Chapter 221: The Desire of Co-Consuming
April 12th, Sunday.
Today is Easter in the Western world, symbolizing rebirth and hope. According to doctrine, Jesus suffered and died to atone for the sins of mankind, and his resurrection grants eternal life to his believers.
In this world, many legends and religious cultures share extremely subtle common threads. The most typical example is the story of Noah’s Ark and the prehistoric global flood chronicled in various accounts.
God chose to cleanse the sinful world through a flood but gave good man Noah a glimmer of hope. Upholding God’s will, Noah staged an ultimate opera of escape before the deluge. In the East, Dayu led the people in a strenuous effort to control the waters.
Easter holds similar commemorative significance in the world of vampires, but this commemoration is limited to the Black Blood clan.
Legend has it that a young nobleman from a Sophia lineage, facing the end of his life, lost control and transformed into a monster, starting a violent slaughter of innocents. To stop this madness, the nobleman’s lover personally went to persuade him, only to be devoured by the monster he had become.
Days later, the nobleman miraculously returned to normal, regained his humanity, and even became stronger and wiser.
Upon awakening, he learned of the grave crimes he had committed and realized that it was his lover’s sacrifice that brought about his salvation. Overcome with regret, he took his lover’s last belongings and recluse himself in the mountains, successfully ascending to an entirely new and perfect realm.
This so-called perfect realm is the title of Duke, the very first Duke in the world. From the day the nobleman returned from being a monster to being human, the Black Blood clan designated that day as Easter—which happened to coincide with the Western Christian Easter.
This legend, which sounds somewhat off-key, is naturally dismissed by the orthodox blood clans, but it serves as a “credential” by the Black Blood clan, which highly romanticizes the terrifying act of co-consuming among their kind.
……
……
The official opening time of the Golden River Club is 13:00 every day, while Jiang Yao’s housewarming was calculated based on auspicious dates to occur at Ren Wu hour (11:00 to 13:00).
With the necessary staff remaining, most of the club’s companions were able to attend this gathering; even Xiao Ling, who was far away at Hyacinth Manor, rushed over early to show her support.
In fact, the majority of the moving preparations had already been completed in advance; the timing of moving in was merely a ritual. At exactly 11:00, under the company of numerous Hyacinth girls, Jiang Yao, carrying the last bundle of clothes, opened the door to her new home’s outdoor garden.
The entire design and decoration of the new home were overseen personally by Zhong Jing, costing nearly nine million, far exceeding the initial budget of seven million. Now, both the interior and exterior of the house, in terms of visual effect and actual living standards, were of a high quality, even in this already affluent community.
Spring was the time for flowers to bloom, and the expansive private garden was filled with vibrant colors, floral fragrances hovering in the air, green shadows mingling with crimson blossoms that accentuated the luxurious and unique mansion, evoking jealousy from some Hyacinth girls who also intended to acquire private residences.
“The decor is so wonderful, with all high-end furniture… It feels like a bridal suite!”
After wandering around the luxurious flat, Xiao Ling returned to the outdoor garden’s resting area, sitting with Xiao Ai and Xiao Dong, casually grabbing drinks from the table while still marveling.
“Xiao Ling… watch what you say!”
Xiao Ai quickly tapped the table gently, interrupting Xiao Ling’s admiration and secretly signaling towards a corner of the outdoor garden.
There, Jiang Yao was watering flowers with Su Xiaomeng, giggling and unaware of what they were discussing.
“Uh, sorry…”
Xiao Ling paused, quickly realizing Xiao Ai’s intention, and hurriedly stopped talking.
Rumors had spread throughout Hyacinth, originating from Su Xiaomeng, that Zhong Jing was about to get engaged to He Jian Qing in Japan next month, which led some onlookers to quietly feel pity for Jiang Yao.
However, Xiao Ai also found it strange why Jiang Yao displayed no reaction at all, remaining as carefree as ever, aside from a change in her attire style, her interactions with Zhong Jing didn’t seem to have altered much.
“Xiao Ai, I noticed that Xiao Yao and Zhong Jing really seem to be just…”
Xiao Dong started while looking around for Xiao Ling’s aura, whispering in a mysterious tone, “Moreover, I also discovered that Xiao Yao particularly dislikes Meng Huai and can’t stand her sister being with Meng Gou.”
