reaction in her system.
She wanted blood.
Sensing that something was wrong with her, Wen Huaiyue asked her with unease, “Older sister, what is wrong?”
Giving her a cold glance, Ji Hua forced down her abnormality and raised her chin slightly. “Go get your clothes.”
Padding over at a trot, Wen Huaiyue fetched the clothes. All the way back, Ji Hua suppressed her cravings, her pretty brows growing increasingly cold while her pupils held an indistinct trace of red.
Acting as a very well-behaved mute, Wen Huaiyue did not dare to speak another word.
As soon as they returned home, Ji Hua slammed the door shut, her legs giving out from beneath her as she collapsed to the floor.
Strange. She had clearly sucked blood yesterday. Logically speaking, it should have stabilized her condition for a period of time and allowed her to maintain a certain level of immunity against other people’s blood. Why had things turned out like this?
Could it be that this child’s blood was useless?
Impossible. Ji Hua quickly dismissed the thought. The effects brought by those few drops of blood yesterday were obvious; it was impossible for it to be useless.
Ji Hua did not understand, but she quickly lost the mental capacity to figure it out as that wave of desire rolled back in with a vengeance, carrying an even greater storm. At the center of the storm was a greedy craving.
She wanted blood.
She wanted blood.
She wanted blood.
Terrified by this appearance, Wen Huaiyue stood far away, not dared to approach as she stammered, “Older sister.”
Staring at her, Ji Hua wore a raw expression that made her pretty and striking face drop several degrees in temperature. Taking a breath, she said softly, “Come here.”
Frozen in place, Wen Huaiyue did not dare to move.
Intensifying her tone, Ji Hua commanded, “Come here!”
Walking over mechanically on stiff legs, Wen Huaiyue opened her mouth to speak when Ji Hua grabbed her by the neck and pulled her forward. Plunging into darkness, Wen Huaiyue felt a sharp pain at her neck, and she could not help letting out a shriek.
That sharp pain did not stop because of her scream; it only gradually slowed its pace. A fog filled Ji Hua’s mind, and she was enveloped by a sweet and alluring scent, leaving her brain with nothing but endless desire.
She had never lost control like this before.
She was as greedy as a severe patient desperately craving a life-saving medication.
After about a minute, Ji Hua slowly pulled away, licked the blood from the corner of her lips, and took a low breath.
With her face covered in tears, the moment Ji Hua let go, Wen Huaiyue collapsed limply to the floor, her eyes filled with terror as she looked at Ji Hua as though viewing a monster.
“You are a demon? Why did you bite me?” Wen Huaiyue’s voice carried a crying sob.
A demon?
Ji Hua found this word rather amusing. Compared to humans, perhaps she really was a demon.
Sucking blood, and having lived for hundreds of years.
Patting the child’s cheek with a beaming smile, she said, “That is right. So if you do not listen, I will eat you.”
Ji Hua rarely smiled, and even when she did, it was usually a malicious grin that scared Wen Huaiyue half to death every single time. A smile this radiant seemed to be the first, but the effect was about the same as before, as Wen Huaiyue was still practically frightened out of her wits by the night.
In this short span of time, unable to remember her family, staying together with a bad woman from her memories who pinched her, and now having that same bad woman bite her, the weight of ignorance, fear, and multiple pressures crashed down on the little child all at once. She completely broke down, pouted, and started crying again.
Ji Hua: “…”
It was not that she had never seen children, but a child who could cry this much really was a first.