Chapter 4: I Want to Taste Wuming’s Blood

Serena sat happily on the sofa, rubbing the belly of a very unwilling Wuyi.

“Hehe, I get to stay here now.”

“Let’s get along well, kitty.”

“……”

Wuming still hadn’t recovered from what had just happened. 

His disheveled clothes and pants that were barely staying up showed exactly how hard he had struggled and resisted.

In the end he hadn’t let Serena succeed. He had agreed to let her stay here for a few days.

Otherwise, the next time he saw his mom, three people would show up together. Wuming absolutely could not let that happen!

Did I just get a wife for free…?

He looked at Serena, who was enthusiastically playing with the cat. 

When she noticed his gaze, she smiled sweetly at him.

“……”

Maybe I should secretly call the police and have them take her away.

The thought flashed through Wuming’s mind.

This girl is too dangerous. Who knows when she might break me.

Wait, I think I’m already broken… but the other part isn’t yet.

“Wuming, you’re not thinking anything bad, are you?”

Serena suddenly turned her gaze toward him, as if she had sensed something.

“No, no, I wouldn’t dare.”

This girl’s intuition is way too sharp!

Wuming was so scared he didn’t even dare finish the thought, afraid Serena would notice in a second.

“If you call the police to arrest me, Wuming.”

Serena looked at him with a sly smile.

“I’ll just tell the nice officers that you’re a lolicon and that you did those things to me.”

“Then who do you think they’ll believe—the cute young girl or the otaku with walls full of figurines?”

“Ehehe~ It’s the perverted big brother~”

Serena suddenly declared in full bratty-loli mode.

This girl…

Although Wuming had thought the bratty-loli trope was pretty nice when reading manga, actually meeting one made him furious!

She really needs to be properly punished!

Let her learn how harsh society can be!

But that kind of thing could only happen in doujinshi. If he actually did it—

Life sentence or death penalty. Pick one.

Peanuts would be served in generous portions.

“Sigh…”

Wuming let out a powerless sigh and looked at the smug Serena.

He really hadn’t expected to end up taking her in…

“Since I’m letting you stay, you can’t just freeload and do nothing. Got it?”

Wuming couldn’t let Serena mooch off him for free, so she had to do something to repay him.

That kind of thing was off the table, but ordinary chores were fine.

“You don’t need to entertain guests, Miss Serena. I just need you to keep the house clean.”

He raised one finger.

“One, clean the house. Two, refill Wuyi’s food bowl when it’s low. Three, change the litter and put in fresh stuff. That’s all.”

These were the most ordinary daily tasks. Serena could handle them easily.

“What if I don’t want to?” 

Serena asked with a smile, thinking Wuming had no way to deal with her.

This girl…

She’s pushing her luck now, huh!

“Then I’ll—” 

Wuming smiled right back at her, “—dig a pit, bury you, and find you a nice shady spot. I can manage that much.”

“Eep…” Serena felt a chill run down her spine. Even Wuyi seemed to sense the cold and jumped off her lap.

“I-I-I was joking, Doctor Wuming!”

Serena sat up straight. “I’ll work hard, Doctor Wuming! I’ll clean everything spotless!”

Seeing her promise so earnestly, Wuming withdrew the threat and looked at her gently.

“Since we have an agreement, I’ll head downstairs now.”

There were only a few minutes left until the next patient arrived. Wuming couldn’t stay on the second floor any longer.

Lunch was completely out of the question now.

“You stay here and do your chores. I’m going down.”

With that, Wuming returned to the first floor and continued working.

“……”

I can’t believe… I actually managed to stay…

Watching Wuming leave, Serena couldn’t help sighing to herself. In the end she had forced him to let her remain.

She had even “married” a human she had met less than a day ago. She really was stupid…

Serena mocked her own childish method, but if she hadn’t done it… what other choice did she have?

Still, forcing the marriage clearly hadn’t been enough by itself.

She looked around the room. 

For the next few days she would be staying in this place while she recovered.

“……”

If only… I weren’t so weak right now…

Serena suddenly clenched her fist.

Right now I would be out there taking revenge on those blood clan members! I wouldn’t have to resort to making Wuming take me in!

The fist she had just tightened went limp again the next second.

I never thought… those people would set me up like this. They knew I escaped to this city and still found me…

Gurgle—!

Her stomach suddenly rumbled. Serena rubbed it.

Haven’t eaten anything yet…

She had only taken one lick of Doctor Wuming’s blood… That flavor had been so good. She really wanted to taste Wuming’s blood again…

Serena still wanted another taste of Wuming’s blood. The flavor had left her completely enchanted.

