Chapter 98: The Price of Freedom

The silence in the room grew heavy.

Su Mian remained standing, the oversized shirt hanging emptily on her frame, her damp hair clinging to her pale cheeks.

That fresh kiss mark, stark like a brand, brazenly proclaimed an intimacy she both resisted and found herself unable to deny.

Her gaze settled on Xiao Moyuan.

This man, whom she once viewed as a romantic rival and meticulously plotted ‘revenge’ against, now embodied a perplexing duality.

He was both her captor, holding her confined within these walls, and the individual with whom she had shared such intimate physical closeness.

A bewildering array of emotions churned within her.

Did she really hate Xiao Moyuan?

If she hated him, why didn’t her body truly resist when he drew near?

If she truly loathed him, then why did those seemingly casual indulgences stir a hidden sweetness within her heart?

Why did she permit her drunken antics, allow her to sleep soundly on his shoulder, and find comfort in his subtle, if not overtly gentle, reassurances?

Why did she dare to cry, throw tantrums, or even utter a childish threat such as, “Just tickle me to death” in front of him?

If she hated him, why, in the all-consuming darkness of the haunted house, when fear choked her throat, did she instinctively lunge towards Xiao Moyuan?

Why did she seek his warmth and scent, finding a strange sense of security in his presence?

The answer was obvious.

She did not hate him.

She hadn’t even realized when this man, who should have been her ‘love rival,’ became the sole outlet for all her emotions.

All her grievances, fears, shame, and nascent attachment—the vulnerabilities she dared not expose to the outside world, the confusion she couldn’t confide in her childhood friend—had all been poured out to him.

And then there was a truth, one she had always shied away from contemplating deeply, yet it clung to her like an inescapable shadow.

Her mother had said that her body would completely transform because of ‘the person she liked.’

Ever since she started an online romance with Xiao Moyuan under the identity of ‘Sweetheart Marshmallow,’ those subtle changes had been quietly occurring.

The increasingly soft curve of her chest, the progressively slender line of her waist, the uncontrollable sweetness in her voice…

Even if she verbally refused to acknowledge it, her body faithfully mirrored the true inclination of her heart.

During those months, though separated by a screen, she had experienced a profound flutter she had never known before.

Later, whenever she messaged him as ‘Sweetheart Marshmallow,’ an anticipation she herself hadn’t yet recognized simmered beneath those clumsy flirtations.

And his responses—initially detached, then gradually indulgent, culminating in his declaration, ‘I like her’—were akin to boiling a frog in warm water, slowly steeping her in a genuine, burgeoning sweetness.

It turned out that long before her identity was exposed, long before her bloodline awakened, her heart had already quietly changed.

Even the changes in her body.

Were all because she had fallen for him.

And Xiao Moyuan… he had never truly forced her.

Each instance of intimacy, when traced back to its genesis, revealed that she had always been the one to initiate it.

Her proactive closeness after getting drunk, burrowing into his embrace while sleepwalking, and even last night…

Though her memory was hazy, the marks on her body and the scratches on his back served as mutual proof: she had been the one to cling to him first.

Now, he held her captive within these walls, his stated reason being protection—to shield her from the predatory gazes of other demon masters and menacing demons alike.

Thinking of her parents, whose fate remained unknown, and recalling Su Baixue’s hoarse accusations and desperate cries over the phone, Su Mian closed her eyes.

She then uttered a single phrase.

Did she have a choice?

After a prolonged silence, she finally lifted her gaze, meeting the eyes of Xiao Moyuan, who had patiently waited without uttering a word.

Her voice emerged, raw and clean, as though sandpaper had scraped against her throat:

“I… consent.”

The moment the words left her lips, her eyes welled up, betraying her emotions.

Only at the instant the words were spoken did she truly grasp their profound implication.

The cost of leaving this house was the forfeiture of her even more precious freedom.

Observing her aggrieved expression, on the verge of tears yet desperately trying to maintain composure, Xiao Moyuan subtly quirked the corner of his lips.

“You say ‘I will’ with such a coerced expression, making me seem like some villain.”

Su Mian’s pent-up grievance finally found an outlet, her voice thick with a choke:

“To become someone’s spirit pet… and that person is my former love rival, am I expected to gleefully exclaim my consent?”

“Is serving as my spirit pet such a terrible prospect?”

Xiao Moyuan advanced two steps, his looming shadow enveloping her.

“Food, shelter, and spending money will all be provided. Furthermore…”

He paused, his gaze drifting to her visibly flushed ear tips.

“Should the need arise, I can even offer my body.”

“Who needs your body?!”

Su Mian instantly bristled, her face crimson, as if blood would drip, and her tail likely shot upright in agitated alarm.

But then, a deeper wave of worry surged within her, causing her voice to dwindle.

Her gaze darted about, uncertain;

“And… after becoming your spirit pet, who’s to say you won’t force me into doing peculiar things…”

The more she spoke, the deeper her blush, rendering her almost incoherent.

“Perhaps… from the living room to the kitchen, the balcony… even the bathroom… You might even drag me to movie theaters or secluded groves, compelling me to serve you in various ways, day after day.”

