Chapter 32: Misunderstanding – She Could Deceive Many, But Not Herself Part 2

Upon hearing “Thousand-Year Red Lion,” You Nian’s feet, which had been striding forward, came to a halt.

She turned to run away, but Bian Rong quickly grabbed her.

Bian Rong sized up You Nian. “Little rabbit, you’re so timid. How did the You Family send you here?”

“I!” You Nian puffed out her chest. “My potential is infinite!”

Ye Xi couldn’t help but laugh. Shen Mingjin reached out and rescued You Nian from Bian Rong’s grasp. “She won’t eat you.”

Shao Li spotted Ye Xi and the others and immediately came forward to greet them. They had originally come to welcome Ye Xi, but her gaze first locked onto Shen Mingjin. “Miss Mingjin!”

The two people walking with Shao Li were also very excited. They completely ignored Bian Rong and Ye Xi, the two physicians, and walked to within a step of Shen Mingjin before slowly stopping, their eyes full of respect and longing. “It’s really Miss Mingjin!”

As soon as their voices fell, the village suddenly bustled with activity.

Doors to house after house flew open, and demons leaped out one after another, swarming toward where Ye Xi and the others stood. Every demon shouted, “Miss Mingjin!”

These demons’ bodies weren’t as close to human as the leaders’. Most of them retained demon clan features, making it easy to identify their kinds.

Crocodiles, tigers, black bears…

You Nian nervously swallowed. Fear rose in her heart, and her small body pressed closer to Shen Mingjin’s back.

The little rabbit had hidden all her rabbit features, afraid that even a hint of rabbit fur would make her someone’s meal.

Fortunately, all these demons’ attention was on Shen Mingjin. They were moved to tears, looking nothing like the ferocious demon clan.

They squeezed Bian Rong and Qiao Yan out, surrounding Shen Mingjin in layers upon layers. Every demon kept pushing inward, but the innermost ones stopped a meter away from Shen Mingjin.

It was clear they all wanted to get closer, but every demon restrained the urge.

The demon crowd buzzed with discussion mixed with soft sobs, proclaiming Shen Mingjin’s sky-high popularity in Wanghe Village.

“I never thought Miss Mingjin would come to Wanghe Village to see us! You’ve worked hard, Miss Mingjin!”

“Miss Mingjin looks like she’s lost some weight. You must eat well—have more meat to nourish yourself!”

“Miss Mingjin looks just like the clan leader. She’s a million times prettier in person than in photos!”

“I think Miss Mingjin resembles Miss Ruo Ling more. They’re clearly from the snake clan, but both so gentle!”

“…”

Ye Xi hadn’t quite grasped the situation yet when her ears caught You Nian’s mutter. “A support rate over ninety percent is terrifying. Once Sixth Sister’s support rate rises, maybe I can be recognized by the clan too.”

Hearing You Nian’s mutter, Ye Xi suddenly understood.

Since clan leaders were elected by vote, with every clan member holding one vote, everyone in a high position had won the people’s hearts.

Whom they voted for meant whom they wanted to support, whom they were willing to love.

Whatever support rate Shen Minghuan had in the Embracing Snow Clan was how many demons recognized Shen Mingjin as their princess.

The respect they had for Shen Minghuan was the love they had for Shen Mingjin.

No wonder Shen Mingjin said mediating among her colleagues was hard and she might get caught in the crossfire, but not her.

These demons loved Shen Mingjin too much to hurt her. They didn’t even need her to speak to them—they could imagine plenty of conversations on their own.

“I heard Miss Mingjin is a mediator now. She’s so gentle and approachable!”

“Is Miss Mingjin here to campaign for the clan leader’s re-election next year? Don’t worry, Miss Mingjin—we’ll keep supporting the clan leader in the big election next year!”

“Miss Mingjin, I heard you’re going on blind dates. Make sure to find a powerful yet gentle demon! Be happy, no matter what!”

“…”

Shen Mingjin stayed somewhat apart from the demon crowd. Aside from her mediation duties, she rarely appeared in the Embracing Snow Clan. This wasn’t her first time facing such a scene, but she still handled it awkwardly. Suddenly, someone noticed that Shen Mingjin was still holding Ye Xi’s hand.

“Miss Mingjin, is this your partner?”

“Is she a powerful demon?”

“Will you treat Miss Mingjin well?”

“…”

Village Chief Shao Li belatedly noticed Ye Xi’s appearance. She extended a hand toward Ye Xi with a friendly smile. “You’re Physician Ye, right? Vice Director Qin’s granddaughter?”

Ye Xi nodded. As soon as she acknowledged her identity, the demon crowd exploded.

Worry mixed into the demons’ enthusiasm, and the discussions grew chaotic and noisy. Ye Xi could only catch some keywords.

