Ye Xi cleared her throat lightly and withdrew her gaze, pretending to be composed as she continued messaging Ye Tan. Ye Tan’s replies had clearly slowed down, and in the end, she only hastily left a message saying to follow the person arranged by the General Bureau tomorrow before vanishing.
Her questions hadn’t received full answers, and Ye Xi’s curiosity had noticeably spiked. With no way to find Ye Tan now, she could only ask Shen Mingjin a bit more.
However, Ye Xi had somewhat underestimated just how unfamiliar Shen Mingjin was with Shen Shuyun. Shen Mingjin not only knew nothing about who Shen Shuyun’s partner was but couldn’t even piece together any suspicious romantic interests.
According to Shen Mingjin, the people Shen Shuyun associated closely with were only the top leadership of the General Bureau and a few trusted subordinates under her.
The problem was that many demons followed the law of the jungle. They had survival of the fittest carved into their bones. Even after clan training, most demons’ temperaments weren’t as stable as those of the Human Clan. Thus, even though the General Bureau had always recruited demons, very few could pass the assessments to enter.
On top of that, the invasion of Extradimensional Demon Poison had left most elder demons afflicted with Hidden Poison.
This Hidden Poison was not only hard to detect but also hereditary, causing severe defects in some demons whose bloodlines already had issues. The most representative example was the near-extinct Spirit-Devouring Snake Clan.
This had accelerated the Ye Clan’s rapid decline and led to fewer and fewer demons who could be hired by the General Bureau.
Now, most of the General Bureau’s staff were Half-Demons and humans.
Humans and demons had different living environments and vastly different survival rules, so for the two clans to coexist, regulating demons was more about oversight than management.
If the upper leadership acted too radically, it could easily spark conflicts between the two clans and worsen relations. As such, without exception, the highest levels of the General Bureau were filled with female leaders who were softer and more approachable yet no less resolute.
There were demon races that could impregnate themselves independently, and others that could impregnate regardless of gender.
But the Human Clan couldn’t, nor could Half-Demons with human blood.
This eliminated all the people who interacted frequently with Shen Shuyun as suspects. Shen Mingjin couldn’t guess who Shen Shuyun could have conceived a life with; she couldn’t even figure out how Shen Shuyun had hidden it from their eyes.
Because she and Shen Minghuan were the last traces of bloodline from the Spirit-Devouring Snake Clan, and with the two sisters’ relationship having deteriorated to such a stiff impasse, Shen Shuyun—who had long stopped involving herself in family matters—had increased her interactions with them in recent years, hoping to mediate between the two.
Shen Mingjin had seen her quite a few times, but she had never sensed any trace of life on Shen Shuyun.
Ye Tan clearly wouldn’t joke about something like this, but Shen Mingjin truly knew nothing useful.
If even Shen Mingjin didn’t know, then little white Ye Xi, who had only just stepped into this circle, knew even less.
Both of them were utterly baffled, racking their brains without any results. Ye Tan’s words about a pregnant snake having no Heat Period were like a body-binding spell cast on them. The two sat quietly on the sofa for an entire night.
Shen Mingjin pondered when exactly Shen Shuyun had gotten pregnant and why she could carry it for so long. Ye Xi thought even more deeply than that.
Beyond what Shen Mingjin was considering, she also wondered what grudge Shen Shuyun could possibly have against Ye Tan.
After thinking it over without conclusions, Ye Xi finally summed it up with one thought: this didn’t affect her interactions with Shen Mingjin. After all, Ye Tan was willing to let her associate with Shen Mingjin and had only warned her to guard against Shen Mingjin’s Heat Period. That proved this grudge wouldn’t extend to the next generation.
This relieved Ye Xi, who had just developed feelings of affection for Shen Mingjin.
—
“Ding bell—”
When the doorbell rang again, Ye Xi and Shen Mingjin realized that it was already the next day. The clock hands in the living room had already reached eight o’clock.
In Building Fourteen, illuminated only by indoor lights, changes in natural light were too subtle.
Ye Xi glanced at the time and shook her groggy head.
