How to Keep a Vampire - Chapter 9

Prince Shi Yu had never received rewards of this nature. His jewelry was always eagerly offered by others, or bought when he took a fancy to it.

Wen Si wanted to reward him.

Shi Yu couldn’t help but think of the “reward” mentioned in his dreams. This wasn’t a counterattack, was it?

Shi Yu had a guess about the reward, but he decided to be a little reserved: “As for a reward, there is no need for anything too valuable. You have already given me many gemstones before; this time, the teardrops…”

They don’t all have to be given to me.

Prince Shi Yu was not greedy. There was no need to give him all one hundred thousand teardrops; he only needed a little bit.

Anyway, it would all be his before long.

“Teardrops?” Wen Si seemed puzzled, his tone carrying a hint of mockery.

Shi Yu’s words were cut off unexpectedly, stopping in an awkward position.

Well… how embarrassing.

Wen Si’s gaze swept over Shi Yu’s frozen expression, and he teased, “You want teardrops as a reward?”

It’s not that I can’t.

Shi Yu: “Anything is fine.”

“Hmm?” The corners of Wen Si’s lips hooked up. “If you want them, I will naturally satisfy you.”

Since the other party had already extended an olive branch, how could Shi Yu not accept it?

His fair, delicate cheeks were calm, but his eyes sparkled with sincere ripples. He said: “I want them. Teardrops are formed from the tears of the Mermaid tribe; I have never seen them before.”

Why wouldn’t it count?

He had lost his memory now, so this would be the first time he saw them.

Satisfying a little blood slave’s wish should not be a difficult task for Wen Si.

A beam of light always fell onto the main seat, and only then did Shi Yu notice the shutter window on the roof.

The Vampires did not like sunlight, but Shi Yu’s ancestral bloodline made him unafraid of it. The room was too gloomy and foggy, so Lan Yin racked his brains and specifically chose a spot on the wall to install a rose-patterned shutter window, with the glass removed.

A soft beam of light could fall precisely onto the main seat.

Lan Yin’s idea was simple: in his eyes, the Prince should come with his own halo of light.

Now, that was exactly the case.

The light passed over Wen Si’s handsome face, from his full forehead down to his straight nose, obscuring his deep, pool-like eyes.

“Alright then.” He hooked his lips, as if making a promise: “Everything you like will be yours.”

The shadow of the beam seemed to split into another world.

It was a trapped beast that had been waiting for a long time, and the prey it coveted was taking the initiative to show favor.

It seemed like it was about to fall into the net.

But who could say for sure?

Is this the prey falling into the net?

Or is the trapped beast willingly offering up its chest?

Shi Yu’s eyebrows were curved, and his pale pink lips lifted slightly.

“Thank you.”

It was clearly a reward, yet it felt like an offering, just as in the past, only now it had been given another layer of meaning.

Shi Yu loved treasures, but he lacked perseverance. His affection was short-lived, especially for things obtained without any effort.

He would only cherish ordinary offerings for a while, and would soon forget or discard them. But these teardrops were something he had actively sought; he had to accept them, and naturally, he would protect them well.

Every wish granted, as if whatever Shi Yu asked for now, Wen Si would satisfy him.

This kind of Wen Si was actually very dangerous, and Shi Yu could feel Wen Si’s indulgence to some extent. “So, what was the original reward?”

Wen Si told him: “You heard what Di You said just now. He invited me to disguise myself as a blood hunter and go to the Mermaid tribe. This matter will certainly not end in the short term. I am very worried about leaving you here alone.”

Wen Si paused thoughtfully for a moment, and then asked in a coaxing tone: “So, you can think about it, what would my original reward have been?”

Shi Yu: “…”

His joy from earlier dissipated somewhat.

In other words, Wen Si’s original reward was to take him to the Mermaid tribe to attend the ceremony.

The Mermaid tribe lived in the deep sea, far from the mainland. It would not be appropriate for him to go there alone.

The trouble lay in his current identity.

—A spy sent by the blood hunters.

He had forgotten about this. After Wen Si left, the castle would be even more heavily guarded. Everywhere here was filled with Wen Si’s people; every move he made seemed to be right before the other party’s eyes. How could Wen Si let him leave alone, let alone go to the Mermaid tribe?

His current body was frail, and he did not seem to have the opportunity to get the Mermaid tribe’s sacred object alone without anyone noticing.

Shi Yu’s eyes were filled with gloomy colors. It was difficult to judge what Wen Si’s mind could come up with.

He was even more curious about who it was that had caused him to fall into such a deep sleep. That person had better worry about their own neck from now on; once he found him or them, he would only make them wish they were dead.

The feeling of having every move firmly controlled by others was truly very unpleasant.

If he wanted a turning point, he had to go to the Mermaid tribe to give it a try.

There was a long silence.

Wen Si did not urge Shi Yu, but rather waited with interest.

He had enough patience, as he always had.

Finally, he waited.

The young man’s lips moved, and he asked awkwardly, gritting his teeth: “Can… the reward be changed?”

Although the voice was very small, in this quiet environment, Shi Yu could clearly hear Wen Si’s light laughter.

“One hundred thousand teardrops is equivalent to the income of a human kingdom for ten years.”

He didn’t want Shi Yu to lower his head voluntarily; he just wanted to see what he looked like when he was frustrated.

He thought it would be very interesting.

Wen Si had been lonely for too long.

