Chapter 85: Well-behaved Creatures

Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Well-behaved Creatures

Xi Yunxui woke to the strange sensation of something warm and wet dragging across her cheek.

For a moment, she remained half-asleep, her brows drawing together as the sensation continued. Whoever—or whatever—was licking her face seemed entirely unconcerned about disturbing her rest.

With considerable reluctance, Xi Yunxui opened her eyes.

A familiar ash-grey face filled her vision.

Hui was crouched beside her on the bed, her tongue still slightly extended. The moment she noticed that Xi Yunxui was awake, she stopped licking and pulled back with an innocent expression, as though she had done nothing wrong.

Xi Yunxui stared at her.

Hui stared back.

Then Xi Yunxui slowly sat up, pushing her disheveled hair away from her face. She glanced down at Hui and realized that the little girl’s illusion had finally disappeared. Instead of the childlike appearance she had maintained throughout the day, Hui had returned to her original tiger-like form, her ash-grey fur spread across the blankets as she sat beside Xi Yunxui.

"So you’re finally back to normal," Xi Yunxui murmured.

Hui tilted her head.

Xi Yunxui narrowed her eyes slightly. "And why were you licking my face?"

Hui blinked at her, looking completely unbothered by the question.

Before Xi Yunxui could question her further, she felt the need to stretch lazily and so she did, extending her arms above her head before lowering them with a soft yawn. The room was quiet and dim, the late afternoon light filtering through the curtains in pale golden strips.

She turned her head and looked around.

King C was sleeping near the foot of the bed, his large body curled comfortably against the blankets. Biyu was nestled beside him, its bright red feathers forming a vivid patch of color against the pale bedding. The two creatures were lying close to Hui’s little doll, which had been placed carefully between them.

Xi Yunxui stared at the scene for several seconds.

They were actually sleeping.

No one had knocked over anything. No one had escaped through the window. No one had wandered into the main residence and caused trouble.

It was so unusual that Xi Yunxui almost suspected she was still dreaming.

Then her stomach growled.

The sound reminded her of why she had fallen asleep so quickly in the first place.

Earlier that afternoon, after leaving Madam Huo’s room, Xi Yunxui had returned to the staff quarters intending to eat something before checking on the three creatures. She had barely reached the path leading toward the quarters when she encountered Auntie Zhang.

She had been carrying a neatly packaged lunchbox.

"Yunxui" She called, hurrying toward her. "The Patriarch asked me to give this to you."

Xi Yunxui had looked at the lunchbox in surprise.

"To me?"

"Yes. He said you might not have eaten yet."

The moment she heard that, Xi Yunxui had nearly burst into tears of joy.

She had, in fact, not eaten.

Not since morning.

The chocolate Huo Yuning had given her had only managed to awaken her appetite rather than satisfy it, and after dealing with Huo Mingyuo’s family, her hunger had become so intense that she felt capable of eating an entire table of food.

She had accepted the lunchbox with both hands.

"Please thank the Patriarch for me."

Auntie Zhang had smiled before leaving, and Xi Yunxui had hurried the rest of the way to her room.

At that time, Biyu’s illusion was still active. The red-feathered creature was sitting quietly in the room while King C lounged nearby and Hui remained beside her doll. Xi Yunxui had expected at least one of them to cause trouble while she was away, but they had all been unusually well behaved.

Too well behaved, in fact.

She had barely finished eating before the heaviness in her stomach, combined with the exhaustion of the day, dragged her into sleep. She had not even remembered to warn King C not to leave the room or tell Biyu and Hui not to wander around the mansion.

Yet when she woke, they were all still there.

---

Xi Yunxui looked from King C to Biyu, then down at Hui.

"Have you all been good while I was asleep?"

Hui gave a quiet huff and settled more comfortably on the bed.

Xi Yunxui glanced at King C.

He did not move.

Her eyes narrowed.

"King C?"

The goat-like creature’s ears twitched, but he remained asleep.

Xi Yunxui leaned forward and studied him suspiciously. She had long since learned that King C was capable of pretending to be asleep whenever he wished to avoid responsibility. However, judging by the peaceful expression on his face and the fact that Biyu was sleeping beside him, he might actually have behaved himself for once.