Deep contemplation through the night hadn’t made her feel sleepy, but now that the time was clear before her eyes, drowsiness returned to her body.
Remembering Ye Tan’s reminder from the night before, she still got up from the sofa.
Seeing Ye Xi yawning nonstop and wobbling as she walked, Shen Mingjin reached out and pulled her back down. “Ye Xi, I’ll get it.”
Ye Xi followed the pull from Shen Mingjin, her body naturally stumbling back half a step before slowly falling downward.
Half unintentionally and half deliberately, she fell into Shen Mingjin’s arms, landing on Shen Mingjin’s lap.
An exceptionally pleasant sweet fragrance slowly wafted into her nose, stimulating her foggy mind to clear a bit.
According to the distance agreement between Ye Xi and Shen Mingjin, Ye Xi should have immediately left Shen Mingjin’s embrace and sat on the sofa.
But she had never intended to follow the agreement from the start; what she said had been a lie anyway.
Her arms naturally hung at her sides. Before Shen Mingjin could react, her head planted onto Shen Mingjin’s shoulder. “Sister, I’m sleepy.”
Ye Xi deliberately bumped her forehead against Shen Mingjin’s shoulder, making it look like she was too tired to keep sitting upright.
As expected, Shen Mingjin was fooled. Between pushing her away and reminding her to keep distance, Shen Mingjin chose first to steady Ye Xi’s waist to prevent her from sliding further and her head from bumping elsewhere.
Feeling one of Shen Mingjin’s hands lingering at her waist and the other supporting her head, Ye Xi’s lips curved in pleasure.
She said nothing more, just tilted her head slightly.
“Ye… Ye Xi.”
The girl’s soft body suddenly tumbling into her arms had already left Shen Mingjin somewhat at a loss.
Now, with Ye Xi’s head resting on her shoulder and slightly tilted, her warm breath easily brushed against the skin of her neck, sending a tingling itch that climbed up her neck. The heat spread, causing unusual fluctuations in her chest.
Shen Mingjin felt a bit panicked, even her tongue tip going slightly numb.
She called Ye Xi’s name, her voice trembling lightly.
Shen Mingjin was flushed and flustered, while Ye Xi was enjoying it immensely. But the doorbell kept ringing insistently, reminding Ye Xi that she needed to leave Shen Mingjin’s embrace quickly.
Among the demons she’d encountered before, none except Shen Mingjin had used the door properly.
Now, Ye Xi hoped the demon outside would slip through the door crack. Suddenly, a polite one had come.
Ye Xi rubbed her head against Shen Mingjin’s shoulder. “Sister, why doesn’t she slip in through the door crack?”
Shen Mingjin’s hand, which had been about to push Ye Xi away, paused. She answered Ye Xi’s question first. “Maybe… maybe she’s more polite.”
Only after answering the polite and gentle snake did she half-support Ye Xi and move her body back to the sofa.
Ye Xi touched the tip of her nose, the lingering fragrance still tempting her.
She didn’t move again, quietly watching as Shen Mingjin stood up and hurried toward the door.
When she heard the door lock click open, Ye Xi thought that if the demon outside was the one arranged by Ye Tan and too sloppy, it would embarrass Ye Tan. She straightened her slouched body a bit, her fingertips lightly pushing at the corner of her mouth to loosen the stiffened muscles, restoring a shallow curve to her lips.
As the door opened, a slender figure walked in. It was a petite girl with delicate features, skin tinged faintly blue—which looked unnatural—and fine gray fur on her face and arms. Behind her swayed a wolf tail interwoven with gray and white.
A wolf.
The girl entered the living room but didn’t spare Ye Xi a glance.
From the moment she saw Shen Mingjin opening the door, shock flooded her eyes.
Her gaze followed Shen Mingjin as she fully stepped into the living room, then she called out strangely, “Miss Mingjin?”
“You…” Shen Mingjin looked at the girl in confusion. She didn’t detect any clan scent on her, nor did she remember this face, but the girl’s form of address was one only Embracing Snow Clan members used. This struck her as odd. “Are you a demon from the Embracing Snow Clan?”
