Ji Xuanyue caught hold of his prey. The moment the tip of his tongue touched it, a rich, mellow sweetness blossomed across his mouth. His eyes flickered, the vertical pupils glinting faintly in the dark. His slender forked tongue probed deeper, inch by inch, pressing and sweeping over every part, unwilling to let a single drop escape.
Accompanied by the sound of steady, unbroken swallowing, the person on the bed stirred in their sleep and let out a few muffled whimpers.
Ji Xuanyue paid no attention to the slight movement. The ceaseless sweetness seeping forth nourished his damaged demon core, and all he wanted now was a little more of the medicine spirit’s nectar.
Not enough. Still not enough.
His forked tongue roamed wantonly, pressing and grinding. Who knew how much time had passed before Su Yu suddenly jerked, a tearful whimper escaping her. A fresh rush of sweetness came pouring forth without warning. Then the frail mortal went limp once more, collapsing back onto the couch, her body trembling unconsciously. Yet her eyes remained tightly shut. She never woke.
For a moment, Ji Xuanyue froze as sweetness surged toward him, the darkness in his eyes deepening further.
Outside the gauze curtains, the moon’s shadow had shifted who knew how many inches. At last, though reluctant to stop, he finally drew back and gathered the sleeping figure into his arms.
When Su Yu woke up, her mind had not yet fully cleared. The first thing that startled her was the weight pressing against her chest. Looking down, she saw an arm wrapped around her from behind. As it held her in its embrace, the hand rested right over her breast.
She froze for a moment, then her face flared red. Hastily, she pushed the hand away and sat up, blushing furiously. Her sudden string of movements naturally woke the person beside her. He opened his eyes and looked at her, his gaze falling on the soft white flesh that trembled slightly.
Realizing what he was looking at, Su Yu’s mind went blank. Flustered, she grabbed the thin blanket and pulled it over her chest, forcing out a question.
“Y-you… why are you still sleeping today…?”
Usually, whenever she woke up, Ji Xuanyue was already out of bed.
As the blanket was tugged away, Su Yu could see most of Ji Xuanyue’s shoulder and back. At the same time, she noticed the distinct bite mark on his shoulder and the scratches near his shoulder blade. Memories of the previous night came flooding back. Realizing how those marks were made, Su Yu quickly averted her gaze.
Following her gaze, Ji Xuanyue glanced down at the bite mark on his shoulder. His expression remained perfectly calm. “Didn’t my wife say she wanted a hug?”
“What?” Su Yu didn’t understand at first and instinctively looked at him.
Their eyes met, and the fragmented memories from the night before suddenly fit together.
While she was beneath him, reaching up to wrap her arms around his shoulders and back, she had said in a pitiful, aggrieved voice that she wanted a hug.
Su Yu’s face instantly turned red all the way to her ears. That had been a special situation in the middle of the night. She had only wanted him to hold her for a while, not keep her in his arms all night.
She opened her mouth, but no words came out. Besides, it was already daytime now. Had he really held her the whole time she slept?
At the thought, the skin over her chest seemed to warm again.
“My wife, what is it? Are you feeling unwell?”
Su Yu shook her head. His question made her realize she wasn’t in pain at all. Aside from a faint soreness deep inside, she felt perfectly fine, even refreshingly clean.
“That’s good. You worked hard last night. Let me help you get dressed.” As he spoke, he got out of bed and walked over to the wardrobe, taking out a set of clothes.
Su Yu didn’t dare lift her head. At the moment, he was wearing only a pair of plain white trousers, his upper body bare. It was one thing when they had been together without reservations during the night, but seeing him standing before her like this in broad daylight left her unbearably embarrassed.
“Husband,” she said softly, pulling the edge of the quilt higher and keeping her eyes downcast, “I can manage by myself.”
Ji Xuanyue looked at her for a moment but did not insist. “Very well. I’ll get dressed and step outside first. Take your time.”
Setting the clothes down, he turned and went behind the folding screen. His indistinct silhouette was cast upon it, accompanied by the rustle of fabric as he quickly dressed. Before long, he left the room.
Only after confirming that he was gone did Su Yu finally let out a sigh of relief. She lifted the covers and looked down at herself carefully. She had thought she would be injured to some extent, but aside from a little redness, she felt no other discomfort. There wasn’t even a trace of blood. It seemed he had cleaned her up beforehand.
