Married the Second Generation Fox Demon with a Baby in a Flash Marriage - Chapter 36

Ye Xinyu watched Hu Mengmeng’s earnest face for a moment, then tossed the paper in her hand into the trash.

“Sister, is it not possible? What do I need to do to reach the standard?” Hu Mengmeng asked.

“Tomorrow afternoon, we go to the Ye ancestral home for the apprenticeship ceremony,” Ye Xinyu said as she stood up and walked away.

Even though Ye Xinyu’s tone remained cold and she left without even a backward glance, Hu Mengmeng was overjoyed. She followed Ye Xinyu upstairs, watched her enter her room, and then went back down to tidy up the kitchen.

In her room, Ye Xinyu sat on the edge of her bed, lost in thought.

Regarding Hu Mengmeng’s explanation and sudden shift in attitude, Ye Xinyu felt slightly better than before, but she was still annoyed that the “Little Fox” had mistaken someone else for her. The fox’s temperament was too erratic; she had changed too much in a single night. Ye Xinyu wasn’t going to let down her guard just because of this one moment.

Regardless, for the sake of the Ye family, Hu Mengmeng had to be brought into the fold.

Hu Mengmeng had proposed an Equality Contract, the very thing Ye Xinyu had wanted from the start. However, since the fox had refused so vehemently before, Ye Xinyu wondered if this was just an impulsive whim. She didn’t want Hu Mengmeng to regret it later. While an Equality Contract could be dissolved, it required a significant price. Having her join the sect as a disciple would provide an extra layer of binding.

Ye Xinyu touched her belly. The little one was quiet for now. She hadn’t suffered morning sickness from the food she just ate, so she hoped for a good night’s sleep.

While Ye Xinyu slept, Hu Mengmeng did not. With Tao Tao in the house, she didn’t know if the situation was stable. She had to stay on guard in case Tao Tao woke up in the middle of the night.

Hu Mengmeng practiced her cultivation in the living room, re-examining her memories for anything she might have missed and sensing the difference in spiritual energy between her two bloodlines.

The fox clan had its own way of cultivating, but its focus was entirely different from the demon hunters. If the quality of Ye Xinyu’s energy was judged by its Righteous Qi, then the fox clan judged theirs by the strength of its Charm. Her ancestral memories were full of ways to increase the seductive effect of energy, but contained nothing about purifying it.

Hu Mengmeng was truly impressed—in a sarcastic way—by her ancestors.

She struggled with her energy until dawn. While she couldn’t remove the “impurities,” she could feel her power increasing. However, the energy was so “potent” that when she switched to her human form, she couldn’t stand it for even a minute. In this state, if she touched Ye Xinyu to transfer energy, the woman would likely turn red and get angry again.

“Mengmeng, you’re up so early?!” Su Mingli emerged and called out, snapping Hu Mengmeng out of her thoughts.

“Ah, Mom. You’re up too. I thought you were staying to look after Tao Tao and wouldn’t be working today?”

“I’m not opening the stall, but I still have to cook. I can make some elaborate breakfast dishes and stew some soup. I don’t have my stew pot here, so I’m going back to our place to get it. You prep the ingredients while I’m gone.” Su Mingli nagged as she headed for the kitchen, pulled some food from the fridge, and then changed her shoes to head out on her electric scooter.

By 8:00 AM, breakfast was ready: appetizing side dishes, delicately made pastries, and thick, fragrant congee. It was a perfectly balanced meal. Having rested well and felt a bit of psychological relief, Ye Xinyu actually managed to eat a decent amount.

During the meal, Su Mingli thanked Ye Xinyu again for saving her daughter as a child and then proceeded to relentlessly scold Hu Mengmeng in front of her, telling Ye Xinyu to let her know if the girl ever misbehaved.

Hu Mengmeng felt completely shunned by her own mother. Fine, I deserve it, she thought.

Ye Xinyu remained cold toward Hu Mengmeng but listened to Su Mingli politely and attentively. Su Mingli’s impression of her daughter-in-law-to-be soared.

