After I Lost My Memory, I Was Coaxed into Marriage by a Yandere - Chapter 7

In a small grove not far from the wooden cabin, the grass grew lush and green. The distinct scent of earth wafted through the air; the familiar smell gave Xiao Tan a sudden urge to lie down and roll around joyfully on the ground.

Xiao Yanyi held a woven basket in her hand, searching the area for the mushrooms Chi Wei wanted to eat. “You are not allowed to. If your clothes get dirty, they have to be washed. It is a hassle.”

Hearing this, Xiao Tan’s fur practically stood on end. “A hassle? Just now when I said I wanted mushrooms, you complained it was a hassle. How come when Chi Wei wants them, it is suddenly not a hassle anymore?”

Xiao Yanyi remained silent, continuing to pick mushrooms.

“Fine then, Xiao Yanyi. You keep saying you want to get revenge on Chi Wei, but I see she has become well-behaved and obedient, and now you think it is fine again. You really intend to just muddle through like this with her, settle down, and have kids, do you not?” Xiao Tan teased with her hands on her hips, leaning her head to observe Xiao Yanyi’s reaction.

“It is not like that. It is only to make her trust me,” Xiao Yanyi said as she squatted on the ground. The mushroom she held suddenly snapped, and its round cap rolled onto the dirt.

Xiao Tan stepped forward a couple of paces, unconsciously slowing her breathing. “Stop lying. I can tell you care about her a lot. To be honest, since Chi Wei lost her memory, she has been very good to you. If things keep going like this, and I stay on as a younger sister to both of you, I think it would be quite nice.”

Xiao Yanyi rose slowly. As she recalled the past, a sudden surge of irritability rose in her heart. “Just keep going like this? Even though she has become the same as she was when she first met me, who can guarantee she will not change her mind again just like before?”

Xiao Tan asked tentatively, “Maybe she had her reasons back then?”

“Perhaps. But as soon as she touches the power of Huxi Valley again, she will turn back into who she was. After all, a person’s nature is hard to change, right? Just like you, little fox, even after becoming a spirit, you still love to eat chicken every single meal.”

Xiao Tan naturally could not claim she disliked chicken, but she felt that what Xiao Yanyi said did not seem quite right either. She simply pouted and squatted down to pick mushrooms herself. “Anyway, she seems fine now. Without practicing that Juexian Technique, she is much more human. She gets angry, she gets sad, and she even gets jealous.”

Xiao Yanyi blinked. “Jealous?”

“Do not play dumb. Just now, Xin Rong’s eyes were so glued to you she practically peeled your clothes off with her gaze. Even a blind person like Chi Wei felt it; otherwise, she would not have sent you out to pick mushrooms. Do not tell me you did not notice, I do not believe you.” Xiao Tan picked a handful of mushrooms and dropped them into Xiao Yanyi’s basket, looking teasingly at the faint blush rising on the other woman’s face.

Xiao Yanyi dazed slightly, murmuring, “Actually, tell me, if Chi Wei never remembers the past and stays away from the power struggles in the Valley, would it” She did not dare finish voicing the hope she felt she should not have.

A glint appeared in Xiao Tan’s eyes. “Of course it would work. Who a person becomes is heavily influenced by their environment.”

Xiao Yanyi seemed lost in thought. “Then how about I disperse her internal cultivation and let her remain blind forever?”

Madwoman! Xiao Tan silently rolled her eyes at the mushrooms. Then, she forced a smile and turned around. “That does not seem very good. You are so beautiful, it would be such a pity if she could never see you.”

Xiao Yanyi replied, “You have a point.”

Inside the wooden cabin.

Chi Wei sat to the side with her eyelashes lowered, her face expressionless. Xin Rong sat opposite her, chin resting on hands propped on the table, biting her fingernails with a conflicted expression.

“Hiss, where on earth have I seen her before? It is truly strange.”

Chi Wei gave a cold snort. “My wife already said we grew up together and have rarely been apart since childhood. If you had seen her, how could you have missed seeing me?”