“How is it a Ye Clan physician? Shen Vice Bureau is Miss Mingjin’s aunt, and she doesn’t get along with the Ye Clan’s successive clan leaders. Will a Ye Clan child really treat Miss Mingjin well?”

“Miss Mingjin’s demon power is getting weaker and weaker. Having a physician as a partner will help her life going forward, but she looks so frail and tiny. Her stamina probably isn’t great either—can she really take care of Miss Mingjin?”

“…”

Ye Xi really needed a mirror right now to see her own face. Shen Mingjin had said she was slender, fragile, full of vitality like a hibiscus flower—that was still a compliment.

But Shen Minghuan and these Embracing Snow Clan demons were straight-up saying her stamina was poor, and that carried some attack.

Ye Xi clearly remembered she was only pretending to be weak, not actually weak.

Ye Xi wanted to straighten her back and tell these demons her stamina was excellent, but thinking of Bian Rong and Qiao Yan probably lurking in a corner observing her, she dismissed the idea and dejectedly accepted the demons’ evaluation of her.

The only silver lining was that the demons were so enthusiastic toward Shen Mingjin—talking nonstop and densely—that Shen Mingjin, with her gentle, slow speech, couldn’t find a chance to clarify their relationship.

Some dim-eyed demons didn’t recognize You Nian’s identity and started asking Shen Mingjin if You Nian was her and Ye Xi’s daughter.

Though some demons questioned how human and demon could conceive, others who were convinced by that one began brainwashing themselves that You Nian really did look like them.

Ye Xi laughed so hard she collapsed into Shen Mingjin’s arms, using the embrace to hide her upturned lips.

Shen Mingjin couldn’t find a chance to explain to the demons, but facing Ye Xi who had buried herself in her arms, she had the opportunity to ask, “Ye Xi, are you tired?”

Ye Xi wasn’t tired at all now. This lively scene was completely outside her expectations, but her adaptability was strong.

She not only accepted the demons’ clamor but even hoped the misunderstanding would deepen a bit more.

Shen Mingjin took Ye Xi’s silence as acquiescence.

She circulated her demon power to make her voice louder. “Village Chief Shao, Ye Xi didn’t rest well last night. She really needs sleep now. Can she start work tomorrow?”

Shao Li, as village chief, was more steady than the villagers, but she was a great demon who had stayed in the Embracing Snow Clan’s core circle and even followed the First Generation Leader into battle. She had participated in the internal strife that caused the rapid decline of the Spirit-Devouring Snake Clan, losing many family members in the chaos.

Her feelings toward Shen Mingjin were more complex—not just respect and love, but also seeing her deceased child through Shen Mingjin. Her eyes held an elder’s affection. “Miss Mingjin, did you escort Physician Ye here?”

“I… I’m here to accompany Ye Xi.”

“Accompany?” Shao Li was somewhat surprised. “Will Miss Mingjin be staying in Wanghe Village?”

Shen Mingjin nodded lightly, and cheers of delight erupted from the demon crowd. Shao Li was excited too, struggling to keep her voice calm. “Miss Mingjin, I’ll arrange accommodations right away.”

“Sister, are we going to live separately?” Ye Xi asked.

“Village Chief Shao.” Shen Mingjin called out to stop Shao Li, her face flushing red as she murmured softly, “I… I’ll just stay with Ye Xi at the village clinic.”

Another wave of discussion swept through the demon crowd. Shao Li raised her hand. “Everyone, disperse. Don’t disturb Miss Mingjin and Physician Ye from resting.”

She held high prestige in the village, and the demon crowd quieted, though they didn’t leave. Instead, they tacitly cleared a path for Shen Mingjin, their gazes still fixed on her.

You Nian quietly touched the imperial token she had envied for so long. She had been too envious earlier to explain she wasn’t Shen Mingjin and Ye Xi’s daughter. Now, seeing the demons’ reluctance and respect for Shen Mingjin, her eyes held even more envy.

She somewhat greedily relished the mistaken gazes of affection thrown her way as if she were Shen Mingjin’s daughter.

As an illegitimate daughter without status, the little rabbit couldn’t even show her face much in the Moon Perch Clan, let alone be recognized by the clan.

Hugging the imperial token, she muttered softly, “Snake Sister, if only I really were your daughter.”

You Nian immediately shook her head after saying it. “No, no—Mommy would be sad.”

Ye Xi gave You Nian a deep look but didn’t get a chance to comfort her before Bian Rong and Qiao Yan, separated by the demon crowd, reappeared.

Qiao Yan’s face was very unpleasant, tinged with indignation. “If not for Si Ruoling being raised in your family, how could your Spirit-Devouring Snake Clan…”

“Qiao Yan!” Bian Rong shot her a glare before she could finish.