In the long thousands of years, boredom had devoured him bit by bit like air soaked in poison. He was unwilling to accept the status quo, but he could only wait.

Fortunately, he had waited for everything.

“Are you willing to part with them?” Wen Si asked him.

Shi Yu: “…Of course.”

Of course he wasn’t willing, but what could he do?

Anyway, it was only a matter of time. Giving up briefly now, these teardrops, along with everything else, would eventually have to be returned to their rightful owner.

Shi Yu didn’t think his temper was that good.

Everything here belonged to him in the first place; he didn’t need to bow to anyone.

“Shi Yu.” Wen Si called him, dragging out his tone, his black pupils filled with reassurance. “Do you know that you can play the rogue?”

As if seeing through Shi Yu’s displeasure, Wen Si was guiding him step by step, teaching him how to get benefits from himself and take advantage of him.

This was probably the stupidest trapped beast in the world.

Hopeless.

“Play the rogue?” Shi Yu asked, displeased and doubtful.

“Yes, ask for both rewards at the same time and take away everything you like.” Wen Si’s words gave Shi Yu a new choice.

“Then…” Shi Yu was still a little uncertain. His lips moved a few times before he made up his mind: “I want both rewards.”

Shi Yu didn’t know if it was an illusion, but regarding Wen Si, he always had an instinct to be self-willed.

Wen Si did not continue to make things difficult for him and answered decisively. He said earnestly: “Okay.”

The castle was quiet and dark. The walls on the lower levels were damp, and faint candlelight hung from the crystal lamp holders above.

It felt as if he hadn’t yet embraced a moment of daylight before becoming a guest of the night once more.

Everything was as usual, yet filled with bits of strangeness.

Shi Yu’s footsteps stopped.

“What is the matter with you again?” Ge Er’s tone was stiffly respectful, as if he were not used to it.

He didn’t know what exactly Ge Er had imagined, but his current attitude was extremely strange, with an unnatural respect added to it.

In just a short stretch of road, Shi Yu had stopped three or four times.

As for Ge Er’s “again,” Shi Yu looked at him innocently and whispered: “Sorry, my legs are just a little sore.”

“If you walked back to your bedroom sooner, your noble legs wouldn’t be sore.”

Noble legs…

As expected of Wen Si’s butler, just as sarcastic as his master.

Ge Er licked his lips; would he really not poison himself?

Ge Er had been quick with his tongue for a moment, but looking at Shi Yu’s face, which appeared even more translucent white under the faint light—half hidden in the darkness, looking somewhat at a loss he quickly added, “You don’t need to apologize. I was just being sharp-tongued. If you are tired, you can walk slowly; I will not rush you.”

Shi Yu didn’t do it on purpose; he had indeed discovered something strange.

For example, just now, the candle flame above his head had flickered abnormally; it was caused by the wind.

Pure-blooded vampires had extremely strong night vision. Even though he was currently in a human body, Shi Yu could guarantee that he hadn’t seen the scene just now incorrectly.

The corners of his lips curved imperceptibly.

How surprising. Had an acquaintance found him?

Shi Yu’s butler became very attentive, and Ge Er stayed with him until they reached the bedroom before preparing to leave.

“Please rest early.”

He still lived in the best bedroom in the castle; Wen Si had not changed it for him.

“Wait…” Shi Yu raised an eyebrow, thinking of an excuse. “Does the castle not have any other bedrooms?”

It would have been better if he hadn’t mentioned it. Upon hearing this, Ge Er’s expression became even more complicated.

“The Duke said that the environment in this room is the best, and you will be more accustomed to living here.”

Ge Er’s subtle gaze didn’t make Shi Yu think too much. He was living in his original room, so of course, he would be more accustomed to it.

Ge Er thought Shi Yu would be overjoyed by this, but he was disappointed.

“Thank you for your hard work.” Shi Yu blinked and said expectantly: “I’ll have to trouble you to move the teardrops here as soon as possible tomorrow.”

“One hundred thousand of them. It is best if two people carry one box during transport; please make sure they are not shaken or lost along the way.” At the end, he added, still not feeling assured.

Ge Er: “…”

After Shi Yu finished speaking, he felt uneasy again. “Forget it, I’ll move them myself.”

Shi Yu hated it when others touched his things.

Especially things he had obtained through his own initiative.

For the treasures he had worked so hard to get, he had inexhaustible strength and means.

Ge Er’s face was about to lose its composure. He never expected that Shi Yu would still be thinking about the teardrops.

“Don’t worry, I will supervise it to ensure that the teardrops are intact when they are moved to your bedroom.”

“I wish you a good night’s sleep.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Ge Er left with rapid, flying steps.

“How boring.” Shi Yu summoned Lan Yin and said playfully: “Lan Yin, there is a guest in my bedroom.”

[Ah?!] Lan Yin couldn’t react for a moment after hearing this.

He threw himself onto the bed languidly, his beautiful eyes closed tightly, as if he had fallen asleep from exhaustion.

[Baby, are you saying that someone has entered here?!]

[Baby, don’t go to sleep just yet; it’s not safe.]

Gradually, Shi Yu’s breathing became regular.

He seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep.

Finally, the rustling sounds were magnified several times over.

No one saw the curve of the young man’s lips on the bed.

From the moment he entered the bedroom, Shi Yu had clearly known that an uninvited guest had snuck in with him.

He had deliberately slowed down on the way, which could be considered providing convenience for the other party. Fortunately, the other party had not disappointed him.