“Shh, do not talk. I feel like I am just about to remember.”

Since the visitor was a guest, Chi Wei could do nothing. She simply turned herself around to face another direction, crossing her arms and sulking.

After Xiao Yanyi left, Xin Rong seemed to have a screw loose, insisting she felt like she had seen Xiao Yanyi somewhere before.

Chi Wei was even starting to wonder if this wretched Taoist was doing it on purpose, using the excuse of hunting demons for free just because she saw how beautiful her wife was.

Indeed, free things were always the most expensive. Thinking of this, Chi Wei slammed her hand on the table, startling Xin Rong so much she nearly tumbled to the floor.

Thinking Chi Wei was angry because she had not caught the demon yet, Xin Rong said apologetically, “Chi Wei, what is wrong? It is not that my skills are lacking; it is that the demon seems to have already left this place. The compass can only pick up a few faint traces. But do not worry, as long as it shows up while I am in this fishing village, I will definitely bag it in my wine gourd.”

“Then I will leave it to Taoist Xin.” As they were talking, Xiao Yanyi walked in carrying a basin of steaming food, followed closely by Xiao Tan, who took a seat next to Xin Rong.

From the moment Xiao Yanyi entered, Xin Rong’s gaze never left her face. She stared until Xiao Yanyi raised her eyes to look back quietly, only then realizing it was inappropriate and apologizing repeatedly.

“I do not know why, but Miss Xiao looks so familiar, yet I just cannot recall where I have seen you.”

Xiao Yanyi chuckled softly. “Perhaps I just have a common face. But Taoist Xin, with your high level of cultivation, why have you come to this small fishing village? Could it be we have a fish demon here?”

The aroma of the food was mouth-watering. In the time it took to speak, Xiao Tan already had two bones piled in front of her. Xin Rong, having slept in the wild for days, was starving. She picked up a piece of meat, but it was so hot she had to set it back down after one bite.

Xin Rong reluctantly moved her gaze away from the chicken wing. “Your younger sister has teeth of steel; she can eat so fast even when it is this hot.”

Remembering Xiao Yanyi’s question, she shook her sleeves with a trace of pride on her face. “I am a disciple under the Master Qingjue. I have come out this time to follow my Master and gain experience in exorcising demons. Not long ago, we encountered a great serpent demon, and I tracked it all the way here.”

While battling a piece of chicken, Xiao Tan looked up with a greasy face and added, “So the Master brought the little disciple out to play.”

“Xiao Tan, do not be rude.” Xiao Yanyi chuckled and gave Xiao Tan a warning look.

Xin Rong originally wanted to show off her prestige, but thinking these villagers would not understand anyway, she did not want to get angry at a child. She picked up her chopsticks and smiled. “It is no matter. Words from a child carry no weight.”

Chi Wei seemed very interested in the serpent demon. “A great serpent demon? How big? Is it as thick as the willow tree by the door?”

Xiao Yanyi picked up a mushroom, blew on it to cool it, and brought it to Chi Wei’s lips. Hearing the question, she could not help but feel nervous that Xin Rong might say something she should not.

“Of course! Not just as thick as a tree, there are some as thick as a water vat!” Finally finding someone interested, Xin Rong’s eyes lit up. She put the chicken back in her bowl and began to talk animatedly.

Looking up, she saw Xiao Yanyi feeding Chi Wei like one would a child, which made the lonely Xin Rong feel a bit melancholy.

Chi Wei asked again, “Are all demons bad?”

As soon as these words were spoken, both the adult and the child at the table froze, their eyes falling on Xin Rong. Xin Rong had intended to parrot everything her Master taught, but the pressure suddenly intensified.

She nervously took a sip of tea. “Actually, I think there are bad people and bad demons. Good and evil lie in the heart. But since the species are different, you cannot judge a demon’s actions by human standards, right?”

Hearing this, Chi Wei leaned forward. “The Taoist has a point.”

The two beside her breathed a sigh of relief. One continued feeding, and the other went back to eating meat.

But immediately, Chi Wei asked another question that set their hearts pounding again.