“Mm-hmm, I can confirm that when Meng Huai first arrived at Hyacinth Manor, Xiao Yao treated him like an enemy! I heard it was only because Xiao Yan was severely ill last time that Meng Huai took care of her, and their relationship subsequently eased.”
Xiao Ling was the most gossip-prone among the trio, second only to the former Zhou Ping.
The two Zhong brothers, and the two Jiang sisters, the former have peculiar family backgrounds, and the latter have strange identities, both are inextricably linked to Hyacinth. In the eyes of Xiao Ai and the others, the way these two pairs of young people interacted was nothing short of miraculous.
Unfortunately, in recent observations, Zhong Jing’s frivolous and ambiguous manner of interacting with others, combined with Jiang Yao’s volatile and erratic style, always gave the impression of going astray.
Meanwhile, Meng Huai’s cold and rigid infatuation style, juxtaposed with Jiang Yan’s erratic and rejectionist emotional demeanor, created a scenario where their gears were misaligned and clanked together, making onlookers anxious.
“This afternoon, everyone has to return to the club to work; there isn’t enough time to prepare lunch. I ordered pizza and barbecue takeout, which will arrive soon, so you all can have some fruit first.”
From a distance, Jiang Yan approached with a bright smile, holding a large fruit platter.
“Xiao Yan, have you changed your mind and now support Zhong Jing and Xiao Yao being together?”
As Jiang Yao re-entered the house, Xiao Ling suddenly asked a very pointed question, making even Xiao Ai and Xiao Dong fixate on Jiang Yan’s face.
Jiang Yan was taken aback, and seeing the expressions of her Hyacinth companions, her demeanor became tense.
After about ten seconds, Jiang Yan regained her composure, sat beside Xiao Ai, and posed a counter-question, “Then do you think Xiao Yao shouldn’t be with Zhong Jing?”
This question caused everyone present, including Xiao Ling, to fall into silence.
The inherent physiological differences and disadvantages among blood clan females have made them a truly male-dominated population, and in extreme divergence. Even in stable environments, blood clan females face countless challenges over their lives.
Setting aside the particularity of the Hyacinth group, based on Jiang Yan’s nearly one-year firsthand experience, the male-to-female ratio of the blood clan likely exceeds twenty to one. Even within enormous powerhouses like the Hidden Ones Alliance and the Wang family, which have lasted for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, their internal ratios hover around ten to one.
This creates a nonsensical phenomenon: unions between blood clan and ordinary people primarily occur with blood clan males, whereas blood clan females almost never choose to marry ordinary men, and even in very rare cases, they cannot maintain long-term partnerships.
“We are still too young within the blood clan to understand these matters deeply. But from my personal perspective, if I were Xiao Yao, I would not choose Zhong Jing.”
Xiao Dong, who had the highest intelligence and education among the Hyacinth offspring present, calmly spoke from the side.
Regarding Xiao Dong’s comments, aside from Jiang Yan who remained silent, all others in attendance couldn’t help but nod—it’s almost universally acknowledged that the lifespan differences between ordinary people and blood clans need not be articulated.
How matters stand in Western society is one thing, but at least in the blood clan world of Huaguo, a blood clan male may easily connect with many ordinary female partners throughout his life, yet rare are the reports of a blood clan female acting so liberally.
In the orthodox blood clan families of Huaguo, there’s a common phenomenon: the overwhelming majority of male blood clans prioritize their advancements in realms far more than their emotional lives. Even if someone develops a consciousness about marital relationships, finding a partner for internal marriage is quite difficult. Their past wives, even previous ones, are often ordinary women until they eventually find a true blood clan female they can be with for the long haul.
This also leads to situations where, within the Huaguo blood clan powers, not only members of the same generation, but even siblings often have significant age differences. As for cases like Lao Jin, who never remarried after his wife’s death, those are exceptions.
As for blood clan females in Huaguo, as long as they are not hybrid or of the black blood lineage, they can spend significant time meticulously selecting their future partners. Once blood clan females reach the status of attendants and above, they seldom have to worry about marrying poorly.
Everyone remained quiet while Jiang Yan seemed somewhat dazed. She seemed to recall her brief interactions with Sister Tan and even the recently fallen Zhou Ping.
