In the quiet room, only their breathing and heartbeats echoed. Shen Mingjin didn’t stint on her embrace for Ye Xi. Her arms circled Ye Xi’s waist, allowing Ye Xi to lean on her fully.
Shen Mingjin was accustomed to Ye Xi’s lively passion. Although she had known from the beginning that it was fake, she was still startled by Ye Xi’s current fragility.
The current Ye Xi resembled a tree branch snapped by the wind. Without leaning on Shen Mingjin, she would collapse into the mud.
Her eye sockets had long turned red, with teardrops floating in her eyes.
The tiny teardrops were like winter pearls. The dim light was only enough to make them shimmer faintly.
Fragile. Tender.
It was a beauty that could vanish at any moment.
Shen Mingjin had no hobby of prying into others’ secrets. She didn’t ask Ye Xi what had happened; she simply offered her embrace generously.
If this could soothe Ye Xi’s pain, Shen Mingjin was happy to hold her like this forever.
“Miss Mingjin!”
An angry voice suddenly drifted in, interrupting Shen Mingjin’s thoughts.
She and Ye Xi both turned toward the source of the voice and saw a woman in a professional suit with live spiders on her head.
Shen Mingjin frowned. “Secretary Wen.”
Wen Mizhen glared at Shen Mingjin’s hand still lingering on Ye Xi’s waist, feeling rage burn within her. “Miss Mingjin, with such a huge incident in Wanghe Village, you actually have the leisure to flirt here!”
She clearly hadn’t learned her lesson. Not only had she not given up completely, but she was standing there questioning Shen Mingjin.
The mountains and rivers between Shen Mingjin’s brows rose higher. “Secretary Wen, I’m just a lowly mediator.”
“You’re still the Clan Leader’s sister!”
“Secretary Wen, what right do you have to question me?”
“I!” Wen Mizhen pointed at Ye Xi, fury erupting from her eyes. “It’s all because of her!”
Shen Mingjin wasn’t surprised why Wen Mizhen had suddenly appeared here. With such a big incident in Wanghe Village, the Embracing Snow Clan leadership would definitely send someone, especially now during the key period before next year’s Clan Leader re-election. Shen Minghuan and Si Ruoling would definitely have one of them come to console the clan members.
Upon seeing the unfamiliar demon, Ye Xi donned her mask once more.
She pinched her voice into a sweet tone. “Sister, who is she?”
“My foster sister’s secretary.”
“Miss Mingjin!” Wen Mizhen was dissatisfied that Shen Mingjin’s introduction of her was limited to “foster sister’s secretary.” She said loudly, “We went on a blind date!”
Hearing those same words again stirred a completely different feeling in Shen Mingjin.
Before Ye Xi could ask, Shen Mingjin instinctively explained, “Ye Xi, don’t listen to her nonsense. I never agreed to the blind date at all. It was Shen Minghuan who arranged it on her own initiative. There were many participants, and I left without even recognizing everyone.”
Only after explaining did Shen Mingjin realize her nervous justification went beyond the bounds of friendship.
She slightly averted her gaze, hiding the blush creeping up her cheek.
Ye Xi hadn’t expected Shen Mingjin to explain so much to her. Before she could react, Wen Mizhen cut in. “Miss Mingjin, she’s just a frail human. Her stamina can’t compare to us demons at all. She has no ability to accompany you through your Heat Period!”
Was this secretary saying she was inadequate?
Ye Xi, immersed in the pain of her complex heritage, suddenly shook off her sorrow. She coldly swept a glance at Wen Mizhen. If Shen Mingjin weren’t beside her, Ye Xi definitely would have asked which eye of Wen Mizhen’s had seen her as inadequate.
Recalling how Shen Minghuan had also said her stamina was poor earlier, Ye Xi felt a bellyful of anger.
Though she hadn’t tried it, she felt she was perfectly capable.
At least she was very strong.
A debate raged in Ye Xi’s mind, but on the surface, she maintained her friendly smile. “Hello, Secretary Sister.”
“Who’s your sister!”
Wen Mizhen gave Ye Xi no face at all. She couldn’t give Ye Xi any good expression; facing Ye Xi filled her with nothing but rage.
Ye Xi pretended not to see Wen Mizhen’s anger and quickly stepped forward.
She forcibly took Wen Mizhen’s hand. “Secretary Sister, are you a Spider Demon? This is my first time seeing a Spider Demon.”
Ye Xi gripped Wen Mizhen’s hand with great force, squeezing until her bones creaked, proving with action that she wasn’t weak at all—definitely not inadequate.
Wen Mizhen’s hand swelled red from the immense strength. She incredulously glanced sideways at Ye Xi. “You!”
Ye Xi showed no abnormality. Her smile grew even brighter. “Secretary Sister, the spider on your head looks so pretty. Can I touch it?”
“No way…” Wen Mizhen had originally wanted to refuse, but catching sight of Ye Xi’s seemingly tender skin from the corner of her eye, she changed her mind. “Sure.”
Without waiting for Ye Xi to touch the spider, she immediately controlled it to crawl toward Ye Xi after agreeing.
The number of live spiders on Wen Mizhen’s head gradually increased, one after another crawling toward Ye Xi.
Those spiders emitted thick black miasma from their backs, leaving crawling trails where they passed.
Ye Xi vaguely sensed something off and tried to pull her hand back, but Wen Mizhen gripped her wrist in return. “Physician Ye, didn’t you want to touch the spider?”
The spiders on Wen Mizhen’s body moved faster. Several climbed onto Ye Xi’s hand at once.
A clear stinging pain transmitted from her hand. Ye Xi looked incredulously at Wen Mizhen.
She had sensed Wen Mizhen’s hostility toward her but never imagined Wen Mizhen would be bold enough to directly let poisonous spiders bite her.