Xiao Moyuan listened in silence, a slow arch beginning to form in his brow.

Only after she had finished her breathless tangent did he speak, a subtle, unreadable smirk playing on his lips:

“What exactly occupies that small mind of yours all day?”

He took a step forward, his gaze sweeping over her with a condescending air.

“I’m merely asking you to become a spirit pet, not a s*ave.”

Su Mian lifted her head, her eyes still rimmed with red, though her gaze held no hint of defiance.

“Is there truly a distinction between being your spirit pet and being your plaything? Both imply being entirely at your mercy…”

Xiao Moyuan let out a short, exasperated laugh.

“Is that truly the kind of person you perceive me to be?”

Su Mian nodded vigorously, her expression clearly stating, ‘Isn’t it?’

Xiao Moyuan fell silent for a fleeting two seconds, then abruptly nodded, his tone reverting to its customary detached calm:

“Very well. In that case, you’d be wise not to sign this contract.”

He turned and moved toward the window, presenting his back to her, his voice devoid of any discernible emotion:

“Because everything you just articulated, I’ve committed it to memory. Thank you for the reminder.”

He turned his head slightly, his peripheral vision catching her expression as it instantly froze.

“It’s entirely possible that once you become my shikigami, should you ever displease me, I’ll proceed exactly as you suggested—experimenting from the living room to the kitchen, then to the balcony, one location at a time.”

Su Mian stared.

Her mouth gaped open, but for a prolonged moment, no sound escaped her lips.

The blush on her face quickly receded, only to flood back with renewed intensity.

It finally settled into a mortifying blend of shame, vexation, and the utter awkwardness of being caught in an inescapable predicament.

‘Was this… truly a case of lifting a rock only to drop it on her own foot?’

Xiao Moyuan had already turned, leaning against the windowpane, with the morning light streaming in from behind him, carving a tall yet somewhat stark silhouette.

He watched her still standing rooted to the spot, her tail drooping helplessly, her ears lowered.

She resembled a small animal that had committed a transgression and was utterly at a loss.

After a long time, he let out a soft sigh.

“There’s no immediate rush regarding the contract.”

He said,

“I won’t compel you until you’ve thoroughly considered your decision.”

He approached her, reaching out his hand—and Su Mian instinctively flinched away.

Yet, he merely tucked a damp strand of hair from her cheek behind her ear, the warmth of his fingertips briefly caressing her skin.

“However, there are certain matters you must understand.”

His voice lowered slightly,

“I am investigating your parents’ situation. Before you acquire the ability to control your demonic energy and effectively protect yourself—”

He paused, looking into her eyes.

“This place, right here, is your safest haven.”

Su Mian froze.

She gazed intently into Xiao Moyuan’s deep brown eyes, which now, stripped of their customary aloofness and playful mockery, conveyed an astonishing seriousness.

The tumultuous panic that had long constricted her chest surprisingly subsided, if only by a fraction.

It was this kind of tenderness again.

One moment he was playfully teasing her, the next he was capable of delivering such a profound and weighty promise.

This capricious fluctuation in his demeanor left her feeling disoriented, yet… she found herself undeniably, irresistibly soothed.

She lowered her gaze, her fingers unconsciously fiddling with the oversized shirt cuff, her subtle movements akin to the flutter of a gnat.

“Then… can you teach me?”

When it came to ‘controlling demonic energy,’ she was utterly bewildered.

This body, simultaneously familiar and alien, these uncontrollable ears and tail, and those surging, profoundly shameful instincts…

All of it felt like a wild horse that had thrown its reins, and she was utterly clueless as to where those reins even were.

Xiao Moyuan looked at her for a few seconds, then nodded.

“Very well.”

***

Over the next few days, their lives seemed to settle into a peculiar, unexpected rhythm.

Xiao Moyuan left every morning and returned in the evening, bringing back food and some daily necessities.

And the nights became ‘teaching time.’

On the third evening, Xiao Moyuan deviated from his usual routine. Instead of having her attempt to sense the ‘demonic energy’ within her, he plunged directly into a topic that caused Su Mian’s face to flush crimson.

“What you most urgently need to control right now isn’t the strength or weakness of your demonic power,”

He stood in the center of the living room, his tone as dispassionately even as if he were lecturing on a mathematical equation,

“but rather, the scent emanating from your body.”

“A scent?” Su Mian, clutching a cushion on the sofa, looked up, a hint of suspicion in her eyes.

“Indeed.”

Xiao Moyuan approached her, bending forward until their faces were so close she nearly anticipated another kiss.

“It’s a scent unique to you, or rather, to your bloodline,” he explained. “It directly stimulates the most primal instincts in male creatures.”

Su Mian’s face instantly burned hot.

“You… you’re talking nonsense!”

She retorted, mortified, her tail flicking nervously.

“How could I possibly have such a smell about me? You make it sound like I’m… like I’m a walking aphrodisiac!”

Xiao Moyuan remained silent, merely straightening up and walking to the window.

He extended his hand, his long, slender fingers making a swift, almost imperceptible snatch into the night air outside.

Su Mian barely registered the movement before he withdrew his hand, revealing a flailing, grayish-brown sparrow in his palm.

