Add Fuel to the Fire

The next morning.

Dim light filtered through the gaps in the blinds, casting long bands of light across the floor.

"Hiss—ah—"

His head was splitting.

Xia Lun grimaced as he sat up in bed, letting out a pitiful groan.

Countless tiny needles seemed to be throbbing inside his skull.

He barely managed to prop himself up, the white wool blanket slipping from his chest to reveal his sturdy torso. The dizziness from his hangover made his vision go dark, and he had to close his eyes, pressing hard on his temples.

His memories from the night before were fragmented. He only remembered downing one glass of strong liquor after another at the tavern, until his vision blurred and his tongue went numb.

Later... there seemed to be a warm embrace supporting his unsteady body, that familiar faint, cool fragrance lingering faintly around the tip of his nose.

He looked around and found himself lying in a hotel room. The leather jacket he had been wearing was neatly folded at the head of the bed, and his boots were placed neatly at the foot of the bed.

Given the state he was in, he clearly couldn't have managed any of this himself.

Last night, he hadn't evaporated the alcohol in his system; he had fully indulged in the drink, eventually becoming completely dead drunk.

He had no idea who had brought him back...

Just then, a slight rustling came from beside him, followed by a soft, cool touch—and it seemed the answer was already clear.

Aina's little head popped out from beneath the blanket beside him. She rubbed her somewhat hazy, sleepy eyes, her silver-white hair spreading over the pillow like moonlight.

"Aina!"

A rich joy spread across Xia Lun's face. "You haven't left yet? Was it you who brought me back?... Did I do anything to you when I was drunk?"

Aina kept her face cold as she slowly sat up in bed. The strap of her silk nightgown slipped down to her elbow, revealing her delicate collarbones. She ignored Xia Lun's barrage of questions.

"It was too late yesterday. Like Liyana, I planned to leave this morning..." Then, Aina let out a disdainful snort, the corner of her mouth curling into a mocking arc. "On my way back, I happened to run into you at the tavern. Such a mess."

Xia Lun gave an awkward smile.

"Also... today is the seventh day. Don't drink so much in the future. Your blood has become hard to swallow." Aina tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

Xia Lun instinctively touched his neck... but felt nothing. Aina had handled it cleanly, and the wound had already healed, though his skin felt a little sticky.

No wonder. Last night, while he was asleep, he had felt a familiar warmth at his neck—quite comfortable.

So that was Aina nibbling at his neck.

Too bad he hadn't been conscious at the time.

"Aina, so you..."

"I'm leaving now." Aina got out of bed nimbly, her bare feet stepping on the rough wooden floor.

The morning light outlined Aina's slender figure, like a fragile porcelain sculpture.

"Oh... is that so?" Xia Lun had no interest in admiring the sight before him, and his gaze dimmed slightly.

"You're more fragile than I imagined, champion," Aina said, turning around. Her scarlet pupils reflected Xia Lun's disappointed expression as she looked at him calmly. "If this is how you are, you'll never be my match."

"I..."

"If we meet on the battlefield, I won't go easy on you... I hope you can make me go all out. Otherwise, it'll be too boring."

Aina stared indifferently at her boyfriend of three years. "If you lose, you'll be nothing more than my plaything for life, and you must not disobey any of my orders."

Xia Lun shook his head bitterly. "Then I'm afraid I can't accept that."

Aina said nothing more. She turned to leave but was suddenly grabbed by the wrist.

"Between humans and demons... can we really not coexist in harmony?" Xia Lun murmured.

"You humans are the ones who harbor hostility toward demons," Aina said, trying to shake off Xia Lun's hand without mercy—but failed. Instead, it looked like a little girl being coy and petulant.

This guy really has a lot of strength, Aina grumbled inwardly.

If she ever had to face Xia Lun, she absolutely could not let him get close.

"You humans fear the great power of demons and arbitrarily see us as enemies... and you still have the nerve to talk about this?" Aina let out a cold snort, finally managing to free herself from Xia Lun's grip with some effort. "At first, even the gentle giants were treated like monsters by you."

"I..."

"You don't speak for all of humanity, Xia Lun."

Aina's figure dissolved into countless blood bats, slowly fading away.

As the last bat wing vanished into the air, only Xia Lun remained alone in the room.

He didn't notice that a tiny blood bat still lingered outside the window, silently watching him through the glass.

...

"Xia Lun! I'm leaving! I'm really leaving now!"

Liyana kept looking back as she spoke to Xia Lun.

Xia Lun sighed helplessly. "Do you want me to see you off a bit further?"

"Really? You said that yourself! I didn't ask for anything, remember!" Liyana broke into a beaming smile.

"Be careful on the road. If a stranger tries to talk to you, be cautious. Don't trust them easily..."

"I know, Xia Lun. We've been adventuring together for so long, do you think I don't know that? Besides, it's just going home—what could possibly go wrong?"

Xia Lun thought for a moment and added, "But what if the stranger who talks to you is a pretty girl?"

Liyana sucked in a sharp breath. "Ah... well, that's a different story..."

"Where's Aina? Why isn't she with you?" Liyana quickly changed the subject.

Xia Lun paused slightly, his expression unchanged. "Oh, Aina had something to take care of. We separated for now."

"That's rare. You two are usually never apart..." Liyana gave Xia Lun a suspicious look. "Did you two have a fight?"

Xia Lun cleared his throat. "Cough, no... just a difference of opinion..."

Liyana blinked. "Isn't that the same as a fight?"

"Is it?"

"Xia Lun, you have to coax girls..." Liyana patted Xia Lun on the shoulder meaningfully. "I know Aina always acts cold, but she's still a girl..."

"Uh..."

"What are you waiting for? Don't bother seeing me off. Go after Aina!" Liyana gave Xia Lun a hard shove on the back. "You're not going to let her get away, are you?"

Liyana waved at Xia Lun. "Make sure you bring Aina back! Then the three of us can go drinking again!"

Watching Xia Lun stumble away, Liyana finally let a faint smile creep across her face before wincing slightly.

"He really didn't see me off after all..."

"Ah well, in the end, he's someone else's man."