She could understand why Xiao Ling would ask the earlier question because the inherent flaws in blood clan females indeed entail unpredictable risks when cohabitating with ordinary partners.
Let alone the dangers that erupt during moments of intense affection, which could lead to a life-threatening situation; physical anomalies during menstruation or pregnancy could easily unravel or even destroy entire families.
“Well, I actually feel like Xiao Yao might not have genuine intentions of living with Zhong Jing long-term, so their relationship as a couple seems quite shallow… It feels more like a close cousin-brother relationship.”
Xiao Ling broke the silence, cautiously voicing this thought.
Not encroaching on others’ private lives is part of the good atmosphere within Hyacinth, just like when Zhou Ping previously chose to date an ordinary man.
Everyone could gossip a bit, but while they might privately harbor doubts, they absolutely would not impose any external interference in actions or words.
However, Zhong Jing’s identity and situation were too peculiar. In terms of status and importance within Hyacinth, he arguably was on par with the Jiang sisters, creating an undercurrent of concern.
“Forget about Xiao Yao for now… What do you all think? Is love from an ordinary person, or that love which comes from our sworn enemies’ behind-the-scenes machinations, still seen as fated destiny?”
Seeing the atmosphere growing heavier, Xiao Dong hastily switched topics, proactively sparking another round of gossip.
“Yeah, we aren’t like those overly meticulous old tortoises. Hybrid clans won’t have a one hundred percent probability of affecting offspring, right, Sister Xiao Dong?”
Xiao Ling took the opportunity to join in, though her attempt at assisting the conversation had little substance and felt somewhat misplaced.
Xiao Dong cautiously glanced at Jiang Yan, her smile somewhat strained: “Yeah, not exceeding twenty percent. If luck isn’t too bad, you don’t need to overthink it.”
This time, Xiao Ai directly turned her head, covering her forehead, feeling somewhat helpless towards these two who seemed obliviously carefree while discussing such matters.
The pregnancy rate among blood clan females was already low, and now adding a twenty percent hybrid probability made it even harder to conceive pureblood offspring.
Furthermore, from what Xiao Ai was privy to from among the confidential dealings she was aware of, both Jiang Yan and Jiang Yao were also of a special hybrid blood clan. Thus, the probability of their offspring turning out hybrid would soar above fifty percent.
A hybrid blood clan’s fate in a ruthless blood clan world is often one of sacrificial lambs; the few who can genuinely live longer than ordinary people are a rarity, barely faring better than mere commoners.
“Hey, Sister Xiao Ai, when are you and Brother Zhao getting married?”
Noticing Xiao Ai’s discomfort, Xiao Ling quickly shifted the gossip target.
“You all can’t talk about anything else besides this gossip all day, can you?”
Mentioning her marriage to Zhao Peng made Xiao Ai feel awkward, her face turning red.
Given the current apparent situation with the Hidden Ones Alliance and some hints from Wan Yue, Xiao Ai felt that she would likely not receive kind treatment from the in-laws, and her union with Zhao Peng would undoubtedly be fraught with regrets.
After all, in Hyacinth, Xiao Ai wasn’t like Xiao Dong or Xiao Ling, who were truly solitary souls; she had her roots within the blood clan world.
“Hehe, the takeout is almost here. I’ll go set up the dining room while you all chat.”
Having been “PUA’d” by Wan Yue and others for a long time, Jiang Yan had grown somewhat immune to these topics, simply chuckling, picking up the empty water cups from the table, and heading toward the front door.
The lively housewarming gathering lasted just over an hour, after which Xiao Ai, Xiao Dong, and Xiao Ling left with their three cars, taking everyone else away.
In the vast mansion, only Jiang Yan and Jiang Yao remained, both on their day off and not needing to go to work, starting to tidy up the house inside and out.
This was Jiang Yan’s first experience in her new home. Previously, it had only been Jiang Yao handling the moving affairs. Now, it seemed that even though it reached the level of being ready to unpack and move in, there were still many rough and unfinished details to address.
Many small items Jiang Yao brought with her were scattered and disorganized, disrupting the house’s originally intricate décor.
The two large bedrooms, under careful decoration, had become hard to distinguish between which one was the master and which one was the guest room.
Seeing the style of her room, Jiang Yan couldn’t help but smile slightly.
