Married the Second Generation Fox Demon with a Baby in a Flash Marriage - Chapter 30

In the private room of the book cafe, the three girls sat down to talk.

Hu Mengmeng had already decided to return the bell to its rightful owner. Looking at Lin Yuanya now, she felt no emotional waves whatsoever.

“Mengmeng, you look quite pretty now that you’ve thinned down,” Lin Yuanya said with a smile, her dimples appearing faintly, looking very sweet.

“What do you want to talk to me about?” Hu Mengmeng asked. Hearing Lin Yuanya praise her looks now, Hu Mengmeng’s first instinct was that it was fake. What kind of act is she putting on now?

“I won’t beat around the bush. Mengmeng, weren’t you selected by Senior Ye as her student? You didn’t seem very willing last time. Could you speak to Senior Ye and give your spot to me? If you can’t just give it, maybe ask her to choose again? Please?” Lin Yuanya’s voice was soft, and her eyes held a pitiful, pleading look.

“You want Senior Ye to guide you? Why? Do you like her?” Hu Mengmeng asked. She remembered last time Lin Yuanya and Gu Mingzhen were talking about Ye Xinyu, worrying that she would blame them for the incident at the riverbank.

It was actually because Lin Yuanya mentioned that incident that Hu Mengmeng had guessed Ye Xinyu was the demon hunter from before, though she hadn’t managed to run away in time.

“I… don’t ask about that. Just tell me, do you agree or not?” Lin Yuanya bit her lip, looking a bit embarrassed.

“No. I want to learn skills from Senior Ye,” Hu Mengmeng said solemnly.

“Hu Mengmeng, how can you be like this? Xiaoya lowered herself to ask a favor of you and you’re being difficult,” Gu Mingzhen interjected unhappily. “What ‘skills’? Don’t make it sound so grand. Last time you ran faster than anyone! You just got lucky. Don’t think Senior Ye actually sees something special in you.”

“Then I’m just lucky. So what?” Hu Mengmeng snapped back at Gu Mingzhen. She maintained politeness with Lin Yuanya, but she couldn’t be bothered to keep up appearances for Gu Mingzhen.

“You—” Gu Mingzhen was about to curse but was held back by Lin Yuanya.

Lin Yuanya had thought this would be simple. In the past, Hu Mengmeng had followed her every word. She probably only lost weight because of her too. With someone who liked her so much, surely they wouldn’t refuse a small request?

Even if she hadn’t treated Hu Mengmeng well in the past, she didn’t think Hu Mengmeng would care. As long as she used a soft voice, the girl would definitely agree and even be happy to help! She didn’t expect Hu Mengmeng to refuse flatly.

“Mengmeng, this spot is very important to me. Please. How about this: if you give me the spot, I’ll promise to hang out with you for a whole day. How does that sound?” Lin Yuanya clasped her hands together, her large dark eyes looking at Hu Mengmeng expectantly.

If this were a few months ago, Hu Mengmeng would have been powerless to resist; she would have done whatever Lin Yuanya asked. Now, even with her mind slightly dull from sealing her bloodline, she didn’t find the gesture cute at all—in fact, she felt a vague sense of disgust.

“I’m not interested in ‘playing’ with you. I’ll say it again: I’m not giving up this spot,” Hu Mengmeng said, her face flushing slightly from the internal agitation.

“Hu Mengmeng, don’t push your luck! What else does Xiaoya have to do for you to agree?!” Gu Mingzhen fumed, assuming Hu Mengmeng was just bargaining.

“Then tell me, what will it take? Name your conditions. As long as they aren’t excessive, I’ll agree,” Lin Yuanya asked.

“No matter the condition, I won’t agree. This bell is yours.” Hu Mengmeng took the bell out of her pocket and placed it on the table.

“You said I saved you when we were kids. Is this how you treat a lifesaver? I don’t want the bell. Agree to this favor as repayment, and then we’re even,” Lin Yuanya said, looking at the bell. She remembered Hu Mengmeng mentioning some childhood story.

Back then, the breakfasts Hu Mengmeng brought were quite good, and she helped with chores. When Hu Mengmeng spoke of the past, Lin Yuanya had vaguely avoided confirming or denying it, just saying she didn’t remember. Since Hu Mengmeng was so certain and treated her so well, she had enjoyed the feeling of being pampered and surrounded.

“We are already even,” Hu Mengmeng said, feeling a chill in her heart. Childhood memories really can’t compare to adulthood; people change.

“How are we even?” Lin Yuanya asked, dissatisfied.

“Is a year of breakfast and chores not enough?” Hu Mengmeng stood up. She didn’t mention saving Lin Yuanya at the river; she had been in her demon form then.

“How much is that crappy breakfast worth? You helped with chores because you wanted to! Fine, let’s settle the breakfast money in cash. Ten yuan per meal, three hundred times—that’s three thousand. Chores are a hundred each, thirty times a year—another three thousand,” Gu Mingzhen calculated.

“I’ll transfer you ten thousand, keep the change,” Lin Yuanya said, pulling out her phone to transfer money to Hu Mengmeng’s account, her expression turning cold.

Seeing the two of them become so aggressive, Hu Mengmeng’s eyes reddened.

“That opportunity isn’t something money can buy. I won’t give it up, not for a hundred thousand or a million. I don’t want to talk about the past anymore. Goodbye!” Hu Mengmeng didn’t look at the phone notification; she just looked at Lin Yuanya and spoke slowly.