“What evil did that serpent demon do? I heard demons can take human form? What do they usually do? What are their characteristics? What should I do if I encounter one?”

Xiao Yanyi intervened, “A-Chi, the food is getting cold. Let the Taoist eat first.”

Chi Wei scratched her head and smiled sheepishly. “My wife is right. I have too many questions.”

“It is no trouble.” At the mention of demons, Xin Rong forgot to touch the food in her bowl. Her eyes sparkled; she looked like she could talk for three days and nights. “That serpent demon caused a lot of trouble in the neighboring county. When Master found it, it was hiding in an old residence harming people; the whole house smelled of blood.”

She put down her chopsticks and traced a finger across the table as if following an invisible trail.

“We chased it all the way from there to here. Great demons can indeed transform into humans.” She paused, lowering her voice. “Though they take human form, they cannot escape their innate habits. For example, cold-blooded ones fear the cold and seek warmth. The cunning ones always have shifty eyes. Even if they hide well, that demonic aura cannot be concealed from those who know what to look for.”

Xin Rong looked left and right before settling her gaze on Xiao Yanyi. “For instance, Miss Xiao is so beautiful. If she were a demon, she might be a flower spirit. If you were a demon, with your cold and aloof personality, you might be a wood or stone spirit. The characteristics are quite distinct.”

Xiao Tan, focused on her food, shot a glance at Xin Rong and pointed at herself. “What about me? If I became a spirit, bah, if I were a demon, what kind would I look like?”

Xin Rong furrowed her brows and rested her chin on the back of her hand. After thinking for a moment, her eyes lit up at the sight of a teacup. She reached out and rubbed the top of Xiao Tan’s head. “You would be a teacup spirit. Short and cute.”

Xiao Tan rolled her eyes hard at Xin Rong, her nose wrinkling in blatant disdain. Xin Rong did not mind at all, simply laughing and picking up her rice bowl again to eat with gusto.

To the side, Xiao Yanyi kept her eyes down, slowly picking through her rice. Because Xin Rong had praised her beauty several times in front of Chi Wei, a very faint curve appeared at the corner of her lips.

She had always known her appearance was one of her strengths, but since Chi Wei was blind, she could not brag about it herself and had to remain humble. Xin Rong’s words had unintentionally suited her perfectly.

However, before the smile could reach her eyes, it suddenly froze.

“As for the characteristics, have you heard of a serpent-scorpion beauty? When serpent demons transform, they are often beautiful women who love to suck the essence out of humans. Their temperaments are mostly lewd and wicked, and their hearts are cold.” Xin Rong spoke excitedly, completely unaware that the atmosphere at the table had shifted. “If you really meet one, your best bet is to drop to your knees and beg for mercy immediately. Pray she finds some kindness in her heart and does not squeeze you dry.”

Having finished her piece, she picked up her rice bowl with satisfaction. Xiao Tan, however, did not dare move her chopsticks again. She hurriedly put down her bowl and whispered, “I am full, I am going to sleep,” before vanishing in a flash.

Chi Wei listened and nodded thoughtfully, muttering softly, “The Taoist is right. I do not know magic. If I really meet a demon, the first step must be to kneel and beg for mercy.”

Before her voice even faded, a dull thud suddenly rang out, making the table shake.

Chi Wei turned her head blankly. “Wife, what was that sound?”

“The Taoist has had too much to drink. I will help her to the side room to rest.” Xiao Yanyi’s voice was as cold as ice, her previous good mood entirely gone.

As she stood up, her embroidered shoe stepped squarely and firmly onto the hand of the unconscious Xin Rong, grinding down slowly.

On the previously clean table, grains of rice were scattered everywhere. One of the chopsticks in Xin Rong’s hand lay across the bowl, while she still gripped the other.

As Xin Rong lay on the floor, a perfectly straight, bright red mark was stamped on her forehead, left by the corner of the table when Xiao Yanyi had just chopped the back of her neck with her palm.

“Was there wine on the table?” Chi Wei sniffed the air but smelled nothing.