Chapter 21: The Request: Drawing Closer, Growing More Intimate

Shen Mingjin walked very hurriedly, as if fleeing in disarray.

After Shen Mingjin left, Ye Xi collapsed back onto the sofa. She stared at the cash on the coffee table and let out a very soft sigh now that the living room was empty.

Shen Mingjin was truly strange. Normal people generally avoided questions about their private affairs, but Shen Mingjin was different. When Ye Xi asked about her family or relationships, she would answer, but she refused to say a word about anything else.

In the empty surroundings, Ye Xi was no longer her vibrant and radiant self. Her brows drooped downward, and all the hidden questions surfaced.

With no answers to her doubts, Ye Xi reached out and hugged the Pink Fur Rabbit Doll to her chest. She buried her head in the soft hollow of its furry neck and mumbled softly, “Xiao Xi, what kind of person do you think Shen Mingjin is?”

Back when she lived in the Deep Mountains, Ye Xi had shared her innermost thoughts with the Pink Fur Rabbit. This habit of burying her head had carried over from childhood. The doll carried a warm, sunlit fragrance, and from their constant companionship, it had developed a familiar comfort. Every time Ye Xi buried her face in its soft fur, she felt an unparalleled sense of peace.

Childhood.

Ye Xi paused slightly.

She belatedly realized something was off. Back then, the Pink Fur Rabbit had been as tall as she was, and even now, it was still the same height as her. But compared to her childhood self, she wasn’t just taller—her body shape had changed significantly too. It didn’t make sense for the doll to still match her current size.

Despite such obvious differences, how had she immediately recognized it as her childhood companion?

Ye Xi lifted her head from the fur. Her stiff body slowly moved as she recalled the four messages verified as true by Shen Mingjin—messages sent in her grandmother’s name, urging her to listen to Xiao Xi, saying it would guide her.

Thinking back carefully on the process of treating that little girl earlier, her body had felt like it was being controlled by someone else as she performed those actions.

Ye Xi clenched her teeth gently. Her facial muscles tightened bit by bit, and her eyes fixed dead on the Pink Fur Rabbit. Bloodshot veins gradually appeared in them. “Xiao Xi, are you a person?”

Truthfully, Ye Xi wasn’t very afraid of danger. She had brute strength and had fused it with the ‘medical techniques’ taught by Ye Tan. When fighting, she always aimed to break bones first. As long as the opponent let her get close, she was confident she could snap a few of theirs. What she feared were the inhuman existences from horror movies.

The kind she couldn’t reach or touch.

She was truly afraid of that.

The strange itching sensations in her chest and legs from earlier resurfaced in her mind, mingling with a complex swirl of emotions. Ultimately, the thought that Ye Tan wouldn’t harm her prevailed.

Ye Xi didn’t let herself dwell on it further. She simply tidied up the mess, putting the Little Black Bear and the medicines back in their places. Mustering her courage, she reached out and hugged the Pink Fur Rabbit Doll again, then leaned back on the sofa and fell asleep.

If Shen Mingjin had turned back at that moment, she probably would have marveled at Ye Xi’s boldness.

—

Ye Xi woke again to the sound of the doorbell. Still groggy from sleep, she yawned and positioned the Pink Fur Rabbit Doll properly before going to open the door.

Standing outside was Shen Mingjin, dressed and ready to head out. Her outfit was quite different from their previous encounters. She was no longer in a thin skirt but dressed appropriately for winter: a white sweater underneath, a light pink woolen coat, and a cream-colored scarf around her neck. The soft colors gentled her striking features.

Shen Mingjin had coiled up her long hair, revealing ears adorned with two lustrous pearl earrings. The pearls’ soft glow added even more tenderness.

She, who usually seemed vibrant, flamboyant, and a bit shrewd, now exuded a gentle, soft aura.

Like a lustrous, mild pink pearl, radiating serene warmth that made it hard to look away, drawing one to sink into its rosy glow bit by bit.

Or like a seductive, alluring fox draped in the skin of a soft, floppy-eared rabbit.

Soft and fragile-looking, seeming easy to bully.

Ye Xi stared blankly for a moment before masking her daze with a smile that lit up her face. Teasing lilt entered her voice. “Sister, aren’t you afraid of getting too hot?”

Shen Mingjin caught the teasing in Ye Xi’s tone and recalled her excuse about fearing the heat when she first refused to be friends. A faint blush colored her cheeks. Even though it wasn’t a lie, she still felt a bit embarrassed, and her voice softened further. “I have to go out today, so I can’t dress too lightly.”

Shen Mingjin didn’t spell it out, but Ye Xi understood the implication: she had dressed this way to avoid standing out.

Ever since falling ill, Ye Xi had stayed cooped up at home. The only time she had gone out was moving from there to Half-Mountain Spirit Garden. Hearing that Shen Mingjin was heading out, she felt a touch of envy. “Sister, are you going somewhere with lots of people?”

“I have work.” Shen Mingjin nodded honestly and offered a kind concern. “Ye Xi, is there anything you want? I can bring it back for you.”

Yesterday’s rainwater had been a miracle cure, completely soothing the heat in her body.

Ye Xi no longer felt any restlessness, and her skin wouldn’t burn at random anymore. A thought sparked in her mind. “Sister, can I go with you?”