After organizing the wardrobes and other spaces in both bedrooms, arranging her few change of clothes, Jiang Yan then sat down to contemplate the earlier question Xiao Ling had posed.
“Sister, the shower here is really comfortable, hehe, how about you try my shower tonight? It’s a roller shower!”
After tossing a pile of dishes into the dishwasher, Jiang Yao entered Jiang Yan’s room holding a plate of leftover fruit, quite pleased with herself.
Jiang Yan smiled and nodded gently: “Mm, I’ll stay over tonight to experience it.”
The smile on Jiang Yan’s face gradually faded, feeling somewhat dejected as she sat beside Jiang Yao and asked in a low tone: “Are you really going to make Meng Huai move to the old house?”
Jiang Yao nodded calmly, her expression very tranquil: “Sister Wan also agreed, thinks it’s the best way to exert lifestyle influence on him to help him integrate into the group faster.”
“Isn’t it you who likes him? Didn’t you always say you wanted to keep your distance? I think it wouldn’t be a bad idea if Meng Huai lived in the club with Brother Liang too.”
Jiang Yan furrowed her brows, emotionally still somewhat uncomfortable.
“Look, on such a festive day, he chose to hide in the club on duty. His character is so solitary and proud; only I truly understand him. Brother Liang and Brother Zheng are incompetent, and Brother Liang is mainly accompanying Sister Xiao Dong right now.”
Jiang Yan chuckled, glancing at the visibly uneasy Jiang Yao beside her, as Xiao Dong’s earlier words resurfaced in her mind.
Jiang Yao showed a hint of a grin, not saying much more.
“Xiao Yao, you didn’t invite Zhong Jing today.”
Relaxed, Jiang Yan opened her arms and comfortably lay back on the wide bed, smiling as she inquired, shifting the topic.
“He went to the capital this weekend; he probably won’t be back until tomorrow or the day after. I heard someone in the country is interested in the business between him and the EVN Group.”
Jiang Yao grabbed a piece of fruit and popped it into her mouth, speaking out of boredom.
Staring at the ceiling, a faint trace of tension surfaced on Jiang Yan’s face: “Mm, the responsibilities he bears may be more than we imagine… Xiao Yao, how do you plan to interact with Zhong Jing in the future?”
Jiang Yao paused, her chewing motion stopping momentarily. After a while, she forced a calm smile: “Just be general friends; being friends is nice.”
Before pregnancy, or after?
Jiang Yan sat up, her expression becoming more serious, with growing worries in her eyes.
Jiang Yao suddenly broke into a violent cough, seemingly choking on the fruit bits, struggling to breathe, curling up like a shrimp in distress.
Jiang Yan hadn’t expected such a strong reaction from her, rushing over to pat her back.
Sister knows… sister knows about me and Zhong Jing… coughs gradually subsided, but Jiang Yao’s face turned pale, lowering her head and completely unable to meet Jiang Yan’s gaze.
“Xiao Yao, you have your own ideas, but they tend to be executed tactically. Perhaps you haven’t considered life after… Actually, I envisioned him living with you for real, but…”
“You don’t have to say anymore; I know, I know everything. I’m not a child!”
Xiao Yao turned her back, interrupting Jiang Yan’s words, her voice soft: “Zhong Jing and I are different. He’s not a fool; he has his own complete family and social connections. It’s impossible for him and me to have a closer relationship.”
“Isn’t getting pregnant a solution to the problem? I can choose to be comfortable in my own way. I just don’t want to live like livestock in a barn. I only know him; I think at least he can enjoy himself with me.”
“And if I really have to spend a lifetime with a man, even if he’s not an ordinary person, I’m not prepared for that mentally. Don’t you and Sister Wan emphasize being true to oneself? Well, this is being true to myself; with this body, I’ll live happily however I can.”
At this point, Jiang Yao suddenly turned around, staring intently at Jiang Yan’s face: “Sister, are you ready? With the way you and Meng Huai are tugging back and forth, have you thought about how to continue living?”
This counter-question left Jiang Yan baffled.
Xiao Yao indeed knew how to set boundaries, but she had her standards and principles; she simply enjoyed her new life above those standards, being more carefree and more true to herself than I could ever be…
Jiang Yan fell silent, unsure how to respond to Xiao Yao’s question.
