Seeing the reproachful glance from Li Xiaobai, Qingyao feigned innocence. "How would I have known there was another Bai Ying'er? If I had known, I might as well have swallowed her whole."
"What a pity," Liu County Magistrate mused. He was a perceptive man and had clearly noticed Bai Ying'er's heartfelt search for the young master of the Li family over the past few days. Her budding emotions, filled with longing and worry, had been impossible to conceal.
"That widow, Jiao, said Bai Laoda is a Doujiang. Liu County Magistrate, what exactly is a Doujiang?"
Since the other party refused to divulge any information about the Royal Secret Service, Li Xiaobai decided to probe from another angle.
"What... What did you say? Doujiang?" Liu County Magistrate shuddered violently. His eyes widened in horror, and he pointed at Li Xiaobai with the trembling finger of his remaining hand, his voice changing pitch in fear.
Good heavens! One moment they were talking about the Royal Secret Service, and the next, the term Doujiang? Could they not just speak plainly?
Liu County Magistrate's face turned pale again.
Li Xiaobai watched in confusion as Liu County Magistrate suddenly staggered backward and collapsed to the ground. Before he could even voice his pain, the man scrambled to his feet, wildly waving his remaining hand as he staggered toward the door of the teahouse, tripping once more in the process.
"Liu County Magistrate! Liu County Magistrate!"
"Young Master, I only wish to live out my days as a humble county magistrate. I can't handle these big shots! Please don't come looking for me!"
Liu County Magistrate wouldn't tell Li Xiaobai that only the most capable military officers of the Prince's household could be called Doujiang, but the current emperor had no sons. Without a crown prince, where would a Doujiang come from?
The Royal Secret Service had last acknowledged a Doujiang fifteen years ago...
"..."
Watching Liu County Magistrate scurry away in panic, Li Xiaobai and the snake-woman Qingyao exchanged bewildered glances.
The abduction of the young woman from the Wu family by the Royal Secret Service's Jiao, the so-called "tofu beauty," was clearly not as simple as it appeared. Even the slightest trace had been enough to make Liu County Magistrate avoid the situation, suggesting that there were deeper, hidden secrets behind it all.
Li Xiaobai's confusion deepened.
Wu Xiangjun, the young woman from the Wu family, was an ordinary girl from a humble household. She rarely left her home and was not a supernatural creature. Why would the Royal Secret Service, such a powerful and secretive organization, take such an interest in her, watching her in secret and even kidnapping her?
Li Xiaobai's puzzlement only grew, as Wu Xiangjun was nothing more than a common girl, completely unremarkable, yet she had drawn the attention of such an official force.
"Where did the County Magistrate go?"
The owner of the teahouse, holding a tray of tea and snacks, approached, only to find that Li Xiaobai and Qingyao were the only ones left at the table. Curiously, he looked outside, spotting Liu County Magistrate fleeing in disarray.
"Nothing, just bring the snacks and tea," Li Xiaobai said, placing a small handful of copper coins on the table.
Having journeyed all the way from the Kunlun Demon Domain to the town of Xiyan by the shores of Jumo Lake, he was beginning to feel hungry. The wild vegetables and bland roasted meat from the desolate mountains and wilderness were fine for an occasional meal, but eating them every day was hardly satisfying compared to ordinary snacks.
The teahouse owner warmly set down a plate with several varieties of snacks, including puff pastry, sesame crisps, cow-horn cakes, and a few dried fruits, along with a fragrant teapot, and poured two full cups of green tea. He then pocketed the coins and said, "Please enjoy, and let me know if you need anything else."
"Thank you, old man," Li Xiaobai replied, picking up a piece of puff pastry and enjoying it slowly with his tea.
What a shame for Liu County Magistrate. He had ordered snacks but never had the chance to enjoy them, fleeing in fear before even taking a bite.
After days of not tasting anything remotely like human food, Li Xiaobai finished the puff pastry, made of almond powder, grated radish, and water-ground glutinous rice flour, in just a few bites. Reaching for a cow-horn cake, he collided with a delicate, snowy-white hand.
"Qingyao, aren't you not fond of mundane food?"
Back in the Kunlun Demon Domain, only demonic flesh and extraordinary fruits containing spiritual energy would appeal to this demoness. Ordinary food was beneath her, but now, it seemed she was interested in these common pastries.
"In the Demon Domain, where would you find proper snacks?" Qingyao retorted with a roll of her eyes, unashamed, before opening her mouth and swallowing the soft, delicious cow-horn cake whole. The sweet, rich flavor made her eyes narrow in satisfaction.
That was a rather honest statement. Most demons lived by hunting and drinking blood. If a human chef were ever unlucky enough to fall into their hands, they would be eaten before even cooking a meal.