Shen Mingjin looked at Ye Xi, clear hesitation in her eyes. “Ye Xi, your… your family probably doesn’t let you go out, right?”

“Sister, I’m free.”

Ye Xi meant it sincerely. Ye Tan had only told her to live here and not talk to strangers—she hadn’t forbidden her from going out. Those four messages had only warned her not to approach the first eleven buildings, not to stay home entirely. Ye Xi had promised to stay put, but she could take back her own words.

Shen Mingjin eyed Ye Xi suspiciously, not agreeing right away.

Sensing the hesitation, Ye Xi knew there was room to negotiate. She pressed on. “Sister, doesn’t your work involve mediating medical disputes? I can help! I’m great at talking people down.”

Ye Xi wasn’t just clinging because she wanted to go out. She had already guessed that something was wrong with Half-Mountain Spirit Garden. Staying home alone might lead to intruders like Xiong Xin. Going out alone could bring even more strange encounters. After thinking it over, she decided sticking with Shen Mingjin was safest for now.

She was willing to trust that Shen Mingjin wouldn’t harm her.

Shen Mingjin still hesitated. “But…”

“Sister, didn’t you say you’d treat me to a meal?” Ye Xi beamed her brightest smile. “No time like the present!”

Shen Mingjin somewhat regretted stopping by. She had impulsively thought Ye Xi might need something before heading out, and her momentary soft-heartedness had led to knocking on the door—putting her in this awkward spot now.

She had promised to treat Ye Xi to dinner and even considered sneaking her out, but when the moment came, she wavered.

Seeing the hesitation deepen in Shen Mingjin’s eyes, Ye Xi grabbed her fingers and pleaded softly. “Sister, I haven’t been out in so long. Please take me with you.”

The sweet, soft voice wrapped around her ears. Shen Mingjin thought it over and finally nodded. “Alright.”

She guessed Ye Tan probably didn’t want Ye Xi leaving home—seeing more might make her notice the anomalies. Shen Mingjin wanted to help Ye Tan keep it hidden, but… leaving Ye Xi alone carried risks too, including potential danger.

Though the supervisors of each building had issued strict orders yesterday not to disturb Ye Xi or reveal their Demon Bodies in front of her, Xiong Xin had disobeyed last night. Others might not follow orders either.

Some might even deliberately cause trouble for Ye Xi.

The Ye Family Witch Doctors had held an important position among the Demon Clan for too long. In Half-Mountain Spirit Garden, there were those like Shen Mingjin who were grateful to the Ye family, but also those who resented them.

With Shen Mingjin’s permission, Ye Xi quickly got herself ready. She put on a fluffy coat like Shen Mingjin, blending into the winter as much as possible.

She had wanted to wrap a scarf too, but as soon as the thick fabric touched her skin, the heat returned. A scarf on top of that was out of the question.

Ye Xi gave up on the scarf and followed Shen Mingjin out the door.

When they reached downstairs, Shen Mingjin stopped. She turned to Ye Xi, looking conflicted.

Ye Xi blinked. “Sister, what’s wrong?”

Shen Mingjin hesitated before speaking. “Ye Xi, could I… cover your eyes?”

Cover her eyes?

Combining it with those four warning messages, Ye Xi instantly realized there might be things outside Building Fourteen she wasn’t supposed to see. Her heart skipped a few irregular beats, but she forced a smile. “Of course!”

Shen Mingjin sighed in relief at Ye Xi’s agreement. Xiong Xin had restrained her Demon Body while seeking medical help, but those wandering near Building Eleven might not hide their Demon Clan traits. If her Demon Power had been full, a simple illusion spell would have sufficed, but now Shen Mingjin was just a Great Demon with only age and defensive strength to her name.

Like a magician, Shen Mingjin pulled a thick, long black cloth from her pocket.

Seeing the cloth suddenly appear and thinking of losing her sight, Ye Xi’s smile froze. Her body instinctively stepped back two paces. “Sister, I just realized—if I can’t see, how will I walk?”

Shen Mingjin didn’t see through Ye Xi’s stalling. She pondered seriously before asking, “Ye Xi, how about I carry you on my back?”

Her tone was gentle, considerate of any sense of being controlled. She even offered another option. “Or you can hold on, if you prefer.”

Ye Xi had experienced little gentleness growing up, so she craved it all the more. If Shen Mingjin had forced her, she might have agreed outwardly but resisted inwardly, peeking later anyway.

But with Shen Mingjin’s soft coaxing, Ye Xi just wanted to go along. She didn’t retreat further and smiled brightly. “Okay!”

The black cloth wrapped around Ye Xi’s head, covering her eyes completely—three full loops, tied with a bow at the back.

Darkness engulfed her vision. With sight gone, her other senses sharpened. She heard the rustle of wind, leaves falling, and her own erratic heartbeat.

Before anxiety could set in, hands lifted her legs. Her body rose, pressing against a soft back. The now-familiar sweet scent dispelled her unease, and a gentle voice soothed her nerves. “Ye Xi, I won’t let you fall.”

In the darkness, Ye Xi’s arms groped forward to rest on Shen Mingjin’s shoulders. Her nose instinctively drew closer to the source of the sweetness, the fragrance mingled with a cool aura easing the heat from the thick clothes. “Sister, I trust you.”