With a faint smile, Xi Yunxui slid off the bed.

"I suppose I should give you some credit."

Hui watched her as she walked into the bedroom.

The small bathroom was connected to her room, and Xi Yunxui entered without turning on the overhead light. She washed her face with cool water, allowing the refreshing sensation to chase away the last traces of sleep. Afterward, she dried her face with a towel and looked at her reflection in the mirror.

Her hair was slightly messy, her cheeks still warm from sleep, and there was a faint mark on one side of her face where Hui’s tongue had repeatedly dragged across her skin.

Xi Yunxui touched the mark.

"Hui, you really need to stop doing that."

From the bedroom came a muffled sound, followed by the rustling of blankets.

The noise continued as Xi Yunxui stepped out of the bathroom. King C had finally woken up, and Biyu was sitting beside him, blinking sleepily as it adjusted its wings.

King C immediately turned toward Xi Yunxui.

"Xi Yunxui, I’m hungry."

His voice was filled with such deep suffering that anyone unfamiliar with him might have believed he had not eaten in several days.

Xi Yunxui stopped near the doorway.

She looked at his round body, then at his face which still held traces of sleep.

A sarcastic reply rose naturally to her lips.

You’ve only just woken up, and you’re already demanding food?

However, before she could say anything, she remembered that King C had remained in the room throughout the entire day. He had not escaped, caused trouble, or disturbed anyone. Even Biyu and Hui appeared to have stayed with him.

For once, he deserved praise.

Xi Yunxui’s expression softened.

"Alright, alright. I’ll find something for you to eat."

King C’s eyes brightened.

"Really?"

"Yes." She glanced at the three creatures. "But you must remain here until I return."

King C’s ears drooped slightly.

"Why?"

"Because we have guests in the mansion," Xi Yunxui explained. "It wouldn’t be wise for you to wander around whenever you feel like it."

She paused, then remembered Huo Mingyuo and his family.

Considering how unreasonable they were, there was no telling what kind of trouble they might cause if they encountered King C, Biyu, or Hui. Even if the creatures did nothing wrong, Xin Lihua and her children seemed capable of turning the smallest matter into a scandal.

Xi Yunxui sighed inwardly.

"They may be staying overnight," she added. "And they’re not exactly easy to deal with. So, for now, none of you should leave this room."

King C considered her words, then nodded with surprising seriousness.

"Alright. Just don’t take too long."

Xi Yunxui laughed.

"I’ll do my best."

She turned toward the door, but just as her hand reached for the handle, she remembered something else.

The system.

Xi Yunxui paused and looked back at the three creatures.

The system had begun upgrading earlier, after declaring her mission complete under circumstances that still made no sense. It had not returned since then, and she had been too distracted by her hunger and exhaustion to check whether the upgrade was finished.

She closed her eyes and called out mentally.

System?

There was no response.

Xi Yunxui waited for a few seconds before trying again.

System? Are you back?

Silence.

Her brows slowly furrowed.

"So the upgrade is still ongoing," she muttered.

She had no idea how long it would take. For all she knew, she might have already earned affection points during the day or triggered another mission without realizing it. There could even be a reward waiting for her.

Unfortunately, the system had chosen this exact moment to become unavailable.

Xi Yunxui clicked her tongue softly.

Who knows what I might have missed while you were busy upgrading?

She did not say the complaint aloud, but the irritation lingered in her mind.

After taking one last look at King C, Biyu, and Hui, she opened the door and stepped into the corridor.

She had barely walked a few steps when she heard someone crying.

The sound came from farther down the staff quarters, accompanied by several voices trying to comfort the person.

"Don’t cry. It will be alright."

"Just endure it for now."

"You should put something cold on your cheek."

Xi Yunxui slowed.

The crying sounded young, and there was something so helpless about it that her curiosity immediately overcame her intention to go straight to the kitchen.

She followed the voices and soon saw a small group of workers gathered near one of the rooms. A young maid sat on a low bench, her head lowered as tears rolled down her cheeks. One hand was pressed against the side of her face.

Xi Yunxui recognized her after a moment.

The girl was named Lin Miao, a young maid who had been employed at the Huo residence after Xi Yunxui arrived. She was quiet, hardworking, and still somewhat unfamiliar with the routines of the mansion.