Just then, Gu Yiying arrived. “I’m here to check on the girl. She hasn’t woken up yet, has she?”

“Not yet,” Hu Mengmeng said, opening the door. “Sister Gu, please don’t mention that Sister Ye is a demon hunter. My mom doesn’t know, and it’ll be trouble if she finds out.”

Hu Mengmeng knew how much her mother hated demon hunters. Given that one had taken her fox mother away, Su Mingli’s hatred was deep-seated.

“Another secret? This is worth one favor. You know I don’t do things for free,” Gu Yiying smirked.

“Fine. Thank you, Sister Gu.”

“It’s all free if you become my contracted demon,” Gu Yiying added with a wink.

“I’m currently working on becoming Sister Ye’s, I won’t be anyone else’s,” Hu Mengmeng waved her off.

“She still hasn’t accepted you? Is she waiting for a Demon God? So picky. If she doesn’t want you, come to me anytime,” Gu Yiying pouted.

They went into Tao Tao’s room. The girl was still in a deep sleep. Since Gu Yiying had a contract with the parasite, she could sense Tao Tao’s condition.

“How is she? Is she going to be okay?” Hu Mengmeng asked.

“She’s exhausted. Fighting a demon for that long takes a toll. I’ll wake her up to see how she is.”

What Gu Yiying didn’t say was that she didn’t know if Tao Tao’s mind had snapped or if she had developed severe psychological issues from the ordeal. She had waited until now to wake her, hoping the rest would help.

Under their collective gaze, Gu Yiying woke Tao Tao. The girl opened her eyes; they were clear, innocent, and filled with a trace of fear.

“Tao Tao? You’re awake. It’s me, Mengmeng.” Hu Mengmeng used an illusion so that Tao Tao would see her original human self to put her at ease.

Tao Tao saw her and immediately scrambled back toward the headboard, hugging her legs. “Mengmeng, get away! Run! Just run!” she cried, her voice trembling.

“Tao Tao, it’s over! The demon has been caught! Don’t be afraid. Feel it—is it still there?” Hu Mengmeng reached out to hold her. Seeing Tao Tao’s first reaction confirmed that she was still the same girl she knew; the demon had been responsible for the bad things.

“Is it? Is it just sleeping? Mengmeng, don’t let it fool you, it’s a liar!”

“No, look, we found a hunter sister. The demon is terrified of her. She’s subdued it!”

“It’s still there! It’s still there!” Tao Tao was shaking. She could feel the demon’s presence, but she could no longer sense its will or hear its voice.

“Calm down,” Gu Yiying said. “I’ve wiped its consciousness. Now it’s just a mass of flesh. Don’t be afraid.”

“Please, get it out of my body! I don’t want it! I don’t want it!” Tao Tao begged, grabbing Gu Yiying’s arm in terror.

Hu Mengmeng stayed to comfort her while Ye Xinyu and Gu Yiying stepped out into the hallway.

“Xinyu, do you know this Tao Tao? Why don’t I stay here for a few days to study her? I want to see if her blood can be used for talismans,” Gu Yiying said. As a member of the Talisman Sect, Tao Tao was a fascinating live specimen to her.

“Gu Yiying, the girl is disabled,” Ye Xinyu said, looking at her. “You control the parasite’s body. If you fill her leg with it, she could walk like a normal person. If you teach her to cultivate, she could be a talented recruit.”

The parasite had fused with much of Tao Tao’s flesh. Killing it would mangle her. But if she could learn to coexist with the now-mindless mass, it could replace her withered limb.

“A talented recruit? She looks like a crying little white flower. Why would I want a disciple like that? I just want to study the parasite,” Gu Yiying argued.

“She was parasitized for so long and kept her own consciousness. Do you really think she has a weak will? Someone with that kind of willpower can achieve anything. If you control the demon inside her and train her, she will be the most loyal and valuable asset to your family,” Ye Xinyu said calmly.

“This…” Gu Yiying hesitated, actually considering the proposal.