The thought warmed her cheeks, and a gentle warmth stirred in her heart as well. Their consummation had already been delayed for so long, and last night, mindful that it was her first time, he had stopped as soon as she could bear no more. Somehow, she had truly been fortunate enough to meet someone like him. Blushing, she finished getting dressed and pushed the door open to go outside.
Ji Xuanyue stayed home again that day.
After what happened the previous night, Su Yu found she could no longer be as at ease around him as when they were alone together.
Using the excuse of tending to her medicinal seedlings, she squatted in the herb garden and busied herself loosening the soil. When she glanced back, she saw that Ji Xuanyue had taken a seat beneath the veranda, casually flipping through a book. He remained within sight of her, yet still gave her space to herself.
After a while, a guard came in to report, “Young Master, someone from the Demon Suppression Bureau has arrived for an inspection. They’ve just reached the gate.”
Hearing this, Su Yu paused in what she was doing. Noticing the tension on her face, Ji Xuanyue gave her a reassuring look before turning to the guard.
“Show them to the main hall. I’ll be there shortly.”
After the guard withdrew, Ji Xuanyue spoke comfortingly to her. “They’re only here to ask a few routine questions. There’s no need to be nervous, my lady. I’ll be right back.”
Su Yu nodded, but she still could not stop herself from feeling anxious.
Ever since records of demons had first existed, demon hunters had existed alongside them. Though demon hunters were ordinary mortals of flesh and blood, they could draw the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into their bodies and wield it as their own. Some used talismans to trap demons; others controlled spiritual artifacts to fight their enemies. Their individual abilities couldn’t compare to those of the most powerful demons, but their strength lay in an unbroken lineage passed down through generations.
The Demon Suppression Bureau was the government office the imperial court established to oversee and manage people with special abilities.
Whenever a demon caused trouble, the nearest Bureau branch dispatched personnel to suppress the disturbance and capture the culprit. Their visit today was undoubtedly related to Zhao Li’s case.
But Zhao Li’s case involved both her and Ji Xuanyue. If the investigation uncovered anything…
Su Yu felt uneasy. After some thought, she still detoured to the front hall and stopped behind the partition.
Inside the hall, Ji Xuanyue sat in the seat of honor. Chang Lin occupied the lower seat, with two subordinates standing behind him, long swords hanging at their waists.
Chang Lin had already spent several days investigating the area around Wu County, yet had found no leads. The Zhao family had greased a few palms, and pressure had come down from above, ordering them to continue the investigation for several more days. With little choice, he came to Qingyang County, Zhao Li’s old stomping grounds, hoping to stumble upon a clue.
But Qingyang County was even cleaner than expected. Forget demonic traces; he could not even find a single beast that had cultivated sentience. By chance, he had recently pried a lead out of one of the Zhao family’s servants. Before his death, Zhao Li seemed to have abducted a young woman and taken her with him to Wu County.
Chang Lin had followed that trail for several days, yet had been unable to discover the woman’s identity. Instead, he uncovered an old record showing that Zhao Li had once accosted Madam Ji on the streets of Qingyang County.
“Young Master Ji,” Chang Lin said in a businesslike tone, “I presume you’ve heard of Zhao Li’s case. During our investigation, we discovered that before the incident, Zhao Li abducted a woman and took her with him to Wu County. To this day, however, we have been unable to ascertain her identity.”
“I’ve also heard that Zhao Li once harassed your honored wife in public. I came today to ask a few questions. Has Madam been well lately? Has she suffered any further harassment from Zhao Li?”
Ji Xuanyue maintained his usual gentle demeanor. “You are most thoughtful, Magistrate Chang. My wife has been recuperating at home these days and has not left the residence.”
Chang Lin hesitated. Thinking he ought at least to meet Madam Ji and ask her a few questions before reporting back, he spoke again. “Would it be possible for me to meet your honored wife?”
Hearing this, Su Yu twisted the sleeve of her robe nervously behind the partition.
Ji Xuanyue will surely find some excuse to refuse, she thought. But that alone won’t be enough to dispel his suspicions. As long as those doubts remained, they could easily become a problem in the future. With that in mind, she deliberately made her footsteps heavier and stepped out from behind the partition.