Xi Yunxui’s gaze fell on the red mark across Lin Miao’s cheek.

"What happened?"

The workers turned toward her.

A male servant standing nearby immediately straightened.

"Miss Xi."

Xi Yunxui looked from him to Lin Miao.

"Why is she crying?"

The servant hesitated before lowering his voice.

"It was Second Master Mingyuo’s family."

Xi Yunxui’s expression changed.

"Huo Mingyuo?"

The servant nodded.

"His wife, Madam Xin Lihua, became angry about something. She was looking for someone to bring her tea, but Lin Miao didn’t hear her immediately. Madam Xin called her several times, and when Lin Miao finally came over, she was slapped."

Lin Miao’s shoulders trembled at the explanation.

Xi Yunxui looked at the young maid’s swollen cheek, then glanced toward the direction of the main residence.

That family had only arrived earlier, yet they had already managed to insult her, demand household belongings, and strike a servant.

Xi Yunxui let out a slow breath.

"These people are truly troublesome."

The male servant gave a bitter smile.

"Everyone knows that, but there’s nothing we can do. Madam Xin is a relative of the family, and the Patriarch has always tolerated them."

Xi Yunxui’s eyes narrowed.

"Why?"

The servant shook his head.

"I don’t know. The older servants probably understand the situation better."

Xi Yunxui glanced at Lin Miao again.

The girl was still crying quietly, and the other workers continued trying to comfort her. Xi Yunxui felt sorry for her, but sympathy alone would not change anything. She had no authority to punish Xin Lihua, and confronting her again would only make the situation more troublesome for Lin Miao and the other servants.

She stepped closer and crouched slightly in front of the young maid.

"Lin Miao, put something cold against your cheek. If it still hurts later, ask the housekeeper for medicine."

Lin Miao quickly wiped her tears and nodded.

"Thank you, Miss Xi."

Xi Yunxui gave her a small, reassuring smile before standing.

She wanted to say more, but the words would have been meaningless. Telling Lin Miao not to cry would not erase the humiliation, and promising that Xin Lihua would never do it again would be a lie.

So, after giving the girl one final look, Xi Yunxui turned and continued toward the main residence.

As she walked away, the sound of Lin Miao’s quiet sobbing followed her for a while.

Xi Yunxui’s expression gradually hardened.

The Huo family was powerful enough to refuse almost anyone. They did not need to endure people who behaved so shamelessly, nor did they need to allow relatives to mistreat their servants under their roof.

Yet Madam Huo had appeased them earlier, and the household continued to tolerate their behavior.

There was clearly a reason.

Xi Yunxui had no idea what it was, but she was becoming increasingly certain that Huo Mingyuo and his family were not simply troublesome relatives who had been allowed to stay out of kindness.

Something was tying them to the Huo family.

And whatever that something was, it appeared to be strong enough to make even the Huo family endure their arrogance.

She was still thinking about it when she reached the path leading toward the main residence.

A man stood beneath the shade of a tree a short distance away, his back turned toward her. He was holding a phone to his ear, speaking in a low voice as he looked toward the mansion.

Xi Yunxui slowed.

The man’s tall figure and familiar posture immediately caught her attention.

As she moved closer, he turned slightly, revealing his profile.

Xi Yunxui recognized him at once.

Huo Jingchen.

Only then did she remember the earlier part of the day, when he had taken her to the greenhouse and arranged for food to be brought there. She had barely taken three bites when the patriarch summoned her, and afterward, the day had become so chaotic that she had barely thought about the encounter again.

Now, seeing him standing alone outside while making a phone call, the memory returned in fragments—the quiet greenhouse, the food, his composed expression, and the strange sense that he had deliberately wanted to spend time with her.

Xi Yunxui stopped a few steps away.

Huo Jingchen had not noticed her yet.

His voice remained low as he continued speaking into the phone, his expression calm but distant. However, there was a faint tension around his eyes, as though whatever he was discussing was not particularly pleasant.

Xi Yunxui hesitated.

She could simply walk past him and continue toward the kitchen.

But after noticing the seriousness of his expression, she found herself wondering what had happened.

Then Huo Jingchen turned his head.

His gaze landed on her.

For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.