"What are you doing here?" Hu Can and the other women blocked Cai Cai's way, glaring at her with hostility.

Cai Cai ignored them, her eyes fixed on the silent Hu Li. To outsiders, she appeared to be a lovesick woman pestering her former lover, but Hu Li saw something different in her gaze.

"Let Mrs. Ke through," Hu Li said. The women were puzzled, but since Hu Li didn't intend to explain, they reluctantly stepped aside after a brief moment of hesitation.

They also maintained a discreet distance, unable to hear the conversation but preventing others from approaching.

"Speak, what is it?" Hu Li asked, casually playing with his wine glass.

Cai Cai looked around and then softly told Hu Li everything she knew, including the Ke and Cai families' helplessness in this matter.

After a moment, Hu Li asked, "What do you want?"

"Ultimately, I hope you can spare the Ke and Cai families."

Hu Li suddenly laughed, "It seems like it's your families that aren't sparing the Hu family right now."

"You already know the truth. We had no other choice."

"I can't make any promises," Hu Li said seriously.

"Then tell me what we need to do for you to spare our families?"

"You probably can't make the decision, right?" Hu Li's tone softened as he glanced at her pregnant belly. "Just keep me informed of any new developments. After this is over, I won't hold your actions against you."

Cai Cai hesitated for a moment before finally nodding in agreement.

In the distance, Ke Shaozheng endured sarcastic remarks from those around him due to Cai Cai's actions, which had embarrassed him. These people, despite their elegant appearance, loved to gossip.

Ke Shaozheng's expression darkened as he returned to where they had been sitting, Cai Cai following close behind.

"Brother-in-law, my sister no longer has feelings for Hu Li..." Cai Cai's brother hurried to explain.

Ke Shaozheng quickly stopped him and then said to Cai Cai, "I think we should go home." Without waiting for her response, he stood up and walked out.

"Sister..." Cai Cai's brother was anxious seeing her calm demeanor, but she reassured him, "It's fine, help me up." Cai Cai's emotions were complicated, unsure if Ke Shaozheng was truly angry.

Back at the Ke residence, after sending her worried brother away, Cai Cai followed Ke Shaozheng to their bedroom.

"I'm not rekindling old feelings with Hu Li."

"I know. Sit down and rest," Ke Shaozheng's demeanor softened once they were in the bedroom.

"You believe me?" Cai Cai asked, surprised, her eyes shining like a young girl's.

"Of course. I was just putting on a show for the others. You must have told Hu Li what I shared with you to ensure he spares us in the future," Ke Shaozheng said, sitting beside her and holding her hand.

Suddenly, Cai Cai burst into tears, throwing herself into his arms and sobbing, "I don't want our child to grow up without a complete family. I know I'm being selfish, but I can't bear it..."

"I understand. Don't cry. Be careful, or our baby might learn to be a crybaby," Ke Shaozheng teased, making Cai Cai laugh through her tears.

She then told him about the agreement she made with Hu Li. Ke Shaozheng nodded, holding her again, "You've worked hard. Let's keep this between us. Not even my father needs to know."

"Alright."

This incident caused Cai Cai to endure some grievances within the Ke family, but Ke Shaozheng's occasional intervention made her life easier.

Meanwhile, Hu Li's banquet proceeded smoothly, but Hua Yan encountered something strange back in the mainland.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Returning to the recovery base, around 2 a.m. the next night, Hua Yan had just settled Hu Chen back to bed when she noticed a faint glow outside the window. At first, she thought she was seeing things, but when she opened her eyes again, she was shocked.

In the moonlight, there was a bat the size of an adult fist, pitch black with glowing eyes, staring at her.

Its eyes seemed intelligent, and they rolled around as if it were smiling eerily. Hua Yan instinctively shielded Hu Chen, thinking about how to deal with it if it showed any signs of aggression.

However, the bat suddenly bared its sharp teeth, let out a strange screech, and flew away in an instant.

Far from the recovery base, Elvin transformed back into his human form, sitting atop a centuries-old tree, muttering, "The lady is quite brave, not screaming when she saw me... Perhaps my smile conveyed my goodwill, so she wasn't frightened."

Elvin's pale face was full of smugness. The rehabilitation base was full of hidden talents, and he regretted not daring to transform into his human form outside the window.

Thinking about the many animals in the mountains, he decided he could stay here for a few more days to bond with his future mistress.

What kind of expression would Elvin have if he knew that his appearance had caused Hua Yan to have a sleepless night?