Shen Mingjin hadn’t expected Wen Mizhen to be so audacious. The place was swarming with General Bureau people outside, yet she dared to blatantly send venomous spiders to bite the General Bureau’s Demon Bone Physician. “Wen Mizhen!”
Ye Xi wasn’t particularly angry. She calmly stared at the spiders on her hand, watching the black toxin spread across her skin.
She slowly raised her other hand and reached toward the spiders on her hand.
Her finger pressed down on a spider’s back and ground it forcefully.
These live spiders following Wen Mizhen were far from capable of shapeshifting, but they had absorbed Wen Mizhen’s Demon Power, making their bodies harder than ordinary spiders. Of course, this hardness was fragile and insignificant before absolute strength.
Ye Xi added a bit more force, and the spider shattered on her hand.
Thick, venomous juices burst out, splattering her skin.
Next was the second spider. Wen Mizhen shrieked, “How dare you kill my clansman!”
“And how dare you harm Ye Xi?” Shen Mingjin walked to Ye Xi’s side and coldly swept a glance at Wen Mizhen.
As soon as Shen Mingjin’s hand touched Ye Xi’s, the spiders still on it scrambled back, no longer daring to oppose Ye Xi.
Wen Mizhen resentfully watched Ye Xi while quickly retrieving all the spiders.
Shen Mingjin ignored Wen Mizhen and first checked on Ye Xi.
After wiping Ye Xi’s hand clean, she saw the toxin invading her skin. She hurriedly sent a bit of Demon Power under Ye Xi’s skin, drawing out the toxin. The ball of Demon Power wrapped around the spider venom was flung at Wen Mizhen, striking her arm. “Get out.”
Shen Mingjin rarely spoke in such a cold tone. Feeling that Shen Mingjin was on her side, Ye Xi’s lips curved in pleasure, and the stuffiness in her chest dissipated quite a bit. “Sister, I’m fine.”
The more Ye Xi said this, the more Shen Mingjin felt sorry for her.
The Wen Mizhen before her eyes became increasingly an eyesore.
Wen Mizhen didn’t miss the disgust in Shen Mingjin’s eyes. “Miss Mingjin, I am an Embracing Snow Clan member.”
“Then go seek Shen Minghuan’s protection. I’m just a mediator, not your Clan Leader.”
Shen Mingjin rarely spoke so harshly.
Aside from Shen Minghuan, Wen Mizhen was the only one who received this treatment.
Wen Mizhen horrifiedly realized she hadn’t succeeded in proving herself stronger than Ye Xi to Shen Mingjin. Instead, it had backfired, making Shen Mingjin dislike her more. Unwilling, she struggled. “You are the Clan Leader’s sister. You are the second miss of the Spirit-Devouring Snake Clan. Your family mission is to protect Embracing Snow Clan members. You should side with me.”
“Secretary Wen, are you morally blackmailing my sister?”
A chilling voice suddenly sounded from outside the door. Wen Mizhen shuddered and panic-strickenly looked toward the doorway.
Somehow, another person had appeared outside—not Wen Mizhen’s direct superior, but Shen Minghuan.
Shen Minghuan crossed her arms over her chest, leaning against the doorframe with a smiling gaze at Wen Mizhen.
Wen Mizhen knelt in terror. “Clan Leader, I didn’t.”
Seeing Shen Minghuan again felt very different from last time. Last time, Ye Xi only knew her as Shen Mingjin’s sister with whom she had a poor relationship. Now, knowing their sisters’ grievances, Ye Xi instinctively glanced at Shen Minghuan’s right arm, where Shen Mingjin’s bone lay hidden beneath the snowy white skin.
Shen Mingjin was a bit surprised by Shen Minghuan’s sudden appearance. “With Secretary Wen here, how come it’s you who came?”
“With such a huge incident in Wanghe Village, Eldest Sister was originally going to come, but she got injured just before heading out.”
“Shen Minghuan, what did you do to Eldest Sister?”
Shen Mingjin couldn’t help suspecting Shen Minghuan. In the past, to prevent Si Ruoling and Shen Mingjin from being alone, Shen Minghuan had done many extreme things. Knowing Shen Mingjin was in Wanghe Village, it wasn’t impossible for her to scheme to keep Si Ruoling away.
“Little Sister, I did nothing.” Shen Minghuan ignored the kneeling Wen Mizhen and spread her hands innocently. “I just suggested to her, in the name of the Embracing Snow Clan, to file a report with Bureau Chief Ni requesting the execution of all Embracing Snow Clan criminals in the General Bureau prison.”
Shen Mingjin: “Why did you do that?”
“Little Sister, you know those criminals in the General Bureau—aside from a few from the rioting groups not executed, there are demons who accidentally killed General Bureau people but lacked evidence. Suggesting we kill them all would ease the General Bureau’s burdens. Eldest Sister said many of those imprisoned are powerful Great Demons with some standing. Killing them without evidence could stir clan discontent, plunging the Embracing Snow Clan into chaos again. Plus, per rules, criminals taken by the General Bureau no longer fall under clan jurisdiction. Overstepping to execute them would arouse the General Bureau’s suspicions.”
“I wouldn’t listen, so she argued with me.” Shen Minghuan shrugged indifferently. “You know she’s no good at arguing. She didn’t win, and it ended up making herself sick.”
Shen Mingjin didn’t want to deal with Shen Minghuan, but Ye Xi followed up with a question. “You suspect the Wanghe Village incident is related to them?”
“Yeah.” Shen Minghuan’s smile froze for an instant, a flash of viciousness in her eyes. “I’ve always insisted that demons who err, no matter how big or small the crime, should be executed. When I got the news, I felt this wasn’t simple. Where did all that Demon Poison come from to drive so many demons mad? Who collected it?”
