How to Keep a Vampire - Chapter 12

This realization overturned everything in Shi Yu’s mind.

The teenage Wen Si he had imagined was hateful and pathetic, yet he never knew he had been peeking at him with such eyes, in corners Shi Yu had never looked at.

“Why…”

In the dream, Wen Si’s voice was poised between youth and maturity lazy and slightly hoarse. He murmured “why” softly, but no one gave him an answer.

“Is my blood not tasty?”

“Why won’t you let me be your blood slave…”

“Why don’t you want to make me your progeny…”

Didn’t you say you liked little puppies?

Wen Si’s hair was a bit long, covering his forehead and masking his obsessed, reluctant gaze.

His eyes refused to move from Shi Yu even for a second.

He was troubled, perplexed, like a puppy yearning for its master’s love and praise, yet having no idea how to go about it.

I really want to be with you forever.

In the most intimate relationship.

Master.

As if the abyss had reached its bottom, the dream shattered.

When Shi Yu opened his eyes again, what he saw was the man breathing steadily beneath him, a mature, enlarged, handsome face close to his. He, in the form of a little bat, was curled up on Wen Si’s shoulder.

Would I move my body while dreaming… Shi Yu found it strange.

Or perhaps it was Wen Si who had moved in his sleep, and he had simply slid down with him.

Wen Si had grown up; his stature was tall and upright. Just standing there casually, he possessed an aura of his own cold and unapproachable.

The teenager who once had scars on his face had ultimately completed his transformation over these thousands of years.

He would no longer wear that pathetic, puppy-like expression.

The content of a dream appears according to the dreamer’s state of mind. Both dreams tonight had been of the ancient castle from thousands of years ago, and both had revolved around him.

It was as if the owner of the dream wasn’t Wen Si, but Shi Yu.

There were no stars tonight; the night sky, like a curtain, wouldn’t let a single ray of light into the ancient castle.

Shi Yu was very close to Wen Si right now; the little bat only needed to tilt his head to touch his face.

Regarding the purpose of entering the dream, tonight’s dream had yielded nothing. He hadn’t managed to find a single clue about who caused him to fall into a deep sleep.

However…

Shi Yu tilted his head, softened his breathing as he leaned toward Wen Si, and couldn’t resist watching for a while longer, his eyes filled with confusion.

This was also the first time he had known that Wen Si was once like this.

Listening to Lan Yin’s description only gave him a rough idea, but seeing it for himself was a completely different matter.

Such an obedient little puppy, though he did have some rebellious thoughts.

He was very different from the Wen Si of today. Over thousands of years, the puppy had also grown teeth and become disobedient.

Shi Yu should go; he had to sneak back to his own bedroom early.

He slid quietly off Wen Si’s shoulder. Before he had taken a few steps, the sound of the world outside fell.

It was a premonition. Just as Shi Yu flew out of his own bedroom window, he felt the wind tonight howling in a frightening way, a pitch-black darkness shrouding the night.

And so, just as he wanted to leave, the pitter-patter began outside.

The tiny raindrops had barely fallen when, in an instant, a torrential downpour slammed against the window ledge with an unstoppable momentum.

Should I still go…

Having been in a deep sleep for several years, Shi Yu hadn’t used his wings for too long. Just now, even a slightly stronger gust of wind had blown him staggering.

Add this rain into the mix, and it went without saying.

A sudden heat pressed against his back. Shi Yu was so startled he shuddered, his round eyes widening. He held his breath for a long time before turning his head.

He was met with Wen Si’s magnified face.

He had merely shifted direction while sleeping, and his arm had accidentally fallen onto his small wings, though it hadn’t crushed him.

They were just pressed together.

Fortunately, there were no signs of Wen Si being woken up.

Shi Yu breathed a silent sigh of relief.

The rain outside was unstoppable, slamming into the earth outdoors. It was bound to be rain mixed with mud, sinking into muddy pits.

If he didn’t manage to fly back to his bedroom successfully and instead accidentally fell, dropping into some dirty mud pit, the little bat would be soaked through.

The muddy water would swallow his tiny body whole, leaving him a drowned bat.

The soup base was sludge, and the garnish was a little bat.

He would go in snow-white and come out filthy.

Shi Yu pondered for a moment and sat down right where he was, wrapping his wings in front of his body to block his entire head.

In his little bat state, he was instinctively used to sleeping like this.

Keeping his little head tucked under his wings gave him a sense of security.

It was just that his back remained exposed.

But tonight was different.

On this rain-swept night filled with chill, a broad, warm source of heat had voluntarily pressed against his back, bringing peace of mind.

The rain fell with great intensity, as if wanting to wash something away in this silent night.

Perhaps it was an obsession with someone reunited after a long separation.

But the rain knew it couldn’t wash that away.

What remained was a brand-new yearning.

The little bat fell into a beautiful dream.

He didn’t know that someone was secretly peeking in the darkness, his eyes full of him.

In Wen Si’s pitch-black eyes was a look of satisfaction. His arm was pressed against the little bat’s back, like a puppy clinging on with reluctance.

How could you be so obedient?

Stumbling right into my hunting range.

【Your Highness, you’ve finally returned.】

Lan Yin had limited energy and had disconnected shortly after following Shi Yu into Wen Si’s bedroom.

When he reappeared, it was morning, and the little pink ball of light was looking at Shi Yu with teary eyes.

【TVT***】

Lan Yin had only just entered the dream yesterday before being rejected, leaving Shi Yu as the only true spectator.

Their initial purpose had been to enter the dream out of suspicion toward Wen Si to see if there were any clues.