That one… Sister, I felt more comfortable with Zhong Jing during that time. I’ll tell you…
Perhaps it was time for a confession, as Jiang Yao completely let go, leaning in close to Jiang Yan’s ear and starting to murmur, eager to share everything and infect her with the excitement.
As Jiang Yao’s unrestrained explanations took shape, Jiang Yan felt warmth spreading from her ears, gradually radiating outward, her heart racing as the stimuli awoke within her.
“Really? Don’t say…!”
In the seductive whisper of Jiang Yao, Jiang Yan suddenly snapped awake, jumping off the bed, touching her flushed and hot face, and quickly walked outside.
“Hmm, you listened so intently, yet you couldn’t handle it in the end. I don’t believe you haven’t thought about these things…”
As she watched Jiang Yan almost fleeing the scene, Jiang Yao couldn’t help but laugh triumphantly.
However, while laughing, Jiang Yao’s expression sank, staring blankly at her own snow-white legs outside her skirt, lost in thought.
……
……
This was the first time the two sisters spent the night in their new home, but past one in the morning, Jiang Yan still hadn’t fallen asleep. The severe injury caused by the boiling blood, after entering the Queen realm, seemed to have refreshed every aspect of her physiological and mental control, giving her a sense of strangeness.
Similarly, in the adjacent bedroom, Jiang Yao’s aura was just as intense. Without hormone suppressants active, Jiang Yao’s already weaker breathing control became clearer than a candle flame, expressing passionate, ambiguous, impulsive, and expressive emotional fluctuations.
Jiang Yan felt that she was likely affected by Jiang Yao’s aura and resonated with it, causing unease within her that was hard to dispel shortly, echoing the reactions she’d felt during the daytime when Jiang Yao explained those so-called secret sensations.
“Is this the instability of the Queen? Does it inherently come with some physiological impulses? It seems I must enhance my training; otherwise…”
While lost in thought, Jiang Yan suddenly sensed unusual fluctuations in the aura of the next room, then it quietly magnified and approached.
The door opened, under the dim light from the bedside lamp, Jiang Yao was seen wearing a thin nightgown, eyes closed, silently gliding into Jiang Yan’s room like a specter. Jiang Yan’s heart skipped a beat, an indescribable feeling quickly engulfed her brain.
Her vision seemed to change, slowly showing a black-and-white contrast, as if she were losing control of her sanity. The outline of Jiang Yao’s body radiated passionate light, an odd fragrance enveloped her like steam, filling the air.
Jiang Yan swallowed hard, gritting her teeth, clutching her head tightly, desperately suppressing the terrifying urge to devour Jiang Yao.
Jiang Yao appeared like a sleepwalker, slowly reaching the bedside of Jiang Yan, then suddenly opened her eyes, staring blankly at the dark-haired girl who was lost in confusion on the bed.
“Xiao Yao!”
Jiang Yan was filled with goosebumps, leaping up to grasp Jiang Yao’s shoulders, shaking her hard.
“Ah? Sister, how did I end up in your room… I just had a dream.”
Jiang Yao shuddered, the daze in her eyes vanished, staring incredulously at the surroundings as well as at Jiang Yan, who was gripping her shoulders tightly.
“Xiao Yao, what did you dream…?”
Jiang Yan’s expression grew increasingly anxious, her voice low.
“Sister… I… I dreamt that I wanted to eat you… Sister, am I going to turn into a monster soon!”
Recalling the dream, Jiang Yao’s face turned pale, tears brimming at the corners of her eyes as she hugged Jiang Yan tightly.
“No, we just haven’t stabilized our realms yet. Uncle Jiu and Sister Wan are aware of this; it’s quite normal…” Jiang Yan reassured her, adjusting her breath control.
Jiang Yan embraced Jiang Yao, gently patting her back.
“Really?”
Jiang Yao buried her head in Jiang Yan’s arms, still trembling.
“Mm, we can now use our abilities from the second lineage; our body’s stability is bound to be affected a bit. Just need to train harder and not be overly paranoid.”
Jiang Yan offered vague explanations, her tone becoming incredibly gentle, but her heart sank heavily into the abyss.
“Sister, will everything be alright once we have the baby? Please don’t lie to me; I’m scared…”
Jiang Yao stammered through her shivering, filled with extreme dread and anxiety.
