Chapter 35: Blood Guide: What’s Inside?

Illegitimate daughter!

Ye Xi only felt a buzzing in her ears. She believed Shen Mingjin wouldn’t tease her, but such rumors were too absurd.

Although Ye Tan had never mentioned her biological parents, based on Ye Xi’s understanding of Ye Tan, she absolutely wouldn’t claim her daughter as a granddaughter just for the sake of reputation. Moreover, Ye Xi suddenly thought of something even more important—she didn’t even know who Ye Tan’s partner was.

As a granddaughter who never gave her grandmother any trouble, Ye Xi had never pried into the missing family members. She had simply assumed the ancestors and parents were dead.

It was already suspicious that Ye Tan’s children had died in the same year. Her partner surely wouldn’t have died that year too.

“Sister, do you know who my grandmother’s partner was?”

Shen Mingjin clenched her palms and shook her head. “I don’t know.”

That made sense.

Shen Mingjin didn’t even know who Shen Shuyun’s partner was, so how could she know Ye Tan’s?

Ye Xi pulled out her phone and stared at the chat with Ye Tan, hesitating over whether to send the message.

She didn’t want to touch Ye Tan’s sore spot, but the fog surrounding her was too thick, almost to the point where she couldn’t take a single step forward.

Before Ye Xi could send her message, one popped up from Ye Tan first.

[Xiao Xi, stay away from Feng Xian.]

Feng Xian.

The Flower Leopard director.

Because Feng Xian and Shao Li had teamed up to pass Qiao Yan around like a hot potato, using tough tactics to protect Shen Mingjin’s status and dignity, Ye Xi had a decent impression of her. Now, seeing Ye Tan tell her to avoid Feng Xian, she couldn’t help but ask.

[Ye Xi: Grandma, is Feng Xian an evil demon?]

[Ye Tan: She’s not an evil demon. She just doesn’t like you very much.]

…

She didn’t like her?

Ye Xi blanked out for a moment, then quickly understood what Ye Tan meant.

Shao Li had no reason to lie to them, which meant Feng Xian really had been Ye Lan’s girlfriend. Just now, Feng Xian had avoided discussing the Ye Family Demon Bone Physician with them. If Shao Li hadn’t said anything, they wouldn’t have known about Feng Xian and Ye Lan’s relationship. Usually, someone who had truly moved on wouldn’t deliberately avoid mentioning that person.

So… Feng Xian might still have feelings for Ye Lan, and it was possible the breakup hadn’t been her choice.

If she really was Ye Lan’s child, then Ye Lan might have been the betrayer in her relationship with Feng Xian—dating one woman while having a child with someone else.

No wonder Feng Xian didn’t like her.

Ye Xi gripped her phone tightly and quickly sent another message.

[Grandma, is my mom Ye Lan?]

Ye Tan’s reply came fast this time, in voice form: “Xiao Xi, have you already run into Feng Xian? If she gives you trouble, tell her Ye Lan isn’t your mom.”

Mixed in with the voice message was Shen Shuyun chiming in: “She’s really not Ye Lan’s? But didn’t Ye Jing lose the ability to bear children long ago?”

Shen Mingjin heard the voice message too. She and Ye Xi exchanged a glance, both seeing the confusion in each other’s eyes.

Ye Xi sent another message, but Ye Tan didn’t reply again.

Maybe she and Shen Shuyun had gotten into a fight.

Thinking about it carefully, it was strange too. Ye Tan and Shen Shuyun clearly had major conflicts—everyone knew they didn’t get along—but whenever Ye Tan chatted with her, Shen Shuyun was always right there. Ye Xi wasn’t narcissistic enough to think Shen Shuyun was deliberately waiting for a chance to talk to her. The only explanation was that Shen Shuyun and Ye Tan spent most of their time at the General Bureau inseparable.

Their relationship was terribly bad, yet they were always within arm’s reach.

The more Ye Xi thought about it, the more subtle that dynamic seemed.

After chatting with Ye Tan, Ye Xi’s questions didn’t decrease—they only multiplied.

Shen Shuyun had no reason to lie now, so if Ye Jing couldn’t bear children, Ye Lan was the only option left. The problem was Ye Tan insisted she wasn’t Ye Lan’s daughter. Her parents were still a mystery. Ye Xi put away her phone and tossed the question to Shen Mingjin. “Sister, have you met Physician Ye Lan and Physician Ye Jing? Who do I look more like?”

“I’ve met them, but…” Shen Mingjin carefully studied Ye Xi’s features, recalling the Ye Jing and Ye Lan she’d seen. “Ye Xi, you seem a bit like both of them.”

Ye Xi first thought to argue, but then remembered Ye Jing and Ye Lan were siblings and dropped it.

Siblings should have some resemblance.

“Sister, who do you think is more likely to be my parents?”

“Most people guess it’s Physician Ye Lan’s. I…” Shen Mingjin took Ye Xi’s question seriously. After thinking for a long time, she said slowly, “Ye Xi, I think they both could be, but neither really fits.”