Knowing what Lan Yin wanted to ask, Shi Yu sighed and shook his head, “There were no gains from entering the dream yesterday. We might have to find other ways to investigate this matter.”

Lan Yin nodded heavily, his expression becoming serious.

【O.O】

After a moment of silence, Lan Yin found the point: “However, the urgent task is to restore your strength as soon as possible, baby.”

“Mm, I’m planning to follow Wen Si to the Mermaid clan to take a look.”

Shi Yu wanted to say more, but suddenly paused, looking outside the door, “Someone is coming.”

“Knock, knock”

Shi Yu quickly ruffled the hair on his head before walking over to open the door.

“Mr. Butler.”

Geer bowed to Shi Yu, “The Duke requests that you tidy up and prepare to leave with him.”

Shi Yu thought for a moment, suppressed his excitement, and asked with a flat tone, “Is it related to the request from the Mermaid King?”

“It should be.” Geer’s eyes caught Shi Yu’s joy. With an ‘I knew it’ expression, he handed the tray in his hand to Shi Yu, “These are the clothes the Duke prepared for you.”

Human, you really shouldn’t get so trapped.

In Geer’s view, this human was being treated as a substitute.

Geer also didn’t understand Wen Si’s thinking he was actually going to bring a blood slave to the Mermaid clan.

The clothes Lan Yin gave to Shi Yu were a white shirt made of silk, which stuck to his skin without the slightest discomfort.

Shi Yu had very high demands for clothing; his skin was delicate, and even slightly rough fabric would make him feel very uncomfortable. Until now, all the fabrics touching his skin had been extremely soft.

The length of the shirt covered half his buttocks, and there was an embroidery-like decoration at the waist. Shi Yu had been looking at it the whole time he was coming downstairs, finding it familiar.

It was a rose, embroidered with deep red thread. Its alluring posture spread from the hem of the shirt to the waist, as if it wanted to wrap around and bind him.

What should have been pure white was suddenly stained with bright, rich beauty.

Only when he met Wen Si did Shi Yu understand the design.

During their meetings these past few days, Wen Si had always worn a suit; seeing him in a white shirt now made his eyes brighten.

The rose embroidery design turned out to be a combination of two pieces of clothing: the rose roots, branches, leaves, and flowers on his hem hadn’t been finished; they connected perfectly to Wen Si’s clothes.

There was another difference: Wen Si’s white shirt had a long pointed collar, with buttons fastened all the way to the base of his throat, while his collar was a standard round neck, revealing the shape of his collarbone.

Clearly similar clothes, yet worn by the two of them, they produced completely different effects.

And equally, they made one not want to look away.

Shi Yu’s gaze lingered for a bit too long.

“Morning.” Wen Si didn’t dodge, but met his gaze head-on, letting him look.

Shi Yu also said, “Good morning.”

Wen Si: “The clothes are very beautiful.”

“And the person?” Shi Yu looked at him and asked, half-seriously, “Isn’t the person beautiful?”

In the past, every morning, the first greeting from the butler Lan Yin would always be a compliment. Shi Yu had been complimented far too many times.

Therefore, his words held no other meaning. It was very straightforward, without any hidden implications; he simply enjoyed the other party’s compliments.

“Beautiful.” Wen Si gave his answer decisively, his gaze slowly brushing across every inch of Shi Yu like a snake’s tongue, his eyes deep. Wen Si didn’t include any fawning tone; he reflected him in his eyes, smiling as he said, “The person is even more beautiful.”

The corners of Shi Yu’s mouth lifted slightly, and he didn’t continue the topic.

It was time to depart.

With Wen Si accompanying him, the journey was unobstructed.

The carriage was spacious and sturdy. Once Shi Yu sat inside, he didn’t feel crowded at all; the cushions must have been excellent soft pads.

The interior space was very large, with a square table placed in the middle, and on the table were all the most popular snacks for humans recently.

Wen Si sat opposite him; apart from the other party’s restless feeding on the way, they were silent for the entire trip.

The carriage passed through bumpy paths and soon entered a bustling market, surrounded by the noisy clamor of passing crowds.

The carriage finally stopped in the liveliest spot.

Clearly, this was not where the blood clan lived.

They had arrived in the human kingdom.

To be precise, it was the territory where the blood hunters gathered.

“Get out of the carriage.”

Shi Yu followed Wen Si out, only to discover that the carriage driver had already left, leaving only the two of them in this place.

The market was full of vendors shouting their wares, and many peddlers pushing mobile stalls wove through the crowd. People were coming and going, bustling and lively.

Shi Yu liked to join in the excitement.

Up ahead, many people were huddled together, surrounding a ring in the middle. The crowd was surging and congested, everyone’s face filled with excitement. From time to time, loud cheers would erupt, which could be heard from far away.

Shi Yu was a bit curious and asked, “What is this for?”

“A challenge stage.” Wen Si saw the eagerness in Shi Yu’s eyes and took his hand, pulling him forward, “Let’s walk closer and see.”

Shi Yu was just about to join in the fun, so he answered briskly, “Okay.”

But… why did he have to hold his hand while walking?

Shi Yu only glanced at his held hand before being drawn away again by the cheers from around him.

However, holding hands was still useful.

At least the shoving in the crowd had nothing to do with him; Wen Si blocked the front, isolating the flow of people for him, preventing anyone from bumping into him, and easily led him to the center of the front row, right next to the challenge stage.

An excellent viewing position.

At a glance, it was a group of particularly muscular brawny men, bare-chested. Dark skin, thick arms, standing in row after row.

They looked quite intimidating.

Shi Yu: “…”

Is this… a weightlifting competition?

Lan Yin also didn’t understand: I don’t dare open my eyes, I hope this is my hallucination.