But he was still working, so she couldn’t drink his blood right now. She would have to wait until he finished.

Until then, she had to please Wuming so he would allow her to drink.

…

Wuming worked, but his mind wasn’t on the sessions. 

It kept drifting upstairs to Serena.

He had originally planned to have her clean the first floor too, but given her situation he decided against it. 

He didn’t want her appearing in front of other people.

For now he would keep Serena away from everyone else and figure out exactly what was going on first.

Besides, Wuming believed the people chasing Serena probably didn’t know she was here yet. 

If they did, they would have come looking already. The fact that they hadn’t shown up after so long proved it.

Serena…

What exactly happened to her…? 

Why was she a blood clan experimental subject…? 

What kind of experiments were they doing on her…?

“Doctor Wuming, are you listening?”

Seeing Wuming spacing out, the patient in front of him looked unhappy.

“Of course, of course I’m listening carefully, sir.”

“I’m taking very seriously the matter of your gaming buddy always calling you ‘Mom.’”

In truth Wuming was dying to laugh inside.

“I’m not joking, Doctor!”

“Okay, okay, I understand, sir…”

“I’m being completely serious—!”

The patient slapped the table to get Wuming’s attention.

“Yes, yes, please continue.”

After several more patients, the afternoon passed just like that. 

Wuming flipped the “Closed” sign, bought two portions of fast food, and returned to the second floor.

He saw Serena busy with housework. Even the corners he never bothered with were now spotless.

“Dear~ hus~band~!”

“Housework is all done~”

Serena obediently walked up to Wuming.

The entire house was sparkling clean. She had worked with all her heart just to give Wuming a perfect environment.

This way he’ll definitely agree to let me drink his blood, right?

That was what Serena thought. After seeing her work so hard, Wuming was sure to let her have a taste!

“Looks very clean.”

Wuming glanced around the spotless house, then at Wuyi happily eating cat food. He had to admit the girl was actually good at housework.

She’d make a perfect maid.

“I bought boxed meals. Come sit and eat with me.”

Wuming naturally placed the containers on the table, pulled out a stool, and started devouring his food.

He was going to make up for the lunch he had missed!

“Uh…”

But Serena didn’t seem interested in the meal in front of her.

This wasn’t what she had imagined at all!

“What’s wrong?”

Noticing she wasn’t eating, Wuming asked directly. Had the dishes he bought not been to her liking?

But how was he supposed to know what she wanted? He had ordered the same things for both of them.

He should have asked her first.

“I mean… Wuming…” Serena looked at him helplessly.

“Hm? Don’t you like these dishes?”

“Just eat for now. Tomorrow when I buy food I’ll ask what you want.”

“That’s not what I mean…”

Serena pouted. “I’m asking you—who am I?” She tried to give him a hint so he would understand what she wanted.

But he didn’t get it.

“The person who forcibly married me and (manual censorship) me.” Wuming answered bluntly.

“Not that—!”

Though technically he wasn’t wrong.

“I’m asking what my race is!”

Serena pointed at herself, making sure he saw her clearly, and kept dropping hints.

“Blood clan. Why?”

“……”

Can’t your brain turn for even one second?!

Serena looked at him speechlessly. It seemed he really didn’t know what she wanted to eat.

“I’m saying… don’t you know what blood clan members eat?” Serena asked straight out.

“Hm? Blood, obviously.”

“……”

“……”

Wuming stopped eating. For a moment it felt like the air itself had frozen.

The two of them stared at each other in silence.

So you do know blood clan members drink blood!

I thought you, as a human, didn’t know!

Serena looked at him even more speechlessly.

Only now did Wuming realize the girl in front of him wasn’t human or any other ordinary race—she was blood clan!

That meant what she needed to “eat” was blood!

Then why did I buy her rice?!

And where was he supposed to get blood, unless…

Wuming’s pupils suddenly shrank! He seemed to understand something.

“Since you already know, Wuming,” Serena slowly walked over to him and revealed her two small fangs, “let me drink your blood!”

She had been looking forward to this moment for a long time!

“No—! Absolutely not—!”

Wuming forgot all about his food and immediately backed away from Serena, afraid she would sink her teeth into him if he was even a second slower.

“Why not?” Serena waved her claws and kept advancing, determined to drink his blood.

“It’s perfectly normal for married couples to drink each other’s blood, so just let me have a few sips, dear. It’s no big deal.”

It’s a huge deal, Miss Blood Clan!