If it were anyone else, Ye Xi might have thought they were brushing her off. Coming from Shen Mingjin, it just felt like the truth.

There were too many strange things about this matter.

Too many suspicious points.

Ye Lan and Ye Jing had died one after the other. While everyone was saying the Ye Clan bloodline was severed, Ye Tan suddenly brought home a child of unknown parentage who carried the Ye Clan sorcerer blood, claiming her as her granddaughter. The General Bureau oversaw the Eleven Clans, but the clans surely had eyes on the Bureau too.

Given the importance of the Pacification Department to the Demon Clan, every Demon Bone Physician was destined to be under scrutiny.

As the head of the Pacification Department, Ye Tan was watched by both the demons and the General Bureau. Yet even news of her partner never leaked.

Did Ye Tan really have a partner?

If not, where had Ye Lan and Ye Jing come from? And where had she come from?

The more Ye Xi thought, the more confused she got. With no reply to her messages, she stopped wasting time on it. She squatted down and began organizing her medicines and medical supplies. After properly reviewing the physician rules and the Ye Family Medical Book, and preparing the items for treating demons, her movements had become much more practiced.

Traditional Ye Family physicians relied more on traditional Chinese medicine methods, but now most physicians depended heavily on the pills and machines refined by the Ye Clan bloodline.

Ye Xi was just starting to treat demons, so her skills weren’t proficient yet.

After packing her silver needles and herbs, she specifically counted out the pills, planning to use the basic ones for any conditions they could handle directly.

She carefully placed the dolls selected for each village race into a wooden box, ready to take them out later. Except for Village Chief Shao Li’s exclusive doll, the rest were shared by race, so Ye Xi hadn’t brought many. The delicate wooden box was more than enough.

As Ye Xi packed the dolls one by one, she paused at the Flower Leopard Clan’s doll, Feng Xian’s face flashing in her mind.

Most female demons in human form were very beautiful.

Perhaps because her true form was a Flower Leopard, Feng Xian had a unique wildness to her appearance.

Ye Xi had never seen Ye Lan. Just looking at Feng Xian made it hard to imagine what the woman standing with her would look like. She could only ask Shen Mingjin, “Sister, you’ve met Physician Ye Lan. What kind of person was she?”

“Physician Ye Lan was very warm to both people and demons. When she worked at the General Hospital, many demons hoped she’d be the next director because they thought her temper was much better than Vice Director Qin’s.”

Shen Mingjin’s voice held admiration when she mentioned Ye Lan.

She seemed to really appreciate her.

Ye Xi’s thoughts scattered for a moment before she suddenly said, “Sister, I’m warm to people and demons too.”

Shen Mingjin was stunned for an instant, then nodded along with Ye Xi.

She always saw through Ye Xi’s facade but never called it out, her eyes even flashing with indulgence. “I know.”

There seemed to be no distance between Ye Xi and Shen Mingjin. Ye Xi could step forward and lean into her arms, and she was ninety percent sure Shen Mingjin wouldn’t push her away.

But no matter how close their bodies got, their hearts were always separated by thick fog.

Not just approaching—it was hard to even see clearly.

Ye Xi closed the wooden box and wiped the sweat from her palms with a tissue. From the corner of her eye, she glanced at the pink fur rabbit still on the bed. “Sister, I’ll get the medicine. You go hold Xiao Xi for me.”

“Xiao Xi?”

Shen Mingjin repeated Ye Xi’s words, her gaze following along.

Her eyes passed over that bright red beauty mark, and Shen Mingjin’s face flushed red. “No, no way.”

Ye Xi hadn’t understood at first what was “no way,” but when her gaze touched Shen Mingjin’s skin flushing pink, she suddenly realized Shen Mingjin must have heard Ye Tan call her Xiao Xi so often that she thought Ye Xi meant herself.

The skin flushing pink was like plum blossoms blooming in the snow.

The unique pink flush brought great visual satisfaction. Her heart uncontrollably wished the pink would spread further, the plum blossoms blooming wider.

As the excessive heat climbed her body again, Ye Xi’s breaths grew hotter than usual.

She had meant to explain that Xiao Xi was the pink fur rabbit doll, but the rising heat intensified her craving for coolness.

Ye Xi couldn’t help but reach out and grasp Shen Mingjin’s arm. The familiar chill climbed from her palm, soothing the restlessness. The explanation on her lips turned into a heated call: “Sister, you’re so cool to the touch.”

Shen Mingjin shrank back, instinctively retreating. “No, no way.”

Snake body temperature was damp and cold. Ye Xi was a fish out of water; Shen Mingjin was a flower soaked in rain.

Shen Mingjin’s skin carried the damp chill that fascinated Ye Xi, her delicate lips adorned with pretty water droplets.

Her lips parted and closed as she spoke, the droplets dancing lightly between them.

Water that could quench her thirst.

But the delicate flower was stingy with sharing her water.

