Bai Lingling tapped her foot lightly as she inspected the empty ground around the parcels. The herbs were there. The guards were there. The dust was definitely there.
But food?
Nowhere.
She narrowed her eyes.
"Uncle Shen," she said slowly, "why do I not see any food?"
All fifteen guards stiffened as if someone had drawn a blade behind them.
Uncle Shen swallowed loudly and stepped forward, his old hands almost shaking.
"Young Miss… we did not know you required it… immediately. So we bought the herbs first and thought that since we still had some gold left, we could return and—"
Bai Lingling blinked at him with wide, innocent eyes.
"So… you bought medicine before food?"
The guards exchanged glances.
This… sounded like a trap.
She sighed dramatically, placing a hand over her stomach.
"Uncle Shen, even if I die from illness, I cannot cure myself on an empty stomach. At least if I eat first, I won't die hungry."
Every guard lowered their heads at the same time.
They felt like the heavens themselves had scolded them.
Uncle Shen nodded frantically, bowing so low his beard shook.
"Yes, yes, Young Miss is right! Very right! Most wise! Very wise! We shall immediately buy food!"
Bai Lingling waved her hand lazily, as if granting mercy.
"Good. Go. Quickly. Before my stomach starts crying."
The guards sprinted.
Literally sprinted.
Fifteen grown men dashed out the courtyard like ducks running from boiling water.
Lin Xiaoyu covered her mouth to hide a giggle.
"Miss… you scared them."
Bai Lingling tilted her chin proudly.
"These people… if I don't speak, they think I'm weak. If I speak, they think I'm fierce. What do they want me to do? Eat air?"
Lin Xiaoyu almost choked from laughter.
Soon enough, the guards returned carrying bags of freshly steamed buns, roasted duck, vegetables, and even a pot of broth. It was as if they robbed the market clean.
They lined everything on a shaky table, looking like children waiting for praise.
Bai Lingling glanced at the food, then at them, then back at the food.
Finally, she nodded.
"Good. You may live."
All fifteen guards exhaled so loudly the dust on the beams trembled.
They quickly busied themselves cleaning her small room, patching the broken window, sweeping the floor, and even beating the pillows to fluff them properly. Normally Bai Lingling would have stopped them, but today she simply leaned against the doorway with her arms crossed, enjoying the view.
When everything was arranged, she entered her room.
The bed was old, the wood creaked, and the blanket was thin.
But compared to her earlier misery, it felt like a palace.
She plopped onto it without care, hugging the pillow.
Her pet—Mo Lingxu in beast form—curled at the foot of the bed, his golden eyes following her every movement.
She yawned softly.
"Tomorrow… elixirs first… fix my face second… cultivate third… then maybe… eat again…"
Her voice trailed off as sleep tugged at her.
Within moments, she was asleep, curled up like a little dumpling in the middle of the bed.
Mo Lingxu watched her quietly.
The moonlight slipped through the broken window, painting silver across her hair and over her small, peaceful form.
He stepped closer.
His outline flickered.
Bones shifted silently, fur retracting, limbs lengthening, skin forming, features sharpening into something unhumanly beautiful.
Where the beast once stood, a breathtaking man appeared.
Tall. Barefoot. Moonlit eyes like molten gold.
He looked down at the sleeping girl, expression unreadable.
His lips curled slightly.
So this was her real face in the mirror earlier…
And this weak human shell?
Hmm. He would see what lay beneath it soon enough.
He reached out a hand, brushing a strand of hair away from her cheek.
She did not stir.
The corner of his mouth lifted in a dangerous, amused smile.
"You really are… interesting."
The candle flickered once.
...
Moonlight poured quietly through the cracked window, silver and cold.
Mo Lingxu stood beside the bed, long black hair falling down his back like ink spilling over white jade. His expression was calm, yet beneath that calm lay the weight of a thousand calculations.
A ripple passed through the air.
From the shadows near the beam, a tall man stepped out silently, kneeling on one knee the moment his feet touched the ground.
"My Lord."
His voice was low, respectful, careful not to disturb the sleeping girl.
Mo Lingxu did not turn. His gaze remained on Bai Lingling's small figure curled beneath the thin blanket.
"Speak."
"There are still eyes within the Capital," the subordinate reported. "Some watch from rooftops, some from the tea houses. They do not move openly, but they are observing. We are tracing their affiliations. It appears certain factions within the royal court are extending their hands here."
Mo Lingxu's expression did not change.
"And the internal traitor?"
"We are still investigating. The leak did not come from the outer guard. It is deeper." The man paused. "Our forces continue to expand quietly. No one suspects the growth yet."
A faint hum left Mo Lingxu's throat.
"Investigate the Yun family thoroughly. Bloodlines. Alliances. Hidden connections. I want to know who benefits if Yunhe City falls."
The subordinate bowed deeper. "Yes, My Lord."
Mo Lingxu's eyes shifted slightly, thoughtful.
"And the seal?"
The man stiffened.
"We have not located it yet. However, if the rumors are true, the Phoenix fragment and the ancient city seal may resonate. We will find it."
Mo Lingxu's golden eyes flickered.
"You will. Before others do."
"Yes."
Silence settled for a moment.
Then the subordinate's gaze drifted toward the bed.
He saw the sleeping girl. Saw the scar that covered her face. Saw the thin frame that looked far too fragile.
His brows knit slightly.
"My Lord… why remain here? You are the ruler of the demon clans. Yet you lie on the floor as a beast for this… human."
The air in the room instantly dropped in temperature.
Mo Lingxu turned his head slowly.
He did not speak.
He merely looked.
That look alone was enough.
The subordinate coughed awkwardly and immediately lowered his head.
"I… spoke too much."
He bowed deeply.
"In that case, this subordinate will take his leave."
With a flicker of shadow, he vanished.
Mo Lingxu remained where he stood.
After a while, his gaze returned to the bed.
Bai Lingling shifted in her sleep, turning onto her side.
"…more buns… not burnt… add meat…" she murmured faintly.
Mo Lingxu stared.
Why did she love food so much?
He stepped closer, folding his arms.
She pouted in her sleep, whispering about roasted duck and sweet cakes as if she were guarding national secrets.
For a moment, he considered transforming back into his beast form.
Then he stopped.
A slow, amused curve formed on his lips.
"Let us see," he murmured quietly, "what occupies your mind."
His figure dissolved into strands of dark mist.
The room fell silent.
And he entered her dream.