The next morning, everyone at breakfast wondered if Hua Yan was ill, as her face looked so bad. She didn't even finish a small bowl of millet porridge.

Hua Yan reluctantly made excuses to hide the truth. She didn't know how to explain the strange events of last night. Recalling the bat, Hua Yan became more certain that it was intelligent.

Hua Yan thought she might have accidentally encountered a mysterious Western vampire. But why did it come here and stare at her last night?

Could it be that it wanted to suck her blood? At this thought, Hua Yan couldn't help but shiver.

Seeing this, Father Hua concluded she had caught a cold and brought her a pile of cold medicine: cold remedies, anti-inflammatory drugs, and several others.

Hua Yan knew she wasn't sick, but Father Hua and the others didn't believe her. Even Hu Chen urged her to take the medicine obediently. With no way to explain, Hua Yan had to take a bunch of medicine and was ordered to stay in bed all day.

But all medicines are somewhat toxic, and she took a large amount. Combined with her anxiety, Hua Yan started having frequent trips to the bathroom from the afternoon onward. By evening, she was genuinely weak and couldn't get out of bed.

When it was time to sleep, Father Hua took Hu Chen away, worried he might get infected due to his weaker immune system.

Thinking that the bat seemed to be targeting her, Hua Yan agreed to let Hu Chen leave.

After a night of insufficient sleep, Hua Yan held on until around 11 p.m. before falling asleep.

Because there had been people in the room all day, the air wasn't fresh. Aunt Chang, seeing Hua Yan asleep, covered her with a blanket and opened a small crack in a window in the living room.

In a groggy state, Hua Yan suddenly dreamed of a bat, two meters tall with a bloody mouth and terrifying fangs, staring at her like prey. Hua Yan wanted to struggle, but no matter how hard she tried, her body didn't respond, as if she were immobilized.

Suddenly, the bat, with its mouth dripping foul-smelling blood, lunged at her.

"Ah!" She felt a cold hand cover her screaming mouth. Unable to shout for help, Hua Yan's eyes fluttered open, seeing in the moonlight a foreign man with blue eyes and a pale face covering her mouth, looking at her in horror.

Elvin's heart nearly jumped out of his chest. After dinner, he had come back and, seeing a small crack in a window, decided to get a closer look at Hua Yan. But he had barely stood by her bed for a minute before she screamed in terror.

In a panic, Elvin had no choice but to cover her mouth. "I mean no harm. Please don't scream, okay? If you don't scream, I'll let go of you, alright?"

The man didn't seem normal, and although his eyes showed no malice, Hua Yan wasn't sure she could overpower him in her weakened state. After considering for a moment, she nodded.

Elvin watched her eyes for a while before slowly moving his hand away, still on guard. Fortunately, Hua Yan didn't scream again. Letting out a breath of relief, Elvin didn't notice Hua Yan's hand slowly moving towards the military knife under her pillow.

"Why are you here?" Hua Yan asked slowly.

"I was just passing by."

"Passing by? How do you explain being in my house then?" As she spoke, Hua Yan gripped the knife and suddenly lunged at Elvin's heart, remembering that a vampire's heart was its weakest point.

Caught off guard, Elvin dodged her attack. As he was about to explain, he suddenly caught the scent of the most tempting blood he had ever smelled.

This intoxicating scent was something he had only experienced once, during his initial transformation. It brought not only physical pleasure but also a profound spiritual thrill that was impossible to resist.

His clear blue eyes gradually turned blood-red, driven by his vampire instincts.

Losing his clarity, Elvin followed the source of the blood, growing increasingly hungry despite having eaten. His fangs extended, and his fingers grew long and sharp.

One bite from Elvin would mean Hua Yan wouldn't see the light of day. The higher the vampire's rank, the stronger their bloodlust. For a vampire of his level, rare blood like Hua Yan's would be an irresistible temptation, leading him to drain her dry, leaving only a lifeless husk.

Hua Yan felt a sting in her hand but didn't check for a wound due to the tense situation. Seeing the formerly gentle man turn into a monstrous figure, she steeled herself for another strike, hoping to land a fatal blow.

However, her trembling hand betrayed her anxiety. Exhausted from her previous attempt, she wasn't sure if she could survive this enraged vampire's attack.

Would she be drained of blood? Would she never see her loved ones again—her parents, her lover, her son, and her friends?

Elvin drew closer, his blood-red eyes fixated on Hua Yan's pale neck. The air in the room seemed to thin, and the silent world awaited the arrival of death. Suddenly, a series of eerie crow calls echoed from the distant mountains, freezing Hua Yan's blood.