Ye Xi endured for a long time, barely suppressing the urge to kiss Shen Mingjin. She let out a low pant and released her. “Sister, I meant for you to take Xiao Xi outside. The closer she is to me, the more she helps. I’m still a novice physician—I can’t do without Xiao Xi’s help.”

“Then…” Shen Mingjin took two steps toward the pink fur rabbit but turned back before touching it. “I’ll… I’ll call You Nian. She’s your contract beast. She…”

Ye Xi stopped Shen Mingjin, her voice soft and coaxing. “Sister, I only want Sister to hold her.”

Shen Mingjin often found herself at a loss with Ye Xi. She wanted to keep distance, but she couldn’t refuse her as firmly and coldly as she did others. She would occasionally be led astray by Ye Xi, turning back again and again, searching for the path anew. She couldn’t always correct course in time.

Like now—she was struggling to handle Ye Xi’s words.

“Ye Xi, we…”

Shen Mingjin’s refusal reached her lips, but Ye Xi cut her off. “Sister, we need to hurry.”

Ye Xi pointed outside, signaling Shen Mingjin to listen to the growing noise.

The chaotic clamor reminded them that patients had arrived for treatment.

Ye Xi had just stacked and lifted the box when Shen Mingjin snatched it from her hands. “Ye Xi, I’ll carry the medicine.”

Shen Mingjin held the box steady, leaving the pink fur rabbit for Ye Xi. She was terrified of the heat on the rabbit that matched Ye Xi’s exactly and didn’t dare touch any part of Ye Xi’s body lightly.

Ye Xi didn’t argue with Shen Mingjin. She walked to the bed and picked up the pink fur rabbit.

As soon as she hugged it, a sharp pain came from her fingertip.

Ye Xi looked down. The pain came from the small puncture she’d gotten from the silver needle while packing the box. It hadn’t hurt then, but now it did because the spot her injured hand touched had changed—the pink fur rabbit’s soft fuzz had hardened. The hairs stood on end, drilling into her skin through the needle puncture.

Blood trickled down along one of the hairs, not soaking the fur but turning into wisps of fine blood mist.

The fine mist gathered before her eyes, growing thicker in color.

Clumping together, it increasingly resembled a bloody chunk of meat.

Ye Xi froze in place, her legs as if bound by thousand-pound weights, unable to move an inch.

The bloody scent startled Shen Mingjin, who had stepped out the door. She turned back and saw Ye Xi’s finger bleeding. She hurried over. “Ye Xi, why is your hand bleeding?”

Shen Mingjin reached to stop the bleeding, but Ye Xi blocked her. “Sister, can’t you see it?”

“Ye Xi, what do you see?”

“Blood mist.”

Shen Mingjin looked along Ye Xi’s line of sight but saw nothing.

Seeing that Shen Mingjin really couldn’t see the blood mist, Ye Xi couldn’t help but lift a finger toward the gathering fog.

As her finger reached the condensed spot, the blood mist scattered from her fingertip and drifted toward the room’s exterior.

The blood mist drifted outward slowly, trailing a long red line in the air, as if guiding Ye Xi’s direction.

Ye Xi held the Pink Fur Rabbit in one hand and gripped Shen Mingjin’s arm with the other as she chased after the direction the blood mist drifted. The dispersing blood mist floated toward the consultation area, where Qiao Yan—who had already begun receiving villagers alongside Bian Rong—stood.

Qiao Yan and the others seemed completely unable to see the blood mist. None of the demons were affected by the mist that suddenly floated in; they each went about their tasks. Only when Shen Mingjin stepped through the door did they let out particularly loud exclamations of surprise. It was probably Shao Li who had instructed them—they were still very excited to see Shen Mingjin but didn’t swarm forward like they had the day before.

With her line of sight unobstructed, Ye Xi smoothly followed the blood mist and came to a stop right in front of Qiao Yan.

She watched as the blood mist circled around Qiao Yan before suddenly burrowing into her abdomen.

A red light flashed across Qiao Yan’s abdomen, and several shadowy figures emerged.

Before Ye Xi could make out the specific features of the shadows, they dissipated as soon as they appeared, as if they had never been there at all.

Ye Xi instinctively glanced sideways at Shen Mingjin.

Shen Mingjin showed no special reaction. From start to finish, it seemed only she herself could see those red mists and shadows.

Ye Xi’s gaze lingered on Qiao Yan’s abdomen as new questions bubbled up.

What could be inside Qiao Yan’s belly?

What were those shadows?

The sharp pain in her fingertip made Ye Xi lower her head again. She noticed that the blood trickling down along the rabbit fur was flowing even faster now. Red mist coalesced before her eyes once more, but this time it didn’t drift toward Qiao Yan. Instead, it floated off in another direction. Ye Xi followed the drifting red mist with her eyes—standing there alone, staring right at her, was Feng Xian.

The red mist drifted into Feng Xian’s abdomen, and a shadowy figure emerged from Feng Xian’s abdomen as well…