At this moment, Hu Mengmeng felt even worse than when Lin Yuanya had laughed at her before. How did that sweet, kind girl from my childhood turn into this? Was she only smiling and tolerating me because I was useful? Cold one moment, overly warm the next…

Hu Mengmeng turned to leave. Just as her hand touched the door handle, she felt something hit her back. She turned and saw the bell she had just left on the table; Lin Yuanya had thrown it at her, and it had rolled onto the floor. The silver-white bell looked stark against the dark floor.

“Who wants this piece of junk!” Lin Yuanya huffed.

Hu Mengmeng looked at the bell. Her heart wanted to pick it up—it was a treasure she had worn for over a decade!

“Hu Mengmeng, I’m giving you one last chance. Do you agree or not? If you don’t, don’t think you can stay at this school!” Lin Yuanya said through gritted teeth.

“It’s very easy to ruin you, Hu Mengmeng,” Gu Mingzhen added.

Hu Mengmeng stared at the distorted, angry face of Lin Yuanya. She thought her look was hideous now. She felt no more attachment to the bell. She opened the door and walked out without looking back, ignoring whatever Lin Yuanya shouted behind her.

Hu Mengmeng went to a restroom near the supermarket and switched her clothes, releasing her bloodline inside a stall.

As her appearance shifted, so did her demeanor. A cold sneer played on her lips. She stuffed her human clothes into her backpack, put on a mask and a hat, and stored the bag in a supermarket locker, leaving with only the barcode slip.

She wasn’t worried about Ye Xinyu catching her; as long as she masked her demonic aura, she could walk freely in the daylight. She intended to find Shen Yuexi.

Foxes have excellent night vision, so there was no difference between day and night for her. As she walked near the faculty dorms, she happened to spot Lin Yuanya and Gu Mingzhen leaving the cafe. Gu Mingzhen was running after Lin Yuanya, carrying her bags, while Lin Yuanya walked ahead leisurely. Hu Mengmeng snorted and ignored them.

Before she could even enter the faculty building, Shen Yuexi came rushing down, a smile on her face. She had clearly sensed Hu Mengmeng.

“Little Fox! You’re finally here! I thought something happened to you.” Shen Yuexi’s eyes were filled with excitement.

“Sister Shen, I had to leave in a hurry last time. Sorry,” Hu Mengmeng said. Hearing Shen Yuexi’s concern, she felt a bit bad, as she could feel the sincerity in her voice.

“It’s fine as long as you’re okay. Come up to my place and talk.”

Shen Yuexi lived in a simple one-bedroom faculty apartment. Once inside, Hu Mengmeng took off her mask and hat. Shen Yuexi stared in a daze; the little fox looked even more beautiful than last time. She was truly a prime specimen of a Red Fox, and it made her heart itch with desire.

“Sit down. What do you want to drink?” Shen Yuexi suppressed her impulses.

“No need for that. I actually came to ask for a favor. I’m not very familiar with demon society. Do you know where I can buy spiritual fruits or spiritual rice?” Hu Mengmeng asked.

“You’ve asked the right person. I have a friend who makes a living selling spiritual flora. He travels between the human world and demon settlements to trade. I can check with him to see what he has in stock.”

“I’m looking for pineapples, grapes, plums, lemons… things like that. If he has spiritual rice or vegetables, I want those too. What are the prices like?”

“What? Are you not used to human food?” Shen Yuexi teased with a flirtatious glance.

“A little,” Hu Mengmeng smiled.

“Since it’s you, I’ll make sure he gives you a discount. Spiritual fruits are rare; they usually sell for a hundred times the human market price. Rare ones can go for over a thousand times. Spiritual rice is even more expensive because no one grows it. It’s easier to trade using spiritual artifacts or pills; human money doesn’t hold its value well.”

“Could you take me to see him?”

“He’s hard to reach, often in the deep mountains with no signal. I’ll try calling.” Shen Yuexi made a call, but it didn’t go through.

Hu Mengmeng felt disappointed. If Ye Xinyu continued to eat so little, her body wouldn’t hold up.

“I can’t reach him for now. Do you need them urgently? I have some stock left. I can give you a few,” Shen Yuexi said, pulling a small jade box from her fridge. “Jade boxes are best for preserving spiritual energy. These are Crystal Spiritual Peaches—good for beauty and skin.”

She opened the box to reveal two rows of translucent peaches glowing with spiritual energy.

“How much? Can I have five?” Hu Mengmeng’s eyes lit up.

“Don’t worry about the money, just take them,” Shen Yuexi said.

“No, I have to pay, or I won’t take them.”

“Well, if you insist. I bought them for a thousand each. Since I’ve had them for a few days, let’s say eight hundred. Four thousand for five. Or, if you have demon meat, we can trade—low-level meat is pound-for-pound.”

“Can I trade with Gnawing Rabbit meat?” Hu Mengmeng asked. She didn’t have much cash left, and Aunt Lan’s payment hadn’t arrived. That rabbit meat was taking up too much space and would eventually lose its freshness.

“Sure! Where did you get that?” Shen Yuexi’s eyes widened. Foxes aren’t vegetarians; meat was much more appealing to her.

“Just a chance encounter. It’s a deal then. I’ll go get the meat for the peaches now.”

“What’s the rush? You can take them now and pay later.”

“Thanks, but I’ll go get the meat first. Wait for me.”

Hu Mengmeng hurried out. Shen Yuexi didn’t stop her, but she quietly followed behind. She wanted to know where Hu Mengmeng lived so she wouldn’t lose her again.