The Morning After

The courtyard’s living room was quiet.

“So, these two little ones still aren’t awake?”

Sipping the afternoon tea brought by the maids, Bai Ruoxi glanced at her husband, a hint of confusion clouding her features. She was well aware of the potion’s effects, yet the continued absence of Mo Bai and Bai Xia stirred a quiet worry within her. After all, it was already well past one in the afternoon, and the upstairs remained utterly silent.

“You don’t need to worry about this,” Mo Hongyi said, his tone calm and unperturbed. He lowered the newspaper he had been reading, adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, and met his wife’s gaze. “Blood Sirens also fall under the category of vampires. If there’s any side effect to that potion, it’s likely an aphrodisiac.”

Bai Ruoxi was momentarily speechless before shooting her husband an exasperated glare.

Naturally, she knew the potion’s primary function. Yet, as a mother, she couldn’t help but worry that the two young, passionate individuals might lose all restraint.

“You don’t even worry about your own son?”

“What’s there to worry about? They’re not children anymore.”

Regarding the relationship between his son and Bai Xia, Mo Hongyi adopted a completely hands-off approach.

A Blood Siren, even if reluctant to acknowledge a master, would never harm them. Moreover, after acknowledging a master, a Blood Siren’s affection for their owner would subtly and continuously deepen.

His current concerns lay solely with the movements of [The Constellations] and Bai Xia’s true identity.

He was intensely curious about what exactly made the white-haired girl so valuable that those individuals would risk extending their reach into the Imperial Capital to abduct her. Such an act was tantamount to challenging the Emperor’s authority.

While most humans were inherently weak, with their physical strength and vitality often inferior even to the lowest-tier creatures outside the “Circle,” this did not mean that extraordinary humans were equally feeble. On the contrary, human extraordinaries possessed a remarkably high growth ceiling. Top-tier extraordinaries, when equipped with specialized weapons and rune technology, were formidable enough to make any creature from outside the “Circle” wary.

The very existence of the “Circle” was, in fact, to protect the majority of defenseless ordinary people and the nascent “saplings” who had yet to fully mature, ensuring they weren’t prematurely exposed to danger.

Mo Hongyi’s gaze, magnified by his lenses, grew profound and sharp.

[The Constellations]’ recent actions had clearly crossed a serious line.

They had not only attempted to intrude upon the Imperial Capital—an area under the strict supervision of the Sword-Wielding Bureau—but had also openly attacked its headquarters. This was a blatant provocation, challenging the very foundation of the rules that had maintained human peace for a century.

“Find some time for Mo Bai to visit the Bureau and act as Bai Xia’s guarantor.”

Pushing aside the chaos, Mo Hongyi brought up the matter in a steady tone.

“Since that child chose to follow Mo Bai, we can’t let her remain permanently labeled as having an ‘unidentified status.’ Following the proper procedures now will save us a lot of trouble later.”

“Huh? Didn’t you say the identity issue was already resolved?” Bai Ruoxi looked at her husband in confusion.

She distinctly recalled him mentioning that Bai Xia’s identity problem had already been handled. Why was it suddenly an issue again?

“Her basic identity has been resolved, but she still falls under the category of an extra-Circle being. Therefore, a guarantor from the Bureau still needs to personally go through the process. Once there’s an official record, it will prove her legal status, even if she encounters inspections or unexpected situations in the future.”

Mo Hongyi adjusted his glasses as he explained calmly. Even as one of the “Sword-Wielders” of the Sword-Wielding Bureau, wielding significant authority, certain fundamental procedures still had to be followed. While bypassing them wouldn’t cause immediate problems, it would leave vulnerabilities for others to exploit.

“I see. In that case, Mo Bai can just take Bai Xia there when the time comes.”

“Yes, let’s do that for now.”

****

The sun gradually slanted westward, and before long, it was three or four in the afternoon.

Bai Xia, who had slept for almost an entire day, finally opened her eyes groggily. Her eyelashes fluttered as she adjusted to the soft afternoon light.

“Ugh… what time is it…”

A faint question surfaced in her mind. Her voice carried the soft sweetness of someone just waking up, tinged with a hint of hoarseness from exhaustion. She instinctively tried to rub her eyes, only to find herself firmly encircled by Mo Bai’s arm, unable to move.

This realization instantly woke her up a little more. She twisted her body, trying to escape the boy’s warm embrace, but the next second, a sharp tug at her hair made her gasp softly.

“Hiss… you’re pressing on my hair, Mo Ge.”

Her voice, still soft from sleep and tinged with a hint of grievance, accompanied her weak push against his chest. She wanted him to release her trapped hair. However, after the previous night’s ordeal, Bai Xia had no strength left. Even a small movement brought a dull ache, making her resistance seem more like a coy, playful struggle.

The movement beside him stirred Mo Bai from his light sleep. Seeing the restless girl in his arms, he didn’t loosen his grip. Instead, he leaned down and naturally kissed her cheek.

“My little maid finally decided to wake up?”

“Who… who’s your little maid?”

Seeing his lazy, teasing smile, Bai Xia felt both shy and annoyed. Yet her sore body left her unable to push him away. She could only blush, retort weakly, and glare at him with an utterly unthreatening expression.

‘So flustered… so helpless… what do I do? Waiting online, it’s urgent.’

A thin air-conditioned blanket covered her body. Beneath it, Bai Xia wore nothing—or rather, her clothes from last night had long since been discarded somewhere by Mo Bai. Aside from the lace-trimmed white socks on her small feet, she was practically bare, curled up in his arms.

The realization hit her instantly.

She froze.

Her breath hitched.

Her skin pressed directly against his warm body, every slight movement sending her nerves into overdrive. Fragments of last night’s memories flooded her mind—scorching, fragmented, impossible to ignore—making even her toes curl in embarrassment.

If she had to describe it in one word, it would be—

‘wild.’

Bai Xia couldn’t even remember how many embarrassing things she had said, or how many shameful positions she had been coaxed into. She only remembered begging for mercy through tears, her consciousness fading, yet still being relentlessly teased.

The thought made her want to disappear on the spot.

‘Damn it… was that really me?’

She buried her burning face deep into the blanket. Even the back of her neck, exposed to the cool air, was flushed red.

Beside her, Mo Bai watched quietly, a faint smile playing on his lips.

‘Just last night, she was still being stubborn, insisting on competing with me.’

‘So cute~’