The Morning After: Bai Xia’s Dilemma and Mo Bai’s Puzzlement

All things considered, the most pressing matter was to go out and deposit the money. After all, she had promised to repay it immediately, and she couldn’t possibly go back on her word. Moreover, with such an abundance of energy, she could sustain herself for at least a few days. This meant she wouldn’t have to fret about transforming, nor would she need to worry about confronting Mo Bai again anytime soon.

Yet, the thought lingered: Bai Xia found it incredibly difficult to imagine the scenario where, once this replenished energy was depleted, she would revert to her female form and have to seek out Mo Bai for blood. The mere visualization of it made her ears burn. Furthermore, human blood possessed a certain aphrodisiac effect on a Blood Princess. Had she not fainted last night, Bai Xia could scarcely fathom what actions she might have taken after consuming his blood.

If it were merely… a matter of intimate affections… that would be fine. Her true fear was that, in a moment of confusion, she might blurt out her entire identity if Mo Bai were to question her. That, above all, would be truly fatal! Compared to such a catastrophe, the former was utterly insignificant. When faced with such weighty matters, Bai Xia was perfectly capable of discerning priorities. After all, compared to being apprehended by the Blade Keepers Agency, such ‘other things’ were not entirely out of the question.

“Sigh… never mind. First… I’ll just deposit the money,” Bai Xia murmured to herself, sighing as if resigned to her fate, and patted her flushed cheeks. At this point, she could only take things one step at a time.

Retrieving her usual male attire from the wardrobe and tossing it onto the bed, Bai Xia then approached the mirror in the living room. She took a deep breath, concentrating her mind to initiate her transformation. In an instant, her snowy-white long hair shifted into ordinary black short hair amidst a flash of white light. Her crimson pupils reverted to a common dark brown, and her stature subtly elongated, returning her to the unremarkable male appearance her classmates knew.

“This… should be fine,” she declared. Standing before the mirror, Bai Xia exhaled a sigh of relief after confirming her transformation was flawless, then proceeded to put on the clothes she had left on the bed.

While her female form was undeniably striking, transforming into a male body offered a profound sense of security. Though her height merely increased from 1.6 meters to 1.75 meters, it meant she no longer had to worry about attracting peculiar stares while walking down the street.

Oh, right, she couldn’t forget to clean the mess on the floor. After packing her bag for going out, Bai Xia hurried to the bathroom to retrieve a rag. She knelt, meticulously scrubbing away the spilled chicken blood and her own bloody vomit, ensuring everything in the apartment was restored to normal before nodding in satisfaction.

Thinking optimistically, things would surely improve. At the very least, she wouldn’t have to worry about the cost of buying blood anymore, would she? If her energy ran out, she would simply go to Mo Bai for a fix.

“Alright, time to go.” With her backpack slung over her shoulders, white sneakers on her feet, and bank card tucked into her pocket, Bai Xia cast a final glance around the tidy little apartment before closing the door and departing.

Xicheng First Village, true to its name, was nestled in the western part of the Imperial Capital, one of many urban villages in the area. Narrow alleyways were flanked by dense, self-built houses, their rooftops tangled with electrical wires like a vast spiderweb. Bai Xia navigated these passages with practiced ease, sidestepping puddles and refuse, making her way to the nearest bank.

Mo Bai had sent no further messages on her phone. Bai Xia surmised that her good deskmate was likely busy washing up or having breakfast, hence not checking his phone. This suited her perfectly; at least she wouldn’t have to endure Mo Bai discussing her own affairs with her, which felt incredibly embarrassing.

Although she retained no memory of last night, Bai Xia doubted she had behaved normally. Between being drugged and then influenced by the contract, the mere thought of what might have transpired was enough to make her ears burn. Surely… I won’t be stuck with Mo Bai for the rest of my life, will I? No way…

For some inexplicable reason, Bai Xia suddenly quickened her pace, emerging from the sunless alleyways between buildings into the wide, main streets of the urban village. At a glance, the morning thoroughfare teemed with people, while steam billowed from breakfast stalls. The enticing aroma of soy milk and fried dough permeated the air, causing Bai Xia—who had rushed all the way back without breakfast—to involuntarily salivate.

“Grrrrumble~” Her stomach grumbled rebelliously. She couldn’t be blamed; after all, she had pulled an all-nighter working, rushed early in the morning, and not to mention being chased down in the dead of night. Who wouldn’t be hungry after a full night without food?

What truly exasperated Bai Xia as a fledgling Blood Princess was that ordinary food could only sate her hunger, not replenish her energy. She could indulge in delicious meals like any human, yet the vitality required to sustain her vampiric abilities had to come from blood. In other words, eating provided her with nothing more than a feeling of fullness. With sufficient energy, she could go without food or drink entirely. However, she would still feel the pangs of hunger. Besides, eating could provide essential nutrients, and she still hoped to grow taller. After all, without her disguise, a height of 1.6 meters was indeed rather diminutive, making it all too easy for her to be mistaken for a loli and “petted.”

While Bai Xia was en route, Mo Bai, having finished washing up at home, had already come to terms with the girl’s departure. He had initially expected her to leave a note or contact information, but apart from a few strands of snowy-white hair on the sofa, there was no other trace confirming the mysterious girl had ever been there. Was it really necessary to leave so quickly? Mo Bai stood by the living room’s floor-to-ceiling window, gazing distractedly at the bustling street outside the complex, as if trying to pick out the white-haired girl who had fled so early. Alas, Bai Xia had long since taken a taxi back to Xicheng Village, and Mo Bai’s searching gaze was utterly futile.

Doubt and bewilderment intertwined in his mind. He truly couldn’t comprehend why the girl had departed in such a hurry. Did his home truly seem like the dwelling of a villain? He had planned to ask her about her identity and the events of last night once he woke up, but now, she had vanished without a trace.

Mo Bai rubbed his temples in annoyance. While discovering what had happened to the girl last night wouldn’t be particularly difficult, he was reluctant to use his family’s connections to investigate. After all, if his parents found out, they would undoubtedly grill him with endless questions, especially since it involved a girl.

Fine… if she’s gone, she’s gone. This white-haired girl had merely piqued his curiosity; she wasn’t important enough for him to leverage his family’s influence to track her down. However, since she was a transcendent, she must surely be registered with the Blade Keepers Agency.

Entering the kitchen, Mo Bai casually fried two sunny-side-up eggs and a few slices of bacon, then heated a glass of milk. He then grabbed his phone and sat at the dining table, preparing to enjoy his breakfast. The two messages Bai Xia had sent him couldn’t help but bring a smile to his face.

[Xia: Such a thing? You didn’t just ‘pick up’ someone from a bar, did you?]

[Xia: Mo Ge, don’t do anything illegal…]

Bar ‘body-snatching,’ huh? That’s quite a life experience indeed. Who did she think he was? His father was one of the Sword-Wielders of the Blade Keepers Agency, and the Mo family was a prominent household in the Imperial Capital. If he desired it, would he ever lack for women? With just a word from him, countless daughters of noble families would line up for a blind date.

Mo Bai chuckled, shaking his head gently, his long fingers rapidly tapping on the screen. He couldn’t blame Bai Xia, though, as he had never disclosed his family background to her.

[Mo: Joking aside, do I look like someone who lacks women?]