It wasn’t that Wuming didn’t want to let her drink. His blood was simply too special. He was refusing for her own safety.

Because of his race and ability, his blood was highly toxic! Not just anyone could drink it!

That was why he had never donated blood once—he was afraid of harming others.

But Serena didn’t know any of this, and Wuming didn’t know she had already licked his blood during the daytime pact.

“Don’t be shy. It’s just drinking blood, no big deal, Wuming.”

“No! Absolutely not, Miss Serena!”

“Under no circumstances can you touch my blood!”

Wuming spoke sternly, refusing to let Serena drink his blood. This only made Serena more confused.

It was just blood drinking. Why such a big reaction? It would only hurt a little.

“For your safety, I can’t let you touch my blood, Miss Serena.”

“Please understand.”

“?”

Now Serena was completely lost.

She had licked Wuming’s blood earlier and nothing bad had happened. She had only fainted from overusing her ability.

So Serena thought this was just an excuse. He simply didn’t want to let her have any.

Then why had she worked so hard cleaning the house?! Wasn’t it all so she could have one little taste?!

“What safety? Nothing happened at all.”

“I licked your blood during the day.”

Serena didn’t believe him, so she told the truth outright—she had licked his blood earlier and been perfectly fine.

“……”

Eh?!

Wuming’s head buzzed the moment he heard that.

“You… when did you drink my blood?!”

“During the [Oath Ring] ritual. I licked one drop.”

[Oath Ring]?

Wuming looked at the ring on his finger.

Come to think of it, he still hadn’t asked how Serena had suddenly “married” him, but that wasn’t the issue right now!

The important part was that she had licked his blood! And she was standing in front of him perfectly fine!

“You… didn’t feel anything wrong?”

Wuming asked in shock.

“Feel wrong…?”

The only discomfort Serena could think of was the side effect after overusing her ability. Nothing else had happened.

So she shook her head. “No.”

“……”

“Gotta say, you’re really lucky, Miss Serena.” Wuming let out a sigh of relief.

“What do you mean?” Serena looked puzzled.

“My blood is a little special compared to other people’s. It contains deadly poison, that’s all.”

“You licked my blood and nothing happened. That just means you’re very lucky, Miss Serena. Probably because you didn’t ingest much.”

“Deadly poison?!?!?!”

Serena would never have imagined that an ordinary human like Wuming could have toxic blood—unless he wasn’t ordinary at all.

“……”

Come to think of it, he really isn’t ordinary.

He had saved her from fatal injuries. He clearly possessed advanced skills or an ability. She just didn’t know what his words meant.

Serena stopped moving. For now she would put off drinking Wuming’s blood, but there was still the matter of food.

“If I can’t drink your blood, then what am I supposed to eat?”

Serena asked with clear dissatisfaction.

At least she wasn’t trying to force herself on him like before…

Wuming breathed a small sigh of relief at that.

Still, Serena had a point. What was she supposed to drink? The question genuinely stumped him.

There were blood vending machines, but they required a special blood clan ID. He didn’t know whether the Serena in front of him even had one.

“I’ll go buy some blood for you. Give me your ID.”

Wuming held out his hand, but Serena didn’t respond. It looked like she had no idea what an ID even was.

“I…”

“I don’t have one.”

She was a black household too.

Hearing Serena’s answer, Wuming immediately guessed she was unregistered.

If she didn’t have an ID… how was he supposed to get blood for her…?

The problem troubled Wuming. Even if drinking his blood wouldn’t harm her, he still wouldn’t let her have any.

His blood was extremely precious.

At that moment Wuming remembered one of his former patients—a blood clan member living in the city. He had met her when she had nearly taken her own life.

He wondered how she was doing now.

They hadn’t been in contact for a long time.

Wuming decided to ask her for help with Serena’s food issue. He didn’t know if it would work.

He didn’t even know if she would be willing.

“You stay here. I’ll go buy some blood for you.”

“You have a way?!” Serena asked in pleasant surprise. She had no idea how he planned to get blood.

“I happen to know a blood clan member who lives here. Asking her to help buy some should be fine.”

The moment she heard it was someone from her own race, Serena instantly became wary. She was afraid the person might be connected to that organization.

“Is she trustworthy?” Serena asked uneasily.

“What do you mean trustworthy?” Wuming had no idea what she was thinking. 

“She’s a former patient of mine. Don’t worry.”

“……”

“I’ll contact her right now and see if she’s still around.”

With that, Wuming opened his phone and searched for the contact information of the blood clan member he hadn’t seen in a long time.