“Husband.” A hint of curiosity appeared on Su Yu’s face. “I heard that an officer from the Demon Suppression Bureau has come to visit. Has there been any progress in the Wu County case?”
Ji Xuanyue had already noticed the sounds Su Yu was making behind the partition. He simply hadn’t expected her to step out on her own. Reaching out, he took her hand. “My wife, you’ve come.”
Chang Lin’s gaze settled on Su Yu. Having spent years hunting demons, he had encountered countless women connected to investigations. If someone had truly been involved in a death or in dealings with demons, there would usually be some trace of evasiveness when questioned. But Madam Ji appeared perfectly natural and composed. She even offered him a polite bow.
“Lord Chang, you’ve worked tirelessly, traveling everywhere in pursuit of this case. It must have been exhausting. If there’s anything you’d like to ask, please feel free.”
Lowering her lashes, Su Yu let a lingering hint of fear show on her face.
“It’s just that Young Master Zhao’s conduct was outrageous. I suffered at his hands before. Now that I’ve heard he’s finally met with retribution, I truly don’t know what to say…”
“There’s no need to be afraid, Madam. We’re merely conducting routine inquiries,” Chang Lin replied in an official tone. “Did you happen to see Zhao Li at any time in recent days?”
Su Yu shook her head. “I did not.”
Chang Lin studied her for a moment but detected nothing unusual. This was only a routine visit, after all. After asking a few more casual questions and obtaining no useful information, he could only take his leave.
“If that’s the case, then I won’t trouble you any longer.”
Only after the Demon Suppression Bureau officers departed did the weight hanging over Su Yu’s heart finally lift. The calmness she had shown moments earlier vanished, and her palms grew slick with sweat.
Ji Xuanyue caught the faintly bitter scent drifting from her body. “You didn’t have to come out, my wife.”
“I’m fine,” Su Yu said with a forced smile. “It’s better to clear things up now than have him come back again later.”
Ji Xuanyue nodded. “Mm. Rest assured, my wife. They won’t be coming back again.”
Su Yu had been anxious all day after learning that officers from the Demon Suppression Bureau had come to the manor. But before nightfall, news arrived that another demon incident had occurred north of Wu County. The Bureau’s officers immediately left Qingyang County and headed north.
“How is it that another demon has appeared? Could it be the same one from Wu County?”
Fresh from her bath, Su Yu had just returned to her room. Her jet-black hair was still damp with moisture as she sat before the bronze mirror. Standing behind her, Ji Xuanyue was carefully drying her hair, strand by strand, with a clean towel. She had been doing it herself, but the moment Ji Xuanyue entered the room, he took over.
“Perhaps.” Ji Xuanyue spoke, his attention still fixed on her hair. “The people from the Demon Suppression Bureau have already gone to investigate. There’s no need for you to worry about such matters anymore, my wife.”
Su Yu nodded. Her heart truly felt a little lighter. She had just been thinking that demons seemed to have been appearing with unusual frequency lately when the man behind her suddenly bent down. His nose brushed close to the top of her head as he inhaled softly. Then he spoke, warm breath slipping through her half-dried hair and grazing her scalp.
“It smells wonderful.”
The sudden intimacy sent a shiver through her entire body, and her shoulders instinctively drew inward.
The candlelight flickered, stretching his shadow long across the room, where it tangled and overlapped with her own.
The worry brought on by thoughts of demons had not yet fully faded when another, far more familiar kind of nervousness took over.
Last night, they had finally shared the intimacy of husband and wife. Tonight…
“I… I used some medicinal herbs,” she said nervously. “And added a little dried osmanthus. If you like it, we can use the same mixture the next time you wash your hair.”
Ji Xuanyue said nothing at first. He merely looked at her through the mirror while continuing to dry her hair. After a moment, he finally replied, “Very well. The next time I wash my hair, I’ll leave it in my wife’s capable hands.”
He set the towel down on the dressing table. His long fingers slowly withdrew from her hair, his fingertips brushing past the spot behind her ear as if by accident.
“Your hair is almost dry.” He leaned down slightly and met her gaze in the mirror. “My wife, it’s time to retire.”
He held her eyes for a moment, his voice as gentle as ever. Yet for some reason, the simple invitation made Su Yu’s heartbeat grow uneven once more.