Shen Mingjin’s questioning voice was very gentle, but the girl suddenly reacted as if her tail had been stepped on.
Her dark, bright eyes suddenly turned cold green, glaring fixedly at Shen Mingjin as hatred gradually surged in them.
The hanging lights in the living room flickered erratically, and a chilling aura rapidly spread.
Seeing the situation turn sour, Ye Xi immediately perked up.
She stood from the sofa and walked to Shen Mingjin’s side, asking the girl calmly, “Who are you?”
The girl finally noticed Ye Xi, confirmed the aura on her, and frowned in clear dissatisfaction. “Physician Ye, Vice Director Qin has a grudge against the Spirit-Devouring Snake Clan. Why are you still associating with the second miss of the Spirit-Devouring Snake Clan?”
It seemed this girl was the one arranged by the General Bureau. Like You Nian, she disliked Shen Mingjin, but her hostility toward Shen Mingjin was even stronger and more overt than You Nian’s.
With this girl as a comparison, the chatty little rabbit suddenly seemed adorable.
Ye Xi had just thought of You Nian when the little rabbit appeared at the door.
You Nian squeezed past the girl with her small body, her little rabbit mouth voicing strong dissatisfaction. “Hey, hey, hey! I’m Physician Ye’s contract demon, and even I haven’t questioned Physician Ye like that. What gives you, someone else’s contract demon, the right to meddle in our Physician Ye’s affairs!”
Someone else’s contract demon?
Shen Mingjin’s gaze swept over the girl’s wolf tail and slowly settled on her neck, where thick fur half-concealed a cyan mark.
The familiar totem revealed the girl’s identity to Shen Mingjin. She nervously pulled Ye Xi behind her. “You’re from the Verdant Wolf Clan?”
Upon hearing that the girl was a demon from the Verdant Wolf Clan, You Nian’s little face instantly paled. Her short little legs grew unsteady, and she could barely walk straight.
She hopped crookedly a couple of times, hiding her small body behind Shen Mingjin as well, then patted her chest in lingering fear.
Seeing Shen Mingjin’s grave expression and the little rabbit—who had been so arrogant earlier relying on her contract demon status—suddenly terrified like this, Ye Xi looked at Shen Mingjin with some worry.
She hadn’t forgotten that Shen Mingjin’s current Demon Power was even weaker than You Nian’s.
Her gaze followed Shen Mingjin’s resolute back as she protected her. A haze suddenly appeared before Ye Xi’s eyes.
Shen Mingjin probably didn’t realize that her way of keeping distance felt more like a temptation.
Aside from Ye Tan, Shen Mingjin was the second person to protect Ye Xi so firmly.
It was hard for Ye Xi not to let herself sink deeper into her fondness for Shen Mingjin, even after being gently rejected.
From now on… she might fall even harder.
Seeing Shen Mingjin protecting Ye Xi, a flash of surprise passed through the girl’s eyes before the hostility on her vanished completely.
Pretending as if nothing had happened, she smiled welcomingly at Ye Xi and extended her hand. “Hello, Physician Ye. I’m Qiao Yan.”
“I’m the Bian Physician’s contract beast. The Bian Physician is human and not convenient to enter Half-Mountain Spirit Garden, so they specially sent me to escort you on the path of advancement that every Demon Bone Physician must take.”
Qiao Yan forced a friendly smile at Ye Xi, as if the aggressively hostile demon from moments ago wasn’t her.
You Nian couldn’t help muttering softly, “Hypocrite.”
Ye Xi had top marks in the art of fake smiles.
She mentally noted Qiao Yan’s earlier behavior and extended her hand with a beaming smile. “Hello, I’m Ye Xi.”
Shen Mingjin could sense Ye Xi’s negative emotions, but You Nian did not have that ability. She only thought Ye Xi’s smile at Qiao Yan was overly brilliant.
The little rabbit nervously grabbed Ye Xi. “Physician Ye, don’t be fooled by her. Not only does she eat fellow rabbit clan members, she’s even eaten humans.”