Li Xiaobai watched as Qingyao savored her food, then asked tentatively, "If you had these kinds of snacks every day, would you stop eating people?"
Though his words sounded righteous, there was a hint of personal desire hidden beneath them. The thought of having to give his blood every day was deeply unsettling.
"No," Qingyao replied with a swift refusal. She went straight for the sesame crisps next, crunching loudly with relish.
"Since you can fill your stomach, why bother eating people?" Li Xiaobai urged, trying to convince this demoness to adopt a less murderous lifestyle.
"If demons don't eat people, are they still demons?" Qingyao countered, her reasoning sound and irrefutable, leaving Li Xiaobai speechless. Indeed, if demons didn't consume humans, could they truly be called demons?
The majority of the snacks on the table were now in Qingyao's stomach, and Li Xiaobai didn't stand a chance of getting any.
It was no surprise. A snake's nature was greedy, and even in human form, this habit hadn't changed. Trying to compete with her over food was pure torture.
Seeing Qingyao so content with her meal, the teahouse owner, unaware of the danger he was in, happily brought out another plate of snacks. As usual, it disappeared in an instant, with no knowledge of the risk of serving food to a shape-shifting demon, who might turn him into a meal at any moment.
"Young Master, I haven't had enough!" Qingyao said with a coquettish tone, a spoiled expression on her face.
Having spent some time with this crafty demoness, Li Xiaobai was no longer intimidated. He scolded her directly, "That's enough! Aren't you afraid someone will figure out you're a demon?"
Although a few plates of snacks weren't nearly enough for this Qing Snake demoness, Li Xiaobai didn't want her gluttony to become the talk of Xiyan Town. A dainty young woman with such an appetite would certainly raise suspicion.
Qingyao merely pouted. "As long as I call myself your demon servant, no one will dare say anything."
Honor, propriety, honesty—these virtues meant nothing to a shape-shifting Qing Snake demoness. She could lie without hesitation, and for her, it was all part of the charm of entering the human realm, where she could finally enjoy all the delights of human society.
"You're...!" Li Xiaobai trembled with anger.
Now he understood why this demoness entered human lands so calmly. She didn't just see him as a meal ticket, but as a shield as well!
A demon servant? Had he ever heard of a servant treating their master as food?
"Fine! Very well! We'll see about that!" he declared, raising a finger in a menacing gesture.
He had no idea whether bringing this demoness into human territory was the right choice or a terrible mistake.
"Aren't you going to look for the Wu family girl?" Qingyao teased, glancing at him slyly.
"Hmph! I'm going!" Li Xiaobai blushed, flipping his sleeve with a flourish as he turned and walked away.
It should be, "A woman and a petty man are hard to raise," but perhaps it should be, "A demoness is hard to raise." Had he ever encountered such a troublesome demoness? Could he return her?
The heavens could bear witness—there wasn't even a place to leave a bad review.
"Hee-hee!" Qingyao's laughter echoed sweetly behind him, irresistible as ever.
The small courtyard of Wu Fuzi's house was in ruins. The low walls had collapsed halfway, and the gate hung wide open. Half of the roof had been burned away, leaving only charred remnants and scattered bricks. The once neat belongings were now strewn across the ground, showing clear signs of a recent disaster.
Li Xiaobai did not enter but called out a few times from the doorway. The courtyard remained silent, with no response.
It was clear that Wu Fuzi and his family had not returned after leaving, and another lead about the whereabouts of Wu's daughter had been severed.
The small house of the Bai family and the tofu shop of the widow Jiao were both abandoned, with no one left inside.
After wandering through the town in frustration, Li Xiaobai finally gave up.
A calamity had struck; the family was gone, the world had changed, and the town of Xiyan, which lay in ruins, no longer held any reason to linger. With a long sigh, he turned and left, one last glance at the broken town.
At least he had this demoness by his side, so he wouldn't have to worry about loneliness.
As night fell, the full moon hung high, casting its light as bright as day. In the center of Jumo Lake, a red koi surfaced, its lips moving as if it were absorbing the moonlight.
Above the lake, the moonlight seemed to gather, and a faint, cool aura emanated toward the koi. Tirelessly, the koi continued to absorb the moon's essence throughout the night. Its scales shimmered, becoming more vibrant.
As the first rays of dawn broke, the koi's scales sparkled like glass, surrounded by a golden halo. The moment the sun's light touched the water, the strange phenomena dissipated, and the koi, its body glowing brilliantly, quietly submerged into the depths.
"...The lotus leaves are green, the stems long, the seeds bitter, but the flower is fragrant; the willow leaves drift in the boat, the lake's heart ripples, I gather the white lotus root with my lover..."
A youthful, tender voice seemed to echo across the lake.