The sparrow was encased in a faint layer of spiritual energy, preventing injury but also keeping it from escaping.

Xiao Moyuan then withdrew the spiritual energy and gently placed the bird on the coffee table.

The small bird was startled at first, hopping twice in place.

Soon, however, its tiny head turned towards Su Mian, and its black, bead-like eyes brightened.

Then, it flapped its wings, flying unsteadily straight towards Su Mian.

It began circling her, emitting a rapid, cheerful ‘cheep-cheep’ as it flew, evidently in high spirits.

Su Mian initially found this amusing, even feeling somewhat pleased by the little creature’s apparent flattery.

But Xiao Moyuan’s calm voice instantly shattered that delicate sense of pleasure.

“Do you see? Male birds in mating season will circle females and chirp frequently to display themselves.”

Su Mian: “…”

The color drained from her face in an instant, only to rush back, making her earlobes ache with heat.

The small bird, which moments ago had seemed adorable, now struck her as incredibly embarrassing, even terrifying.

She frantically grabbed a nearby magazine, gingerly shooing the persistent sparrow that refused to leave her side.

She pushed and guided it towards the window, then thrust it outside and slammed the window shut with a ‘thump!’

Yet, the sparrow did not fly away.

It stubbornly perched on the window ledge, tapping the glass with its tiny beak, its bright black eyes fixated on Su Mian inside, continuing its urgent chirping.

Su Mian stood frozen, watching the unyielding silhouette outside the window, her last shred of doubt vanishing.

She believed it.

An indescribable sense of shame and absurdity overwhelmed her.

She actually… possessed this terrifying ‘talent’?

She slowly turned, leaning her back against the cold windowpane, and looked at Xiao Moyuan, her voice dry:

“Then… why aren’t you affected?”

As she asked, her gaze uncontrollably darted downwards for a fleeting moment, only to snap back as if burned.

Xiao Moyuan took in her swift glance, then quirked his lips into a faint, unreadable smile.

“Idiot,”

He uttered the two words, yet without any hint of anger.

“As a demon master, I can form a spiritual barrier to block the influence of your demonic energy.”

He paused, taking two steps forward, his gaze locking onto her:

“Don’t believe me? I can remove the spiritual energy and let you see the effect for yourself.”

“Don’t!”

Su Mian almost shrieked, her hands instinctively crossing in front of her chest in a defensive posture.

“I believe you! I believe you! Please, don’t… don’t scare me!”

She was genuinely terrified.

The image of the sparrow was still vivid in her mind.

If Xiao Moyuan also… The scene was too horrifying; she dared not even imagine it.

At this moment, a belated sense of dread washed over her.

Yesterday, she had recklessly tried to storm out the door… If she had truly escaped and walked the streets, with all the men around… She shivered, unable to continue the thought.

Xiao Moyuan seemed to read her thoughts, stating calmly: “Do you understand now that at least half the reason I keep you confined here is to protect you?”

Su Mian bit her lower lip, nodding softly, her tail drooping listlessly.

The lingering grievance and anger of her confinement were largely diluted by a greater sense of fear and realization.

“You don’t need to feel too ashamed.”

Xiao Moyuan’s tone softened as he walked over and sat on the sofa. “Fox demons cultivate using vital essence; it’s a talent ingrained in their bloodline.”

“Yours, however… is exceptionally potent.”

Su Mian kept her head down, offering no reply.

She would rather not possess such a talent.

“To control this scent, the root lies in controlling your own desires.”

Xiao Moyuan shifted the topic, moving to the main point. “What desire is most intense for you, most difficult to resist?”

Su Mian’s head snapped up.

Without waiting for her answer, Xiao Moyuan raised his right hand, his fingertips slightly condensed.

A soft, glowing orb of pure white spiritual energy, emanating an incredibly alluring aura, slowly materialized at his fingertips.

In that instant, Su Mian’s breath hitched.

It was like a traveler, long parched in the desert, suddenly catching the scent of a watery oasis, or a person on the verge of freezing in winter spotting a warm hearth.

That ball of spiritual energy held an indescribably fatal attraction for her.

A wave of heat surged from her lower abdomen, rapidly spreading through her limbs.

Her cheeks flushed uncontrollably, her ears perked up sensitively, and her tail began to sway uneasily.

Her gaze was fixed on the white light, her throat unconsciously swallowing, and a powerful, instinctive ‘want’ filled her entire mind.

She even unconsciously leaned forward.

Xiao Moyuan took in her changes, his eyes deepening.

He subtly shifted his fingertips, and the light orb followed, Su Mian’s gaze trailing it as if tethered, the craving in her eyes almost materializing.

“Today’s first lesson is very simple.”

Xiao Moyuan looked at her increasingly hazy, moist eyes, enunciating each word clearly:

“Look at it, perceive it, but—do not consume it.”

Su Mian trembled, jolting slightly from the trance-like state of being dominated by instinct.

She gazed at the ‘food’ incredibly close by, emanating an irresistible allure, then at Xiao Moyuan’s expressionless face, her heart tormented.

‘What… what kind of lesson is this?’

‘This is sheer torture!’