Qiao Yan seemed to resent that power had fallen into the Spirit-Devouring Snake Clan’s hands instead of ultimately the Verdant Wolf Clan’s.

She might still fantasize that if the Verdant Wolf Clan had won, she too could have sky-high popularity in the Embracing Snow Clan like Shen Mingjin.

Bian Rong timely shattered Qiao Yan’s delusion, but the demon crowd had already looked over, and Shao Li noticed her too. “And this is?”

Bian Rong stroked Qiao Yan’s neck and smiled apologetically. “She’s my contract demon. She faces patients with me every day and still can’t speak properly.”

She was concealing Qiao Yan’s identity. As her voice fell, she patted Qiao Yan. “Apologize already.”

In any other place, Qiao Yan definitely wouldn’t apologize, but this was Embracing Snow Clan territory.

She lowered her head toward Shen Mingjin, her lips moving with difficulty. “Sorry.”

Ye Xi finally understood why Qiao Yan’s face had looked so bad when she learned she was bringing Shen Mingjin.

In Wanghe Village, Qiao Yan had to carefully hide all malice toward Shen Mingjin. Any leak would get her torn apart by the demon crowd.

Shao Li left the other two leaders to disperse the crowd and advise them to keep their distance from Shen Mingjin. She alone led Shen Mingjin toward the village clinic under everyone’s gazes.

Because human and demon lifestyles and environments differed, after each assessment location was set, the General Bureau always arranged for someone to build a village clinic with the local demons. The village clinic also showcased how much the village valued physicians.

Wanghe Village’s village clinic was well-built—a large courtyard with rooms for receiving patients and treating them, plus several extra rooms for physicians to rest.

After escorting Ye Xi and the others there, Shao Li immediately ushered Bian Rong and Qiao Yan to leave. Qiao Yan was baffled. “Shouldn’t we stay here too?”

Shao Li smiled politely. “Please understand, physicians. Miss Mingjin is our clan leader’s sister. If we let her room with outsiders and our clan demons found out, they’d say we’re mistreating Miss Mingjin.”

“Little Ye.”

Bian Rong called out to Ye Xi. Ye Xi pretended to be drowsy and nuzzled into Shen Mingjin’s arms, acting as if she hadn’t heard Bian Rong’s voice.

“Village Chief Shao.” Bian Rong clearly had words for Ye Xi. She gave Shao Li a deep look. “Let me say a few words to Little Ye.”

She approached Ye Xi and lowered her voice. “Little Ye, you’ve seen it. Shen Second Miss has too much popularity in the Embracing Snow Clan—too many eyes on her. Her staying will delay our work. Why don’t you have her…”

Bian Rong and the others wanted to send Shen Mingjin away. Before Ye Xi could refuse, Shao Li stepped forward. “Physician Ye, we won’t interfere with your work.”

Shao Li’s ears twitched lightly, wisps of red light around them betraying her eavesdropping. She felt no guilt facing Bian Rong directly—she only feared Ye Xi would really send Shen Mingjin away and disappoint the demons eager for just one more look.

“I’ll make sure the village demons keep their distance from you.”

“Sister has to stay with me. I’m scared without Sister,” Ye Xi said.

Ye Xi was very satisfied with her new persona. A casual excuse was enough to brush off Bian Rong.

Bian Rong and Qiao Yan didn’t want Shen Mingjin staying, but with Shao Li refusing to budge until they left, they had no choice but to follow her out.

After only Ye Xi and the other two remained in the clinic, Shen Mingjin let out a sigh of relief. She thought for a moment and said to Ye Xi, “Ye Xi, the demons in the village are a bit too enthusiastic. They’re like that because they themselves or their parents went through that chaotic period and were very grateful for the current stability, so they paid extra attention to me. Don’t hold it against them. I’ll find a chance to explain things clearly to them—we’re not partners. I…”

Ye Xi no longer leaned against Shen Mingjin. She softly called out to Shen Mingjin, interrupting her apology. “Jiejie.”

“Hm?”

“I was actually pretty happy about their misunderstanding.” Ye Xi’s lips curved up in delight, her voice even seeming soaked in joy. “This proves that in Sister’s clanspeople’s eyes, I’m someone worthy of standing by her side.”

Shen Mingjin’s pupils suddenly dilated several times over. She retreated several steps in shock, her words coming out tense and stammering. “Y-Ye Xi.”

Ye Xi tightened her hold on the Pink Fur Rabbit and flashed an exaggerated smile. “Sister, I was just joking.”

Seeing Shen Mingjin visibly relax, Ye Xi hugged the Pink Fur Rabbit and began picking out rooms. “This one’s nice. This one’s good too. Sister, why don’t you and You Nian pick first?”